Weekend in Santa Fe by Robin Nathan March 30, 2017 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment I’m a Western girl at heart. Any chance I get, that’s the direction I head, and I’ve just returned from a long weekend in Santa Fe, one of my favorite cities in the American west. I met a couple longtime girlfriends there (I can’t say “old girlfriends” anymore, since we’re now actually OLD), and we ate and shopped (but mostly ate) our way through the town. If you’re unfamiliar with northern New Mexico and it’s cuisine, there are three ingredients which really define it: Hatch chilies, both green and red, and both HOT; piñon nuts, AKA pine nuts; and blue corn. As a heat-freak, I love the fire-y Hatch chilies in everything from salsas and enchiladas to pizza and burger toppings. Locals string the red chilies together in the early fall to form ristras, allowing the chilies to dry and provide a ready supply all year. As for piñon nuts, I’ve been munching on them all my life — living on the west coast and spending time in the southwest provided easy access. One of my girlfriends on the trip, a native Midwesterner, was surprised to learn the nuts are actually harvested from pine cones. But not just any old pine tree’s cones will do – they must be from a piñon pine, the short, scrubby looking pine tree that prefers the higher altitudes of northern New Mexico and Arizona. What’s Left of my Pancake… Blue corn, however, is perhaps the most exotic of the cuisine’s native ingredients. Originally cultivated by the Hopi tribe of New Mexico and Arizona, blue corn is ground into a powder for use in tortillas and native breads. In the hands of white folks, it’s found it’s way into muffins, pancakes, and even pizza crust. Blue corn provides 20% more protein than white or yellow corn, and has a sweeter, nuttier flavor. Sunday morning found me and my friends feasting on delicious and lightly crunchy blue corn and piñon pancakes at the Plaza Restaurant, one of the oldest restaurants in Santa Fe, and as depicted in the name, right on the main plaza, across from the Native American artisan market. You don’t have to travel to Santa Fe to pick up some blue corn meal – look for Bob’s Red Mill at your local specialty store! Get your hands on some and try these pancakes some weekend morning soon! Blue Corn and Piñon Pancakes with Piñon Butter 2017-03-30 12:14:14 Print For Pancakes 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 ½ cups blue corn meal 1 tablespoon baking powder 3 tablespoons sugar Salt to taste 2 eggs 2 ½ cups milk ½ cup buttermilk ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled ½ C. Piñon pine nuts Additional melted butter for griddle For Butter 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature 1 tablespoon honey 3 tablespoons piñon pine nuts Salt to taste Confectioner’s sugar or maple syrup for serving Make the Butter Using a small spatula, combine the butter, honey and piñon nuts in a small bowl and season to taste with salt. Set aside at room temperature. (Refrigerate if making more than an hour in advance, bring to room temperature before using.) Make the Pancakes Place dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to blend. Combine the eggs, milks and melted, cooled butter in a smaller bowl or large glass measuring cup. Whisk to blend, then pour into dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until just incorporated, the batter should still be a bit lumpy. Preheat a griddle to moderate heat (350 if it has a thermostat.) Lightly butter the griddle and ladle the batter onto the griddle to form the pancakes. Sprinkle with a few of the pine nuts and cook until the underside is golden, about 2-4 minutes. Turn and cook the other side. Transfer to a platter and hold in a warm oven until all the batter has been used. To serve, pile onto plates and dollop with the soft piñon nut butter. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar or drizzle lightly with maple syrup and enjoy. By Robin Nathan Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Turkey Burgers with Moroccan Spiced Aioli March 22, 2017 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Turkey Burgers with Moroccan Spiced Aioli 2017-03-22 18:07:37 Serves 4 Print Ingredients 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds 1/2 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika 1 garlic clove, minced 1 pound ground turkey (preferably dark meat) 4 1/3 -inch-thick red onion slices 1 large red bell peppers, quartered 4 slices white cheddar cheese 4 brioche hamburger buns Arugula Aioli Toast cumin seeds and coriander seeds in small skillet over medium-high heat until aromatic and slightly darker in color, shaking skillet often, about 1 1/2 minutes. Cool. Finely grind toasted seeds in spice grinder or in mortar with pestle. Whisk mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, smoked paprika, garlic, and ground spices in small bowl. Season aioli to taste with salt and pepper. Burgers Place turkey in medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons aioli; mix gently. Using damp hands, divide turkey mixture into 4 equal portions, then form each into scant 3/4-inch thick patty, about 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Using thumb, make small indentation in center of each burger. Prepare grill (medium-high heat). Sprinkle burgers with salt and pepper. Brush onion slices and bell pepper pieces with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill onions and bell peppers until soft and charred, about 4 minutes per side. Grill turkey burgers 5 minutes. Turn over; grill until almost cooked through, about 4 minutes. Top each burger with 1 cheese slice and grill until meat is cooked through and cheese melts, about 1 minute longer. Place 1 turkey burger on each of 4 bun bottoms. Arrange grilled red pepper pieces, then grilled red onion slices over. Top each with dollop of aioli and some arugula. Cover burgers with bun tops and enjoy. Adapted from Bon Appetit Adapted from Bon Appetit Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
The Joys of a Food Memory by Rita Cevaal March 16, 2017 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment This time of the year is the perfect excuse to cozy up and watch all of the great Academy Award nominated films. One of my favorites this year was the film Lion. Based on a true story, it is about a small boy who gets lost on a train that takes him thousands of miles from home. He is eventually adopted by a couple from Australia, and settles comfortably there. It is not until he is at University that he meets other Indian students; the smell and sight of Indian food and culture trigger childhood memories . This story reminds me of when my Grandma would visit from California, always arriving with trinkets and stories of her travels. While she was staying with us she would always bake. We would place bookmarks in cookbooks, marking the things we wanted her to make the next time she was in town. Food certainly has a way of generating memories, and this is especially true with a particular recipe of hers. She visited one time with a recipe cut out from a newspaper for “Boiled Cookies,” and it became an instant favorite. Not only were they yummy, but we loved that they were called “boiled” cookies. Today, many call these “No-Bake Cookies.” Despite the different names, they are still made the same way, bringing butter, milk, sugar, and cocoa to a boil on the stove before adding vanilla, peanut butter, and oatmeal. The next step is to spoon the mixture onto sheets of waxed or parchment on the kitchen counter, while fighting the willpower not to eat them before they cool. I know my family now has their own memories of these cookies since they were a regular after school snack. We call these a semi-healthy cookie since they are gluten-free and we make them with organic sugar and oats! No Bake Cookies 2017-03-16 11:14:47 Print Ingredients 2 cups sugar ¼ cup cocoa ½ cup milk ½ cup butter ½ teaspoon vanilla pinch of salt ½ cup peanut butter 3 cups rolled oats Instructions Mix sugar, cocoa, milk, and butter in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until it boils. Remove from heat and cool for 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax or parchment paper. Let cool completely before removing from paper. By Rita Cevaal Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Chive Risotto Cakes March 15, 2017 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Chive Risotto Cakes 2017-03-15 18:51:04 Print Ingredients Kosher salt 1 cup uncooked Arborio rice 1/2 cup Greek yogurt 2 extra-large eggs 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives 1 1/2 cups grated Italian fontina cheese (5 ounces) 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3/4 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes) olive oil Instructions Bring a large (4-quart) pot of water to a boil over medium-low heat and add 1/2 tablespoon salt and the Arborio rice. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. The grains of rice will be quite soft. Drain the rice in a sieve and run under cold water until cool. Drain well. Meanwhile, whisk together the yogurt, eggs, chives, fontina, 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper in a medium bowl. Add the cooled rice and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, until firm. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Spread the panko in a shallow dish. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Form balls of the rice mixture using a standard (2 1/4-inch) ice-cream scoop or a large spoon. Pat the balls into patties 3 inches in diameter and 3/4-inch thick. Place 4 to 6 patties in the panko, turning once to coat. Place the patties in the hot oil and cook, turning once, for about 3 minutes on each side until the risotto cakes are crisp and nicely browned. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and keep warm in the oven for up to 30 minutes. Continue cooking in batches, adding oil as necessary, until all the cakes are fried. Arrange on a serving platter and serve. By Julie Busteed Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics Cookbook Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics Cookbook Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Bacon Caramelized Brussels Sprouts March 9, 2017 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Bacon Caramelized Brussels Sprouts 2017-03-09 16:02:38 Print Ingredients 5 slices thick cut bacon, cut into roughly 1/2-inch squares 1 pound brussels sprouts, each sprout cut in half 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper Instructions Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and sauté until slightly cooked but not crispy. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon or spatula and set aside. Add the brussels sprouts, olive oil, salt, and pepper and sauté until the brussels sprouts soften and turn a brighter and deeper shade of green, about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes. Add the bacon to the pan and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the bacon is crispy and the brussels sprouts have turned golden around the tips and are relatively soft when pierced with a fork, about 6 to 8 minutes more, stirring every 2 minutes. Adapted from FINEX USA Adapted from FINEX USA Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/