August 16, 2012
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Meatballs filled with Ricotta

Meatballs. Not a summer food, but something I start craving at the end of every summer. I know it’s weird, but I think it had to do with watching every episode of Freaks & Geeks four years ago and one scene featured a spaghetti dinner. In the past I have made pork meat balls, more traditional beef meatballs, bison meatballs… you name it! This year I decided to step it up: Meatballs filled with ricotta. This was so good.

Here’s what you need:

  • 10 ounces fresh ricotta
  • 4 tbsp of fresh parsley, chopped fine and separated in half
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper or more
  • 1 pound of organic beef or bison
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 1 egg
  • 2 pieces of bread, toasted (I used Udi’s white bread)

Mix the ricotta, half of the parsley and pepper together in a bowl. Line a cookie sheet with plastic wrap. Using two spoons, scoop out ricotta (like you would a cookie) and drop it onto the cookie sheet. Each scoop should be about 1 tbsp worth of ricotta. Pop in the freezer and let sit for at least two hours. Preheat the oven to 325 F.

In a food processor or blender, pulse the toast until you have bread crumbs (it makes about ¼ – 1/3 cup)/ Mix the ground beef with the rest of the parsley, garlic, bread crumbs and egg.

Take the ricotta balls out of the freezer. Scoop up about 2 tbsp worth of meat, roll into a ball, and flatten slightly. Place ricotta ball inside then wrap up the meat around the ball. If you need more meat, feel free to use.

Pop into the oven for 15 – 20 minutes (I checked after 15, and mine were done). Let cool for a few minutes. Serve over pasta or quinoa with marinara sauce.

July 12, 2012
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Scallion Pancakes

Guys. I’m so excited. Gluten free scallion pancakes actually exist. I mean, why wouldn’t they? I just hadn’t looked until now. Our farm box is in full swing. Last week we got scallions and they wilted in my fridge. Determined to use them up while they were still fresh, I decided it was time to find a recipe that was both gluten free friendly and easy.

In true fashion, I read lots of recipes, learned the technique, then made my own version. So here’s what you need:

  • 1 cup of Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup white rice flour (if you’re making these with good old regular gluten flour, just substitute the first two ingredients with 1 1/2 cups of flour)
  • 1 bunch of scallions, cut into 1/4 inch pieces (scissors work really well here)
  • 1 1/2 cups of cold water
  • 1 tsp salt

Combine all of the ingredients together and let rest for a few minutes. Meanwhile, make your dipping sauce:

  • 2 tbsp soy sauce or gluten free tamari sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • dash of ginger
  • dash of garlic powder
  • dash of red pepper flakes

Combine together and set aside.

Heat a medium to large skillet. Spray lightly with Pam or grease using a little canola oil. Measure 1/4 cup of batter out on the pan. 2 to 3 pancakes should fit. Lower heat to medium and cook 3 minutes per side.

July 1, 2012
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Cherry Salsa Pork Chops

Last summer I made a pork tenderloin with cherry salsa. This summer, not wanting to exactly repeat history, I decided to try a similar take on the dish using pork chops (also, this is what was available to me in the kitchen).

(Must must forgive my plating, it’s summer, we’re grilling, it’s hard to carry big white plates up and down four flights of stairs)

Here’s what you need:

  • 3 1-inch thick porkchops
  • 1/4 cup of canola oil
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1/4 cup of cilantro
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 10 cherries, cut in half (you can leave the pits in)

In a large Ziploc bag, combine all the ingredients above minus the pork chops. Seal the bag and squish it around so that the cherries release some of their juices. Open the bag up and place the pork chops inside. Makes sure both sides are covered by the oil mixture. Place in the fridge for at least two hours to marinate.

Heat the grill on medium high. Place pork chops on grill and let cook about 5 – 6 minutes on each side. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

(As you can see here, I received a MASSIVE zucchini in my farm box)

I served with grilled zucchini (clearly) and roasted chick pea arugula salad (recipe here).

June 10, 2012
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Quiche with a Potato Crust

My least favorite thing to make in the entire world is pie crust. Making it gluten free is even worse. Seriously. Crumbles. Too much oil. Ugh.

But I have a dilemma. I really like quiche (pie, not so much and those I do enjoy are usually graham cracker crumb based). On the plane to San Francisco recently I was flipping through a cooking magazine and saw a genius idea: use potatoes instead of crust. WHAT!? Yes, potatoes. Thinly sliced. It was amazing.

Here’s what you need –

  • 2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and void of any questionable spots
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/4 cup 1% milk
  • 1/2 cup grated gruyere or cheddar
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 – 1/2 cups of vegetables, cooked/steamed of your choice (I used lightly stir fried zucchini and caramelized onions)

Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, cut the potatoes into thin slices, maybe 1/8” thick. Toss with olive oil and spread across two cookie sheets (I used a siloplat to help with the sticking). Bake in a 450F oven for about 10 minutes or until pliable.

Let potatoes cool slights, reduce oven to 350F. Arrange potatoes in a 9” pie dish. Start On the sides (some of the potato will stick up over the edge) and then fill in the bottom. Once the entire dish is covered, you can go back over the bottom, overlaping and covering any tiny holes. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, and spices. With your vegetables, scatter them on top of the potato pie crust. Pour the egg mixture on top of it. Pop in the oven for 35 – 40 minutes until set. Serve warm or room temperature.

June 3, 2012
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Tis the Season to Be Grilling

No specific recipes – this is mostly meat, vegetables, olive oil and a little salt – but we’ve already gone through two tanks of gas this season. Here’s to a great summer!

Hot dogs and corn on the cob. For the corn, lightly coat in olive oil, wrap in tin foil and grill for 15 – 20 minutes turning occasionally.

Steak, citrus chicken and peppers. For the chicken, marinate in the juice of one lime, one lemon, one orange, 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of honey for at least two hours. The steak should be brought down the room temp and cooked on a hot, hot grill for a few minutes on each side for medium rare.

Jerk chicken. Find the recipe here!

(Blurry – sorry!) Feta basil burgers and roasted red peppers. Combine one pound of beef with 1/3 cup of feta and a tablespoon of dried basil. For a little extra kick, chop up some garlic and combine. Form four patties and grill until cooked through – 5 minutes on each side.

My all time favorite thing to grill – zucchini. Brush olive oil on both sides of 1/4 inch thick slices of zucchini. Salt and pepper and cook on the grill until done.

May 13, 2012
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Tsukune

After a long hiatus of not reading Bon Appetit, I’ve been frantically catching up (going to yoga = not going to the gym = not reading on the elliptical). Anyway, the latest issue is a travel issue. At first I was miffed. Food & Wine this month was also a travel issue, and having picked it up at the airport on my way home from a business meeting, I was all travel fooded out.

But tucked in the pages of Bon Appetit was something that F&W did not have – tsukune – or chicken meatballs. Oh, I don’t know why I waited so long to make these. The original recipe is here, and my version, which to be honest was based solely on what was available to me in grocery stores in Cambridge is below.

While the star of this show is the chicken, I’m going to start with the sauce because this is absolutely essential before you proceed. Here’s what you need –

  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup sweet white wine (Riesling works well)
  • 1/4 cup gluten free tamari or soy sauce 
  • 2 tbsp sake
  • 3/4 tsp packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 scallion chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, smashed
  • 1-1 inch piece of ginger, pealed and sliced

Combine all of the ingredients in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let reduce for about 20 minutes until you have a generous half cup. Place a sieve over a small bowl and strain the solids out. Reserve half of the sauce for dipping.

For the chicken meatballs, here’s what you need –

  • 1 pound of ground turkey or chicken
  • 1 tbsp miso paste (finding gluten free miso is hard. I was not picky about what kind in this instance)
  • 4 scallions minced
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil, plus more for hands and grill

Take 1/3 of the chicken and cook it until just cooked in a frying pan. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Mince your scallions and add to a bowl with the remaining raw chicken and sesame oil. Add the cooked chicken. Oil your hands and massage the mixture until a sticky mound forms, about five minutes.

Form eight equal balls and roll into 4-inch ovals. Flatten slightly. Heat a grill to medium-high heat.

Place on the grill and cook for about two minutes. Flip over and brush the top part with your sauce. After about two more minutes, flip again and brush the other side. Continue this process until cooked entirely through – about 10 minutes – and until the sauce is gone.

Serve with the dipping sauce and enjoy!

May 6, 2012
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Radish Pea Pasta

I overheard someone raving about Heartland pasta recently (it’s gluten free). After eating burgers the last two nights, I decided to tone it down with something… non-meaty. I also forgot to buy chicken at the grocery store which foiled my plans of fried chicken. Here’s what you need –

  • 2 cups dry pasta
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 10 radishes, scrubbed and sliced 
  • 1 shallot, sliced
  • 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup snap peas, broken into equal pieces
  • 1/2 cup artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
  • 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup loosely packed parsley leaves
  • Grated Romano, salt, pepper to taste

Boil water for the pasta. Meanwhile, chop the radishes, shallot and peas. In a cast iron skillet, melt the butter and add the shallots. Turn heat to low. Add the radishes and red pepper flakes and stir every few minutes. When the water is boiled, add the pasta. 

Continue to cook the radishes. Grate the lemon over the radishes and set the lemon aside. Add the peas and continue to cook on low heat. Drain the pasta and add to the skillet, along with the artichoke heats. Juice the lemon over the pasta dish, add the parsley and cook on low for a few more minutes.

Serve with cheese, salt and pepper.

April 14, 2012
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Homemade Oreos

First off, I have to apologize for the hiatus. It was unintentional but I do have a fairly decent reason – I was completing my first ever 30-day bikram yoga challenge. What’s this? Oh I just go to bikram yoga once a day, every day for 30 days. For those of you who don’t know, bikram is a hot torture chamber. The room is a minimum of 105 degrees (but we’re looking at usually 112 – 120) with at least 40% humidity. It’s hot.

As I’ve mentioned before, there are a few food items that I desperately miss. One is Joanne Chang’s homemade oreos. If you’ve never had the pleasure of going to Flour bakery, do so immediately. I decided to attempt a gluten free version, and I was not disappointed! Here’s is the original recipe and here’s what you need for mine: 

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 cups flour (you may need additional flour if doing gluten free – I used about 2 cups)
  • 1/2 tsp xantham gum (omit if you arent using gluten free flours)
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt

My first recommendation is to measure out ALL ingredients ahead of time. Then proceed.

Melt the butter (microwave works fine) and whisk in the sugar until combined. Melt the chocolate chips (again microwave works fine here, but I prefer to melt chocolate in a bowl over a pot of simmering water). Add chocolate chips and vanilla extract to butter and stir to combine. Add in the egg and whisk until well incorporated.

In another bowl, combine the flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill), xantham gum, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Incorporate into the butter/chocolate mixture and beat with a wooden spoon. The dough should begin to resemble play-dough. If your dough is still very sticky (like mine was with only 1 1/2 cups of flour), continue to add a few tbsp of flour at a time until you get the desired consistency. Let the dough sit at room temperature to firm up.

Transfer the dough to the fridge and let chill for an hour. Preheat the oven for 325 F and line cooking sheets with parchment paper. Roll approximately 1/2 tbsp of dough in the palms of your hand and flatten. Arrange cookies 1 1/2 inches away from each other. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly on the cookie sheets, then carefully transfer to a cooling rack. If you are using gluten free flours, these cookies are super fragile until they cool entirely.

While cooling, prepare the filling. You need –

  • 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 2/3 cup of powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • pinch of salt

Beat the butter on medium speed using a hand mixer or a KitchenAid mixer. Add in the powdered sugar and continue to beat until combined. Meanwhile, add in the vanilla, milk and salt. Transfer into a large piping bag, or if you prefer, you can use a butter knife to spread.

Once the cookies are completely cooled, frost the bottom of one, and place another on top.