Happy Birthday, Melissa

Dark Chocolate Cake with a thin raspberry glaze....topped with Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache. 

Happy 21st....goes great with a martini.  But what doesn't?  Cheers, kiddo. 

Three Words

Mango Mint Martini.

City Winery

My girlfriends and I spent a fun evening in NYC last night at the City Winery, where we were not only treated to a unique dining experience--one in which the wine was center stage to the food--but in the physical and literal sense, Raul Malo performed for a sold-out house. 

We enjoyed a City Winery Zinfandel as well as a Sauvignon Blanc and chose the chef's selection of cheese and charcutiere platters which included Petite Billy and Cabra Romero cheeses and Prosciutto di Parma and Salame Rosa.  Also enjoyed were the Marinated olives, Hummus, and Babaganouj.  Ok, and since it was a long evening--we arrived before 6 and stayed until almost 1AM when Raul finished his concert--we tried the Mini Sliders with Herbed Frites and a Margarita Pizza.  The food, wine, and atmosphere were top notch, but Raul's performance....consistently exceeding expectations.  What a talent. 

Grilled Cheese

Is there anything simpler to make than a grilled cheese?  Or, more satisfying and comforting?  Well, yes, I can think of a few dishes, namely macaroni and cheese (check earlier post).  I try my best to eat in a healthy way, consistent with low-fat, low cholesterol, low salt or sodium free, but let's face it:  Sometimes we crave the foods that just aren't the best things in the world for us.  I'd rather abstain from real cheese and enjoy it on occasion than use low-fat daily.  That's just me.  So, for lunch today, I'm keeping the yogurt in the fridge, and making a pesto-seasoned, havarti and tomato on whole wheat bread, grilled cheese.  And, I'm going to enjoy every bite. 

Mussels and Shrimp in White Wine Broth

What to make on Easter Eve?  It doesn't have quite the same ring as Christmas Eve, but I felt that seafood was in order. 

Dinner was just for John and me; Easter dinner the same, but that doesn't mean it can't be special.  So, at the supermarket yesterday, I suggested mussels and shrimp, though not sure what I was going to do with them.  I came up with the following recipe, and the two diners gave it rave reviews.  I hope you enjoy it, and have a blessed holiday.

2 lbs. mussels, cleaned
1 lb. jumbo shrimp (about 10-12), deveined and peeled, tails intact
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon EVOO
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 ½ cups dry white wine
3 tomatoes, seeded, and chopped
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoon Singapore seasoning* (Penzey’s Spices)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon honey
1/3 c mango salsa
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
Pinch of coarse sea salt
Fresh basil and/or parsley

Preparation:

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large stock pot; add the garlic and saute’ over low heat for about a minute, being careful not to allow the garlic to burn. Add the wine, cream, Singapore seasoning, and basil; simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, honey, mango salsa, and lemon juice; simmer for another 5 minutes.

Add shrimp; toss gently; cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Add mussels, peas, and sea salt; toss again to coat with broth; cover and steam for about 5 minutes or until mussels open; stirring once. Discard any that do not open.

Spoon shrimp and mussels onto a large serving bowl; pour liquid over. Sprinkle with freshly snipped basil and/or parsley.

Serve with crusty semolina bread.

Serves 2 to 4 people, depending on their appetites!

*Singapore seasoning is a complex but delicate blend of the following spices:
Tellicherry black pepper, lemon peel, citric acid, garlic, onion, turmeric, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, ginger, nutmeg, fennel, cinnamon, white pepper, cardamom, cloves, and cayenne red pepper.

Straciatella Soup...with Benefits

This could also have been titled: Quinoa, Take Two.


After enjoying a wonderful Straciatella Soup with Spinach on Saturday night (how alliterative of me) and discovering the benefits of Quinoa, I decided to pair the two, and add a few "extras" for this evening’s dinner.

Straciatella Soup has always been a simple chicken broth where a combination of beaten eggs and Parmesan cheese have been added…..slowly….not into a boiling stock. The result is a “little rags or strings” look, hence, straciatella.

Well, if the spinach made that simple soup better, chicken and a few extras would make it great! However, don’t get me wrong. When you need a “sick soup,” or something simple to make you feel better, the original can’t be beat.

Pam’s Straciatella and Chicken Soup with Quinoa

1 small onion, diced
1 large carrot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks, sprinkled with
2 tablespoons Penzey’s Singapore seasoning
2 quarts chicken stock
4 eggs whisked with 1 tablespoon semolina and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
½ cup Quinoa (rinsed)
2 tablespoons pesto
2 cups fresh baby spinach

In a large stockpot, saute’ onion and carrot in olive oil and butter; stir over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from pan; add chicken in 2 batches, cooking over medium high heat until nicely golden on all sides. (Add a bit more olive oil if necessary). Remove from pan; add chicken stock and Quinoa; bring to a simmer; add chicken and vegetables; stir, then cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until Quinoa has softened. Uncover, and add eggs, stirring with a fork to break up. Add pesto and spinach; cook until greens wilt.

Serve with semolina bread and additional Parmesan cheese.

Quinoa

I'm new to Quinoa, pronounced, "Keen-wah."  (Who knew?)  I've seen it on menus, and I believe I've even ordered it, but I've never prepared it.  From what I've read, the ancient Incas revered quinoa and the leader planted the first seed with a golden shovel.  This is quite a regal rice substitute!  It can be used in breads and soups and even fermented to make a beer.  It's not a grain in the true sense, but is the seed of the Chenopodium or Goosefoot plant. I had never even heard of this prior to doing some research, and believe me, there's much to read about Quinoa.  The reason I even purchased it is because Eric is trying to lean his diet toward gluten-free foods, and Quinoa meets this need.  After rinsing, there are several preparation choices you can make, but I kept mine fairly simple.

I chopped an onion and a carrot, sauted both in a tablespoon of olive oil for about 5 minutes.  Then, I added the rinsed Quinoa and chicken broth with some Tandoori seasoning (Penzey's Spices) and simmered, covered, for about 20 minutes.  I then added chopped walnuts and parsley.  The walnuts added a nice crunch, and the Quinoa went well with my apricot glazed grilled salmon topped with mango salsa. 

Because of the versatility of this product, it's a nice alternative to rice, potatoes, or pasta. 

Lemon Meringue Pie with Hazelnut Shortbread Crust

I'm not a huge Lemon Meringue Pie fan....or perhaps I only enjoy it in the spring....a seasonal dessert.  But, I made this recipe for Eric when he came to house to dog sit last weekend, and of course, I tasted a sliver before leaving for our trip.  Well, I must admit, that it was quite delicious, and in the future, I might not just limit its preparation for a particular time of year.  The only change I made was to use walnuts instead of hazelnuts in the crust.  It's obviously more detailed than the ready-made crust and boxed lemon filling that many are used to, but the results are worth it. 

Here's the recipe taken from the Epicurious site:

Crust:
•1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked
•1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
•1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
•1/2 cup powdered sugar
•1 large egg yolk
•1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
•1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:
Grind nuts finely in processor. Add flour and blend well. Add remaining ingredients. Using on/off turns, process just until moist clumps form. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill until firm enough to roll, about 45 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Roll out dough between sheets of waxed paper to 12-inch round, turning over occasionally to lift and smooth paper. Peel off top sheet of paper. Using bottom paper as aid, lift dough and invert into 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Peel off paper. Press dough gently into dish. Fold overhang under; crimp to form decorative edge. Pierce crust all over with fork. Chill 15 minutes. Line crust with foil. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crust until sides are set, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Bake until crust is pale golden, about 20 minutes longer. Transfer crust to rack and cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
Filling:
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
6 large egg yolks
5 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter

Whisk first 7 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Using whisk, stir over medium heat until filling thickens and just begins to boil, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in butter. Spoon hot filling into prepared crust.

Meringue:
7 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/8 cups powdered sugar

Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large stainless steel bowl at low speed until foamy. Beat in cream of tartar and 1 tablespoon sugar. Gradually beat in remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat at medium speed until stiff glossy peaks form, about 8 minutes. Spread meringue over warm filling, covering completely, sealing meringue to crust edges and mounding in center. Bake pie for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 275°F and continue to bake until meringue is golden brown and set when pie is shaken slightly, about 50 minutes. Transfer pie to rack and cool completely, about 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate uncovered.)