I often cook with metaphors as my guide. I tell stories with my food. And the two recipes I feature in this post definitely fit that theme. They’re dishes that celebrate something on the outside enveloping something wonderful on the inside. A cradling of sorts of the most yummy variety. Why? There are certain instincts we cannot ignore. And as women, nurturing others is just in our souls. (I know quite a few men who just totally get this concept as well!) We want to cradle those we love, soothing the wounds of life by encircling others with a protective embrace. It seems wrapping ourselves around special things just feels good. Shouldn't this also apply to the foods we love? Each of these may seem uncomplicated. But I like to take everything to the next level of “bling-ness” which of course has to do with never ignoring the small details. I chose to leave the stems on my poblano peppers so that each vessel had more personality. It gave it more animation, more reality. And all “hugs” are real, yes? By adding carrots and onions to the meat mixture you create a very moist and smooth filling. Moistening it with homemade tomato sauce seasoned with a good quality cumin, (there are a gazillion different cumin variations!) helped the insides stay a little more structured. And it all rested on the nutty and herb flavored farro.
 Why poblanos? Well, they yield ever so gently to being roasted. Keeping their structure but till fork tender, the swirling shape of their skin offers a hint of feminine beauty. Yeah, this dish definitely is comfort food.  Next on the list of nuzzling nourishment is this quick and lip-smacking appetizer I created to wake up a mid-week meal. Farm to table zucchini that are just the cutest size, (and also featuring a darling stem I just couldn’t part with,) are gently cored to receive a tangy filling of cheese, mayonnaise, spinach, and some preserved lemon which I use is so many things. Click here to get that recipe. Wrapped in prosciutto like a bambino in a receiving blanket these last-minute beauties stole the whole show and baked to perfection in just minutes.  After making these dishes, you’ll definitely feel more like a true nurturer of others, cradling them in the best culinary hug ever! RECIPE: Beef and Vegetable Stuffed Poblanos |
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2 large poblano peppers, halved and seeded with stems still on
½ C tomato sauce
½ lb lean ground beef
2 small cloves of garlic chopped finely
5-6 heirloom cherry tomatoes
1 medium sized carrot diced
2 T chopped white sweet onion
2 T oil
1 t good cumin powder
½ t cayenne pepper
¼ t allspice
Salt and pepper to taste
½ C tomato sauce
½ lb lean ground beef
2 small cloves of garlic chopped finely
5-6 heirloom cherry tomatoes
1 medium sized carrot diced
2 T chopped white sweet onion
2 T oil
1 t good cumin powder
½ t cayenne pepper
¼ t allspice
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Rub 1 T olive oil all over poblanos and season generously with salt and pepper. Place in a small baking dish so that the peppers are about 2 inches apart. Roast for about 20-25 minutes or until done and there is slight blistering.
Heat a saucepan and add about 1 T oil. Add the carrots, onion, garlic, cherry tomatoes and cook until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the hamburger to the veggie mixture and cook until done. Add the tomato sauce and seasonings and mix well. Heat through. Taste again and add salt and pepper as needed. Ladle ¼ of the beef mixture into each of the poblano halves and put back in oven for about 5 minutes to heat all the way through. Serve with a generous garnish of cilantro, over farro cooked with chicken stock and seasoned with your favorite multi-spice seasoning*. Farro takes about 30 minutes to cook so adjust your preparation time accordingly)
(* I used Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute: https://www.ebay.com/p/Trader-Joes-21-Seasoning-Salute-Blend-2-2oz/691174114?iid=222830611203&chn=ps )
Heat a saucepan and add about 1 T oil. Add the carrots, onion, garlic, cherry tomatoes and cook until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the hamburger to the veggie mixture and cook until done. Add the tomato sauce and seasonings and mix well. Heat through. Taste again and add salt and pepper as needed. Ladle ¼ of the beef mixture into each of the poblano halves and put back in oven for about 5 minutes to heat all the way through. Serve with a generous garnish of cilantro, over farro cooked with chicken stock and seasoned with your favorite multi-spice seasoning*. Farro takes about 30 minutes to cook so adjust your preparation time accordingly)
(* I used Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute: https://www.ebay.com/p/Trader-Joes-21-Seasoning-Salute-Blend-2-2oz/691174114?iid=222830611203&chn=ps )
RECIPE: Spinach Stuffed Zucchini Wrapped in Proscuitto
Serves 4 - 6 / click here for printable recipe
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4 medium sized slender zucchini of uniform width and at least 6 inches long, halved and seeds scraped out
1/3 C mayonnaise
Enough cooked spinach to make 1/3 C that is densely packed, and ALL water squeezed out (I wrap it in paper towels twice and squeeze with my hand. It MUST be dry)
1/3 C grated fresh parmesan cheese
1 heaping T white sweet onion diced small
½ t good paprika
½ t kosher salt
¼ t cracked black pepper
1 T thinly sliced preserved lemon rinds
8 large prosciutto slices
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 T olive oil
1/3 C mayonnaise
Enough cooked spinach to make 1/3 C that is densely packed, and ALL water squeezed out (I wrap it in paper towels twice and squeeze with my hand. It MUST be dry)
1/3 C grated fresh parmesan cheese
1 heaping T white sweet onion diced small
½ t good paprika
½ t kosher salt
¼ t cracked black pepper
1 T thinly sliced preserved lemon rinds
8 large prosciutto slices
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 T olive oil
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Rub the olive oil all over the zucchini halves using hands. Not soaking but covered. Lay them on a foil lined baking sheet. In a bowl combine the rest of the ingredients except for the prosciutto slices and rosemary. Stuffing mixture should be thick. Add more mayo or spinach as desired. Divide the stuffing evenly and press into the 8 halves. Sprinkle with a bit more salt and pepper if desired. Wrap each half with the prosciutto and bring it around tightly to seal by pressing the meat together. It should stick. Lay rosemary sprigs over and then roast for 20 minutes. Remove and eat!
Note: I use a grapefruit spoon to scrape out the seeds of the zucchini and create an area about ½ inch deep. Doesn’t have to be very deep. You do want most of the zucchini flesh.
Make preserved lemons. It is easy! I use Ina Garten’s recipe here: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/preserved-lemons-recipe-2012376
Note: I use a grapefruit spoon to scrape out the seeds of the zucchini and create an area about ½ inch deep. Doesn’t have to be very deep. You do want most of the zucchini flesh.
Make preserved lemons. It is easy! I use Ina Garten’s recipe here: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/preserved-lemons-recipe-2012376
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I am touted as a recipe developer and food consultant, which means that I am basically a mad scientist, sans the crazy glasses and radiation-proof rubber gloves. The rest of the image is somewhat true as I do hunch over my creations and laugh with a sinister gurgle when one of my imagined dishes actually comes to life with success.
One of my favorite tools in the lab is a simple immersion blender. Good cooking happens through an understanding of chemistry which is then manipulated with through a myriad of preparation methods. Why serve something whole when you can turn it into a perfectly velvety sauce, rich creamy topping, or perfect puree? The answer is, "why not?"
One of my favorite tools in the lab is a simple immersion blender. Good cooking happens through an understanding of chemistry which is then manipulated with through a myriad of preparation methods. Why serve something whole when you can turn it into a perfectly velvety sauce, rich creamy topping, or perfect puree? The answer is, "why not?"
In this case, I opted for the puree as my expression of choice. Doing so turns this green squash into an ever so light green pillow for the hearty addition of sweet corn and potatoes. A chowder of sorts with secrets. Yum.
| Of course I can't fool you. You see don't you, that I have made this recipe absolutely irresistible with the addition of a crisp and salty piece of thick-cut bacon. A little treat to pick up and crunch noisily on while in between slurping. Takes the snob-factor down a notch and the flavor meter through the roof! The secret is again, layering of flavors. You begin with cooking the zucchini to the perfect texture along with aromatics and the right seasonings. Then, after pureeing the vegetables they are added to the cream or milk and the already cooked potatoes and corn. Also, if you're so inclined you can use a fancy blender, which will make a very smooth base and not rustic like the version picture. Every mad scientist is at their core a rebel, so no one is going to chastise you for expressing yourself with another idea for making it awesome. |  |
Oh, and I can't say enough about using fresh herbs. Especially locally grown or grown yourself to bring out the vibrancy and potential of ANY dish. Not to mention how fun it is to drop them from 3 feet high onto your soup. That little act of garnishing is what makes cooking so danged fun. (Insert gurgling laugh, here...)
RECIPE: Creamy Zucchini Potato Corn Chowder
Serves 4-6 / Click here for printable version.
6 C small cubed zucchini unpeeled
4 C of small cubed unpeeled golden potatoes
1/3 C sweet white onion, chopped finely
6 strips thick cut bacon
½ large jalapeño, chopped finely
1 15 oz package frozen corn
1 chicken bouillon cube
3 C water
½ t of your favorite herb salt medley
4 t + kosher salt and 1 t black pepper
½ C heavy cream (you can use milk if desired)
¼ C fresh Italian parsley
4 C of small cubed unpeeled golden potatoes
1/3 C sweet white onion, chopped finely
6 strips thick cut bacon
½ large jalapeño, chopped finely
1 15 oz package frozen corn
1 chicken bouillon cube
3 C water
½ t of your favorite herb salt medley
4 t + kosher salt and 1 t black pepper
½ C heavy cream (you can use milk if desired)
¼ C fresh Italian parsley
DIRECTIONS:
Fry the bacon until almost crisp. Remove and drain. Place the bacon grease (no more than 3 T) in a large and very hot Dutch oven. Add all the zucchini, all the onion and half the potatoes. Stir for 3 minutes until onions are transparent. In the meantime, dissolve the bouillon cube in 2 C boiling water and add to zucchini and potatoes, along with about a 2 t of kosher salt. Let simmer at a low boil until the potatoes are tender. Using an immersion blender*, completely puree the mixture in the pan, or at least until there are no visible chunks. Now add the final C of water, the rest of the potatoes, the package of frozen corn, the chopped jalapeno and another t + of salt, and the pepper. Stir and cook for about 10 minutes until potatoes are slightly tender. (If you’ve cut your potato chunks very small you don’t need more than about 8 minutes to soften them. Check often.) When they’re soft, add the half cup heavy cream and a handful of the parsley. Stir everything together, then season if needed. Serve with a curl of one of the bacon slices on top.
*(You can transfer to a blender and add a little water and blend but it will be a very smooth soup and probably not appear like the rustic version in the photo above.)
Fry the bacon until almost crisp. Remove and drain. Place the bacon grease (no more than 3 T) in a large and very hot Dutch oven. Add all the zucchini, all the onion and half the potatoes. Stir for 3 minutes until onions are transparent. In the meantime, dissolve the bouillon cube in 2 C boiling water and add to zucchini and potatoes, along with about a 2 t of kosher salt. Let simmer at a low boil until the potatoes are tender. Using an immersion blender*, completely puree the mixture in the pan, or at least until there are no visible chunks. Now add the final C of water, the rest of the potatoes, the package of frozen corn, the chopped jalapeno and another t + of salt, and the pepper. Stir and cook for about 10 minutes until potatoes are slightly tender. (If you’ve cut your potato chunks very small you don’t need more than about 8 minutes to soften them. Check often.) When they’re soft, add the half cup heavy cream and a handful of the parsley. Stir everything together, then season if needed. Serve with a curl of one of the bacon slices on top.
*(You can transfer to a blender and add a little water and blend but it will be a very smooth soup and probably not appear like the rustic version in the photo above.)
Or in other words, the controlled chaos of homemade pizza pies.
Yeah, you're saying, "whine, whine, whine. What could be so hard about making pizza." Well, nothing is hard, really, but there are a few details here and there that are rites of passage. And last night, because of two wonderful friends and a husband who agreed to do the dishes, we have a couple of stories to tell and photos to share.
We started this a few months ago; gathering innocently enough to make a slew of Turkish recipes courtesy Margaret Rossetti and her recent trip to the cradle of civilization, and now we're hooked on mastering some of the simple but important culinary techniques we haven't, well, mastered. A pizza seemed like a tame conquest. But wait until you scatter a bit of corn meal on a 500 degree pizza stone, without protective eye wear, and you will get a feeling for the ups and downs of dough, determination, and deliciousness.
It started with the basics: bring dough (some from Fresh Market, some from Trader Joe's...gotta say Fresh Market's dough is hand's down easier to work with and roll out), and the fresh fixings of our choice. When you're cooking at Margaret's there is no, "good enough." So our pizza sauce, olive oil, and accoutrements including the pizza peels, were all top notch. I encourage you not to skimp on any of these details.
As I arrived with my bread board and my grandmother's rolling pin in hand, we wasted no time before beginning on appetizers. Delving into a lovely group of zucchini, we began by slicing them lengthwise, then grilling, then cooling them, and rolling them up with a filling of feta, olive oil, lemon and fresh herbs. We topped them with lemon zest and ate them for energy. (You'll see the photos and I will get a copy of the recipe to acknowledge and share). It was a good way to warm up to the main course.
Now preparing the toppings is just plain fun. From funky mushrooms to whole milk mozzarella, to spinach and herbs from the garden and gigantic summer tomatoes, all that was missing was a bit of Italian music and local red wine. (We quickly found a CD with a bit of Andrea Bocelli so all was not lost!) Even rolling out the dough was pretty easy. We topped it with a layer of olive oil and a layer of the finest pizza sauce and then stacked away with all the pretty stuff. You can omit the sauce and add ANY TOPPING YOU WOULD LIKE. We especially moaned with pleasure over the addition of macerated fresh garlic. Now that is the BOMB.
However, the fun waned a bit when it was time to cook them. Why? Well, when it was time to schlep our pies into the oven, we underestimated how tricky it is to slide it off the peel or the board and into the oven. (We later learned that you use corn meal like water when it comes to greasing the pathway. We got the hang of it by the 4th pie!) Oh well. That's when you get out the pizza cutter and simple pre-slice and serve. No one need know you inverted a good half of the first pie onto the stone nearly blinding us with smoke and enlisting a "what's burning?" from the peanut gallery in the next room. "Everything is fine, drink your wine." we shouted, and sure enough, after 9 to 12 minutes we were in cheesy, herby, tomatoey, meaty and crusty heaven.
WINE: Just so you know, we served it with a Layer Cake Primitivo Zinfandel. Transcendent...
Yeah, you're saying, "whine, whine, whine. What could be so hard about making pizza." Well, nothing is hard, really, but there are a few details here and there that are rites of passage. And last night, because of two wonderful friends and a husband who agreed to do the dishes, we have a couple of stories to tell and photos to share.
We started this a few months ago; gathering innocently enough to make a slew of Turkish recipes courtesy Margaret Rossetti and her recent trip to the cradle of civilization, and now we're hooked on mastering some of the simple but important culinary techniques we haven't, well, mastered. A pizza seemed like a tame conquest. But wait until you scatter a bit of corn meal on a 500 degree pizza stone, without protective eye wear, and you will get a feeling for the ups and downs of dough, determination, and deliciousness.
It started with the basics: bring dough (some from Fresh Market, some from Trader Joe's...gotta say Fresh Market's dough is hand's down easier to work with and roll out), and the fresh fixings of our choice. When you're cooking at Margaret's there is no, "good enough." So our pizza sauce, olive oil, and accoutrements including the pizza peels, were all top notch. I encourage you not to skimp on any of these details.
As I arrived with my bread board and my grandmother's rolling pin in hand, we wasted no time before beginning on appetizers. Delving into a lovely group of zucchini, we began by slicing them lengthwise, then grilling, then cooling them, and rolling them up with a filling of feta, olive oil, lemon and fresh herbs. We topped them with lemon zest and ate them for energy. (You'll see the photos and I will get a copy of the recipe to acknowledge and share). It was a good way to warm up to the main course.
Now preparing the toppings is just plain fun. From funky mushrooms to whole milk mozzarella, to spinach and herbs from the garden and gigantic summer tomatoes, all that was missing was a bit of Italian music and local red wine. (We quickly found a CD with a bit of Andrea Bocelli so all was not lost!) Even rolling out the dough was pretty easy. We topped it with a layer of olive oil and a layer of the finest pizza sauce and then stacked away with all the pretty stuff. You can omit the sauce and add ANY TOPPING YOU WOULD LIKE. We especially moaned with pleasure over the addition of macerated fresh garlic. Now that is the BOMB.
However, the fun waned a bit when it was time to cook them. Why? Well, when it was time to schlep our pies into the oven, we underestimated how tricky it is to slide it off the peel or the board and into the oven. (We later learned that you use corn meal like water when it comes to greasing the pathway. We got the hang of it by the 4th pie!) Oh well. That's when you get out the pizza cutter and simple pre-slice and serve. No one need know you inverted a good half of the first pie onto the stone nearly blinding us with smoke and enlisting a "what's burning?" from the peanut gallery in the next room. "Everything is fine, drink your wine." we shouted, and sure enough, after 9 to 12 minutes we were in cheesy, herby, tomatoey, meaty and crusty heaven.
WINE: Just so you know, we served it with a Layer Cake Primitivo Zinfandel. Transcendent...
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Meet the Cook...
My name is Camine Pappas and I love to create beautiful and delicious food that anyone can make. My signature style centers around a love for combining things in a way you might not expect as I work to find a hidden combination of colors, textures and flavors from the things that are in my pantry and/or easy to obtain.
Want to get spontaneous with me? It's pretty exciting. Let's all find out what happens when, "I Feel Like Cooking."
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