Tuna Potato Salad with Green Beans

When I'm pressed to choose a favorite food, potatoes are always towards the top of my list. I love them as a part of every meal, from crispy hash browns to creamy mashed potatoes. Potatoes are great on their own, and also work very well as part of a dish. I love potato salad, and I think this recipe finally gives me an excuse to purely eat potato salad for dinner!

I must also point out that the dressing for this salad is amazing. It is a classic French dressing with shallots, white wine vinegar, and grainy mustard. We had a little extra left over, and I used it to dress a salad we made later in the week. It was a perfect complement for this salad, comprised of butter leaf lettuce, colorful tomatoes, wax beans, and feta cheese.

But, back to the point, this potato and tuna salad is amazing. It's a complete meal on it's own, and would also be beautiful as part of a larger spread. It is fresh and bursting with flavor, especially when you use the farm-fresh produce that is so abundant this time of year! My salad included farmer's market potatoes and tomatoes, and basil from my own back porch. Make sure to buy chunk light tuna, especially if you can find it packed in olive oil instead of water. It gives it the European flair that this salad deserves. Sit on your porch with a little chilled french wine, and you'll almost be able to taste the French countryside!

Warm Tuna and Potato Salad

from My French Kitchen by Joanne Harris and Fran Warde

For the Dressing:

2 shallots, finely diced

3 Tbsp white wine vinegar

2 Tbsp grainy mustard

sea salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

For the Salad:

1 lb small red or white skinned potatoes

6 oz hericots verts (or thin green beans)

olive oil, for the pan

8 oz cherry tomatoes

6 oz tuna, in olive oil, drained

4 salt packed anchovies, filleted and cut lengthwise into thin strips

1 large bunch of basil

For the dressing, put the shallots, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper into a jar and shake, or combine with a whisk in a medium bowl. Then, add oil and shake again, or slowly whisk the oil into the bowl.

Gently cook the potatoes in their skins, in a saucepan of lightly salted, simmering water for 20 minutes. Drain potatoes, cut them in half, and place in a salad bowl. Pour the dressing over, and toss to coat the warm potatoes.

Plunge the green beans lightly into salted boiling water and cook for two minutes. Drain well and add the warm beans to the potatoes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly brush a baking sheet with olive oil, toss the cherry tomatoes in oil, and roast for 10 minutes. Add the hot tomatoes to the potatoes and green beans.

Flake and add the tuna, along with the anchovy strips, and gently mix. Tear up the basil, scatter over the salad, and serve at once.

Tuna Pasta Salad

About three years ago, Joe and I made a big decision and decided to give city living a try by moving to Chicago. We liked Kansas City, but felt drawn towards a bigger city, full of people and excitement. It was quite a leap of faith, and thankfully it has worked out better than we ever expected. I always thought I was a city person-- when I was little I used to talk about owning an all black and white apartment in New York City! Now, I have to laugh at what a city slicker I've become. I love tall buildings and busy sidewalks (well, except busy, slow sidewalks on Michigan Ave where everyone walks so slow I want to scream!), and I usually want to just visit other cities when I leave this one. Some people love the open sky in the countryside at night, but it just makes me jumpy because it gets so dark out there!

I wasn't always such a fan of the cement jungle, though, because growing up in Colorado meant there were lots of outdoor adventures with our family. I went to summer camp a couple times, had a season pass to snowboard at Breckeridge and Keystone, and used to really enjoy hiking on the weekends. My mom, ever the gourmet, made sure we were fed well even when exploring the parks and hiking trails. This salad was a staple of many of our hikes, and I always get nostalgic when I make it. I love dill and don't cook with it often enough, and I think it's that herb that makes this dish taste like summer. And besides cooking the pasta, this meal avoids the oven and stove. Being a one dish combination of protein, carbs, and veggies makes it a simple dinner, and I always make extra to take to work for lunch. Doesn't this beat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for your next hike or day at the beach?

Tuna Pasta Salad

from my mom... and maybe a cookbook from her collection?

4 cups cooked small pasta shells

1 1/2 cups tuna (cooked shrimp are also great for this!)

1/2 cup peas

1/2/ cup green onions

1/4 cup parsley

Combine above ingredients in large bowl.

Make dressing:

1/2/cup plain yogurt

1/2/ cup mayonnaise

2Tbsp chopped fresh dill

2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp lemon zest

salt and pepper

Toss pasta mixture with dressing. Chill and enjoy!

Moules a la Portugaise

A major perk of my job with The Chopping Block is the delicious food I get to sample. Usually, it's a bite of this or a little plate of that at the end of class. Sometimes the employee fridge has leftover treats that trump the sandwich or yogurt I brought to work with me. And every once in a while, the food gets to come home with me. That was the case on Sunday night, when 4-5 pounds of live mussels were leftover and headed towards the trash. They were still in good shape, but since we were closed on Memorial Day it would have been too long before we could have served them to students. Obviously, I couldn't let the little guys meet their demise any way except by being steamed in delicious broth!

We realized this was a perfect excuse to use Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles cookbook, which has at least 5 or 6 different recipes for preparing mussels. After careful consideration we decided on Moules a la Portugaise, or Portuguese style mussels. We were mostly swayed by the chorizo in this recipe, because who doesn't love that greasy, smokey, amazing sausage?

I wish you could really grasp how huge this bowl was. And we ate every last one, soaking up the flavorful broth with torn pieces of baguette. What a feast! White wine, braised carrots, and roasted fingerling potatoes rounded out our Memorial Day dinner. I'll admit that mussels are a bit of work to make at home, but this recipe will really wow any of your shellfish loving friends. Next time I stumble across multiple pounds of free mussels, I'll be testing out another Bourdain recipe from the cookbook. (Hell, this was good enough I might even buy the mussels!)

The fingerling potatoes were another fresh find at Saturday's Green City Market. Joe cut them in half lengthwise, then tossed them with olive oil, dried oregano, and salt and pepper. They were roasted for about 15 minutes, turned, and roasted for 10 minutes more. When they were just about done, he sprinkled pecorino romano cheese on top. Perfect with the mussels!

Moules a la Portugaise

from the Les Halles cookbook, by Anthony Bourdain

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 oz chorizo sausage, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (feel free to double this, as we did)

1 cup white wine

salt and pepper

6 lb mussels, scrubbed and debearded (just before cooking)

1 bunch cilantro, leaves only, rough chopped

4 sprigs flat parsley, finely chopped

In a large pot, heat the oil. Add the onion, and cook until soft and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and the chorizo and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the wine. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the mussels and cook with the lid on until the mussels are all open, about 8 to 10 minutes. Shake. Add the cilantro and parsley (and 2 Tbsp of unsalted butter). Shake again. Serve with crusty bread for soaking up all the amazing broth.

Tuscan Tuna & White Bean Sandwiches

There are many things I crave around dinner time, but sandwiches are not one of those things. Don't get me wrong, I like a good sandwich, I just tend to classify them in the lunch category. But I saw this recipe on the Love and Olive Oil blog, and I just had to try them out. I adore cannellini beans in any form, and had recently bought some tuna packed in oil (from Trader Joe's, in case you want some too!). These sandwiches were perfect on a hot night when you don't want to heat up your house. I did Grilled Potato Salad, too, which only had one step of stove top cooking. This was a quick, satisfying, cool meal for a hot summer night.




Tuscan Tuna and Bean Sandwiches
Recipe from epicurious

Ingredients
For beans
1 (14- to 15-oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For tuna salad
2 (6-oz) cans Italian tuna in oil, drained
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

For sandwiches
8 (1/3-inch-thick) slices rustic Italian bread (from a round crusty loaf) or 4 (4-inch-long) oval panini rolls
1 cup loosely packed trimmed watercress sprigs

Directions
Coarsely mash beans with a fork in a bowl, then stir in garlic, lemon juice, oil, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Flake tuna in a bowl with a fork, then stir in basil, olives, celery, onion, oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until combined.

Spoon one fourth of bean mixture on 1 slice of bread, then top with one fourth of tuna salad, some watercress, and a slice of bread. Make 3 more sandwiches in same manner.

Soba + Shrimp + Peanut Sauce = Love

I cook two ways around my house. There are times when I'm cooking to impress... trying something new and exciting, that I hope to blog about, share with friends, or just feel accomplished after making. Daring Bakers/Cooks, exotic dishes, multi-element Sunday dinners, you know that type of menu. But I can't cook like that every night, so there are plenty of nights when my goal is to make a tasty, fresh, low-fuss meal.

This was just a regular every night dinner. I was making some of the leftover frozen potstickers from last month's Daring Cooks, and I wanted an interesting side dish to serve with the potstickers. I was flipping through some old recipes from Cooking Light, and I came across this recipe for Soba and Slaw Salad with Peanut Dressing. I really like trying different slaw recipes, and I knew I had some leftover soba noodles in my pantry, so I decided to give this a try. WOW! It was simple to prepare, and tasted amazing! The peanut sauce was just the right amout of hot and salty, the cabbage had a nice crunch, and the soba noodles really soaked up the sauce. Every ingredient contributed to the final flavor, and it was pretty darn healthy, too. Not to mention I only had to turn on the stove top for a few minutes to cook the noodles, which means this is a good option for dinner on a hot summer night. This would have been a good stand-alone dish, and the red cabbage stayed crunchy long enough for a couple leftover lunches. Keep an eye out for good prices on shrimp, and use that as your excuse to try this delisious weeknight meal.

Soba and Slaw Salad with Peanut Dressing

from Cooking Light, June 2005

Ingredients
6 ounces uncooked soba (buckwheat) noodles, broken in half
6 cups shredded red cabbage
2 cups grated carrot
3/4 cup thinly sliced green onions, divided
1/2 pound coarsely chopped cooked shrimp
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 1/2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons Thai chile paste with garlic
2 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted peanuts

Preparation

Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; rinse with cold water.

Combine noodles, shredded cabbage, carrot, 1/2 cup green onions, and shrimp in a large bowl.

Combine soy sauce and next 4 ingredients (through chile paste) in a small bowl; stir with a whisk until blended. Add soy sauce mixture to noodle mixture, tossing gently to coat. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup green onions and peanuts.

Daring Cooks: Potstickers and dumplings!

This month the Daring Cooks tried their second recipe, and I have to say I had so much fun with it! Jen from Use Real Butter was our host, and she picked an authentic Chinese recipe for us to try. Potstickers are something I love to eat out (who doesn't!), but I had not yet tried them at home. Even if I'd been inspired to try them, I have a feeling I would have picked up pre-made wrappers. Making potstickers was a challenge in terms of the time it took, but the process was enjoyable, and the results were so authentic and addictive! The recipe made a TON, so I am pleased to now have some extras in the freezer waiting for a rainy (or busy) day.

If you're looking for a fun weekend activity, give these a try! Just budget your time accordingly, or invite lots of helpers, because it does take a while to get everything chopped, rolled, pleated, etc. If you want some helpful advice, check out Jen's original potsticker post at Use Real Butter. Also go to the Daring Kitchen website to see pictures of everyone's creations, and while you're at it go ahead and join our group!

See how I did the pleats?

For my potstickers I made two batches of Jen's dough. I did a batch of potstickers with her shrimp filling, which was fantastic! I also made a vegetarian version, which I've listed below. It was not as flavorful as I'd hoped, but they were still good. I think next time I'd skip the tofu and just add more veggies. See what you think.

Vegetarian Potstickers with Mushrooms and Tofu

From Jolinda Hackett on about.com

Ingredients:
· 2 tbsp olive oil
· 1 block tofu, well pressed, and crumbled
· 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, diced small
· 1/2 cup Napa cabbage, diced small
· 1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger
· 2 cloves garlic, minced
· 3 scallions, diced
· 2 tbsp soy sauce
· 1 tsp sesame oil
· dash red pepper flakes (optional)
· 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Preparation:
Sautee the crumbled tofu, mushrooms and cabbage in olive oil along with ginger and garlic for a few minutes. When the tofu and mushrooms are almost done cooking, add the scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil and red pepper flakes, stirring well to combine.

Allow to cook for one or two more minutes, then remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Stir in the fresh cilantro.

Impressively Simple

I made this spectacular entree on a random weeknight, and immediately knew I would need to make this again. It is a perfect dish for company, because it's so easy to put together, but it's also elegant and classy. There aren't too many ingredients, which really allows the fresh flavors to shine through. I loved this dish!

Before I give you the recipe, I feel like I should give some life updates, too! There have been exciting changes in my life lately, and I figured my blog friends should be updated :) I left my full-time office job last week to go back to school! I taught elementary school after college, and decided to try the business world out when Joe and I moved to Chicago. After a year and a half in the business world, I've determined that I do belong in the classroom. So I'm headed back to college for some additional certification, and will be in school and doing some random part-time job for the next year. There have been some hiccups as I've sorted out the teaching certification, but I am so excited about getting back to teaching! During this upcoming year I'll have to see how less money and more free time affects my cooking and this blog, but I'm sure we'll all come out ok in the end!


Cod with Leeks and Tomatoes
from the Everyday Food Cookbook by Martha Stewart Living

Ingredients
- 2 medium leeks, white and light green part only, thinly sliced, rinsed well, and patted dry
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 sprigs thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
- coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
- 2 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes (about 12 oz)
- 4 cod fillets, each 6 to 8 oz and 3/4 to 1 inch thick

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a 9-by-13 inch baking dish, toss together the leeks, lemon zest, lemon juice, oil, thyme, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cover with foil, and bake until the leeks just begin to soften, 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove the baking dish from the oven. Add the tomatoes, and toss to combine. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper; place on top of the vegetables.

Cover the dish and bake until the fist is opaque throughout, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Notes:
- I used Tuna Steaks, because that's what I had around. It was good that way, although I think a more flakey white fish like cod would be even better.

- I had two large steaks that I cut into four pieces, but they were a little small. To serve to guests I would do a better job of having adequately sized pieces of fish.

- I served this with couscous, which was ideal for scooping up the tomato and leek goodness :)

Daring Bakers: Savory Tuiles

This month's challenge is brought to us by Karen of Bake My Day and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf. They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux. After two busy months of holidays and adjusting to my new job, I finally made time to get back to my Daring Bakers for January. And I was so glad I did, because it was a recipe I'd attempted before but had yet to master!

This month's hosts gave us a lot of flexibility with the recipes, and I chose an alternative savory tuiles from Thomas Keller. The French Laundry version is shaped into cone-like cornets, but since I didn't have molds I used a little creativity to shape mine. For a light topping I made a smoked salmon mouse with creme fraiche, lemon, dill, and smoked salmon. I sprinkled minced shallots on top for extra flavor. The tuiles were buttery and delicious, with some sweetness to balance out the salty salmon. I would love to experiment more with shaping the final produce, but the taste was spot-on! My only regret was making them for just Joe and myself, because then we were forced to eat them all!

Below is the original recipe, but feel free to shape the tuiles however you want. Also, check out all the other Daring Bakers to see how they were inspired!

Savory Tuile/Cornet Recipe

From Thomas Keller's French Laundry Cookbook

1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons (65 grams/2.1/4 ounces) all purpose flour

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt (= 2/3 teaspoon table salt)

8 tablespoons (114 grams/4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened but still cool to the touch

2 large egg whites, cold

2 tablespoons black sesame seeds

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the softened butter until it is completely smooth and mayonnaise-like in texture. Using a stiff spatula or spoon, beat the egg whites into the dry ingredients until completely incorporated and smooth. Whisk in the softened butter by thirds, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary and whisking until the batter is creamy and without any lumps. Transfer the batter to a smaller container, as it will be easier to work with.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Make a 4-inch hollow circular stencil. Place Silpat on the counter (it is easier to work on the Silpat before it is put on the sheet pan). Place the stencil in one corner of the sheet and, holding the stencil flat against the Silpat, scoop some of the batter onto the back of an offset spatula and spread it in an even layer over the stencil. Then run the spatula over the entire stencil to remove any excess batter. After baking the first batch of cornets, you will be able to judge the correct thickness. You may need a little more or less batter to adjust the thickness of the cornets.

There should not be any holes in the batter. Lift the stencil and repeat the process to make as many rounds as you have molds or to fill the Silpat, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between the cornets. Sprinkle each cornet with a pinch of black sesame seeds.

Place the Silpat on a heavy baking sheet and bake for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the batter is set and you see it rippling from the heat. The cornets may have browned in some areas, but they will not be evenly browned at this point. Open the oven door and place the baking sheet on the door.

(At this point I did my own thing. I cooked them about 3 minutes longer, then took them out and shaped them into little cups using ramekins as my mold. Then I just let them cool, and filled them up!)

This will help keep the cornets warm as you roll them and prevent them from becoming too stiff to roll. Flip a cornet over on the sheet pan, sesame seed side down and place 4-1/2 inch cornet mold at the bottom of the round. If you are right-handed, you will want the pointed end on your left and the open end on your right. The tip of the mold should touch the lower left edge (at about 7 o'clock on a clock face) of the cornet. Fold the bottom of the cornet and around the mold; it should remain on the sheet pan as you roll. Leave the cornet wrapped around the mold and continue to roll the cornets around molds; as you proceed, arrange the rolled cornets, seams side down, on the sheet pan so they lean against each other, to prevent from rolling.

When all the cornets are rolled, return them to the oven shelf, close the door, and bake for an additional 3 to 4 minutes to set the seams and color the cornets a golden brown. If the color is uneven, stand the cornets on end for a minute or so more, until the color is even. Remove the cornets from the oven and allow to cool just slightly, 30 seconds or so. Gently remove the cornets from the molds and cool for several minutes on paper towels. Remove the Silpat from the baking sheet, wipe the excess butter from it, and allow it to cool down before spreading the next batch.

Store the cornets for up to 2 days (for maximum flavor) in an airtight container.

My stencil was a file folder that I cut a circle out of. Quick, cheap, and totally disposable.

It was hard to get the dough spread evenly! I used a spoon to spread it, then a

spatula to smooth it out.

I only had four ramekins to shape the tuiles, so I did the rest as flat crackers, which were just as tasty and much easier to make!

A Christmas Eve Tradition

I've only been married for two years, so my husband and I have not started many of our own holiday traditions yet. At this point we spend the holidays with his family, since they are only a 90 minute drive away. My family is an 8 hour plane ride, so we tend to celebrate by phone calls at this point. Since we're away from my family, I've working on showing Joe our traditions from Christmases when I was younger. He's a good sport about it, especially with the food traditions.

Linguine with Clam Sauce was my family's Christmas Eve meal for as long as I can remember. We'd dress up in our Christmas best for Mass, then have this formal meal at home after church. This is at least the third year Joe and I have shared this Christmas Eve tradition. Two years ago, we got to celebrate Christmas Eve with my family, since they were in town for our December 29 wedding. Last year we did this meal at home just the two of us, and we really enjoyed the quality time and savory food. This year was a little different, because I had to work until 5:00 on Christmas Eve, so we ended up having it as the second Christmas Eve when we got home from his parents house on December 26th.

This pasta always surprises me, because I seem to forget quite how delicious it is. It's RICH and full of butter, so it really is a once a year treat. I find I always want to eat more than I can actually handle, because it's richness makes it much more filling than other pasta dishes. This pasta is a special treat for any celebration, but make sure you're ok with sharing garlic breath with your dining companions!



Linguine with Clam Sauce

1/4 lb. butter (1 stick)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
3 Tbsp basil
3 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 cups minced clams (about 3 cans)
1 cup clam juice*
salt
1 lb. linguine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp minced parsley

Melt the butter in a large saute pan. Add the olive oil, spices, garlic, clams and clam juice. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low for 30 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, boil water and cook the linguine. Try to time it so the pasta is finished right around the 30 minute mark.

Add salt to the sauce, then toss with the pasta. Toss with Parmesan cheese and minced parsley, and serve immediately.


* You can buy a bottle of clam juice, or you can use the juice that the canned clams are packed in. As long as the clams you buy are in "clam juice", then it's the same as the bottle.

Can you just taste the butter?! I think Ina Garten and Paula Dean would be proud!

I made a salad with dried cranberries, scallions, toasted walnuts, and blue cheese, tossed with balsamic vinaigrette dressing. It was great! I wanted to share the combination, and also show you the bowl we got in Mexico on our trip in October. Isn't it cool?

Smoked Salmon Crisps

When I saw this adapted Thomas Keller recipe in Food and Wine a few months ago, I knew it was an appetizer I would enjoy. But it looked a little challenging and unfamiliar (what exactly is a tuile?), so I didn't really think about making the recipe. The picture looked beautiful, but complicated. I know, it claimed to be an "easy" recipe, but it just looked like something I would never have time for.

As you read in my last post, I didn't have to work yesterday, so I decided I needed to use my extra time around the house to make a delicious dinner. I wanted something more complicated and gourmet than my day to day cooking, and I looked towards Food and Wine magazine for inspiration. When I saw the Smoked Salmon Crisps, I knew I'd found my recipe. It was absolutely more upscale than our usual Thursday night cooking, but it still looked manageable.

I followed the directions exactly, but had a little bit of trouble making the tuiles. It said they would make about 3 dozen... I made 10. I guess that means I didn't quite spread them thin enough, but that was something I didn't realize until it was too late. Also, they did not cook evenly, and ended up well done on the edges but pretty pale in the middle. I decided to use them anyway, and they still tasted pretty fantastic. Buttery and sweet, they were a perfect complement to the salty salmon mixture on top. And crème fraîche is one of my favorite things in the world, so having it on top just made this appetizer come together.

I LOVED these crisps, and intend to make them again. I think I will just cook at a slightly lower temperature, and be careful when spreading out the dough. It would be a great appetizer to make when we're having a dinner party, too, because I could make the tuiles and salmon mix in advance, and assemble at the last minute.

Smoked Salmon Crisps

from Food and Wine magazine, July 2008

Chef Way: Thomas Keller’s salmon cornets (tuiles shaped into tiny cones and topped with crème fraîche and fresh salmon) are a famous kickoff to his luxe and whimsical meals at the French Laundry in Napa Valley. The original recipe appears in The French Laundry Cookbook (Artisan).

Easy Way: Shaping the tuiles into cones is tricky and involves working very quickly with a cornet mold. Instead, leave the tuiles flat, like crackers. Top them with store-bought smoked salmon and crème fraîche.

Ingredients
4 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 chilled large egg white
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
4 ounces sliced smoked salmon, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons very finely chopped shallot
1 1/2 teaspoons very finely chopped chives, plus a few snipped, for garnish
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Freshly ground white pepper
1/2 cup crème fraîche

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the sugar and salt. Add the egg white and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the butter until smooth and creamy.

Spoon teaspoons of the batter 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets and spread to 2-inch rounds. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and bake in the upper and middle third of the oven for about 15 minutes, shifting the pans from top to bottom and front to back, until the tuiles are golden and fragrant. Let cool.

In a medium bowl, combine the salmon with the shallot, chopped chives, lemon zest and a pinch of white pepper. Spoon the salmon onto the tuiles and top with a dollop of crème fraîche and a couple of snipped chives. Serve right away.

While I like a good glass of wine, I do have to admit that Joe and I are much more into drinking good beer. This beer is one of my all time favorites. La Chouffe is from Belgium, and my mom introduced me to it when I was in the Netherlands last October. It's a white beer with a really interesting spice flavor, and I can't get enough of it! It's pretty hard to find in the States, so when I saw it at Trader Joe's recently I had to pick it up. But even if the $9 price tag turns you off, it is sooooo worth it! This was the perfect special drink to go with my gourmet appetizers.

No- Fuss Paella

A few years ago I had the opportunity to visit friends that were studying abroad in Spain. It was a country I might not have visited on my own agenda, but since my friends were living there I decided it was a trip I needed to make. I didn't know what to expect before the trip, but I came away with a love of Spanish food and culture. I love their laid back attitude and late schedule (dinner at 10 or 11 pm!), and even on very poor student budgets we managed a few memorable meals during our trip.

I've attempted various tapas previously, like our Spanish Date Night, but for some reason Paella has always really intimidated me. I think it's the shellfish, or maybe the wide paella pans that you're supposed to use. Either way, it was not something I planned on making myself, until I recently ran across a simple sounding version in Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals 2. Some Rachael Ray recipes make me cringe, but this one seemed like an authentic version of a complicated entree. The recipe calls for saffron, shellfish, and chorizo, which made me feel like it wasn't too much of a shortcut recipe.

Joe and I went to the Fish Guy to get the mussels and shrimp, and I was very impressed with the knowledgeable staff there. The prices are not the cheapest, but you know you're getting high quality when you shop there. I hope to have the chance to shop there more, but their 6:00 closing time during the week is pretty much impossible for me to get to in time. We got the chorizo at Harvest Time, the Mexican grocery store right near my house. It was amazing on its own, and even better in the paella. I am going to have to think of other uses for chorizo, because I want to eat more of it!

This was a typical "30 minutes, but actually an hour" type of Rachael Ray recipe. The result was delicious, but it was not as quick and easy as she promised. Cleaning the mussels took a decent amount of work, and we boiled the shrimp shells with veggies and stock to add more flavor. It was a fantastic meal, though, and not far from the paella I've had before. This was one of those fun Sunday night recipes that I dedicate half the day to, but it is worth the effort when it turns out so great!

Paella for Eight

from Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals 2

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 cups enriched white rice

1/4 teaspoon saffron threads

1 bay leaf

1 quart chicken broth or stock

4 sprigs fresh thyme

1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders, cut into thirds

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

3/4 pound chorizo, casing removed and sliced on an angle

1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp, 24 shrimp

18 green lipped mussels, cleaned

1 cup frozen peas

2 lemons zested

Garnish: 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

4 scallions, chopped

Lemon wedges

Crusty bread, for passing

In a very wide pan or paella pan, preheated over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, crushed garlic, red pepper flakes, add rice and saute 2 or 3 minutes. Add saffron threads, bay leaf, broth, and thyme and bring liquids to a boil over high heat. Cover the pan with lid or foil and reduce heat to simmer.

In a separate nonstick skillet, over medium high heat brown chicken on both sides in 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add peppers and onions to the pan and cook 3 minutes longer. Add chorizo to the pan and cook 2 minutes more. Remove pan from heat.

After about 13 minutes, add shellfish to the rice pan, nesting them in cooking rice. Pour in peas, scatter lemon zest over the rice and seafood, then cover the pan again. After 5 minutes, remove cover or foil from the paella and discard any unopened mussel shells. Stir rice and seafood mixture and lift out bay and thyme stems, now bare of their leaves. Arrange cooked chicken and peppers, onions and chorizo around the pan. Top with parsley and scallions. Serve with wedges of lemon and warm bread.

A Taste of the Islands

Recently, our friends Jess and Henry went on their honeymoon to St Lucia, and they can back with a gift and a challenge. The gift was the exotic treat of banana ketchup, and the challenge was to use it in my blog. Now I'm sure they would still be friends with me if I just ate the ketchup and left it at that, but I knew I couldn't let them down on blogging out it.

What a treat it was! My initial thought was that it would be just like regular katchup with a little banana flavor, and I assumed it would have tomato as the base. It turned out to be much more banana based than I expected, with the vingear taste that was exactly like regular ketchup. Joe and I each tasted it on its own, to really get the flavor. Joe liked it with fries, while I prefered to use it as a base for a marinade.

Shrimp seemed like the perfect canvas for my marinade; it felt like banana ketchup was meant for seafood. I made a marinade with olive oil, banana ketchup, salt and pepper, and scallions. I put the cleaned shrimp in a baggie with the marinade, threw it in the fridge, and forgot about it for a couple hours. When I was ready, I put the shrimp on skewers and grilled them under the broiler for a few minutes. Shrimp cooks quickly, so be sure to keep an eye on it! The resulting shrimp were tender and flavorful, with just enough banana flavor to keep it interesting. I had planned before hand to only buy enough shrimp for one dinner, and I have a feeling I would have eaten any leftovers that same night if there had been any extra!


I found a great new side dish in this month's Bon Appetit. The recipe for Quinoa with Grilled Zucchini, Garbanzo Beans, and Cumin jumped out at me as soon as I saw it, and I knew it would pair nicely with the shrimp. I loved this side dish! I've only recently discovered quinoa, and I love it as a new alternative to our standby couscous. I made the full recipe for 8, figuring I'd take it for lunch during the work week. It made at least 8 large servings, and by the end of the week I was ready to change up my lunch menu. But it was a great summer side dish full of flavors that I love. I highly recommed this, and hope to make it sometime soon to share with friends.

Quinoa with Grilled Zucchini, Garbanzo Beans, and Cumin

from Bon Appetit August 2008

1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 garlic cloves, peeled

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 teaspoon turmeric, divided

1 teaspoon smoked paprika, divided

2 cups water1 cup quinoa (about 6 ounces), rinsed well, drained

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1 1/2 pounds medium zucchini (about 5), trimmed, quartered lengthwise

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

Combine garbanzo beans and lemon juice in large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons oil; press in garlic and stir to combine. Let marinate at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 2 cups water, quinoa, and coarse salt; bring to simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until all water is absorbed, about 16 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare barbecue (mediumhigh heat). Place zucchini on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Toss to coat evenly.

Place zucchini on grill; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Grill until tender and browned on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to work surface. Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Add zucchini, green onions, and parsley, then garbanzo bean mixture to quinoa. Toss to blend. Season with salt and pepper.

Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Escape to the Coast

I feel like I've gone into blog withdrawl. First, work and life just got busy, then we went to LA for four days, then the 4th of July made for a busy weekend after we got back into town. Some of you might have started to wonder about me, but don't you worry, I'm still here. I'm not going to write much tonight, but I had to share some pictures from our wonderful vacation in California. It was a relaxing and eventful four days, and I am already wishing I could be back there. I recommend a few days in SoCal for anyone who's looking to recharge and enjoy the sun. Doesn't hurt if you have fun relatives to hang out with while you're there, too! Thanks Anne and Ron for a fantastic vacation!

We spent some time enjoying the beautiful gardens at the Getty Center, which I would highly recommend. What an amazing setting!

Santa Monica meant sushi and calamari with a beachfront view. Happy hour prices kept us in good spirits.

Nothing like a heaping plate of fried seafood at Neptune's Net just north of Malibu. It's a casual spot with a very diverse crowd, and the view of the ocean is hard to beat.

I'm not a beef eater, but we had to make sure Joe got an In-N-Out fix on our way to the beach.

A beautiful view from Pacific Coast Highway.

Enjoying a margarita at Coral Beach Cantina in Malibu.

Being from the Midwest, we had to eat lots of seafood on our trip. Joe's burrito may look like a regular one, but it's filled with mahi-mahi. It was tasty!

See, he's happy with his seafood burrito. :)

I had fish tacos, which is one of my favorite Mexican dishes.

When visiting California, it's important to take walks on the golf course at night. It's always best if this walk includes a glass of chilled white wine, for maximum relaxation.