Category Archives: MAIN DISH RECIPES

SPICY CHICKEN CHOW MEIN WITH SOFT NOODLES

Mr. C and I recently attended a birthday party for our good friend Dave. Dave (I never use last names, but he knows who he is) was turning 60. Poor old guy! And among the guests were our good friends Larry and Clay.

Clay and I started talking about food, (what a surprise!) and he asked me if I had a good chow mein recipe. (He and Larry love to go out for Chinese food, but sometimes they just want to stay home, but still be able to enjoy one of their favorites.) I told Clay my cooking repertoire was sorely lacking in the Asian food department. But I told him I would look into chow mein and see what I could find.

Turns out recipes on the internet for chow mein are as abundant as recipes for spaghetti and meatballs. And since I have been concentrating lately on Italian cuisine, I thought I would try a recipe for chow mein from a chef who has some Italian ancestry. (Why a chef with Italian heritage you ask? All I can say is that it made sense at the time! Maybe it was the noodle part.) Anyway, I made a few changes to Guy Fieri’s recipe for Hong Kong Style Noodles with Chicken. And because Mr. C and I enjoyed it so much, I decided to post the recipe right in the middle of my series on Italian cuisine. (Again, it must be the noodle part. That’s the only thing that makes even a semblance of sense to me!) But regardless, this is truly a wonderful recipe and I wanted to share it with you as soon as possible.

To my thinking, the chili garlic sauce in the marinade gives the chicken just the right amount of spiciness. Enough to get your attention, but not enough to beat up your taste buds. (I don’t really appreciate having my mouth set on fire, but if you do, by all means add more chili sauce or even some crushed red pepper flakes.)

If you are a true devotee of Chinese food, you know that some chow mein recipes have a high fat content. I have reduced the amount of fat in this recipe to the lowest amount I feel is reasonable. Another thing you should know is that the “planned-overs” were just as good as the chow mein fresh off the flame. (You just can’t ask for more than that!)

So next time you get a hankering for a relatively simple to prepare, economical, and tasty alternative to going out for “the real thing”, give this recipe a try.   个饱 Gè bǎo

  • 6 T. soy sauce, divided (low sodium is fine, as is Tamari or GF Tamari)
  • 2 T. minced fresh ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 T. chili garlic sauce (use less if you don’t like spicy chow mein)
  • 4 T. cornstarch, divided
  • 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut 1/4-inch slices (or pork, shrimp, or beef)
  • 3 T. vegetable oil, divided
  • 3 T. hoisin sauce
  • 1 tsp. sesame oil
  • 1 1/2 c. chicken stock
  • 1 small carrot cut into 1/4-inch sticks
  • 2 stalks celery, cut into ½-inch bias-cut chunks
  • ½ medium sized onion, sliced 1/8-inch
  • 1 red pepper cut into 1/4-inch strips
  • 2 c. sliced mushrooms (I like part button and part shiitake)
  • 4 oz. snow peas, 1/2-inch bias cut strips
  • 8 oz. mung bean sprouts
  • 8-10 ounces chow mein noodles, cooked al dente (follow instructions on the package)
  • 1/2 c. bias cut green onions, garnish

In a re-sealable plastic bag add 3 tablespoons of the soy sauce, ginger, garlic, chili garlic paste, and 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch; mush together thoroughly. Add the chicken and marinate for 90 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the hoisin sauce, sesame oil, chicken stock, remaining 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of soy sauce in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.

In a large sauté pan or wok (I use a very large non-stick pan because less oil is required), heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil to almost the smoking point and add chicken, separating each piece after you get all of the chicken in the pan. Cook chicken until just browned on both sides. (Do not overcook.) Remove to a small bowl and set aside.

In the same pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and add the carrot and celery. Sauté for 2 minutes then add the onion, red pepper, and mushrooms and sauté for 2 more minutes. Finally add the snow peas, and bean sprouts. Stir in the chicken broth mixture and let burble until sauce thickens. Stir in the cooked chicken and cooked noodles. Adjust seasoning. Serve immediately sprinkled with green onions.

Note: If you prefer rice to noodles, just prepare the sauce and serve over steamed rice. For gluten free – use GF Tamari and serve over steamed rice.

 

SPAGHETTI WITH FRESH CLAMS AND MUSSELS

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While we were in Italy, Mr. C and I shared many wonderful pasta dishes. Since we were in southern Italy, home to some of the best seafood you could ever hope to taste, many of the pasta dishes we ate contained seafood, especially shellfish. The dishes were simple with no one flavor overwhelming any of the others. Each dish was a perfect marriage of ingredients.

But before I go any further about the joys of eating seafood in Italy or sharing with you my spin on a classic Italian seafood pasta dish, I have one small confession about Italian cuisine that I need to share with you. There is one shrimp preparation that I doubt either Mr. C or I will ever be able to fully appreciate.

raw shrimp

raw shrimp

In Italy shrimp are often deep fried or added to dishes still wearing the suits they were given at birth. In other words, the heads are still on, the skeletal bodies (including the icky little “legs”) are intact, and even the thread like feelers are left on to make the desirability of eating one of these critters even that much less appealing. And then to add insult to injury, Italian chefs tend to cook the hell out the little darlings. So what remains is an almost desiccated carcass in an inpenetrable and unappetizing casing. It leaves me wondering how a country that prides itself, and in almost every other way produces some of the best food in the world, can turn what should be a succulent treat into what Mr. C and I consider an inedible, is nothing short of savagery. But then, in all honesty, we don’t really know how to eat the clothed shrimp either. We watched others seem to enjoy biting off the little heads and (I’ll leave this part to your imagination), but we just could not embrace the whole “alla naturale” experience. But that’s OK. Every other seafood dish we tried was excellent. Just proves not everyone can love every dish they taste, even if it’s an Italian dish! But enough about shrimp and the fact that we prefer our shrimp scantily clad! Back to mussels and clams.

Like I said, we enjoyed clams, mussels and pasta several different times during our time in Italy. In some cases the sauce was more like a marinara, while in a few instances there was no evidence of tomato at all. But often, just to provide a lovely splash of color, a few cherry tomatoes were added just at the last moment. I learned to look forward to those warm, still semi-raw taste treats. I hope you learn to love them too.

And finally, don’t be surprised if I don’t post any recipes for fried shrimp. It just ain’t going to happen!

  • 3 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 medium sized shallots, coarsely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 c. white wine (I use Pinot Grigio)
  • 1 c. vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
  • 3/4 lb. fresh clams, cleaned
  • 3/4 lb. fresh mussels, cleaned
  • 8-oz. spaghetti, cooked al dente
  • 2 T. butter, room temperature
  • 2 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • 8 cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half, opt.

In a large skillet or saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes.  Add the garlic, salt, and pepper; cook for about a minute or until the garlic is aromatic. Add the wine and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, red pepper flakes, clams and mussels.  Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook until all the shellfish have opened, about 5 to 8 minutes. Discard any unopened shellfish.

Using tongs lift the al dente pasta out of the cooking water and add to the pan. Add the butter, parsley and tomatoes; toss until all of the pasta is coated. Adjust seasoning and serve immediately.

 

 

 

 

PASTA WITH ARRABIATA SAUCE

So, we have just left our beloved Amalfi coast (no scratches on our rental car or permanently frazzled nerves, I am glad to report) and are headed east to visit the Adriatic side of Italy’s boot. It is really difficult to plan how long it will take to reach any given location in Italy because a km can take 60 seconds or 60 minutes depending on the road conditions and terrain. And this leg of our journey was no exception.

After departing at 9:30, we took the Amalfi coast road to Salerno and the autostrada (speed limit 110 – wee hah) which took us east over the Apennine Mountains in the Basilicata region. The Apennine mountains, at least the part we saw were green and hilly (only one jagged ridge visible), becoming drier on the eastern slopes. (Sound familiar?) There was some agriculture, but not the extensive terracing of fruit and olive trees that we had witnessed on earlier vacations in Northern Italy. As we drove along, all of the streams and rivers were overflowing with tumbling brown water from the torrential downpour the entire European continent had experienced a couple of days before. So with fast speed limits and great roads, we basically crossed the “boot” in a few short hours.

We arrived at our hotel at about 1:30 in the afternoon. We put our bags in our room and proceeded downstairs for lunch. In Italy, lunch is usually served between 1:00 and 3:00. As it was only 1:45, we were in luck.

Now let me set the stage for our lunch. The hotel I found on Expedia (great place to book hotels, I might add) was chosen because of its location as a mid-way stop rather than for the many glories of the region. (Had I known how fast we would get across the boot, I would have booked us further toward the Adriatic rather than on the Gulf of Taranto.) But here we were in our unpretentious business class hotel right off the highway with a whole afternoon to fill. So, deciding to fill our tummies before heading out on some type of afternoon adventure, we went down to the eating area.

We were the only patrons and in her best broken English, the waitress explained that there were only a very limited number of items on the menu, especially at lunch time. I can’t even remember what I ordered except to say that it was wonderful, but Mr. Cs Arrabiata was, and I quote “to die for”! Like I said, I don’t even remember what I ordered. What I do remember is stealing pasta off of Andy’s plate with alarming regularity.

After lunch we tried our best to tell our waitress how much we had enjoyed our meal, especially the Arrabiata. She looked at us, got a little twinkle in her eye, turned around and headed for the kitchen. She returned shortly with a stalk of the peppers that had been used in this very spicy dish. She wrote down the name of the peppers, pepperoncini, and broke off a few to give to us. I wanted to keep those peppers so badly, but I knew they would never make it past US customs (the brutes!) So as best we could, we explained how grateful we were for her thoughtfulness, but that we just could not accept her gracious offer.

All the time we’d been in Italy I had wanted to visit a supermercado (grocery store).  So upon receiving driving instructions from the hotel manager, we preceded into “town” to give me the opportunity to see what an Italian home cook in a fairly poor area of Italy has at his/her disposal. Well howdy, if I had that store on Camano Island, I would be one happy camper. The fresh meat, deli meat, cheeses, and produce were amazing and inexpensive. No frozen food cases filled with frozen pizza and TV dinners, just a small case filled with amazing flavors of gelato. Absent also, isle after isle of dried scalloped potatoes packages or canned beef stew. And absolutely no area devoted to soft drinks. But pasta, you want pasta, every shape, size and variety available was at that store. And inexpensive Arborio rice. Sigh! There were some canned goods – tomatoes, cannelloni beans; that type of vegetable. And olives. Oh how I dearly love the green olives in Italy! And of course – spices. I found jars of the regional dried pepperoncini that had been used in the wonderful Arrabiata we had “shared” for lunch.  So of course I had to bring home 4 jars. (I stuffed them in the toe of my shoes so they could safely and cozily survive the long journey to America.) Cookies were the one item that shared about the same amount of space as in an average American grocery store. Italians too love their sweets.

After doing our grocery shopping we drove to the seashore through camera crews, fire fighters and clean-up vehicles and workers. Apparently this part of Italy was especially hard hit by the heavy rain storms. There was so much flooding that all the businesses right by the shore were closed, including the hotels and restaurants. It was very interesting to poke around and witness how beautifully the Italians handled this emergency situation. No heavy handed behavior on the part of the people in charge. Just a general feeling of cooperation and “let’s get the job done”! And if some crazy Americans wanted to drive around and possibly get their tiny Fiat 500 stuck in the mud, so be it!

After a delightful afternoon of seeing the area we headed back to our hotel and yet another delicious meal in the hotel restaurant. Dinner was excellent, but the Arrabiata we enjoyed at lunch and the absolutely charming and cordial hotel staff that treated us as long lost family members made even this rather pedestrian stop a memorable event. Lesson learned: Don’t judge a book by its cover or a business class hotel by its lack of fancy furniture and potted plants in the lobby. You never know what pleasures may await.

  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 c. finely chopped yellow onion
  • 5 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • ½ – 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ c. red wine (I like Pinot Noir)
  • 2 T. brown sugar
  • 2 T. chopped fresh basil
  • 6-oz. tomato paste (I use Cento brand)
  • 2-28oz. cans crushed or whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes* (Use cans of Italian tomatoes, like Cento brand, if possible. And yes, there really is a difference!)
  • 1 lb. penne pasta, cooked al dente
  • chopped fresh Italian parsley, opt.
  • grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, opt.

Heat olive oil in a medium-large heavy sauce pan. Add onion and cook until transparent. (Don’t let the onion brown.) Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about a minute or until the garlic smells aromatic. Add the salt, pepper, and wine. Let wine cook until it is all absorbed. Stir in the brown sugar, basil, and tomato paste. Finally add the 2 cans of crushed tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and gently simmer uncovered for about 30-40 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Add cooked pasta, sprinkle with parsley; serve immediately. Pass grated cheese.

*If using whole peeled tomatoes, chop them before adding to sauce

 

RISOTTO WITH CREAM AND SHRIMP SAUCE

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View from our hotel veranda in Amalfi, Italy

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Mr. C and I just got back from a three week trip to southern Italy. We ate and drank ourselves from Rome down to the Isle of Ischia, to Sorrento, Capri, the Amalfi coast, across to the Adriatic, up around the Gargano Peninsula and back across to Rome. The food we experienced was fantastic. And during the next couple of weeks I will be telling you more about our trip and give you a taste (so to speak) of some of the amazing dishes we experienced.

We ordered this incredible risotto dish our last night in Italy. We were flying out early (well early for us – 10:35am) the next day, so we returned our rental car (a Fiat 500) in Rome, took the train to the Leonardo da Vinci airport in Fiumicino, (about 30 km from downtown Rome) and hopped a cab to our seaside hotel. Fiumicino is a lovely small seaside town with many hotels and excellent restaurants. We stayed at the Hotel Del Mare (translated – hotel by the sea). The first floor of the building/hotel was a large, very busy pesce ristoranti (seafood restaurant). So when it came dinner time, we made the very long journey down one flight of stairs, out the front door of the hotel and into the side door of this restaurant.

We had been eating a lot of fish and a lot of pasta during our proceeding time in Italy, so something about the words risotto caught my eye. And when I read the next two ingredients, cream and shrimp, I was hooked. So for our primi (first course), I ordered the Risotto with Cream and Shrimp Sauce. And to my dying day I’m going to be glad I did. It was the best risotto I had ever tasted. So, of course I had to try and duplicate it when I got home. And I did! I got some help from internet searches, but came up with this final version that I think does the restaurant credit.

So next time you are in the mood for Italian food, and have a little time to spend in the kitchen, give this recipe a try.

A note about lobster base: It ain’t cheap! My favorite is Knorr, but it is hard to find. (PFI carries it if you live in the Seattle area.) More readily available is Better Than Bouillon, and I know Haggen’s (north sound grocery store chain) carries it. But if you can’t find lobster base, not to worry. Just make your stock with the shrimp shells and it should be just fine.

Shrimp Stock:

  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • shrimp shells and tails
  • 5 1/2 c. water
  • 1-2 tsp. lobster base, opt.
  • 1/4 onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 T. roughly chopped celery
  • 1/2 small carrot, roughly chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • pinch salt
  • 8 black peppercorns
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • 1 large sprig fresh parsley

In a large heavy stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the shrimp shells and cook, stirring occasionally, until shells are pink and fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the water and all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and slowly simmer until stock is flavorful, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Strain the stock into a large container and use immediately or allow to cool completely. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Shrimp Cream:

  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 3/4 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (save the shells and tails for Shrimp Stock – see above)
  • 1/4 c. heavy cream + more for risotto*
  • 1 c. canned tomatoes (Italian if possible)

Heat the olive oil in a large covered sauté pan over medium heat and sauté the shrimp until just opaque, about 2 minutes. Remove from pan, allow to cool, chop into whole hazelnut sized pieces, and refrigerate until ready to use. In a food processor, puree ¼ cup heavy cream and tomatoes until smooth. Refrigerate until needed.

Risotto:

  • 5 cups shrimp stock (see recipe above)
  • 2 T. butter
  • 1/2 c. finely minced shallots
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • 1 c. Arborio rice
  • 1/2 c. white wine (I like Pinot Gris)
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • *heavy cream (about a cup)
  • 2 T. chopped fresh basil
  • 2 T. finely chopped Italian parsley, plus 2 T. for garnish   
  • 2 T. finely grated Parmesan

In a small pot bring the shrimp stock to a boil. Reduce the heat and keep warm. Heat the butter in a heavy pot over medium heat; add the shallots and garlic (I use my small food processor to mince the shallots and garlic) and sauté until soft. Add the Arborio rice and stir until it is coated with butter, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the heat to high and add the white wine, stir until most of the wine has been absorbed by the rice. Stir in the salt and pepper. Add the hot stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly, after each addition, until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding the stock and stirring to release the starch from the rice. Begin to check the rice for doneness after 18 minutes, it should be al dente. Add the shrimp cream mixture (blended cream and tomatoes) and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the reserved cooked shrimp and heat through. Add enough cream to bring to desired consistency. (The risotto should be very soft and creamy, not stiff.) Remove from heat and stir in the basil, parsley, and Parmesan. Adjust the seasoning. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve immediately.

A note about Italian food: The best way I know to describe authentic Italian food is fresh, local meat, seafood and produce, enhanced with subtle seasonings and complimentary ingredients. Except in rare cases, like the recipe for Arrabbiata (a very spicy red pasta sauce) that I am going to post in a couple of days, Italian chefs use a very light hand in everything they prepare. They absolutely do not ascribe to the old adage that if a little bit of something is good, a whole lot is better! And because they don’t use more of an ingredient than is necessary, like cheese or fresh basil for example, the taste of the dish is lighter, fresher and much more enjoyable.

 

OKTOBERFEST BRATWURST COOKED WITH BEER AND ONIONS

Bratwurst, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I’m almost sure that’s the way Elizabeth Barrett Browning originally intended to begin her classis poem, but for whatever reason dismissed the idea before the poem was published. (Perhaps she discovered soft pretzels at the same time and couldn’t decide on which of these two master pieces of culinary delight should be immortalized in her literary masterpiece.) That can be the only reason I can think of that Bratwurst was excluded from her opening sentence.

But regardless, Bratwurst cooked with beer and onions should be immortalized. Therefore, I offer my late great friend Davey Finch’s recipe.

I have also taken the liberty to include Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s wonderful poem. Like good Bratwurst, wonderful poetry never goes out of style. It remains a treasure to be shared with others, and used as a reminder that we live in a wonderful world full of lovely food, great literature and art, amazing music, and treasured friendships. Cheers to Davey Finch and to all our friends who were blessed by his loving and generous spirit.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, — I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! — and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

  • Bratwurst (I use Johnsonville), any amount you want
  • Beer (not light beer, but nothing too dark either – an amber or pale ale works great), a bottle or two depending on how many Bratwurst you are cooking (I use 2 bottles for 20-25 Bratwurst)
  • Chopped onion, ½ large yellow onion for 10 Bratwurst; 1onion for 20-25, etc. etc.

Combine Bratwurst (Brats), beer and onion in a covered pan. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 40 minutes. Remove Brats from pan and transfer to a pre-heated barbecue. (Reserve the beer and onion liquid.) Grill until nicely browned. Return to beer/onion liquid. Keep warm. Serve with any of your favorite mustards.

CREAMY MAC AND CHEESE

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There is just nothing better than a big old serving of mac and cheese with your name on it. I mean really, is there any other food that feels as good in your mouth or makes your taste buds as happy as super cheesy, extra creamy mac and cheese? I think not! So when I decided that I wanted a mac and cheese recipe that was reasonably inexpensive to prepare, contained no meat (bacon, prosciutto, etc.) and could be prepared ahead of time and not lose all its wonderful cheesy goodness, I decided to turn to the internet, my favorite recipe source. I found several recipes that looked good, but the one I liked the best was on the Taste of Home website. I made a few minor changes here and there but frankly, this is the best mac and cheese I have ever tasted. I love that it can be made ahead. I also love that it is vegetarian.

And I know, Patti cooking with Velveeta! It doesn’t happen often, but even processed cheese has its uses once in awhile. And this is one of those times when you just have to bite the bullet and put that bright yellow box of Velveeta in your cart. I usually cover it up while I do the rest of my shopping. Then when I check- out, I pretend it jumped into my cart of its own accord. Then when the clerk asks me if I want it returned to the shelves I say something like “oh no, that’s ok, I don’t want to cause any inconvenience for anyone”. I’m sure the clerk sees through my little charade, but the two times or so a year I actually buy Velveeta, I feel I simply must stick to this childish ruse.

And while I’m justifying to all of you why I use Velveeta occasionally, I should share the only other recipe I make that contains this processed ingredient. Please see my favorite recipe for Queso Dip under Appetizer Recipes.

  • 1/2 c. butter
  • 1/3 c. flour
  • 1 1/2 c. milk
  • 8 oz. Velveeta, cubed
  • 1/4 c. finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly grated black pepper
  • 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 c. low fat sour cream
  • 4 c. uncooked elbow macaroni
  • 2 c. (8-oz.) grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 c. reserved pasta water
  • paprika, opt.

Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan. Whisk in the flour until smooth and bubbly. Gradually stir in the milk and bring to a boil. Allow sauce to burble for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Velveeta, Parmesan, salt, pepper, mustard, and sour cream until smooth and cheese is melted. Cook pasta to al dente in boiling salted water, drain (reserving about a cup of pasta water)* and add to the sauce along with the cheddar cheese. (If the sauce seems too thick add enough of the reserved pasta water to reach desired consistency.)  Spoon the mixture into a buttered 9×13-inch dish. Sprinkle lightly with paprika. (The photo below is a double batch.)

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Bake uncovered in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly. Let mac and cheese sit about 5-7 minutes before serving.

*If you are preparing the mac and cheese ahead of time, drain the pasta and run cold water over it until it is room temperature. Drain again and add to the sauce along with the cheddar cheese. Stir well. (The cheddar cheese will completely melt when it is baking.) Spoon the mixture into a buttered 9×13-inch dish. Sprinkle lightly with paprika. Cover and refrigerate until about 2 hours before you want to serve. (Taking the dish out of the refrigerator ahead of time allows the pasta to come close to room temperature before popping it in a hot oven.) Bake uncovered in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until sauce is bubbly.

 

 

 

DUCK BREASTS WITH ORANGE MARMALADE SAUCE

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I do believe summer has come early to the Pacific NW. Usually the month of June is wet or in the case of the last few years, very wet. But so far this June the weather has been splendid. Which means – I am outside and not turning my attention to the kitchen (or this blog for that matter). And then when I do come inside, I’m not much inclined to spend a great deal of time on my computer or fussing over a meal. A small piece of meat, a salad, and a veggie is just about all the effort I am willing to make after a day of activity. That and of course a nice adult beverage of some kind to sip on while I slog away at preparing our evening repast. (Must keep the cook happy, at least that’s what I tell Mr. C!)

With relatively little effort in mind, one of my favorite quick and easy meats to prepare is duck. (And I know what you are thinking. Patti, has the sun fried a few too many of your ever diminishing brain cells? Duck is neither quick nor easy to prepare!) To which I reply – nonsense! Now granted some recipes for duck are elaborate and take culinary expertise. (You will not be finding those recipes on this site.) But this recipe and my previously posted recipe for Duck Ragu with Fettuccine are both easy and quick enough for me to usually garner enough energy to prepare even after spending a grueling couple of hours harvesting weeds to donate to our local yard waste sub-station.

So don’t be afraid of cooking duck, especially duck breasts. Give this simple recipe a try. And while you’re at it, cook up a couple extra breasts. (I usually find frozen duck breasts in packages of 4 anyway, which is the perfect amount for two meals for the two of us.) Then freeze the extra cooked breasts or save them for a couple of days in your refrigerator and prepare the Duck Ragu with Fettuccine recipe. It is truly one of the best and easiest pasta dishes you will ever taste. Quack!

  • boneless Muskovy or Moulard duck breasts (1 duck breast per person)
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • zest of half a large orange
  • 3/4 c. fresh orange juice or 1 tablespoon orange juice concentrate & 3/4 cup water)
  • 3/4 c. chicken broth or stock
  • 1 c. orange marmalade
  • pinch kosher salt
  • 1 T. water
  • 1 T. cornstarch

Trim some of the skin from around the edges of each duck breast. (You want some skin, but not too much. I usually cut enough off so that when I lay the breast flat, skin side up, I can see some meat around the edge of the breast.) Using a very sharp thin bladed knife, score the skin in a crisscross pattern (just through the top of skin) at ¼-inch intervals. Pat the meat dry and lightly season both sides of the meat with salt and pepper.  Place duck breasts skin side down in a pre-heated pan heated to medium low. Fry for about 10 minutes or until fat is a deep golden brown. Turn and cook for  another couple of minutes. Transfer to a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 4-6 minutes or until interior temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove from oven, tent with aluminum foil, and allow meat to rest for 5 minutes before cutting into thin slices. Serve immediately with Orange Marmalade Sauce.

To prepare the sauce combine the orange zest, orange juice, chicken broth, and marmalade in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Combine the water and cornstarch. Add mixture to the sauce and return sauce to a boil. If using the sauce within a few minutes, cover the pan and remove from heat. If making ahead, remove sauce from heat and cool completely before placing in refrigerator. Warm before serving. (Extra sauce freezes beautifully!)

Side Dish Suggestion: oven roasted veggies including potatoes, simple green salad

Wine Suggestion: Pinot Noir

 

COBB SALAD WITH SHRIMP

This is another recipe I found in Cooking Light magazine that I thought each and every one of you should accept into your life. It is divinely delicious and pretty darn healthful too boot! And with summer fast approaching, this salad is perfect for one of those days when it is truly too hot to spend much time fussing in the kitchen. And who doesn’t like a big old salad for dinner on a hot night? And when the salad has bacon, shrimp, and avocado starring up at you just longing to be consumed, how can a meal possibly get much better? Well, only if you serve the salad with a light and fruity Sauvignon Blanc or a crisp and flamboyant Viognier. That’s even better!

A word about Viognier. If you have not had the pleasure of tasting a truly good Viognier, do yourself a favor and buy a bottle. According to the Total Wine & More website, “Viognier has recently increased in popularity among consumers. Most known as the principle white grape variety in the northern Rhône, Viognier is capable of producing extraordinary wines with peachy aromas. On the palate, there are dry, luscious flavors of tree fruit, nuttiness and undertones of spice. At its best, it is lush and rich with amazing complexity and a wonderful alternative to Chardonnay. Exceptional Viognier is also produced in Washington State and in the southern Rhône.”

I will be thinking of you the next time I’m eating this salad and sipping on Viognier out on the deck. Cheers!

  • 4 thick slices lean bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 1 lb. large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • ½ tsp. paprika
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • cooking spray
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt, divided
  • 2 ½ T. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 ½ T. extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ tsp. whole grain mustard
  • 10-oz. cut up romaine lettuce
  • 2 c. cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered or halved
  • 1 c. shredded carrots
  • 1 c. whole kernel corn
  • 1 avocado, cut into 8 wedges

Cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Wipe skillet clean. Sprinkle shrimp with paprika and pepper. Coat pan with cooking spray. Over medium high heat, cook shrimp for two minutes on each side (or until done). Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Set aside. Combine remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, oil, and mustard in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add lettuce; toss to coat. Arrange lettuce on 4 plates. Top each serving with bacon, shrimp, tomato, carrot, corn, and avocado. Serve immediately.

SEATTLE CREAM CHEESE DOGS

Now I must admit I am not the greatest lover of the all-American hot dog! In fact, the only time I really liked them was when I was pregnant. And then, all I wanted with my daily hot dogs (sometimes still cold right out of the package) were several huge slices of super cold watermelon. I almost lived on that diet for my last two trimesters. It’s totally amazing my daughter Paula is as normal as she is. Hot dogs and watermelon? Good grief!

But then low and behold, after probably not eating more than 3 hot dogs since my pregnancy, along comes a Seattle Cream Cheese Dog about 2 years ago. Now granted, when you eat one of these babies, it’s not really about the hot dog. It’s really about the toppings.  Also, I must confess, I usually make mine with really good sausages rather than plain hot dogs. (I figure, if I am going to go to the trouble of caramelizing onions, and dressing up sauerkraut, I might as well go all the way and use a really good sausage too!) However you choose to prepare one of these Seattle street vendor classics, you are going to be in for a wonderful treat. There are just some foods that fall into the “guilty pleasure” category. And these “dogs” are definitely on my “guilty” list. And no, I am not going to tell you what other foods are on my list. You already know about my addiction to cheeseburgers. There’s only so much humiliation I can take at one time. I’m a cookbook writer and food blogger after all. I should have foods like fried ice cream with salted caramel sauce or homemade marshmallows covered in white chocolate and toasted coconut on my list. Not cheeseburgers and fancy hot dogs! But if truth be told, most of us who consider ourselves to be blessed with a sophisticated palate have a food or two we wish we didn’t like, but do! So just to make myself feel better about my guilty pleasure list, I’m going to imagine each and every one of you with a corndog in your hand. (And no, corn dogs are not on my list! In fact, I have never eaten one.) But happy day, I do actually possess some vestige of dignity after all!

  • ¼ c. butter
  • 2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp. bacon grease
  • 1 can sauerkraut, well drained
  • 1/4 tsp. caraway seeds
  • 4-8 oz. cream cheese (amount depends on how messy you want to become)
  • 12 hot dogs or favorite sausages
  • 12 buns
  • brown mustard

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, and cook slowly until the onions have softened and caramelized to a deep golden brown, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile combine the bacon grease, sauerkraut, and caraway seeds in a small saucepan. Warm gently while onions caramelize. Warm the cream cheese in the microwave while you grill the hot dogs or sausages. Also lightly grill buns on both sides. To assemble cream cheese dogs, spread mustard on one side of bun and warm cream cheese on the other. Add hot dogs or sausage, top with onions and sauerkraut and serve immediately.

 

 

GROUND BEEF SLIDERS WITH BACON JAM AND CAMBOZOLA CHEESE

If I were a person who didn’t really like to cook, first of all, I wouldn’t be a food blogger (yah think!) and I undoubtedly would sport a great deal thinner wallet. And why is that you ask? Because I love really good food. And if I couldn’t fix it for myself, well then, I would have to go out to eat more often at places like Skillet, one of Seattle’s fabulous mobile diners. And why would I eat there as often as possible? Because, they make “the burger” – featuring grass fed beef, arugula, Bacon Jam, and Cambozola cheese (cow’s milk cheese that is a combination of a French soft-ripened triple cream cheese and Italian Gorgonzola). Need I say more?

But because I do love to cook, and am an inveterate copycat, I can munch on my take of this fabulous burger (I like to serve them slider sized) any time my heart desires, and time permits, of course. (FYI: if I am serving any type of burger at a function, I usually make them slider sized. Many of the people I entertain are getting older and simply don’t require as much food as when they were younger. So for most of my guests, a smaller burger is much appreciated. After all, they can always come back for seconds! Or even thirds! )

So next time you plan a picnic dinner for family and friends, try serving sliders in place of standard sized burgers. Or if you want to offer a choice, feature a couple of Seattle’s own creations. Serve both this slider (thank you “Skillet”) along with halved Seattle Cream Cheese Dogs (my next post). I mean really, we can’t just be known for our coffee snobbery, more Birkenstock shod women than any other city in America, and grunge music; we also need to take pride in our own gourmet twists on hamburgers and hot dogs. After all, hamburgers and hot dogs represent American cuisine at it’s finest! (I do believe I just talked myself into a trip to Italy. Arrivederci!)

  • 1 lb. not-so-lean ground beef
  • ½ tsp. seasoned salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tsp. granulated garlic
  • 1 T. grated fresh onion
  • 1 tsp. Montreal Steak Seasoning (made by McCormick)
  • Slider Buns (under Bread & Roll Recipes)
  • arugula
  • Cambozola cheese
  • Bacon Jam (under This & That Recipes)

Gently combine the ground beef, seasoned salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion, and Montreal Steak Seasoning. Don’t over-mix. Form into 2-inch patties and let rest for a few minutes. Meanwhile toast the buns in the frying pan you plan to use to cook your burgers. Set buns aside. Place pan over medium high heat. Once the pan is nice and hot, add the burgers and leave them alone. Do not try to flatten the burgers while they cook or all the lovely juices will escape. Don’t move the burgers except to flip them once the juices start to puddle on top. Do not flip again! How long you cook the second side depends on personal preference. For a rarer burger only cook for a couple of minutes. You can tell doneness by gently pressing your spatula in the center of the patty without breaking the crust. The squishier the burger, the rarer it is. Meanwhile, place some arugula on the bottom half of each bun. Add a very thin slice of cambozola cheese. When the patties are cooked, place on the cheese. Add a nice slathering of Bacon Jam to the top half of each bun and place on top of the cheese. Serve sliders immediately.