Lamb Chorizo Sausage over Orzo with Roasted Peppers

Have you figured out yet that I. LOVE. CHORIZO?  Usually, I use the soft soy-based stuff from Trader Joe's because it has a nice flavor and texture that goes well with some of my favorite chorizo applications (chorizo & eggs, chorizo tacos, etc).

However comma.... When I picked up my meat share last weekend I got a very VERY welcomed surprise. 

Lamb.  Chorizo.  Sausage.  (>squeeeeee!<)

This lamb chorizo is so special to me that I couldn't imagine mixing it with anything that might mask its flavor (i.e. eggs).  Oh no, these little links of joy needed to be in the spotlight.  The first dish I chose to make with one of those links was a simple pasta-salad type thing, with grilled chorizo on top for a little kick.

Ingredients:
    ~ serves 2 as a main dish
1 link (approx. 150grams) lamb chorizo sausage from Stillman's Farm, sliced into 1/2" rounds
2 oz orzo pasta
1 oz quinoa
2 bell peppers (I used red and yellow)
1 onion, quartered
2 oz reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
2 small scallions, chopped
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

1) Roast the peppers and onion in a 400F oven until the skins are charred, about 30 min, rotating once or twice during the roasting.
2) Place the roasted peppers in a plastic back or tupperware container to cool (this makes removing the skins SO. MUCH. EASIER.
3) Let the peppers cool for about 10min, then peel off the skins and chop the peppers and onions into bite sized pieces.
4) While waiting for the peppers to cool, start a pot of boiling, salted water.  Once at a rolling boil, add the quinoa and cook for 7-10min, then add the orzo and continue boiling until the orzo is al dente, about 8-9 more minutes.
5) Drain the pasta/quinoa mixture and add the olive oil and red wine vinegar.  Toss to coat.
6) Add the peppers, onion, garlic, feta and mint to the pasta/quinoa salad.  Toss it all together and let it sit for at least 30min, stirring occasionally, to let the flavors incorporate.
7) Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet to medium-high heat.  Add the lamb chorizo and cook 3min on each side or until cooked through to your liking.
8) Put the pasta/quinoa salad in a bowl and top with the hot lamb chorizo.  Enjoy immensely. 

I loved this and could have easily woofed down a second helping.  Boyfriend's only suggestion was that he would have liked more meat and more feta.  Predictable.

And, not to preach, but this just goes to show AGAIN why it is so amazing to be a member of a Community Supported Agriculture program.  Not only do I get a chance to enjoy fresh, handmade, LAMB chorizo, but I personally know and support the people that grow my meat and vegetables.  Yeah, I said "grow" my meat, because the environment that my lamb was born into and GREW up in is in stark contrast to other poor animals who live in the stressful, inhumane environment of factory farming.  I wish that everyone could experience the personal joy I get from eating locally and supporting my community and a local small business.  If you are interested in joining a CSA, trust me, its worth it.  If you don't know how or where to find local, sustainable food, check out Local Harvest and learn about what's available in your town.

Pear and Squash Soup = 2 Dinner Ideas

Sooooo, I've had these winter squash hiding since the end of the CSA season, theoretically "in storage" until needed at some point during the winter.

Yeah.

It was randomly like 60 degrees the other day.

Also, I've already signed up for my CSA season that starts June 2011.

So, the moral of the story is: If I plan to use these squash I better do it soon because the next thing I know I'll be overloaded with beets and greens again.  Already.  

Wow.  Where did my year go?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Moving on.  So we're makin' some soup, yes?

First, roast an acorn squash (or squash of your choosing) with some salt, pepper, and butter in the oven at 400F until soft and delicious smelling, 30-45min.

While the squash is in the oven, cut 3 pears in half and core them.  Place the cut/cored pears flesh-side down in a baking dish and cover with a slighly sweet and floral white wine (I chose a lovely Gewurztraminer that my boss made me for Christmas).  Bake for 30-45min until the pears are soft.  Check on it now and then to check to make sure all the liquid hasn't evaporated.

While the pears and squash are roasting, start sweating some diced onions, carrots and celery (mirepoix) in a tablespoon (or so) of olive oil.  I failed to take any photos of the next step, which would be to put all the flesh from the baked squash and pears into the pot with the mirepoix.  Season with salt, pepper and a little cream and anything else you think it might need.  Blend it smooth with an immersion blender and prepare for the eats.

DINNER #1: SQUASH AND PEAR SOUP WITH A GORGONZOLA-HONEY CROUTON

The night I made this soup I wanted to taste-test it in the simplest form possible.  I topped it off with a crouton made by melting some gorgonzola cheese onto a slice of french bread and drizzling it with honey and parsley.

LOVED the addition of salty/sweet to the soup.  I admit, however, if you put gorgonzola on anything I'll be a  happy girl.

DINNER #2: BLACK FOREST HAM AND GRUYERE SAMMIE WITH PEAR SOUP

I wanted to keep playing with this idea of pairing the sweet soup with something salty and perhaps somewhat savory.  While I was at the store, black forest ham was on sale and it occurred to me that the lovely thing about black forest ham is that it is both sweet and savory/salty.  Hmmmm... this could be the winning match, no?

The magic of this soup and sandwich combo wasn't JUST the perfect pairing of salty ham, creamy gruyere and sweet pear soup.  OH NO NO.  I toasted the ham n' cheese sandwiches in something AMAZING.  And yes, butter was involved.  But not just butter.  OH NO NO.  Curried butter.  Yeah.  I said it.  I mixed curry powder with the butter, then melted it in the skillet, then toasted (fried) the sandwiches.  OH NO SHE DIDN'T.  Oh yes, I did.  And. It. Was. Breathtaking.  A perfect combination of flavors and textures.

I was pretty damn proud of myself for this one.  I'd serve this to company.  I'd serve this at a dinner party.  Yeah, crazy right?  Soup and sandwich?  Yeah.  And you should too.  Trust me on this one.

The Co-op's Online Revolution - From Food52

Wow, today alone I have stumbled upon 2 articles echoing the sentiment I posted yesterday about the importance of knowing how to cook, knowing where you food comes from and knowing how its prepared.

I've been a CSA member for years now and it is a source of pride for me (and envy for my friends, especially when I'm loaded with fresh fruits and veggies in the summer). Here, on food52's site, they list a number of new websites dedicated to helping those of us in urban environments get a little closer to sustainability by buying locally. They term it: "techno-locavorism."

The Co-op's Online Revolution - Blog - food52 - food community, recipe search and cookbook contests

Additionally, Martha Stewart just wrote an interesting article comparing "foodies" to "fashionistas." I don't completely agree with all of her points, especially the idea that the current push for sustainability/organic is simply "trendy" as her article subtly implies, but I still think that she makes a good point. I especially like the closing line,

"Like the classic little black dress, good food and entertaining keep evolving, but never go out of style."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/martha-stewart/food-is-the-new-fashion_1_b_821078.html

Watermelon-Lemongrass Glazed Shrimp

Earlier this summer, during the height of my summer produce from my Stillman's Farm CSA, I had more watermelon that I could eat.  Which is saying a lot.  Because I LOVE watermelon, especially in the record-high heat we experienced this past summer.  But needless-to-say, I couldn't eat another watermelon, so I decided to try out my new canning equipment and store it away for the winter.  So, that's the long-ish story of how I ended up with Watermelon Jelly.  Sounds grossly sweet doesn't it?  I'm sure you're imagining it on a PB&J and holding back the vomit too, huh?  I had this under control though, because there wasn't just watermelon in my jelly.  I don't think you're read-y for this jell-y (ha! song-poisoned you, didn't I?)  I also added some ginger and lemongrass, thinking that someday I might use it in an asian-inspired dish.

Et Voila!  That's how my BoyfriendApprovedTM Watermelon-Lemongrass Glazed Shrimp and Veggies was born.  Boyfriend told me it was the best dinner I had made in awhile (which I would never take as an insult... or would I? Nah!).  Of course, he's a little biased because anything containing shrimp is a certified winner in his book.

First, I started heating a pan over medium heat, then added some olive oil and butter.  I added a diced small onion, some minced garlic, and grated fresh ginger, letting that cook down until the onions were soft and the ginger fragrant, about 5min.  Added my watermelon jelly and some homemade seafood stock to the onions and let it cook down for about 5-10min.  Once the "sauce" had started to thicken in the pan, I added 1/2 lb medium shrimp that I had peeled earlier and let those cook until just pink throughout. 

On the side I sauteed some quartered porcini mushrooms and sugar snap peas in some oil and butter until browned, but still with a little crunch to them.  I hate it when veggies get cooked to the "mushy" stage.  Blech!  Until I am 500 years old with dentures, I can at least have the pleasure of chewing my food.

I made some coconut jasmine rice on the side (add 1/2 can of lite coconut milk to the water you plan to cook your rice in), and sprinkled some chopped cashews and scallions over the top in the final plating.

Boyfriend was my sous chef.  Here, he adds the finishing touches with artistic flare (>ha!<)

Colcannon with Turkey Kielbasa

I have to admit, I made this dish over a month ago, during the Great Computer Meltdown of 2010.  But I figured that you deserved to see an adaptation of one of my favorite childhood recipes.  My mom used to make kielbasa with cabbage and potatoes all the time when I was growing up and I would go ga-ga for it (strange child, I know).  Somehow, I never remember my mom's kitchen smelling like farts... but yeah, cabbage apparently seems to do that.... Boyfriend was a little nervous....


Super-lucky for moi, my CSA crops were fantastic this year and one of the things that I've been over-run with is potatoes.  I never used to buy potatoes, seriously, never.  And, even now, I don't think I would conscientiously purchase them unless I needed them for a recipe or something.  I don't know why, but I think maybe I have some mental aversion to potatoes because I'm so against the "meat and potatoes" diet that so many of us fall prey to.  But then again, get ready to learn all about my meat-and-potatoes-(and cabbage) dinner :)


Either way, when I found myself looking at nothing but cabbage and potatoes... you know I thought, right? Whiskey and Famine!


Ha ha!.... ha...  Ha?  No... not really.


I thought of colcannon, the traditional Irish dish of cabbage and potatoes that my mom used to make with the inclusion of smoked kielbasa.  Since it was a million years ago when I made this I have zero idea the exact measurements I used for the seasonings so I'll let you use your tastebuds if/when you ever give this a try.


Ingredients
potatoes, mashed with butter and light cream
cabbage, sliced into thin stripes
smoked polish sausage, cut on the bias
apple butter (homemade, but I think you can find it anywhere or substitute apple cider vinegar)
course dijon mustard (from Trader Joe's)
a liquid (I used beer, but water or white wine would also work well)
salt and pepper, to taste


Basically, I made mashed potatoes (do it however you usually do).  Next I sauteed up my kielbasa until the edges were starting to get crispy and delicious, at which point I removed them from the pan and added my liquid (beer) to deglaze.  I added my cabbage, apple butter, mustard, salt and pepper and let the cabbage cook down for about 20min or so.  Once the cabbage is getting mushy and flavorful, I put the sausage back in the pan to re-heat it and boom! done.

Easy to make and easy on the wallet.  Great fare for the upcoming colder months, and fairly healthy to boot!  

Back in time... Chiles Rellenos

I miss living in Arizona (sometimes).  The sun.  The dry heat.  The food.

Everytime I go back I make sure I hit up my favorite food and drink spots.  No Anchovies, Rosa's, Nico's, The Shelter, The Buffet, Taco Bron (now called Papas y Beer, I think).

As if I needed to tell you this, but the Mexican food in Boston is... well.... to put it lightly... crap.  It's either over-Americanized or over-thought, and never nearly as authentic.  Maybe its the lack of lard?  The boring tortillas?  And even though I might seem like I'm complaining about this... like I expect someone to *finally* open the ideal taco stand, I'm perfectly happy about this situation.  Why?  Because food tastes best when it grows near where you live.  When you find me an avocado tree or some Hatch green chilies growing in Massachusetts... then I will start to get antsy for some real Mexican food.  But that's not what we do here.  We do lobster and clams.  They grow here.  Its why our Lobster Rolls and Clam Chowder are famous and why you can't really reproduce them anywhere else.

But that doesn't mean I can't try.... :)

I haven't had chiles rellenos since I left AZ, so I think that puts it at around 4 years.  When I was at the farmer's market last week, you won't believe what I saw.  POBLANOS.  Yeah, that's right. So I snatched them up and was on a mission to make some delicious Mexican food because a smart woman once said,

"....food tastes best when it grows near where you live.  When you find me an avocado tree or some Hatch green chilies growing in Massachusetts... then I will start to get antsy for some real Mexican food."

Seeing poblanos sitting in a bin having traveled only 50 or so miles to Boston from my CSA farm made that statement true as day.

Ingredients

Poblano peppers

cheddar cheese (I bought a block and cut it in slices.  If shredded works better for you, fine)

cojita cheese

soy-rizo (or use real chorizo, up to you, but I think Trader Joe's soy chorizo is the bomb)

eggs (1 egg per pepper)

flour

Seems simple, right?  Actually, it is.

1) Roast the poblanos until the skin is charred and black.  Put them in a covered bowl or plastic bag to steam for at least 15-30min (until the skins peel off easily).

2) Once you've peeled the poblanos, cut a slit in them lengthwise and remove the seeds and ribs carefully, trying not to tear the pepper up.

3) I sauteed my soy-rizo in a skillet to bring out some of the flavor, but this is optional if you just want to use cheese only.

4) Stuff the peppers with cheddar cheese and soy-rizo, but not so full that you can't get them closed.

5) Separate the eggs into yolks and whites and beat the whites into stiff peaks.

6) Mix the yolks with flour (1 tbsp per 3-4 eggs) to make a paste.

7) Add the yolk paste to the beaten egg whites to form a homogeneous but fluffy batter.

8) Heat 1/4" oil in a skillet (for frying).

9) Carefully roll each stuffed poblano in a coating of flour, then dip in the egg batter.  Place in the hot oil and fry on all sides until golden brown and delicious looking.

I served these over some cilantro brown rice with a sprinkling of cojita cheese.  Delicious!  And, better yet, the poblanos had some serious kick to them.  Now, I'm very tolerant to spicy food.  Love me some spicy food.  But even I ended up chugging water and eventually going to the kitchen for a swig of milk because my mouth was on fire.  Boyfriend said his weren't nearly as hot as mine (maybe I missed some seeds?).

Still, next year when CSA season is cranking, you can bet your hot peppers I'll be snatching up some more of these darlings to satiate my Mexican cravings.

Arizona.  Mexico.  I miss you.

A Locally Grown Feast

First, I'm sorry I haven't been posting much lately.  I've been traveling a TON, work has been crazy busy, and, to top it off, my home computer totally bit the big one.  I've been cooking some super fun stuff... just haven't had time to upload any of it.  So, hopefully, this post will be the beginning of good things to come :)


And here we go (again on my own, goin' down the only road I've ever known!)  Now that I've song-poisoned you... here we go:


I'm so sad now that my CSA season has come to a close. Because of all the travel this summer, I really missed the experience of walking to pick up my veggies every Sunday morning.  Luckily for me, my awesome roommate came to the rescue so I only had to miss 2 pick-ups all season.  However, now that its all over, I find myself hoarding winter squash and potatoes, knowing that they will store the longest and provide me with some lingering joy knowing that they were grown so close to where I live.


That said, I'll need to cook them up at some point.  I can't go hoarding them forever.  I made a delicious roasted butternut squash and ginger risotto a couple of days ago (forgot to take a picture... bad food blogger!) but had the neck of my beautiful butternut squash left, all alone, in the fridge... there are only 2 of us and that was one big squash.


Now, Boyfriend as I've mentioned, isn't the biggest squash fan.  Butternut is an easy one though because it's pretty sweet and the texture isn't as mushy as long as you don't cook it forever.  With that in mind, my first inspiration was to make a butternut and potato gratin.  I wanted to break up the sweetness and squashy-ness with some nice starchy potatoes (which I've also been hoarding).

A layer of potatoes, layer of squash, repeat.  Salt & pepper, cover with foil and bake for 30min in a 350F oven.  Uncover, pour some light cream over the top and bake uncovered for another 15min or so until the cream is thickening and bubbling.  Top with some panko and dots of butter, toss under the broiler, and done.  Easy peasy (well... more about that later... wait for it...).

As for the other part of our "local" feast.  Well, there's a nice story associated with that one.  However, I will warn you, I was recently told that my stories run a little long these days.... I think the phrase I heard all weekend was “Land the plane, Laura... Land. The. Plane”.  

A-N-Y-W-A-Y....

I was down in the North End buying ground lamb (for euprika, see here) when on my walk back to the T I wandered across Mercato del Mare.  I’ve been to Mercato del Mare before, I love it.  Small little local seafood monger.  Most amazing owners ever (Woot Woot! Keri and Liz!!).  Ever. I popped in with a simple question, “Hey, are you guys still doing those free oyster shucking lessons on Saturday?”

Keri: “Yeah, definitely."

"Great, I'll try to make it down this weekend."

K: "Well, hey, I mean, are you busy now?”... 

“Well.... no”

K: “Well, c’mon in then!  I’ll make (name) show you how to do it”  *meanwhile, (name) is wearing a lobster on his head... fan-&*%-ing-tastic!*

“Really?!?  Awesome!”

And that’s how I learned to shuck oysters.  

Oh.... wait....

That’s not really important right now is it?  OK, here’s the important part, I felt so at-home and happy that I also bought a pound of fresh-off-the-boat bay scallops.  It was a kickass day, I got some fresh ground lamb, learned to shuck oysters, and picked up some nice local scallops.  Happy day!

My impromptu dinner was slowly coming together.  

Local scallops, seared (in butter, obv) with sweet potato gratin and a nice salad.

The scallops were unbelievably good (the butter might have had something to do with that... just a little something) and the gratin turned out significantly better than I thought since I totally burned the panko topping under the broiler because I wasn't paying attention and wine may or may not have been involved let's just leave it at that.


In fact, I believe this gratin might make an appearance on the Thanksgiving table this year....

"Fried" Cod Sandwich

I'm seriously trying to cook more healthfully this summer.  One way to accomplish that while still enjoying the foods I love is to trick myself.  See, here's the problem:  For me, the summer = the beach.  And the beach = fried seafood.  And fried anything = unhealthy.  Tasty as hell, but unhealthy none-the-less.

But dude, I was really craving a fish sandwich.

So I cheated :)

I toasted some bread crumbs (seasoned with Old Bay) in a skillet and then spread them out on a plate.  I used the same skillet to cook two 4oz cod fillets.  While still hot and juicy, I tossed the fish into the bread crumbs and try to get as many toasted crumbs to stick to my fish as possible.  HA!  Similar texture to fried fish, minus the grease and guilt!  Wheeee!  I win!!

I made a remoulade using homemade mayonnaise, a couple tablespoons of diced cornichons, juice from 1 lemon, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, a couple dashes of Frank's Red Hot Sauce, and a tablespoon of chopped parsley.  To complete the sandwich, I toasted a sesame roll, slathered on some remoulade, added few slices of tomato and lettuce (from my CSA box), and my "fried" fish.

Delicious!  

While I don't usually make the same things over and over... I will definitely be making this again, if for no other reason than to satisfy my "fried food" cravings.

Arugula Pesto Pasta

I'm going to have to keep this one short and sweet (too much to do at work today).

It was a "perfect" Sunday for Boyfriend and I. We sat on the balcony reading, drinking coffee, talking. Very relaxing Sunday. Fortunately, it was also CSA pick-up day, so at some point I had to motivate myself off of the balcony and onto my bike.

This week was full of delicious summer produce: Corn, tomatoes, peaches, arugula, squash, eggplant, cucumbers, and lettuce. When I was brainstorming dinner ideas, I remembered that my basil plant is really flourishing these days. Ah-ha! Pesto. Perfect!

Arugula-Walnut Pesto
2 C washed arugula
1 C washed basil
1/4 C toasted walnuts
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 oz Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp lemon juice
extra virgin olive oil

1) Add the walnuts, garlic and parm to a food processor and mix until finely chopped, almost paste-like.
2) Add the arugula and basil, the lemon juice and salt/pepper to taste. Blend again.
3) With the processor on, slowly add the olive oil until it reaches "pesto-like" consistency (I really wish I had a measurement for you... but I don't, I always just eyeball it).

I cooked up some capellini pasta and tossed it with my pesto and some chopped tomatoes (fresh from the CSA box). A little garnish of toasted walnuts, chiffonade of basil and Parmesan makes it pretty.

I had a nice Sauvignon Blanc with this, and the citrus notes really brightened up the flavors in the pesto. Yummy leftovers too!

Cheers to a relaxing, farm fresh, and delicious Sunday.

The Best Pork Chops I've Ever Made

I was watching something on television the other day, which is a shocker all by itself since I never watch TV, and someone mentioned something about "loving the pig".  I do love the pig.  We should all love the pig. 

When I was a little girl my family took me to the Iowa State Fair, one of the "oldest and largest agricultural expositions in the country."  This particular Fair has it all.  Rides. The BEST roasted "peaches & cream" corn. Candy Apples. Fried Oreos. Fried Twinkies. Fried Snickers. A "Butter" Cow. Rodeo. The 4H Club.

And Piglets. 

These little guys were the cutest things I've ever seen.  I got to hold one, and it nuzzled into me and slept like a baby.  I was hooked.  They only cost $20!!  Dad!! Can I take it home??? Please!?!?!?

My Dad, being the smart man that he is, then proceeded to show me what they would look like in about 3 months.  400 pounds of pig.  Not so cute or cuddly anymore. 

While I didn't buy a pig that day, my "love" of the pig stayed with my family for years.  They bought me all kinds of pig paraphernalia until I ran away to college.  I still get teased about my "pig" phase to this day.  And, to top it off, I couldn't bring myself to eat pig for approximately 15 years after that day.  What?  That little piglet was sooooooo cute!!  I couldn't eat him....

I'm glad I got over it eventually though, because if I hadn't, I wouldn't be able to share with you the most delicious, and easiest, pork chop you've ever tasted.

Ingredients

2 bone-in pork chops
5 anchovy filets
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 tbsp olive oil (I eyeballed this one)
salt and pepper

1) Mash together the anchovy fillets and the garlic to make a paste.  Add the olive oil, salt and pepper, and mix.
2) Coat both sides of your pork chops with the anchovy mixture and let it marinate at room temperature for 30-45min.  If this weirds you out, marinate for a couple hours in the fridge, but make sure you let the chop come back to room temperature before cooking it.

3) Grill the chops for 8-10 minutes, turning twice (to get the pretty grill marks).

DONE.

So easy, so delicious!

I served this with rosemary roasted potatoes and sauteed beet greens (from my CSA box).

And to drink: a 2008 Dom. Brunet Pinot Noir.  This light red paired wonderfully with the pork - it really let all the subtle flavors come through without overpowering them and I liked that the wine was just dry enough to almost "prep" the palate for each bite of the sweet/savory pork.

Tequila Chipotle Chicken with Zucchini Fritters

Remember back when I made Southwestern Fritters and said that they'd be great right out of the freezer for a quick weeknight meal?  Well, their time had finally come.  When I looked in my fridge after work the first thing I noticed was a couple ears of corn, a bag of going-bad spinach, and some leftover queso blanco.  I can't believe how much corn I've been getting from my CSA this summer.  Its been the best year for produce.... as if I need more reasons to cook!

This was a very simple dinner to make and only took about 20min.

Ingredients
~serves 2
2 chicken breasts, pounded thin
1 bag of washed spinach
2 ears of corn, husk and silk removed
1 small white onion, diced
3 oz queso blanco (cojita, ricotta salata, even feta might work nicely)
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp chipotle pepper (adjust depending on how hot you like your food)
juice from 1 lime
1/2 C chicken stock
1 tbsp honey
1/4 C tequila
salt and pepper
olive oil
Southwestern Fritters -reheat by placing in a 350F oven (or toaster oven) for 10min, flip, then 5-10min until they're done

1) Place the corn in a pot of boiling water along with a couple tablespoons of sugar.  Cook 5 minutes and test for done-ness.  If done, remove and let cool.  Once cool, cut the ears off of the cob and place aside.  Alternatively, you can use frozen corn kernels.
2) Add the onion to a skillet and cook 2-3 min until softened.  Add the spinach and let it wilt, 2 min.

3) Add the corn kernels to the spinach, season to taste and set aside (but keep warm).
4) In another skillet, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil of med-high heat.  Season the chicken breasts with 1 tsp chipotle pepper, salt and pepper.  Place the chicken in the hot skillet and cook 5-6 min turning once (thinly pounded chicken breasts will cook pretty quickly).
5) Remove the chicken and place on a plate to rest.  Add the stock, lime juice, remaining chipotle pepper, and honey to the skillet.  Scrape up any stuck chicken pieces and let this cook together until it comes to a boil.
6) Carefully (and away from the flames) add the tequila to the skillet.  Here comes the fun!! LIGHT IT ON FIRE

WHEEEEEEEEEEE!! BURNIN' DOWN THE HOUSE!

7) Shake the pan and let it cook down for a bit.  If this makes you nervous, just let it boil until reduced by 1/2.

Serve the chicken over the spinach/corn mixture topped with some pan sauce and queso blanco.  Alongside go the fritters.  Easy, tasty, quick, Flammable :)  Now that's what I call dinner!

Yummy Southwestern Fritters

4th of July on Martha's Vineyard

Sorry it took so long to post this - I just realized it's been a month since Independence Day!  However, after just returning from a week's vacation on the Vinny I decided to re-live it one more day by finally uploading this post.

Boyfriend and I love the Vineyard and try to go a few times every summer.  Its the perfect combination of idyllic New England and casual preppy-ness.  Boat shoes.  Popped collars.  Khakis.  Tennis Whites.  Surfers.  Day drinking.  I know, crazy right?  Its like California in New England.  I just love it, but let me assure you that neither Boyfriend or I own or wear any of the clothing mentioned above.

We went out to MV for the long holiday weekend and did a lot of grilling and day-drinking.  For starters, on the 4th I made a quick and dirty version of Red & Blue Buttermilk Pancakes using strawberries and blueberries from my CSA.  We spent the rest of the day at Fuller Street Beach, relaxing, listening to the waves, talking about nonsense and catching some sun. 

That night before the fireworks we had a little cookout and Boyfriend made his "special" burgers (sorry, no giving away this recipe!), Israeli couscous salad, and elote, a mexican-style corn on the cob (check my post on esquites for an "off-cob" version).

Boyfriend Burger with Cheese

Israeli Couscous Salad (blurry, oops)

Elote (grilled corn with a mayo/cayenne/cheese/lime topping)

We picked up some flowers for the table and enjoyed some cheap white wine while we waited for sunset and fireworks.

Sun setting on Fuller St Beach - American Flag flying high

MORE FIREWORKS!

It was such a romantic and wonderful way to spend the holiday weekend.  I wish I was back on the beach now - the cool, salty air, the sand, and a cold beer in my Al's Pal's coozie.

Memories of Ibiza

Every year me and my two best girlfriends take a trip together.  These "Girl's Vacations" have really kept us close despite the hundreds and thousands of miles that have separated us since college.  A few years ago, we decided to spend 10 days in Spain.  A few days in Madrid, then a short flight out to Ibiza.  We quickly discovered that, dare I say, we're getting a little old for the party scene that makes Ibiza so popular.  We gave it our best effort though, and managed to stay out until sunrise on a couple occasions.

Some of my most memorable experiences from that trip aren't the parties and craziness, but the times when just the 3 of us sat around a table, eating and talking, both reminiscing and questioning the future.  The meals served at those tables didn't really matter - one night we simply drank sangria and ate chips and guacamole on our hotel patio.  And that night in particular was one of the most memorable nights of the trip, one we still talk about to this day.

I have been thinking about a particular meal I had in Ibiza ever since the day I ordered it.  Gingered Risotto with Scallops.  I remember thinking that ginger seemed like such an odd ingredient for risotto.  It was divine.  I finally decided to try my hand at recreating that dish, but with some adaptations of my own.

For the Risotto:

I've already discussed my love of risotto, to read up go here.  Its a basic recipe that is so easily adaptable.  I changed up a couple ingredients to give it a more "asian" flare this time.

1C Arborio rice
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 - 1/2 C dry wine (I used a nice Rose')
2-3 C chicken stock/broth
1/2 C snap peas, sliced (from my CSA box)
1/2 C shitake mushrooms, sliced
1/4 C Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tbsp ginger, grated
1/2 tsp hot sesame oil, optional, depending on how spicy you like your food
1-2 tbsps crystallized ginger, minced
Salt and pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Butter

First, prep the non-rice ingredients (snap peas, mushrooms, parm, etc) because once you start with the rice you have to stir constantly and won't have time to do any other prep work.

The nice thing about risotto is that the method never changes.  You'll need 2 saucepans - one for the risotto and one for the stock.  Heat the stock over med-low heat, just to keep it warm.  In the other pan melt down 1/2 tbsp butter and 1/2 tbsp olive oil.



Add the green onions to the butter/olive oil and cook until soft, about 5min.  Add the rice and stir to coat all the rice kernels with the butter/oil mixture and slightly toast them, 2-3min or so.  Next add the wine and stir until the rice has absorbed all of the liquid.  Now is the "fun time" when you start the slow additions of stock and continuous stirring.... for about 15-25 minutes.

When the rice is almost done, add the mushrooms, snap peas, grated ginger, hot sesame oil, and 3 tbsps parm.  Stir to combine, you'll probably need one more addition of stock, and let it cook together for a couple more minutes.  Remove from heat, and stir in the crystallized ginger.

For the Scallops

I used frozen bay scallops.  I thawed them under cold running water and dried them with paper towels.  Season with some salt and pepper.  Heat up a skillet over med-high heat with some butter and olive oil. Add dried, seasoned scallops and don't move them.  You want the natural sugars to caramelize and sear so don't be tempted to "stir" the scallops. Just let them go for a minute or two, then shake the pan to flip them over, and leave them alone again for another minute or two.  Then remove from heat. Don't overcook!  An overcooked scallop is the worst thing ever.... such a waste!

Serve the risotto topped with your scallops and a sprinkle of the remaining Parmesan cheese.  I had a nice glass of my Rose' with this dinner, and Boyfriend chose a glass of hefty Barolo.  For more about this Rose', check out my wine blog.

Boyfriend is a big fan of ginger and told me numerous times that he loved this and I'd have to make it again.  I plan to... it was sooo good!  The texture and sweetness of the scallops was a perfect compliment to the sharp, biting ginger.

It wasn't exactly what I had in Ibiza, but it was darn close.

Southwestern Fritters

I've discovered another way to squeeze some of your seemingly endless summer squash into a few more dishes.  I made these fritters fairly quickly and wanna know the best part?  I was able to freeze a whole batch of them, take out a few for dinner a day or two later, put them in the toaster oven to bake for 10min or so and Ta-Da! Just as tasty as when they were fresh out of the frying pan!

Soooo.... this post will be the test as to whether or not Boyfriend actually reads my blog.  See, he hates zucchini.  Hates.  The problem is that I get tons of squash in my CSA box every week and I'm sorry, but I personally can't manage to consume it all alone.  So I attempted to sneak it into a meal and see if he could taste it.  Tricky, I know.  To be completely honest, I'm feeling pretty confident after the Incognito Beets adventure.

Ingredients

1 large or 2 medium zucchini
1 medium-large potato
1 small onion, diced finely
3/4-1C flour
2 tsp baking powder
3 tbsps milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp lime zest
2 tbsps fresh cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper

First, grate the zucchini and the potato and place into a colander with some salt to pull out some of the moisture.  I wish I had a box-grater because using my hand-held grater got pretty old, pretty quick.

Let the veggies sit and drain in the colander for about 10min or so while you prepare the other ingredients.

Dice up the onion and cook it for about 5min in an oiled and heated skillet.  Once the onions are done, add them to a medium mixing bowl.

Grabbing small amounts of the potato/zucchini mixture in your hands, squeeze out as much of the liquid as you can and add this mess to the onion and mix.  Add the remaining ingredients (flour, egg, etc) and stir to combine.  Be careful with the flour, you'll need more or less depending on how much liquid you were able to remove from the squash and potato.  Basically, you want a smooth, almost pancake batter-like dough - but slightly thicker in consistency.

Let the batter sit for about 30min to rest and mingle.

Heat 1/4" of vegetable oil to "shimmering" for frying your fritters.  Drop large spoonfuls (2 tbsps?) of the batter into the hot oil, without crowding, and fry for approximately 4 min per side until golden brown and delicious.

I drained these on paper towels and once cool, placed them in a single layer on a cookie sheet in the freezer for 2-3 hours.  Into a freezer bag they went, and now I can have them anytime the mood strikes me.

Oh, and I'm sure you're curious... but I told Boyfriend that the green "flecks" were cilantro :)  He ate them right up, and so did I.  They were very tasty, similar in texture and taste to hush puppies.  Next time I might try to add some corn or black beans to the batter to boost the nutritional value.

Stay tuned, I'll be posting the rest of our dinner soon.