Shrimp Sandwich

I'm a fan of a good sandwich, and when you're lucky enough to get fresh ingredients and good bread, you're pretty much guaranteed a tasty sandwich.  This particular lunchtime delight features shrimp, avocado, bacon, tomato, goat cheese, mayo, and a little parmesan for good measure on Tuscan Pane bread. 

Toast your bread.  I toasted one slice with some parmesan cheese to melt into it.  Spread your condiments of choice on each side.  Slice your toppings and layer away.  I did avocado on one side, since the avocado would stick well to the bread when it came time to flip.  Then the other side I started with the bacon and weighted it down with the tomato slices.  Next I topped with the shrimp that I quickly poached to cook through beforehand.  I added the goat cheese for the final touch, combined the two sides, and sliced on a bias down the middle. 

Teriyaki Shrimp over Israeli Couscous and Endive

Trader Joe's offers a new Harvest Blend product featuring Israeli couscous, red and green orzo, split dried garbanzo beans, and red quinoa.  I decided to try this new mix, but obviously needed something with more flavor to serve atop it.  I had some shrimp, veggies and teriyaki, so figured that would be a bold enough taste.  And for good measure I threw some belgian endive leaves on the bottom to add a little fresh crunch.

Saute your veggies as per usual.  A little mushroom, red onion, and garlic in olive oil is what I went for this time.

Add the shrimp and then the teriyaki.  As the shrimp cooks it will draw in the flavor.  Add more teriyaki as desired for a saucier product.  Or for a less strong taste, add some broth at this point to cut the flavor of the teriyaki.

Assemble your endive on the plate.  You could chop it up if you want it to be more salad-like, but I also utilized these as little handheld cups of couscous and shrimp.  Very graceful.

Pile your grains, rice, etc. on top.  Then you just top with the shrimp mixture and let the juices seep in.  This way you get your salad, grains, and fish all in one bite!

Burritos

What's better than a meal you can eat with your hands, and is teeming with flavors and ingredients?  For when you don't want to be constrained by forks, burritos are a sure bet.  If you really want to do these right, I recommend getting large, thin four tortillas that are easily foldable.  I did not have those.  All you need to do next is choose your fillings and go to town.  I went with ground beef.

For this meal I began by sauteing the ground beef with some red onions and corn.  Once fully cooked I added the taco seasoning.

If you don't mind the extra fat contact, skip the part where the taco seasonings tell you to drain the fat and add water to the beef.  It tastes way juicier if you use the meat fat.  But if you don't want a complete calorie bomb for dinner, go ahead and ditch the fatty juices.

Once your meat is cooked, assembly is all that is left.  To prepare the tortillas, put them in the oven on low (200 degrees or so) to warm and soften them.  You can do this while the meat is cooking.  Then grab a plate and throw on your toppings.

Add the cheese to the warm tortilla so it will slightly melt and then be melted again by the heat of the beef.

If adding beans or rice, add them next before the meat.  I was lacking beans and I also forgot about the rice until the end so it was added a little out of order.

Cold ingredients come next.  Starting with the tomatoes.  And followed by the fresh avocado.

 

You can also do pico de gallo and guacamole in lieu of tomatoes and avocado, but at this stage add whatever veggies you want.  Lettuce works too.  

 Here's the rice I forgot to add earlier.  

The final touch is anything saucy.  I added sour cream and some salsa verde.  Then all that is left is to fold and wrap.  Fold the two sides in so they touch the toppings.  Grab the back flap and pull it over and around the innards, pushing the fillings inside as much as possible.  Continue to roll until your wrap is complete.  As you can see in the first image, my burritos were a tad overstuffed for these tortillas, so I had to keep one end open.  As long as you have one burrito butt to avoid food getting all over your hands you should be good. 

Potatoes, Shrimp, and Veggies over Rice and Lettuce

This was an interesting dinner I made about a month ago.  For some reason I was craving potatoes (well, aren't I always?), but also kind of wanted something fresh and salad-like.  So I figured I'd assemble pretty much everything fresh in my fridge on top of lettuce, but added some rice for texture and substance.  It was pretty good.

Ingredients: Romaine lettuce, tomato, cucumber, potatoes, basmati rice, shrimp, red onion, garlic, tarragon, cumin, coriander, salt/pepper, yogurt sauce to garnish

Start by peeling and chopping your potatoes.  I chopped into ~1 inch cubes, but do whatever you prefer.  Then, just as if I was preparing breakfast potatoes I cooked them in the skillet with a little bit of olive oil and added the tarragon, salt/pepper, cumin, and coriander.  Let them cook for about 20 minutes to cook through, and if you want you can periodically add a little broth that will be absorbed and soften the insides. 

Once primarily cooked, I added the red onion, a little garlic, and the shrimp to the pan.  Saute until the shrimp are pink and the onion softened.  I opted to chop my shrimp for the sake of having more shrimp scattered throughout in smaller bites.  It makes the shrimp go further.

Once cooked through you can assemble your meal.  I layered lettuce on the plate first, covered with the rice (it was leftover from a previous dinner so I just reheated it), piled the potatoes/shrimp on next, topped with fresh cucumber and tomato slices, and finally drizzled the sauce over.

The sauce was also leftover from a previous meal (see: Salmon w/ a Zucchini Yogurt Sauce).  It's basically a combination of 1:1 yogurt and mayo.  Then you throw in diced zucchini and chives, but really you can add whatever you like.  Or make your own yogurt sauce. 

So this dish is kind of like a salad, kind of like an mediterranean burrito bowl, but the combination of hot/cold, heavy/light makes for a tasty, hearty meal.

Mediterranean Inspired Beef and Rice stuffed Zucchini

This dish was an attempt to recreate Middle Eastern inspired flavors in my kitchen that pretty much lacks typical spices/flavors/ingredients for that type of cuisine.  But really if you just throw some hummus on top, that counts, right?  I kid, I kid.  But it certainly doesn't hurt. 

The inspiration for this meal was to use the ground beef in my freezer.  Add some rice, veggies, and the right spicing, and you've got yourself a meal! 

Ingredients: ground beef (1 lb), 1 large zucchini, 1/4 white onion chopped, 1/2 lb mushrooms chopped, 1 can tomato paste, basmati rice, cumin, coriander, salt/pepper, toast/hummus/asiago cheese garnish

Begin by browning your beef.  While cooking, prepare the zucchini.  I cut the zucchini in half, halved it lengthwise again, and used a melon baller to scoop out the insides.  Save the insides for the stew and the outer portions for the presentation.

As the beef is browning, add the chopped mushrooms and onions to cook in the heat and fat from the meat. 

Once the meat is browned and the veggies are tender, add the zucchini innards (they'll take less time to cook than the onions/mushrooms).  Cook another minute or two then add the can of tomato paste and your spices.  Add spices to your desired tastes.  And if you're lacking tomato paste, I'm sure you could use tomato sauce or fresh tomatoes instead.  This just gives a stronger flavor.  Once everything is mixed, I put the zucchini boats on top of the beef stew to cook them a little too. 

I put a lid over the skillet and let everything steam for about 15 minutes.  The flavors melded and the zucchini softened.  To begin arranging the meal I started with some toasted sourdough bread.  You could use pita, lavash, whatever you have.  The bread was just a means to sop up extra stewy goodness.  I put two zucchini boats on the plate and filled them with the cooked basmati rice. 

I then covered the zucchini + rice mixture with the beef.  I garnished with some hummus and freshly grated asiago cheese.  A bizarre combination, yes.  Perhaps we should call this a fusion dish.  Anyway, garnish with whatever you'd like...fresh herbs, cheese, yogurt sauce, or nothing at all. 

So you could just as easily serve this without the zucchini boats and just have larger chunks of zucchini cooked in with the beef.  Serve it all over rice.  Or throw together some pita sandwiches with some beef stew, rice, hummus, fresh lettuce and cucumber?  Feel free to go to town with this one. 

Halal Style Chicken and Rice

As a new New Yorker, I was unaware of the phenomenon that was the halal cart on practically every street corner in Manhattan until moving here a few months ago.  So tonight's dinner is inspired by the chicken and rice you can buy off the street for $5 a pop, 24/7, with that oh-so-divine yet oh-so-mysterious "white sauce".

To construct my "knockoff chicken and rice" I created a lettuce base, topped with saffron infused rice mixed with cilantro, and finished with my chicken and veggies.  But let's not forget the white sauce garnish.  We had "dined" at one of the halal carts a few nights earlier, so we had leftover white sauce in a to-go container perfect for adding to our own meals throughout the week. 

For this version I used romaine lettuce.  (Here's an unnecessary picture of the pre-assembled lettuce on the plate.)

 

I prepared the yellow saffron rice according to package directions but added in about 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro toward the end of the cooking.

For the chicken, I chopped some yellow onion, mushrooms, scallions, garlic, and chicken breasts.  Add a little olive oil to a skillet, saute the onion, garlic, and mushrooms until softened.  Throw in your chicken.  Now at this point I added my spices: cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, and ground black pepper. 

I went for cooking over a dry heat with dry spices to mimic the fresh-off-the grill aspect of the halal carts.  I threw the scallions in toward the end to cook a little.  But ultimately, the chicken and veggies were quite darkened and had a nice kick to them. 

I scooped my rice on top of the lovely bed of lettuce showcased above.  Then came the chicken/veggies.  And finally what street food meal is complete with the sauce?  A little googling yieldss mixed theories as to the contents of this sauce.  Some say mayo/vinegar.  Some say cucumber/yogurt.  Our version of the sauce had many black specks in it (and no cucumber to be found), and the taste was reminiscent of ranch dressing.  So use whatever sauces/dressings you like.  The lettuce lets you pretend you're having a salad, while the rice reminds you that you're having a heartier meal. 

Pesto Chicken Sandwich

Today I have yet another delicious lunchtime sandwich option for you all.  I was craving some chicken pesto the other night, but decided it was more of an afternoon meal, so the next day I went to town.  Pretty much all you need for this is chicken and pesto sauce and the rest of the accompaniments are up to you.  I would've liked some avocado or maybe some lettuce or fresh tomato, but alas you use what you have, and here is what I made given the ingredients in my fridge.  Granted, it was still obviously a delicious and decadent sandwich.   

1. Toast your bread.  I went with sourdough. 
2. Cook your bacon.  I did this in a pan on the stove. 
3. Cook your chicken.  I used two chicken breast tenders which I first seared in the bacon grease, but then ultimately poached in a little broth/water combo.  This was to make sure it would cook through and remain moist.  When it was pretty much done, most of the liquid had evaporated so I spread a thick slab of pesto on top of the chicken, put the lid on the saucepan and cooked another 3-5 minutes.
4. Assemble.

On one slice of the bread I placed some red onion slices, covered with my bacon strips, and crumbled some herbed goat cheese on top.  On the other slice of bread I spread a coat of mayonnaise, placed my two chicken slices on top, and shaved some fresh parmesan cheese onto the still hot chicken so it would melt. 

Carefully flip over one of the sides of the sandwich.  Press together lightly, slice on the bias, and enjoy this cheesy, pesto-ey, meaty deliciousness. 

Nutmeg Scones

Who doesn't like a good breakfast pastry?  Scones are great because they're a flakier, slightly sweeter version of say toast or an english muffin, but not quite as deviant as, say, a bear claw or danish.  I like to put out scones at brunches, and they're always a hit, sometimes prompting an intense scone vs. crumpet debate (crumpets are more porous and contain yeast, where scones instead utilize baking powder.  scones also originated in Scotland while crumpets came from Wales).

My favorite scone recipe includes nutmeg and so the other morning I adapted the ingredients around what I had and the quantity of scones I was hoping to make.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour 
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 + 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sour cream
1 egg

I typically utilize a food processor to make scones, but all I currently have in my kitchen is a mini processor, hence the tiny proportions of ingredients.  Feel free to multiply the above ingredients if you have a larger preparation vessel. 

Step 1: combine the dry ingredients (the first six on the above list)

Step 2: Add the butter.  Make sure your butter is still cold and chopped into a cubes (a must in most dough recipes).  This is why the processor is ideal because the blade helps cut the butter into the dry ingredients, much more easily than if you attempted this by hand. 

Step 3: Add the wet ingredients (egg and sour cream):

Once completely pulsed, you'll get a crumbly mixture.  Pour it onto a floured surface and knead into a large ball of dough.  Separate the dough in half and depending on the size of scones you want to make, cut them accordingly.  I made 8 mini scones so I hand patted each half of the dough into a square and cut it in quarters along the diagonals. 

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and place your scones on top.  For added flavor, sprinkle some sugar and nutmeg atop the scones before baking.  For even more added crunch, create an egg-white wash (just whisk egg whites and water) and rub/paint a little on top of the scones before adding the sugar/nutmeg.  Then bake for 10-15 minutes in a 350 degree oven. 

Serve warm when the flakiness can be most appreciated.  Serve with devonshire cream or lemon curd like at a fancy tea establishment or simply butter or jams.  Or you could use nothing at all, since they have enough flavor to stand out on their own. 

lemon curd!

Zucchini and Saffron Vichyssoise with Scallops

I've made this soup a few times now, and it's one of my favorite indulgences, for when you've got saffron threads you're just dying to use.  A vichyssoise is a thick, starchy soup based on potatoes and cream typically served cold.  But I'm not so much a fan of cold soups.  So I serve this one hot, and it's definitely a winner.  The original recipe comes from epicurious, so you can see what you need and in what quantities, but I'll show you the pictures and tell you my process.

Ingredients: zucchini, onion, potatoes, butter, garlic, saffron, chicken broth, bay leaf, thyme, heavy cream, lemon juice, salt and pepper, scallops, and bacon for garnish (not in the original recipe, but how could i resist?)

For this dish I peel the zucchini and the potatoes completely.  I cut them both into small cubes as well as the onion.  First saute the onion in the butter.  Once softened add the potatoes, garlic, and saffron and cook for a minute.  

Next add the broth and your spices (bay leaf, thyme) and cook over medium/medium-low heat until the potatoes are softened, about 15-20 minutes depending on your potatoes.  

Add the zucchini last because it is already soft enough it shouldn't need to cook as long as the potatoes.  After about 10 minutes it should be softened enough.

At this point, bust out your immersion blender (or the regular blender if you don't have the handheld variety), and puree the soup nicely.  The recipe mentions pouring through a fine sieve, but I don't like losing some of the thick starchiness, so I skip that step, opting to leave every bit of the soup intact.  At this point you can add the cream, lemon juice, and salt/pepper.

If you want cold soup let it cool, then put it in the fridge (don't put it directly into the fridge or you ruin the integrity of the flavors from the cold-shock).  But if you want it served warm you can let it sit on low heat at this point, or leave the burner off until right before you're ready to serve it and turn the heat back up.

This soup is great on it's own, but if you need some meat with your dinner, the scallops are an excellent accompaniment.  Get the large sea scallops and slice them horizontally into smaller discs.  Since I'm a glutton for all things pork fat, I obviously decided a bacon garnish was necessary moreso than a zucchini garnish, so in a small skillet render some chopped bacon.  Remove from heat and to the bacon grease in the pan you can add a little butter and then sear your scallops.  Season with salt and pepper first, then add the scallop to the medium/medium-high heated skillet.  You'll only need to cook for about a minute on each side.  You want to cook the scallop through, but overcook it and you get a tough mess so err on the side of less time on the stove.  

To serve, plate (bowl?) your soup.  Add some scallop slices and sprinkle with bacon.  The soup provides a nice thick pillow for the scallops and the flavors really do play well together. 

Fish Tacos

Typically made with fried fish, this grilled fish variety makes for a lighter version of a delicious mexican inspired taco that always makes me think of San Diego.  We had some tilapia in the freezer and what better way to utilize it than with some cilantro, lime juice, and avocado?

You can marinade your fish with whatever you like, but I opted for my standard ziploc bag filled with diced white onion, chopped cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, orange juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.  Throw your fish in, put in the fridge and let it sit for 30 minutes to several hours.  

Next, prepare your grill.  If you aren't using a grill, go for a grill pan.  If you are lacking a grill pan, a flat skillet works well too (what I used in this case).  Add a little oil to the skillet and throw on your tortillas.  We opted for small corn tortillas, since these are soft tacos, but if you want flour or crunchy taco shells, by all means, do your thing, but I highly endorse soft tortillas for this meal.

While these are grilling I made a lime mayonnaise with 1 cup mayo, 1 tsp milk, 3 tbsp lime juice, and a dash of the fresh cilantro.  Remove your heated tortillas from the grill/skillet and coat with your desired amount of lime mayo. 

Next, grill your fish on the same pan, with a little excess marinade still suck to the fish.  I'm not really a fan of patting dry, because I don't want to lose the extra flavor.

Since tilapia is a very thin white fish, it will cook rather quickly.  Turn after a couple minutes on one side, and once done, you can break it into smaller pieces to fill your tacos.  I arranged the sliced lettuce on the bottom of the tortilla, topped with the fish, added some fresh avocado, drizzled with about a tbsp of the leftover marinade from the baggy, and topped with a little bit more of the lime mayo. 

Simple, delicious finger food that makes for a good lunch or dinner.