Red Lentil Soup with Lemon

Delish! If you haven't read In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite: 150 Recipes and Stories About Food You Love, by Melissa Clark, you need to. Not only is it a fun read but full of amazing recipes. I started bookmarking all the ones I wanted to make and quit after the first 10 because the list encompassed almost all the recipes in the book! This is the first one I tackled. Her recipes are very straight forward and in my opinion pretty simple. They don't have hard to find ingredients with immediately deters me from trying a recipe. Melissa cooks like I do. She tries a dish at some one's house or in a restaurant and immediately goes home and tries to figure out how to make it in her own kitchen. I hope you enjoy the red lentils. They are more delicate than the typical green or french lentils. They are perfect for soups because they almost dissolve into the broth of any soup. Pairing red lentils a touch of tomato paste, cumin and lemon is brilliant! I LOVED this soup! I made some changes only because I didn't have all the ingredients in the kitchen. First I added about 1/4 cup of couscous because I didn't measure correctly at the bulk bin when I was getting my red lentils. After reading the original recipe in Melissa's book-substituting one cup of lentils for bulgar I figured I could do something similar in me rendition (and it worked!) I didn't have 2 quarts of broth so I used a bit more water and a bullion cube. I'm never sure what two large carrots look like so I used 4 medium to small ones. See what I mean about making a recipe your own!

Red Lentil Soup with Lemon

serves 4-6

4 T good EVOO
2 large onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 t ground cumin
1/2 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t chili powder
pinch of cayenne
1 quart Chicken or Vegetable Broth
4 C water
1 bullion cube
1 1/2 C red lentils (or 2 C lentils and no couscous)
1/4 C couscous
2 large carrots (or so)
juice of one lemon
1/3 C chopped Cilantro

In a large pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and saute until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, cumin, salt, pepper, chili powder and cayenne, saute about 2 minutes. Add the broth, water, lentils, couscous and carrots. Bring to a simmer and cover. Simmer until lentils and carrots are soft, about 30-40 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Use an immersion blender to to puree half or all the soup. When ready to serve, stir in lemon juice and serve with cilantro and a drizzle of good olive oil.

Spaghetti with Swiss Chard and Garlic Chips

Yes it has been a LONG while since I posted. To be fair A LOT has happened since the last post... almost a year ago. The biggest and most important is the birth of my beautiful, amazing and perfect baby girl! She was born on September 3rd! Which was not only her due date but also our 5 year wedding anniversary! What a perfect present. Her is a picture of her. She is 3 months old in this picture and we love her to pieces!We have been doing a lot of cooking. I froze a ton of meals prior to Marin's arrival to get us through those tough nights. I would say we did pretty good. We seem to go out of dinner a bit more then normal but we stayed true to our commitment to cook healthy meals. I have since returned to work. I am beyond sad about leaving Marin but it has to be done. I know life will continue to get even busier and more hectic then it already is but I want to return to actively posting on this blog. I have really enjoyed it and look forward to getting back into it!

Here is a delicious dish we made. I'm sure some of you are a bit sceptical but this was really good and different. Don't let the Swiss chard scare you because this is well worth it and easy weeknight meal. Super simple ingredients and pretty healthy too. We pulled this out of the archives in Gourmet 2006

Ingredients:

1/4 C evoo

1 head garlic, peeled and thinly sliced (only used 8-10 cloves)

1 onion, finely chopped

1/2 C dried currants (used raisins)

1 bunch of green Swiss Chard, stems and center ribs finely chopped and leaves coarsely chopped separately

1/2 C water

1 box spaghetti (used whole wheat)

1/2 C Kalamata olives, sliced

1/2 C feta, crumbled

Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat, add garlic, stirring until golden, about 2-3 minutes. Make sure you keep a good eye on it because it can turn from golden to burnt pretty quickly. Transfer garlic with slotted spoon to paper towel lined plate to drain.

Cook onion in remaining oil over medium heat until softened (about 5 minutes). Add currants or raisins, stirring until they begin to plump up.

Stir in the chard stems and water and 3/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Cook covered over med-high heat (about 5 minutes). Stir in chard leaves and continue to cook covered until tender (another 5 minutes).

In the meantime, cook pasta. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water.

Toss spaghetti with chard, olives, 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, adding more if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with feta and garlic chips.

Vegetable Tian

Barefoot in Paris, close your eyes and just think about walking in the green, green grass park that lies adjacent to the Iffel Tower. Oh, Paris in the spring time! I remember enjoying quite a few picnics in the park with Dave during our stay in Paris. We would dine on the typical Parisian far, always a bottle of red wine and a large crusy baguette and some soft cheese. Yep, that's it, well sometimes we would add some nice salty olives to the mix. Okay now open your eyes and keep Paris in your mind but now add Ina Garten to the picture! She is a brilliant women who never ceases to dissapoint me. Her recipes are easy to follow and simple to prepare. Always delicious, always impressive.

Vegetable Tian

evoo
2 large yellow onions, cut in half and sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound medium round potatoes, unpeeled (used Yukon Golds)
3/4 pound zucchini (2 medium)
1 1/4 pounds medium tomatoes (3 large)
1 t kosher salt
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
1 T fresh thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs
2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (used parmesan)

Preheat the oven to 375.
Brush a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with olive oil. In a medium saute pan, heat 2 T of evoo and cook the onions over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Spread the onion mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.

Slice the potatoes, zucchini, and tomatoes in 1/4-inch thick slices. Layer them alternately in the dish on top of the onions, fitting them tightly, making only 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme leaves, and thyme sprigs and drizzle with 1 more T of evoo. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Uncover the dish, remove the thyme sprigs, sprinkle the cheese on top, and bake for another 30 minutes until browned. Serve warm.

Source: Barefoot in Paris

Halibut with Clementine Gremolata

Oh this is so good! So good in fact, that we are making it again tonight! I'm sitting here typing while smelling the sweet citrus aroma as Dave slices and dices!
Gremolata is an Italian garnish that is traditionally made with parsley, garlic, and lemon zest. Replacing the lemon for clementines adds an amazing and different citrus touch. I don't know about you, but I can't get enough of the little clementines. I eat at least two with my lunch each day and another couple when I get home! We kept the measurements the same for the gremolata for two fillets versus four because it it that good! This is a really quick meal to put together on a weeknight or you could really impress some guests with this meal for a special occasion.

Clementine Gremolata
3 clementines
1/3 C chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t salt
1/4 c evoo

Fish
1 clementine
4 6-ounce halibut fillets
evoo for drizzling
parchment paper

Gremolata: Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel (orange part only) of the clementines. Chop peel (eat the reserved flesh while you chop or add them to a side salad!) Combine peel, chopped parsley, minced garlic, and salt in a small bowl. Stir in evoo and set gremolata aside.

Fish: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a vegetable peeler, remove peel of clementine in four 2-inch-long strips. Cut four 12-inch squares of parchment paper. Place halibut fillet in center of each parchment square. Sprinkle with salt and ground black pepper. Drizzle halibut lightly with oil. Place clementine peel strip, cut side up, on each fillet. Bring 2 edges of parchment together along long side of fillet and fold parchment edges together 3-4 times. Tuck both remaining edges of parchment underneath fillet to create a packet and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining fish fillets.
Bake fish until just opaque in center, about 18 minutes. Remove rimmed baking sheet from oven, unwrap fish and place onto plates. Spoon gremolata over and serve.

Source: BonAppetit

Eggplant Parmesan

It has been a while since we visited the grocery. Living in a tourist town makes getting around over the holidays very tough. You really dont' want to go to the store the two weeks surrounding Christmas and New Year's. Needless to say the only time I went was at 7am. I think Dave had to go a few times on his way home from work but only to buy a few nessesities. So when we finally got to the grocery on a Tuesday after New Year's our cubbards were ready. We hadn't really made a firm list and decided our dinner menu as we walked through the produce section. Dave eyed the eggplants and we were off. Dinner would be Eggplant Parm with the leftover Puttanesca sauce we had in the fridge. (More on that sauce in a later post.) This was by far the best Eggplant Parm I have ever had. I truely mean it, amazing and obviously even better two days later for lunch. We always bake our eggplant rather then fry it. Its easier and less messy. I think it tastes just as good. This time around we decided to use up some ricotta we had in the fridge and this added yet another level to how delicious this dish was. The Puttanesca sauce put it over the top. Dave says we should keep this on hand at all times in our freezer. Thank you Rebekah for handing over this recipe!! I'm pretty sure that Dave likes it more then my traditional sauce!

Eggplant Parmesan

1 medium eggplant

1 large egg

1/4 C milk

bread crumbs

1/2 C ricotta

1/4 C grated Parmesan

1 C grated mozarella

2 C tomato sauce

Preheated oven to 400. Slice the eggplant. Whisk the egg and milk in a large bowl. Pour enough bread crumbs onto a plate. Place a few sliced of eggplant in the milk mixture and let them sit for a few minutes. Using your hands, take one eggplant allowing the milk to drip off and coat it in the bread crumbs. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining eggplant. Bake for 20 minutes until crisp and lightly browned. Pour a 1/4 cup of sauce and coat the bottom of a large baking dish. Place a layer of eggplant in the dish. Dollop ricotta on each eggplant and sprinkle with parmesan and mozarella. Pour sauce over eggplant and cheese. Repeat with remaining eggplant, cheese and sauce. Cook for 20 minutes at 400.

Christmas Morning Eggs Benedict

We had a busy Christmas morning. After indulging in a festive but huge dinner we just couldn't make it out to the Christmas eve service. So we got up early made some coffee and opened up our stocking presents, took the dogs out and then hopped in the car and raced over to Breckenridge for the 9am service. Returned home and plopped on the couch to open up presents... and keep opening up presents. Man, did we get spoiled this year (and every year). By the time we were finished it was 1pm. We headed into the kitchen and whipped up our favorite eggs Benedict. Oh it was so good. So good in fact that I forgot to take a picture before digging in, hence my half eaten plate. I couldn't even finish my second English muffin because it was so big! We received a gift package of English muffins from Nancy and saved these huge ones for sky scraper eggs Benedict!

I really think that eggs Benedict is a pretty easy recipe but oh so elegant and so good! This recipe goes way back in and brings back some great memories. We moved to Colorado in October of 2000. We thought that it was just the four of us (Casey, Chris, Dave and me and George) Over the next year we found out just how many moved out west. There was something like 30 of us between Boulder, Denver, Summit County, Vail and Aspen. It was lots of fun and made living so far from family not so hard. So needless to say our couches were always full on weekends. I made lots of breakfasts for our couch surfers! One in particular was eggs Benedict. In fact my two roommates from college Leila and Erin bought me a egg poacher! I remember opening it and thinking, hmm, this is interesting but why do I need this kitchen gadget? I quickly found out why, they both told me this was so I could make eggs Benedict more easily. Now I got it!! It was not just to ease my time in the kitchen but to make it more frequently!! Needless to say I think of them each time we make this and it brings a smile to my face to think of all the great times we had with our college group before most of them moved back east. Good times!

Sky Scrapper Eggs Benedict
2 sticks unsalted butter
3 egg yolks
1 T fresh lemon juice
white pepper
salt
2 English Muffins
4 eggs

Melt the butter and set aside. After the butter has rested, carefully skim off the white fat. Leaving behind the clear butter. (This is clarified butter.). In a saucepan over very low heat whisk the egg yolks constantly until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. (Be careful not the scramble the yolks.) Add the butter one spoonful at a time to the yolks, whisking constantly. Do not add the solids that have separated and fallen to the bottom of the butter bowl. Once finished adding the butter remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the lemon juice a dash of white pepper and salt.

Toast your muffin and poach your eggs and assemble topping your sky scrapper with the decedent and sinful Hollandaise.

Topping your muffin:
We change it up, but never the traditional Canadian bacon.

Here are a few ideas:
Saute a large handful of fresh spinach with a touch of evoo, lemon juice and salt and pepper
Sliced avocado
Sliced tomato
Bacon
Vegi Sausage

Christmas Eve Dinner

We had a wonderful evening sitting near the fire just the two of us sipping Champagne and eating shrimp cocktail before our delicious dinner.

One the menu this chilly evening:

Simple Greens with vinaigrette and shaved Parmesan

Mushroom Risotto

Scallops for me

Fillet for Dave

Sliced Pears for dessert

Lemon Mushroom Risotto

1 C arborio rice

6-8 C chicken broth

1 shallot, finely diced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 T butter

1 t evoo

6-8 mushrooms diced

1/2 C freshly grated Parmesan

lemon zest

salt and fresh cracked pepper

Heat broth in a pot until warm and cover. In another heavy bottomed saucepan melt the butter and evoo, saute the shallot, garlic and mushrooms until translucent. Add the rice and cook for 2 minute. Add enough broth to cover the rice and cook stirring frequently until most of the liquid in absorbed. Once absorbed add another ladle full of broth and continue stirring until most of the liquid is absorbed. Continue process until the rice is tender but firm to the bite about 35-45 minutes. At this point the risotto should be creamy and delicious looking! Remove from heat and add the zest of one lemon, salt and fresh cracked pepper and grated Parmesan.

For the Steak:

Allow the filet to come to room tempurature. Salt and pepper each side. Dave broiled his steak because it was way too cold to venture outside to the grill. He broiled it for 8 minutes for a perfect medium rare steak.

For the Scallops:

Remove the tough muscle from each scallop. Wash and pat dry. Lightly salt and pepper each scallop. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 T of butter and a touch of evoo. Gently place the scallops in the pan and cook with out touching for 2 on each side, until they carmelize and have a nice brown crust.