Back in the Pages of Fitness: Dinner in 20 May 2011 Issue

I was a bit worried that I might fall into "3 strikes and you are out" category!  Afterall, I have been lucky to have three of my recipes already published in Fitness Magazine (September 2010 Curried Shrimp with Mango Couscous, November 2010 Chicken Soba Bowl, and April 2011 Lemon Thyme Chicken).  Boy, was I happy to get an email from Fitness asking me to develop another recipe.  


This time, I reached down to my Texas roots and came up with with this recipe for Tex-Mex Beef Stir Fry with Avocado Salad.  Will you give it a try?

I love developing this healthy and delicious recipe that takes 20 minutes to make - no more excuses for not having enough time.  Feed your body, feed your soul - you are worth it!

Go get your copy on the newsstand.  Page 168, May 2011, Fitness Magazine.

I would love for you to try out the recipe and get your feedback!  I hope you enjoy it.

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Brunch Time - Southwestern Quiche with Cornbread Crust and Linguica

Hungry for brunch?  Tired of the same old quiche, fritata, or poached eggs?  Boy (or girl!) do I have a recipe for you!  My sister and I were hosting brunch at her place in Washington DC.  We decided on potluck and promised to provide eggs and potatoes - THE staples of brunch.  I chose to do the eggs.  After some brainstorming, compromising (creative culinary back and forth), and debating, I settled on a Southwestern Quiche.  Honestly, I wasn't sure how it was going to come out, but having developed and tested quite a few recipes, I thought this one (my original creation) was worth a try.

Southwestern Quiche with Cornbread Crust and Linguica


Ingredients
1 cornbread mix
1 large red onion, diced, divided
1 bunch cilantro, chopped, divided
1 teaspoon of sugar
dash of hot pepper mix
2 poblano peppers
12 ounces Linguica sausage
8 eggs
1 cup milk (or half & half if you are feeling extra decadent)
salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces Pepper Jack cheese, shredded


Directions
1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour cornbread mix into a large bowl.  Add 1/4 onion, 1/4 cilantro, teaspoon of sugar and hot pepper mix.  Follow directions on the package, adding 1/3 cup milk and 1 egg.  Whisk together and pour into a spring form pan.  Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes.

 

2.  If you are lucky enough to have a gas stove, use it to roast poblano peppers.  Place the peppers directly over medium-high heat, and continue to roast until the skin is black and blistered.  Use a pair of long tongs to rotate the peppers while roasting, to ensure even cooking.  Once done, place the peppers into a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Why? you might ask.  Covering the peppers with plastic will create steam inside the bowl, separating the skin of the peppers from the flesh and making them very easy to peel.  Do not rinse your peppers - along with the water, you will wash away all the delicious flavor you just worked so hard to create!  Instead, pull the skin off the peppers using a paper towel.  Seed the peppers and roughly chop.

 

3. Remove the skin from linguica links and dice into 1/4" pieces.  Heat large skillet over medium high heat.  Add linguica and the rest of the red onion.  Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often.  Add diced poblano peppers and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

 

4.  In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, milk and the remaining cilantro.

 

5.  Spread the linguica and pepper mixture over cornbread.  Slowly pour the egg mixture over.  This is where things got a bit tricky.  The spring form began to leak.  Most of the eggs got absorbed into the cornbread.  At the end, it looked like the egg mixture was completely gone and all you could see was cilantro.  What to do?  Well, use foil on the bottom of the spring form to prevent any more leaking, and cover the food with shredded cheese!

6.  Bake the quiche in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes or until the egg is settled and the cheese is completely melted.

7.  Allow the quiche to set for about 15 minutes.  Right before serving, pop the quiche back into the oven under the broiler for 60 to 90 seconds to bubble up the cheese.  Now you are ready to eat!  

Thoughts? Comments? Concerns?  Let me know!

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List of May Hands-on Cooking Classes

Ever wonder what I do at work?  Here's a list of May cooking classes I will be teaching at Whole Foods Market in Redmond, WA.  Check out the complete calendar here.

Cinco de Mayo Celebration, Thursday, May 5th, 6-8pm $20
Skip a crowded bar and come celebrate Cinco de Mayo with us! While we can't offer you Cerveza, we do have a handful of delicious and celebratory recipes to share!

* Tomato, Avocado & Jicama Salsa
* Fish Tacos with Creamy Corn & Tomato Slaw
* Rice & Beans
* Mexican Tea Cookies

Springtime Soups, Thursday, May 12th, 6-8pm $20
We had so much fun this winter making 4 soups in one class, I thought we should do it again. Let's take our winter-favorite heart warmers into Spring with lighter, yet still filling and delicious options!

* Spring Minestrone
* Shrimp & Fish in Aromatic Coconut Broth
* Rustic Potato Leek Soup
* Creamy Spring Asparagus Soup

Spanish Tapas, Saturday, May 14th, 12-2pm $25
These small delicious plates are perfect to share with your friends and family. Full of flavor, they'll satisfy even the pickiest of eaters.

* Prosciutto-Wrapped Manchego-Stuffed Dates
* Roasted Olives with Lemon
* Tomato Gazpacho
* Spanish Chickpeas & Chorizo
* Pork Meatballs with Piquillo Sauce
* Spanish Potato Tortilla

HSH: Dress Your Salads - No Oil Salad Dressings, Monday, May 16th, 6-8pm $15
Salads are healthy, unless they are covered by ladles of Ranch or Creamy Italian dressings. Find out about healthy alternative ways to dress your salads that include nuts and fruit.

* Strawberry & Arugula Salad with Avocado Citrus Dressing
* White Bean & Spinach Salad with Apple Cider Dijon Vinaigrette
* Broccoli & Pepper Salad with Almond & Chile Dressing
* Rainbow Kale Slaw with Balsamic Mustard Orange Vinaigrette

Supper Club, Thursday, May 19th, 6:30pm $15
Our Healthy Eating Supper Club is back! Enjoy a delicious and healthy meal prepared just for you! During the meal we will talk about how the dishes were prepared, why we chose certain ingredients and have a discussion around healthy eating topics. Bring your appetite and your questions!

* Cucumber, Radish & Seaweed Salad
* Beef Stir-Fry with Bell Peppers, Carrots & Snow Peas
* Miso-Ginger Wild Rice with Carrots & Cabbage

Cooking with the Season, Thursday, May 26th, 6-8pm $20
Let's celebrate seasonal cooking and all it has to offer! Once a month, we'll gather in the kitchen and cook with seasonal produce. May in the Northwest puts a spotlight on salmon, spinach, radishes, kale, and chard. If we're lucky, we might get some ripe fruit stone - if not, we'll borrow it from our neighbors in the south.

* Radish, Avocado & Spinach Salad
* Sautéed Kale & Swiss Chard with Sundried Tomatoes & Feta
* Roasted Spiced Salmon
* Easy Fruit Crumble

Knife Skills 101, Saturday, May 28th, Noon-2pm $15
A great class for a new or a seasoned cook! Learn proper cutting technique that will save you time in the kitchen. We'll also save you some tears and cuts while teaching you how to slice, dice, chiffonade and julienne. Guest Eric Rose of AAA Sharper Edge will talk about taking care of your knives and keeping them sharp.

Lunch at Jose Andres' Oyamel in Washington DC

I heard Chef Jose Andres speak while attending the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park New York.  It was a few months before I was to leave on my externship, and I was very looking forward to hearing what Chef Andres had to say about the restaurant industry, the culinary scene in DC and his outlook on food.  Although I was not planning on doing my externship at a restaurant, hearing Jose speak sparked and inspired something inside of me, and made me wonder whether, perhaps, a restaurant externship could work for me afterall.


On my visit to Washington DC to see my sister, I arranged for a meeting at one of Chef's restaurants - Zaytinya - with Mike Isabella, executive chef at the time (yes, the same Mike Isabella who was on the Top Chef and Top Chef Masters on Bravo).  The restaurant setting was incredible, and the offering of Turkish, Greek and Lebanese tapas made my mouth water.  While, I decided to do my externship elsewhere (I spent four months in Des Moines, IA working for Cuisine at home, developing recipes and writing) my dinner at Zaytinya was one of most enjoyable and delicious I have had in Washington D.C.


On my recent return to D.C., I was happy to try one of the other Chef Andres' restaurants - Oyamel.  In fact, Oyamel was a location for my farewell lunch in D.C. along with my sister and one of my dear friends from the CIA.

The lunch started up with quintessential chips and salsa.  If you think that all chips and salsa were created equal, you're quite mistaken - a lot could and often does go wrong.  This duo, however, was quite perfect.  The chips were thin, not greasy and lightly salted.  The salsa was nice charred and spicy just enough to please everyone at the table.

Since this was afterall our farewell lunch, we decided to have a cocktail.  Olga chose the Oyamel’s Ponche -
 Azul blanco, white wine, triple sec and fresh fruit and I selected The Classic - El Jimador blanco, triple sec and fresh lime juice.  Later, during our lunch, our server presented us with a taste of Oyamel José Andrés’ personal favorite with Siembra Azul blanco,  Luxardo Triplum, fresh lime juice and salt “air” - thank you chef!

We couldn't pass on the guacamole - made directly at the table.  Lunch & a show at once - why not?  I love seeing exactly what goes into my food (that's one of the benefits of cooking on your own).  This guacamole couldn't be any easier - avocados, lime, red onion, jalapeno and cilantro.  The extra ingredient - fresh Mexican cheese.  End result - delicious.

 

For the lunch itself, we all decided to go with the Almuerzo Rapido - a selection of any two antojiotos and one taco for $20.

Albóndigas enchipotladascon queso doble crema

Meatballs in chipotle sauce with crumbled ‘double cream’ cheese and cilantro

I would love these meatballs over polenta on a cold, winter night.  Comforting and flavorful!

Cayo de hacha con pipián de chile pasilla

Seared scallops with a pasilla chile and pumpkin seed sauce, orange segments, pumpkin seed oil and toasted pumpkin seeds

I was honestly blown away by these scallops.  Not only were they beautiful to look at, they were creamy on the inside, tender, and well seared on the outside.  I could easily go for a few more!

Arrachera con salsa molcajete y nopales escabeche

Grilled skirt steak with a sauce of grilled tomatoes, tomatillos, green onions,  cilantro and green chiles, garnished with pickled cactus paddle

This was my first time trying pickled cactus - reminded me of pickled okra and if you know me, I love anything pickled - this was not an exception!

A plate of gourmet tacos: 

Lengua guisada

Braised beef tongue with radishes and a sauce of roasted pasilla chili, tomatoes, onion and garlic

Cochinita pibil con cebolla en escabeche

Yucatan-style pit barbecued pork with pickled red onion and Mexican sour orange

Tacos de hongos

Sautéed seasonal wild mushrooms with garlic and shallots, served with guacamole

Pastel de tres leches con piña

A traditional cake soaked in Coruba rum and three kinds of milk, with a rum and milk foam, 

fresh pineapple gelatin and a pineapple salsa.  Served with  a scoop of dark caramel ice cream.

Jericalla de chocolate con maracuya

Oaxacan chocolate custard with a Mexican origin chocolate sorbet, passion fruit 

gelatin, chocolate and pumpkin seed crumble and fresh passion fruit seed

I definitely loved the presentation and the creativity of the chocolate custard, but the traditional tres leches stole my taste buds.

At the end it was time to go.  Thank you for a delicious lunch and attentive service.  We shall be back!

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Quintessential New York Breakfast - White Fish Bagel at Pick-a-Bagel

I've been thinking about breakfast a lot lately.  I just recently wrote about my idea for savory cottage cheese with vegetables and poached eggs in green olive caponata.  And today, I'm thinking carbs!  I might be thinking, craving, and dreaming about carbs especially since this is the first year I am trying to observe Passover rules.  Not as easy as I thought.  So as I'm sitting here, thinking about bread, I thought I would share with you the quintessential breakfast I had just a few weeks ago in New York at Pick-a-Bagel.

One might be overwhelmed by the options - the variety of bagels and flavored cream cheese looked endless.

What a girl to do?  My sister and I decided to share.  We opted for a larger in diameter, but thinner version of  the bagel with a very generous schmear of White Fish spread and sliced tomatoes.  Add a side of sour and half sour pickles, a cup of coffee, and breakfast is served!  

Do you like your bagels toasted or not?  I'm a big fan of a toasted version and these New York bagels were perfect!  Lovely and crisp on the outside, they had a perfect barrier against the white fish spread - no soggy bagels here!

If you are lucky to live in New York city, stop by and pick up a bagel.  I would love to hear from you what's your favorite combination is.

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Healthy, Easy Recipe Idea - Savory Cottage Cheese with Vegetables and Crackers

Good morning!  What did you have for breakfast today?  A bowl of cereal?  Maybe boiled eggs, or a cup of yogurt?  How about trying something new that's healthy, delicious, and can be put together the night before?

I consider myself a savory girl - I'd much rather have something salty than sweet.  I snack on pickles instead of cookies, but that's another story.  

For this breakfast, there are just a few ingredients - cottage cheese (I prefer a large curd), a stalk of celery, a tomato, some black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.  Fresh herbs work really well - I've tried cilantro, dill, and parsley before.  This time I went with basil.  

To put it all together, place a serving of cottage cheese in your to-go-container, add diced tomato, diced celery (if you want to be fancy, peel your celery), drizzle olive oil and season with black pepper.  I would recommend adding the herbs right before you enjoy the dish.  For some extra crunch, I eat this with Nabisco Cracked Pepper & Olive Oil crackers (my new obsession).

Like this?  Please let me know!  Bon appetit

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Recipe for a Jamaican Jerk Chicken Salad with Mango and Grapes

I'm not a fan of jerks.  But lately, I've done nothing but think and talk jerk.  Confused?  Don't be!  I'm talking about a Jamaican delicacy - Jerk chicken :)  A few days ago I shared with you my culinary experience at Just Jerk in Maryland.  The platter of Jerk chicken, rice & peas, plantains and cabbage was easily large enough to feed two people.  But since everyone else ordered their own food, I had a challenge of eating it all on my own.  Luckily for me, I failed the challenge, and had half the plate of chicken to take home.

The leftovers didn't stay in the refrigerator long enough.  That same evening, I used the chicken to make Jerk Chicken Salad with Mango and Grapes.  Normally, I would definitely remove the chicken skin when making the salad.  But with the Jerk chicken, a lot of the flavor is actually in the skin - the skin is charred, crisp and delicious.  Thus, I decided to leave it on.  The sweetness of the mango and grapes went really well with the gentle heat of the chicken.  I served a little bit of rice on the side.  Give this salad a try!

Ingredients

Quartered red grapes

Minced red onion

Chopped cilantro

Mayonnaise

Chopped Jerk chicken

Diced mango

Directions

1.  Combine grapes, onion, cilantro and mayonnaise in a bowl.  Mix in some salt and pepper.

2.  Gently fold in chicken and mango.

Optional: add minced jalapeno and fresh lime juice.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken at Just Jerk in Maryland

I was recently introduced to Jamaican Jerk chicken.  Perhaps I've had jerk chicken before, but this time around, it was from an authentic restaurant in Maryland - Just Jerk.  My sister and I were invited to the restaurant by her friend and neighbor Andre, who is actually Jamaican (in fact, you can see both my sister and Andre walking into the restaurant in the photo above).  Inside this bright and unpretentious place, on a cold, grey and rainy spring day, we sat at the counter and ate directly from foil to-go-containers using plastic forks and knives - and yet, I couldn't have been happier.

If you click on the photo of the menu, you can see for yourself that Just Jerk offers quite a few of the Jamaican delicacies.  Under the guidance of Andre, I decided to order a "Large Dark" platter.  The platter, or rather a to-go-container, came packed to its capacity with rice and peas (peas are actually small red beans), stewed cabbage (the cabbage was surprisingly still slightly crunchy) and most importantly Jerk chicken (thigh and a leg).  And did I mention slices of sweet plantains?  The word "jerk" actually refers to the cooking method and the spice rub - traditionally the rub is made from seeds of the scotch bonnet pepper, allspice, thyme, garlic, lime and orange juices, cinnamon, black pepper, brown sugar and nutmeg.  I'm pretty sure that similar ingredients were used to make the sauce for the chicken.  (When I politely asked the lady working at Just Jerk for their combination of spices, she declined to share, saying the recipe was secret).

My first bite was the chicken - I'm trying very hard not to use the word "moist" but that's exactly what came straight away to my mind.  Apparently, Just Jerk actually steams the chicken which makes for very succulent and tender meat.  (From what I've read, steaming is not the traditional method of cooking jerk.  Instead the meat is first marinated and then grilled for a long time over a low burning BBQ).

My version of jerk seasoning was of regular heat - it was by no means completely mild, but had a nice little kick to it.  Turns out, one could ask for a spicy option, but there's nothing in between.  When I tried the spicy Jerk chicken that Andre ordered I decided that I could've definitely tolerated a spicier option - perhaps on the next visit to Just Jerk.

Shamefully, I didn't choose any of the Jamaican juices for a beverage and went straight for a Diet Coke.  To redeem myself and my palate, I happily shared a small container of mango ice cream that Olga bought on our way out.  And yes, we did use plastic spoons to devour this sweet, frozen delight.

I must admit, that at first glance I thought that paying $12 for a plate of rice and chicken was slightly over priced, but as I was taking close to half of the plate back to my sister's apartment, both my stomach and wallet were happy.  I welcome you to check in a few days to see what happened to the leftovers of Jamaican Jerk chicken.

And if you have a recommendation for a Seattle restaurant that serves great Jamaican Jerk chicken and other Jamaican dishes, please share!  Thanks.

Eggs in Green Olive & Eggplant Caponata - Brunch Idea Recipe

A few weeks ago, I shared with you a recipe for Green Olive and Eggplant Caponata.  Lucky for me, I like left overs, because the recipe made enough for a few 1-cup plastic containers that hung out in my fridge for a few days.  For me, the caponata actually tastes a lot better the next day, once the ingredients have an opportunity to intermingle and hang out.  I also like to eat caponata cold, with an addition of minced white onion, more herbs and a drizzle of red wine vinegar (that's what happened to one of the 1-cup leftover containers).

My second container of leftovers was destined for breakfast.  If you don't want to get up extra early in the morning, use this idea for brunch.  I decided to use the caponata as a nest for eggs - why not, right?

This is really simple and hardly requires a recipe, but let me quickly guide you through the process.  I'm a fan of a non-stick pan for this application.

Heat a little bit of olive oil in a non stick pan over medium heat and add your container of caponata.  Cook, stirring occasionally unti the caponata heats up - about 5 minutes.  Now, use a wooden spoon or a spatula to make 2 indentations in the capona - that's where the eggs would go!  (If you're cooking for more than one person, I'd suggest using a large pan to fit more eggs).

Cracking eggs isn't as hard as it might seem - just try to break them gently and don't get any of the shell inside the pan. How long you cook the eggs is really up to you. The egg white needs to be completely cooked through - a beautiful white color, but still tender. I prefer my egg yolks runny - actually that's my favorite part of the whole dish (I normally end up holding my breath at the moment that I use a fork to break the egg yolk, praying that the golden yellow would run out freely). I like covering the pan with a lid for a few minutes to cook the eggs more evenly.

That's pretty much it.  I served the eggs and caponata with a toasted english muffin.  I like to get it extra crunchy so it can soften while soaking up the runny egg yolk. 

Try this the next time you're serving brunch!  Enjoy

Teaching Passover Cooking Class

Heads up!  I will be teaching 2 Passover Cooking Classes.

The first one is this Sunday, April 10th at Temple Beth Am. Celebrate Passover with Global Flavors: Join local culinary instructor Anna Berman as she shares recipes for Thai Quinoa, Brazilian Holiday Fish and Mexican Chipotle Flourless Chocolate Cake.

The second class is at Whole Foods Market on April 14th.  Come celebrate this holiday and learn about the history and food symbolism. We will use recipes from Joan Nathan's "Jewish Holiday Cookbook."

Menu: Chicken Soup with Matzah Balls, Turkish Baked Eggplant & Cheese Casserole, Persian Cucumber-Yogurt Salad, Passover Apple Blintzes.

Hope you have thoughtful, fulfilling and delicious Passover!

Arugula & Radicchio Salad with Blue Cheese & Candied Walnuts

I'm not sure if I believe in "love at first sight".  At least not in the romantic sense.  I do however strongly believe in "love at first taste" and have been lucky to experience many of such loves.  There was sushi, and dark chocolate, and brie.  But this time, I'm talking about arugula.

I first tried arugula back in the day when I was still living in Dallas.  I was assisting Chris LaLonde's cooking class at a local Sur La Table.  Chris is a local Dallas culinary instructor at El Centro College, and also owns a restaurant.  He was one of the people responsible for my eventual journey to the culinary school (prior to attending the Culinary Institute of America full time, I was a part time student at El Centro for two years). 

I can't remember the theme of the class or every recipe we prepared that night - this was at least 5-6 years ago.  What I do remember is Chris's tomato sauce with arugula.  I tasted the greens on their own first, plain and undressed.  The peppery, slightly bitter flavor was nothing like I have tasted before.  Later on, stirred in with the tomato sauce, arugula slightly wilted and mellowed but remained noticeable, as if it was screaming out: "I'm here! I'm not spinach, notice me!"  And so I did.  That was the day my love affair with arugula has begun and it has been going strong ever since.

I love arugula with citrus - usually with oranges and  mustard vinegrette.  It's also terrific with grapefruit and avocado and jicama.  For this salad, I paired arugula together with radicchio, another quite bitter ingredient.  To offset the bitterness, I added candied walnuts and a sweet Pink Lady apple.  I hope you will give this a try.

And if by some chance Chris is reading this - thank you!

Arugula and Radicchio Salad with Blue Cheese and Candied Walnuts

Ingredients

1 head radicchio, halves, cored and cut into 1 inch strips
5 ounces arugula
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Pink Lady apple, cored and sliced into strips

Directions
1.  Combine radicchio and arugula in a bowl. Set aside.

2.  In a small sauté pan, melt butter and sugar over medium heat. Add walnuts and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove to a parchment lined baking sheet and cool.

3.  Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and blue cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

4.  Toss arugula and radicchio with walnuts, dressing and apples.

Cucumber Hors D'eouvres Cups with Salmon Cream Cheese, Dill & Radishes

This has been done many times before, so I'm not claiming to be inventing or even reinventing the wheel.  This is just the first time I've done this easy and good looking appetizer - perfect for a first brunch course.

Normally, one would use an English cucumber (thinner skin, smaller seeds, sweeter and has no waxed skin).  Apparently the store didn't have good English cucumbers, so I ended up with these beautiful Turkish cucumbers - they are thinner than English cucumbers and are just as sweet.

When it comes to cream cheese, you could do plain and add your own smoked salmon.  But time was of an essence, so I went straight for the salmon cream cheese.  Take it out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes ahead of time, so the cream cheese can come to room temperature.  Now, get your mixer out, put the cream cheese in a bowl, add about 1/4 cup of chopped dill (fresh please) and freshly ground black pepper.  Turn on your mixer and whip the cream cheese for a minute or two until it's light and fluffy - it'll also turn a paler pink color (due to aeration).

Before filling up the cucumber cups, you might want to lightly dab them with a paper towel to absorb any moisture.  If you want to be fancy, fill a piping bag with cream cheese and pipe!  Otherwise, use a small spoon to scoop the filling into cups.  For extra color and a bit of of a bite, add a piece of a radish.

These are quite perfect for a hold-me-over-before-brunch.  We used our fingers to pick these up, but if you have a pair of antique silver tongs, use them!  Pair these up with a mimosa and you are off to a great start.  Cheers!