What autumn tastes like

For the sake of full disclosure, I must admit that we actually made this recipe months ago. You will notice this by the gorgeous fresh carrots from the farmer's market. But alas, I am terrible at updating this poor blog and as I sifted through prior recipes to finally post an update, I decided that this delicious recipe is the perfect choice given the cold front rolling into town tonight!

Braised Short Ribs (adapted from Cooking Light, August 2002)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
~4 pounds of beef short ribs
Sea salt
Black pepper
1 large red onion, finely chopped
10-12 cloves minced garlic
2 cups beef broth
1 cup dry red wine
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
2 cups chopped tomatoes

Preparation:

We served the short ribs with pan-roasted carrots and horseradish mashed potatoes.

Here are the carrots in all of their glory. Mmmmm.



Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a large oven-safe dish (we used our enamaled cast iron dutch oven), heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Coat the short ribs in salt and pepper, adding around half of the ribs at a time to the pan to brown. Cook 2 or so minutes on each side until browned, removing from the pan and repeating with remaining ribs until all are browned.

They won't be cooked at this point, just nicely browned so that the meat has a good sear and the pan has beefy goodness stuck to the bottom.

Add the onion to the pan (with a little more olive oil if needed) and cook until they are softened and lightly browned.

Add the garlic and cook for another minute - not too long so that the garlic doesn't burn and turn bitter. While you're stirring the onions and garlic use your spoon to scrape up some of the brown bits at the bottom.

Add the ribs back into the pan, then add the broth, wine, vinegar, sugar and tomato.

Bring the ingredients to a simmer on the stovetop. Cover the pot and bake in the oven for 1 1/2 hours at 300 degrees.

Allow the ribs to cool slightly and then re-cover, and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. I know I know, it smells delicious and you want to eat it now - but trust me. You will be glad you refrigerate when you see the next picture.

The refrigeration process allows all the fat to float to the top and harden. When you take it back out of the refrigerator, be prepared for this. Use a spoon to break this top layer, skimming the fat from the broth below.

Reheat the short ribs over medium heat for approximately 30 minutes, add additional salt and pepper to taste.

The potatoes are easy to put together - mash your potatoes with milk, sour cream, a tablespoon or two of prepared horseradish (depending on your heat tolerance), salt and pepper.

The memories of this dish are coming rushing back...I'll have to get it back on the menu ASAP!

I stole Ed's Pea Puree

Disclaimer: if you're not sure what I'm referencing, rest assured it is both timely and hilarious

So it was just by accident that I made a dish with salmon and pea puree the night after the now infamous episode of Top Chef aired, with Alex's winning dish of similar fare. Lately when we've made salmon it has been roasted like I prepared in the earlier blog, with onions and grape tomatoes. Not being one to do the same thing over and over, it was time to find a new preparation, and so I flagged a recipe by Giada De Laurentiis.

I feel like purees are showing up in so many places now as the foundation of many savory dishes, and while I love peas, we don't eat them much. I figured this (if successful) would be a way to reintroduce the lovely little veggies into our rotation.

What I did not plan for, though, is my husband. Apparently it is 100% fantastic for chefs and TV personalities to prepare pea purees but it is an entirely different monster when I finish climbing into my tallest cabinet to abstract the food processor. I looked up from the counter to see a look of horror on his face. Surely I, his wife, wasn't going to attempt what I had seen others do?

The puree was actually incredibly simple to create (leading me to believe I somehow did it wrong since the accusations flying on TC were that Alex didn't have time to make his!?) and guess what - it was delicious!!!

Seared Salmon with Pea Puree, Whole Wheat Rotini, Roasted Tomatoes and Lemon Brodetto (adapted from Giada De Laurentiis)
Serves 2

Ingredients:

Roasted Tomatoes:
1 cup grape, cherry or yellow pear tomatoes
1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 sprigs fresh thyme
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Pasta:
1/2 lb whole wheat rotini

Pea Puree:
2 cups thawed frozen peas
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp torn mint leaves
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup shaved parmesan (grated or shredded is fine too!)

Lemon Brodetto:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 diced shallot
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, julienned

Salmon:
2 5-6 oz fillets of salmon
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, cracked
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Take a deep breath. I realize that looks like a lot of ingredients. It will all be ok! The beauty of this dish is that you can focus on one thing at a time and none of the individual components is remotely difficult.

Start with the tomatoes - spread them on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle salt and pepper, throw on the thyme sprigs and send them into a 325 degree oven for 20-30 minutes.


Now is also a good time to start the water for the pasta. Then turn your attention to the pea puree. Add the peas (thawed but un-cooked) to the food processor...


Along with the mint and garlic.


Sprinkle on about a half teaspoon each of salt and pepper, then put the lid on, set the food processor on puree and stream in the olive oil while you're pureeing. Once it is finished doing its thing, transfer it into a bowl and stir in the parmesan. Now this can hang out while you finish the rest of the meal.



In a small sauce pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and throw in the shallots. Allow these to cook for 5-7 minutes to soften.


Then add the lemon zest, juice, and chicken broth. Cover and simmer until the salmon is finished cooking.


Sprinkle the salmon fillets with salt and pepper while heating a non-stick skillet with olive oil. Throw in a clove of cracked garlic to flavor the oil and then place the salmon fillets skin side up in the pan. Leave them to get a great sear and golden crust (approximately 4 or 5 minutes) before you even think about flipping them. I'm serious. Then, depending on your desired done-ness (as well as the thickness of the fish), cook for another 2-5 minutes on the other side.


By now your lovely tomatoes should be ready to emerge from the oven.


To assemble this dish, I put a few ladles of the lemon brodetto down first. Then, I placed a large spoonful of the pea puree in the center. I place the pasta and tomatoes off to the side (still in the sauce) and the salmon fillet on top of it all.


I was somewhat concerned as the pea puree is never heated, but I was beyond pleasantly suprised at how well the heat of the fish and lovely sauce combined with the puree to create something magical in my mouth! And in my mind, I just edged out Alex for the win...

Just call me Miss Cleo

I'm seeing my own future - and I like what I see!

Ever since moving to Birmingham, Jon & I have been dying to go to Hot & Hot Fish Club, a local restaurant that features all local and seasonal ingredients, including those from the Jones Valley urban farm which occupies several acres of abandoned land downtown.

Marking our first date since before Delaney was born, we are finally going to celebrate my birthday next month! I've been pointlessly drooling over the menu (it changes quite regularly) but saying my prayers that they'll still have their renowned Tomato Salad. So famous, in fact, that it was featured in the August issue of Cooking Light.

As we've had a bounty of heirloom tomatoes from our own garden, we decided to make our own attempt at the Hot & Hot Tomato Salad...and not the light version ;)

Heirloom Tomato Salad (adapted from the Hot and Hot Tomato Salad - Chef Chris Hastings)
serves 2

Ingredients:

3 heirloom tomatoes (we used black brandywine, green zebra and Mr. Stripey)
4 thin slices, prosciutto
8 pieces baby okra
1/3 cup pink field peas (can substitute black eyed peas)
1/2 cup flour
6 oz beer
2-3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
1-2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1-2 tablespoons chopped chives

Preparation:

The key is to start with delicious summer produce. The variety of heirloom tomato doesn't matter and in fact, beefsteak tomatoes would be just fine.


These are topped with prosciutto chips. What are those you ask? Oh, just heaven! Put the thinly sliced prosciutto into a cast iron (or other heavy) skillet on medium high heat until it reaches the consistency of bacon. You can thank me later.

(Oh, the other stuff on the plate is chunks of salt pork for the pot'o'beans we made!)

You'll want to cook the field peas for just a few minutes in boiling water or broth.

To prepare the okra (this makes the most glorious fried okra EVER), combine half a beer with 1/2 to 2/3 cup flour, dip the okra in the batter, and fry for just a few minutes in peanut oil (until golden brown).

The "dressing" for this is a chive aioli that could not be more simple. Whisk together the mayo and vinegar to get a consistency slightly thinner than your average ranch dressing. Then toss in the chopped chives. That's it!

As previously mentioned, we cooked the remainder of the field peas like we would black eyed peas. Jon is in charge of this task but I'm fairly certain it includes: onion, chicken broth, hot pickled okra, jalapeno, garlic and of course the salt pork. In full disclosure - we've made this with thick cut bacon or ham hock before as well...I like the salt pork but it is salty so do not add any extra!

To assemble the tomato salad, layer 2 slices of each tomato per stack, sprinkle the field peas and okra around, dress liberally with the chive aioli and top with the prosciutto chips.



Yeah. Amazing right? Look, there's a reason a James Beard Award nominated restaurant is most famous for this dish. There are no real words (and ours is just the amateur rip-off version!)

We ate ours with steak. While we are die-hard ribeye people, we discovered a cut at our local supermarket that delivers similar texture and flavor for a much smaller price tag. They're labeled "chuck eye" steaks. Less expensive + still delicious is always a winner in my book.

Making an exception

I'm a veggie girl. It is probably my favorite food group. I realize that makes me a bit of a freak. But there are very few vegetables I don't like. And when it comes to salads, I welcome it all. Especially the stuff my mom so endearingly refers to as "weeds". Arugula, watercress, frisee...bring it on. There is one lettuce, however, that seems to be the object of my disdain. Iceberg. Ick. The "white" lettuce...all water, no substance or flavor.

But I am here before you to admit today that sometimes when you make exceptions to your own rules, you can find yourself in a very pleasantly surprising situation.

Take this lettuce for instance - something I had so long looked past, I gave a second glance. I came across a mention of a wedge salad with homemade dressing. Probably on a food blog, maybe in a magazine or other recipe website. Can't be certain because I am (gladly) surrounded by all of them constantly. Anyway, the urge to make homemade blue cheese dressing struck and ultimately brought me to this glorious epiphany. When used as a vessel to get homemade buttermilk gorgonzola dressing into my mouth, iceberg lettuce is a very very good thing!

Sara's Creamy Buttermilk Gorgonzola Dressing (& wedge salad)
Serves 2-4 depending on your salad appetite

Ingredients:

1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup low fat sour cream
2 tablespoons low fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 - 1 tablespoon grated onion (to taste)
1 small clove garlic, grated
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese (or blue cheese)
salt & pepper to taste
1 head iceberg lettuce, halved or quartered
Handful of grape tomatoes, halved

Preparation:

Add the first four ingredients (buttermilk, sour cream, mayo and vinegar) into a mixing bowl.


Next, grate the garlic and onion. I use my microplane. It says 1 small clove of garlic but just grate as much as you can without endangering your fingers.


And make sure to flip it over and get all the yumminess off the back of the microplane.

Repeat with onion. You will end up with this beautiful amalgamation of white on sorta-white.



Next, throw in 2+ ounces of crumbled cheese. I prefer gorgonzola - it is creamier than many blue cheeses and has a consistent flavor. By all means use blue cheese, this is just a preference of my own.



Sprinkle in salt and freshly ground black pepper and whisk everything together.


Last but not least, serve it up (liberally) over a wedge of iceberg lettuce. Flip the entire head over and cut out the core, then half (and maybe quarter) it. The first time we made this recipe I tried to be lady-like and only eat a quarter but this time I was much more honest with myself and ate an entire half. I like to throw in some halved grape tomatoes for some sweetness and contrasting flavor.


Perhaps this discovery will lead to some eye-opening with other foods I've previously turned my nose to. I guess be on the look out for a recipe with beets. Or ham. But probably not ham. Yuck.

Taking a stand

As I sit here now, typing, I have to admit that I'm quite opinionated about potato salad. And this after growing up in a sheltered potato salad world, blissfully eating the only version I'd ever known. It's hard to pinpoint exactly this seismic shift occurred...but apparently now is the time to take a stand. Against overly mayo-y, texturally mushy potato salads.

Afterall, what better time to get my message out to the public (ha!) than right before the 4th of July, right?

Since discovering myself, at least in the potato sense of the term, I've made quite a few potato salads that I've really enjoyed. This is one I tried for the first time this summer and will definitely be repeating in the future. No mayo in sight, you can tell it's actually POTATOES in there (and not just glop), and there are fresh, yummy vegetables!

Fresh from the Market Potato Salad (adapted from Cooking Light, June 2010)
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 pounds of fingerling potatoes, cut into “bite-sized” chunks
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 yellow summer squash or zucchini, diced
¾ cup sliced sweet onion
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
2 cups arugula

Preparation:

Place your cut potatoes into a pot of salted (non-boiling) water. Bring the potatoes and water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, allowing the potatoes to cook through. This only takes a few minutes, depending on your definition of "bite-sized".


While the potatoes are cooking, slightly cook the zucchini or summer squash. I suggest lightly steaming or grilling, but sauteeing works as well. It should still retain some of its crunch - just not be raw.

Now is also a good time to assemble the "dressing". Remember, this isn't a mayo potato salad. Combine the olive oil, tarragon, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper.

Once your potatoes have cooked, drain the water and put the potatoes back into the hot pot for 30 seconds - 1 minute to get rid of the excess moisture.

Then toss the potatoes and the rest of the veggies into the dressing.

It is superbly fresh and satisfying.

I apologize for being preachy about the whole thing, but I clearly have stronger-than necessary opinions on the whole matter.