I've come up with five different ways to make Bloody Marys. Well, in actuality, Virgin Marys. No matter how much I like other vodka cocktail concoctions, I just can't bring myself to liquor up my Virgin Marys. I like them thick, with the full flavor of whatever herbs, spices, and such I've added to them. I don't like the astringency that comes with adding vodka. But that's just me. Feel free to add vodka (or gin or whatever) to any of the following recipes. I'm sure they can take it.
Disclaimer: I don't provide measurements below because I don't know them. Each time I make a Virgin Mary I use the ingredients I've listed, but I finagle with the proportions until it tastes good. This isn't baking. Exactitude not required.
Standard
- V8, chilled; get low-sodium so you can control salt content (I prefer V8 to regular tomato juice because it has more flavor)
- Worcestershire sauce
- Hot sauce; use your favorite; I usually choose one that's low in vinegar, i.e., Cholula as opposed to Tabasco
- Horseradish (ground not creamed)
- Celery seed
- Celery salt, in drink and around rim
* Adorn with green olive, pickled onion, and Tomolive (http://www.oldsouth.com/products.asp?id=94&topcat=1)
Mexican
- Ingredients above from V8 to horseradish
- Cilantro leaves
- Cumin (ground not seed)
- Ancho salt; mix equal parts ancho chile powder and table salt; put around rim
* Adorn with green onion and pickled jalapenos
Italian
- Standard ingredients from V8 to celery seed
- Basil leaves, chiffonade
- Garlic salt, in drink
* Adorn with giardiniera
French
- Standard ingredients from V8 to celery seed
- Tarragon leaves
- Fleur de sel, in drink and around rim
* Adorn with goat cheese balls and nicoise olives
Greek
- Standard ingredients from V8 to celery seed
- Oregano leaves
- Kosher salt, in drink and around rim
* Adorn with feta cubes and kalamata olives
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Up next: Bloody Marys 5 (or 6) ways
I'm working on several different ways to spice up and adorn Bloody Marys. Look for the post on Sunday.
But, in the meantime, check out this new website I discovered: http://rouxbe.com/
But, in the meantime, check out this new website I discovered: http://rouxbe.com/
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Dip It. Dip It Good.
For this afternoon's football game, I'm making my own dips. I know, I know, why go to the trouble when I could just take the lid off a store-bought container? Well, because dips are easy to make and the end result is SO much better than what you could buy pre-made. I'd rather spend a little bit of time in the kitchen to get something super yummy than just buy something mediocre to save time.
So, since I haven't made this afternoon's dips yet, what follows aren't so much recipes as suggestions. I mean, dips don't need recipes really. They're not scientific though they do encourage experimentation. And that's what I plan to do - experiment like a mad dip scientist.
Cowgirl Edamame Dip
- Take shelled, cooked edamame and blend in food processor with your favorite salsa ingredients (chopped tomatoes, diced onions, minced jalapeno, cilantro, lime, cumin, etc.)
- With processor going, drizzle in olive oil until it's the consistency you're looking for then season with salt and pepper
- OR, remove mixture from processor and stir in some sour cream or even mayonnaise then season with salt and pepper
- Serve with nacho chips
Hot Pink Ricotta Dip
- Make simple tomato sauce by starting with garlic and onions in olive oil then adding canned tomatoes with salt and pepper and herbs like basil and oregano; simmer for at least an hour
- Stir enough into ricotta cheese to make it pink
- Serve with grissini (crisp breadsticks) or bruschette (grilled/toasted bread rubbed with olive oil and garlic)
Fancified Onion Dip
- Cook sliced Vidalia or yellow onions (seasoned with salt and pepper) in olive oil over medium heat so they caramelize; this will take at least 20 minutes
- Stir cooled onions into half cream cheese, half goat cheese
- Serve with your favorite potato chips
And for my West Coast family and friends (who always have access to fresh avocados)...
Grilled Scallion Guacamole
- Grill scallions on outdoor or indoor grill or even grill pan; chop when cool
- Add to your favorite guacamole ingredients (avocado, cilantro, lime, cumin, etc.); season with salt and pepper
- Serve with pita chips
So, since I haven't made this afternoon's dips yet, what follows aren't so much recipes as suggestions. I mean, dips don't need recipes really. They're not scientific though they do encourage experimentation. And that's what I plan to do - experiment like a mad dip scientist.
Cowgirl Edamame Dip
- Take shelled, cooked edamame and blend in food processor with your favorite salsa ingredients (chopped tomatoes, diced onions, minced jalapeno, cilantro, lime, cumin, etc.)
- With processor going, drizzle in olive oil until it's the consistency you're looking for then season with salt and pepper
- OR, remove mixture from processor and stir in some sour cream or even mayonnaise then season with salt and pepper
- Serve with nacho chips
Hot Pink Ricotta Dip
- Make simple tomato sauce by starting with garlic and onions in olive oil then adding canned tomatoes with salt and pepper and herbs like basil and oregano; simmer for at least an hour
- Stir enough into ricotta cheese to make it pink
- Serve with grissini (crisp breadsticks) or bruschette (grilled/toasted bread rubbed with olive oil and garlic)
Fancified Onion Dip
- Cook sliced Vidalia or yellow onions (seasoned with salt and pepper) in olive oil over medium heat so they caramelize; this will take at least 20 minutes
- Stir cooled onions into half cream cheese, half goat cheese
- Serve with your favorite potato chips
And for my West Coast family and friends (who always have access to fresh avocados)...
Grilled Scallion Guacamole
- Grill scallions on outdoor or indoor grill or even grill pan; chop when cool
- Add to your favorite guacamole ingredients (avocado, cilantro, lime, cumin, etc.); season with salt and pepper
- Serve with pita chips
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Footprints Part 2
I fixed myself a Gibson (in keeping with the theme) and began to prep the ingredients for this post's recipes when I realized my slip-up. I was just so hungry this week for a taste of summer that I shopped without my conscience. I try hard to buy locally and cook seasonally, but for this post I did neither. I'm not going to beat myself up about it. I'll do better next week. It's the effort that counts. And that's what I encourage everyone to do. Make the effort to buy from your local farmers and purveyors. It's ok to slip up every now and again. This isn't about depriving or punishing yourself. It's about awareness. Check out http://www.locavores.com/ and http://www.localharvest.org/ for info.
Shaved Vidalia Onion and Fennel Salad with Orange Vinaigrette
Serves 4 as side dish.
1 Vidalia onion, paper removed
1 fennel bulb, green tops and core removed
2 carrots, peeled
5 radishes
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Balsamic glaze (pomegranate, if available)
3/4 Navel orange, juiced
Pink salt flakes (if available; they have a nice sweetness)
Ground black pepper
Shave onion, fennel, carrots, and radishes on mandoline set over large bowl. If you don't have mandoline, simply slice thinly. Make enough vinaigrette to coat vegetables by combining oil, vinegar, glaze, and orange juice. Season with salt and pepper.
For a little something extra, try mixing in some pomegranate seeds or fresh herbs like flat-leaf parsley or basil.
Gratuitous video (a.k.a. my hubby wanted to use my new camera):
Onion and Artichoke Stuffed Tomatoes
Serve 8 as side dish (or 4 vegetarians).
8 plum tomatoes
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
14 oz can artichoke hearts in water, drained
1 small yellow onion
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Handful fresh oregano sprigs, leaves removed
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil and apply non-stick spray. Halve and seed tomatoes and place cut side up on sheet. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Finely chop artichokes and onion (or use food processor) and put in bowl. Add bread crumbs, cheese, oregano, and generous pinches of salt and pepper to bowl. Stir to combine. Stuff tomatoes. Make sure you really pack in the mixture. Cook for 25 minutes.
Up next: dips. Make one for your NFL playoff party. Or eat like I do. Standing in the kitchen, dipping chip after chip until the dip's gone. Yum.
Shaved Vidalia Onion and Fennel Salad with Orange Vinaigrette
Serves 4 as side dish.
1 Vidalia onion, paper removed
1 fennel bulb, green tops and core removed
2 carrots, peeled
5 radishes
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Balsamic glaze (pomegranate, if available)
3/4 Navel orange, juiced
Pink salt flakes (if available; they have a nice sweetness)
Ground black pepper
Shave onion, fennel, carrots, and radishes on mandoline set over large bowl. If you don't have mandoline, simply slice thinly. Make enough vinaigrette to coat vegetables by combining oil, vinegar, glaze, and orange juice. Season with salt and pepper.
For a little something extra, try mixing in some pomegranate seeds or fresh herbs like flat-leaf parsley or basil.
Gratuitous video (a.k.a. my hubby wanted to use my new camera):
Onion and Artichoke Stuffed Tomatoes
Serve 8 as side dish (or 4 vegetarians).
8 plum tomatoes
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
14 oz can artichoke hearts in water, drained
1 small yellow onion
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Handful fresh oregano sprigs, leaves removed
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil and apply non-stick spray. Halve and seed tomatoes and place cut side up on sheet. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Finely chop artichokes and onion (or use food processor) and put in bowl. Add bread crumbs, cheese, oregano, and generous pinches of salt and pepper to bowl. Stir to combine. Stuff tomatoes. Make sure you really pack in the mixture. Cook for 25 minutes.
Up next: dips. Make one for your NFL playoff party. Or eat like I do. Standing in the kitchen, dipping chip after chip until the dip's gone. Yum.
Friday, January 2, 2009
From Satan's Footprints Part 1
It is said that Allium sativum, aka garlic, sprung up in the left footprint of the Devil as he departed the Garden of Eden. Onions grew in his right print. So, two cure-all plants with antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic properties sprouted from Satan's footprints. Not to mention their supposed aphrodisiac quality. But, while I appreciate these positive attributes, what I celebrate is their finest feature: edibility.
For giving us two of cooking's most delectable, fundamental, and versatile ingredients, the bad guy deserves a cook's respect. Here's my tribute:
Roasted Garlic Fondue
Serves 4 to 6.
12 oz apple cider
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp brandy
Generous pinch kosher salt
2 cups Emmental, grated
2 cups Smoked Gouda, grated
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp cornstarch
1 bulb roasted garlic, cloves mashed into paste (see instructions below)
Ground black pepper
Pour cider into small sauce pan or fondue pot, if you have one. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice, brandy, and salt and bring to simmer over medium heat. Toss cheese with cornstarch in bowl. When cider begins to simmer, gradually add cheese. Stir until all cheese is incorporated, 3-5 minutes. Don’t let it bubble; reduce heat to low if necessary. Mixture is ready when coats back of spoon. Stir in garlic paste and pepper. If cheese is stringy, add some or all remaining lemon juice. Acidity will help break down strings and increase creaminess. Move pot to alcohol warmer, and keep stirring during service. Serve with cubes of hearty bread, sesame grissini (crisp breadsticks), button or cremini mushrooms, blanched asparagus, grape tomatoes, and cubed ring bologna or salami. (Or whatever you wish.)
Above adapted from Alton Brown's recipe.
Instead of Emmental, you could use Gruyere or Appenzeller, but I recommend keeping Gouda in recipe for its smokiness. If you want even more smoky flavor, you could add pinch of smoked paprika. Also, you could probably substitute hard apple cider for regular cider, though I haven’t tried this.
(If you’ve never roasted garlic before, it’s super simple. Cut bulb in half crosswise. Drizzle each half with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put halves in sealed aluminum foil on top of baking sheet. Roast at 400 degrees for 1 hour. The cloves should squeeze out easily.)
Caprese-Style Pork Chops
Serve 2.
5 tbsp olive oil
4 sun-dried tomatoes, diced
1/2 large ball Mozzarella, grated
2 boneless pork chops (about 1 inch thick)
2 tbsp basil pesto (see instructions below)
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
Pinch lemon zest
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Warm 2 tablespoons oil in saute pan over medium heat. Cook tomatoes 2-3 minutes until softened. Transfer to bowl. Add cheese and stir to combine. Cut chops almost in half lengthwise. Don’t cut all the way through; create a pocket. Smear pesto inside pockets. Stuff with tomato and cheese mixture and close pork around stuffing. Season chops with salt and pepper. In bowl combine broth, wine, and zest. Warm 3 tablespoons oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork when pan is hot. Cook 4-5 minutes per side until browned. Transfer pork to foil-lined baking sheet and cook through in oven, 10-12 minutes. Drain off any excess oil, but not bits, from skillet. Add broth mixture to skillet over medium-high heat. Scrape up bits from pan bottom. Reduce by half, 10 minutes. Spoon sauce over pork before serving.
(To make pesto, combine 2 cups fresh basil leaves, 1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano, 1/2 cup toasted [watch they don’t burn!] pine nuts, 4 garlic cloves, 1/2 cup olive oil, and salt in food processor or blender. Puree until mixture forms paste.)
"Spaghetti" Aglio e Olio
Serves 2 with enough leftover for tomorrow's lunch (or 4 as side dish).
1 spaghetti squash
1/2 stick unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, grated or pressed
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Olive oil, drizzled
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, sprinkled
Red pepper flakes, sprinkled if desired
Cut squash in half and seed. I recommend nestling squash in dish towel on counter when slicing through it; this prevents slippage. Put halves cut-side down in microwave-safe dish filled with 1/4 cup water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 12-15 minutes until soft. Shred squash with fork when cool enough to handle and set aside. Melt butter in saute pan over low heat. Grate 4 garlic cloves on microplane or use garlic press. Add garlic to melted butter. Cook 3 minutes. Add squash. Season with salt and pepper and cook with garlic butter 5 minutes. Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled liberally with cheese and, for some heat, red pepper flakes.
Onions are up next...
For giving us two of cooking's most delectable, fundamental, and versatile ingredients, the bad guy deserves a cook's respect. Here's my tribute:
Roasted Garlic Fondue
Serves 4 to 6.
12 oz apple cider
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp brandy
Generous pinch kosher salt
2 cups Emmental, grated
2 cups Smoked Gouda, grated
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp cornstarch
1 bulb roasted garlic, cloves mashed into paste (see instructions below)
Ground black pepper
Pour cider into small sauce pan or fondue pot, if you have one. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice, brandy, and salt and bring to simmer over medium heat. Toss cheese with cornstarch in bowl. When cider begins to simmer, gradually add cheese. Stir until all cheese is incorporated, 3-5 minutes. Don’t let it bubble; reduce heat to low if necessary. Mixture is ready when coats back of spoon. Stir in garlic paste and pepper. If cheese is stringy, add some or all remaining lemon juice. Acidity will help break down strings and increase creaminess. Move pot to alcohol warmer, and keep stirring during service. Serve with cubes of hearty bread, sesame grissini (crisp breadsticks), button or cremini mushrooms, blanched asparagus, grape tomatoes, and cubed ring bologna or salami. (Or whatever you wish.)
Above adapted from Alton Brown's recipe.
Instead of Emmental, you could use Gruyere or Appenzeller, but I recommend keeping Gouda in recipe for its smokiness. If you want even more smoky flavor, you could add pinch of smoked paprika. Also, you could probably substitute hard apple cider for regular cider, though I haven’t tried this.
(If you’ve never roasted garlic before, it’s super simple. Cut bulb in half crosswise. Drizzle each half with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put halves in sealed aluminum foil on top of baking sheet. Roast at 400 degrees for 1 hour. The cloves should squeeze out easily.)
Caprese-Style Pork Chops
Serve 2.
5 tbsp olive oil
4 sun-dried tomatoes, diced
1/2 large ball Mozzarella, grated
2 boneless pork chops (about 1 inch thick)
2 tbsp basil pesto (see instructions below)
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
Pinch lemon zest
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Warm 2 tablespoons oil in saute pan over medium heat. Cook tomatoes 2-3 minutes until softened. Transfer to bowl. Add cheese and stir to combine. Cut chops almost in half lengthwise. Don’t cut all the way through; create a pocket. Smear pesto inside pockets. Stuff with tomato and cheese mixture and close pork around stuffing. Season chops with salt and pepper. In bowl combine broth, wine, and zest. Warm 3 tablespoons oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork when pan is hot. Cook 4-5 minutes per side until browned. Transfer pork to foil-lined baking sheet and cook through in oven, 10-12 minutes. Drain off any excess oil, but not bits, from skillet. Add broth mixture to skillet over medium-high heat. Scrape up bits from pan bottom. Reduce by half, 10 minutes. Spoon sauce over pork before serving.
(To make pesto, combine 2 cups fresh basil leaves, 1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano, 1/2 cup toasted [watch they don’t burn!] pine nuts, 4 garlic cloves, 1/2 cup olive oil, and salt in food processor or blender. Puree until mixture forms paste.)
"Spaghetti" Aglio e Olio
Serves 2 with enough leftover for tomorrow's lunch (or 4 as side dish).
1 spaghetti squash
1/2 stick unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, grated or pressed
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Olive oil, drizzled
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, sprinkled
Red pepper flakes, sprinkled if desired
Cut squash in half and seed. I recommend nestling squash in dish towel on counter when slicing through it; this prevents slippage. Put halves cut-side down in microwave-safe dish filled with 1/4 cup water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 12-15 minutes until soft. Shred squash with fork when cool enough to handle and set aside. Melt butter in saute pan over low heat. Grate 4 garlic cloves on microplane or use garlic press. Add garlic to melted butter. Cook 3 minutes. Add squash. Season with salt and pepper and cook with garlic butter 5 minutes. Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled liberally with cheese and, for some heat, red pepper flakes.
Onions are up next...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
