Tuesday, October 5, 2010

BEST DIET TIP #4

                                              Click on above image to enlarge

The quiet of life at present.

Happy Fall!  Enjoyed glancing over every now and then throughout the day and seeing my unstored friends.  
The consequences of moving from one city to another is the loss of developed friendships 
and the yet to be developped new friends.  
This has not been an easy move in the "friendship" department.  
However, 
I am not complaining really.  
I must be in a certain stage of life 
I imagine.  
I am really enjoying my own company and have no yearning desire to have a hoard of friends around me.  
Don't get me wrong.  
I am not an introvert.  
I love watching and talking to people 
(notice I didn't say listening
...still working on that one).

My family and all of my little unstored friends are such a comfort.  
What a nice stage of life to be right now. 
 I am happy for everyone, not competing or concerned about my status in comparison to others.  
Just happy.  
Just grateful for what I have.  
Just enjoying the here and the now.  
And the quiet of life at present.

Whew, what a week!

Is it bad to be already wishing for Friday on Tuesday? Well, I sure am this week! I haven't typed just a regular post for a while, so I thought I would skip the OT Tip this week and just write tonight.

I decided to start selling The Pampered Chef. Since I love a lot of their products and I had a lot of people asking me to buy things I decided to start selling it. Of course, that means adding a lot more to my very busy schedule! So far I have 4 parties scheduled for this month, the first of which will be tomorrow night at my house! It should be a lot of fun.

Also this week I am giving a presentation at the college I went to for some people who are considering going in to Occupational Therapy. My good friend teaches and so she asked me to come in and share with the group what I do and answer questions.

At church, we started an Adventurer club, which is like a brownies and cub scout group all in one, with a religious focus! We have five children coming so far and Sabbath night is our Induction ceremony! Afterward we are having a chili soup fundraiser after Sabbath is over! That should be a good time and good food! :) I am always looking for good chili recipes, so I am anxious to try making the one we are having then.

I sure am tired just typing all of that. I'm pretty sure I forgot something, but I don't feel like trying to figure out what it is! Next week will hopefully be a lot less busy!


Salmon Grill and Mashed Potato

Have been a loong time not doing blogging :)
anyway, just wanna share pic of delicious food. the menu is Salmon grill with tomato sauce + mashed potato (idr 125,000) and the beverage is anti-flue tea for idr 37,500 (at least it works for a while...).
from Pastis Kitchen & Bar @ Kuningan Suites ground floor.


recommended ! best salmon for eat, good cooking.

Horseradish Crusted Salmon

  
  
Let me first say that I don't particularly like salmon.  For many years it was the "in" fish, and it certainly is a healthy source of protein.  I just don't like it's taste, simple as that.  Nor do I like horseradish.  Too much for me in whatever you might call that taste.  So, why would I prepare a dish that by all indications I doubly would not like?  No, this is not a posting about growing yourself and your tastes by forcing yourself to eat something you know you don't like.  While I always support trying something new, and sometimes I even follow my own advice, I would never advocate purposely eating something you don't like.  That's not what life, at least through cooking, is about.  But, sometimes it's not about you, it's about your partner in dining pleasure.  The gift is in the giving as they say, and sometimes that means making something you don't like and don't eat just to please another.  
   
Don't get me wrong, I like many kinds of fish, and several kinds of vegetables that others don't like, such as broccoli and cauliflower.  And, indeed, when preparing asparagus or artichokes (also not high on my list) for a guest, I will prepare a side of green beans for myself.  That way everyone is happy.  That, however, becomes a more limited option with a main course, in time, trouble and expense.  For that, the second message of this post is to cook in a way that helps you with taste.  For me, that means making salmon not taste as much like salmon.  I do that by putting on a crust.  A sliced potato crust is always nice on salmon.  Julia Childs and Jacque Pepin have a nice recipe for potato crusted salmon that I make sometimes.  Giada de Laurentiis encrusts fish with purple potatoes for added color as well as taste.  As that technique adds a flavor that virtually all like, and minimizes another that some don't, so does a horseradish crust mellow things out.  Furthermore, the cooking process will also mellow the horseradish.  That on a bed of cucumbers and the mustard sauce as found in this Gary Danko recipe provides a lovely combination.  It served as the second course of a recent dinner party and I urge you to try it any time.  Serves 2.
    
Ingredients:
1/2 shallot, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fish stock
1/4 cup clam juice
1 sprig fresh thyme
bay leaf
1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tsp kosher salt
1 3/4 tsp chives, chopped
1 3/4 tsp dill, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp creme fraiche 
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp whole grain mustard
4 inch length of salmon filet, skin removed, cut into 1 inch widths
1/4 cup + 1/2 tsp horseradish
1 egg white
2 tbsp heavy cream
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp vegetable oil
   
Directions:
In a sauce pan over medium-high heat combine the shallot, wine, stock, clam juice, thyme and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, cooking until reduced by 2/3.  Meanwhile, combine the cucumber and salt in a bowl and set aside for 15 minutes.  In another bowl, mix 1 1/2 tsp chives, 1 1/2 tsp dill, 1 tbsp creme fraiche and the lemon juice.  Leave out to come to room temperature.  In another bowl, mix the mustard, 1/2 tsp of horseradish, 1/2 tbsp of creme fraiche, 1/4 tsp of dill and 1/4 tsp of chives.  Set aside.  Ready the salmon by rolling it, thick part first, into medallions.  Secure by running a toothpick or skewer horizontally through the medallion starting with the thin flap.  Combine 1/4 cup of the horseradish and the egg white and spoon a dollop of the mixture on top of each salmon medallion, smoothing to cover.  Drain the water from the cucumber and salt and stir in the creme fraiche and lemon mixture.  When the sauce is reduced, stir in the cream and return to a boil.  Whisk in the butter, small pieces at a time.  When fully mixed, strain the sauce, pressing on the shallots to obtain all of the sauce, and return to the sauce pan.   Stir the mustard mixture into the sauce and keep warm.  Heat the oil in a non-stick saute pan over medium-high heat.  Place the salmon in the pan, horseradish side down, cover and sear to form a crust, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Turn the salmon, cover and cook a few more minutes.  Plate by laying down a bed of the cucumber mixture.  Place 2 salmon medallions on top and then spoon the sauce on top and around the plate.
     

Dinner Salad for the End of the Summer

New Wave Salad
I am always seeking out one-dish meals. And this one is absolutely perfect for the end-of-season gorgeous crops of basil, tomatoes and green beans.


















1½ cups Red Wine Basil Vinaigrette (see recipe below)
1 pound tender green beans, stringed and cut into thirds
1 tablespoon olive oil
10-12 ounces dried fettuccine or linguine, broken in half
1 cup fresh basil leaves
6 ripe tomatoes, seeded, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup pitted Kalamata olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, in one piece

1. Prepare the Red Wine Basil Vinaigrette.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the beans and simmer until just tender, about 5 minutes. Scoop out of the pot, leaving the boiling water. Drain, rinse under cold water, drain again, and set aside.
3. In the same boiling water, add the oil and fettuccine and cook at a rolling boil until just tender. Drain, rise under cold water, and drain again. Turn out onto a clean dry dishtowel and pat dry. Place in a large serving bowl. Add ½ cup of the vinaigrette and toss well. Set aside.
4. Arrange the basil leaves in small stacks and roll them lengthwise. Slice the stacks diagonally into slivers.
5. Cover the pasta with the green beans and tomatoes, followed by the black olives and slivered basil. Sprinkle with parsley and pour the remaining 1 cup vinaigrette over the salad. Toss gently.
6. Scrape the Parmesan with a vegetable peeler to make thin wide shavings. Place them on top of the salad. When serving, try to distribute a good mix of the ingredients on each plate. You may want to put the parmesan and the peeler on the table so that you can serve yourself more if you’d like.

4 servings as a one-dish meal
Adapted from Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins’ The New Basics

Red Wine Basil Vinaigrette

2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon sugar
1 cup olive oil
½ cup slivered fresh basil leaves
½ cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Combine the garlic, mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar in a small bowl and whisk well.
2. Add the oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly until the vinaigrette has thickened slightly. Fold in the basil and parsley. Taste for seasonings and adjust as you see fit.

Makes 1½ cups
Adapted from Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins’ The New Basics

"To market, to market to buy a fat pig"--Nearly Impossible

Pork Piccata
This is an old stand-by because it is fast and delicious. But I have had problems with it in the last couple of years as the pork we get is leaner and leaner--perhaps good for our health--but definitely not as succulent and juicy. So I've tried to find less lean pork (I bought part of a piggy which had been raised organically by students at Sonoma Valley High School and it worked really well) and cook it as short a time as possible.

















1½ pounds pork butt or boneless pork chops, sliced ¼ to ½-inch thin
Note: I look for pork that has some marbling of fat in the meat. Boneless pork chops work well if they have some fat in the meat. If it is too lean, the meat dries out in an instant.
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, slivered
Note: You can use more garlic if you are a true garlic-lover.
Zest of 1 lemon, zester or microplane but I prefer the zester
Juice of 1 lemon
¾ cup white wine
2 tablespoons capers
3 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

1. This dish cooks so fast, you really need to have all the ingredients prepped and set to go before you start cooking. So sliver the garlic, zest the lemon, juice it, measure the capers and the white wine, and chop the parsley. There, you’re set.
2. Mix the salt, pepper and the flour in a clean plastic sack. Dredge the pork a few slices at a time and lay in a single layer on a plate. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper.
3. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and fry until lightly brown. Remove it from the pan and set aside, leaving as much of the oil as possible.
4. In the same oil, lightly brown the pork slices on both sides in one or more batches, about 1 minute on each side or a little longer if the meat is thicker. Remove the pork from the pan as it finishes. The meat will continue to cook while it sits.
5. Add the lemon juice, white wine, capers, lemon zest and reserved garlic to the pan, set over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits in the pan. Reduce the sauce for just a moment, taste for seasonings and adjust as you see fit.
6. Return the meat to the pan for a minute, shaking the pan a bit so that the sauce is thickened by the flour on the meat. The meat should be slightly pink in the middle.
7. Place on warmed plates or a serving platter. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

4-6servings
Adapted from Jeff Smith’s The Frugal Gourmet

Here is what a zester looks like:











You might to add the following dishes  to make a wonderful supper:


Oven-roasted Zucchini
From my May 31, 2009 blog










Coconut Rice from my July 27, 2009 blog. It looks just like any other rice dish so I haven't included a photo.




A Sweet Potato Side Dish

Glazed Sweet Potatoes
This really sounds like an American Thanksgiving dish with everything except the mini-marshmallows. It is so good with roasted chicken or pork. But given its heritage (South African), it is delicious with Bobotie, South Africa’s amazing meatloaf, which you can find on my May 31, 2009 blog.

















2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed½ cup water
2 sticks of cinnamon or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2-3 strips of orange peel
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
¼ cup sherry, dry or medium

1. Combine the sweet potatoes, water, cinnamon, orange peel, butter, sugar, both gingers, and salt in a saucepan. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are almost tender.
2. Pour the liquid from the potatoes into a small saucepan. Add the sherry. Bring it to a boil and cook until it is reduced to a thin flavorful syrup.
3. Return the liquid to the potatoes and cook gently until the potatoes are soft, turning them carefully to coat with the sauce. Shake the pot from time to time to prevent the potatoes from sticking to the pan. Taste for seasonings and adjust as you see fit.
4. Transfer the sweet potatoes to a warm bowl and serve.

6 servings
Adapted from Lannice Snyman’s Rainbow Cuisine: A Culinary Journey Through South Africa

Roasted Chicken 
 From my May 19, 2010 blog.








Boboti 
From my May 31, 2009 blog.








                                                      
Indian-Style Broccoli
From my May 19, 2010 blog.

Leeks in Olive Oil

market booty

I have just staggered back flushed with success from the weekly market here in my immediate area of Selami ÇeÅŸme, and behold my booty. Now, I defy anybody not to feel inspired just by looking at that. There is a kilo of spinach, roots and all, in the plastic bag which I will prepare for tonight; next to it, a marul lettuce and some beautiful rocket. I see the tomatoes are becoming those standard greenhouse ones but I had one for lunch and it tasted fine. The little cucumbers are just how they should be: crisp and crunchy. I broke my own rule with the figs:  I know the season is finished but I just couldn’t resist them, and then I bought them from a stall I never usually use.  Fatal. Usually one can choose one’s own produce but these figs were too far away for me to do so.  As a result, the  stallholder slipped in a couple of duds. Live and learn. The plums are fabulous and the grapes – well, just look at them! I couldn’t resist the beetroots either. The little bags are dried mint, peppercorns, and kuÅŸ üzüm, the dried little currants for use in pilafs. You can buy as little as you like which is very handy with herbs and spices.  It is a good idea to have a look at those on your own shelves from time to time and chuck out the ones that have been there rather too long: they lose their oomph over time.
I didn’t buy leeks as I bought some just the other day: the first ones of the season, actually. Here is what I did with them: zeytinyaÄŸlı pırasa, a very typical olive oil dish for this time of year and one of my favourites.   Very healthy and tasty. You will notice that for a change there are no onions included in the ingredients. This is because leeks themselves belong to the onion family so no need for more.

                                                                           Ingredients
Serves 6
1 kg leeks/pırasa
2 carrots
1 tbsp rice, washed
4 lumps of sugar
½ cup olive oil
Juice of  ½ lemon
2 cups hot water
1 tbsp salt

cutting on the diagonal

Method
§  First cut off all the dark green, leafy bits of the leeks and discard. Wash the remaining part well and slice on the diagonal. Put the slices in a bowl and cover with cold water along with the lemon juice.  If you followed Jenny’s tip, simply take your carrots out of the fridge and slice in a similar way.Otherwise, trim , peel, and wash as usual before slicing in diagonals.
§  In a pan, gently heat the oil and stir in the carrots. Cook for 3 – 4 mins.

cooking everything together

§  Add leeks, rice, lump sugar, and salt and mix together. Add the 2 cups hot water. Cover the pan  with a lid and cook on a low heat for 50 mins.
§  Let cool before transferring to a serving dish. Remember that a shallow one is more typical.
                             Extra lemon juice may be passed round as it goes well with leeks.

Tip
1.       All these olive oil dishes or meze are always served cold. It is only when there is meat in them that they are served  hot. Go easy on the rice: if you add too much, it turns into a glutinous mess.

2.       Note the size of these Turkish leeks. I seem to remember that the ones available in the UK are a different breed and are much bigger. That’s fine but wash very carefully as grit can be entrenched in the leaves, and make sure your slices aren’t too thick. I slice the leeks first and then wash, just to be safe.

3.       I learnt most of these dishes by osmosis really.  Well, a combination of my lovely mother-in-law and An American Cook in Turkey. For a long, long time, there were no good Turkish cookbooks available and obviously no internet.  But in the interests of this blog I have been checking with actual Turkish recipes. This one comes from Modern Türk Mutfağı by Alev Kaman, an excellent Turkish cook book.