A Tasty Side Dish with Quinoa, Wild Rice and Vegetables

I took what I had in the fridge which was down to the wire and came up with this side dish for some salmon I planned to serve.  I'm sharing it because it was really good! Makes 3-4 servings.

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:



Half of a butternut squash, one Japanese eggplant,
a few peppers (small ones in different colors), a cup
of wild rice and quinoa mix, half a large yellow onion,
parsley, cumin seeds, sea salt and pepper.

STEP ONE:



Cook the quinoa/rice mixture according to directions.
Cut all the vegetables and place in piles on the cutting
board. This makes it much easier to prepare.
If you have very small peppers, keep them whole.

STEP TWO:



Heat 3 T. of grape seed or other high-heat tolerant
oil in a wok or large, deep skillet. Place 1 T. cumin
seeds in oil and allow to sizzle until they start to
lightly brown. Add a T. of butter if desired. I did for
more flavor. Irish butter is divine!

STEP THREE:



Add the squash and eggplant to the wok and cook for
about 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes.

STEP FOUR:



Throw in the onions and peppers and allow to cook
until golden brown and soft, about 6 minutes. The
eggplant might absorb much of the oil, so you may have
to add a little.*

STEP FIVE:



Add the quinoa/rice mixture to the vegetables and
stir. Add salt and pepper to taste.

STEP SIX:



Sprinkle chopped parsley and basil on top and serve.

*You can try salting the eggplant and leaving it for
about an hour to "sweat" out excess moisture and
supposedly, a bitter taste. But truth be told, this technique
has never made that much of a difference for me.

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!

A Tip for Bringing Out the Fresh Flavors of Your Vegetables

As I set up my cutting board with the ingredients for a quick stir-fry with the vegetables I had on hand, I took out a jar of black bean sauce thinking that would bring a good flavor, and I would use it as a finishing touch.  When I started frying up the onions, though, I had another inspiration -- white balsamic vinegar and white pepper.  The vinegar brought out the fresh flavors of the vegetables and it needed nothing else but a little white pepper and sea salt. Using the black bean sauce would have hidden those fresh flavors. Keeping it simple here was the better choice. Hello Spring! Here's the delicious result.

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:



Asparagus, 1/3 white onion, 2 small tomatoes, an
ear of corn, fresh coriander, fresh basil, black bean
sauce that needs to be replaced with white balsamic
vinegar and some white pepper.

STEP ONE:



Chop the onion and fry in a T. of oil (I used
grapeseed).  Add 2 T. of white balsamic vinegar
and 1/2 tsp. white pepper. Stir on highish heat for
a few minutes.



Cut the tomatoes into quarters and add to the pan.
Cook for a few more minutes.



Chop the asparagus including the stems (to one
inch from the bottom) and add to pan with a few
leaves of chopped basil.  Cook for
a few minutes.



Cut the kernels off the ear of corn and
add to the pan. Stir and cook for a few
more minutes. Keep the vegetables brightly
colored with some crunch, throw in a
generous pinch of sea salt and serve with
chopped coriander on top.  Serves 3-4.

This is a great, healthy side dish for practically
anything. Experiment with whatever vegetables
you have on hand. Vinegar is such a great
ingredient for bringing out the natural
flavors of your food. I'm so glad I didn't
hide them with that heavy black bean sauce.
Try it!

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!

Pork Roast in a Clay Pot

This was so simple and so good. I used my Romertopf clay pot again and the meal was super easy to prepare. Three hours later it was ready to eat: fork tender and flavorful.  Here's the recipe:

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:


Rib end pork loin (3-4 pounds), browned for the pot.
Chili peppers at a heat level of 3 and 6 respectively on
the Hot Chili Pepper Scoville Scale (this scale rates
chillies on a scale of 0-12 with 12 being the hottest).
I used 2 pasilla and 1 poblano, 3s, and 1 jalapeno, a 6.
Adjust according to your chili heat preference.
One onion, 8 cloves garlic, cherry tomatoes, 1 T. cumin, 1
bay leaf, 1 T. smoked paprika, 1 T. tomato paste, 1 cup
vegetable broth, a cup of dark beer (I used lager because
that's what I had on hand), 4 fresh thyme springs and one
rosemary sprig, sea salt and pepper.

STEP ONE:



Cut 3 cloves into slices, slit holes in
the roast and place slices into the meat. Salt
and pepper the roast to taste.Brown the roast
in a pan with a tsp. of oil. You don't need
much. Set aside and cut up an onion in large
chunks and throw in the pan. Cook until slightly
softened and slightly charred.

STEP THREE:



Place roast, peppers and tomatoes in clay
pot or other oven proof pot. Spread the
tomato paste on top of the roast and
sprinkle the cumin on top. Pour in the
vegetable broth and beer.



Place the onions into the pot along with
the remaining 6 garlic cloves (smashed).
Top with the thyme and rosemary.



Place pot in a cold oven and turn it on to
450 degrees (if using a clay pot, you will need to
soak it in water for at least 15 minutes before you
fill it). Otherwise, preheat  oven to 450 and cook
for 30 min. and then turn down the heat to
325 for the remaining 2.5 hours.

STEP FOUR:



Allow to cook for 2.5-3 hours.

STEP FIVE:



Serve with the pan juices on the side and enjoy! I
served mine with Persian rice and a salad.

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!

Forbidden Rice and Haddock

For this week's post, I'd like to feature black rice or "forbidden rice" a variety that has a high nutritional value. It is a source of iron, vitamin E and antioxidants (more than in blueberries) and is quick-cooking and delightful.  I found it in a local market and brought it home with some haddock. Haddock used to be overfished but the population has been making a steady comeback. It's population health is now deemed moderate and it has minimal contaminant levels. Hook and line caught haddock also prevents the environmental damage that bottom trawls cause.  Get a free seafood app to inform your seafood buying if interested. 

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:



 

Black rice, 3 cloves chopped garlic, oyster mushrooms,
cherry tomatoes (halved), a quarter onion, chopped,
dandelion greens from my garden, haddock fillets (dipped
in milk and covered with breadcrumbs)

STEP ONE:



Dip haddock fillets in milk mixed with garlic powder.
Dredge in breadcrumbs and let sit for 20 minutes.

STEP TWO:



Cook rice according to package directions. While rice
is cooking, saute`the tomatoes and mushrooms with the
onion and garlic in a T. or so of olive oil. Add the dandelion
leaves a few minutes before the tomatoes and mushrooms
finish cooking.  Add a dash of sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper.





I'm growing my own oyster mushrooms. I'm on my
third flush (growing round). They're easy to grow and
yield a good amount of fresh, yummy schrooms.  This
is the third meal I've made with my homegrown mushrooms.
I highly recommend trying it!  My kit was given to me by
a friend from a company called www.rootmushroom.com.

STEP THREE:



Add the black rice (deep purple color when cooked)
to the skillet with the vegetables and stir.
Cook haddock fillets over a high heat. I used grapeseed oil,
about 1 T. per fillet.  Cook until golden and fish flakes when
pierced with a fork. Lightly salt.

STEP FOUR:



Enjoy with a green vegetable and a salad.

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!

TESTING A CLAY POT

I finally got around to cooking a meal in a clay pot, meals I love when I'm out but had never tried at home. My friend Amber gave me a Romertopf for my birthday, and it's lovely to look at and hold. To cook in a clay pot you must first soak the pot for at least 15 minutes in cold water and then when it's filled, place in a Cold oven. This allows the pot to slowly absorb the heat as it rises to the designated baking temperature.

Two great things about clay pot cooking are the convenience and ease of preparation. You simply add the ingredients to the pot as you would a crock pot and then sit back and relax as the pot performs its magic.

I took what I had in the fridge to make my first clay pot dinner.  Here's what happened.

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:



Organic chicken thighs, onions, baby potatoes,
mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, onions, garlic, green
pepper, fresh tumeric, ginger, dandelion greens,
sugar snap peas, lemon, red chilies, oyster sauce,
organic chicken stock and spice mix* (Use whatever
you'd like as a spice mix. I'm leaving this one totally
up to you. The variations are practically
endless!)

STEP ONE:





Cut a medium onion into large chunks,
mash about 6 garlic cloves, cut half a
green pepper into thin strips, add 8-10
potatoes, 8-10 cherry tomatoes, about
a cup of mushrooms, a dozen red chilies
and grated turmeric (1 and half-inch
piece) to the pot.

STEP TWO:





Take the chicken thighs and cut off any
excess fat and dredge in the spice mix (can
do this about an hour earlier to allow the
flavors to penetrate the meat). Add on top
of the vegetables in the clay pot. Add a quarter
cup of the chicken stock. Place pot in a COLD oven
and set to 425 degrees.  Cook for 30 minutes after
oven reaches target temperature and then check the pot.
Continue cooking for another 25 minutes, the last
10 minutes or so with the top removed to brown the
chicken, check for doneness (no pink in the chicken)
and remove from the oven.

STEP THREE:



Heat a wok with about 2 tsp. grape seed oil (or
canola or a high heat olive). Carefully add a large
bunch of dandelion greens and stir-fry for a couple
of minutes. Add a couple of minced garlic cloves and
an inch of minced ginger.  Continue to stir fry for another
minutes and add a cup of snow peas and one T. of
oyster sauce.  Cook until greens are wilted and peas
are still firm.  Adjust seasonings, squirt some lemon
juice on top and add some freshly ground pepper.

STEP FOUR:





Arrange chicken, vegetables and greens on a platter
and serve onto individual plates. Enjoy a meal that
is fork tender and delicious, having cooked in its own
steam. Healthy too!

*An organic mix of vegetables, fruits and herbs called
Wurzfee Streuwurze and Gemusebruhe, brought back from
Berlin by my friend Herta who talked so much about
it in her own cooking I asked for some when she visited
Germany recently.  It contains carrots, celery, onions,
turmeric, shitake mushrooms, parsley, apples, sunflower
seeds and sea salt.  You could use almost anything to flavor
this dish. I was thinking a good spicy mix of cumin, coriander,
chili powder, green chili paste and sesame seeds would be
good too.

I love my clay pot and will continue to experiment with
it.  It's an incredibly easy, quick and healthy way to cook.
Next time I'll try a whole fish and see what happens.


ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!

Quick, Easy Midweek Porkchops

Good pork chops are hard to find. They are tough when pan fried and not very flavorful.  The best solution is to buy Iberico, but it's very expensive. The next best thing is to buy organic pork. I shop at The Organic Butcher near my home, and I'm never disappointed. They have fantastic fish too along with various eclectic items like vinegars, sauces, dandelion greens and fanciful ice cream flavors from small producers. The people who work there are very friendly, and I can tell they love to be there. So do I!

I had a lot of the onion greens left from the bunch I bought at an Asian market along with potatoes and some tomatoes, so I used them for this meal with the pork. I also found some dill that looked really sad and scared all by itself in the bottom drawer of the fridge. It was still fresh enough to use with my beans, so I threw it on the cutting board too. A mixed green salad complemented the dishes and a satisfying dinner was created in a flash.  Here's the recipe:

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:

Pork chops (bone in), fresh garlic,  onion
bulbs with the greens (can use baby leeks or scallions),
small potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, red chillies, dill,
Boston lettuce, avocado.

STEP ONE:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees




Lightly coat the tomatoes, potatoes, and onion bulbs with
olive oil, a little sea salt and a generous grind of pepper.
Roast potatoes first for about 15 minutes and then add
the tomatoes and onion bulbs. Continue roasting for
about 15 more minutes, stirring once or twice.

STEP TWO:



Heat a cast iron skillet (if you have one) on high with a
little sea salt inside.  Cast iron conducts, distributes and
holds heat very well. I love my cast iron skillet. I've had
it for many years. You can sometimes find them at yard sales
for next to nothing. Big score!

Pound the pork chops between sheets of plastic wrap with
a mallet and rub with a fresh clove of garlic.  Place in the
hot skillet and sear the chops on each side. Let cook for 4
minutes and then transfer to the oven for about 8-10 minutes.
Pork should be a light pink color inside. Let rest under a
foil tent while you cook the beans.

STEP THREE:



Heat a couple tsp. of oil in a skillet and when hot, add
the green beans with about 12 red chillies.  Don't cut the
chilies unless you're a sucker for punishment!  They're
meant to add heat and should not be eaten either. Can add
some chopped, fresh garlic to the beans as well as a little
splash of tamari and some pepper. Sitr fry until done --
about 6 minutes. Chop the dill and scatter on top.

STEP FOUR:





Done! Serve with a mixed green salad and enjoy!

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!

Norouz is the Persian New Year that Celebrates Spring!

Last night my husband Sadegh and I celebrated Norouz with a great symbolic meal and appreciation for all the good things we have in life. Norouz starts on the first day of Spring and lasts 13 days. A table (the Haftseen) is set with seven symbolic items, all starting with the letter S: Seeb (apple), Sabze (green grass), Serke (vinegar), Samanoo (a meal made out of wheat), Senjed (a special kind of berry), Sekke (coin), and Seer (garlic). Some Haftseen tables also include a book of poetry (Rumi is a favorite of friends),  a mirror and candles (reflecting into the future), a goldfish swimming in a bowl (representing life), painted eggs (fertility) and sweets and fruits. Each item is a symbol of Spring and renewal.

Norouz has been celebrated in Iran for over 3,000 years and is rooted in the traditions and rituals of the Zoroastrian (religion of ancient Persia before the arrival of Islam). It is the biggest holiday of the year in Iran.



An example of a "Haft Seen" courtesy of iranchamber.com

I surprised Sadegh when he came home with a busy kitchen and a happy cook -- me!  For this special post, I went to the market and bought most of the ingredients I needed for the meal. I would normally serve this dish with traditional rice with tahdig (golden-crust) but this time made a sabzi polo (herbed rice) to honor Norouz and served it with the fish which is a traditional combination on this day.  I decided to be brave and post the photo of the finished meal even though the rice looks way too dark. This is because of the vast amount of fresh herbs incorporated into the rice. Usually, the rice on top is golden brown. I used yogurt in the rice with this recipe which I normally don't do because the top usually isn't crispy enough for me when I cook it with yogurt. Maybe I need to experiment more. The rice is from the same NY Times recipe adapted by Samin Rosnat.  In a later post, I'll show how to cook Persian rice both ways, and you can decide for yourself which way you prefer.

There's lots of work involved with the chopping of fresh, beautiful herbs, shallots and garlic, the grinding of walnuts and the citrus juicing, and although it takes a while to make, the longest part is waiting for the rice to finish. It's all worth it though. Delicious!  Here's the recipe for the fish, courtesy of Samin Rosnat and the NY Times:

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:

:

Trout, 2 shallots, 4 cloves garlic, 2 scallions, 1 small
bunch chives, 1 cup fresh parsley, 1 cup cilantro,
2 sprigs tarragon, 1 cup dill, 3 clementines, a lime,
1/2 cup finely ground walnuts, 2 T. pomegranate syrup,
4 T. olive oil

STEP ONE:

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.






Finely chop all the fresh herbs, shallots, scallions
and garlic and set aside.  Finely process walnuts
(I love my NutriBullet!) and set aside.

STEP TWO:



Place 2 T. olive oil into a
skillet and fry 2 finely chopped shallots until golden.
Add 2 T. olive oil to pan and add the herbs and walnuts, stir
and saute for about 5 minutes. Add salt to taste.

STEP THREE:



Juice the 3 clementines and zest one to collect 1/2
tsp. Juice the lime and add all three to a small bowl.
Add 6 T. of juice to the herb mixture and let it cook
for about 4 minutes until the liquid is almost gone.
Add 2 T. pomegranate molasses and stir.  Cook for
another couple of minutes and then take off the heat
to cool. I found pomegranate molasses at my local
grocery store in the international section.

STEP FOUR:


Sprinkle sea salt inside and outside the fish. Open the
fish further with a sharp knife to butterfly and drizzle
each with a T. of the remaining juice mixture. Place
about a quarter cup of herb/shallot/garlic mixture
inside each fish.  Close the fish with kitchen twine in
three places and place on a baking sheet that has been lightly
coated with olive oil.  Place in the hot oven for about
20 minutes. Fish should be very golden brown and may
look a little charred on the tail.



Serve with rice and salad.  Persian rice with tahdig
(that golden crust) is the best way to serve this along
with a Persian salad. Traditional ones are cucumber,
radish, tomato, feta cheese and an olive oil and lemon
juice dressing.  As I stated above, these will be the subject of
another blog post!

And a parting gift:

An excerpt from Rumi's poem "Moving Water"

How could we know what an open field of sunlight is?
Don't insist on going where you think you want to go.
Ask the way to the spring. Your living pieces will
form a harmony.

There is a moving palace that floats in the air with balconies
and clear water flowing through, infinity everywhere, yet
contained under a single tent.


ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE AND HAPPY SPRING!

•