Lazy Girl's Ragú

Every once in awhile, some of my favorite creations come from desperation, lack of time, or in this case, pure laziness.   I like to start my week with a meal that is packed with nutrition, easy to put together and to reheat.  This simple ragú is just such a dish, using quick cooking, lean ground turkey and some frozen organic kale and butternut squash.  Kale and butternut squash are two of my favorite vegetables, but both require a bit of patience and time, when prepping them fresh.  I was really happy with the chopped kale and butternut squash cubes that I found in the frozen foods section.  They were delicious and quick additions to my skillet meal.  I served this on top of smoked basmati rice, but it would be just as good on quinoa, brown rice or whole grain pasta.  I seasoned the mixture with my new favorite spice mixture, Bragg's Organic Sprinkle.  Herb blends are a terrific item to have on hand, and Italian seasoning or herbs de Provence would work equally as well in this recipe.  Normally, I don't use granulated garlic or onion, but today I could not even be bothered with chopping a fresh onion or garlic clove.   Just because one is being lazy, does not mean that you have to compromise on flavor, so I added a little dash of organic onion and garlic granules to punch up the flavor.  Canned, fire roasted tomatoes and tomato paste rounded out the dish.  Tomato paste is one of my pantry staples and my favorite ways to add a rich depth of flavor to a quick cook sauce or stew.

So here's to a delicious and nutritious week!

My new favorite seasoning blend

This rice is amazing and as luck would have it, buy one get one free at Publix this week!!

Lazy Girl's Ragú:

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 pound ground turkey

2 tablespoons organic tomato paste

1 teaspoon Bragg's Sprinkle

1/2 teaspoon organic garlic granules

1/2 teaspoon organic onion granules

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 10 oz bag frozen organic kale, thawed and drained

1 15  oz bag of frozen, cubed  organic butternut squash, thawed and drained

1 can of organic fire roasted diced tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

1) Brown turkey in a non-stick skillet coated with olive oil, over medium high heat.  Breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon and cooking until browned and liquid has evaporated

2) Add tomato paste and spices and stir to combine.

3) Add kale, squash and tomatoes.  Stir to combine, reduce heat and allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes

4) Serve warm on top of rice, quinoa or pasta.

Time to dig in!!

California Crunch

I was born in New York City and would certainly classify myself as an "east coast kinda gal", albeit a very well travelled east coast gal.  Somehow, Los Angeles has not been a place that I have often visited.  Why?  Perhaps all New York natives have some angst towards L.A. embedded in their D.N.A., or maybe it was just an honest lack of opportunity.   I had traveled there once for spring break with my family when I was about fourteen and had a great time.  That was many years ago, and have not been back since, so I was excited to have an excuse to head out to the left coast for my annual culinary conference hosted by the International Association of Culinary Professionals.  

First off, let me say, the weather is amazing.  I realize that this is not earth shattering news to anyone who lives there, but coming from pollen infested Atlanta, it was an especially welcome relief.  Additionally, on a strictly vain note, I never had a bad hair day during my visit.  This must be why all the movie stars and models live here.  Sunshine and dry air do wonders for your physical well-being.

Now on to my raison d'être, the food.  On my short visit, I only barely scratched the surface, but did my best to fit in as many tastes as possible.  Certainly the most amazing adventure I had was a tour of Korea Town.  From food courts to a barbecue restaurant, it was a day filled with new sights, smells and flavors.  The conference provided many opportunities to sample food from local restaurants and I was lucky to have dinners out with my Atlanta colleagues as well as new friends made a the conference.  We dined at Drago Centro, The Bazaar-by José Andres, The Hollywood Grill and and Pizzaria Mozza, as well as a walking lunch of tamales and tacos at the Hollywood Farmer's Market.

The conference, the people I met and of course, the city of Los Angeles left me inspired.  On my flight home, I mulled over what to do with the lovely bag of figs that were gifted to conference goers by the California Fig Advisory Board.  The result is my California Crunch Salad, which is a lighter, modern twist on a classic broccoli salad.  The golden figs are a perfect substitute for the usual raisins, found in a broccoli salad.  I think this salad perfectly embodies the spirit of L.A.  It's crunchy, colorful, filled with a variety of good things, and most importantly, it is portable and can be eaten outside, while you soak in the California sunshine and show of your fabulous west coast hair.

A modern take on a classic picnic salad, garnished with a beautiful golden fig from the gift bag I received at #IACP16, courtesy of the California Fig Advisory Board

Colorful and crunchy salad ingredients

California Crunch Salad:

Ingredents:
1 large red onion, 1/2 dice
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups broccoli, cut into bite sized florets
2 cups orange cauliflower, cut into bite sized florets
2 cups purple cauliflower, cut into bite sized florets
3 slices proscuitto, crisped and crumbled
1/2 cup golden California figs, chopped
1/2 cup roasted and shelled California pistachios, chopped
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
2 T fresh chives, chopped
1 avocado, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

Dressing:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 T while balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and pepper to taste


Method:

1) Place diced onions on a sheet pan and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Place into a reheated 425 degree oven and roast for 20 minutes, or until onions are softened and brown around the edges.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.

2) In a large pot of salted, boiling water, blanch the broccoli florets for 40 seconds, just until color turns a vibrant green.  Remove from boiling water with a spider or slotted spoon and immediately run broccoli under cold running water.  Set aside to drain.

3) Place all of the dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake to combine.

4) In a large bowl, combine the roasted onions, blanched broccoli, cauliflower, proscuitto, figs, pistachios, goat cheese and chives. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine.  The salad can be eaten immediately, served in a lettuce cup along side a couple of slices of avocado or placed in the refrigerator to marinate.  It will only get better over time.

The Passionate Plate: Making every plate something to be passionate about!

My Classic Deviled Eggs

Just like Mother Nature, my blog has been dormant through the winter months, but as the green leaves and flowers are springing back to life, so too are my creative juices.  With an Easter celebration to prepare for tomorrow, I am inspired to share my classic deviled egg recipe.

While deviled eggs are a perennial favorite, I am fixated on these tasty bites more than ever this year.  Most likely this is due to the fact that I had nary a one last Easter.  There is a long, sad story behind this, but I will spare you the details, for this is a blog about fresh and new, rather than sadness and regret. So, let's move on...

I have made many iterations of deviled eggs during my culinary career.  There have been "fancy" eggs topped with caviar and smoked salmon, as well as "healthier" eggs that use fat free Greek yogurt and light mayonnaise, and let's not forget my "French" eggs with country dijon and tarragon.  All of these recipes were delicious and served the purposed for which they were intended, but I always go back to my classic deviled egg recipe to accompany my Easter meal.

I have very strong opinions about the ingredients used in this recipe.  The absolute, must haves are as follows:  Duke's mayonnaise, Mt. Olive sweet and dill relish, French's yellow mustard and of course large organic eggs.  I flip flop on the garnish depending on my mood.  Sometimes it's paprika, other times it is fresh dill or chives. Today I opted for a combo of dill and chives.  It's a gray day here in Atlanta, and the fresh herbs made me happy!

I am looking forward to all that is new and fresh this spring, starting with a platter of my classic deviled eggs that I plan on sharing with my family and friends on Easter Sunday.

I hope you will enjoy this recipe and always remember to make every plate something to be passionate about!

My Classic Deviled Eggs:

1 dozen large, organic eggs

Cold water

Filling:

Hard cooked yolks of 12 eggs

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard

1 tablespoon dill relish + 1 teaspoon of the liquid

1 tablespoon sweet relish + 1 teaspoon of the liquid

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional Garnishes:

Chopped fresh dill or chives

Paprika

Method:

Hard Boiled Eggs:

Gently place the eggs in a large sauce pan or dutch oven and cover by two inches with cold water.  Bring to a rolling boil on the stovetop.  Boil for one minute, then cover the pan and remove from the heat.  Set a timer for 12 minutes.  When timer goes off, drain the eggs and rinse for several minutes under cold running water, until the eggs are cool to the touch. Crack the eggs on one end and remove the shells.  I like to use a teaspoon to help facilitate the shell removal, as shown in the photo below.

Cut the eggs in half and place the yolks in a bowl.  Reserve the whites for filling later.

Filling:

Using a potato masher or the back of a fork, mash the yolks until smooth.  Next, add the mayonnaise, mustard and relishes.  Stir to combine.  Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Fill the egg white halves with the yolk mixture with a spoon or alternately, place the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large tip, and pipe into the whites.

Easter's Okra

The calendar and the temperature are still screaming summer here in Atlanta, but in my world it is fall.  The children are back in school and I attended my first football game of the season earlier this week.  All of this is a not so gentle reminder that the lazy summer days will soon be coming to an end.  That also means that one of my favorite summer vegetables, okra, will be less abundant in the weeks to come as well.

Fried okra is a staple on my summer menus, and one of the only fried items that sees a regular rotation in my meal planning.  I do occasionally roast my okra.  It is good, but nothing beats the tried and true recipe for fried okra that was handed down to me by my grandmother Zachary.  This okra has a light batter of cornmeal and flour and is shallow fried in a cast iron skillet.  The secret to this tasty side dish is that each individual piece of okra is turned over one by one.  As a hungry and impatient child, I could not understand why my grandmother gently flipped each piece one by one, in what seemed like an eternity to complete a batch.  The only explanation I ever received from the patient cook was, "That's the way Easter did it!"  Easter was my grandmother's housekeeper when my father was a small child.  She got her unusual name because she was born on Easter Sunday, and evidently used to joke that she was grateful she had not been born on Thanksgiving.  I think Easter's sense of humor was just as good as her method for frying okra.

While the days are still long, I highly recommend taking the time to fry up a batch of this okra. Might I suggest that you make sure to double or triple the recipe, as these crunchy nuggets tend to disappear before they even make it to the dinner plate.

Easter's Okra:

Canola oil for frying

1 lb fresh okra

1 cup fine yellow corn meal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Directions:

1) Pour oil to a depth of 1/2 inch into a cast iron skillet.  Heat to 350 degrees.

2) Cut okra into 1/2 inch rounds and place in a medium sized bowl.

3) Combine cornmeal, flour, salt and pepper in a gallon sized zip top bag.  Seal the bag and shake to combine ingredients.

4) Add okra to the cornmeal and flour mixture in the bag and shake so that all the okra is thoroughly coated.

5) Use a thermometer to check the temperature of your oil.  If you do not have a thermometer, you may check the oil temperature by placing one piece of okra in the oil.  If the oil sizzles (see photo below), you are ready to start frying.

6) Using a slotted spoon, remove okra from the bag, shaking off any excess coating, and place the okra gently into the skillet, in a single layer.

7) Make sure that all of the okra pieces are lying flat in the pan and cook on the first side for about 2-3 minutes, until golden brown.  Using a set of tongs, flip the individual pieces of okra and allow to cook on the opposite side another 2-3 minutes until golden brown.

8) Using a slotted spoon, remove the okra to a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with additional salt while still hot.

9) Repeat frying process with any additional okra

Tomato Pie

The tomato and I have not always been on the best of terms, even though I grew up with access to lovely home grown tomatoes from my grandmother's gardens.  I never quite comprehended the conversations I overheard between my mother, aunt and grandmother, discussing the virtues of home grown tomatoes as they happily munched on their mayonnaise laden tomato sandwiches.  Why didn't I like tomatoes?  The answer was simple, my father did not like them, and still doesn't, therefore I did not like them.  Seemed like a reasonable explanation at the time.  In hindsight, I am kicking myself for being a late comer to the joys of a tasty tomato.

Now that I have seen the error of my ways, I anxiously search all summer for the perfect bite of a home grown tomato.  This year I have had my fair share and have been working on some recipes inspired by this luscious fruit.  The recipe I am sharing today is for a savory tomato pie.  It has had several iterations over the past few weeks as I experimented with different types of tomatoes, cheeses and herbs, in search of the perfect combination.  I put this pie together earlier this week and shared it with some of my amazing friends/guinea pigs.  

I hope that you will enjoy these last fleeting weeks of summer and share a slice of this delicious pie with some of your friends and always remember to make every (pie) plate something to be passionate about!

Beauty Shot: Savory pie topped with fresh herbs and avocado

Tomato Pie:
1 each red, green and yellow heirloom tomatoes
1 9" pie shell
1 cup grated sharp white cheddar
1 cup grated parmigiano reggianno
1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup light olive oil mayonnaise
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped basil

Garnish:
1 Avocado, Diced
1/2 cup mixed fresh herbs including dill, chives and basil

Directions:
1) Slice tomatoes into 1/4" slices and place in a single layer on a paper towel lined sheet pan. Sprinkle tomatoes with sea salt and cover with another layer of paper towels.  Place a second sheet pan on top of the paper towels to act as a weight.  Set tomatoes aside and let sit for at least 30 minutes.

This step is very important and it will help remove moisture from the tomatoes.  No one likes a soggy pie!

2)Dock your thawed pie crust and blind bake for 10 minutes at 400 deg.  Allow to cool 15 minutes before filling.

3) In a medium sized bowl, combine the remaining ingredients (cheddar through basil) to form the filling

The filling should be fairly thick, similar to a pimento cheese consistency

4) Places slices of tomato in a single layer onto the cooled pie crust.  You may have to cut some of the tomatoes to fit.

Squeeze as many tomatoes as you can onto that bottom layer

5) Scoop all of the filling onto the tomato layer and spread out using the back of a spoon so that none of the tomatoes are showing

Make sure to spread your filling all the way to the edge of your crust

6) Arrange the remaining tomatoes on top of the filling.

I like to cut my tomatoes in half and arrange in a fan shape…do whatever you like, just make it pretty!

7) Place foil around the crust, so as to avoid over browning.  Place the pie in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes, until filling is bubbling and heated through.

Don't forget to tent the exposed crust with foil.  This will prevent it from burring as the filling cooks.

8) Remove pie from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before garnishing and serving.


*I used a store bought crust for this recipe, but feel free to make your own pastry if you are so inclined.  Additionally, this same technique would work equally as well on a free-form galette crust

Potato Palooza:

My beautiful bowl of leftover potatoes

The bowl of tasty tubers pictured above, were what was remaining from two lovely weekend meals, shared with family and friends.  The sliced sweet and red potatoes had been roasted in olive oil and herbes de Provence for a pinot noir wine tasting on Friday night and the lovely yellow ones were the sole survivors from Sunday's low-country boil for the family.   It is rare for me to have this many potatoes in one weekend and certainly rarer to have so many leftover.  So, Monday morning found me pondering ways to repurpose these vegetables.

First off, the quesadilla is my go-to vehicle for leftovers.  As far as I am concerned, you can stuff just about anything into a tortilla, cover it with cheese, crisp it up in a skillet and achieve positive results.  Being that Cinco de Mayo is tomorrow, I am already planning a black bean, sweet potato and mushroom quesadilla for my dinner on Tuesday.  Olé!

The zesty sliced red potatoes will be made into a frittata that I can portion out and eat on all week as a grab and go breakfast or snack.  

Two dishes down, nothing earth shattering here, just good, reliable uses for my potatoes. With one more type of potato, patiently awaiting it's new assignment,  it was time to come up with another  re purposing recipe to add to my repertoire.  A formula that could be used for this week's yellow potatoes, but versatile enough for whatever protein or veg that may be lingering in my fridge come next Monday.  

Inspired by a recent visit to an Indian restaurant, I thought a curry would be a superb opportunity to introduce some new flavors to the family.  Thus was born, my Potato and Chickpea Curry.  This came together quite simply from some of my staple pantry items such as: chickpeas, coconut milk, curry paste, turmeric and garam masala.  The method is simple and can be adapted to whatever leftover meat or vegetable you might find yourself with.

I hope you will sample this quick curry recipe and always remember to make every plate (even leftovers) something to be passionate about!

This is my new "quesadilla"!!! LOL!

Potato and Chickpea Curry:

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground garam masala

4 cups diced and cooked yellow potatoes

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon curry paste

Salt to taste

Optional Garnish:

Greek yogurt

Chopped cilantro

Chopped tomatoes

Method:

Heat olive oil in a large, high-sided skillet, over medium high heat.  Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened.  About 3-5 minutes.

Add dried spices and stir so that onions are covered.

Next, tip in the potatoes, chickpeas coconut milk and curry paste. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil, then simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 7-8 minutes. Add salt to your taste.

Yellow potatoes and chickpeas luxuriating in warm spices and coconut milk

Remove mixture to a serving bowl and garnish with Greek yogurt, tomatoes and cilantro if desired.

In The Raw

Raw beef carpaccio is not an item that has ever been on my weeknight dinner rotation, nor on any my professional menus.  In fact, until last Friday evening, it had been many years since this delicacy had even touched my lips .  So, why has carpaccio been occupying a pesky spot in my brain this week?  Well, it is because my lovely dinner companions at Bottega restaurant in Birmingham, AL ordered it as one of our appetizers.  At the time, I was much more interested in the crispy fritto mixto and the creamy parmesan soufflé  that were en route to our cozy corner table.  While all of the offerings were impeccable in their own right, it was the memory of the carpaccio that lingered the following day.  The cool, thin slices of beef, peppery arugula and sharp parmesan shavings were a perfect trio.  But wait, there was something else.  A thin shmear of horseradish cream added just the right pop of heat to the rest of the ingredients, binding them together in perfect harmony.  How could I bring these flavors into my day to day life?

The arugula, parmesan and a lightened up horseradish cream were no-brainers, but what could I substitute for the thinly sliced raw beef?  I toyed with the idea of seared rare tenderloin, but that is certainly not a practical week night substitute.  Rare deli roast beef? Absolutely not!  Smoked salmon?  Perhaps a good match with the arugula and horseradish, but not so much with the cheese.  The answer was clear, It had to be mushrooms.  Meaty portabellas are much more economical than beef and would be the perfect fit with the rest of the ingredients.  

The result of all this pondering, is my Mushroom "Carpaccio" Salad.  This is a simple and elegant salad that is suitable for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion.  I plan on enjoying this salad often, and when I do, I will fondly recall the wonderful evening spent with a fun group of my foodie friends.

Mushroom "Carpaccio" Salad:

Yield: 2 first course sized salad

For the Salad:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 portabella mushrooms, about 6-8 ounces total

Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

2 cups arugula

1/3 cup shaved parmigiano-reggiano cheese

2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives

2 red grape tomatoes, quartered

2 yellow grape tomatoes, quartered

For the Dressing:

1/4 cup light olive oil mayonnaise

1/4 cup non-fat Greek yogurt

1/4 cup light buttermilk

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Directions:

1) Heat a non-stick skillet, brushed with a light coating of olive oil over medium-high heat.  

2) While pan heats,  carefully slice the mushroom caps into 1/8" rounds.  Each mushroom should yield about five rounds.  

3) Brush each side of the mushroom slices with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Add slices, in a single layer to the hot skillet and cook 1-2 minutes per side, until edges are browned and middle is cooked through.  This may need to be done in batches, depending on the size of your pan.

Mushroom slices sizzling away in a hot skillet

4) Remove cooked mushrooms to a paper towel lined plate and place in the refrigerator to cool for thirty minutes.

5) While mushrooms are cooling, combine all of the dressing ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk to incorporate.  You will have more dressing than you will need for this salad.  Leftover dressing may be kept refrigerated for up to 3 days.

6) Assemble the salad by  drizzling 1 tablespoon of dressing over a salad plate.  Shingle 5 cooled mushrooms in a circular pattern in the center of the plate.  Top mushrooms with one cup of arugula and sprinkle with shaved cheese and chopped chives.  Arrange quartered red and yellow tomatoes around plate.  Repeat on a separate plate with remaining ingredients.

Buon Appetito and remember to make every plate something to be passionate about!