It’s All About the Bacon! – Part 1 of 2

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Dinner Diva

It’s a “Southern” Thing

My college-age daughter was recently home for the holidays, and now that she’s starting to cook for herself she was quite interested in a few of my recipes. Over the last couple of weeks I made a number of dishes that start with adding bacon fat (also known as bacon grease) rather than my usual choice of olive oil or butter. As any southern cook (like my grandmother, my mother and even Paula Deen) and many southern cookbooks will tell you, start with cooking bacon and then “discard or set aside the cooked bacon for another use; save the fat.”

When I told her the “secret ingredient” she said, “But I hate bacon!” And I said, “Really? You can try making these items without it, but the recipes won’t taste the same. All you need is a few tablespoons of rendered fat, generally starting with 4 pieces of bacon per recipe.” Then she asked, “Can’t I just buy bacon grease? Do I really, really have to buy and cook the bacon?” That’s a fair question. Although I initially said no, one quick Internet search and sure enough, much to my surprise you can get 16 oz. of bacon grease delivered directly your door!

What’s Cooking in the Dinner Diva’s Kitchen: Wine-Braised Red Cabbage with Apples & Sausage

This is a delicious recipe that uses bacon grease. Simmered slowly in wine, cabbage accompanies chicken and meat in a tasty way. Continue reading →

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More meatless recipes: Fried Green Tomatoes & Fried Tomatillos

Posted on August 25, 2012 by Dinner Diva

In our effort to make at least one vegetarian or meatless dish per week consider this post part of an on-going series I’m going to call “Meatless Thursday.” If you’ve got to set a day of the week, Thursday’s as good as any other, right?  As a personal chef I’m always asked “What is my favorite dish to make?” or “What is my favorite cuisine?”.  I have to say my taste is very eclectic; We are always trying new things in my kitchen and more times than not what we make depends on the wine we want to pair with a particular meal.  If I’m not really in the mood to go to the store, “what’s for dinner?” is what’s in my pantry (the Dinner Diva’s version of ‘Chopped’).  The short version: I don’t have ONE favorite dish.  For this particular blog I’ve decided to share a recipe from the regional South and something ethnic, with a Mexican spin as the two recipes below demonstrate.  I’ve used these recipes as a side-dish to compliment a weeknight meal or as a light, summer appetizer for a client dinner party.

From The Regional South

Green Tomatoes

There’s nothing more Southern than Fried Green Tomatoes.  Making them reminds me of my grandmother who lived in Virginia.  I used to spend my summers there, so this takes me back to one of my favorite childhood memories.  The traditional method calls for dusting your sliced tomatoes in a mixture of a little seasoned flour and cornmeal and fry in oil in a shallow pan.  I depart from the traditional recipe by adding Panko Breadcrumbs to give an added crunch. I know you might be tempted to substitute fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes, as these are abundant right now, but don’t.  The green tomatoes are much firmer and less juicy because they are not fully ripe. If you were to try using red tomatoes, you’d find they just won’t hold up to the frying.

Ingredients:

1 lb Green tomatoes, sliced into 1/4″ thick slices
1/2 cup white cornmeal
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon onion salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg, beaten
2 Tablespoons buttermilk
   Cooking Oil for frying
 

Directions:

In a small baking dish or shallow bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sesame seed, onion salt and pepper.  In a separate shallow bowl, mix together the egg and milk.  Dip the tomato slices into the egg mixture, then move to the cornmeal mixture and coat both sides.

In a heavy large skillet, heat about 1/4 inch of cooking oil over medium heat.  In batches, fry the coated tomato slices about 2 minutes per side or until golden brown.  Drain on paper towels.  To keep them warm, transfer them to a cookie sheet in a 300 degree oven.

You can enjoy them just like this or top with a little corn salsa as shown below.

Serves 4-6 as a side dish.  Wine recommendation:  Husch, Sauvingon Blanc

Here is the finished dish, shown with a fresh corn salsa on top:

Fried Green Tomatoes is a perfect summertime side-dish or a vegetarian starter.

 Try Something Mexican

Fresh Tomatillos

Here’s a Mexican twist on the same recipe from my grandmother. They may look like small green tomatoes, but they are not.  I’ve used tomatillos to make a green salsa for my Mexican dishes or as a sauce for Enchiladas. I’ve roasted them and sauteed them, but never breaded and fried– until now.  Thank you, Chef Aarti Sequeira for the inspiration!  My only changes would be to add a garnish of some sort, once you’re ready to serve;  I’d recommend adding a fresh Mexican-style cheese or a fresh salsa and a squeeze of lime.

As a vegetarian appetizer course, my wine recommendation : a white wine from Argentina- Torrontes. It’s crisp, refreshing and pairs nicely with the lime flavors. When this wine is served over ice and a squeeze of lime, the drink is called a “Tincho cocktail.” My favorite brand is Valentin, Mendoza, Argentina. It’s only 9% alcohol, so it’s on the sweeter side. Use the non-vintage bottle to make the cooler. You can find it under $10 at BevMo.

Here is a our finished meal, where the fried tomatillos are a side-dish in this Mexican-inspired Meal:

A great Mexican Meal! Chicken Mole, Mexican Rice and Fried Tomatillos.

The tomatillo recipe I used is from Aarti Party. 

Changes: I used as a garnish Queso Fresco for the cheese (a tie in with the Mexican theme) and used a panko- cornmeal combination for the coating. Both recipes this week came out really nice.

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Meatless Thursday- All about Portabella Mushrooms

Posted on August 3, 2012 by Dinner Diva

King of Mushrooms

If you haven’t tried Portabella Mushrooms, now is is the time.  Forget about the small, ordinary white and brown button mushrooms you find at your local grocery stores, they lack the flavor and character of the large Portabella.  These “meaty” mushrooms taste earthy and give a texture to your dishes that you just can’t get from ordinary mushrooms that are often bland and just plain “boring.”  Look for mushrooms that are firm and “heavy” for their size. You can find them at your local farmer’s market as well as your favorite supermarket.  Here are two ways to use these special specimens in satisfying  meatless dishes that won’t leave you thinking ‘Where’s the beef!’  Get out of your cooking rut and go meatless for one day this week.

Fresh Portabella Mushrooms

Mushroom Stroganoff

The preparation is similar to making beef stroganoff, where you brown the main ingredient first.  In this case I’ve roasted the mushrooms, first removing the inside “gills” with the back of a spoon before continuing with the rest of the recipe.

Chef’s Tip:  You can see that the inside of the mushroom is black; I’ve found, if the inside is not removed, your sauce will discolor once all of the ingredients have been mixed together.  You want a nice creamy, slightly golden-colored sauce, not one speckled with black bits and dark brown in color- trust me on this: your finished dish will not look appealing on the plate.

There are just 4 easy steps. Roast the mushrooms, cook your pasta, make the sauce then combine your ingredients and serve.  This is the one of the easiest recipes in my toolbox.  Even better, you won’t even miss the meat.  If you’re vegetarian, omit using the beef broth and use 100% mushroom broth or vegetable stock instead.

Ingredients:

5 Portabella Mushrooms, stems removed and inside hollowed out with the back of a spoon
2 Tablespoons olive oil
12 oz extra-wide  pappardelle noodles, homemade pasta is preferred, cooked in beef broth and mushroom broth instead of plain water for additional flavor
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bunch of green onions, sliced and separated- white part for sauce/ green tops for garnish
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2, 32-oz boxes of low-sodium beef broth
1, 32-oz box of mushroom broth, I prefer Pacific Brand
4 Tablespoons of dry sherry OR white wine  – Optional
4 oz sour cream
4 oz  fresh goat cheese, with herbs if available in your store
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, for garnish
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Roast the mushrooms:

Coat the whole mushrooms (inside and stems removed) with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and salt & pepper to taste.  Place top down on a cookie sheet or other oven-proof  pan and Roast in a 400 degree oven until tender, about 20-25 minutes; Remove from the oven once the juices have been released and let cool.  Slice and set aside.

Cook the Pasta:

Cooked Herb Pasta: see earlier post for my recipe

Measure 8 ounces of beef broth and 8 ounces of mushroom broth in a bowl or measuring cup and set aside for your sauce.

Use the remaining broths plus enough plain water to fill your pot for your cooked pasta, if desired. If not, use 4 quarts of plain tap water with 1 teaspoon of salt to cook the pasta. Bring to a boil in large heavy duty pot.  Cook your pasta according to the package directions for dry pasta or just 3 or 4 minutes, until “al dente,” if using fresh pasta.  Drain pasta aside and set aside, but save additional cooking liquid to thin out your sauce, should you need additional liquid later.

Make the Sauce:

Melt the butter in a large skillet.  Add the cooked, sliced mushrooms.  Add the flour to coat and cook 1 to 2  minutes until slightly browned.  Add the white part of the green onions.  Add your broth mixture to deglaze the pan.  Bring to a simmer, add the sherry or white wine now, if using.  Add the sour cream and goat cheese, mixing well, and adjust the heat to low.

Combine and Serve:

Once the sauce is a nice smooth consistency, add the pasta to the skillet until thoroughly combined.  The pasta will probably soak up some of the sauce so add reserved broth, as needed, a few tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.  Adjust seasonings: add salt & pepper to taste.  Heat through.

Serve in bowls and garnish with fresh parsley, and the tops of the green onions.

Note:  This recipe makes 6 to 8 servings.  Any leftovers can be successfully frozen for another meal.  Ours was so good, we didn’t have enough for a finished picture!

Baked Portabella Mushrooms with Marinara Sauce & Melted Cheese

Baked Portabella

Ingredients:

4 Portabella Mushrooms, stems removed and inside hollowed out with the back of a spoon
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
12 ounces Marinara Sauce, your favorite brand OR homemade
4 ounces grated Parmesan Cheese, not powdered
8 ounces shredded  Mexican Oaxaca Cheese
 

Directions:

Use the same method as listed above for roasting the mushrooms.  Remove from the oven and top with 2 to 3 Tablespoons of marina sauce.  The amount you use will depend on the size of the mushrooms after cooking.  Add a generous handful of shredded cheese to each mushroom cap.  I prefer mine extra-cheesy and use two types of cheese.  Add the mushrooms back in the oven for an additional 20-25 minutes, until the cheeses are completely melted and starting to brown.  Serve with crusty French Bread and a salad or some steamed vegetables, like Italian Broccoli, shown in the picture and enjoy.  Serves 4.

Chef’s Notes:

If you can’t find the type of Mexican cheese listed (I used Queso Salazar), substitute any good melting cheese like, Fontina or Monterey Jack.  If you want to add some meat to the party (although you won’t miss it), add 1/2 pound cooked ground beef or chicken to your favorite marinara sauce before topping your mushrooms for final baking.

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Got Garlic? Try this 40 clove-Garlic Chicken Recipe

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Dinner Diva

The Secret is Roasting the Garlic

Got Garlic?

In my part of the world, the Gilroy Garlic Festival is coming to town this week!  For those of you obsessed with garlic, here is one of my favorite recipes that actually calls for 40 cloves of garlic!  Once roasted in the oven, the garlic loses its pungency and bitterness and becomes sweet and luxurious.  The flavors come together with fresh thyme, brandy and a bit of heavy cream at the end.

Ingredients:

3-4 whole heads of  fresh garlic, peeled and separated into 40 individual cloves
4 lbs cut up chicken, bone-in thighs, breasts and drumsticks
Kosher Salt
Ground Black Pepper
2 Tablespoons of butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 Tablespoons Brandy or Cognac, divided
2 cups, dry white wine
1 cup of chicken broth
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
 
Optional:
4 Tablespoons Flour
4 Tablespoons heavy Cream
 

Just out of the oven

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first step is critical, as this will help remove any taste of bitterness: drop the peeled garlic into a small pot of boiling water for 60 seconds.  Remove and set aside until needed.

Pat dry your chicken using paper towels and remove any excess fat around the edges. Add a good dose of salt & pepper to taste.  Bone-in chicken with the skin is called for as this will give more flavor to the overall dish and ensure that moisture is retained during cooking. 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

A Dutch Oven with tight-fitting lid is recommended for this recipe.  A large, heavy-duty, oven-proof skillet with a lid would work well, also.  Heat the butter & oil until hot over medium-high heat.  Add your chicken in batches, skin-side down, to promote even browning.  You do not want to crowd the pan as the chicken will start to steam and not brown evenly .  Cook 3 to 5 min per side until nicely browned.  Transfer all of the sauteed chicken to a clean plate and set aside until needed.

Now it’s time to brown the garlic.  Add the garlic to the hot pan, lower the heat to medium and saute until until brown on all sides, not burnt, 5 to 6 minutes.

Add 1/2 of the brandy (2 Tablespoons) to the hot pan to de-glaze it and scrape any brown bits off the bottom.  Reserve the remaining brandy to finish your dish after baking.

Add your browned chicken with any remaining juices to the pan along with the fresh thyme, white wine and chicken broth.  Cover, remove from heat, and place the Dutch oven in the middle of your preheated oven.  Bake for 30 to 50 minutes, depending on the sizes of your chicken pieces.  You can use any combination of chicken piece but if you are using all drumsticks, for instance, these will take less to cook than larger chicken breasts.  Start checking after 30 minutes.  Use a meat thermometer for best results and continue checking every 5 to 10 minutes until all pieces reach the desired doneness and the juices run clear.  Remove the pieces once they reach an internal temperature of 155 degrees and keep them warm on a clean platter covered with foil.  Once removed, the chicken pieces will continue to cook and should reach a final temperature of 165 degrees before serving.

Last step is finishing the sauce: Check your seasonings: add more salt & pepper, if needed.  Add the remaining brandy, if desired.  I like a smooth sauce, so I take a stick-blender to the pot to thoroughly incorporate the garlic pieces.  You could also use a blender or food processor to get the consistency you like.  If you want a more chunky sauce where you can see the large cloves of garlic, blend only half the sauce or feel free to skip this step all together.  To thicken your sauce, add a few tablespoons of heavy cream and bring to a simmer.  If it’s still not thick enough, mix couple of tablespoons of flour with 1 tablespoon of water and add to the pan, using a whisk to incorporate.  Bring the mixture to a full  boil and check the consistency one last time before pouring the sauce over your chicken.

The Chicken is made. Now what about the Side dish?

Here  are a few suggestions:

 Mediterranean Couscous

 Your favorite cooked pasta: wide egg noodles or fettuccine

Creamy Polenta

or  if you’re brave enough, Garlic Mashed Potatoes

What’s for Dessert?  Try Garlic Ice Cream!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in In Season Now..., Uncategorized, What's For Dinner | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

No more hamburger helper!

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Dinner Diva

For a quick two-pot weeknight meal:

Ground Sausage, Pasta & seasonal vegetables

Pasta, Romensco & Asparagus with Goat Cheese

 

This is a pretty easy little dish to prepare, made mostly from items you may already have in your fridge and pantry.  There’s no need to buy a boxed meal kit, like Hamburger Helper, which is loaded with sodium, preservatives and dried spices, when you can make it fresh, seasonal and healthy in less time it would take you to run to the grocery store.  The pasta and vegetables cook in the same pot (pasta 10 min, veggies the last 5 min).  Adding an herbed goat cheese with a little pasta water ties everything together.

 

 

 

CUSTOMIZE THE RECIPE TO FIT YOUR LIFE-STYLE AND FOOD PREFERENCES:

Ingredients:

12 oz dry pasta of your choice (any tubular shape pasta and most short pastas would be preferred)
1/2 lb ground meat of your choice: (ground beef, ground chicken, ground pork, fresh sausage, or ground turkey)
1/2 Onion or 1 large Shallot, diced
1 Tablespoon of canola or olive oil
Seasonal Vegetables of your choice: (asparagus, broccoli, bok-choy, cauliflower, corn, green beans, peas, Romensco)
4 oz, creamy goat cheese, plain or with herbs OR Cream Cheese, plain or with herbs
1/4 cup – 1/2 cup of  “Pasta water” taken from the pot of cooked pasta
Fresh basil or other herbs of your choice for garnish
Salt

Chef’s Notes:

Rigatoni pasta is shown in my photo.  I used a “gluten-free” brand and had excellent results- cook your pasta according to the package directions, usually 10-12 minutes.  I mixed asparagus & romensco that were purchased from my local farmer’s market to make this weeknight dish.  If you want to use pork, as I did, you can buy it plain from your butcher, pre-packaged in the refrigerated meat section of your store usually labeled as a “breakfast sausage” (seasoned or plain) or sold as house-made-fresh sausage at higher-end stores.  Better yet, as I did, try a fresh tomato-basil sausage, just remove the casing.  It will have the same texture as ground pork but most of the seansoning will be done for you!

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water (4 quarts) to a boil with 1 Tablespoon of salt.  The salt adds flavor to your pasta and will help your vegetables keep their vibrant color.

Gather your ingredients together.  Choose your pasta. Cut up your seasonal vegetables into bite size pieces and set aside.

Dice the onion or shallot, red or yellow, whichever is your preference
Brown your meat and chopped onion in a large skillet with the canola or olive oil until no longer pink and slightly browned. Turn off heat.

Once your water has come to a full boil, add the pasta. The vegetables need to cook about 5-6 minutes, until just tender so add your vegetables to the pot approximately half-way through cooking so that both the vegetables and pasta are done at the same time.

Remove the pasta & vegetables from the pot using a strainer and add directly to your skillet with the cooked meat.  Don’t dump the pasta water just yet.

Heat the mixture through then add the goat cheese and enough “pasta water” from the pot to make a creamy consistency.  Check seasoning and add additional salt & pepper, if needed.

Top with 2 Tablespoons of fresh chopped herbs or a store-bought pesto.

Bring your family together and enjoy!  Add a green salad or fruit salad to complete the meal.

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