End of vacation dinner (Will’s lemon scented pasta)

A note from Holly:

(I was going to post the recipe for my lemon chicken – and then I realized that I’ve already posted it.  Brain Cramp. What I will share with you is the pasta that we served with the lemon chicken I made last night.  More of a method than a recipe, this one so simple yet so delicious.  And the really cool part – Will came up with it!  I guess he got the cooking gene!)

It seems like we just picked up Will at the airport and now his summer break is over.  Tomorrow at o'dark-thirty he and Steve will leave for a cross-country drive back to school. They’ve got a great itinerary planned – and will hit baseball games in Chicago and Minneapolis before fishing their way thru North Dakota and finally dropping into the Big Sky State. 

As moms are wont to do, I cooked up one of Will’s favorite dishes last night – lemon chicken.  And this time, he taught me a trick – scenting the pasta itself with lemon by putting both the juice and the juiced lemon halves into the salted pasta water right before you add the pasta.  Wow, was it good.

Lemon Scented Pasta

Ingredients

• Large pot of boiling water
• 2 – 3 Tbs of Kosher Salt
• 1 lemon, juiced
• The actual lemon that was just juiced
• 4 servings of angle hair pasta (or any shaped pasta of your choice)

Method

• Boil the water in a very large pot
• Add the salt, lemon juice and juiced lemon halves
• Add the pasta and cook according to package directions
• Drain the pasta and return to the pot you cooked it in.
• If you are serving with a dish that has a sauce, pour some of the sauce on the pasta before serving. 
• Or you can simply toss gently with
• 1 Tbs melted butter
• 1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
• Some chopped flat leaf parsley

To serve

• This is great with lemon pasta, but would be equally good with shrimp, fish, or even sautéed zucchini or spring peas.
• Dust with Parmesan cheese

Dig in and enjoy!

It’s Tomato Time (Deconstructed BLT Salad)

Recipe and photo updated July 1, 2018

Updated photo - same great taste

Summer and tomatoes go hand and hand.  And when it comes to a summer lunch or even dinner, what can be better than a BLT? 

My mom made a mean BLT, and I still remember one that I had at a golf course in Mexico on a steamy summer day back in the 80s.  But the very best BLT I have ever had is right her in Chapel Hill, at a gas station turned lunch stop called Merrit’s Store & Grill.

Merrit’s roots go back to 1929 when original owners Ruby and Eben Merritt opened a gas station and store on Columbia St, a narrow winding road that eventually cuts right through the UNC campus and connects with Franklin Street at heart of Chapel Hill. 

Later in 1991, current owner Robert Britt bought the store and added the signature BLT to the menu.  The sandwich’s beauty is in its simplicity.  Lightly toasted bread, a thin smear of good quality mayo and a layer (or more, depending on the size sandwich you choose) each of farm stand tomatoes and crisp local bacon are topped with crisp iceberg lettuce.  The whole thing is wrapped in foil and handed to you in a brown paper bag.  Need I say more?

We had our first Merrit’s BLT the week we arrived in Chapel Hill a little under a year ago.  As we settled in to enjoy our lunch at a picnic table behind the store, there was a flash of lightning, a crash of thunder and the sky literally opened up. Just like in the movies!  We dashed to the car and had our picnic right in the gravel covered parking lot.  It was a great way to start our adventure, and a memory I will always cherish.

The other night we had a similar storm, and as luck would have it I also had some heirloom tomatoes, local bacon, and the other necessary BLT fixin’s on hand.  However, we weren’t in the mood for a sandwich, so I did a deconstructed version and called it dinner. 

Will took a great shot of the salad before we enjoyed it with a nice glass of crisp white wine. I hope you give it a try and enjoy it as much as we did. 

Enjoy!

Deconstructed BLT Salad

Serves 4

Celebrate the end of summer with a new twist on a BLT. You can also cut the bacon, lettuce and tomatoes into bite sized pieces and toss, if you don’t  feel like assembling the dish as shown.

Ingredients:

For the Dressing:

Leftovers will keep in a jar in the ‘fridge for up to one week.

• ½ cup Greek yogurt (I use 2% but fat free of 5% OK too)
• ¼ cup good mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup buttermilk (standard milk will work, too)
• 2 tsp finely diced parsley
• 2 tsp finely diced chives
• 1 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder and celery seed

For the salad:

• 4 thick slices of sourdough bread, like crusty farmers bread 
• 1 very large or two medium tomatoes cut into thick slices
• 2 cups of cherry tomatoes, assorted colors if you can find them, about half of them cut in half
• 8 slices thick cut apple smoked bacon
• 2 cups shredded (make nice, long shreds – not chopped) iceberg lettuce
• Olive Oil Kosher salt and black pepper for grilling the bread

Method:

Make the Dressing

• Whisk all of the ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Adjust seasoning to taste as needed.
• Cover with plastic wrap or put in a glass jar and chill until you are ready to make the salad

Bake the bacon -- Yup, bake it. This method will keep the bacon perfectly flat and drains away the fat: Simply preheat your oven to 400 degrees, put a baking rack atop a baking sheet and lay the bacon on the rack. Then bake for 18-20 minutes and remove to drain on a paper towel.

Grill the bread -- Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil sprinkle with Kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper before grilling on a grill pan or outside on the grill until you get nice grill marks.

Assemble the salad – I use a large dinner plate as this can get messy when you start cutting into the salad. Put a slice of bread on each person’s plate and layer sliced tomatoes, bacon, lettuce, cherry tomatoes and a drizzle of dressing.

Enjoy!

Back Porch Summer Evenings (Black Bean Hummus)

I’ve written before about our wonderful neighborhood and the people who live here. As we near the year anniversary of our cross-country move, I continue to be thankful that we made our decision to purchase the house we now call home. 

This summer many of the neighbors have been getting together on alternate Saturday nights for cocktails, appetizers and a lot of laughs.  We inevitably end up on the back porch – the quintessential Southern gathering place on a hot summer night.  

In California we would have called it the deck or patio.  Here a back porch is often screened, which makes it seem even more like a part of the home. Furnishings are typically simple, but the spaces have a cozy feel.  Both the screened and completely outdoor variety back porch often overlooks a wooded yard and, if you are lucky, a creek or stream. A flickering of fireflies and the symphony of cicadas, tree frogs and bullfrogs rounds the whole thing out.

  

We had just such an evening planned for last night.  The day, however, had been long, busy and active day for both Steve and me, so a quick and easy to make appetizer was in order. 

I’d been thinking about making black bean hummus all week (I truly don’t know why, but it sounded like a good thing to do), and earlier in the week had jotted down what I thought would make a good recipe for it. The party was a great opportunity to give the recipe a try.

As usual, I made an adjustment here and there to my original ideas about spices and seasonings.  At one point, Steve (my official taster) declared it “too limey,” so I added a seeded and minced jalapeño pepper, which balanced the whole thing out. 

I also made a batch of homemade tortilla chips, something I hadn’t made since college (so easy – just cut up fresh corn tortillas, fry them in canola oil and sprinkle with sea salt).  Then with crossed fingers and a bottle of wine, we headed over to the party of unsuspecting guinea pigs.

They may have just been being polite, but everyone said they liked it.  The bowl was all but licked clean, so I’m calling it a success.

Here it is for you to try out.

Black Bean Hummus

Ingredients

• 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 ½ limes (the juice of both and the zest of one)
• 1 large clove of garlic, grated on a micro-plane, or minced and then rubbed with the side of a knife with some Kosher to make a paste (you want the flavor of the garlic, but not a chunk of it)
• 1 Tbs chili powder
• 1 ½ tsp hot sauce (Cholula "original" or another flavorful, spicy hot sauce of your choice - see photo)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted in a skillet until they are fragrant
• ¾ tsp Kosher salt
• ½ tsp fresh cracked black pepper
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed, and finely minced
• ½ cup cilantro leaves
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 Tbs minced cilantro for garnish

Method

In a food processor

• Pulse the black beans, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, chili powder, hot sauce, cumin seeds, salt, pepper and coriander until smooth.
• Scrape down the sides of the food processor and pulse again to mix.
• Switch the setting to “on” and stream in the olive oil
• Add the ½ cup of cilantro leaves and the jalapeño and pulse to mix
• Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste
• (If you like a thinner hummus, you can thin with a table spoon or two of water)

Remove to a serving bowl or plate and chill for at least 30 minutes

• Garnish with remaining 1 Tbs of cilantro leaves and line wedges

Serve with tortilla chips or sliced red bell peppers and/or sliced jicama

Enjoy!

Outer Banks Escape (Herbed Cheese and Prosciutto Crostini)

Just one more day until summer is officially here. And summer in North Carolina equals The Beach.  Maybe it’s because it takes a bit of effort and involves a two to three hour drive and usually an overnight stay, but going to the beach is an iconic Carolina summer experience. In fact, lately it seems that everyone I come in contact with has just returned from the beach or is headed there in the next few days.

Not to be left out, Steve and I made our first weekend pilgrimage to the sandy shores of our new state last weekend.  I had just come off of a big project and needed a break. So we broke out Google Maps and started checking things out.  A tip from my brother charted our course – The Outer Banks. Even it’s name sounds remote and nostalgic. We couldn't wait to get on the road.

The Outer Banks is actually a thin strip of tiny islands off the North Carolina Coast, with the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and Alberlarle Sound and Pamlico Sound to the west.  It’s where the Wright Brothers made their historic first flight at Kitty Hawk and where the Pirate Blackbeard fought his last battle. Today, you can still find pristine beaches of fine white sand and sea grass, quaint light houses, lovely beach houses and inns, and excellent restaurants. The islands are accessible by bridge or ferry, which turns a quick getaway into more of an adventure.

One of the highlights of the trip was a fantastic dinner at The Inn on Pamlico Sound, a beautiful property with an excellent restaurant that over looks -- you got it -- the Pamlico Sound.  

One of the highlights of our meal was a great herbed cheese and prosciutto crostini appetizer. Crostini means “little toasts” in Italian. They can be topped with just about anything, but this version’s light and fresh flavors of herbs and lemon were a perfect complement to a crisp sauvignon blanc and a warm summer night. 

As often happens when we are in a restaurant, I vowed to duplicate the dish when we got home. Yesterday I put together the recipe below and took it to a neighborhood get-together last night. I must say, I think I nailed it.  I hope you give it a try.

Herbed Cheese and Prosciutto Crostini

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 package Snofrisk (This is a mild spreadable cheese that is 80% cows milk and 20% goat milk. Look for this in the specialty cheese section of your grocer.  Whole Foods carries it.)
• 2 Tbs chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 Tbs finely minced chives
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 5 grinds black pepper
• 12 thin slices of ciabatta bread
• 12 thin slices of parma prosciutto (Get the real deal if you can.  It’s pricy, but you only need 12 slices.  Have the butcher or deli person slice it ultra thin)
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 handfuls of arugula

Method

Herbed Cheese:

• Mix the cheese, thyme, chives, lemon zest and pepper in a small bowl
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.  You can make this the day before.

Crostini Toasts:

• On a grill pan or outside grill, toast the bread slices

Balsamic syrup:

• In a small saucepan, heat the balsamic vinegar and sugar over very low heat until it has reduced by half and creates a thick syrup.  You won’t end up with much, but you only need a very small amount
• Set aside

To assemble

• Spread a thin layer of the cheese mixture on each piece of toast
• Top with a piece of the prosciutto
• Heap the arugula onto a serving platter
• Place the crostinis on top of the arugula
• Using a teaspoon and lightly drizzle the balsamic vinegar syrup over the toasts and arugula

To eat, you can place a piece or two of arugula atop the crostini. 

Enjoy!

Hello, Summer! (Keep it Simple Potato Salad)

How can you not like potato salad? It screams “Summer!” and picnics and tailgates and, for me, the simple and delicious meals my mother used to make when we were growing up in Whittier, California.

I was fortunate to be raised by parents who enforced what we now know as “family dinners,” without knowing it.  We ate dinner together every night, and 9 out of 10 times those meals were at home. Lots of veggies, grilled meats and fish, pasta dishes and simple yet yummy casseroles – I’d kill for her seven-layer casserole or stuffed bell peppers right now!

My mom also made excellent potato and macaroni salads that were so fresh and good.  I think it was the lemons and celery seed -- and the fact that she didn’t muck things up with extra ingredients that simply are not necessary.  

So in honor of Mom and Memorial Day I whipped up a batch of potato salad this morning. I’m working on a big project and was on my way to my home office when inspiration hit.  I ran back down stairs and within 15 minutes, the salad was cooling and ready for the ‘fridge.

I can’t wait for Will to get home from work tonight so we can dig in.

Keep it Simple Potato Salad

Ingredients

•  1 mesh bag of new red or white potatoes (the little ones are best)
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and left whole
• ¾ cup celery, ¼ inch dice
• ¼ cup green onions, ¼ inch dice or smaller (whites and greens)
• 1 red bell pepper, ¼ inch dice
• ½ lemon, juiced
• ¾ cup Best Foods or Hellman’s Mayo
• 2 tsp celery seeds
• 2 large pinches Kosher salt
• Lots of fresh ground pepper

Method:

• Place the uncut and unpeeled potatoes and the clove of garlic in a large pot and cover with cold water.  Add a healthy dose of Kosher salt (about 2 Tbs) put the pot on high heat and bring to a boil. 

• Once the potatoes are boiling, lower to medium high and cook for 10 minutes, or until a knife can pierce the potato and come out fairly easily.  I will admit, I cut one in half to check at the 7-minute mark. You don’t want mushy potatoes!

• While the potatoes are cooking, chop the celery, onions and bell pepper. Place in a large bowl. 
• Add the mayo, celery seeds lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir to combine

• Once the potatoes are done, drain them well and cut into quarters while they are still hot.  Use a sharp paring knife and you can make short work of this.  Leave the skins intact as much as possible.
• At this time, also mash up the clove of garlic that boiled with the potatoes.  Add it to the mixture in the bowl and stir to combine.

• Now add the still warm potatoes to the bowl.  Stir to combine.

• Allow to cool and then cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge.  Chill for at least 2 hours.

Enjoy!

Farmers Market Cooking Class (Cumin Scented Spinach Couscous with Spring Vegetables)

Whew. What a week. A big project came to fruition, just as we hit the home stretch for a big event that is being planned for the first week of June. Late nights, early mornings, voice scritchy from talking on the phone.  Frankly, I had a blast.

Those who know me well, know that the harder I push at work, the more I need to chop, sauté and plate-up new dishes. So the timing of my first cooking class at A Southern Season this morning was perfecto!

A Southern Season is a Chapel Hill institution.  Amazing cooking store, meets outrageous specialty food store and invites a wine shop and florist over for a party. Toss in a great restaurant, phenomenal candy store and a cooking store, plus a healthy dose of Southern cuisine favorites and you’ve got A Southern Season.  Oh yeah, forgot the cheese section.  And the paper goods.  You get the point.

The class I took revolved around the Farmers Market that takes place outside the store every Saturday morning.  After donning  our aprons we headed out to the market to meet the farmers and gather up supplies for lunch.

Everything we cooked with was from the local area – farm fresh eggs (from pasture-raised chickens) and local cream for a stove-top crème brulee (watch for future posts as I make this one my own); strawberries, dried figs, local cheese, bacon, greens and garlic for a sweet & savory salad; multi-colored carrots and radishes that we tossed in olive oil and roasted; plus  tomatoes, spring garlic and cucumbers that found their way into a delightful couscous salad that I re-created tonight and will share with you here.

The best part, I spent two hours cooking and enjoying lunch with the most wonderful group of people. We chopped, chatted and learned. Then we enjoyed the fruits of our labors. If you’ve never done anything like this, I highly recommend it. 

Here is how I remembered the couscous.  I don't think we put parsley in, but I did tonight and it was tasty.  Cilantro would be good too. I also added some spring onions from last week's market. 

Cumin Scented Spinach Couscous with Spring Vegetables

Ingredients:

• 1 cup spinach couscous (if you can’t find spinach couscous, plain couscous will do.)
• 1 ¼ cup boiling water
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 large or 2 small tomatoes, cut into ½ inch dice
• ½ cup diced English cucumber (the kind that comes wrapped in plastic when you buy them at the grocery store) 
• ½ cup spring onion, cut into ½ inch dice (They look like a cross between a leek and a green onion and are VERY mild.  This is a staple in our farmers markets here, but if you can’t find them, I’d use chopped green onions or even red onion that you cut into ¼ inch dice and soak in ice water to remove the bitterness)
• ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
• 2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground (or if you are in a pinch like I was tonight, around 2 ½  tsp ground cumin)
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 2 Tbs good olive oil
• 2 Tbs red wine vinegar
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

• Combine the couscous, boiling water and 1 tsp Kosher salt in a medium sized glass bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and allow to set until the liquid is completely absorbed.  This takes about 10 – 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine all of the other ingredients, except for the final dose of salt and pepper in a large bowl.
• When the couscous is absorbed and tender, fluff it with a fork.
• Then add the couscous to the vegetable mixture. 
• Stir well.
• Season to taste.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.  (Note, we didn’t really have time to get it cold during class or tonight when I made this, and it was perfectly fine.)

This was a great side dish with some grilled local sausages tonight.  Tomorrow it will make a comeback with burgers when my brother’s family comes over for dinner. (Shhhhhh don’t tell them, but they are getting leftovers!)  (And thanks, again, Ed for giving me this class for Christmas. You know your sister well.)

Enjoy.

Spring Fever (pineapple mango salsa)

Spring has sprung! I took a much needed half day off today - talk about perfect timing. Weather in the high 60s/low 70s and not a cloud in the sky. 

After doing my part to help the local economy and dropping off some flowers at my brother's house,  I spent a peaceful hour reading outside and chatting with a girlfriend in California.  Basketballs could be heard bouncing and swuushing from driveways up and down the street. The kids next door zip lined from tree to tree. And a bright yellow bouquet of fresh daffodils could be seen through the window, providing a cheery welcome to our home.

When Steve got home from golf (hooray, the course is open and dry!) we enjoyed a really nice dinner that was filled with the flavors of spring.  Here’s what was on the menu:

• Wild Sea Bass – seasoned with a bit of grape seed oil, kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper; pan seared and cooked to crispy yet moist perfection; and then topped with a fresh pineapple mango salsa.

• Fresh English Peas – shelled, lightly steamed, and finished with a tad bit of butter and a squeeze of lemon.

• Primavera Brown Rice – brown rice cooked in chicken broth and sautéed garlic, with diced asparagus, shredded carrots and halved grape tomatoes added during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Here’s the recipe for the salsa, which is great on fish, chicken or even tortilla chips. (Feel free to add some diced Hass avocado if you have it on hand.)

Pineapple Mango Salsa

• ½ cup pineapple, chopped into ½ inch dice (fresh, frozen or canned is fine, but of course we always like fresh better
• ½ cup fresh mango, chopped into ½ inch dice
• ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
• 2 Tbs finely minced red onion
• ½ tsp finely minced jalapeño pepper
• Juice from either ½ lime or ¼ lemon
• Pinch kosher salt

Method

• Combine all ingredients in a glass bowl, chill 1 hour.

How easy is that?

Enjoy!