Tortilla Soup…

In Houston, there are some days that are so long and hot, that you don’t want to cook, at least with a lot of effort. Soup is one of my favorite things to satisfy the appetite after a long (hot) day. It’s usually light and you don’t have to eat much to feel full. One of my favorites is Tortilla Soup. The best recipe I have found is from the Houston Junior League’s book, “Stop and Smell the Rosemary.” The recipe is the best and it’s easy to throw together. If your family needs more than “just soup”, grill up a quesadilla to serve along side the soup. This is a great way to use leftover roasted chicken, too.

Tortilla Soup, de la Houston Junior League

(this is a halved version, which makes about 6 big bowls of soup)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 corn tortillas, chopped into 1/4″ dice

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ chopped fresh cilantro

1 medium sized white onion, 1/4″ dice

1 (14 ounce can) fire roasted diced tomatoes with juice

1 tablespoon ground cumin

½ tablespoon chili powder

1 bay leaf

4-6 cups chicken broth (depending on how thick you want the soup)

½ teaspoon salt

pinch of cayenne pepper

½ cooked chicken breast (about 4-6 ounces), 1/4” dice

Juice of 1 fresh lime (please use fresh)

crumbled Queso Fresco to garnish

Avocado, diced, as a garnish

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook till softened. Add tortillas, garlic, and cilantro. Saute another 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with juice and turn heat to high. Add the cumin, chili powder, bay leaves and chicken stock. When about to be a full boil, turn down to just simmering. Cook for 20 minutes, uncovered. Turn off heat and add chicken and remove bay leaf. Stir until the chicken might be heated through. Add the freshly squeezed lime juice and stir one more time.  If not ready to serve, just keep on very low heat and cover until your gang is ready.

Ladle into bowls. Garnish with chopped avocado and a sprinkle of crumbled Queso Fresco. Add a sprig of cilantro if you want.

OLE!

P.S. As with all things seasonal, add other things, such as chiles, fresh corn, beans, etc as you like.  This is merely a nice canvas to start with or plain and perfect as is.  Think it would even be an easy and hearty thing to make for a crowd before Christmas Eve church service.

Photo courtesy of Rick Bayless, king of all things Mexican, in my book.

http://www.fronterafiesta.com

 

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Mom’s Meat Loaf…

 

It’s a well-known fact that most any foodie’s first memories of really good food was from their mother’s (or grandmother’s) kitchen. AND, it was usually based on comfort food. For me, it was my mom’s meat loaf. When things were darkest and despair could only be lessened by food, meat loaf was made and served with mashed potatoes and green beans. It’s truly the trifecta of comfort foods.

The meat loaf was always topped with a goopey glaze of ketchup, then with bacon. The consistency was light and had a crumbly texture in the cross-section. The potatoes were light and fluffy, even that they were laden with butter. She would insert a serving spoon into the potatoes, make a large scoop, and with the flick of the wrist, plop the perfect-sized portion onto a plate. The mound always had “stiff peaks”, like just-whipped cream. The green beans were always the fine French variety, skinny and small, and cooked till al dente. They were finished with a pat of butter, and a sprinkle of sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Do I have your attention yet?

“Mom Food” is special to me. My parents knew it was a special boy-friend when he got to have my mother’s meat loaf. (Any time my mother cooks, I hoard the food, and dish out only to the chosen few.) So, without further adieu, I give you THE RECIPE. I feel that I’m doing us all a favor, by recording this for posterity. Serve with a Cabernet (is there any other way?). Run to the store and make this as soon as you can. Freeze the leftovers (ha).

Bacon-Wrapped Meat Loaf with Brown Sugar-Ketchup Glaze

Serves 6-8

Glaze

½ cup ketchup

4 tablespoons light brown sugar

4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Meat Loaf

2 teaspoons oil

1 medium onion, chopped finely

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 large eggs

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon Tabasco

½ cup whole milk or plain yogurt

2 pounds meat (total) = 1 pound ground beef, ½ pound ground pork, ½ pound ground veal

2/3 cup bread crumbs

1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped finely

8-12 slices thinly-cut bacon

Make the glaze, mixing all ingredients in a small saucepan and set aside.

Heat oven to 350F. Heat oil in medium skillet. Add onion and garlic and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool, while preparing remaining ingredients.

Mix eggs with thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and milk (or yogurt). Add egg mixture to meat in a large bowl, along with bread crumbs, parsley and cooked onion and garlic. Mix with fork until evenly blended and meat mixture does not stick to the bowl. (If sticks to the side of the bowl, add a little more milk or yogurt until it no longer sticks to the side of the bowl.)

Turn meat mixture onto a foil-lined sheet pan. With wet hands, pat mixture into approximately 9” x 5” loaf shape. Brush with half the glaze, then arrange bacon slices, crosswise, over loaf, overlapping slightly and tucking bacon tip ends under the loaf (if necessary).

Bake loaf until bacon is crisp and loaf registers 160F, about an hour. Cool at least 20 minutes. Simmer remaining glaze over medium heat until thickened slightly. Slice meat loaf and serve with extra glaze on the side.

*Note: this is not prepared in a loaf pan. It really does yield a nicer finished result, the sides and top crunchy since all exposed. Resist the inclination to use a loaf pan. You’ll be glad you did.

Original recipe and photo courtesy of Cook’s Illustrated magazine (the best).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bruschetta a la Nan

It was the end of the first day of moving and I HAD to take a break from unpacking. It had been a long day. A bath, glass of wine, and “nothing” was calling my name. My second instinct? A movie. A foodie movie. A quality foodie movie that I hadn’t seen in a very long time, AND, one that would inspire me to do more than just open boxes.

So, I chose “Julie & Julia”, a movie based on the book of the same name, by Julie Powell. In the opening scene, she is making Bruschetta for her husband. As he eats, he devours one piece after the other, as if it was ambrosia. Ever since seeing that, I have been thinking about tomatoes and the fact that it’s summer and well, the sweetest time of year for tomatoes.

In the spirit of all things “Julia”, and for my mom, I made the attempt last night. I found the freshest loaf of light and fluffy French bread and of course, yummy little sweet tomatoes. I served to my mother with a little Pinot Grigio and MANGIA! We were both in heaven. There were no words between us, but “yummy noises”, scraping up every bit that fell to our plates, as if every morsel was precious. Here is my version of Julie’s Bruschetta. It’s summer. Make this as soon as you can. It’s too hot to really eat, so make this at the end of a day when you’re feeling heavy and tired. It will make you feel grateful to love food. Share it with someone you really like.

Bruschetta a la Nan

Serves 2

3 large slices, about 1” thick (cut on the bias), light and fluffy fresh French bread

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (dark and rich)

1 whole garlic clove

½ pint of tiny sweet tomatoes (“Cherubs”), each one sliced in half

½ orange bell pepper, cut into 1/4” dice

white Balsamic vinegar (just a splash) – I prefer white for this recipe as you get flavor without richness of the dark version

3 large leaves fresh basil

salt & pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese shavings for garnish

In a large frying pan over medium heat, place enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the bread slices and fry until well-toasted. Remove from the pan to plates, cooked side up. Scrape the warm side with the clove of garlic (you can’t miss this step).

In the same large frying pan, add a little more olive oil (if necessary). Add the bell pepper and cook till softened, 3-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about a minute. Add a splash of the white balsamic vinegar. Shake frying pan to blend and cook for about a minute, until the tomatoes start to soften and release juices. Turn off the heat, tear the basil leaves, throwing them into the tomato mixture. Toss one last time. With a large spoon, ladle over each piece of bread till all the mixture is used. Garnish with Parmesan cheese shavings.

Mangia!

Photos courtesy of: www.unabashedlypoetic.wordpress.com and http://www.thummprints.net

Carrot Soup (oh yea, and I’m back)

Hello Everyone:  Many of you have asked about why I haven’t blogged lately.  The answer is really simple.  I have made positive changes in my life to make room for the creative juices to flow.  I feel inspired again and ready to share good restaurant experiences, recipes, techniques, and let’s not forget cool spaces.

The thing I am most excited about is blogging about great restaurants and how the interiors affect the experience of the diner, bringing food and design together.

So, today, I was hungry for soup with salad, so I made the following recipe.  I took my inspiration from the Smitten Kitten, which you can see HERE. I am pairing this with a kale salad with ginger lemon vinaigrette, so I kept the soup pretty pure and simple.  Feel free to add lemon, curry powder, chili powder, tahini, or whatever else you think would compliment it.  Heck, keep it thick and call it Carrot Hummus, serving with pita.

DecoFoodie Carrot Soup

Small bag carrots, cut into big hunks (about 10-12 big carrots)

1/2 large onion, peeled and chopped into hunks

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

4 whole garlic cloves, skinned, but left whole

Olive oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

Chicken stock (at least 3 cups, but you might need more)

Chopped parsley for garnish.

Preheat oven to 350F.  In a large bowl, add all the vegetables.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Toss well with fingers.  Roast on a sheet pan with parchment paper (for easy clean up) for an hour, at least.  Check the carrots and remove when fork tender (you may need longer to cook, depending on the size of your carrots).

Remove from the oven and allow to cool.  Put some roasted garbanzo beans aside for garnish.  Add to blender.  I have a VitaMix, which will puree anything (even relatives you don’t like).  If you have a standard blender, you may have to do this in batches.  Add chicken stock until you have arrived at a FINE puree.  If you like it coarse, that’s fine.  Serve with garnish of roasted garboazo beans and parsley.  Drizzle with sour cream or Greek yogurt (if you like).  It’s a great canvas for so many things.

See ya soon, PROMISE!

Fall is whispering in my ear…

Tags

root veggies, vegetarian

School just started back and we are all looking at the fall calendars and scheming and scheduling. Pretty soon, we will start talking about holiday parties (eek). BUT, not to wander to that just yet. This is (nearly) the harvest season, and root veggies are on my mind.

One of my favorite meals is a simply roasted chicken and what a great way to roast veggies alongside the bird, to collect juices, and become carmelized.  We usually think of the usual root veggies, like carrots, potatoes, but there are so many more to consider. There are several types of root vegetables: the taproot and the tuberous root, and their sister, the bulb root vegetable.

Taproot vegetables grow downward. A center forms from which other roots sprout. Think of it like tendrils. Often times, the top is plucked, but the root stays in the ground. The plant may sustain many harvests, but then the root system becomes old and yields less fruit. Typical taproot vegetables are beets, carrots, dandelion, parsley, parsnips, radish, rutabaga, salsify, and turnips.

The Tuberous root vegetables grow more near to the soil’s surface. With tuberous plants, underground plants form and not only grow vegetables, but the core plant continues to grow and can therefore last through winter, and for a long time. Good examples of tuberous root vegetables are potatoes, sweet potato, ginger, and yam.

Ah, but there’s more! There are also bulb root vegetables. These grow underground, and are grown on the underside of the stem of the plant. The leaves of the plant serve as nutrition during dormancy. Examples of bulb root vegetables are garlic, onion, shallot, and fennel.

So, think outside the box with root veggies. Next time you roast a chicken, put some new kinds of root vegetables in the roasting pan. Hello, Fall!

 

Soul Soup…

Tags

dinner, heat pot, liquid stock, red lentils, vegetarian

When I was young and going out on my own, my mother advised me to always have certain ingredients in my pantry and fridge. “Even when you don’t have two nickels to rub together, you will still have something that is hearty, healthy, and soulful,” she would say. Since then, nearly 25 years ago, I have always had onion, celery, carrot, and lentils in my pantry.

Now that I am older and wiser, I now make what I call “Soul Soup” nearly weekly, but I tweak it each time, so that it’s a little different. I serve with some kind of bread on the side. I like that it’s more of a stew than a soup, chunky and hardy. It will keep in the fridge and after a long and taxing weekday, it settles in the stomach and readies you for a good sleep. Here is my basic recipe. Sometimes, I add a little curry, use red instead of green lentils, add bacon or sausage, fresh herbs, pesto, chiles, chimichurri, cold cucumber for garnish. I invite you to create your own soul soup, to feed your friends, family, or aging parents. It costs next to nothing to make, but the heart that makes is what gives it soul.

Soul Soup

1 onion, diced

2 stems celery, diced

1 large or 2 small carrots, diced

1- 14 oz. can tomatoes (I like fire-roasted)

1 cup red or green lentils

8 cups stock (chicken/beef/veggie stock or water)

olive oil

Optional: bacon, sausage, herbs, garlic, bay leaf, old rind of parmesan cheese, squashes of all types, pesto, and/or anything else you think would be good.

In a big soup pot (dutch oven), heat pot over medium high heat. Add olive oil, diced onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until onion is soft and transparent 10-12 minutes. Add can of tomatoes and turn up heat to high. Add the lentils and liquid (stock or water). Stir well. Bring to a near boil (surface of soup starts to agitate), then turn to medium-low. Cover. If using red lentils, cook for about 20 minutes. If using green lentils, cook for about 30 minutes (then check as may need a little more time). Green lentils should be whole, but soft to the tooth. Red lentils tend to fall apart, since they are smaller and will therefore render a thicker soup.

Let me know how you make out. Add this to your weekly regime. Your family will love it. It’s a great way to get good veggies into your kids if they are hard to please. Your stomach and soul will thank you.

Mangia!

Photo courtesy of epicurious.com, my favorite site for food knowledge-base, menus, and recipes.

Kitchen essentials…

So many people who cook have their own opinions about what tools are invaluable in the kitchen. I don’t think it’s about gadgets, but really good quality basic pieces. I have found that living with less and learning to be creative with more is smart, practical, and resourceful. What works for one, may not work for another. Here’s what works for me:

Knives: 8” chef’s knife, serrated bread knife, a thin boning knife, 4-6 inch paring knife, good set serrated steak knives, washable kitchen scissors

Pots: I really don’t believe in non-stick. You can’t really use them at high temps as it will compromise the teflon finish. I think stainless steel (inside and out) is best. You need at least: 8” frying pan, 10-12” saute pan (with straight sides and a lid), small sauce pan, large sauce pan, dutch oven. Shop locally for what you want, what fits you best and is the right weight (if you can’t lift it, it’s not right for you). Buy the best you can afford. Shop online for the best prices as there are many suppliers out there.

Storage: Good set of stackable plastic, long-lasting containers that you can use in the dish washer, freezer, refrigerator, and microwave.

Cutting boards: have one that’s small and one that’s larger. Good to have one with a groove for catching juices. Must be able to put one in the dishwasher. I like a small plastic one, and a larger wooden one for carving meat.

Mixing bowls: 4 sizes, plastic or metal, from small to large, set of 4 Pyrex “pudding cups”

Utensils: wooden spoons (large and small), whisk, rolling pin, silicon spatulas, thin and flexible spatula, masher, grater, sieve, strainer, good sharp vegetable peeler, spreader, meat tenderizer/pounder, slotted spoon, garlic mincer, lemon reamer, ice cream scooper (the kind with a lever), sets of measuring spoons and cups, 2 and 4 cup Pyrex measuring cups, a roll of parchment paper, regular and heavy foil, good quality plastic wrap (don’t skimp on this), stainless steel scrubbies (they are effective on pots, gentile on china, and dishwasher friendly).

Salt and Pepper Grinders: It’s essential to have a pepper mill with an adjustable grinder. Also, you need a good salt grinder for sea salt. It’s also good to have a lidded pot of salt for measuring.

Appliances: small food processor (2-4 cups), strong blender with many speeds, hand mixer

Additional: 2 heavy-duty sheet pans with silicon mats, roasting pan, smaller baking pans, large cooling rack and smaller cooling rack (good for hot pots), silicon oven-mits. Grapefruit spoons are wonderful for scraping seeds and pulp from the inside of produce, adjunct refrigerator (if you’re lucky to have one).

I believe this list is fairly comprehensive. To my loyal readers, chime in and add anything to the list you see fit. Most items are multi-purpose. Be creative. You will find that you really need less than you expect, for a fully functional kitchen. I have thoughts on the edible pantry, which will come later, so stay tuned.

Image courtesy of Pinterest (from http://www.weheartit.com)

 

Hooked on Quinoa…

Tags

champagne vinegar, cucumber and tomato salad, cup quinoa, martha rose shulman, vegetarian

It’s too hot to eat anything warm after a long day at work. With it so hot out, I have started to make salads that are easy to make, keep in the refrigerator, low in the bad stuff, high in the good stuff, and easy on the purse. Quinoa is an amazing grain (pronounce it “keen-wa”).

While it is considered a whole-grain, it is actually a seed. It takes very little time to cook (similar to rice). It’s very high in protein and amino-acids, as well as gluten-free. It will absorb any flavor you add to it and will keep several days in the refrigerator. To cook, use 1 part quinoa to 2 parts liquid. In 1/3 cup of this prepared wonder-grain there are 160 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 3 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein (no, really).

Here is a great recipe that I just made courtesy of the NY Times, via Martha Rose Shulman, who writes wonderful cook books on the Mediterranean diet.

Spicy Quinoa, Cucumber, and Tomato Salad

1 cup quinoa

3 cups water

salt to taste

2 cups diced cucumber

1 small red onion, finely minced

2 cups finely diced tomatoes

1 – 2 jalapeno peppers or to taste, finely chopped

½ cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon red wine or champagne vinegar

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 avocado sliced, for garnish

1. Bring the 3 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add salt (1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon) and the quinoa. Bring back to a boil, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until the quinoa is tender and translucent; each grain should have a little thread. Drain off the water in the pan through a strainer, and return the quinoa to the pan. Cover the pan with a clean dish towel, replace the lid and allow to sit for 10 minutes. If making for the freezer, uncover and allow to cool, then place in plastic bags. Flatten the bags and seal.

2. Meanwhile, place the finely diced cucumber in a colander, and sprinkle with salt. Toss and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Rinse the cucumber with cold water, and drain on paper towels. If using the onion, place in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for five minutes, then drain, rinse with cold water and drain on paper towels (this reduces the pungent onion flavor).

3. Combine the tomatoes, chiles, cilantro, vinegar, lime juice and olive oil in a bowl. Add the cucumber and onion, season to taste with salt, and add the quinoa and cilantro. Toss together, and taste and adjust seasonings. Serve garnished with sliced avocado and cilantro sprigs.

Yield: Serves six.

Advance preparation: The quinoa freezes well, and the assembled salad will keep for a day in the refrigerator. The leftovers will be good for a couple of days.

Nutritional information per serving: 236 calories; 14 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 25 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 12 milligrams sodium (does not include salt added during cooking); 6 grams protein

Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.

Uptown Ribs with my special BBQ Sauce…

Tags

bbq sauce recipe

Every Labor Day weekend, it’s become a tradition for me to make ribs (one of my dad’s favorites).  My version uses short ribs.  Meaty and gelatinous, they are knife and fork warm-weather food.  The day before, I braise them, low and slow, for about 4 hours, till they fall off the bone.  I remove the bones and transfer them to a canister, the juice separate, but reserved.  When ready to serve, you can leave the ribs whole, or pull them, adding the sauce, and use on buns or on flour tortillas for breakfast with eggs (oh baby).

I love tweaking recipes that I find.  I generally cook “freehand” (pinch of this and a handful of that).  I’ve been criticized for not being able to reproduce what I’ve made before.  I see the kitchen as a blank canvas.  Embrace the difference each time!  BUT, I managed to get down the perfect BBQ sauce recipe and everyone loves it.

While the ribs are braising, I make the BBQ sauce.  I know, I know, you’ve read a thousand recipes for sauce before, but this one is special, I assure you. It’s not too icky-sweet, and not too spicy, JUUUUST right.  You are hereby licensed to take liberties…(you just have to report back with your results = deal).

The day of the event, I remove the ribs from fridge and let them sit for a couple of hours, becoming room temp.  Once room temperature, I dip them in the sauce and reheat at 300 degrees for 30 minutes.  It’s chic and yummy. Serve with slaw and tater salad (is there any other way?).

Here goes:

Saute one large sweet onion, till caramelized and medium brown.  Set aside to cool.

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

3 big cloves garlic, minced

pinch of Cayenne pepper (or to taste or eliminate)

In a blender add the cooked and cooled onion.  Add all other ingredients. Blend well.  Refrigerate.  Make ahead; it will taste better the next day.

Photo courtesy of Tom Bohannon, one of my mates at Foodie.com. It just made my mouth water to see this.

The heart of DecoFoodie…

Tags

art of life, lovely place

I often wonder why it is that the home and food are so important to me. I think it’s that they both “feed” and nurture us (at least they do for me).

To me, design gives a house more than just a pretty picture to others. It should be a reflection of who the users are. I say users, because not all of us own our places of living. I love to travel, but I love to be home, in my bathrobe, at peace. I feel secure and comfortable where I am. There’s no view or spectacular landscape. My place feels and smells like me. It’s familiar and a respite for me when life is icky. It’s a wonderful space to entertain a few friends. I am flattered when someone feels comfortable enough to take their shoes off and put their feet on the coffee table, or plump the pillows on the sofa to fit their own bodies, as if they are in their own home. I think we all like a sense of place and belonging.

Food nurtures our souls and hearts, not just our bodies. Granted, some take it to extremes, but the passion and effort many make to eat well for health and enjoyment is amazing. On the average we spend 13% of our income and 10% of our time eating and drinking. That’s quite a lot of effort made to fuel ourselves. Of course, I certainly eat to thrive, but I also love to cook and dine. For me, it’s part of the art of life and enjoyment of living. The process of cooking, taking something and turning it into art and sustainment is so fulfilling.

They say we “eat with our eyes first”. A lovely place to eat where you feel comfortable, eating good things, and in the company of loved ones, surely must be one of the best things we can enjoy.

Mangia!

Photo courtesy of Outstanding in the Field, which, if you haven’t enjoyed one of their events, well, you just haven’t lived. Learn more HERE.