Category Archives: Uncategorized

May5

Pizza Party

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We have really enjoyed making pizza lately. There is something so relaxing about making homemade pizza, drinking wine, and watching a movie (or catching up on one-hour dramas) on a lazy Saturday evening. Last weekend we went to Las Vegas for our anniversary, so it’s especially nice to have some down time this weekend!

I use the Pioneer Woman’s pizza crust recipe, because it rises really well for me.  Once you have your dough of choice, preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Roll out your dough to be very thin, then brush with olive oil and place on a baking tray (or pizza stone).  Use a very light hand with your toppings so that the dough can crisp up without being weighed down. Bake for 10-13 minutes. Enjoy!

Here are some of the variations we’ve tried:

Calabrese, mushroom, and red onion:

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Roasted eggplant, cherry tomato, and mozzarella, from the Pioneer Woman:

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Calabrese, pineapple, and jalapeno:

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Mar30

Rosemary and Garlic Grilled Lamb Chops

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We love lamb. Grilled or roasted leg of lamb, lamb burgers, olive-crusted lamb chops — all delicious. However, there is something so irresistible about a simple, grilled lamb chop. I served these with grilled eggplant and cous cous with cranberries and feta.

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Rosemary and Garlic Grilled Lamb Chops

10 rib lamb chops (1/2 – 3/4 inch thick)
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
2 sprigs rosemary, minced finely
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 T olive oil
Lemon wedges

Combine the garlic, rosemary, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and olive oil. Rub the paste over both sides of each lamb chop. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. Remove from the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking, so that they can come to room temperature.

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Heat the grill to high heat. Sear on the first side for 2 minutes, then the second side for 2-3 minutes. Remove the lamb from the heat then squeeze lemon juice over them. Enjoy immediately!

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Feb10

Pho Ga (Chicken Pho)

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I was never partial to chicken pho until we tried it in Hanoi. We had it at our hotel for breakfast, and it had a very clear but complex broth, with only the tiniest slivers of chicken meat. It was amazing.

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I used the recipe from Steamy Kitchen, and I was very pleased with the results.  Paco had three bowls! Today is also the beginning of Chinese New Year, so the noodles that we had are good luck because they represent long life. Winner winner chicken dinner! ;)

Pho Ga (Chicken Pho)
Adapted from Steamy Kitchen

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces, or 3-4 lbs of chicken pieces (I used 2 leg/thigh pieces, 4 wings, and a bunch of extra wing tips)
1 onion, halved
3-inch piece of ginger
1 packet of pho spices (or coriander, cloves, star anise, and fennel)
2 T fish sauch
2 T sugar
1 small bunch of cilantro stems, tied

For serving:
dried pho noodles, boiled and drained
bean sprouts
cilantro
jalapeno, serrano, or Thai chilis, thinly sliced
green onions, sliced finely
lime wedges

Begin by preheating your broiler to high.  Put the onion halves and ginger on a baking tray on the top shelf, and broil for 15 minutes, turning at the halfway point.  The onion skin will brown and both the onion and the ginger will soften.  When they are done, remove the skin from the onion and ginger, and slice the ginger into thick slices.

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Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add the chicken pieces, and boil for 5 minutes.  There will be a lot of frothy scum that rises to the top. Drain the pot, rinse the chicken in cold water, and rinse out the pot.  This is how you make sure that your broth stays clear.

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Fill the pot with cold water, and add the chicken, dried herbs, fish sauce, sugar, cilantro stems, onion, and ginger to the pot.  Bring to a boil then immediately reduce the heat to low and cover. You want the broth to continue cooking at the most gentle simmer possible.

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If necessary, skim the broth every 20 minutes, removing any impurities that float the top.  After 30 minutes, remove the meatiest pieces of chicken. (For me that meant the legs, but if you used the whole chicken it will be the breasts.)  Set them aside to cool.  Continue to simmer the broth for another hour (90 minutes total).  Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. (Mine required some more fish sauce and quite a bit of salt.)

When you are ready to eat, remove the solids from the broth, reserving as much of the liquid as possible.  Shred the chicken that you set aside earlier.  Assemble the individual bowls with noodles, broth, and chicken.  Serve with bean sprouts, lime wedges, and fresh herbs.  Enjoy!

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Jan7

Lobster Paella – My own little Christmas miracle!

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After watching Tyler Florence make his Ultimate Paella, I knew that I wanted to make it for my Christmas meal. Special and festive enough for a holiday, but not as heavy as a traditional roast.  I did not have a paella pan, so I used two large skillets.

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On a side note, we spent Christmas in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, so our actual dinner on Christmas night was pescado frito. My lesson for this year was that you can still have Christmas without a standing rib roast (although I do love roast beef).

Paella
Adapted from Tyler Florence
(serves 6)

3 lobster tails, cut in half lengthwise
1 lb jumbo shrimp, shells and veins removed
1 lb mussels, scrubbed and soaked in saltwater
3 chicken thighs, rinsed and patted dry
3 andouille sausages, sliced
olive oil
kosher salt
black pepper
1 tsp oregano
2 T smoked paprika
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 c arborio rice
3 c water or chicken stock
1 pinch saffron threads
1/2 c frozen peas, thawed
1/2 c Italian parsely, chopped
lemon wedges

In a large skillet or paella pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.  Brown the andouille in the pan, then remove and drain on paper towels.  Drain the extra fat from the pan if necessary.  Season the chicken with salt, pepper, oregano, and smoked paprika.  Place in the skillet skin side down, and brown on both sides.  Once browned, remove from the pan and place with the andouille.  Again, drain off the majority of the fat from the pan, leaving a tablespoon or two in there.

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Over medium heat, saute the garlic and onions in the pan until soft and fragrant, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, the cook until the mixture has caramelized a bit.  Season with salt and pepper.

In the 3 cups of warm water or chicken stock, allow the saffron to steep until the water develops a rich color.  Add the rice and saffron water to the tomato mixture.  Bring to a simmer, then add the chicken and andouille back to the pot.

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Simmer without stirring for 10 minutes.  Nestle the mussels into the rice, arrange the lobster cut side down over the rice, and cook for 5 more minutes.

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Finally, arrange the shrimp and peas over the top of the paella, cover, and allow to cook for 5 more minutes.  Add liquid to the pot if the rice does not seem fluffy enough at this point. When the rice and seafood are cooked (the mussels should be open, and the shrimp and lobster should be pink), turn the heat up to high for 30 seconds to brown the rice at the bottom.

Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.  Enjoy!