Category: Main Course

Main Course, South Beach Diet

Flashback Friday – Notes on a Recipe Jacques Pepin’s Scallops Grenobolise

by Wendi6 Comments on Flashback Friday – Notes on a Recipe Jacques Pepin’s Scallops Grenobolise

Flashback Friday

The following originally appeared on 11/12/08 at Exit 51.

Notes On A Recipe – Jacques Pepin’s Scallops Grenobolise

Last week ended much the same way it began…by not having an important ingredient for something I had planned to make.  Even after I pledged that I would cross check my grocery list against my menu, I ended up not having any chocolate for the Cinnamon Scented Baked Chocolate Mousse Cake. But I was determined to give both of the Fast Food @ Home recipes a try, even if it meant another trip to the store.  I’d have to say that I’m pretty glad I did.  Because this was one fabulous meal. Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Notes on a Recipe Jacques Pepin’s Scallops Grenobolise” →

Main Course

Steak Tips and ‘Shrooms

by Wendi13 Comments on Steak Tips and ‘Shrooms


I don’t have any kind of story to go with this recipe so I’m going to do a before and after and see where it leads.  See, some photographers are able to get their images right in the camera. Perfect white balance, great lighting, exquisite staging, and food that photographs well.

In all the time that I’ve been taking photos of the food on my plate, I’ve yet to become one of those photographers.  And while technology makes that ok, I strive to be better.  I want my straight out of camera (sooc) images to be so close to my final image that you almost can’t tell them apart.  Looking at the example above, you can see I’ve got a ways to go yet.

Some constraints, like the photogenic nature of foods, are out of my hands.  But other things, like lighting and balance, I need to become more familiar with.  Even though I’ve taken my camera off of the fully automatic settings and gone into manual mode, and I manually set my white balance, I don’t yet have the sense to instinctively know when I’m on the right track or when I’m setting myself up for disappointment.

Take the Steak Tips and ‘Shrooms up there.  SOOC it’s a pretty boring image.  There’s no depth; the whole thing feels flat.  When I was previewing the images, I should have picked up on that and thrown a napkin or something with texture down to bring in some visual interest.  SOOC the color is also quite dull.  Yeah, I don’t know what I could have done about that.  But my point is that I should have tried to do something so that I didn’t have to rely on Photoshop to saturate the color of the food so that it doesn’t look so washed out.

I suppose that the photos are like the cooking…it takes practice to get the feel for what I’m doing behind the camera or in front of the stove.  I feel like I’m making progress where the food is concerned.  The challenge now is to get that to translate to the images on the screen.

Steak Tips and ‘Shrooms

Adapted from The Washington Post

BAH Note:  The recipe from The Post suggested substituting tenderloin tips for the center cut fillet.  Please don’t make the mistake of using plain old steak tips, like I did.  The first time I made this, I had to ask the meat counter at Giant if they had any center cut fillets because they weren’t in the case.  The version using a center cut was so far superior to the one I made with generic steak tips (because all The Fresh Market could offer me was a $20/pound fillet mignon) that it was worth every curse word that came out of my mouth as I trimmed the silver skin and tissue off that center cut scrap.  Even when it was reheated in the microwave, the center cut meat was still tender, soft, and tasted meaty.  Straight out of the dutch oven, the tips were tough, dry, and bland.

BAH Tip:  If you don’t have red wine, just use an additional 1/2 cup beef broth.  And if you don’t have, or don’t want to use brandy, substitute 2 teaspoons broth.

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 12 ounces center cut beef tenderloin, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 16 ounces mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 3/4 cup beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons brandy
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Heat half of the oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add half of the beef cubes and brown on all sides.  Transfer the first batch to a plate, brown the remaining beef, and transfer them to the plate as well.

Add the remaining oil to the pan.  Add the onion, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for about 10 minutes or until the onion has softened.

Add the mushrooms, increase the heat to medium high, and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid and begin to brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Add the red wine to the pot and cook until the liquid reduces by half.

Whisk together the mustard and broth and add it to the pot once the wine has reduced.

Add the beef and any accumulated juices back to the pot.  Combine the cornstarch and brandy in a small bowl, stirring to make sure the cornstarch totally dissolves.  Add the cornstarch slurry to the pot and stir to combine.

Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes until everything is gently bubbling and the beef has just cooked through.  Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste before serving.

 {printable recipe}

Dessert, Main Course, Sweets

Flashback Friday – Fast Food @ Home

by Wendi8 Comments on Flashback Friday – Fast Food @ Home

Flashback Friday

The following originally appeared on 11/5/08 at Exit 51

Fast Food @ Home

This week has not been my best in the kitchen.  All the hubbub and activity of late has me off my game.  My pantry and fridge are not adequately stocked for the meals I had planned.  Somehow I overlooked a fundamental part of meal planning – making sure I have the ingredients for what I intend to make.  I don’t mean things that I can fudge like an onion or spices.  That would be too easy.  I mean that if I figure on making hamburgers, it would be helpful to actually have ground beef. Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Fast Food @ Home” →

Chicken, Main Course

Tagine de Poulet

by Wendi18 Comments on Tagine de Poulet

I remember the first time I ever tried couscous.  I was a freshman in college (Go Blue Hens!) and I had taken the train to Philadelphia to visit my friend Yasmine at the University of Pennsylvania. Most of my memories of that trip are pretty fuzzy some 20 years later.  But I remember being envious of the old buildings on the campus, especially Yasmine’s dorm.  She had this cool room with tons of character while I had a cinder block throw back to the cold war.  I also vaguely remember trying to catch the eye of the cute, presumably smart, boys at a party.  And there may have been an outfit completely inappropriate for walking back to her room late at night in the snow.

So how does couscous fit into this story?  Before going to the Penn party, Yasmine and I headed out for dinner.  Now I know I have a somewhat faulty memory but I swear that what I’m going to say next is true.  We ate dinner at Urban Outfitters.  How can I be so sure of that?  A) Because I thought it was completely bizarre that we were having dinner in a store.  B) Because I decided to try something new and ordered couscous for the first time in my young life.  C) And I didn’t like it.  I don’t remember why, but I distinctly remember that it was not an enjoyable experience.  But to this day, when I think of couscous, I think of Urban Outfitters.

It took me years but I gave couscous another shot and learned that it wasn’t as bad as I remembered.  As a matter of fact, it is lovely when you serve it topped with  Chicken Tagine.  Or, as it was titled in David Lebovitz’s book, Tagine de Poulet.

Despite furious Googling, I can not find anything on the web that corroborates my story that there was ever a restaurant inside of Urban Outfitters in Philly.  So you’ll have to take my word for it.  I do know for a fact that there was a visit to Urban Outfitters and there was couscous for dinner.  Were they two completely separate parts of the trip?  It was a long time ago and there were adult beverages consumed that night.  Perhaps all of that has made for one big memory mash-up.

I’d ask Yasmine but I lost touch with her after she moved to Australia.  Even in this day of Facebook and Classmates.com, some people are just off the grid.  Yasmine, if by some chance the Universe guides your browser to this post, click on that Contact BAH button at the top of the page…I’d love to hear from you.

Chicken Tagine with Apricots

Adapted from David Lebovitz, The Sweet Life In Paris

BAH Note: You may wish to wear food safe gloves when you toss the chicken with the spice mixture.  Tumeric is BRIGHT YELLOW and can stain your fingers and nails for a day or two even with vigorous hand washing.  Alternately, you could put the spices into a plastic bag, add the chicken pieces, and shake to coat them in the spices.  If using boneless chicken thighs, start checking for doneness after about 45 minutes of cooking.

  • 4 ounces dried apricots
  • 8 bone in chicken thighs, skins removed
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground tumeric
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cans chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • juice of one lemon

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Put the apricots in a bowl, cover completely with boiling water, and set them aside.

Combine your spices and salt in a large bowl.  Add the chicken pieces and coat them completely in the spices.

Melt your butter in a dutch oven or large pot set over medium heat.  Working in batches, cook the chicken for about 3 minutes on each side then transfer it to a plate.  Add the onion to the pot and cook until translucent.  Add the chicken broth to the pot, return the chicken pieces, and bring to a boil.  Transfer to the oven and bake for 60 to 90 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked.

Remove the pot from the oven, skim any accumulated fat from the top, and carefully transfer the chicken to a platter.  Cover the platter with foil and set aside.

Place the pot on the stove, add the honey and lemon juice.  Drain the liquid from the apricots and add them to the pot.  Cook over medium high heat until the sauce is reduced by a third.  Taste for seasoning and serve the chicken and sauce accompanied with rice or couscous.

{printable recipe}

Main Course

Super Quick Curry

by Wendi12 Comments on Super Quick Curry

Without meaning to, I find myself coming back to this recipe time and again for quick, satisfying weeknight dinners.  Every few weeks it ends up on the menu but  I can’t say that I’m especially sad about that.  The Mistah and I both like it.  It’s ridiculously easy.  And it’s quite adaptable to whatever protein you happen to pick up at the store or have stashed in your freezer.

There’s only one word of caution that I will offer.  If you are using bagged frozen seafood, be sure to put the bag in a bowl while it defrosts in the refrigerator.  I don’t know why, but the last few times I’ve made this, my bag of frozen seafood has leaked.  And there is nothing I like less than cleaning up shrimp or scallop juices from the glass shelf of the Fridigaire.

Super Quick Curry

Adapted from Jaden Hair’s 10 Minute Shrimp Curry

BAH Note:  I most often use shrimp or bay scallops when I make this but don’t think that’s all you can use.  Chicken, pork, or tofu would work well in this dish.  I have also been known to throw a tablespoon or so of smooth peanut butter into the pot to give the sauce a little something unexpected.

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons mild curry paste
  • 1/8 teaspoon red chili paste
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1/2 – 1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)
  • 1 to 2 red bell peppers, diced
  • 1 pound shrimp (peeled) or bay scallops
  • juice of 1 lime (optional)

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add the curry paste and chili sauce, stir, and cook for about 30 seconds until the spices become fragrant.  Add the shrimp or scallops and cook until they are mostly cooked through.  Add the coconut milk and stir to combine.  Cook for another 5 minutes until your shrimp or scallops are just cooked through.  Taste for seasoning and add fish sauce and lime juice if using.  Ladle into bowls and enjoy.

{printable recipe}

Main Course, Pasta

Kerrygold Mac and Cheese

by Wendi27 Comments on Kerrygold Mac and Cheese

No, I haven’t gotten back together with ATK.  But I still have some of their recipes floating around my kitchen which need to make their way to the blog.  Like this stovetop mac and cheese.  I’ve had it in my life for almost four years and yet I haven’t yet shared it with you.

And that’s just wrong.  Because in the world of quick and easy cooking, it doesn’t get much better than this.  In the time it takes to get your water to a boil and cook the pasta to al dente, the sauce is ready to receive the macaroni and coat it in its luscious, creamy goodness.  I think that should be enough motivation to put this on your menu soon.

Confidential to Jenna…I know you didn’t exactly hit it off with the last stovetop mac and cheese I raved about.  I hope you’ll have a better experience with this.

Kerrygold Mac and Cheese

Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

BAH Note: The recipe I worked from was actually a “lighter” mac and cheese that used low fat this and light that.  I personally don’t eat pasta often.  So when I do, it’s a big deal and I go all out.  If you find you’re making this on a regular basis, you may want to consider using the reduced fat versions of milk, evaporated milk, and cheese.  Also, ATK didn’t name the recipe Kerrygold Mac and Cheese….that was all my doing.  Do yourself a huge favor and try it at least once with Kerrygold Cheddar…and you’ll see why.  But note that the blocks of Kerrygold are only 7 ounces.  That missing ounce didn’t make any difference in my sauce.

  • 2 cups elbow macaroni
  • 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
  • 3/4 cup milk or half and half
  • 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
  • kosher salt
  • cayenne pepper or chili powder (optional)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni according to the package directions until it is al dente.  If your pasta is done before the cheese sauce is ready, drain the pasta and leave it in the colander while the sauce finishes.

Mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup of the milk or half and half in a small bowl until dissolved and set aside.

Meanwhile, whisk together the evaporated milk, the remaining 1/2 cup milk or half and half, and dry mustard in a pot or dutch oven and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat slightly and whisk in the cornstarch mixture.  Continue to simmer, whisking often, until the sauce thickens and is smooth, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.

Once the sauce has thickened, turn off the heat and add the grated cheese.  Stir until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is smooth.  Stir in the pasta, taste for seasoning, and add kosher salt as desired.

Let the macaroni and cheese sit for about 5 minutes before serving, garnished with a very light sprinkle of cayenne pepper or chili powder.

{printable recipe}

Chicken, Main Course, South Beach Diet

Flashback Friday – Slow Motion

by Wendi5 Comments on Flashback Friday – Slow Motion

Flashback Friday

The following originally appeared on 4/22/09 at Exit 51.

Slow Motion

Sometimes we need to be reminded of the obvious.  Remember that fable about the tortoise and the hare?  What was the moral of that story?  Right, fastest isn’t always best.

There are countless examples of how we have become a society that minimizes the value of being leisurely; no need to enumerate them here.  The point remains that we pride ourselves on how much of anything we can cram into as little time as possible.  It’s sad when you think about it.  Because that thinking touches every part of our lives, including how we eat.

Well Duh!
photo by me

If faced with the option to either commit several hours to preparing dinner at home or popping through some random drive thru as you multitask through a day, which are you going to choose?  It’s ok, you can tell me.  I know that the easy answer is the drive thru.  But is it always the best answer?

Looking at what I’ve been cooking lately, I’ve got my fair share of recipes that will never end up on 30 Minute Meals.  These are strictly weekend recipes for when I have the luxury to spend  an hour, or three, on a dish.  But do not think that all that time is actively spent at the stove.  Please, have you met me?  I would never suggest such a thing.

I can think of plenty of better things to do with three hours…like settle in and read a book, or work my way through all seven seasons of Gilmore Girls dvd’s, or indulge in a leisurely nap on the sofa.  If I’m “hard at work” on dinner, I think that excludes me from simultaneously tackling other chores like laundry and cleaning.

Now, I understand not everyone can make that choice.  But if you can, I hope you will.  At least once in a while.  And if you do, maybe you can dine on this slow motion dinner.

what-leftovers

Braised Chicken

I got this recipe from a Wegman’s magazine.  I’ve made a few modifications so that it is more in keeping with our South Beach living.  I liked the results, but think that maybe the chicken needs to be completely naked.  The skin made the juices a little too greasy for my taste.  I also let the dish stay in the oven for a second hour, with the heat turned off, because it wasn’t convenient to eat dinner when the timer went off.   Just make sure that your lid is on tightly and there is enough liquid in the pot so that the chicken doesn’t scorch.

  • 1   pkg (about 3 lbs) Chicken (Split Breasts with Ribs, Drums and Thighs)
  • 2   Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 3   Tbsp chopped shallots
  • 2   pkgs (4 oz each) gourmet mushroom blend
  • 1/2   cup dry white wine
  • 2   cups Chicken Stock
  • juice of one lemon (2-3 Tbsp)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat oil in large pan on medium; add chicken. Brown lightly on all sides. Transfer to clean platter; set aside. Discard all but 1 Tbsp oil.

Add shallots; cook, stirring, 1-2 min. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring, 3-4 min.

Add wine; cook, stirring to loosen browned bits on bottom of pan. Simmer 3-5 min, to reduce liquids by two-thirds. Add chicken stock, return chicken to pan, and bring to simmer.

Cover; place on center rack of oven. Braise 1 hour.

Remove pan from oven. Stir in lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Fish, Main Course

Fish Piccata

by Wendi17 Comments on Fish Piccata
I love gummi fish..but not gummy fish piccata.

If you’ve been hanging around these parts for a while, you’ve seen the name Melissa d’Arabian once or twice before.  She was the winner of The Next Food Network Star a few seasons back who now has her own TFN show.  I was pretty much in her corner from the beginning.  I loved that she was a home cook competing with professionals and that she carried herself with confidence.  It was very much a Rocky moment for me when she won.

So I’ve been watching her show, Ten Dollar Dinners.  To be honest, I don’t manage to keep my food expenditures down to $2.50 per person.  Not even by shopping sales, cutting coupons, and using my store “loyalty” cards.  It’s a lofty goal and I give her mad props for showing that it can be done without sacrificing quality and that weeknight meals don’t have to involve canned this or microwaved that.

This is not to say that all of her recipes speak to me.  Black bean brownies?  Thank you, no.  But the ones that I have gone online and printed out have won me over.  Pot Roast Carbonnade?  Crispy Skinned Orange Chicken?  Braised Pork?  All her recipes.  And now it looks as though Fish Piccata has earned a spot on that list.  This could quite easily become a regular weeknight meal at our house.

Fish Piccata

Adapted from Melissa d’Arabian

BAH Note:  This is a quick cooking dish.  Be sure to have all your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking.  Don’t be tempted to dredge the fish in the flour and then let it sit on a plate while the oil heats.  You’ll end up with gummy fish.  While I personally enjoy gummi or swedish fish, you want to avoid gummy fish piccata.

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 small fillets of tilapia or sole
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • juice of 2 lemons
  • 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed if you prefer
  • 2 tablespoons butter

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat.  While the oil heats, dry the fish with paper towels and season with salt.  Once you are ready to cook, dredge a fillet in the flour, shake off the excess, and place in the pan.  Repeat with remaining fish fillets until all are in the pan

Cook about 4 minutes on each side, until the fish is browned and just cooked through.  Transfer the fish to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Use the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.  After about a minute, add the lemon juice and capers and whisk to combine.  Whisk in the butter.

Serve the fillets topped with the sauce.

{printable recipe}

Main Course, Uncategorized

Nigella’s Scallops with Pea Puree

by Wendi9 Comments on Nigella’s Scallops with Pea Puree

 

Image by Ben Heine on deviantart.com

Most of the dishes I cook meet with The Mistah’s approval.  It is rare for him to provide negative feedback on a recipe.  But this one was a split decision.  I liked the slightly spiced pea puree.  The Mistah said something to the effect that the peas weren’t his favorite and that he prefers the other way that I make them.  What he specifically meant, I can’t be sure.  If you know, would you let me in on the secret?

Nigella’s Scallops with Pea Puree

Adapted from Nigella Kitchen

BAH Note: Try and get “dry” scallops, meaning they haven’t been injected with liquid.  Mine were “wet” (injected) and even though I tried a Cook’s Illustrated technique to dry them out a bit, my scallops didn’t get that lovely browned exterior because the liquid wept out into my pan causing them to steam more than to saute.

  • 1 pound frozen peas
  • 1 tablespoon mild curry paste
  • 1/3 cup sour cream or creme fraiche
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 pound sea scallops
  • juice of 1 lime
  • juice of 1 lemon

Cook the peas in a saucepan, drain, and transfer to the food processor.  Add the curry paste, sour cream or creme fraiche, lime juice, and salt and process until smooth.  If the puree is on the thick side, drizzle in a teaspoon or two of olive oil. Cover the puree until ready to serve.

Pat the scallops dry and season with salt and pepper.  Melt the butter and olive oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat.  Working in batches if necessary, cook the scallops for two to three minutes per side until browned.

Transfer the scallops to a plate and deglaze the pan with the lemon juice.

Serve the scallops drizzled with pan sauce on a bed of pea puree.

{printable recipe}

Main Course

Flashback Friday – One Pot Wonderful

by Wendi7 Comments on Flashback Friday – One Pot Wonderful

Flashback Friday

The following originally appeared on 10/6/08 at Exit 51.

One Pot Wonderful

That’s what I said after I tried the Roasted Pork Tenderloin and Mushroom Marsala recipe from the Washington Post.  This recipe had everything going against it…my lack of skill in preparing pork in general and not really wanting to be cooking that evening…and it still came out a winner. The pork was tender and juicy and the mushroom marsala sauce was silky and rich.  Best of all, there was only one pot to clean up.

My only gripe is that the pork took longer than 20 minutes to reach 160 degrees.  I really don’t understand what it is about my oven that I can’t replicate these cooking times.  Since the cooking time almost doubled, I didn’t have much liquid left in the pot once it came out of the oven.  So I was able to skip the step of reducing the pan juices before adding the chicken broth and marsala.

I can definitely see this becoming a weeknight favorite, especially if I can find a way to turn it into a 30 minute meal.  But even if I can’t, it’s worth the extra oven time.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin and Mushroom Marsala

From The Washington Post

WaPo Notes: This one-pot dish has the flavor profile of classic veal Marsala but requires less prep work. It can be made with any type of mushrooms: oyster, portobello and tree ear varieties are particularly good here. Serve with steamed asparagus, roasted Brussels sprouts or sauteed summer squash and rice.

Using a large shallow nonstick braiser works best here, but a roasting pan or a deep saucepan that’s ovenproof also can be used.

  • 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 to 2 pounds pork tenderloins, trimmed of silverskin and excess fat
  • 1 pound assorted mushrooms, stemmed and cut into bite-size chunks
  • 1 medium onion, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
  • 1/2 cup dry Marsala (Sicilian dessert wine)
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium or homemade chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat in a large braiser, deep saucepan or heavy roasting pan large enough to hold all the ingredients.

Season the trimmed tenderloins all over with salt and pepper, then add to the pan. (If the tenderloins are a little long for the pan, cut them in half crosswise.) Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, turning the tenderloins halfway through, so that they are browned on the bottom and top. Use tongs to transfer them to a large plate. They will not be cooked through.

Increase the heat to medium-high and add the mushrooms to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the onion. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the onions start to soften around the edges. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Return the pork tenderloins to the pan, which will be a little crowded, then place the pan in the oven and roast for about 20 minutes, until the internal temperature of the tenderloins registers 160 degrees.

Use tongs to transfer the tenderloins to a plate; cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep them warm.

Return the pan with the mushrooms and onions to the stove over medium-high heat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the pan juices have almost evaporated. Add the Marsala and broth; cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by half.

Cut the remaining tablespoon of butter into several small pieces and add to the pan in several additions, stirring as the butter melts. Taste and add seasoning as needed. Remove from the heat.

Cut the tenderloins crosswise into thin slices and divide among individual plates. Top with a portion of the mushroom sauce and a sprinkling of parsley. Serve immediately.