A Puerto Rican Feast

In addition to being a life and executive coach, I also do retreats and live events that are personal and business development oriented.  That means that several times a year I get to travel to wonderful places and work with the chef’s to create magnificent meals for our attendees.

I recently returned from a site visit to the Rio Mar Resort and Spa in Puerto Rico.  One things I try very hard to do is to create menus that appeal to the vegetarians as well as the omnivores.  Gone are the days when an attending vegetarian was stuck with whatever the day’s “vegetarian option” was (usually pasta or tofu).  Now, the vegetarian option (at least on my menus) appeals to omnivore and vegetarian alike.

For an upcoming banquet menu we are featuring a Rainbow Salad to begin with followed by a choice of:

Grilled Vegetable Strudel with Roasted Tomato Basil Coulis, Saffron Emulsion and Sautéed Yuca and Spinach—  or

Tornado Churrasco with Plantain Mofongo, with diced tomatoes and red onions on top,  queso de hoja with chimichurri sauce served with Caribbean ratatouille with asparagus, baby carrots and chimichurri sauce.   or

Pan Seared Grouper with arroz mampostea and papaya mango chutney served with juliene vegetables.

And for dessert, a sampler plate of Mini Chocolate BananaTart, Mini  Cream Brule, Key Lime Tart served with brushed sauce of chocolate, cream anglaise and raspberry sauce with the puff pastry garnish.

Truly, a feast for the eyes and tastebuds.

Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

There I was in Whole Foods when I spied this mound of beautiful white Acorn Squash.  Enthusiastically, I bought two.  The first one I just baked with a little maple syrup and served as a side dish.  But last night I wanted to make the second one the star of dinner, and rather than do a bread crumb/celery/nut stuffing, I decided to play with a Quinoa stuffing.  The result was delicious!

Quinoa isn’t the first grain that comes to mind when I am preparing dinner.  But every time I do remember to make it, I enjoy it’s crunchy, nutty flavor.  It’s particularly excellent in a vegetarian meal since it is a relatively complete protein source.  I’m always looking for interesting ways to use it.

INGREDIENTS

1 acorn squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
Olive oil
2/3 cup of water
1/2 tsp salt (I use sea salt, kosher salt is good too)
1/3 cup quinoa
1/3 cup whatever nuts you have on hand (I used pecans), chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4 TBS dried fruits (I prefer dried cherries or cranberries, but you can also use apricots, raisins, even a mix of dried fruits), chopped if the pieces are large
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 TBS maple syrup

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Rub squash with olive oil on both cut side and skin.  Place skin side down in a glass baking dish. Bake for approximately an hour.
• Combine water, salt and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Reduce temperature and simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and set aside.
• Toast nuts in a saute pan for a few minutes (don’t let them burn).  Remove and set aside.
• Add about 1 TBS of olive oil in the same pan.  Saute onion and garlic until soft and translucent.
• Add dried fruits, nuts, cinnamon, chili powder, salt and cumin. Stir.
• Add the cooked quinoa.  Stir and taste to adjust seasonings.
• Remove acorn squash from the oven and fill with the quinoa mixture. Drizzle with maple syrup.
• Return to the oven for about 10 minutes.

I served this with a baby greens salad with chopped pears, pignoli nuts and goat cheese, and a raspberry vinaigrette.

Can I cut it?

Any good cook worth her salt has a love affair with knives.  Dad, as a butcher, treated his knives reverently. And I learned at an early age how important a really sharp knife was, as I watched him use the sharpening steel before carving a roast.

Through the years, I’ve had my favorites.  My Wusthof knives held that place for a very long time.  And I still really like them.  I have an inexpensive boning knife that is lethally sharp, and glides through tomatoes, fish and more.  It’s a pleasure to use.

But lately, my devotion has been to my Kitchen Aid Santoku knife that I picked up on sale at Linens n Things just before they closed.  It’s a 7 inch knife with a pink silicone handle (an extra bonus, Kitchen Aid donated 10% of the retail price to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.)  I love the comfort of the silicone handle…it’s soft and non-slip.  It has a nice heft, and both the weight and the shape make this knife user-friendly.  I use it for everything!  Chopping vegetables, slicing tomatoes, carving a chicken.

What I like about the Santoku knife is it cuts like a knife, but can also chop like a cleaver, and with it’s relatively wide blade, also can scoop the onions I just diced right into the pan.

I think it’s time to add some more sizes of Santoku knife to my (ever-) growing collection.

Everywhere a cookbook….

Have I mentioned I am obsessed with cookbooks?  I love to read them, especially old ones, because they give you a glimpse into the lifestyle of that era in much the same way as fashions of the times do.  But new ones can make my heart go pitter patter just as well.

I guess you could say I am something of a cookbook connoisseur.

I have my preferences and my dislikes.  I love cookbooks that are ethnic, regional, or favorites in other countries that have been translated into English and include a cultural context. I adore love stories to a particular cuisine of one’s heritage.  I love chef-centric cookbooks that are written without pretension and have a point of view.  I enjoy cookbooks that explore one food in all it’s glories…whether it’s a book about risotto, soups, or an ode to zucchini.

I am not a fan of overly complicated cookbooks, where each recipe has 20 or more ingredients, and an equal number of steps.  Save me from compendiums, with generic recipes that can be found in dozens of others.

I prefer ingredients listed in the order they are referred to in the recipe instructions.  I like it when nutrition values are given, and when suggested accompaniments appear.  Photos are nice, but not so many that it turns the cookbook into a coffee table book.

I want the index to list recipes by ingredients, and not (as in one book I own) by cute recipe titles. If it’s important to use a certain size or type of pan, pot or baking dish–tell me so.  I want the layout of the book to make sense.  I prefer it by course, rather than by season or menu.  And I admit to a fondness for sidebars with tips, tricks and substitutions.

When I read through a cookbook, I am looking for inspiration, new ideas, unique use of common ingredients, or simple use of ingredients that are new to me.

Most of all, I want a cookbook to be user-friendly.  I want the recipes to be accurate, easy to follow, and for the most part, not take all day to make (although cooking all day without the need for my intervention, as in a crockpot, is fine with me.)  Yes, I am perfectly capable of making a Beef Wellington from scratch (pastry, pate, duxelles and all…) but I prefer dishes that I can prepare after a busy day and put on the table at a reasonable hour.

People often ask me why I don’t write a cookbook.  It’s on my bucket list.  But for now, I’ll share some of my favorite recipes and cookbooks with you here.

Panzanella Salad

Panzanella (Italian bread and tomato) Salad

In my efforts to finally learn to bake bread (other than using a bread machine) I made two loaves of French bread the other day. We ate a half loaf at dinner that night, but there I was with a loaf and a half…what to do?

The lightbulb went off in my head…I had some leftover mozzarella from the Caprese salad I’d made the day before, as well as some very ripe tomatoes. Panzanella Salad was the perfect recipe, especially since this rustic Tuscan salad was originally devised to use up stale bread.

Ingredients:

• A loaf and a half (approx. 6 cups) stale French or Italian bread, torn into bite-size pieces
• 1/3 cup olive oil (some recipes call for extra virgin, but I like something that has body to it)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 TBS balsamic vinegar
• 1 lb (approx 4) ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
• 2 small red onions, sliced
• 1 cup fresh mozzarella, cut into bite-size pieces
• a handful of fresh basil, hand torn into small pieces
• s & p

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the 1/3 cup olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic.

Add the bread to the bowl, and toss to coat.

Spread the bread on a baking sheet, and bake about 5 to 10 minutes.

Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Remove bread from oven, and allow to cool slightly.

Toss together the bread, tomatoes, onions, basil, and mozzarella cheese.

Pour on the oil and vinegar mix and let stand for 20 minutes before serving.

Prepare for rave reviews! [The Husband asked for more.]

If you have any leftover, serve it again the next day with the addition of more fresh tomato chunks, a sliced up avocado, and a little more balsamic vinaigrette.

Who knew…I’m a Flexitarian!

It seems that my education in healthy/almost vegetarian eating has quite a way to go!  Apparently I’m not a wannabe part-time vegetarian, I’m a Flexitarian!  According to Wikipedia a flexitarian is someone who follows “a semi-vegetarian diet focusing on vegetarian food with occasional meat consumption. A self-described flexitarian seeks to decrease meat consumption without eliminating it entirely from his or her diet. There are no guidelines for how much or how little meat one must eat before being classified a flexitarian. Flexitarian is distinguished from polpescetarian, i.e., one who eats only chicken and fish, but does so exclusively.”

Of course, in searching further, I found vegan/vegetarians who scoff…no more so–they mock…at flexitarians.  And even among flexitarians, while some have an “anything goes” attitude, there’s a faction (according to Maura Judkis who writes for US Magazine and Audobon magazine) of “climate-change flexitarians” who aim for no more than 3.1 ounces of meat per day, no more than half of that being red meat.  But for the most part, it seems that most flexitarians try to limit their carnivorian adventures to eating out, or the occasional at-home meal.  That makes sense to me!

Not to digress (but indeed I will) I seem to be changing my cooking habits altogether.  This foray into eating healthier  (and the fact that it’s getting colder here in New Jersey) has led me to cooking big pots of soup and to experimenting with ingredients I haven’t cooked with before.

The other night I made a big pot of flexitarian chicken soup (there…now there’s a connection to my topic.)  What to do with all that boiled chicken?  I deboned and shredded it, and decided to make chicken croquettes.  They were delicious and I’ll post the recipe later.  I also prepared a creamy chicken and corn chowder.  And made my first loaves of French bread.  They were pretty good (not great…I’m working on it.) and I turned one loaf into a delicious Panzanella bread salad (I’ll post that recipe too…yumm!)

Today on my foray out to Whole Foods, they finally had Garbanzo flour back in stock, so of course, I bought some, mainly because I remember these fabulous garbanzo patties my chef friend Laura made (I have to get that recipe.)  I think I’ll experiment with it tomorrow.

Oven Baked Risotto from Martha Stewart

I love Risotto.  And I do make it occasionally, but only when I have a lot of time, since most risottos require adding the broth a little at a time, and stirring and stirring and stirring.  I was discussing this with a chef friend of mine the other night, and she shared that at her restaurant, they start the risotto on the stove, but then put it in the oven to cook.  So I immediately went online to see if there were any oven-baked risotto recipes and came upon this gem from Martha Stewart.  I plan on trying it in the next few days.  The one thing I will add is a trickle of white truffle oil, just before I serve.  Yummm!

Serves 2 to 4

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 3/4 cup Arborio rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
• 2 to 2 1/4 cups hot water
• 1/2 cup homemade or low sodium canned chicken stock (Note…you can substitute vegetable broth if you prefer)
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In an ovenproof saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring to coat the grains with oil, about 1 minute.
2. Stir in the wine and cook until it has completely evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water, the stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover, transfer to the oven, and bake, until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Remove from oven. Stir in 1/2 to 3/4 cup water (the consistency of the risotto should be creamy), the butter, cheese, and parsley. Serve immediately.

From Everyday Food, March/April 2003

Quiche me…

So far, so good.  The Husband has not balked at having several meatless meals a week.  And for the carnivore menus, I’m trying to decrease the meat portion, and increase the veggies.

I’ve been experimenting with more herbs (lots of Thyme used this week…does anyone know of a really good way to help fresh herbs last longer?) and trying new things.

Tonight’s dinner:  Gruyere Quiche with Carmelized Onions, and Kale with Potatoes and Baby Bella Mushrooms. When I was searching for a quiche recipe, so many of them called for heavy cream or half and half.  We’re trying to eat healthier, so I was happy to find several that used milk.  The one I decided to try was from Rita at Pink Bites. [http://www.pinkbites.com/]

[He loved the quiche and took seconds. He ate the Kale but stated he wasn’t a fan of Kale.  One out of two isn’t bad!  At least he didn’t ask “where’s the beef?”]

Gruyere Quiche with Carmelized Onions

1 ready made pie dough (you can make your own, but store bought works fine for me)
2 TBS unsalted butter
1 TBS of fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup of milk (anything but fat free)
1 cup of shredded gruyere cheese (about 3 oz equals 1 cup shredded)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bring the pie dough to room temperature.  Gently unroll into your pie plate (preferably glass).   Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork and return to the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Cover pie crust with aluminum foil and top it with dried beans (I used dried peas). Bake about 25 minutes, removing the foil and beans for the final 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

While the pie crust is baking, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions and thyme and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are browned, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, set aside.

Blend together the eggs and the milk.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spread 1/2 the cheese on the bottom of the pie crust, add the onions on top and cover with the remaining cheese. Pour on the egg mixture. Bake it until golden brown, about 40 minutes.

White Bean and Rosemary Soup from Oprah.com

I just came across this delicious sounding soup in my nightly webcrawl for food inspiration.  I just had to share!

White Bean and Rosemary Soup with Roasted Garlic Croutons

Rori Trovato

A meal in a bowl for Italaphiles, this soup will arouse hibernating appetites with its aroma of caramelized garlic.

Ingredients:

Serves 6

Croutons:

• 2 whole heads garlic
• 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt , plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , plus more to taste
• 1/2 loaf unsliced whole wheat bread , cut into 1-inch cubes

Soup:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil , plus more for drizzling
• 1 large onion , chopped (about 2 cups)
• 2 carrots , peeled and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch coins
• 2 stalks celery , cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) white beans , drained, rinsed and drained again
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 400°. Slice off tops of garlic heads so the cloves are just exposed. Rub each head with 1 teaspoon olive oil; wrap loosely in foil. Roast 25 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven (but leave oven on); let garlic cool until comfortable to touch. Squeeze cloves from the heads into a small bowl; mash with a fork; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine half the roasted garlic with 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper. Add bread and toss until well coated. Place bread on a baking sheet and bake 20 minutes, turning once or twice, until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.

To make soup: In a large saucepan, heat butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth and remaining half of garlic and bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook 20 minutes, until carrots are very tender. Add drained beans and rosemary; cook 10 more minutes. With an immersion blender or in a food processor fitted with knife blade, puree half the soup until smooth. Stir to combine. Serve in bowls topped with croutons and drizzled with remaining olive oil.

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Hungarian Potato Casserole

My Aunt was Hungarian, and she made some of the yummiest food. Tender potato dumplings which she served with butter, carmelized onions and cottage cheese. Delicious cabbage fritters, and the following potato casserole. You can serve this as an entree with a salad (and she’d often serve a bowl of sauerkraut soup before…I’ll have to drum up that recipe) or as a side dish. For those carnivores out there…this goes really well with Kielbasa, and equally well with grilled or baked fish.

HUNGARIAN POTATO CASSEROLE

8 russet or other starchy potato, cooked in skin (about 30 min) until cooked but not too soft

8 hard boiled eggs

2 cups sour cream

2 medium onions, diced

Sweet Hungarian Paprika

Kosher salt

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Saute diced onions in butter or oil until soft but not browned.
• Peel and slice potatoes and eggs, not too thinly.
• Combine sour cream, onions, salt; then gently stir in the sliced potatoes
• Lightly grease a casserole, and add a layer of potatoes.
• Add a layer of sliced eggs, and gently sprinkle with paprika.
• Alternate layers and finish with a layer of potatoes.   Sprinkle with paprika
• Bake for 40-45 minutes.