The Dish

July 3, 2015

Squid is patriotic, right?

I’ve recently realized that The Twine has another serious content gap—seafood. I was fortunate enough to grow up in the Florida Keys and live the first 13 years of my life eating the freshest fish the ocean and Gulf have to offer. It’s actually been a serious challenge to find anything comparable ever since we moved north in 2004.

Since then, I’ve pretty much begged any friends or family still in the keys to freeze some of their extra catch for me, but it’s also been a learning curve to figure out how to satiate my seafood tooth with the sad frozen and ‘fresh’ offerings that are available at the local supermarket.

One of the best things I have discovered is calamari. It comes frozen, withstands the cold temperatures far better than delicate fish, and cooks up almost immediately. As much as I love fried calamari, my mom and I have discovered a less fattening and labor intensive method of cooking this mollusk: squid salad! All it takes is a bit of vegetable chopping and a quick blanch before you’re chomping down on a healthy, delicious meal.

Here’s the recipe:

Squid Salad

½ jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, small dice
½ red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, small dice
2 celery stalks, peeled, small dice
½ yellow onion, small dice
4 scallions, small dice
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 lb. thawed calamari (tubes and tentacles)
Juice of 4 ripe limes
Juice of ½ orange
Generous pinch kosher salt
Crushed red pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro leaves

Raw, thawed calamari.

Cut tubes crosswise into about ½-inch strips. Leave tentacles whole unless they are very large, then cut them in half.

In boiling, salted water, cook calamari for 3 minutes. Remove from pot with spider or slotted spoon and immediately drop into ice water bath to stop cooking. Cool for about three minutes, then drain onto paper towels. Remove as much water as possible.

After it’s been blanched, the squid needs to be drained of water.

Add the cooled squid to the vegetables in a large bowl and add the lime and orange juice, salt, red pepper, and cilantro. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving in order to let the flavors develop fully.

That’s all for The Dish this week. I hope you all have a fantastic holiday weekend!

The Dish

June 27, 2015

About a year ago, my mom gifted me two new nonstick pans. I was excited, but couldn’t understand why she had spent the money on something I already had—two sad, cheap nonstick skillets from Target. As soon as I cooked with these pans, I realized what the fuss was about. They’re made by SCANPAN, a company in Denmark, and they are zero fuss, easy-to-clean nonstick pans like I have never seen before. The best part? SCANPAN uses recycled aluminum to make their pans, and the nonstick coating is free of carcinogenic chemicals like PFOA and PFOS. Any time I’m whipping up dinner and don’t care to spend extra time cleaning up (which is pretty much all the time), I use these pans. They work like magic for cooking eggs, which, I have to admit is another area of cooking that I haven’t quite perfected. However, with these pans I finally felt comfortable with experimenting, and they’re indirectly responsible for me attempting to perfect fried eggs. Here’s the link to their website: http://www.scanpan.eu/

The broccoli and other veggies simmering in chicken stock.

For this week’s Dish, as usual, I have another soup recipe for you all. My office at work is perpetually freezing—two of my co-workers actually have mini space heaters under their desks—and so I’ve found that warm soup is a warm, welcome reprieve during the day. For lunch this week, I made my version of a healthy cream of broccoli soup that I enrich with nonfat Greek yogurt.

Greek Yogurt Cream of Broccoli Soup

2 entire heads broccoli, stalks trimmed, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 Tbsp. butter
2 carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
2-3 petite red potatoes, peeled and chopped
½ tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
8 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

The soup can be blended with an immersion blender or a regular blender/Vitamix. Just be careful!

In the bottom of a large pot, melt the butter and sauté the carrots, celery, and onion until slightly soft. Add the garlic, sauté briefly, and then add the broccoli, chicken stock, and potatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook until all the vegetables are tender. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and cayenne, if desired. Once the vegetables are done, puree using an immersion blender, or a regular blender in batches. Stir in a dollop or two of Greek yogurt before serving. That’s all for The Dish this week. Have a happy (and vegetable-filled) weekend!

The Dish

June 20, 2015

I had a fabulous surprise waiting for me when I came home from work on Friday evening. Let’s just say that I have the best mom ever. We’ve been trying to perfect pizza lately, (expect a future pizza post!) and thanks to this lovely lady, I now own my very own Emile Henry pizza stone! I am so excited to begin experimenting with it. I shall keep you all posted!

Here’s a link to the one my mom chose: http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-1953769/Emile+Henry+Flame+Burgundy+Pizza+Stone;jsessionid=F819A093AE7702659CD882C1A937F343.slt-app-02-p-app2

She also got me something that I’ve needed for a while, but haven’t really thought to buy; a trivet! To cool things, I’ve been using a rack that came with an all-clad roasting pan. Now I can cool my food in style!

I bought my mom an orange Le Creuset trivet a few years ago, and she loved it so much that she got another in yellow as well. Like everything LC makes, this trivet is as gorgeous as it is functional. I am thrilled to add another piece to my LC collection.

Last weekend I was looking through the Publix weekly ad and making my grocery list, when their crunchy Asian salad caught my eye. It looked fantastic, so I decided to make my own for lunch this week. I found a similar recipe and it turned out so well. Better yet, it was super easy to whip together and much more interesting than your typical salad. After mixing in the peanut dressing, it only got better once it sat for a little while. I did add a few slices of mandarin orange, and it would be even better with some chicken breast or shrimp on top. This is definitely going to make it into my regular rotation.

You can find the recipe here: http://www.onceuponachef.com/2011/03/asian-slaw-with-ginger-peanut-dressing.html

That’s all for food news this week. I’m excited to cook up a storm tomorrow 🙂 Stay posted for next week’s recipe, and have a happy Father’s Day, everyone!

The Dish

June 13, 2015

After a thoroughly busy week at work, I decided that I should try a new drink recipe tonight. Fortunately, with a little digging, I found a fairly simple recipe for white sangria that seemed promising. I had the citrus, basil (thanks, mom’s herb garden!), white wine, and orange juice on hand, and all I needed to procure was a bit of brandy. Even luckier for me, it turns out that my mom unknowingly had a dusty bottle of brandy hidden away in the very back corner of her liquor cabinet. Tonight’s end of the week treat was practically free! Well… sort of…

What really drew me to this recipe was the white wine base (I’m slowly warming up to reds), the citrus and herbal notes, and the lack of chunky, floating fruit pieces. Sliced fruit may give sangria some lovely flavor, but I’m not a fan of spending a bunch of money and time on fruit just to soak it in perfectly good wine. Also, trying to drink my booze through fruit salad isn’t really my jam.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy adult drink for a day by the pool or an afternoon on the beach, this recipe is perfection. Just be sure to have everything chilled and plenty of ice on hand to stave off the heat!

Here’s the link to the recipe: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/thai-basil-sangria

Earlier this week I had a kind of revelation. A little over a year ago, I happened upon a “healthier” pumpkin pancake recipe online that I figured I would be crazy about. The only catch was that it used chickpea flour instead of regular AP flour in order to boost the protein content. Chickpeas are one of my favorite foods (I’ll eat them straight out of the can any time), and I wait all year until it’s autumn and I can start savoring pumpkin-y goodness in all forms; therefore I figured this would be a new favorite.

Of course, I did a major no-no and made these pancakes for the very first time for a guest. My best friend had moved states away months before, but was back in town visiting briefly, and I promised her a fantastic pumpkin pancake feast before her flight home. To my horror, what I ended up serving her can only be described as “bean pancakes.” They were awful, but she never even hinted at the fact that they tasted as if I had literally mixed garbanzo beans and pumpkin, plopped them on the griddle, and served them to her with maple syrup. (This is one of the reasons why she is an incredible friend!) We laughed about it eventually, but I have had this sorry bag of leftover chick pea flour lingering in my pantry for over a year now. Until…

The other night I had a serious craving for pizza, but no tomato sauce, yeast for dough, or mozzarella on hand. Rather than ordering out, I decided to try my hand at making a yeast-less pizza dough. After I found a decent-looking recipe, I figured I’d attempt to hide a bit of my useless chick pea flour in the dough by substituting it for about 1/3 of the AP flour that was called for. It was absolutely delicious!

Instead of the usual tomato-based pizza formula, I used some leftover pesto for sauce, and for toppings, I added some sliced garlic cloves, plenty of red pepper flakes, a couple of chopped kalamata olives, feta crumbles, and some grated Romano cheese. For an entirely experimental snack, this flatbread turned out surprisingly well. I can’t wait to try it again when I have real sauces and toppings available!

Do you have any cooking experiments that ended up being complete duds? What about unexpected hits?

That’s all for The Dish this week. Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

The Dish

June 5, 2015

I am sincerely loving my new job and being back home. Although I was nervous about this decision, the proximity to my mom and ability to reconnect with old friends has made my choice entirely worthwhile. One of the great perks of moving back home is that my mom is less than a five-minute drive away. Our schedules are a little different, so we’ll take turns dropping off odds and ends and groceries at each other’s places throughout the week when we’re in a pinch or need some company. It’s pretty much the best.

The herbs for this bouquet garni (and most, if not all other recipes) come from madre’s little garden.

My mom has a small balcony off of her kitchen on the second floor of her condo where she grows a few pots of herbs and a small key lime tree. On my way home from work last week, I decided to swing by and cut a few handfuls of fresh herbs for my osso buco rather than paying for old, wilted bundles at the grocery store. I didn’t think much of it at the time, especially since one of Florida’s notorious afternoon thunderstorms was quickly approaching, as I was trying to decide how much I needed off of which plant. I shoved my fragrant, green loot into a paper bag and somehow made it home without getting rained on.

A few days after cooking the osso buco and posting my recipe, my mom called me and asked if I had noticed anything going on with her parsley while I was pilfering her herb garden. I told her about how I was in such a hurry snipping sage, rosemary, chives, thyme, etc., that I hadn’t had time to notice much of anything other than the menacing black clouds drifting closer and closer to the porch.

The youngest caterpillars are dark with a white stripe. From afar, they look a bit like bird droppings…

“Well… I asked because I think the caterpillars are back,” she said.

Around this time last year, I wasn’t taking graduate courses over the summer and had decided to come home and intern for a few months. It just so happened that my mom’s miniature herb garden became covered in what appeared to be small bird droppings, but upon closer inspection they proved to be tiny caterpillars, or the larvae of the Eastern Black Swallowtail Butterfly. Each species of butterfly favors a particular kind of plant on which to lay their eggs, and the Eastern Black Swallowtail prefers plants in the carrot family. This includes dill, fennel, Queen Anne’s Lace, and, of course, parsley.

Last year I was able to see them absolutely decimate my mom’s once lush parsley plants, grow into huge, fat caterpillars, and then quietly inch away to form their chrysalises in solitude. Unfortunately, I wasn’t there to see the butterflies emerge and fly away, but I’m hoping that I get the chance this year, because they’re back!

Here you can see a few freshly formed chrysalises and one plump caterpillar still gorging itself on what is left of the parsley!

This is only the second year that my mom and I have had our humble herb porch transformed into a butterfly nursery, but second to fresh herbs for roasting a chicken with, this is the best thing to come out of it so far.

I admit that this post isn’t directly food-related, but I consider it to be another prime example of the benefits of growing your own herbs and having them on hand whenever you need them. They are pretty much always in better shape than anything you can find at the store, and if you take care of them, most varieties will last quite a long time (so long as no butterflies decide your plants are the prime spot for spawning the next generation!)

This particular caterpillar migrated onto my mom’s rosemary and has positioned itself to form its chrysalis.

I’ll be sure to keep you posted on the butterflies’ progress. Have a splendid weekend, everyone!

The Dish

May 29, 2015

Since I’ve been back at work, I’ve been really racking my brain for healthy, satisfying lunch ideas to make ahead at the beginning of the week and just grab on my way out the door in the morning. After having been in school for the past twenty-something years, you’d think I have a hefty reserve of lunch recipes. But honestly, you can only eat so many ham sandwiches, boring salads, and microwaved leftovers while at work or school. Lunch is supposed to be that special meal that reinvigorates students and employees to get them through that last stretch of the day. Fortunately, with a little bit of digging, I found a fabulous recipe that is satiating, delicious, and easy to make. Not to mention it only gets better after the flavors meld a bit. Here is the link to 101 Cookbooks’ incredible Sprout Salad, one of my favorite go-to lunch or snack options:

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/sprout-salad-recipe.html

Until now, I had only made the recipe with Leasa brand “Snack Sprouts,” which is a combination of adzuki, lentil, and mung bean sprouts. This was all that was available at my local supermarket, but I found the mixture to be very flavorful!

Another favorite item that’s been on my mind this week happens to be a prepared food. I know… I already feel guilty wanting to feature this snack, but it is so worth mentioning.

I have countless cherished memories of growing up in the Florida Keys, and one of these happens to be snacking on smoked fish dip out on the water with friends and family.

I can’t get enough of this stuff. (Also, I made that fantastic dish with my bare hands at camp!)

A few months ago, I was making a quick run through Whole Foods Market’s seafood section to grab salmon for dinner, when I saw a guy setting up a sample table out of the corner of my eye. He casually started a conversation with me and explained that he was about to kick off a sampling of fish dip from the keys. Of course, I felt compelled to tell him that’s where I was born and raised. Although I was in a hurry and he had barely unpacked his merch, he opened the first container just for me try. At first taste, I was immediately transported back to the salty fishing town I grew up in. Voila—Islamorada on a buttery cracker. I told him I was sold, grabbed a container of my own, and bustled on home.

This dip certainly gets me smilin’!

I must warn you, though, this stuff is addicting. But, your guests will definitely thank you if you serve it at your next summer get-together. (You might want to buy a couple of containers, though!) Smilin’ Bob’s ships their dip, and there’s a list of locations where it’s available on their website.

That’s it for the dish this week! Enjoy your weekend, everyone 🙂

The Dish

May 22, 2015

So, my first week at the new job went very well! I think I earned some brownie points for bringing in clafoutis to share with my coworkers. Or maybe it’s clafoutis points? Regardless, I’m happy to have a new group of guinea pigs for my recipes and some input from someone other than my mother and our dogs!

However, since moving back home, I have been missing the chicken wings at my favorite college bar and grill. Needless to say, wings probably aren’t something that I should be eating all that frequently anyway, so I’m in no rush to try and find a new place to get my wing fix. Fortunately, I found this recipe on Pinterest a couple years ago, and it is a fabulous vegetarian substitute. It’s also a far less fattening option for when I’m craving greasy bar food. Trust me, this is definitely worth a try!

http://www.persnicketyplates.com/buffalo-cauliflower/

My mom’s new Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer!

In other news, my mom has been saving for a new Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer for some months now, and she finally made the purchase! Not only am I excited for her to have a beautiful new version of one of her favorite kitchen tools, but this means that I get her old one! I’ve been frequently sending my boyfriend baked goods in care packages, and I am so excited to not have to mix cookie dough by hand anymore! Here’s some pictures of my mom’s new equipment.

I tried out my new mixer this week with a new cookie recipe as well. My boyfriend is a fan of mint and chocolate sweets, so I thought I’d give a cookie version a try. Although it isn’t my favorite flavor combo, these cookies turned out pretty well. They were a big hit with my beau and his roommates too! The only thing I would alter is the amount of green food coloring, though. It’s definitely necessary in order to let people

My new/old mixer atop a kitchen island that my mom got me as a house warming gift.

know that these aren’t the plain old chocolate chip variety, but I don’t think that a brilliant green hue is very attractive unless you’re making them for Christmas or St. Patrick’s Day.

http://www.mccormick.com/Recipes/Dessert/Mint-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies

That’s all for The Dish this week! I hope you all have a fantastic holiday weekend. 🙂

The Dish

May 15, 2015

Happy Friday, all! Throughout this week my mom and I have been trying to work through the mountain of pork we made on Sunday. (I know, poor us.) Instead of simply gorging ourselves on the same, yet delicious, pork pernil meal, we decided to try our hand at a leftovers recipe. We both love a hot cuban sandwich right off the press, and were thinking along those lines, but thought we’d come up with something a little more original. This sandwich features a tasty chipotle mayonnaise that adds a smoky, spicy kick, and rich manchego cheese that melts beautifully. It is also the perfect vehicle for consuming the rest of those pork pernil juices! Here’s the recipe:

Pork Pernil Round Two Sandwich

Tonight’s dinner rocked. Leftovers are so underrated.

1 loaf of Cuban bread
Leftover Pork Pernil
Chipotle mayonnaise
Thinly sliced vidalia onion
Arugula
Sliced Manchego cheese
Leftover Pork Pernil cilantro-lime sauce for dipping
1/2 jalapeno, seeds and stems removed and minced (optional)

Cut the bread into the desired size for your sandwich(es) and then slice in half lengthwise. Remove some of the bread from the top half so you can stuff that baby with plenty of goodness! Spread a couple tablespoons of the chipotle mayo on the bottom piece of bread, add ample leftover pork, a sprinkle of jalapeno (if you wish), the onion slices, a handful of arugula, and then top it all with hearty slices of Manchego. Place the top piece of bread on the sandwich, wrap the entire thing loosely, but securely, in one layer of aluminum foil, and press on a hot pan until the bread is toasted, the cheese is melted, and everything is warmed through. Serve with a side of the leftover cilantro-lime juices for dipping and extra napkins!

I also thought it would be worth mentioning my mom’s nifty panini press that made quick work of these awesome pressed sandwiches. Yes, it is Le Creuset. Yes, it is gorgeous. Yes, we are obsessed. Our sincerest apologies. However, this square grill pan and press set is as functional as it is heavy. Though it may be difficult for me to pick up with what my mom calls my ‘noodle arms,’ the weighted press piece pretty much does all the work for you. Check it out!

*Swoon*

http://www.lecreuset.com/cookware/grill-pans—griddles/grills—grill-pans/panini-set

(And if you’re like me and can’t afford your own, you can always buy a big brick from Home Depot, wash it, and wrap it in plenty of aluminum foil. It works like a charm to press sandwiches!)

Upon tasting this pernil round 2 recipe, I immediately knew that it needed a drink to go along with it. I fancy a fresh and well-made margarita, but these days so many of them are made with horribly sweet and/or sour bottled mixes. I’m not sure when bars and restaurants began forgoing fresh citrus juices for sugary synthetic replacements, but I am so not on board. After a little experimenting in the kitchen, I came up with a simple, refreshing twist on a margarita that doesn’t end up leaving me with a stomach ache.

Ashley’s Sparkling Marg

Juice of 1 ripe lime
1 1/2 oz. blanco or silver tequila
1/2 oz. of Grand Marnier
1/4 tsp. agave syrup
Plain seltzer water

Mix the first four ingredients together in a glass. Top it off with the seltzer and some ice. Stir well and garnish with a slice of lime.

That’s all for this week’s Dish! If you’ll excuse me, I’m off to finish unpacking my clothes while sipping on a sparkly marg. Enjoy your weekend, everyone. 🙂

The Dish

May 8, 2015

Blogging sure is difficult when your home doesn’t have internet yet! I foresee a few afternoons of writing posts at Starbucks until I can get an appointment with the internet provider. However, I am all moved in and really enjoying my new place!

My mother refers to her LC pieces as “jewelry for the kitchen.”

Since my mom so generously helped me relocate earlier this week, I knew that a very special thank you and Mother’s Day gift was in order. My mom and I are both Le Creuset fanatics, and as soon as I saw their new Marseille line, I fell in love with the brilliant blue color. To make this gift even more special, I decided to splurge on the limited edition mariner star dutch oven. The company is only producing 1,925 of these, and my mom is now the proud owner of #854! I know I’m a few days early on the whole Mother’s Day thing, but I simply couldn’t wait to give it to her. If you’re still looking for a last minute gift for mom, I highly recommend you check out Le Creuset.

http://www.lecreuset.com/mariner-star-round-dutch-oven

This contraption is so cool!

As I mentioned in last week’s Dish, I love trying out new things with my spiralizer. While I was searching for new recipes, I happened upon this kale and sweet potato vegan caesar salad. I am totally hooked! The cashew dressing sounds a little odd, but it is surprisingly flavorful. I usually end up making extra to keep in the fridge for spicing up some romaine. If you don’t have a spiralizer, (or your daughter has stolen it) you can just dice the sweet potato instead. Here’s the link to the recipe:
http://www.inspiralized.com/2014/10/05/vegan-kale-and-sweet-potato-noodle-caesar-salad-with-crispy-spiced-chickpeas/

I decided to forgo the roasted chickpeas this time around and added some blackened shrimp instead.

Well, that’s all for this week’s Dish, folks! Enjoy your weekend and give your mother lots of love on Sunday!

Introducing: ‘The Dish’

May 2, 2015

I have an announcement! Each Friday I’ll be posting a brief round-up of cooking tips, tricks, revelations, and experiments to keep everyone up-to-date on what’s happening in my kitchen. I hope you enjoy!

The past two weeks have been incredibly hectic. I don’t ever recommend starting a blog during finals week and just before a move! I have been packing boxes and writing final assignments like a fiend. Unfortunately, most of my cookware is already packed, so please forgive the lack of pictures in this first edition of ‘The Dish’. (I know nobody wants to see me eating chambord berries off of a paper plate!) However, I’m finally done with this semester and will be settling into my new apartment next week, so things can only get better from here. Here’s a few of my culinary musings for this week:

I made a big ol’ pot of three bean turkey chili in my slow cooker this week, and naturally, I found myself having to chop quite a bit of onion for the recipe (and some extra for topping). Onions always frustrate me. I know that there is a nifty, professional chef-type way of easily slicing and dicing them, but my knife skills aren’t exactly top-notch. However, I finally gave it a try, and it was well worth the experimentation. (And there was no blood involved!) Here’s a how-to video from chef Jamie Oliver:
While I was home for spring break this year, I swiped a pretty peculiar piece of kitchen equipment from my mother—a spiralizer. In all honesty, the contraption looks like a Play-Doh machine that has been given a chef’s makeover, but after fooling around with it for a few weeks, I am in love! I don’t think my mom’s ever getting this thing back… Here’s a link to the one I have stole: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/paderno-sprializer/?pkey=e|spiralizer|12|best|0|1|24||4&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-NoMerchRules
Lastly, strawberries are in season and I have been absolutely craving a recipe my mother used to make with macerated berries and pound cake, topped with liqueur-infused whipped cream. Sounds heavenly, right? Sadly, since I don’t currently have a mixer, this heavenly whipped topping is out of the question. However, I did decide to tackle my own version of this dessert on my own and it couldn’t be easier. The best part is you can’t really mess it up!

Chambord Macerated Berries
- 1 pint of strawberries, hulled and cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- ¹/₃ cup Chambord Liqueur

Mix cut berries, sugar, and Chambord in a bowl, cover, and let sit in the fridge for at least an hour. Depending on the tartness of the berries and your personal taste, additional sugar may be necessary. (I like my berries quite fresh and not overly sweet.) You can also try this with other kinds of berries or a mix! Serve atop ice cream, pound cake, or both!

That’s this week’s ‘Dish’! What’s been going on in your kitchen this week?

Squid Salad

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Greek Yogurt Cream of Broccoli Soup

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Pork Pernil Round Two Sandwich

Ashley’s Sparkling Marg

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