Entries categorized as ‘Entree’

Shakespeare in the Park

July 9, 2010 · 31 Comments

Every Summer and Fall, one of my favorite outdoor events to attend in Dallas is Shakespeare in the Park. They feature different plays every year and this Summer they are holding Cymbeline and The Comedy of Errors.  It’s a great opportunity to spend time with friends and family, what can be better on a warm Summer’s night than a picnic with a side of Shakespeare?

“As the area’s veteran producers of Shakespeare in the Park, Shakespeare Dallas has invited audiences to enjoy accessible productions in an open-air amphitheatre since 1971, reaching over 50,000 people every summer and fall.” — Shakespeare Dallas

As celebration for this Summer’s Shakespeare in the Park, I have come up with a simple and healthy Picnic menu!  Though you can bring anything you like on your own picnic, I’ve included some easy recipes and suggestions to help you plan a picnic fit for kings :) Below is some additional information on Shakespeare Dallas and short synopsis of the performances playing this summer.

Cymbeline
By William Shakespeare
Directed by SD Artistic Associate Rene Moreno

Previews: June 16-17
Opening: June 18
Continuing June 29 through July 24
on Sundays, Tuesdays and Saturdays
With additional performances on June 19 & 20

Performances begin at 8:15 p.m. at the Samuell-Grand Amphitheatre

“Golden lads and girls all must, as chimney-sweepers, come to dust.”

Shakespeare weaves a tale of the beautiful princess Imogen and her new husband, Posthumous, parted by circumstances invoked by her wicked stepmother and her distant father, the King Cymbeline of Britain. Posthumous’ impoverished state makes him undesirable to King Cymbeline as a match to his prized daughter. Under the influence of his wife, King Cymbeline banishes Posthumous and confines Imogen to the castle. While exiled in Rome, Posthumous meets the foul Iachimo who finagles him into a wager on Imogen’s chastity. Iachimo goes to Britain and through trickery gains access to Imogen’s bedchamber. He manages to slide off a bracelet Posthumous gave Imogen to use as proof. Posthumous believes Iachimo’s treachery, and enraged, sends his faithful servant Pisanio to murder Imogen in retribution — although when he learns falsely of her death, he is devastated and repents his action. Imogen, meanwhile, has escaped to Wales in man’s clothing, unknowingly meets up with her long-lost brothers and is eventually reunited with her husband and the truth is revealed amidst the victory of Britain against Rome.

Fri. & Sat.: $10 adults/$7 seniors and students.
Tues. – Thurs. & Sun.: $10 donation requested.
Children 12 and under are free.

Samuell-Grand Amphitheatre
1500 Tenison Parkway
Dallas, Texas 75223


The Comedy of Errors
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Matthew Tomlanovich

Previews: June 24-25
Opening: June 26
Continuing June 30-July 23 on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
With an additional performance on June 27.
*Please note there are no performances on June 22 or June 23.

Performances begin at 8:15 p.m. at the Samuell-Grand Amphitheatre

“Was there ever any man thus beaten out of season,
When in the why and the wherefore is neither rhyme nor reason?”

Take one pair of estranged twins (both called Antipholous) and one pair of twin servants (both called Dromio), keep them in ignorance of each other and throw them into a city with a reputation for sorcery and you have the chief ingredients for theatrical chaos. Fast-paced, hilarious and seemingly irreverent, the young William Shakespeare explores themes in this comedy that recur again and again in his later work: mistaken identity, coincidence and the importance of family.

Fri. & Sat.: $10 adults/$7 seniors and students.
Tues. – Thurs. & Sun.: $10 donation requested.
Children 12 and under are free.

Samuell-Grand Amphitheatre
1500 Tenison Parkway
Dallas, Texas 75223

Season Sponsors
570 KLIF, 1310 The Ticket, Brierley+Partners , City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs, City of Dallas Parks and Recreation Department, e-Rewards Market Research, Fossil, Star Newspapers, TACA, Target, Texas Commission on the Arts, The Dallas Morning News, The Hall Agency

Shakespeare Dallas
3630 Harry Hines Blvd. Dallas, TX 75219
(214) 559-2778
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The Perfect Summer Picnic Menu

Assorted Cheeses and Fruit Platter

Smoked Gouda, Bleu Cheese, Colby Jack, Fresh Strawberries, Green Grapes, Apricots with Rosemary Triscuits

Garden Vegetable Pasta Salad

with broccoli, tomatoes, corn, avocado, red onion, and black beans

Finger Sandwich Platter

cucumber tea sandwiches with cream cheese and sprouts & vegetable sandwiches with hummus and olive oil

Summer Fruit Salad

cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, blueberries, raspberries, green grapes soaked in honey and vanilla

Ingredients for Assorted Cheese and Fruit Plate : (serves 4-6)

  • 8 oz Smoked Gouda
  • 8 oz Bleu Cheese
  • 8 oz Mozzarella
  • 8 oz Colby Jack
  • 1 box Rosemary & Olive Oil Triscuits
  • 8 oz Fresh Strawberries, cleaned and hulled
  • 8 oz Green Grapes, cleaned
  • 8 oz Apricots

Bring a cheese knife and board along with you on the picnic, if you do not have these items a simple butter knife and paper plate will suffice.  Arrange the cheese crackers and fruits to your liking and serve with a nice Riesling or light red like a Pinot or Syrah.

Also feel free to experiment with fruits and cheeses.  You can use other fruits such as apples, figs, raspberries or peaches.  Or perhaps try interesting cheeses like a sharp Gruyere, a creamy Brie or maybe a nice mild Cheddar.  You can find a helpful wine and cheese pairing guide at Gourmet Sleuth here.

Ingredients for Garden Vegetable Pasta Salad: (serves 4-6)

  • 1 lb of Fusili or Penne Pasta, cooked
  • 1 cup of broccoli florettes, blanched
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup fresh yellow/white corn kernels
  • 1/2 cup of red onion, small diced
  • 1/2 cup of black beans
  • 1/4 cup of green bell pepper, small diced
  • 1/4 cup of red bell pepper, small diced
  • 1 avocado, pitted and small diced
  • 1 tablespoon parsley, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a tablespoon of salt.  Pour in the dry pasta and cook for 4-6 minutes or otherwise stated on the package.  Once pasta is “al dente” or semi-firm, strain pasta and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.  In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients listed above and toss with cooked pasta.  If more salt/seasoning is needed, simply add additional flavor according to your taste.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Ingredients for Finger Sandwich Platter: (serves 4-6)

  • 1 french baguette, sliced into 1/2″ rounds
  • 1 medium tomato, sliced
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 avocado, pitted and sliced
  • 1 cup spring mix
  • 1 cup hummus
  • 1 english cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup cream cheese
  • 1 cup of sprouts
  • 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

To assemble cucumber sandwiches, take your baguette rounds and slather each side generously with cream cheese.  Add sliced cucumber and sprouts and hold together with toothpicks.  Sprinkle with cracked black pepper and refrigerate til ready to serve.

To assemble veggie sandwiches, take your baguette rounds and slather each side generously with hummus.  Place the field greens, tomatoes, avocado and onion in between and hold together with toothpicks.  Refrigerate and drizzle with olive oil when ready to serve.

You can make all different types of sandwiches — ham and cheese, turkey and swiss, blts — feel free to be creative!  You can also assemble the sandwiches at the picnic, just bring your pre-sliced ingredients and allow your guests to make their own.

Ingredients for Summer Fruit Salad (serves 4-6):

  • 1/2 cantaloupe
  • 1/2 honey dew
  • 1/4 watermelon
  • 1 pint of blueberries
  • 1 pint of raspberries
  • 2 cups grapes
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 fresh vanilla bean

Using a melon baller, remove the seeds from the cantaloupe and honeydew.  Carve as many melon balls you can get from the cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon.  Set aside.  Reserve the remainder of the melon scraps for a refreshing juice.

Place balls in a large bowl and add the berries and grapes.  Whisk the honey with the vanilla extract/bean and pour over the fruit mixture.  Allow the fruit salad to “marinate” for at least an hour before serving.

Now remember when I told you to set the melon caracasses behind?  Well you can use the leftover melons to make a refreshing drink for the picnic! Now take the melon scraps you set aside and scrape off as much of the flesh as you can.  Transfer the juices and melon flesh into a large bowl or jar and mix with a cup of simple syrup, blend throughly with a hand held blender.

Ingredients for Simple Syrup:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water

In a medium saucepan combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool.

If you want to make other drinks you can try this refreshing Mango Lemonade and Watermelon Lemonade or perhaps some of my Limeades !  Simply serve over ice and you are ready to go :)

I hope everyone who lives in Dallas takes the time to take part of Shakespeare in the Park.  It truly is a wonderful experience!  Not only do you get a picnic under the stars (boys, girls like these things) but you get to watch talented actors and actresses from Shakespeare Dallas put on an amazing performance.  Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, and remember — no picnic is complete without a picnic basket :) !  (I got mine from Target for $15)

Categories: Drinks · Easy · Entree · Healthy · Low Fat · Raw Food · Salads · Side · Vegetarian
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Pan Seared Mahi-Mahi with Cucumber Slaw

June 22, 2010 · 16 Comments

Life has been hectic over in the Well’s household, our house is getting close to completion — we are aiming to move in at the end of July.  The boys (Collin, Carter and Poppa Wells) have been doing most of the grunt work, putting up sheet rock, dry wall, replacing broken studs while the girls (Me, Momma Wells and Aunt Lori) have been the painters and patchers.  I’ve earned a nickname of “Little Picasso” however I am convinced after this house, I won’t be painting for a very very LONG time.

The changes throughout the home have been amazing.  I will share with you a few “before” photos and once the house is completed I will share the “after”.  This entire experience has been extremely tiring, but very rewarding.  Every day I walk into the house I am constantly seeing the improvements being made, and to know that this house was literally built with our very own hands makes it all the more gratfying.

We’ve torn down walls, scrubbed asbestos off the floors, replaced windows and doors.  We’ve put up dry wall, painted the rooms and closet doors, took down panneling.  We’ve taken nails out of studs, scraped off all the termite damage and patched holes in the wall.  And to be honest, none of this would’ve been possible without the help of  my second family :) they truly are great.

The end is near.  I can almost taste the sweet sweet victory.  I am looking forward to moving in, cooking in my new kitchen and photographing in my very own photography studio/office.  Til then, excuse the lack of posts and replies to all the wonderful comments you all have left me.  I thoroughly appreciate all of y’alls kind words and support!

Since hosting a Raw Food Event for FoodBuzz, I have been incorporating more raw ingredients into my daily diet.  I pan seared some mahi-mahi and made a nice crunchy and bright cucumber slaw (which was raw) to go with it.  I served it alongside a bed of fresh herb salad (raw) and finished it off with a nice generous squeeze of fresh lemon. It was easy to make with minimal cooking time — which I also found as a plus side to eating raw, because minimal cooking=minimal cleaning :) !

Ingredients for Pan Seared Mahi Mahi: (serves 2)

  • 2 6-ounce mahi-mahi fillets (about 1 inch thick)
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon chile powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 400F.

Take mahi fillets and pat dry with a paper towel.  Mix all of the seasonings in a bowl and rub on both sides of fish fillets.  Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat, when the butter is bubbling place the fillets in the pan.  Cook three minutes on each side or until the sides of the fillets are browned and seared.  Place the skillet in the oven and cook for 5 minutes or until fish is flaky and tender (you can test this by inserting a fork into the thickest part of the fillet).

Ingredients for Cucumber Slaw:

  • 1/2 cup fresh corn kernels
  • 1 cup cucumbers, peeled and small diced
  • 1/4 cup red bell pepper, small diced
  • 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon cilantro, minced
  • 1 tablespoon jalapeno, minced
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon raw honey
  • 1 teaspoon cold pressed olive oil

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.  Adjust the flavors according to your liking (i.e. add more honey if you’d like it sweeter or vinegar for more tartness)  Allow to marinate for about 10-20 minutes.  Serve on top of mahi-mahi fillets.

Ingredients for Herb Salad:
  • 2 cups herb salad mix
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 teaspoon cold pressed olive oil
  • salt pepper to taste

Plate salad and tomatoes alongside of mahi filets and drizzle with olive oil.  Taste with salt and pepper. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over greens and fish if preferred.

Categories: Easy · Entree · Fish · Healthy · Low Fat · Raw Food · Salads
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FoodBuzz 24,24,24,: Awesome Rawsome – A 5 course Raw Food Dinner

May 30, 2010 · 43 Comments

As celebration of FoodBuzz’s new Healthbuzz section, I wanted to discover the mysteries of the Raw Food diet.  This month, FoodBuzz selected my proposal for 24,24,24  I decided to invite a group of my friends and together we explored the beauties of eating raw through a 5 course meal. Does that sound Awesome Rawsome?  I think so.

This was probably one of the most challenging menus for me to think of — I mean eating RAW? I am use to the heat of the kitchen, the sounds of oil sizzling in a pan but no, not this time.  One of the main rules of eating raw is nothing is cooked above 118F, any temperature above that will begin breaking down the natural enzymes in fruits and vegetables. Now many of you are thinking — So what? but because of the degradation of these enzymes, it forces our bodies to generate the enzymes necessary to digest cooked food. Our bodies are unable to produce enzymes in perfect combinations to metabolize our foods as completely as the food enzymes created by nature do. As a result, starches, proteins and partially digested fats can cause blockage to your body’s intestinal tract and arteries leading to health challenges such as high cholesterol, heart disease and stroke.

I used Raw, a cookbook written by Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein, as guidance through my exploration of raw foods.  They included this example about Eskimos and their raw diet:

“The Eskimos are a remarkable example of the transformative power of enzymes.  The word Eskimo means one who eats raw. While living for centuries on a diet that consisted primarily of raw whale or seal blubber, Eskimos developed no arteriosclerosis and experienced almost no incidence of heart disease, stroke, or high blood pressure.  Established nutritional doctrine would predict a high rate of these ailments given the diet, but even blubber will digest itself completely if it is not cooked since its enzymes are intact.  Once you heat even the finest olive oil above 118F, you will not be able to digest it completely.  More important, many authorities believe that eating cooked foods depletes our finite enzyme reserve.  Proof of this effect is that an eighty-five-year-old has only one-thirtieth the enzyme activity level of an eighteen-year-old.  In other words, your enzyme reserve is slowly exhausted over a lifetime of eating cooked foods.”


I found this compelling, I never thought about the importance of eating foods raw.  I mean in my mind, raw food meant leafy salads and those party veggie trays, — food isn’t meant to be eaten raw, right?  I guess that’s why I had so much fun with this proposal I had to think of a 5 course menu consisting of all raw foods, made in different ways and in clever combinations to make my guests say — Wait, this is RAW? I could eat this!

To do this, the most important thing would be to pick good quality produce and discovering the beauty of fruits and vegetables in their natural state and using them in way that would enhance their flavors. An interesting fact I also learned when reading Raw, was our bodies’ struggle with digesting unsprouted nuts and seeds — nuts and seeds contain enzyme inhibitors that prevent them from sprouting into a plant or tree; however, if they have been sprouted (soaked in water), these enzyme inhibitors will degrade and then our bodies are able to digest them naturally.

Maybe it may not be practical to say– I will eat raw for the rest of my life! In the society we live in today many of us are not able to do that.  However, I’m going to make a personal commitment to improve the quality of foods I place into my body.  Maybe as a start, I’ll start eating raw a couple nights a week, or making my meals half cooked and half raw either way, incorporating raw foods into my daily diet would never be detrimental to my health and would only improve it.  Our health is one of the few things we are able to control in our lives through daily practices of healthy eating habits and exercise; our bodies will take care of us if we take care of it.

In all of the food we eat, (fruits, vegetables, meats), there are natural food enzymes that are present in their raw state.  These enzymes are a perfect combination and fit to help our bodies digest it completely.  Enzymes act as catalysts for every metabolic reaction in our bodies: cell division, energy production, brain activity, which are essential to our mental and physical well-being.

“Nature in her never-ending perfection sees that all food, whether flesh, fruit, or vegetable, decomposes and returns to the earth from which it came.“ Roxanne Klein


Menu for Awesome Rawsome

Appetizer

Gazpacho Granita

relish of cucumber, red and yellow bell pepper and red onion

Soup

cream of corn soup with tomato basil lemon oil

Salad

heirloom tomatoes with arugula served with lemon tahini

Entrée

jicama ravioli with avocado crema and southwestern corn slaw

Dessert

watermelon medallions served with a tropical salsa in a chilled mango soup

Ingredients for Gazpacho Granita: (serves 4 to 6)

Granita

  • 2 pounds ripe sweet tomatoes, peeled
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 garlic clove
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tsp coarsely ground pepper
  • ¾ tsp salt

Dressing

  • ¼ cup cold pressed olive oil
  • 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

Salad

  • 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely diced
  • ½ red onion, finely diced

To make granita: Quarter tomatoes and puree in a food processor with sugar and garlic. Strain puree through a sieve to discard seeds. Stir in basil, lemon juice, pepper, and salt. Let mixture chill in refrigerator at least 20 minutes to allow flavors to develop.

Pour the granita mixture into a wide and shallow container, such as a stainless steel baking dish (the shallower the container, the quicker the granite will freeze). Cover with a lid, foil, or plastic wrap. Freeze the mixture 1 to 2 hours, until it is solid around the edges.  Take the container out of the freezer and scrape the ice with a fork, mixing it from the edges into the center.

Repeat this scraping and mixing process every 30 minutes or so (at least three times) until the entire mixture has turned into small, sequined ice flakes.  When ready to serve, scrape with a fork to loosen the granita and spoon into serving dishes.

To make dressing, whisk together all ingredients until blended.  To assemble salad, in a large bowl combine all ingredients; add dressing and toss to coat.  Spoon granita on center of serving dishes.  Arrange salad evenly around each.

Ingredients for Cream of Corn Soup: (Makes 4-6 servings)

  • 4 cups sweet corn kernels
  • 2 cup filtered water
  • ½ avocado
  • Celtic sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Place ingredients in a large bowl and using a blender or hand held blender, puree until it is a smooth consistency.  Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove skin of kernels and taste with salt and pepper.


Garnish for Corn Soup:

  • ½ cup sweet corn kernels
  • ¼ cup julienned jicama
  • ¼ cup microgreens
  • 4 tsp tomato basil lemon oil


Ingredients for Tomato Basil Lemon Oil:

  • ½ pound ripe tomatoes
  • 1 ½ cups cold pressed olive oil
  • ¾ cup packed fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ tsp hot red pepper flakes
  • 2 tsp lemon zest


Slice the tomatoes in half crosswise (through the equator) and gently squeeze out the seeds; discard them.  Working in a large bowl, rub the cut sides of the tomatoes across the large holes of a metal grater so that the flesh is coarsely grated but the skin remains intact in your hand.  Discard the skin.

Combine the tomatoes, oil, basil, garlic, and pepper flakes in a large bowl.  Place at room temperature for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, before using.  Strain and spoon the oil off any juices into clean, dry jar.  The oil will keep in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 month  Bring to room temperature about ½ hour before serving.

To assemble soup, pour corn soup into bowls and garnish with jicama and corn mixture.  Drizzle with tomato lemon basil oil and top with microgreens.

Ingredients for Heirloom Tomatoes with Lemon Tahini: (Makes 4-6 servings)

  • ½ cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 5 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • Salt
  • 8 medium heirloom tomatoes, washed and cut into ¼ inch thick slices
  • 3 cups Arugula
  • 1lemon,, thinly sliced, for garnish
  • Freshly ground pepper


In the bowl of a food processor, place tahini, half the lemon zest, and lemon juice; pulse to combine. With the motor running, add 7 to 8 tbsp cold water and continue to process until mixture is thick and smooth. Add salt to taste, and refrigerate until cold.

Bring tahini to room temperature.Place arugula on a large platter and arrange tomatoes on top in a tight overlapping pattern; drizzle half the tahini over the tomatoes.  Scatter remaining lemon zest on top.  Tuck lemon slices around and between tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper.  Serve remaining tahini on the side.

Ingredients for Jicama Ravioli: (serves 4-6)

  • 1 ½ medium-sized jicama, washed and peeled
  • 3 cups raw walnuts, sprouted
  • 1 tsp garlic
  • 1 tsp chile powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • Celtic salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Finely chop the walnuts and mix with chile, cumin powder and salt pepper to taste. Set aside. Take peeled jicama and cut into paper thin slices using either a sharp knife or mandoline.  Place in a large bowl of water with some fresh lemon juice to prevent discoloration.

Ingredients for Corn Salsa:

  • 1 cup fresh corn kernels
  • ¼ cup jalapenos, seeded and minced
  • ¼ cup red onion, minced
  • 1 tsp cilantro, minced
  • Celtic salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and taste with salt and pepper.

Ingredients for Avocado Crema:

  • 1 ½ avocado, pitted
  • ½ cup filtered water
  • 1 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
  • ½ tsp garlic, minced
  • Celtic salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Puree and strain ingredients into a large bowl, adjusting the consistency according to your preference–  if it’s too thin add more avocado, if it’s too thick add more water.  Adjust the flavors to your taste.

Take jicama slices and using a round cookie cutter, cut into desired sizes.  Lay one jicama round and spoon walnut mixture in the middle and top with another jicama slice.  Make 3-4 per plate and top with Corn Salsa and Avocado Crema.  Serve immediately.

Ingredients for Watermelon Medallions in a Chilled Mango Soup: (serves 4-6)

  • 4-6 Watermelon pieces cut into 4″ rounds 2″thick

Slice watermelon into 2″-thick slices and using a 4″ round cookie cutter, cut out 4-6 rounds.  It would be preferable to use seedless watermelon so it is easier to eat for your guests.

Ingredients for Chilled Mango Soup:

  • 3 Champagne Mangoes
  • 1 ½ cups filtered water
  • 1 tsp agave
  • ½ vanilla bean

Peel and slice the mangoes, discarding the pit, and place in a large bowl with water and agave.  Using a blender or hand held blender, puree ingredients until nice and smooth.  Scrape vanilla beans from the pod and allow soup to chill for at least an hour.  To make mango stars, pour some of the mixture into an ice cube tray and freeze for 1-2 hours.


Ingredients for Tropical Fruit Salsa:

  • ½ pineapple, small-diced (about 2 cups)
  • 1 mango, small-diced (about 1 ½ cups)
  • ½ vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbsp ginger, crushed
  • 2-3 cinnamon sticks

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and allow fruit to macerate/marinate overnight. You may add a little agave or honey if the fruit is not sweet enough.

To assemble the dessert: place watermelon rounds in bowls and spoon chilled mango, filling bowls ¾ of the way.  Top with tropical fruit salsa and garnish with mint and frozen mango ice cube.

Categories: Appetizer · Easy · Entree · Healthy · Low Fat · Raw Food · Salads · Soup · Vegan · Vegetarian
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Cinnamon Curry Roasted Chicken with Tomato Yogurt Sauce

May 26, 2010 · 37 Comments

One of the most common questions I get is “What’s the easiest and most impressive dinner I can make for friends?” My response is always Roasted Chicken. It’s relatable, always delicious and easy to make.  There are so many different varieties — herb roasted, lemon pepper, cajun, the possibilities are left to your imagination.  You can pair it with a salad, or rice, any type of veggie, I guarantee your guests will leave with happy stomachs and a full heart!

There’s something magical about roasted chickens — perhaps it’s the down-to- earth simplicity, the intoxicating flavors and smells, the comfort that seems to spread to the deepest corners of your soul — okay got a little overly dramatic there, but you get the idea.

Today I am taking a page from the big boss, Oprah Winfrey, is there anything that woman can’t do?  In the Oprah Magazine Cookbook I found this beautiful recipe for a Cinnamon Curry Roasted Chicken.  I made a few changes which I will note in parentheses and then came up with two sides that I felt would pair well — Coconut Basmati Rice and some Saffron Garlic Skillet Potatoes.  The flavors of the spices were out of this world, I loved the boldness of the cardamom and the spicy sweetness of the cinnamon.  O-M-G talk about flavor heaven!  The recipe was by Chef Rori Trovato — “It’s a little bit sweet, a litte bit daring.  It’s cinnamon, and it’s probably sitting right there in your pantry.”

Ingredients for Cinnamon Roasted Chicken: (Makes 2-3 servings)

  • 1 (3-4 lb) roasting chicken
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
  • 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 3 green cardamom pods ( I used 5)
  • 1 Tbsp curry powder (I also added 1/2 Tbsp of Garam Masala powder)
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (I also added 1/2 tsp red chili powder)
  • 1 head garlic, cloves separated and unpeeled, plus 6 cloves, peeled
  • 2 Tbsp finely grated ginger
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 shallots, unpeeled and quartered
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 cup chicken broth

Ingredients for Tomato Yogurt Sauce:

  • 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt, room temperature (I used fat-free)
  • 2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 3 Tbsp chopped cilantro

***I also brined the chicken, it retains more moisture in the meat.  I have included the ingredients and direction below.

Ingredients for Brine:

  • 4 cups water
  • 1/3 cup kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
  • 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 3 green cardamom pods ( I used 5)
  • 1 Tbsp curry powder (I also added 1/2 Tbsp of Garam Masala powder)
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (I also added 1/2 tsp red chili powder)
  • 1 head garlic, cloves separated and unpeeled, plus 6 cloves, peeled
  • 2 Tbsp finely grated ginger
  • 6 cups ice water

Take your spices and ground them in a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle.  For the brine, combine the water, salt, sugar, and spices in a large saucepan.  Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar.  Reduce to heat to low and simmer for 10 min so the flavors of the herbs can be drawn out. Pour the brine into a deep set large bowl and cool it down with your ice water.  Set aside.

Clean the chicken by rinsing out the cavity and outer skin and place on a clean surface.  Be sure not to contaminate any vegetables or other ingredients, because no one is a fan of salmonella!  Place the chicken in the brine,  make sure it is completely immersed in the brine.  Cover and allow to marinate for at least an hour, preferably overnight.

To make the chicken: Preheat oven to 400F.  Pat chicken dry with paper towels.  Place on a rack in a small roasting pan or baking dish.  Set aside.  In a small frying pan over medium heat, combine cumin seeds, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, and cardamom pods.  Swirl until lightly toasted and fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool slightly; grind using a mortar and pestle (or a coffee grinder).  Mix with curry powder, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes.

Finely chop peeled garlic cloves and combine with ginger and olive oil in a small bowl.  Rub mixture over entire chicken.  Sprinkle with salt, then with spice mixture.  Place unpeeled garlic, shallots, and cinnamon sticks inside chicken cavity.  Tie legs with kitchen string.  Roast 30 minutes before basting with 1/2 cup chicken broth.  Roast 20 minutes more, then baste with remaining 1/2 cup broth.  Continue cooking until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife and meat is no longer pink, about 1 hour and 15 minutes total.  Remove from oven and cool slightly.

To make the sauce: Transfer juices from pan into a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat.  Slowly add in the yogurt, stirring constantly with a whisk so yogurt doesn’t curdle.  Remove from heat.  Add most of the tomatoes and cilantro, setting some aside to garnish top of the chicken.  Serve with sauce on side.

Ingredients for Saffron Garlic Skillet Potatoes:

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 3/4 pound boiling or baking potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • pinch of saffron

n a small bowl stir together the butter and the oil along with the saffron and garlic. In a food processor fitted with a 1-millimeter slicing blade or with a mandoline or similar hand-held slicing device, slice the potatoes thin. Working quickly to prevent the potatoes from discoloring, brush the bottom of a 9-inch cast-iron skillet with some of the butter mixture and cover it with a layer of the potato slices, overlapping them. Brush the potatoes with some of the remaining saffron buttermixture and season them with salt and pepper. Layer the remaining potatoes with the remaining saffron butter mixture in the same manner.

eat the mixture over moderately high heat until it begins to sizzle, transfer the skillet to the middle of a preheated 450°F. oven, and bake the galette for 25 minutes, or until it is golden and the potatoes are tender. Cut the galette into wedges or you can cut them with a circle cutter.

Ingredients for Coconut Basmati Rice:

  • 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked Basmati rice

In a saucepan, combine coconut milk, water, sugar, and salt. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in rice. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 18 to 20 minutes, until rice is tender.

Categories: Chicken · Easy · Entree · Indian · Side · Vegetarian
Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Glorious Eats around Houston,TX

February 26, 2010 · 38 Comments

I had a wonderful weekend in Houston last week visiting with my parents.  Collin and I stayed at my dad’s house which was a nice change of scene because we usually stay at my moms.  My stepmom is currently in Phillidelphia where she is working on her surgical residency, she is quite the amazing woman to say the least, but I could tell my dad missed her terribly.  So it felt nice to keep him company and to just have quality time with pops, it had been awhile since we’ve done so.

He made me his specialty, “tang yuan” which is a glutinous rice ball filled with a sweet center, usually with black sesame paste (which he did in this case) and then made some ramen noodles sauteed with spinach and red chili paste. I definitely had dessert first :) !  Though my mom was the main cook of the family back then, my dad has always been adventurous in the kitchen. Granted not all of his attempts were successful, he always approached each venture with much gumption, which I admire because fear should never be an emotion when cooking.

My stepdad was also in town from Guangdong, where he is currently the assistant dean at Shantou University Medical College.  The last time I saw him was back in October,  so it was nice to spend time with him as well.  It is also a hoot to watch my mother and stepdad interact with each other — they both have to speak (broken) English to each other because my mother speaks Mandarin and my stepdad speaks Cantonese.  Despite the language barrier, their love for each other is undeniable –they both light up when they are around each other and especially my mother, bubbling over with happiness.

She’s a pretty lil lady ain’t she? :)   William was gracious enough to invite all of us and my cousin Yin-yin and James to Dong Thang (located on 6968 Wilcrest Dr Ste A, Houston, TX. Tel: 281-776-0068.) for a belated new year’s celebration!

We each got to pick a dish, I chose the Eggplant Chicken Salted Fish Hot Pot — which was absolutely delicious, but I’ll get to that later, let’s start at the beginning shall we?  We started the meal with a delicious fish and crabmeat egg drop soup.  I loved the consistency of the smooth silky texture, and the way the delicate meats of the fish and crabmeat swim together in harmony with whisps of egg.

We also ordered Stirfry Beef and Chinese Broccoli, Fried Salt and Pepper Squid, and Sauteed Fish Head.  The beef was extremely tender and the broccoli was nice and crunchy, I really hate overcooked veggies.  The squid was good and the fish head, I thought it tasted “fishy”.  Okay bad adjective to describe a fish dish…let’s just say it wasn’t my favorite dish in the world, a little too traditional for me O_O (But mama loved it).

Before I go on, I’d like my readers to please note the boss lady aka mom in the collage above.  Whenever we order at restaurants, my mother gets down to business.  She will whip out the good ole reading glasses and immediately begins to study the menu.  As a result, I have become the same way.  When it comes to ordering food, I will scan the menu at least 2 times, then go back to my top 3 favorites and then it’s a slow process of elimination from there.

Now for the uber glorious dishes: Fried Lobster with Ginger and Scallion, my Eggplant Chicken Salted Fish Hot Pot, and Breaded Scallop in Garlic Sauce.    The lobster was succulent just like last time.  I love that they bread it in cornstarch so once they stirfry it with the ginger and scallion the sauce becomes nice and gooey.  The lobsters itself were smaller than last time, but maybe other than that the dish was superb.  My eggplant hot pot was quite delicious too, though Salted Fish is a very acquired taste I absolutely love it for its intense umami qualities.  The scallops were cooked nicely but I thought the flavors of the dish were forgettable, the lobster dish outshines it by far!

All in all, dinner was delicious and absolutely wonderful.  I always enjoy having family styled dinners together, a quality in my culture that I have always loved and appreciated.  Not only do you get to eat tons and tons of different types of dishes, but it’s nice to have a sit down meal with family where you can take your time to converse and catch up, drink tea and enjoy each other’s company together.

We talked about William’s time in Shantou and we discussed our plans for me and Collin’s upcoming trip to Shanghai as well as future wedding plans (In Puerto Vallarta) for 2011!!  I’ve also been slowly teaching Collin some basic Chinese like “How much?” or “Hello.  Thank you.  Please.” and in case any ladies try to hit on him while I’m not around “You smell bad, go away” and “No thank you, goodbye”  See, even if Collin got lost I have full confidence he could find his way home with all the (useful) Chinese lessons I’ve been teaching him :) .

Btw, if you haven’t noticed by now, this is probably the longest post I’ve ever done.  Which is probably why it took me 4 days to write/edit it.  But I had so much to share!! I just couldn’t help myself so thank you for hanging in there.  On Sunday morning I had lunch with my best friend Courtney, whom I’ve been friends with since middle school!  Though we do not see each other as often as we like (She a slave to law school, I a slave to…eating?), everytime we get together it always seems like we pick up right where we left off.  She recommended a cute place called “Dry Creek” located in the Heights of Houston (544 Yale St. Hou. Tx 77007 Tel: 713-426-2313) at the cross street of Yale and 6th.

I really loved the set up of this place, which is housed in a refurbished 1930′s gas station (how cool is that???).  For those of you who have heard of Onion Creek Cafe, Dry Creek is actually the sister cafe to that restaurant.  Upon walking in, you instantly felt at home with the laid back setting of metal tables and wooden chairs, a nice mom and pop place if you will.

We decided to sit outside though it was cloudy, it felt really nice outside, plus I couldn’t pass up the cute picnic tables (and lighting).  Started the meal off with a hot cup of joe, which they serve in various kinds of mugs that you would probably find…you guessed it, at home.  Like I said, the character of this place was too cute for words.  I meticulously studied all the items (which I already looked over once at home) and finally decided on the epitome of Southern comfort — Crab Cakes with Cheesy Grits.  MMMMM HMMM that’s right, can I get a hallelujah!!

MMmm just thinking about the flaky morsels of crab meat enveloped in a crispy cornmeal crust is making me drool uncontrollably all over my keyboard, okay not literally but if I could produce that much mucus it’d definitely happen.  The crab cakes come with two eggs any style (I picked over easy, but it was a bit hard), english muffin, and last but not least…cheesy grits.  O-M-G, after eating this meal I’ve decided that crab cakes and cheesy grits should always belong together like pork and beans or carrot and peas, both not as good as crab cakes and grits but you get the idea!

Collin ordered Bagel and Lox which was quite deeerricious as well, I like the addition of the capers and the consistency of the bagel was just right.  Not the best bagel and lox I’ve had but definitely not too shabby either.

It was nice to catch up with Courtney and Dave (her boyfriend) and we laughed over stories of Collin’s first trip overseas to bad neighbor stories to Dave’s secret love for “curling” in the Winter Olympics.  At times I laughed (and talked) too loud and realized everyone outside (and probably inside too…) could hear my boisterous voice, maybe Collin is right, maybe I am making myself deaf.  But I couldn’t help it! It’s hard to contain my excitement when I am hanging out with the people I love :) .

So I saved the best part for last.  I would like to invite you guys to witness the magic of my mother’s cooking.  A private insider’s look of the woman who inspired it all — Mrs. Jingyu Zou.  I am glad she doesn’t know how to use the internet because frankly she would kill me for posting pictures of her that has not been granted the “Mama Zou seal of approval”.  But I had to share this with you guys because she is the reason for why I have my deep rooted passion for food.

The most important element in my mother’s magic is the “Almighty Wok”.  She has always told me — “Xin xin ah, you make Chinese food you MUST have wok! Taste better and you cook outside so less messy at home.”  And it’s true, the wok really is the most important element in Chinese cuisine — the intense roaring fire heats up the oil at a much higher temperature than you can ever reach with a regular household burner.  In order to achieve that nice smokey flavor along with perfectly cooked ingredients, the temperature of the oil is essential.

The second element in my mother’s magic: fresh ingredients.  She shops with much precision whenever she goes to the stores, picking only the freshest and quality ingredients — pictured above are fresh water chestnuts, baby pea shoots, lily flower, black fungus, and bean curd.  For those of you who are not familiar with these ingredients you are probably reading on with horror…black fungus??? lily flower??? One sounds deadly and the other, a bouquet.

I assure you that all of these ingredients are delicious.  Black fungus, though tasteless has an unique slippery and rubbery texture that adds an unexpected twist in any dish.  The lily flower has a natural sweetness and the texture is reminiscent of spinach but more resilient, without any floral taste to it at all.

Is your mouth watering yet?  Stay with me… The last element in my mother’s magic is the seasoning.  I am not sure how to explain this one, maybe this part is her “secret”.  Her flavors for her dishes are always on point, never too salty never too sweet — perfect to the tee.  She always tells me “As you cook, you must taste! Always taste!”  I definitely had no problem being her personal taster for the first 18 years of my life but she is right.  Always taste, and then adjust to what you think would be the most appealing flavor to whoever you are serving.

Stir fry cabbage with bean curd, lily flower egg and black fungus — a wonderful vegetarian dish that would satisfy any palette/tummy.  She also made “spoiled Collin” one of his favorite dishes — Pork with Garlic Sauce.   She always makes sure Collin is taken care of whenever he comes down to visit “Xin xin ah, ask Caahleen what he want to eat! I cook for him.” Sometimes she almost takes better care of him than me…:(!  He loves it though, soaking up any reigning moment he can get because let’s face it, I am always the champion :) .

This is actually one of my favorite dishes too — this spicy and slightly sweet and tart dish is phenomenal.  My mother opted for fresh waterchest nuts (trust me they are 1000 times better than the canned), garlic, red chile paste, red chiles, black fungus and pork.  I love the smell of the garlic and chiles sauteeing in the hot oil, it instantly awakens your senses.  Once it’s done cooking she likes to garnish it with a little bit of cilantro, green onion can be used here as well.

GLOOOOOOORIOUS!!!!!  I think now you guys can understand why I may be slightly “snotty” when it comes to Chinese food — Pei Wei just really doesn’t do it for me.  Imagine eating like this ALL THE TIME when you were a kid, I mean it was ridiculous.  When I left for college, it was quite the rude awakening.  No more mama’s magical food, just scary looking dorm food, nasty fast food and greasy gross everything else (I gained 30 lbs in college).  Sad Panda :(

My mother always made sure I was well fed.  Even when she was swamped at work, trying to manage her hair salon, working 12 hour shifts almost every night, she always made sure I had dinner on the table waiting for me.  I would come home and find not one dish, or even two dishes but always three — which is why for the longest time I thought she was magic.

Now I come to realize her magic was really just her love and dedication as a mother.  Granted I still do not understand how she found the time to do what she did, she always made sure it was done.  No matter how busy, every day I would come home literally with food on the table — wrapped up perfectly, sometimes labeled and always delicious.

Also, with the dishes she made me, there were never repeats — unbelievable, I know.  This is the reason why I always say “Food is Love” because it was always my mother’s way of saying, “Hey I love you, and I am thinking about you all the time.” amidst her busy hectic schedule.  I rarely ever saw her, I would always leave for school before she got up in the morning and she wouldn’t come home til after 9:00pm.

She never ceased to amaze me to what lengths she’d go to make sure I was well taken care of.  I consider myself to be very fortunate and as a result I now cook for the same reason.  I cook because I love, I cook because it is my way of saying — hey I am thinking about you and hopefully this food will bring you comfort.  This way of thinking always ensures that I will cook to the best of my ability, because there is nothing else more important than taking care of the ones I love.

Wow guys, now that’s a lot of love.  Maybe I got a little mushy there so I am taking a Layla break.  Layla tagged along with us to Houston and before I move on I’d like to rewind to a story.  During the initial meeting of my mother and Layla, the first thing she immediately said was “Why you pick black dog? You cannot even see her face, so scary like ghost!” But ghosts are white mom… “Oooooh nooo, I do not like this dog, she look mean!”

Little did she know, Layla is probably one of the coolest dogs I know and after the 3rd or 4th time of my mom meeting her, she fell in love.  Now when she sees Layla she gets excited and in a very LOUD (and happy) voice she will greet her: “LAAAAAYLAAAH LAYLAH LAYLAH!! HI HI HI *cooing high pitched noises*”  Not only that, my mother will jump around with Layla outside and then say “Oh…Layla she very strong! I jump and she jump and push me, I almost fall back!” Mom, I don’t think that’s a good idea to do that.  “OH SHE IS GOOD GIRL! SO FUNNY…dui bu dui Layla? LAaaaayla!”

She then will proceed to feed Layla some “treats” and as she is feeding Layla she will pet her whispering softly “Layla guai, Layla good girl” Guai meaning obedient or good.  And whenever I say “Layla loves her grandma!!” my mother immediately will say “WHO IS WHO’S GRANDMA?! HOW COME YOU CALL MOMMY GRANDMA I DONT THINK SO!” Hahaha ooooh mommy, you really are the best.

I will be returning to Houston this weekend, unfortunately one of my dear friends’ father has passed away.  I would like to write a tribute to him upon my return for he was a great man, a loving man and truly a man with a heart of gold.  The world will be a sadder place without him but the footprints that he has left behind as a result of his beautiful heart and soul will last forever.  Immortality is best achieved through the good deeds and positive effects that you make on others.

See you guys when I get back and thank you for sticking through this post for this long, you guys are great :) !

Categories: Chinese · Entree · Vegetarian