Heritage and Okra Stew

As I was trolling recipes on the internet this week, after a trip to the Farmer's Market and my purchase of a pound of fresh cut okra pods, I started thinking about ethnicity, heritage and okra. I love okra just about any way you can prepare it. Being raised in the South, we added it to soup and gumbo, and of course cut into discs and then deep- fried (the only way I could interest my girls in okra, when they were young-- and that was only after telling them it was like eating popped corn!). Okra is known by many other names in many other cultures. I know of at least two: bammies and lady fingers. One of my very favorite ways of eating okra is a stew of okra, corn, and tomatoes. One always knew, when that combination started showing up on the dinner table, or on the menu of a home-cooking restaurant, that those three crops were in from the fields. I digressed and got carried away. Thanks readers, for the indulgence. Back to this week, when I was looking at a Greek Food Blog this week, there it was, a very similar dish. I am not Greek, but really guys, I was amazed at just how similar the recipe was. The only difference: in the Greek dish, potatoes were added, where we always used corn. So, there was an ah ha moment and the small red skinned potatoes were added with the corn and we loved it. We're not all that different after all, are we? Good food always finds itself onto the table, no matter who you are, where you are or where you came from.

Okra, Corn and Tomato Stew

2 medium yellow onions, sliced thin
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1 lb of okra, stems removed, trimmed
1/2 cup plum tomatoes, hand-crushed, or use one 15 oz can tomatoes broken up
3-4 cloves of garlic, sliced
5-6 allspice berries
2 cups of vegetable stock (chicken stock works too)
salt and pepper to taste
6-8 small red potatoes, leave skin on if you like
2 ears cooked or uncooked corn, kernels cut from the cob, or a small can of whole niblets

1. In a pot over medium-high heat, saute onion slices in olive oil for 5 minutes or until they are sweated. Cover,
reduce the heat to medium and and simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
2. Add okra, corn, crushed tomatoes, parsley, garlic, allspice and vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.
3. Cover, reduce to a simmer and cook for about twenty minutes.
Add potatoes (whole) and continue to simmer, until potatoes are fork tender,about 20-30 minutes


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Potato Love---Sage advice

In recent weeks, more than one of our friends has expressed how much they love oven roasted red potatoes. Cleo said a restaurant that she loves in Orlando serves Sage Roasted potatoes, then she said, uhm, maybe it was Rosemary Herbed Roasted Potatoes. Well, I have been making Rosemary Roasted Potatoes and Onion Roasted Potatoes for a few years now, but I do love Sage, so I set about to alter my good recipe and transform it into Sage Roasted Potatoes and have found it to be very good. Our neighbor Richard declared it so and asked for a copy of the recipe. Now, if only my Sage plant can keep up with the demands being placed upon it, we'll be in business! In case I have to give the sage plant a little rest, I have also included, and may I suggest the Rosemary and the Onion recipes too. Have fun!


Sage Roasted Potatoes with Shallots and garlic

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons Butter
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/4 c Fresh Sage; chopped
4 lb Medium-size Red Potatoes; cut in half
1 teaspoon Dried Sage
Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste
4-5 unpeeled cloves of garlic
16 Shallots, peeled and halved
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425-F degrees. Melt butter with olive oil and fresh sage in small saucepan over medium heat until the
butter simmers and is well flavored with sage, usually about 4 minutes. Toss prepared red potatoes with the
dried sage and two tablespoons of the sage butter in bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Potatoes should be well oiled. Transfer potatoes to 2 baking sheets and bake for 15 minutes,cut side down.
Toss shallots in same bowl with one tablespoon of sage butter.
Season with salt and pepper. Divide shallots and garlic cloves between baking sheets. Flip the potatoes and roast until potatoes and shallots are
tender and golden, about 15 minutes longer. If desired, transfer potatoes and shallots to large
serving bowl. Pour remaining sage butter on top, re-heating in the microwave if butter has congealed. Toss
gently, season with salt and pepper, and serve warm.

*Note, and variation: substitute fresh rosemary and dried rosemary for the sage and change the name to Rosemary Roasted Potatoes with Shallots.


Lipton Onion-Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:
1 Envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets Onion Soup Mix
4 lbs red potatoes, cut in half or into large chunks if the potatoes are large
1/3 cup Olive Oil
Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
In 13 X 9 baking or roasting pan, combine all ingredients. (use a plastic zip lock bag to mix the oil, seasoning, and potatoes together before emptying contents of bag into the pan)

Bake, stirring occasionally, 35 - 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown. (make sure they are tender before turning off the oven)


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Simple Abundance--give thanks for the bounty we are about to receive

Gene planted green beans this year. Does that make him Gene and the Beanstalk? So far, so good, as the photos confirm. I don't think it will be too long for the blossoms and subsequent beans to appear. I am a bit impatient though, so I bought beans at Costco to try this recipe. My report to you: try it, I liked it. The beans retain some of their crunch; the combination of soy sauce (sweet) and crushed red pepper (hot) give it Asian flair and flavor.







Spicy Green Beans
Adapted from the Paupered Chef


2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons canola oil
3/4 pound green beans
4 scallions, diagonally sliced
2 shallots, minced
3 medium cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of Sriracha Hot Sauce (more or less depending on your tolerance level)

*Note-Make sure everything is prepped and ready to go before tossing anything in the pan. It will take just a few minutes to cook everything. It will go by quickly.
1 .Combine the soy sauce, white vinegar, sugar, Sriracha and red pepper flakes in a bowl and whisk until combined.
2. Mince the garlic, and cut the scallions
3. Place the iron skillet over high heat for at least 5 minutes.
4. When everything is chopped and ready, toss in the oil, swirl until it coats the bottom of the skillet, and add the green beans. Cook until they are tender, about 4 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so. It will look like you’re murdering them, but be patient. It will work.
5. Dump in those neatly cut scallions and shallots and cook about another 4 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.
6. Add the garlic and cook just until it becomes fragrant; add the soy sauce mixture. Cook for another 20 seconds or so, and then turn off the heat, and plate.

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If a picture is worth a thousand words, I hope two pictures will get me further

I love the way artichokes look, all symmetrical and chubby green pine coney. Even more, I like how they taste, but.....I have never had the courage to d-i- y at home. My grocery store never had any that I would call knock-outs, they usually look tired and old and pricy. But wait! Things change and almost exactly at the same time Kalyn blogged about cooking the lovely thistle in a pressure cooker, I happened upon some beauties and voila: I had success! I was so happy, I could have danced around the kitchen, but there is no room. Instead, Gene and I ate like pigs. I had spent a good deal of time pondering an exact recipe to try and which dipping sauce to try. After all of my research, I combined Kalyn's pressure technique with Martha Rose Schulman's (New York Times) lemon-garlic-olive oil aromatics and her dipping sauce. Fear not, you can do it too. Go ahead now, have a look:

Quick Version Steamed Artichokes in Pressure Pan
What I did:
Trim the stem end only slightly since the stem is edible.
Rub the cut with a slice of lemon to prevent discoloration.
Rub each with olive oil and placed them into the pressure pan, stems up.
Add the juice of 1 lemon, drop the squeezed lemon into the pan
Add 1 head of garlic, separated into cloves, but not peeled into the pan
Add 2 cups water
Heat, to simmer, lock lid on and bring to full pressure, reduce heat to keep the pan under steam and pressure for 15 minutes.
Use quick release method to release pressure by removing pan from heat and running cold water over the locked pan lid until the steam stops and the safety valve has dropped and unlock the lid.
Remove the chokes from the steaming liquid to drain
Cut the chokes in half through their length and remove the fuzzy choke at the base of the leaves, carefully keeping the heart in tact with the stem.
Serve with dipping sauce or melted butter



Yogurt-Mayonnaise Vinaigrette

Traditionally steamed artichokes are served with drawn butter or with a mayonnaise. Schulman uses a vinaigrette-based sauce thickened with just a bit of mayonnaise and yogurt.
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
Sea salt or kosher salt to taste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, minced or pureed
2 tablespoon Best Foods or Hellmann’s mayonnaise
2 tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1. Whisk together the vinegar, salt, Dijon mustard and garlic. Whisk in the mayonnaise, yogurt and olive oil, and blend well. Taste, adjust salt, and add pepper. Use as a dip for artichokes or other vegetables.
Yield: 3/4 cup
Variation: Substitute 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice for 1 tablespoon of the vinegar.

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I am speechless, me speechless?

well, almost speechless. Actually, I am vacillating between speechless and babbling about this recipe. It is all Lisa's fault. If she had not taken such a beautiful photo and posted the photo and the recipe on her site, I would be doing something else right now. While loving this recipe in its original form, I am certain that it would be a fantastic underlayment for Shrimp and Grits, Barbequed Shrimp, Poached Eggs...you add your ideas and fill in the blank here_______. Just keep in mind, it is: 1)easy to make, 2) easy to store, 3) beautiful to look at, 4) delicious, 5) adaptable. You cannot go wrong. Think crisp outside, soft-centered polenta topped by earthy, buttery flavorful mushrooms. What a deal!

Wild Mushroom Ragoût on Crispy Polenta with Comte Cheese
from : Lisa and
epicurious

yield: Makes 10 first-course servings


Polenta:
2 cups whole milk
2 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal)*
1/2 cup (packed) coarsely grated Comté cheese (I used an aged English rugged white cheddar from Costco)
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

Mushroom Ragout:
3 tablespoons butter, divided
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 pounds assorted wild mushrooms (such as oyster, crimini, and stemmed shiitake), thickly sliced (I used an assortment of dried wild mushrooms soaked in warm water, then drained
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup low-salt chicken broth
1/3 cup crème fraîche or whipping cream
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
1/3 cup (packed) coarsely grated Comté cheese (may use another semi-dry, hard cheese of your liking)

preparation
For polenta:
Generously butter 13x9x1- inch baking sheet. Bring milk, broth, and bay leaf to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove saucepan from heat; cover and let steep 20 minutes to allow flavors to develop. Discard bay leaf. Bring liquid to boil. Gradually add polenta, whisking constantly until smooth. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until polenta is very thick, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Stir in Comté cheese and butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer polenta to prepared 13x9x1-inch baking sheet. Using wet hands, press polenta evenly over sheet to edges. Chill until firm, at least 3 hours. Cut polenta into 20 squares. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
For mushroom ragout:
Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons oil in large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add all mushrooms and sauté until tender and browned, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add shallots and balsamic vinegar; sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Season lightly to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Re-warm mushrooms in large skillet over medium-high heat until heated through. Add broth and simmer 1 minute. Stir in crème fraîche and half of parsley. Season mushroom ragout to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300°F. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add polenta squares to skillet and cook until browned, about 2 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet and keep warm in oven while cooking remaining polenta squares.
Arrange 2 polenta squares on each plate. Top each with warm mushroom ragout; sprinkle with grated Comté cheese and remaining parsley and serve.

MORE INFO:
Comté is a semi-firm, Gruyère-style cow's-milk cheese made in France.
*Polenta can be found at some supermarkets, as well as at natural foods stores and Italian markets. If polenta is unavailable, substitute an equal amount of regular yellow cornmeal and cook it about half as long.

Lisa's note:
Lisa of Lisa is cooking changed the original recipe by leaving out the creme fraiche and Comte cheese. Instead, she flavored them with green garlic, shallots and truffle salt. When making the Polenta, she used all milk for the liquid and a half cup grated parmigiano reggiano stirred in at the end of the cooking time.

My note: I went back to the original recipe and used the dairy and chicken broth. This recipe is an impressive make ahead party dish that goes well with almost anything. In addition to being able to make ahead, it also stores well. Try it with or without the mushroom ragout. We had the Polenta re-warmed and topped with a fried egg for breakfast.


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On a Trip to Greece-In my barn kitchen in Central Florida

And what a trip it is. While I was blogging about the crockpot roasted pork (also Greek) my nose and brain were being teased by the wonderful aroma of this hearty dish:

Baked Chickpeas - Revithia Sto Fourno
  Adapted from Sam Sotiropoulos Greek Gourmand™ 

Ingredients:
2 cans chickpeas, drained
1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
4 - 6 whole garlic cloves
1/4 cup Greek extra virgin olive oil
1 large bay leaf (or 2 small ones)
1 generous tbsp. dried savory (or dried marjoram)
1 tsp. of dried thyme leaves
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Preheat oven to 325° F (160°C).
2. Add chickpeas, olive oil and 1 cup of water to a small high-walled earthenware/pyrex baking vessel. Sprinkle half of the dried savory, all of the thyme leaves, some salt, and pepper over the chickpeas and mix slightly to disperse the herbs and seasonings. Then, arrange the sliced onion overtop of the chickpeas and sprinkle the remaining dried savory on top of it.
3. Cover the baking vessel with a lid or some aluminum foil and place it in oven. Bake for 1 ½ to 2 hours then remove from oven and let stand to cool slightly (5 – 10 minutes) while still covered. Remove lid/cover, add lemon juice, mix chickpeas well and serve.
 



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Mushroom Risotto, too good not to share

Risottos are so creamy and delicious.   I have never minded standing at the stove and stirring and stirring anything that tastes so good, like a roux, a custard, a risotto.  You know they require patience and constant attention.  But, in the case of this risotto, you can make it in only seven minutes, and even better, your attention can be given to whatever you are serving with the risotto.  It happily prepares itself and the results are amazing.  Hope you like this one.

Mushroom Risotto Pressure Cooker

Yield: 6 servings
Time: 7 min (10 min prep)

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced onions (I use 3 shallots, when available)
2 cups arborio rice
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

In pressure cooker, simmer chopped onions in hot olive oil and butter for three minutes, stirring often. Do not brown.
Add mushrooms and Arborio rice and stir constantly for additional minute.
Add broth and wine; stir.
Close lid and bring up to high pressure and cook for 7 minutes.
Release pressure using cold-water release.
Stir thoroughly, adding in grated Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper.

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Healthy, Tasty and Versatile Lentil Salad With Herbs and Fennel

I love the fact that you can take a base recipe and get creative with additions, you know, whatever you have at hand, whatever strikes your fancy. You can serve this as a main course, or, as we did, an accompaniment to Crunchy Baked Pork Chops. I love the crunch and flavor Fennel gives this recipe. I suppose you could sub celery, but Fennel gives you a lot of bang for your buck. Hope you like it as much as I do. Oh, I have also included Cooks Illustrated's recipe for Crunchy Baked Pork Chops, also very delicious!

Lentil Salad with Herbs and Fennel
From the Matthew Card collection

Ingredients
3 qt. water
8 garlic cloves, peeled
3 bay leaves
1/2 onion, peeled but intact
Kosher salt
2 cups lentils du Puy

2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
Large pinch of sugar
8 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and ground pepper
1 Tbsp. minced fresh thyme or savory
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 large fennel bulb, minced

Steps:
1. Combine the water, garlic, bay leaves, onion, and 1 tablespoon salt in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the lentils, return to a simmer, and reduce the heat to medium, or just enough to maintain a slow but steady simmer. Cook until the lentils are tender, 25 to 35 minutes. Drain, discard the onion and bay leaves, transfer the garlic cloves to a small bowl, and spread the lentils onto a baking sheet to cool.
2. With a fork mash the garlic cloves to a paste. Add the vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar and whisk together; whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled lentils, thyme, parsley, and fennel. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the lentils and fold the mixture with a large rubber spatula until well blended.

Suggested Additions: sliced radishes, chopped tomatoes, Feta cheese, walnuts, pickled onions. I loved the addition of tomatoes, Feta and walnuts. Taste and adjust the salt and acidity prior to serving.

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Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Surprise, there is really no recipe. Trim the sprouts and removed any blemished leaves, then slice the sprouts in half. Cook two slices of bacon until crisp, remove from skillet, saute the sprouts in the bacon grease, add one teaspoon minced garlic, sprinkle lightly with salt . Continue cooking on medium heat until sprouts are lightly caramelized. Toss crumbled bacon on the sprouts.

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Oven Roasted Asparagus With Fried Capers

All lined up like little green soldiers on the plate, but not for long. The fried capers give this dish a slightly salty, pungent kick that makes it interesting and according to Chef Gold, "startling".

OVEN ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH FRIED CAPERS

2 LBS MED THICK ASPARAGUS
¼ CUP Olive Oil
SALT
1/4 CUP LARGE CAPERS, DRAINED
FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

Preheat oven to 425 if spears are slender, 500 if thick

Remove woody bottoms of asparagus. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil on rimmed baking sheet. Place asparagus on sheet and roll in oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Roast 8 min., shaking pan several times. Transfer to warm platter.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 T oil in small skillet. Fry capers over high heat for 1 minute. Top asparagus with capers, pass the peppermill at the table. May be served hot, room temp, or cold. To make this side dish a complete meal, top with a fried or poached egg and Canadian Bacon on the side.

Serves 4

From: Cooking 1-2-3 by Rozanne Gold


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Vegetable Tian

I have made this many times and it is delicious. Because it is so colorful and pretty, it is eaten with the eyes first, especially for someone who loves vegetables. I wish I could remember which cookbook to credit. It was one that I checked out of the public library. If you will give me a little more time, I may remember. Hmmm...


 Vegetable Tian

6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 leek, white and pale-green parts only, quartered lengthwise, rinsed well, and cut into 1/4 inch slices (1-1/2 cups)

1 garlic clove, minced

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 zucchini, unpeeled, very thinly sliced (1 cup)

1 yellow squash, unpeeled, very thinly sliced (1 cup)

2 plum tomatoes, very thinly sliced (3 cups)

1 small Italian eggplant, very thinly sliced (1 cup)

1/4 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

Grated parmesan, for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leek and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft, about four minutes. Spread in a 9 inch gratin or round baking dish.

Arrange vegetables on leek in slightly overlapping circles, alternating zucchini with squash, tomatoes, and eggplant. [This is the point at which you would stop, if you were making this in advance; just cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. The eggplant may brown a bit but it will get brown when you bake it anyway.]Top with wine, 1 tablespoon oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake 30 minutes. Drizzle with remaining oil. Bake until vegetables are tender, 30 minutes more. Serve with Parmesan. Read more!

When will Spring arrive?

I am more than ready. We have had enough warm weather to trick the grass into turning green, and to tease the delicate buds into erupting on the trees and shrubs then wham! Freeze warnings last night meant hauling tender plants back into the shelter of the porch, and covering the landscape with frostblankets. I hope there has not been too much damage. At least we can be thankful for crisp blue skies. I like the climate now in the daytime and just think of the vitamin D you can get from 15 minutes of sunshine. While we are on the subject of vitamins, we may as well throw in some fiber (14g), some calcium (4%), some iron (15%) some protein (7grams), a few carbs (22 grams) all found in a quarter cup serving of dried Pinto Beans. That is a great way to gather so much goodness for so little money. If you have a pressure cooker, it is a quick way to gather that goodness. You can have those babies on the table in about thirty minutes. While they are hissing away on the stovetop, you can bake a corn pone in a cast iron skillet, or if you are up for something a little more spicy, opt for the Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread below. Either way, you can't go wrong. Country goodness.

Speedy Pinto Beans Under Pressure

1 1/2 lbs. Dried Beans, rinsed and picked over for foreign matter or blemished beans
2 tsp. Kosher Salt
Water to cover two inches above the beans
ham hock, jowl bacon, or smoked neck bones

Assemble ingredients in the pressure cooker, lock lid, and on medium high heat, bring pressure to high. Adjust stovetop to a lower setting but still keeping a steady steam aka hissing noise. Cook under pressure for twenty-five minutes. Remove pan from heat and use the quick release method of running cold water over the locked lid, until you no longer hear steam and the safety valve has dropped. Unlock lid. Taste for doneness. Adjust seasoning. If not done, bring back up to pressure and cook an additional five minutes. Any dried beans may be prepared this way. You may have to adjust your cooking time slightly.

Cornbread, or Mexican Cornbread makes these beans even better. Serve as a side dish or main course.








Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
Recipe by Barefoot Contessa
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups milk
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the
pan
8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided
1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish,
3 scallions
3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers
Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large
bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a
wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the
lumps are dissolved. Don't overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated
Cheddar, the scallions and jalapenos, and allow the mixture to sit at
room temperature for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-
inch baking pan.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with
the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30
to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into
large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature. Read more!