Grilled Spring Salad

Grilled Orange & Fennel Salad

Yes my friends, spring is at long last in the air here in Maine.  It is that time of year when Mainers finally dare to day dream about the long hot summer days and muggy nights.  We are now able to venture outside most days without the confines of those heavy winter jackets.  We are just starting to see people taking the first spring walk through their neighborhoods and out in their yards cleaning up the lawn and flower beds looking for signs of life to emerge from the recently thawed soil.  It is a rainy, messy, and somewhat gloomy time of year that does not offer much other than the promise of warmer weather and vibrant greenery in the months to come.

This year, I have decided to celebrate the first signs of spring with the purchase of a new grill/outdoor kitchen; which I promptly used to prepare this simple and delicious grilled spring salad.  When I tell you this salad is simple, I do not mean that it is lacking in flavor but there are only three main ingredients; which makes it easy to prepare but packs a powerful punch to the taste buds!

The ingredients for this salad are green leaf lettuce, 2 oranges peeled and sliced, 1 large fennel bulb sliced, dried thyme, fennel fronds, sea salt, cracked black pepper, olive oil, crush red pepper flakes and salad dressing of your choice.

Preparing the ingredients

First start by cutting off both ends of the orange.  Then, peel the orange by using a sharp knife and running it from the top to the bottom of the orange all the way around until all of the peel has been removed.  Once you have removed all of the orange peel,  you will slice the oranges into about 1 inch thick pieces and set aside.

Next, remove the outside layers of the fennel bulb and cut the fennel into 1 inch thick pieces as well. Set aside some of the fennel fronds for later preparation to serve.

Place the orange and fennel slices in a bowl or on a plate and add a good pinch of of sea salt, cracked black pepper, dried thyme and about a teaspoon of olive oil.

Time to grill!

Pre-heat your grill to medium high heat and then place your orange and fennel slices on the grates being careful not to let them fall through as you turn them. Cook the orange and fennel until they start to brown and caramelize and then remove them from the grill.

To serve, place the grilled orange and fennel over a bed of green leaf lettuce on a nice platter.  Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of your favorite dressing (I have used a rosemary balsamic dressing), a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional) and the reserved fennel fronds over the top of your salad.  

You can eat this salad just as it is or as a side dish for any meal.  This evening, I decided to use it as a bed for some amazing grilled short ribs that I have cooked medium rare and laid over the salad as the center piece of my meal.  

The bright and crisp citrus and anise flavors make this the ultimate springtime (with a little kiss of summer) salad.  Orange and fennel are a flavor match made in heaven and they both pair nicely with beef, chicken and fish; which make the ingredients in this salad extremely versatile and healthy sidekicks to any main course.  

I hope you are all as excited as I am for the arrival of spring and summer to follow.  This is the first of  many warmer weather dishes I have to share with you!

Enjoy!

PIZZA WITH PIZZAZZ

PISTACHIO PESTO PIZZA

I think that it goes without saying that Pizza is one of America's favorite foods.  Some may even call it a comfort food.  In my house, as far as my husband is concerned, it is the food of the Gods sent from the heavens above on angels wings ( I wish I were kidding about this).  He could eat it every single day for breakfast, lunch and dinner and never tire of it.  When we make pizza at home it is serious business.  Truth be told, it is usually my husband who makes the pizza because...well...he is better at it and he just loves it more than I do.

The modern day pizza originated in Naples, Italy and was later brought to the United States by Italian immigrants.  The first pizzeria in the United States was Lombardi's; which opened it's doors in New York City in 1905. Lombardi's is still going strong and is celebrating it's 110th anniversary this year.

The Pizza recipe that my husband, Lance, and I have prepared this evening is one that we fell in love with a few years ago and have been making it at home ever since.  This is not your typical homemade pizza!  Oh no...this pizza is special and ranks in the top 5 of the most delicious pizzas that both Lance and I have ever eaten.  It may sound a little odd to some but you need to trust me on this one...it just works!

Here are the ingredients

Portland Pie Basil Pizza Dough ( made in Portland, ME and available at Hannaford Super Markets), shelled pistachio nuts, basil pesto, mozzarella cheese slices, crushed red pepper flakes, olive oil, the zest of one lemon and salt and cracked black pepper.

First start by giving your pistachio nuts a rough chop until you have broken them down into a dust but still have some good size chunks left as well. 

Next, you (or your sous chef Lance) will roll your dough out into a nice thin oval shape that is big enough to fit into a large sheet pan.

Transfer the dough into a well oiled sheet pan and spread out so the dough is covering the bottom to both sides and all corners of the pan.

Next, spread a thin and even layer of the basil pesto over the middle of the dough leaving about an inch of crust on all sides. Add the zest of one lemon, a couple of pinches of crushed red pepper flakes (optional) and a little bit of sea salt and cracked black pepper to the pesto.

Place the mozzarella slices on top so that it is completely covering the pesto mixture, still leaving about an inch of crust on all sides.  Sprinkle the chopped pistachios on top of the cheese along with a little more lemon zest and drizzle olive oil over the entire pizza.

To Cook, pre-heat your oven to 475 degrees.  Cook the pizza for 5 minutes and then rotate the pan in the oven and cook for an additional 5 minutes.  After 10 minutes of cooking, remove the pizza from the pan and place directly in the center of the wire wrack in the oven for another 3 minutes or so to get a nice crispy crust on the bottom of the pizza. Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before slicing.

To serve, slice the pizza into good size squares, drizzle a little more olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste.

This pizza recipe is the perfect combination of big flavors and great texture!  It is so easy to make but has an incredibly elegant taste with a rustic presentation.  All of these characteristics make this pizza a dish that you can serve in almost any setting.  Lance and I like it best when can enjoy the whole thing by ourselves, but have also enjoyed sharing it with our family and friends and we hope you will as well!

Enjoy!

The Maine Harvest Table Super Food Quick Dip

Roasted Red Pepper & Basil Hummus

I decided several days ago that homemade hummus was going to be the next recipe that I post here on this blog.  Apparently, it comes at a good time as it seems that the grocery stores may have a bit of a shortage in the upcoming weeks; having been forced to remove a very popular hummus product from their shelves due to a recall.  The recall is unfortunate and the product will be missed by many but until it's return to store shelves, you can always make your own.

I have been making a number of different types of hummus for years.  The star of this recipe is, of course, the chickpea, also known as the garbanzo bean.  Chickpeas are part of the legume family and are rich in protein and fiber as well as vitamins and minerals.  There are many uses for chickpeas but one of the most popular in recent years  has been for making hummus.  Hummus, interestingly enough, is the Arabic word for chickpeas.  Hummus is a super easy and quick dip to prepare. You can make a plain hummus or you can add just about anything you like to flavor it.  Here is the recipe that I came up with to share with you.

The Ingredients

One 15 ounce can of chickpeas, one whole roasted red pepper preserved in oil, tahini (sesame seed paste), basil leaves, two medium cloves of garlic, olive oil, sea salt and pepper.

Preparing the ingredients

In a small food processor, add the chickpeas, a hand full of basil leaves, and 2 medium cloves of garlic. The rest of the ingredients I have to add by taste and consistency as I am preparing it.  

I start with the juice of a half a lemon, 1 tablespoon of tahini, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and about a half of a teaspoon of sea salt and cracked black pepper.  Then I blend all of the ingredients in the processor for 10 to 15 seconds.  I remove the cover and give the mixture a good stir and taste.  Then I start adding more of the lemon, tahini, olive oil, salt and pepper from there. Repeat this process until you have the flavor and consistency that you prefer.

 For this recipe, I ended up adding 2 1/2 tablespoons of tahini, the juice of the whole lemon, about 2 tablespoons of olive oil,  1 teaspoon of sea salt and 1 teaspoon of  pepper.  

When you are done mixing all of the ingredients, you should end up with a nice thick paste.  You don't want it too chunky or too watery.  If it is too chunky, simply continue to blend it in the processor.  If it is too watery, you will need to add more chickpeas. 

Finally, after removing the hummus and rinsing the processor, place the preserved roasted red pepper and a little bit of the oil from the jar into the processor and give it several pulses until the pepper is broken down but still a bit chunky.

To serve, scoop the hummus into a small bowl, carve out a small space in the hummus mixture in the middle of the bowl and fill the space with the roasted red pepper mixture.  Add salt, pepper and olive oil to taste.

Hummus is a delicious and healthy snack.  I have prepared it for many parties and social gatherings, for a quick and healthy snack for my family to enjoy, and even as a spread that I use in my sandwiches.  It is quick and easy to make and it is a crowd pleaser in just about any setting.  If you have never made this at home before, this is your chance to give it a try.

Enjoy!

Down East Asia - Spring Break Special Stir Fry

Beef & Mushroom Stir Fry With A Hot & Sour Orange Sauce

Stir frying, also referred to as the Chao technique, originated in China and has become incredibly popular in other parts of Asia and Western Countries as a fast and healthy way to prepare meats and vegetables.  It is a technique used to cook foods over high heat to seal in the flavor of the meats and preserve the color and texture of the vegetables.  Stir frying is similar to the Western technique of sauteing.

For the final dish of my daughter's Spring Break Special meal, I decided to pair the lobster rangoon appetizer and the shrimp fried rice with an incredibly flavorful beef stir fry. It is my Asian twist on the ever popular surf and turf meal here in Maine.  It was the perfect ending to this special dinner made for my daughter to kick off the first weekend of her spring break of 2015.

Here are the Ingredients

1 pound of Flank steak,  6 to 8 ounces of Shiitake & Oyster mushrooms, 3 stalks of baby Bok Choy, 2 medium carrots, water chestnuts, ginger, garlic, 2 to 3 dried red chilies, 1 large orange, Shao Shing cooking wine, rice wine vinegar, dark soy sauce, low sodium soy sauce, sesame seed oil, Chinese five spice, white pepper, mung bean sprouts, and finally cornstarch and sugar (not pictured here).

Preparing the ingredients

First start by cutting the flank steak into long, thin strips.  You want to cut this meat against  or across the grain (shown above). Flank steak tends to be tough and chewy and cutting it against the grain will help to make this meat tender.

Once you are done cutting the flank steak, you will coat each slice of meat with corn starch by sprinkling the starch over the meat and giving it a good toss.  Repeat this until all of the slices are well coated.

Next, cut both the carrots and stalks of baby Bok Choy into thin slices at an angle, give the 6 to 8 ounces of mushrooms a rough chop, and mince both the garlic and ginger. The water chestnuts I am using here are a canned product and they have already been sliced but you can give them a rough chop if you want to break them down a little more.

Once you are done preparing your meat and vegetables, you can start to prepare your sauce.  In a small bowl, add the juice and the zest of one large orange, one tablespoon of dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of low sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon of Shao Shing cooking wine, 1 teaspoon of sesame seed oil, a pinch of sugar and 1 heaping tablespoon of cornstarch.  Give the sauce a good stir to incorporate the corn starch and set aside.

To prepare for cooking, add 2 tablespoons of peanut oil to a wok or saute pan over high heat. 

Once the oil is hot, add the garlic, ginger and dried chilies to the pan and stir.  Continue to stir for about 20 to 30 seconds being careful not to burn your garlic and ginger.  

After heating the garlic, ginger and chilies, add your beef and spread out evenly in the pan.  Let the beef sit until you start to get a good crust on it and then stir to flip and cook the other side.

Once both sides of your beef have a nice brown crust, add one tablespoon of Shao Shing cooking wine to degalze the pan and loosen all of the bits of the beef from the bottom.

Then add the carrots, baby Bok Choy and water chestnuts and stir until softened but still crisp.  Once your vegetables are softened, add the mushrooms and stir for another 20 to 30 seconds and then add the sauce to the pan.  Continue to stir until the sauce has coated all of the ingredients and starts to bubble and thicken.  Add a dash of Chinese five spice and white pepper to taste. Remove the wok or pan from the heat and let it sit for a minute for the sauce to continue to thicken a bit more.  

To serve, drizzle a some sesame seed oil over the stir fry and top with the mung bean sprouts.

I really had a great time preparing this meal for my family.  It was a lot of work to make the three dishes that made up this Spring Break Special meal but it was well worth the effort and thoroughly enjoyed by all!  It doesn't get much better than that!

Enjoy!

Down East Asia - Spring Break Special Side Dish

Shrimp Fried Rice

I struggle to think of any meal that is truly complete without a good side dish. My homemade Asian meals are certainly no exception to that.  There are a number of side dishes that I like to pair with a nice stir fry and shrimp fried rice is one of my favorites.  For this particular meal, it was a perfect follow-up to the lobster rangoon appetizer.  It's a fun and easy dish to prepare and most importantly, it is delicious and incredibly satisfying.  

The proper name for this dish is Yeung Chow or Yang Zhou fried rice.  Contrary to popular belief, fried rice is not an American fast food dish.  Although there are plenty of Americanized versions of it, this dish did originate in China and was often served as an entree along with fish soup.  There are a number of different variations of this dish but Yeung Chow fried rice is typically made with shrimp accompanied by pork, a variety of different vegetables, and fried or scrambled eggs.  

There are two ways of preparing the egg in this dish.  One way is referred to as "silver covered gold" in which the egg is fried or scrambled separately and then added to the rice.  The second is referred to as "gold covered silver" where the egg is poured into the rice and they are cooked together. I have done both preparations of the egg in this dish a number of times, but today I have prepared the "silver covered gold" version.  I prefer this preparation when I do not have the time to keep a constant watch over my pan.  Other than that I really do not prefer one preparation over the other.  They are both equally as delicious!

Here are the ingredients

 I have Jasmine rice, two fried eggs, sweet baby peas, shredded carrots, 1 pound of shrimp, sea salt, cracked black pepper, dark soy sauce, low sodium soy sauce and toasted sesame oil.

Preparing the ingredients

First I start by frying the two eggs.  

Once I am done frying the eggs, I transfer them to a cutting board, chop them into small bite size pieces and then set aside.

I have already steamed one box of Jasmine rice; and if I am being honest, it is instant Jasmine rice.  In fact, it is boil - in- a bag instant Jasmine rice.  When you are preparing a labor intensive meal as I did on this day, you have to find ways of reducing the preparation time where ever you can without compromising the integrity of the meal.  This is one of the few ways I could find during this cooking marathon. Once you are done steaming the instant boil-in- a bag rice, place the rice into a bowl and put in the refrigerator to cool. 

Next, you will shred the carrots.  You can shred carrots in a number of ways but I like to use a vegetable peeler to do this.  Using a vegetable peeler is a little more time consuming than other ways but I love to use long thin strips of carrots in my fried rice.  

The peas take no preparation time at all. I used a half a bag of frozen sweet baby peas in this recipe.  In the summer I like to use fresh pea pods out of the garden but frozen peas work just fine.

Finally, you will peel and devein the shrimp.  For my last confession, I will admit that that these are frozen shrimp and sadly, they are also not from Maine.  What can I say... it is winter in Maine and native shrimp have been hard to come by so far this year.

Cooking the fried rice

In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add two tablespoons of peanut oil.  Once the peanut oil is hot, add your cooled, now sticky, rice to the pan and spread out evenly to cover the bottom.  Let the rice sit like this in the pan for about 30 seconds or until the rice starts to brown, then stir and flip to brown the top layer of the rice.

Once all of the rice has started to brown and crisp, add the vegetables and eggs to the rice and give a good stir to incorporate.  Once you have incorporated the vegetables and eggs, pull the rice mixture to one side of the pan and then add the shrimp to the other side.  Stir the shrimp around in the hot pan until they begin to turn pink and then slowly start to incorporate them with the rice and vegetables.

When you have incorporated all of the shrimp, you will add one tablespoon of dark soy sauce, two tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce and two teaspoons of toasted sesame seed oil and give a good stir. Continue to stir until shrimp are completely cooked.  Finally, you will add sea salt and pepper to taste.

They say that confession is good for the soul.  While that may be true, I find it to be no better for my soul than eating some of my favorite comfort foods.  I would love to say that I take the long and hard road while preparing all of my meals but I much prefer getting to the business of enjoying the fruits of my labor.  If that means cutting corners every once in a while, then so be it.  I encourage anyone to find ways to save yourself some cooking and preparation time as long as long as it does not alter the meal in a way that it becomes anything other than the authentic dish that it is meant to be.  

Enjoy!