The Family Meal: Meal 6 - Potato Chip Omelet, Pork Loin with Peppers, Coconut Macaroons

After the search for those willy sardines, I wanted something with easy to find ingredients. Like eggs. And pork chops. That's about as easy as it gets in American supermarkets. But what you actually do with those ingredients is what makes them interesting.

Nothing especially hard to find here in the ingredients. The pork chops are those thin, boneless chops I've sometimes seen advertised as breakfast chops. Not that I've ever eaten them for breakfast, but apparently somebody has. Amazingly, they didn't have them at Central Market, and I'm not enough of a sadist to ask the butcher to make me some when they close in ten minutes. I got mine prepackaged from Tom Thumb. The unsweetened grated coconut came from the bulk bins at Whole Foods. This isn't something I've ever seen at a regular grocery store. Other than that, everything is pretty standard.

The omelet was definitely...interesting. I ended up making two small omelets since I didn't have a frying pan with sloped sides that was big enough to handle one massive omelet. I kinda goofed on the first omelet, assuming I know better than an award winning chef, and I tried flipping the thing with a spatula. Bad move. Omelet everywhere. Lesson? Follow the directions. It still tasted good though. Second omelet, I slid onto a plate, then flipped over into the pan. It was awfully pretty on the plate. The taste? Weird, but somehow good. I'd never had an omelet with potato chips in it. And even though the instructions say that the potato chips will stay crispy, they don't really. Unless my overpriced organic Central Market chips are somehow substandard compared to El Bulli potato chips. It's a mystery. And the omelet still needed salt. So there.

I liked the pork chops a lot more than the omelet, even though the flavor was very light and subtle. The roasted pepper, which spent the entire time it was in the oven spewing pepper spray all over everything, was actually pretty darn good. I'm excited for the recipe in Meal 29 where you do the same thing with eggplant, too. The parsley oil that you pour over the chops definitely completes the flavor, but it also got olive oil up into the small cracks in my mini chopper, and it's still leaking out. Yes, okay, I don't have an immersion blender. I'm working on it. The whole trick with the pork chops is that each bite needs to have all three components. Pork chop, parsley oil, roasted pepper. Only then do you reach pork chop nirvana.

The macaroons were awesome. Yep, that good. Easy to make, easy to bake, easy to take. And put in my mouth. They ended up light and gooey in the middle, with a little crunch on the top where they browned. They didn't want to come off my Silpat mat until they were completely cooled, however, which made pre-dinner swiping difficult.

The Family Meal: Meal 5 - Polenta & Parmesan Gratin, Sesame Sardines with Carrot Salad, Mango with White Chocolate Yogurt

Okay, I admit it. I picked what I thought was probably the easiest menu in the darn book. Why? Because I have a job. And it is routinely giving me a migraine. And riding home on mass transit with the psych ward patients from the county hospital doesn't alleviate said headache. So I picked a recipe with some polenta, some fried fish, and a little sliced mango. Quick and easy. Or so I thought.

Sardines are basically non-existent in Dallas. I know they eat them like they're going out of style in Europe, and I know they have all these supposed health benefits, but darn it, Americans don't like sardines. They're fishy and weird and stinky, right? Yeah, I thought so, too. The only sardines I had ever seen were in small cans. And I never saw anyone buying them. So it was obviously time for me to try some sardines. But where to buy them? I dropped by Whole Foods, but the kid working at the seafood counter shook his head. They only carry them around the holidays, but he could definitely order some. But I would have to purchase a certain base amount to do the order. Um, no. I need 10, read it, 10 sardines. I do not need 10 pounds. Thank you, next store.

I called Central Market, not actually expecting them to have any sardines. I asked the seafood guy if he had fresh sardines, being very specific about the fresh thing since I wanted to make sure he didn't direct me to the canned variety. I could hear the regret in his voice as he told me, "Sorry, I only have previously frozen ones". Uh, this is Texas. EVERYTHING remotely fishy is previously frozen. I was a very happy woman.

The rest of the ingredients were pretty basic until I got down my list to caramelized hazelnuts. Blanched hazelnuts? Sure. Raw hazelnuts? Sure. Caramelized hazelnuts? Sounds good, but I've never seen any. After much internet searching, it turns out that they're some kind of confection, but few places carry them. Luckily my internet searching also turned up some recipes for making them myself. An extra step, but hey, the recipe says caramelized hazelnuts, and I'm not going to question Chef Adria, but so much for "easy to find".

About the polenta... This was so incredibly quick and easy I almost feel bad. And yet it was so silky smooth and palette pleasing that I had to go back and check the ingredient list again. Yep, nothing abnormal. Polenta, water, cream, butter, Parmesan. Simple. And yet the broiler gave the top this amazing crunch, almost like those Parmesan crisps you see as decorations on fancy plates. The polenta underneath was creamy and warm and basically the definition of comfort food. I've got to say, this polenta blew the polenta in Plenty out of the water. Sorry, Yotam.

The sardines were a chore. Since I got fresh fish, they had scales and heads and backbones and guts. Lots of squishy guts. And I needed to remove the scales and heads and backbones and guts before they would be fit to eat. Since I'd never dealt with guts, I had to look up the technique on the internet (I should buy stock in Google). Unfortunately Chef Adria left most of that bit out of his little instructional sardine collage. Plus I was freaking out because the fish had about a million little bones, and I knew if I had to pick every single one out, it was going to be a very long night. Luckily, the little bones are edible. Thank you, internet bloggers. The sardines only take about 2 minutes to fry, but I was ripping away at their insides for a good hour first. The taste of the cooked sardines was indeed fishy, but a pleasant kind of seawater and omega fats. The lemon juice sprinkled on top definitely helped to cut some the richness and provide balance. I actually kinda liked the darn little fishies. They do get a little overwhelming when you have a whole plate of them, though.  The carrots for the salad were just so pretty and ribbon-like when cut with the mandoline. They fall off the blade in curly strips that can be piled in artistic bunches. And the vinaigrette isn't half bad. I never really considered putting mint in a Dijon mustard vinaigrette, but it works.

Ah, the mango. It's not mango season. I know that, and yet I managed to find a beautiful organic mango at Whole Foods. Probably from somewhere exotic like Chile or Peru. Somewhere where it's not 40 degrees out. And since I got it at Whole Foods, that makes up for my not buying local produce, right? Right? Thought so. The white chocolate yogurt sauce... Transcendent. Mango never tasted this good. And you know what? Chef Adria was right about the hazelnuts. They add the perfect sugary crunch that completes the dish.

Fat Free Vegan: Creole Blackeyed Peas

I'm not sure where the tradition came from to eat blackeyed peas for New Year's, but it's pretty ubiquitous here in the South.  I'm not a big fan of plain old blackeyed peas, so I tried to find something a little more interesting to make with them.  I came across a website of vegan dishes called Fat Free Vegan Kitchen that had a very interesting blackeyed pea recipe.  These peas are done creole style, which for me means Flavor.  Yes, capital F, Flavor.

The holy trinity of onions, celery, and bell pepper make a showing, with some tomatoes and garlic.  I used a can of fire-roasted tomatoes, so I got an extra punch there, and a jalapeño pepper helped make it a little bit spicier.  The blackeyed peas were fresh, not frozen or canned, so they didn't end up mushy.  You also use some liquid smoke to give the dish that barbecue flavor, and it certainly does something magical here.  I served the peas over some brown rice, and it was a perfect start to a new year.

Creole Blackeyed Peas
Adapted from Fat Free Vegan blog

1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, deveined, and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
11 ounces fresh blackeyed peas
1 (14.5-ounce) can Muir Glen fire roasted diced tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth, water, or a combination of both
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning mix (such as McCormick)
½ teaspoon liquid smoke
¼ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven until it shimmers.  Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and jalapeño pepper, and sauté until the vegetables are tender and the onion is translucent.  Add the blackeyed peas, tomatoes, vegetable broth, and all seasonings except for the liquid smoke.  Simmer the mixture for about 45 minutes, or until the blackeyed peas have softened.  Add the liquid smoke, and stir to combine.  Top with chopped cilantro, and serve on brown rice or cornbread.

Makes 6 servings

Sunny Anderson: Butterflied Cornish Hens with Sage Butter

Around this time of year you're getting really tired of turkey and ham.  Turkey and ham.  Turkey and ham.  But there's still one more celebration to go.  And burgers aren't on the menu.  So what do you do?  You reach for those tiny little chickens that make you feel special.  I mean, who doesn't feel special with their very own little hen sitting on their plate?  And even better if it's covered in bacon and butter, right?  Because I think you can gain a couple more pounds before tomorrow morning and the ugliness that is New Year's resolutions.

Butterflied Cornish Hens with Sage Butter
From Sunny Anderson

4 (1¾-pound) Cornish game hens, butterflied
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
5 to 7 sage leaves, finely chopped
1 lemon, zested
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil, for sauteing
4 strips bacon, chopped

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place hens on a sheet tray fitted with a cooling rack in the refrigerator to dry skin out for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in a small pan over medium heat, melt butter with sage, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Remove hens from refrigerator. Preheat 2 large sauté pans over medium heat, lightly coat with oil. Season hens with salt and pepper and sear, skin side down, in the pans. Sear until skin caramelizes and turns golden brown and crispy, about 7 to 10 minutes. Flip birds over, and baste with sage butter. Sprinkle tops with chopped bacon and place in preheated oven to finish cooking, 25 to 30 minutes, basting occasionally. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 servings

Gourmet: Creamed Spinach

This may be my favorite side dish ever.  Ever.  This is everything that is beautiful about getting your greens, even though they're covered in cream.  And this spinach goes with just about any dish.  Steak?  Definitely.  Baked chicken?  Of course.  Fried fish?  Yep.  Chocolate cake?  Okay, maybe not everything, but pretty darn close.

Creamed Spinach
Adapted from Gourmet magazine, December 2004

2 (16-ounce) bags chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1¼ cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 small onion or large shallot, finely chopped
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
¼ cup grated Gruyère or Parmesan cheese (optional)

Heat milk and cream in a small saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until warm. Meanwhile, cook onion in butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add warm milk mixture in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, and simmer, whisking, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in nutmeg, spinach, and salt, white pepper, cayenne, and cheese and cook, stirring, until heated through.

Makes 10 servings

Wolfgang Puck: Strawberry Shortcake

I think I have discovered the pinnacle of strawberry shortcake recipes.  I know that's quite a statement, but this is quite a shortcake. The cake is buttery and flaky outside, with an incredibly tender middle.  The strawberries are elevated to boozy new heights.  And homemade whipped cream just makes everything better.  I could probably just eat this for the next week and be perfectly happy.  And yes, I know it's December.  Don't judge.

Strawberry Shortcake
From Wolfgang Puck

2¾ cups cake flour
¼ cup granulated sugar, plus additional to sprinkle on top
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 2 tablespoon pieces
1 cup heavy cream, plus additional to brush on top
2 pints fresh strawberries, stemmed
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons kirsch
½ teaspoon orange zest
½ cup sweetened whipped cream

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the flour, ¼ cup sugar, baking powder, and salt and pulse 2 or 3 times. Add the chilled butter and process just until combined. With the motor running, pour the cream through the feed tube, stopping just before the dough forms a ball.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead, forming a smooth ball. Do not overwork. Roll out the dough into a round, ¾-inch thick. Using a 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out 8 circles. (Knead the scraps together and reroll as required.)

Arrange the 8 circles on the prepared baking tray, brush the tops with cream and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are golden and firm to the touch. Cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, rinse and drain the strawberries. Cut each berry into thick slices and toss with the sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, kirsch, and orange zest, and gently mix. Set aside.

When ready to serve, split each shortcake in half and warm slightly. Top the bottom half with strawberries and cream. Then put the rounded top on the cake and top with additional berries and cream.

Makes 8 servings

Bobby Flay: Coffee-Rubbed Steak

Bobby Flay is another one of those chefs who has never failed me.  Ever.  Each time I make one of his recipes, I get something super delicious.  Like this giant hunk of fabulous meat love.  I seriously could never be a committed vegetarian because of things like this.  And I'm okay with that.  Sear on, delicious cow.

Coffee-Rubbed Steak
Adapted from Bobby Flay

4 (1½-inch thick) filet mignon steaks (8 ounces each) or 2 pounds ribeye steaks (1-inch thick), at room temperature
2 tablespoons olive oil
Spice Rub

Coat the steaks with the olive oil and sprinkle both sides of the steaks generously with Spice Rub.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.  Sear in a hot iron skillet until a crust has form, about 2 minutes on the first side, then flip the steaks and cook for another 2 minutes before transferring the pan in the oven. Cook until the thermometer registers 130-140°F for medium rare, about 3 to 5 more minutes.  Remove the steaks from the pan, cover, and let rest for five minutes before serving.

Makes 4 servings

Spice Rub
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1 tablespoon finely ground espresso beans or instant espresso powder
2 teaspoons Spanish paprika

2 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard

¾ teaspoon ground coriander
¾ teaspoon dried oregano
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon chile de árbol powder or cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

Better Homes and Gardens: Mandarin Coconut Bowl (a.k.a. California Salad)

My dad has one mission for Thanksgiving.  Okay, one mission besides running to the store before they close to grab whatever ingredients are missing.  Hey, when three women are trying to bring a massive meal together, sometimes things get overlooked.  But the night before, his mission is to make this salad.  A very strange, very 70's concoction, but it's been part of my family's Thanksgiving ever since I can remember.  And who can argue with miniature marshmallows?

Mandarin Coconut Bowl (a.k.a. California Salad)
Adapted from the 1974 edition of the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

2½ cups pineapple tidbits, drained
1 (11-ounce) can Mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 (3½-ounce) can flaked sweetened coconut
2 cups sour cream

Combine first five ingredients. Fold in sour cream and chill overnight. In desired, serve in lettuce cups.

Makes 8 servings

Food 52: Roasted Radish and Potato Salad with Black Mustard and Cumin Seed

For some reason, I keep getting a ton of radishes in my CSA box.  I'm trying to figure out why that is exactly.  I don't really know that many people who eat radishes, so I'm not sure why the farmers decide to plant them in such large numbers.  Maybe I'm not aware of the secret radish society or something.  Anyway, I found a good use for my beautiful French breakfast radishes this time.  It's an Indian-inspired potato and radish salad.  If you can't find black mustard seeds, brown are definitely okay.

Roasted Radish and Potato Salad with Black Mustard and Cumin Seed
Adapted from Food 52

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon granulated sugar
1 large Yukon gold potato, cut into 1-inch cubes
8-10 French breakfast radishes, ends trimmed
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
2 tablespoons whole milk yogurt
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, salt, and sugar until solids dissolve. Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, combine potato pieces with a glug or two of olive oil, a good sprinkling of sea salt, and a few grinds of black pepper, tossing evenly to coat. Roast potatoes in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the radishes into two or three pieces, depending on how big they are. Using the same bowl that you tossed the potatoes in, combine radishes with olive oil, sea salt and black pepper; mix well to evenly coat.

Once the potatoes have roasted for 10 minutes, using a wooden spatula or spoon, gently push potatoes around, being careful to keep skin intact (as best as possible). Push potatoes to one side of pan, adding radishes in a single layer to the other side. Continue to roast for another 10-12 minutes or until potatoes and radishes are tender, shaking pan midway through (at 10 minutes start checking to make sure radishes do not overcook).

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add black mustard seeds and whole cumin seeds and gently mix. Cook for about a minute, until fragrant, being mindful that black mustard seeds will start to pop. Remove pan from heat and set aside.

Remove pan from oven and allow vegetables to completely cool (making it easy to remove from pan without sticking – especially the potatoes). Transfer roasted radishes and potatoes to a bowl. Add yogurt, black mustard/cumin seed mixture, and green onions, folding with a spatula to combine. Add lemon juice mixture by the teaspoonful until you reach desired taste (one and a half teaspoons of lemon juice-salt-sugar mixture is a good starting point). Fold to combine. Cover mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow flavors to develop. Bring salad to room temperature before enjoying.

Makes 2 servings

Home Cooking with Jean-Georges: Butternut Squash with Balsamic and Chile Panko Crumbs

Since butternut squash only entered my life about ten years ago, I don't have a ton of recipes to use the delicious roasted gourd.  Gotta fix that.  This one is a nice recipe from Jean-Georges Vongerichten (geez, is that a mouthful or what??) that I kinda doctored up my own way.

Butternut Squash with Balsamic and Chile Panko Crumbs

Adapted from Home Cooking with Jean-Georges by Jean-Georges Vongerichten

1 large butternut squash (about 2½ pounds)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup panko crumbs
1½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
½ teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
¼ cup of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Cut the squash in half and scoop the seeds in to a bowl.  Set the seeds aside.  Rub the squash with vegetable oil, and place on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet, cut side down.  Bake until soft when pierced with a fork, about 40 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.  Transfer the flesh to a large serving dish and mash with a fork into an even layer. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the squash along with the balsamic vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

Remove and discard the strings of the squash seeds.  Heat 3 tablespoons of the squash seeds in a large skillet over medium-low heat until dry. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and a pinch of salt and toast, tossing occasionally. When the seeds begin to pop, partially cover the pan. Continue toasting until golden brown, about 3 minutes, then transfer to a plate.

In the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat until melted, then toss in the panko. When well coated, stir in the thyme, chile flakes, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Toast, tossing occasionally until golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese and toasted seeds. Spread the crumb mixture over the squash in an even layer and serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings