Parsnip-Cauliflower Soup & Sopressata Flatbread Twists

Episode Three! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Parsnip Cauliflower Soup and Sopressata Flatbread Twists from Ross Cauvel on Vimeo.

INGREDIENTS

For the soup:

2 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
6-8 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
1 head cauliflower, cut into chunks
salt and pepper
1 box low-sodium chicken broth
juice of half a lemon
2 cups lowfat milk
fresh chopped parsley

For the Twists:

1 ball pizza dough (mine was homemade, from Emeril's by-hand recipe), rolled out and sliced into 1-inch wide strips
1 egg beaten with 1 T. milk
5-6 slices sopressata (or other salami-like deli meat), in 1-inch wide slices
shredded Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

STEP 1:

Heat butter and oil in a Dutch oven or large pot on medium-high heat. Add carrots and onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook until onions begin to brown at the edges a little. Add parsnips and cook for a few more minutes.

STEP 2:

Add cauliflower, lemon juice and chicken broth. Cover and cook on high heat for about 30 minutes, until parsnips and cauliflower are very tender.

STEP 3:

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay pizza dough strips out flat on a pizza stone or baking sheet. Brush each strip with a little egg wash. Cover each strip with strips of sopressata. Twist into twisty shapes. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top along with a little salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown, broiling for a few minutes at the end if needed for extra crispness.

STEP 4:

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup (or puree it in a regular blender or food processor). Reduce heat and stir in milk. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm till ready to serve. Ladle into bowls, top with parsley, and serve with twists. Enjoy!

Ribeye Steaks & Sweet Potato Fries

Without further ado, I present to you: the second installment of the Fearless Cook vlog! Enjoy!

Steaks & Sweet Potato Fries from Ross Cauvel on Vimeo.

INGREDIENTS

2 thick ribeye steaks (mine were about 3/4 lb. each)
1 and 1/2 large sweet potatoes (or 2 small)
~6 cups neutral cooking oil, like canola
seas salt and black pepper
olive oil

For steak rub:
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. paprika
pinch of salt
pinch of black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 tsp. store-bought steak rub

For compound butter:
6 T. room temperature butter
chopped fresh parsley
chopped fresh oregano
1 clove garlic, minced

For curry mayo:
2 big spoonfuls mayo
~1 T. honey
pinch of curry powder

For homemade croutons:
~1 cup cubed stale bread
~2 T. olive oil
chopped fresh parsley
chopped fresh oregano
sea salt and black pepper

For the rest of the salad:
Mixed baby greens
1 pear, thinly sliced
~2 ounces Gruyere cheese, in small cubes
walnut pieces (you can toast them if you want)

For the salad dressing:
juice of half a lemon
~1 tsp. mustard
~1 tsp. honey
~1/4 c. olive oil
salt and pepper

STEP 1:

Let steaks come to room temperature. Make the steak rub by mixing together all steak rub ingredients. Make the curry mayo by whisking together all ingredients; store in fridge till ready to serve. Make salad dressing by whisking together all ingredients; store in fridge till ready to serve.

STEP 2:

Preheat your frying oil for the potatoes. Turn a pot of oil to medium high heat and let sit for 15-20 minutes. Test the temperature of the oil by sticking the handle of a wooden spoon in - if little bubbles surround it, the oil is ready. Once you have a good base heat going, you can crank up the heat a little to make sure it stays hot throughout the cooking process.

STEP 3:

Add the fries, in batches the size of large handfuls, and cook until fries are tender. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from oil and place on some paper towels to drain. Once all batches have gone in the first time, bring the oil back up to temperature (just let it reheat for about 5 minutes), then fry the batches a second time, repeating the draining on paper towels process. Sprinkle the fries with sea salt while still warm.

STEP 4:

Preheat the oven to 450. Preheat a cast iron or fry pan (NOT non-stick) over high heat. Make sure it's REALLY hot. Put a little olive oil in the pan - it should start smoking a little. Immediately add the steaks and don't touch them for about 5 minutes. You want a good crusty sear. Flip them and cook on the other side. When both sides have browned, transfer the whole pan to the oven and cook until the steaks are to your doneness-liking. I think I cooked mine for about 5 minutes in the oven for a perfect medium to medium rare. You really just have to go by feel - when you give the steaks a little poke with tongs, if it's very very soft, it's still quite raw. If it's more firm, it's more done. Remember that when you take the steaks out and let them rest, they'll continue to cook, so err on the side of underdone - you can always put them back in the oven, but you can't fix an overcooked steak!

STEP 5:

Remove the steaks from the oven, set aside on a plate, cover with aluminum foil, and allow them to rest for at least 5 minutes, preferably 10. Scoop about a teaspoon of compound butter on top of each steak and let it melt. Serve with the fries, curry mayo, and salad. Enjoy! (How could you not?)

Pear & Caramelized Onion Flatbread

Let's have a brief moment of silence in appreciation for the perfection that is cheese.

*SILENCE*


Now that that's out of the way, we can jump into what is a delicious, easy, and
not-made-out-of-a-zillion-ingredients meal. I called this flatbread, but it's more like sauceless pizza. Tomato, tom-ah-to, right?


This is crisp, chewy pizza dough topped with sweet caramelized onions and perfectly ripe fall fruit - all smothered in melty cheese. In the immortal words of Ina Garten: how bad could that be? The answer: not bad at all.


In fact, this was so good, I just might make it again. And as we all know, I do not make recipes twice. How might one tweak this recipe, you're wondering? One might add hot Italian sausage; sub apples for pears, leave the fruit out altogether and use sun-dried tomatoes or artichokes or olives or all of the above; use mozzarella cheese, or all cheddar, or all Gruyere; I could go on. A sauceless pizza is just like a sauced pizza: a blank canvas on which to paint by numbers using the fan brush of innumerable ingredie–OK, OK, I'll stop with the stupid art metaphor.


Misguided metaphors aside, MAKE THIS! You'll thank me later. (You're welcome.)

INGREDIENTS

One ball fresh pizza dough
olive oil
cornmeal
1 pear (not too too ripe), cut into thin slices
3 small onions, halved and sliced thinly
butter and oil for caramelizing
3/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
3/4 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
red pepper flakes

STEP 1:

Caramelize the onions: heat a little butter and olive oil in a pan and cook the onions over medium heat, seasoning with salt and pepper, until brown and lovely. Set aside.

STEP 2:

Preheat the oven to 450. Sprinkle some cornmeal on a pizza stone or baking sheet. Shape the dough into a round-ish, thin crust. Rub all over with a little olive oil.

STEP 3:

Spread the onions all over the dough, then top with the pear slices. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over all that. Sprinkle cheese evenly over everything. Top with red pepper flakes if you want. Bake at 450 until cheese is melty and crust is getting golden brown. Switch oven to broil and cook for 2-4 more minutes, until many brown spots appear on cheese and crust. Remove from oven, cut into slices, serve and enjoy!

Mushroom Ravioli with Creamy Kale Sauce

EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! Squeals of joy abound! My first video post! I hope you love it :-)

The Fearless Cook - Mushroom Ravioli from Ross Cauvel on Vimeo.

INGREDIENTS

2 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch kale, tough stems trimmed, cut into ribbons
~3/4 c. chicken broth OR white wine
~1/3 c. heavy cream or half and half
salt and pepper and red pepper flakes
fresh chopped parsley
1 lb. frozen good quality mushroom ravioli

STEP 1:

In a large Dutch oven over medium high heat, melt the butter and oil. Add the onions and cook for a few minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the kale and garlic and red pepper flakes and let wilt for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken broth, cover, and cook for 8-10 minutes.

STEP 2:

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the ravioli according to package directions. Drain and place in serving dish.

STEP 3:

Uncover kale, turn down heat, and stir in cream. Cook for a few minutes, until sauce is thickened and reduced a bit. Taste and adjust seasonings. Ladle sauce over ravioli, top with parsley, serve, and enjoy!

Meatless Monday: Pumpkin-Chevre Pasta & Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad

Ah, the humble pumpkin! It graces us with its presence each October, ushering in a season of ghouls, goblins, candy corn, and becostumed walks of shame.


Usually relegated to cruel mutilation or cloyingly sweet pies, it's underused in savory dishes. Its mellow squashiness, however, lends itself perfectly to sauces, soups, and otherwise non-sugar-based applications. Pairing it with chevre was a random choice, but an all-out success! The sauce was smooth, slightly tangy, and tasted deeply of autumn.


Ross turned to me and said, "What is this?" as he shoveled another forkful in his mouth. Me: "Why?" Ross: "It's incredible." That's what I like to hear! He wasn't quite as jazzed up about the Brussels & chickpea salad, but not too many folks get giddy over miniature cabbages (what can I say - I'm a freak!). Actually, the salad is so hearty, it could stand alone as a vegetarian main dish. And, although it's Meatless Monday, I couldn't help but think how amazing it would be with a little pancetta or hard Spanish chorizo.


Don't be fooled by the nacho-cheese-esque appearance of the pasta sauce - this is one to serve to company. If you were having a dinner party with vegetarian guests, it would be an elegant main dish. It would also make a fantastic first course. If you're a normal person who doesn't plan their life around dinner parties, it makes, well, a scrumptious stormy-night-in dinner.


I'd recommend stocking up on canned pumpkin before it disappears into the night like a Halloween spirit. You'll want to make this all winter!



INGREDIENTS

PASTA:
2/3 lb. whole wheat spaghetti
2 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
1 can unsweetened, unseasoned pumpkin puree
1 small log goat cheese (chevre)
~10 sage leaves
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
freshly grated nutmeg (or a sprinkle of jarred ground nutmeg)
~1/2 cup chicken broth
~1/4 cup pasta cooking water

SALAD:
~15 small Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and halved
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
salt and pepper and red pepper flakes
~1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar or red wine vinegar)
splash of chicken broth

STEP 1:

Boil spaghetti until al dente. Drain, then set aside.

STEP 2:

Meanwhile, heat butter and oil in for the Brussels Sprout salad in a pan. Add Brussels sprouts to pan and season with salt and pepper. Let cook without stirring or shaking the pan for about 10 minutes, until undersides of sprouts start to brown. Add chickpeas and stir. Cook for a few more minutes. Add vinegar, more seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Cover and let vinegar cook for a few minutes. Uncover and let vinegar evaporate. Add chicken broth and re-cover. Cook for a few minutes, then uncover and let it evaporate, too. Taste and adjust seasoning. If it tastes good, take it off the heat and keep it warm in a bowl.

STEP 3:

Meanwhile, heat butter and oil for pasta sauce over medium high heat in a Dutch oven or other pot. Add onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is soft and translucent. Add chicken broth, sage, and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pumpkin and chevre, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring, until chevre and pumpkin are mixed and sauce is one homogenous color. Cook over low heat until noodles are ready. Stir in a little pasta water if sauce gets thick.

STEP 4:

Add cooked pasta to sauce (or vice versa) and stir to combine. Serve pasta alongside warm salad. Enjoy!

Gorgonzola Penne with Butternut Squash & Spinach

It's time for the truth: I can't find my camera.


Which begins to explain the even-worse-than-usual photos - and sad lack of posts - on this blog. I've been using my iPhone (and it's not even the iPhone 4, which takes scockingly lovely pictures). Of course I do a little primping in Photoshop, but no amount of amateur retouching can save these photos from themselves.


While I'm making excuses, I'll try this one: I've been sadly lacking in inspiration lately. Not that I haven't been cooking. I've just been cooking the same boring rotation of things I always make: tofu peanut curry, lasagna, pasta in a veggie marinara sauce. Zzzzzzzzz...


So, loyal readers, is there anything you'd like to see me make? Any requests? Ideas? Things from your own repertoire I could put my own spin on? I've reached the point of saturation: every time I open a Food & Wine or check my Chow daily email I think to myself, Already made that, or I don't really eat swordfish, or Baking? Who wants to measure?!


Having said all that, using blue cheese in a pasta sauce was new for me, and I really liked it. The other liquid ingredients cut the pungency of the cheese, but the deep moldy flavor is enough to create a tangy, savory, highly flavored sauce. I think next time I'd cook the butternut squash a little longer, but hey, I was really hungry. If I were going to make this a meaty dish, my first inclination would be to use hot pork sausage, or something whose flavor can stand up to the richness of the sauce. Then again, I know some of you are diehard chicken fans, and you could go that route, too.

Thanks for sticking with me through my existential recipe crisis! And please, leave me a comment or two with requests and inspiration!

INGREDIENTS

2 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced
salt and pepper
3/4 c. white wine
3 cloves garlic, minced
juice of one lemon
~1-2 T. chopped fresh sage
1-2 T. chopped fresh parsley
~1/2 lb. gorgonzola cheese, in chunks
splash of milk (optional)
~1/3 cup pasta cooking water (if needed)
2/3 lb. whole wheat penne pasta

STEP 1:

Pre-heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and oil and let butter melt. Add butternut squash chunks to pan. Let cook without moving for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Shake the pan and cook for about 5 more minutes.

STEP 2:

Add in lemon juice, white wine, garlic, and herbs. Cover and cook for about 10 more minutes, until squash is tender but not mushy. Meanwhile, boil the penne pasta until just below al dente, reserving a little pasta water. Place the spinach in the bottom of a colander, and drain the pasta over the spinach to wilt it. Set aside.

STEP 2:

When squash is tender, uncover the pan and add the gorgonzola. Let melt while stirring. If sauce is too thick, add a splash of milk and/or pasta water. Stir in drained pasta and spinach and stir until well mixed. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve and enjoy!

Meatless Monday: Cauliflower & Caramelized Onion Frittata and Figgy Salad

I will admit upfront that this meal used an absurd amount of dishes. I only sort of anticipated this. And, to be honest, I'm not sure there's a way to cut down on the number of dishes used; some things just are what they are.


Having said that, this would be such an elegant dish to serve at a brunch. It came out light, fluffy, savory, with a hint of sweetness from the onions - definitely a taste winner. There were a few setbacks, however: the aforementioned dishstravaganza; and the fact that the frittata clung stubbornly to the bottom of its baking dish even though I buttered the crap out of it. Next time, I'd cook it in a nonstick pan - like what you'd bake a cake in (9" X 9").


If you're an egg person, you'll probably really like this recipe. It's not as frou-frou as a quiche (not that I'm knocking quiche, I love the stuff), but it's a bit fancier than, say, scrambled eggs and toast for dinner (which I eat embarrassingly often).


This is a Meatless Monday post, but of course you could meat this up a bit. I actually tweaked it from a Food & Wine recipe that used bacon. Bacon would be delicious (DUH), as would ham, sausage, pancetta, etc. The great thing about a recipe like this is you can just take the base ingredients and swap them out to your liking. Hate cauliflower? Swap it for broccoli or asparagus. Not a fan of caramelized onions? You may be crazy, but nonetheless you could skip those, too.


Make this one your own! And go with a nonstick pan, for cryinoutloud - in fact, bring out the Pam spray! You'll thank me later.

INGREDIENTS

Frittata:
8 eggs, beaten
splash of half and half
salt and pepper
2 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
sprinkle of sugar
2 medium (or one giant) onion, halved and sliced thinly
1 T. olive oil
1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets
salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic
sprinkle of water
fresh chopped parsley
lots of freshly grated parmesan cheese

Salad Dressing:
5-6 fresh figs, quartered
~1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
drizzle of honey
salt
squirt of mustard
spring mix
sliced cucumbers
1 medium carrot, sliced
2 T. olive oil

STEP 1:

Heat a pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter and sliced onions. Season with a little salt and pepper. Cook for about 20 minutes, until caramelized. Sprinkle a little sugar over the onions and cook for a few more minutes. Transfer to a plate and allow to cool.

STEP 2:

Heat an ovenproof dish (such as a Dutch oven) over medium-high heat (if you don't have a cooking pot that can transfer from the stovetop to the oven, no worries - just cook the cauliflower, add it to the eggs, then pour it all in a casserole dish). Add a little olive oil, then add the cauliflower, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes, until cauliflower is beginning to turn golden brown. Add about a 1/4 cup water to the pan, add the garlic, cover, and cook until cauliflower is tender, about 8 minutes.

STEP 3:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, beat eggs, half and half, salt and pepper, parsley, and a good amount of parmesan cheese in a large bowl. When the onion is cool, stir it into the egg mixture. When cauliflower is done, scoop it out and allow to cool on a plate. Rinse and wipe out the ovenproof dish. Rub a little butter into the dish. Pour the egg/onion mixture into the dish, then sprinkle the cauliflower around. Top with more grated parmesan. Bake until frittata is set, about 30 minutes. When set, switch oven to broil, and cook under the broiler until the top is brown in places.

STEP 4:

While the frittata is baking, put the balsamic and figs (with a pinch of salt) in a small saucepan, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes, until figs have basically disintegrated into the vinegar. Remove from heat, transfer to food processor, add squeeze of honey, and process until smooth. Add the mustard. Process again, and drizzle the olive oil in through the top until the mixture is emulsified. Set aside while you get the salad greens ready. Toss the greens with the dressing. Slice the frittata into pieces, serve with the salad, and enjoy!

Baked Rigatoni with Mushrooms

If there's anything positive about the short Chicago summer melting into fall, it's that it's easier to plan meals around cheese melting into pasta.


These past few days have felt particularly autumnal, and since tonight was a lazy night in, a baked pasta dish sounded perfect. I basically took the idea of baked ziti - which I used to eat, in a very rudimentary form, in college, all the time - and twisted it a little bit.


Using whole wheat pasta and adding mushrooms boosts the nutrition (as does serving it with a big green salad, which I did), and, while tons of melty cheese isn't exactly health food, it does add protein (and, obviously, it's ridiculously delicious).


This dish takes awhile to make, especially if you make the sauce from scratch, but on a Sunday, when you have plenty of time, it's totally worth it. It was soooo delicious. Ross, against his better judgment, ate two huge platefuls, then moaned in pain afterward. Still - totally worth it.


Happy Fall, everyone!

INGREDIENTS

2 T. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 rib celery, diced
salt and pepper
red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large can whole fire-roasted tomatoes and all juices
fresh chopped parsley
fresh chopped basil
sprinkle dried oregano
~1/3 cup half and half

1 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
1 container baby bella (cremini) mushrooms, sliced
~1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

~10 oz. whole wheat (or regular) rigatoni
1 baseball-sized ball mozzarella, torn into large pieces
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt, red pepper flakes, and dried oregano for sprinkling on top

STEP 1:
Make the tomato sauce [note: if you're in a hurry, you could skip this and use any jarred marinara sauce you like]: heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium high heat. Cook the onions, carrots, and celery until browning in some places. Season with salt and pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir in the garlic and cook for about a minute. Add the tomatoes and chopped fresh herbs and oregano. Stir, cover, and turn the heat down to medium low. Cook, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon every now and again, until tomatoes have broken down and sauce has reduced a little. Use an immersion blender to puree the sauce (or skip this). Turn off the heat and stir in the half and half. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cover and set aside, off the heat.

STEP 2:
Boil the noodles until slightly less cooked than al dente (they'll continue to cook while baking). Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and oil. When the butter is melted, add the mushrooms, and allow to cook without stirring or shaking the pan for about 5 minutes. Then stir and continue to cook for a few more minutes, until some of their water has cooked off. Pour in the balsamic and stir until it evaporates a bit. Add salt and pepper and continue to cook until many of the mushrooms have dark edges. Remove from heat and stir into the marinara sauce.

STEP 3:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. When the noodles are done, stir them into the pot with the marinara and mushrooms. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish. Top with the mozzarella and parmesan. Sprinkle a little salt, red pepper flakes, and oregano over the top. Bake for about 30 minutes, until edges look bubbly. Switch the oven mode to broil and cook for another few minutes, until the cheese has a lot of brown crispy spots. Serve and enjoy!

Sardine Mousse & Argula Manchego Salad

YOU: Sardine mousse? Really? Really?


ME: Really!

I have been wanting to experiment with sardines for awhile now, because, according to
several reliable sources, they're magic in a can! Plus, there's something so rustic and decidedly low-rent about eating fish from a little tin. I feel like I should also be sporting a handlebar moustache and smoking from a pipe while wearing my tattered argyle sweater vest.


I conceived the idea for sardine mousse...well, I don't remember when, exactly. But having semi-recently had chicken liver mousse at a restaurant and really liking it, and having been experimenting with my food processor, I thought I'd try my hand at a fancy classic. And it was good!

It tasted, actually, a lot like tuna salad. And who doesn't like the occasional tuna salad? It was definitely a bit "fishier" tasting, but not in the creepy maybe-this-is-too-old-to-eat way. It was pleasant. And I got to fantasize that I was wearing a gauzy white tunic, standing on a rocky cliff overlooking a hidden little fishing village somewhere near...this place:

Or this one:


Maybe even this one:


You get the idea. On crisp grilled toast, with a nice fresh salad and a fancy pants clementine soda, the sardine mousse was a perfect lunch. And my nutrient-fortified body agrees!



INGREDIENTS

1 tin sardines packed in olive oil
1/3 stick butter, room temperature
spoonful of mayonnaise
1 clove garlic
salt
pepper
red pepper flakes
3 slices French bread, sliced about 1/2" thin on a deep bias
a little olive oil for brushing
fresh chopped parsley for garnish

handful baby arugula
a few slices manchego cheese
1 roasted red pepper, chopped
small drizzle olive oil
small drizzle balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

STEP 1:
Add all the mousse ingredients to the food processor and process until smooth, scraping down sides of the processor as needed. Meanwhile, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Rub a little olive oil onto the bread slices. When the pan's hot, grill them, using something heavy (like a cast-iron pot) to weigh them down so they get pronounced grill marks (this is not required, but it speeds up the process). When the bread has nice grill marks, spread some mousse on each piece and top with parsley.

STEP 2:
Make the salad: in a bowl, toss the arugula with the olive oil, salt and pepper, and balsamic. Scatter the manchego and red peppers on top. Serve with the sardine mousse and enjoy!

Chicken Rosé & Basil Smashed Potatoes

Rather than use this space to discuss the finer points of the flavors in this dish*, I'm going to use it to rant about my food annoyance du jour (because it's my blog, dammit): FROZEN MEALS.


I realize I'm probably preaching to the converted; if you're reading a cooking blog, you're probably not the type to throw a Lean Cuisine in the microwave and call it dinner. (Clearly, that logic isn't going to stop me.) My deep-seated loathing of frozen meals started at work. Day after day, I queue up outside one of our 2 office microwaves...and wait. And wait. And wait, while some of my illustrious coworkers heat their Healthy Choice ("healthy" choice) fettuccine alfredos ("fettucine alfredos") for upwards of 6 minutes per meal. SIX. MINUTES. When you're starving, have 15 minutes to eat between meetings, and have been thinking about your, say, leftover Chicken Rosé since 9:00 a.m., six minutes might as well be the Mesozoic Era.


I bet you thought I was going to rave about their staggering list of ingredients, their extreme over-processed-ness, and/or their general lack of nutrition. Nope. That all goes without saying. I have more faith in the American consumer (especially the fine folks of my ad agency) than to think that they actually believe that fettuccine alfredo created months ago, shuttled from warehouse to truck to warehouse to frozen food case, then reheated in a plastic container could be healthy, let alone truly satisfying. My biggest issue with those Lean Healthy Cuisine Choice meals is that they're masquerading as real meal in the first place: clocking in, on average, at around 250 calories, there is no way they could legitimately fill up an adult human being. And when you're not satisfied at lunch, the stale bagels from this morning's meeting start to not look so bad, after all.


You've probably stopped reading by now, but if you haven't - I salute you. And I apologize for surrounding these delicious looking photos with my blatant high horsery. In conclusion, I hope you make this for dinner tomorrow, and pack the leftovers for Thursday's lunch. And I really, really hope you don't get stuck behind a Stouffer's single-serve Mac 'n' Cheese.

*I couldn't completely ignore the dish at hand. This was mega delish! I named it Chicken Rosé because I used up some leftover red and white wine. If you're not a boozehound like me, feel free to pick one or the other, although I'd lean toward red to maintain the rich, coq au vin-esque flavors of the original. The sour cream was a downright naughty addition, but boy did it make for a silky, tangy sauce. The smashed potatoes offered a nice textural contrast and a pleasant brightness from the basil, although if you really wanted to knock someone's socks off, a traditionally made creamy, smooth mashed potato would be elegant and incredibly tasty. I hope you love it as much as I did!

INGREDIENTS

1-2 T. olive oil
6-7 chicken drumsticks, skin removed
salt and pepper
3 T. butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 lg. container button mushrooms
1 lg. container baby bella mushrooms
~1/2 cup red wine
2-3 T. balsamic vinegar
2 bay leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced
handful chopped fresh parsley
~1/2 cup white wine
~1/2 cup chicken broth
~1/3 cup light sour cream

8-10 small, thin-skinned potatoes (like baby Yukon Gold)
2 T. butter
salt and pepper
~1/3 cup milk
~1/3 cup chicken broth
2 T. chopped fresh basil

frozen peas
salt and pepper

STEP 1:
Heat a Dutch oven or big pot over medium high heat. Add the olive oil, and brown the chicken (in 2 batches if neccessary), seasoning with salt and pepper. Turn chicken and brown on the other side. Remove and set aside on a platter.

STEP 2:
Reduce the heat a bit, add butter to the pan, let melt a bit, then add the onion and mushrooms. Cook, stirring, for a couple minutes. Then add the red wine and balsamic vinegar. Boil uncovered for about 10 minutes, until the mixture gets a little dry (the liquid should reduce by about half).

STEP 3:
Return the chicken to the pot. Add all the rest of the chicken ingredients except the sour cream. The liquid should just barely cover the chicken (with maybe a few little pieces sticking above the liquid line). Cook on medium high (it should be boiling), uncovered, for about 15 minutes.

STEP 4:
Once again remove the chicken from the liquid and set aside on a plate. Continue to cook the liquid until it's reduced by about half. Turn the heat down to medium and stir in the sour cream. Continue to cook until the mixture has thickened to a gravy-like consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings. Return the chicken to the pot, cover, and keep warm on low until ready to serve.

STEP 5:
Meanwhile, boil the potatoes until very tender. Drain. Return the cooking pot to the burner, and reduce heat to low. Add butter to the pot and let melt a bit. Return potatoes to the pot while still very hot, and begin to smash with a masher or the back of a wooden spoon (you want a chunky consistency, not creamy smoothness). Add the basil, milk, chicken broth, and salt and pepper.

STEP 6:
Cook your peas in a little water until hot. Drain, return to pot, and season. Scoop some smashed potatoes onto each plate and top with 2-3 chicken drumsticks as well as some mushroom "gravy." Serve peas alongside. Enjoy!

Red Pepper & Walnut Pesto AND Corniest Corn Chowder

OMG where have I been?!


Well, let's see: after my AMAZING birthday trip to Punta de Mita, Mexico [surfing La Lancha, deep-sea fishing for swordfish, relaxing by the pool, snorkeling, sun soaking, pina colada sipping, guacamole overdosing], Ross and I embarked on the Great New Apartment Adventure! We are now in a MUCH more spacious and completely adorable one bedroom right in the heart of Lakeview.


Not a week went by after my return from Mexico that I was whisked away to LA for work (not the most terrible place to work, I must admit). Amidst the travel, the moving, then being swallowed up in a downright challenging barrage of work and social activities, I didn't cook a thing for the entire month of August (unless you count late-night scrambled eggs on toast, which, frankly, you shouldn't).


All excuses aside, to my loyal blog fans: many apologies for my absence, but here's to looking forward to an autumn filled with squash, cider, and cozy nights at home (in front of our WORKING FIREPLACE!!!). And check out our "Urban Surf Shack" bedroom:

Sascha Fierce is enjoying the extra room to run wild, Ross is loving his very own Surfboard Storage Space, and I'm loving my big, open, granite-countertop-boasting kitchen (WITH A DISHWASHER!!!)...in which, I promise you with this post, I will be creating more of the delicious meals you've come to expect. So, as atonement for my laziness, please enjoy not one but TWO Fearless recipes that will take you from late summer to early fall.

RED PEPPER,WALNUT, & TOMATO PESTO

INGREDIENTS

1 6-oz. can tomato paste
1 jar roasted red peppers
~1 cup walnut halves/pieces
big handful basil leaves
1/2 bunch parsley
6-8 kalamata olives
salt to taste
juice of one lemon
~1/4 cup water
~1/3 c. olive oil
1 box whole wheat penne pasta (or any other pasta you like)
grated Parmesan cheese for topping


STEP 1:

Place all ingredients except pasta and Parmesan into food processor and blend until smooth. With the blade running, drizzle in the olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.

STEP 2:

Meanwhile, boil the noodles in salted water until al dente. Drain and return to cooking pot. Toss with the sauce and heat on low to warm sauce through. Serve topped with Parmesan. Enjoy!

CORNIEST CORN CHOWDER

INGREDIENTS

3 T. butter
1 small onion (or 1/2 a large onion), diced small
salt and pepper
red pepper flakes
10 cobs fresh corn, husked
3 cloves garlic, sliced
~1/2 carton chicken broth (probably about 2 cups)
1/2 pint half and half
4-5 large fresh basil leaves, in ribbons
sour cream, grape tomatoes, and fresh basil for garnish


STEP 1:
With a sharp knife, cut the kernels off the corn cobs into a large bowl. Meanwhile, heat a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Melt the butter in the pot. Add the onion, corn kernels, and salt/pepper/red pepper flakes. Stir and let cook until onions begin to get translucent.

STEP 2:
Add enough chicken broth just to cover the kernels. Add the garlic and basil, stir, then cover and cook over medium high heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, and adding a little chicken broth if the mixture seems to be getting a little dry.

STEP 3:
Use an immersion blender to break down most of the corn kernels - you want a soup that's not pureed, but that's creamier than cream corn. You could also do this step in a blender or food processor. If you want it chunkier, leave more kernels. If you want it creamier, puree the heck out of it.

STEP 4:
Reduce the heat a bit and stir in the half and half. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve in bowls topped with quartered grape tomatoes, slivered basil leaves, and a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!

Pesto Cavatappi for Carnivores, Omnivores & Cats

It's time for Adventures in Food Processing, Part 2!


I basically don't want to make anything now unless it requires using my amazing new machine, and luckily I've been accumulating mental notes - for literally years now - on things I'd like to make but really couldn't (not properly, anyway). Pesto was one such thing.

I love pesto. I love this pesto. And if Rachel Zoe had joined us for dinner (were she to ever do something as silly as eat), I feel sure she'd think this pesto is BUH-NAH-NAS. I sure did. The boys for whom I was cooking had lovely chicken chunks in theirs, while I stuck to a monokini-friendly vegetable medley mixed into mine.


Speaking of bananas, you know what else is bananas? Cat playdates. Lest you think that my life consists of dressing fabulously and flitting around from photo shoot to client dinner to chic speakeasys (admit it, this is what you think), I can assure you much more of my time is spent doing things almost-but-not-quite as dorky as staging a real life feline Match.com encounter.

Explanation: Ross and I will be in Mexico all next week [pause to allow jealousy to soak in], and our beloved Sascha Fierce will be traveling north to Edgewater to stay with her Uncle Joshua and (hopefully future life partner) Ernest. (See picture below for evidence of adorability.)


As far as cat playdates go, this one went shockingly well! It was more like a three-hour staring contest between the cats while the humans enjoyed a delicious pesto pasta concoction. Sascha is veritably trembling with excitement to reunite with her new friend Ernest for a whole week of barely-civil staring! Thanks so much to Joshua, Colin, and Ernest for being such gracious hosts, and for watching over Mommy's little angel as she rings in her 28th year by drinking her weight in margaritas.



INGREDIENTS

1 bag whole wheat cavatappi pasta (or any short pasta, like penne or shells)
1 red bell pepper, in large chunks
1 red onion, in chunks
1 yellow squash, in chunks
1 zucchini, in chunks
olive oil
salt and pepper and red pepper flakes
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, in large chunks

Pesto:

1 large bunch basil
1/2 bunch parsley
1/2 c. pine nuts, lightly toasted
big handful walnuts, lightly toasted
big chunk parmegiano reggiano, in 1-inch chunks
olive oil
flax oil
salt to taste
juice of half a lemon

STEP 1:

Make the pesto: put all ingredients except oils into food processor and process until close to smooth. While the processor is on, drizzle in the oil until pesto reaches desired consistency (I'm quite sure I used much less oil than you'd find in commercially made pestos, and it was delicious - I probably used a half cup at most, and it made A LOT of pesto).

STEP 2:

Boil the pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat a pan over medium high heat. Add a little olive oil, then cook the onion/bell pepper/squash/zucchini until tender, seasoning to taste.

STEP 3:

In another pan on medium high heat, heat a little more olive oil, and cook the chicken until done all the way through, seasoning as you go. Add the pasta and pesto to the pot you cooked the pasta in. Toss in the veggies (and chicken, if everyone is eating chicken), serve, and enjoy!

Roasted Poblano & Cilantro Hummus

This post brought to you by the month of August - my birthday month!


When my dad called and asked if there was anything I wanted for my birthday, I didn't skip a beat when I answered, "A food processor!" It's rather shameful that someone who loves to cook as much as I do would have gone this long without one, isn't it? I had one for a brief period of time that I paid $25 for. You get what you pay for: it broke after 3 uses.


Lucky for me, I have a dad who's well-versed in electronics and home appliances, and he found an amazing deal on a really nice 14-cup Cuisinart that blends like a dream! Hummus was the first thing I made, although my first batch contained no tahini (Trader Joe's doesn't sell it) and was waaaaay too garlicky. Rather than perfect my base recipe like I promised myself I would, I immediately began thinking of creative things to add to my hummus. A roasted poblano version was at the top of the list.

I have to say, once I got the garlic issue under control and finally got my hands on some tahini, my hummus improved dramatically! I think the only thing I'd change about this one is the liquidity level - I put in a little reserved chickpea liquid, but the water that's naturally in the peppers was plenty; next time I'll leave out the liquid and hopefully achieve hummus with a slightly thicker consistency. Despite that, the taste was fantastic - and I know it'll only get better as it sits and the flavors meld. Even for you hummus purists, this is a must-try.

INGREDIENTS

1 can chickpeas (reserve the liquid from the can)
2 poblano peppers
big handful cilantro leaves
2 T. tahini
juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic
salt
avocado oil (or sub olive, canola, or safflower oil)

STEP 1:

Roast the poblanos: lay one pepper at a time directly on the flame of a gas burner, on medium heat. Let the skin char, turning as necessary with tongs, until the whole pepper is blackened. Repeat with the other pepper. Place both peppers in a plastic tupperware container with the lid on. Let sit for about 10-15 minutes, then scrape the blackened skin off and discard it. Discard the stem and attached cluster of seeds (a few seeds in the hummus is fine - it adds a nice spice). Cut into large chunks. Place in food processor.

STEP 2:

Drain the chickpeas over a bowl, reserving the liquid from the can. Place the chickpeas, cilantro, garlic, lemon juice, and tahini in the food processor.

STEP 3:

Begin to puree the hummus, and while the food processor is on, drizzle in the avocado oil until the mixture looks like hummus is supposed to look. Remove food processor lid and taste the hummus, then add salt as needed. Blend hummus again, adding a little of the reserved chickpea liquid if the hummus is too thick. Serve with veggies, chips, or tortillas. Enjoy!

Eat well and enjoy life! More soon...

Meatless Monday: Peanut-Sauced-Veggie Lettuce Wraps

Today was marked by a severe hangover. A mac 'n' cheese hangover.


One of my dearest friends requested that I cook "mac 'n' cheese two ways" for her boyfriend's birthday, and, as that meant I myself would be invited to enjoy the feast, I was only too happy to oblige. But after a couple hours of sauce-tasting and cheese-nibbling, followed by the meal itself (followed by - brace yourself - cheesecake), I was feeling...less than svelte.


Enter Meatless Monday. I was thrilled that after I tallied up the ingredients for this dish, it turned out to be vegan! I figure that after the dairy damage I did last night, a purely plant-based meal was called for. Nonetheless, what a voluptuous tasting meal it was!


The peanut sauce and tofu give it a lush richness, while the crispness of the lettuce and serving the rice cold make it totally summer-worthy. This would be dynamite with chicken instead of tofu, and if you wanted to skip the zillion-ingredient peanut sauce, a nice bottled Asian stir-fry sauce would be a dandy switch as well.


My continued apologies, dear readers, for my sporadic posts! I have vowed to cook up a storm from now till I head to Mexico in two weeks - it's simply the only way I won't sink my surfboard! To your health!

INGREDIENTS

Peanut Sauce:

2 T. sesame oil
several big spoonfuls natural peanut butter
big squeeze of honey
squeeze of Sriracha
a few vigorous shakes tamari or soy sauce
juice of one lime
several vigorous dashes rice wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
cilantro, chopped

Veggies/Filling:

1 T. olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
shelled edamame
broccolini, chopped
2 carrots, sliced thinly on the bias
1/3 block tofu, in small chunks

Lettuce leaves from one head of iceberg
cooked white or brown rice, cold or warm

STEP 1:

Make the sauce: whisk together all ingredients and set aside.

STEP 2:

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Squeeze excess moisture out of the tofu with paper towels, and cook the chunks in a dry pan until golden brown on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside.

STEP 3:

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and carrots to pan. Cook until onions get lightly brown at the edges. Add the broccolini, tofu pieces, and peanut sauce.

STEP 4:

Serve the rice and lettuce leaves alongside the veggie mixture. Place a little rice and veggies in each lettuce leaf, roll up like a burrito, and enjoy!

Lemony Rockfish, Jeweled Couscous & Wilted Spinach

Somebody has a case of Summertime Fevaaahh, baby!


Oh yeah. That would be me. How can I stay inside on the internetz, blogging away, when I could be outside playing volleyball (terribly), paddleboarding (dangerously), visiting the Chicago Greenmarket (hungrily), or patio drinking (heavily)?


So I apologize for my less-frequent posts (or, for those of you who hate seeing it pop up in your newsfeeds coughjerkscoughcough, you're welcome). But the sun has been out! The bikini has been on! And the fun just hasn't stopped!


Yes, I've been cooking. But I've also been wolfing down whatever I've made in attempt to return to the glorious agenda of summertime activities as quickly as possible. Until I get my blogging act together and give the people more posts, please enjoy this light, healthy, summery and delicious fish dish! (Warning: this makes a boatload of couscous - which bodes well for all your BBQ and potluck picnic needs.)

INGREDIENTS

2 rockfish (or other white fish) fillets
flour for dredging
olive oil and butter (don't be a wimp about it)
a couple cloves of garlic, minced
juice of one lemon
salt and pepper
parsley for garnish

1 cup whole wheat couscous
1 large shallot, minced
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
roasted red peppers, drained and cut into small pieces
kalamata olives (no pits)
capers
cucumber, small dice
fresh chopped parsley

lots of spinach (I used a 10-oz bag)
olive oil
squeeze of lemon juice
salt and pepper

STEP 1:

Heat a skillet. Add some olive oil and butter. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute. Meanwhile, pat the fish very dry. Dredge it lightly in the flour and tap off the excess. When the oil and pan are very hot, cook the fish until it's brown and crisp on one side. Flip it and cook until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove from pan and set aside. Deglaze the pan with the lemon juice, then pour the pan sauce over the fish.

STEP 2:

Meanwhile, heat a little olive oil in a pot with tight fitting lid. Cook the couscous according to package directions. When it has absorbed the water, stir in the cucumbers, peppers, capers, and all the rest of the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.

STEP 3:

In another pot, heat a little more olive oil. Put the spinach in and cover it. Wilt it down to your desired level of wiltiness. Season with salt and pepper and lemon juice. Serve the fish with couscous and the spinach. Enjoy!

Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Peanut Sauce & Veggies

Yet another reason to keep a well-stocked pantry: the ability to make peanut sauce at a moment's notice.


This sauce has a similar flavor profile to Pad Thai: salty, sweet, sour, and spicy. All its components are long-keeping, so once you buy them, you'll have them until you run out, and can make this easy peanut sauce again and again. I pour it over soba noodles, tofu, use it as a base for stir-frying veggies - it's really versatile.


It tastes just right on shrimp, and it's rich enough that a light meal of just shrimp and an Asian-inspired veggie mix is completely satisfying - especially on a sweltering summer night.


INGREDIENTS

about 1 lb. raw peeled and deveined shrimp
1 red onion, in large chunks
1/2 pint grape tomatoes
1 bunch fresh bok choy, cut into pieces
1 yellow bell pepper, in chunks
big handful sugar snap peas
handful fresh cilantro, chopped
sesame oil
salt and pepper

FOR PEANUT SAUCE:
big scoop natural peanut butter
about 1/3 cup tamari or regular soy sauce
squeeze of Sriracha
a few tablespoons brown sugar
several dashes rice wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
juice of one lime
1-2 T. sesame oil


DIRECTIONS

STEP 1:

Whisk together all the peanut sauce ingredients and set aside. Create the skewers: if you're cooking them on an outdoor gas or charcoal grill, soak the skewers first for about 30 minutes. If you're cooking them on a grill pan, no need to pre-soak. Place shrimp, some onion, and grape tomatoes on the skewers, alternating each ingredient.

STEP 2:

Preheat a grill pan over medium high heat. Also preheat a pan for the veggie saute. When the pan for the veggies saute is hot, add some sesame oil, then add the veggies, seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until veggies are crisp-tender.

STEP 3:

Cook the skewers on the grill pan, spooning or brushing the peanut sauce onto them. Flip each skewer and cook on the other side until the shrimp are cooked through. Serve and enjoy!


Hope you're having a delicious, relaxing summer! More soon...