Seared Scallops with Pineapple, Ginger and Lemon Grass Salsa

History:  Found this recipe here.   I really like scallops, but more importantly, the day I found this recipe, I had some extra lemon grass lying around that I didn't want to waste.

Difficulty:  Easy  (but scallops aren't cheap)
Time:  30 min tops including all prep
Family Rating:  Our kids aren't big fans of spicy or scallops, so this is a dish just for husband and me.
Key Tools:  If you have a nice hand chopper from Pampered Chef, it's handy for this.

Ingredients:
1 shallot sliced (they look like a cross between an onion and garlic)
1 tsp olive oil
salt
1/4 cup finely chopped pineapple (I bought the tub of rings in the fresh fruit section and used a ring for presentation)
1 T finely grated ginger (if you don't want to keep the root around, buy the tubes of grated in the fresh fruit section.  They keep well.  Else, grate the ginger after peeling off the outter layer.
1 T lemon grass finely chopped (you can find this in a little bitty package where they sell other fresh spices in the fresh fruit section)
1 t cilantro (plan to make another dish during the week with cilantro as you can only buy it by the bunch else grow it yourself.)
1 t honey
1 t apple cider vinegar
1/2 t sesame seeds (find these in the Asian Food aisle)
1/8 t red pepper flakes (I use more, but I like spicy!)
4 t olive oil (yep, it's on the list twice)
Veg oil

Green beans or sugar snap peas

4 large sea scallops, 8 medium (Plan to buy these and eat them the same day.  They do NOT keep well in the fridge if they're already thawed in the store.)

Process:
1)  Rinse and pat dry your scallops.  Rinsing is really important.  You can soak your scallops in salt water for a bit or just rinse turning them all different directions. If you don't rinse really well, you'll often have some grit in your scallops.

2)  Prepare all of the "chopped" ingredients.  You can put them in small dishes so they're ready to go.  Get your other ingredients out so they're handy along with your measuring spoons. This dish comes together very quickly once you turn on the heat.  (Add water to a medium saucepan and start the heat to bring it to a boil for the green beans.)

3)  In a medium/small skillet, bring to medium heat and add 1 t or so of olive oil. (I don't measure, I just pour in some olive oil.)

4)  Add the sliced scallop, a pinch of salt and cook/stir until the shallot has softened.  About 5 min.

5)  When shallot is done, pour into a small mixing bowl and add the the pineapple, ginger, lemon grass, cilantro, honey, vinegar, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, 4 t olive oil and salt to taste.  Mix and set aside.

6) Once the water is boiling in your sauce pan, throw in the green beans.  You only need them in there for about 3-4 minutes or until they're tender.  Strain and throw them in a bowl of cold water with ice and set aside.

7)  In the same skillet you used for the shallots, pour in a few tablespoons of veg oil and rotate your pan so it's coated.  Heat over med high heat.  Once you see wisps of smoke rising, it's hot enough.  Place each scallop into the skillet.  Brown for about 1 min. (don't move them around til it's time to flip)  Gently loosen them from the skillet with a pancake type spatula and flip.  Cook for about another 90 seconds.  Scallops are cooked like steak--rare, med, well, etc.  They are best in my humble opinion when they're about medium.  Too done and they're very rubbery.  When they're done to your liking, turn off the heat, remove scallops.

8)  Throw the green beans into the warm skillet to warm them up.

9)  Place green beans on each plate to form a bed.  If you've gotten the rings of pineapple, place a ring on as well.

10) Then place the scallops on top, drizzle with the pineapple salsa and serve!

New Year's Eve Appetizer Dinner

Happy New Year!

While I love to cook more elaborate dinners, we do things a little differently here for New Year's Eve.  Our family tradition involves appetizers to keep us satiated through the 4 hours of TV coverage with the highlight of our "meal" being steamed crab legs. 

Here are two of the appetizers we make.  Very simple, great for any occasion, and easy to make!

Serpente

History:  Serpente is a dish I first had when I lived in Italy.  It is basically a loaf of bread with prosciutto and mozzarella cheese baked in.  If you're really creative you can make decorate your "serpent" with food coloring to make it look more serpent like.  That's how this dish got its name. You can do it the hard way or the easy way.  Whichever you prefer.  The "hard way" involves making your own french bread dough from scratch.  The "easy" way involves buying a tube of Pillsbury French Bread dough. 

Difficulty: Easy
Time:  35 minutes
Family Rating:  Everyone approves!
Key Tools:  Cookie sheet or glass dish 9x13

Ingredients:

1 tube of French bread dough

1 ball of mozzarella cheese (you can try using shredded, but I use the soft ball)

4 slices of Prosciutto  (you can get this at most delis or prepackaged.  If you have to do prepackaged, you'll have way more than you need so plan on making something else that needs prosciutto too--like chicken cordon bleu--will post that recipe too.)
Pizza or Spaghetti sauce for dipping is optional

Process:

1)  Preheat oven to 350 (or whatever the bread dough says)  Open up the dough.  Find the seam side and with a sharp knife, carefully cut through the bread without cutting all the way through to make a "chamber" for the prosciutto and cheese.

2)  Lay open the bread and put down slices of prosciutto and cheese.

3)  Pull the cut edges together and pinch to seal.

4)  Roll the loaf over, seam side down.  Make a few cross cuts on the top of the bread and/or decorate with a food coloring/egg wash if you desire.

5)  Bake at 350 on a cookie sheet or in a glass dish for 25-35 minutes per the instructions on the tube of dough.

6)  Allow to cool for a few minutes.  Then slice and serve.  Pizza or Spaghetti sauce can be used for dipping.

Cucumber on Rye or Pumpernickel with Dill Dip

History:  No idea.  Have had this particular appetizer since I have memory of making appetizers.  It's so easy that it's just become a habit!


Difficulty: Easy
Time:  10
Family Rating:  Everyone approves!  Also a great "project" for kids.
Key Tools:  A platter

Ingredients:

You can either buy dill dip pre made
-or-
1 packet Hidden Valley Farm Dill Dip (found in salad dressing aisle)
1 12oz tub of sour cream

-and-

1 large cucumber
1 package "cocktail" pumpernickel or rye bread  (usually found in the deli, not in the bread aisle)

Process:
1)  Make dill dip by combining 1 packet of dip mix with the sour cream.
2)  Lay out several pieces of the cocktail bread on a platter.  They should not overlap.
3)  With a spoon, place a dollop of the dill dip in the center of each piece of bread.
4)  Wash cucumber and dry.  Slice into 1/4 thick slice or so.  (okay to leave skin on or you may peel)
5)  Place a piece of cucumber over the dollop of dip.

Refrigerate til ready to serve.

Pie Crust Simplified....

3, 2, 1

Remember that.  It's about 3 parts flour, 2 parts lard, 1 part water.  It really IS that simple.

The recipe that I use for a two crust pie is 2 C flour, 2/3 cup Crisco, 1 t salt, and 4-5 T water.

So here's what I do...throw all the cool doodads out the window and do this totally by hand.

First, spoon your flour in the jar/container to fluff.  Flour settles and compacts.  So turn it over and fluff it first.  Then spoon flour into your measuring cup and pour into your mixing bowl.  Keep fluffing between spoon fulls.

Throw in your salt and mix.

Then spoon in your Crisco and either using a pastry knife thing (looks like brass knuckles, but not brass and much sharper!) or use two knives criss crossing til you have crumbles.

Slowly mix in water that you've iced down.  It needs to be COLD.  Really cold.

Mix a little water in at a time and stir til you have dough that leaves the sides of the bowl and is sticky.

Divide in two.  (I shape mine into a ball and divide)

Shape one piece into a ball.  Turn on to a lightly floured surface.  Gently press using a hand as guide to hold it together.  Flip as needed and dust with flour.  Press down to about 1/2 inch before breaking out the rolling pin.

Then, use your rolling pin to apply just a bit of pressure moving from the middle out.  Don't grind your pie crust down!  GENTLY!  Middle to outside in all directions.

Once it's thin enough, fold it so you can move it easier.

Place into pie plate.  Fill as needed.  Repeat whole process for top.

It's NOT rocket science, but it IS an art.  Good news?  My stepdaughters can do it with minimal instruction. You can too!!!  (updated with pictures 2013Jan2)

Happy pie making!

Spanish Pork Taco with Roasted Habanero and Red Pepper Salsa, Avocado Purée and Crisp Apple

History:  This is a recipe I put together after having something similar at a lovely restaurant in Georgetown in Washington DC.  The dish has very complimentary components...hot and cold, spicy and soothing.  The closest thing I could compare it to would be a really good Peking Duck dinner.

Difficulty:  Intermediate
Time:  Prep 1 hour, cook time for meat 6-8 hours
Family Rating:  Not yet kid approved, but probably too spicy for nubile palates.
Key Tools:  Crockpot, Cheese grater with larger grates, Food Processor (if you don't have one, a blender will suffice, but get thee a food processor soon!)

Weekly Menu Partner:  Crock Pot Pork Loin Roast with Oven Roasted Ranch Potatoes and Spinach Salad  (will link to this when I have a moment)

Notes:  Many of the ingredients listed do not have measurements next to them because they are used in multiple parts of this 3 phase prep.  There are 3 distinct dishes here.  The pork (easy!), the roasted habanero/red pepper sauce and the avacado puree.  You can do all but step 4 a day or two in advance if you wish.  But don't cut up the apples til right before serving or they will brown.

Menu:  Spanish Pork Tacos, Refried Beans with Cheese and Sour Cream

Ingredients:

1 package pork loin (2 pieces of meat)
1 large onion (I use yellow or sweet Spanish--something bigger than your fist, but yellow)
1 avacado (ripe--will be green/black, soft to the touch--if you can't get ripe ones, buy in advance, place in paper bag on counter and let ripen)
Garlic cloves
Orange Juice
Apple Butter
3 Habanero Peppers (they are small!)
1 large red bell pepper or sweet red pepper
Sour Cream (invest in this.  It doesn't go bad quickly and it can be used a bunch!)
Beer (pick one, any one.  Just buy a 6 pack, use one and drink the rest!)
Bay Leaf (at least 2)
Cumin
All spice (ground)
Thyme (ground or leaves)
Garlic powder
Celery salt (if you don't have this, you're fine, just use salt instead)
Refried Beans
Shredded Cheese
1-2 Granny Smith Apples
1 package flour tortillas (small) or look for the adaptation with fried corn tortillas when I post.

Process:

1)  Pork:  Place pork into crock pot.  Chop up 1 onion into chunks

and 2-4 chopped cloves garlic (at least enough to make about two thumbs' worth, they vary).  In small mixing bowl, mix 1-2 C orange juice, 1 can beer, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 t Thyme ground or 1 t leaves, 1/4 t Allspice, 1/2 t Cumin

Cook on high for 4-6 hours, low for 6-8.  Enjoy Meal #1 of Crock Pot Pork Loin, Oven Roasted Potatoes, and Spinach salad on say...Monday.  Or some other very busy day of your week.  Reserve the leftover pork and store in juices.

2) Roasted Habanero/Red Pepper Sauce:  On the day of the Spanish Pork Taco Dinner about an hour before you want to eat, remove the stem/core of your peppers.  Slice each such that they can rest flatly on a cookie sheet.  Douse with olive oil.

Roast at 425 for approx 20 min.  Watch the small habaneros and remove sooner if they're getting too crispy.  And DO NOT RUB YOUR EYES.  (make the Avacado Puree while these cook!)  Once peppers are blackened,

remove from oven, cut up into smaller pieces and load into the food processor, a pinch of salt, and 2-3 T of sour cream.  Puree in food processor taking care to scrape the sides as needed.  Scrape into bowl, refrigerate.

3) Avacado Puree:  Slice around your avocado, cut in half and remove pit.  (Trick--slam your knife into the pit, then twist to remove)

Then scoop out the meat and place in a small bowl.  Mash with a fork.  Add a sprinkle of garlic powder, a sprinkle of cumin, a bit of celery salt or regular salt, and add a few tablespoons of sour cream.  Each avocado is a different size so you have to do this to taste.  Mash/stir/taste!  If you need more salt, consider adding celery or onion salt first.  When through, refrigerate.

4)  Apples:  Peel your apples using a small paring knife.  Using a cheese grater, grate the apple on the largest hole aiming for long thing slices.  Set aside.

Final Prep:

1) Warm up pork in microwave while still in juices, then shred using two forks going against each other til the consistency of "shredded pork".  (how's that for a description!?)  Throw the bean into the microwave for about 2 min now....
2)  Prep plates with a tortilla.  (I like to warm them first)
3)  Place about 2 T of apple butter in the middle of the tortilla.
4)  Put warmed, shredded pork on top of the apple butter.
5)  Drizzle the Roasted Pepper Sauce over pork.
6)  Add the Avocado Sauce over top.
7) Sprinkle Green Apple Shreds.

EAT!  Throw some cheese and sour cream on the beans to serve if you wish.

The Beginning

I love to cook.  I love the whole process.  From researching recipes, to designing menus, to the grocery shopping and finally the cooking itself, I LOVE to cook.  But over the years, I've heard from friend after friend that they are in "awe",  that they are "overwhelmed" or that they are just plain scared to take over the kitchen with gusto.  For these friends, a blog.   You can find a recipe anywhere.  But you still have to plan a MEAL.  And so many of the things I take for granted as far as techniques, methods, spices even--well, they're just about as foreign to some as the computer programs I used to support back when I was a working.  So.  For my friends and anyone else who feels a little overwhelmed, here is a blog for you.

Beyond the recipe, I'll show you the meal I plan, how I make it (with pictures) and will try to explain what is what in the kitchen.  Also, I will share with you how I think about a week at a time to avoid wasted produce or other items.