Mandarin Chicken

This is one of my favorite dishes that my mom made for me growing up. Shea and I are in Yankton for a week over Christmas, and my mom has spent every day cooking something that I loved. She made this dish for us on our first night in town, and it was even better than I remembered. I have never actually made this dish myself, so I was sure to get the recipe for it from her so I can now reproduce it at home!

Mandarin Chicken
Courtesy of Carol Williams (although she claims she got this recipe from The American Heart Association)

Ingredients
1 frying chicken (2 /1/2 - 3lb) cut into serving pieces
1/4 cup seasoned flour
2 Tablespoons margarine
2 Tablespoons oil
4 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup orange juice
2 Tablespoons honey
1/2 Tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 Teaspoon powdered ginger
1 11oz. can mandarin oranges with juice

Directions
Wash and dry the chicken and remove the skin. Shake in bag with seasoned flour. Heat oil and margarine in skillet and brown chicken. Drain oranges and set aside. Mix juice from can and lemon juice, orange juice, honey, soy sauce, and ginger. Pour sauce over chicken in skillet. Cover and simmer 30 minutes or until tender. Add mandarin oranges 5 or 10 minutes before chicken is done. Serve with rice. 

Chili-Dusted Pork Chops

This is another dish that Seamus made this month. This dish was the perfect utilization of our cast iron skillet; Shea browned the chops in the skillet and then finished them off in the oven. They turned out tender, moist, and well seasoned. I would definitely use this recipe again!


Chili-Dusted Pork Chops
Courtesy of Food and Wine at http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chili-dusted-pork-chops

1. 1 teaspoon chili powder
2. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
3. 1 teaspoon kosher salt
4. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
5. Four 1/2-pound boneless pork loin chops, cut 1 1/4 inches thick
6. 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
7. 2 garlic cloves, minced
8. Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
9. 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a small bowl, mix the chili powder with the cumin, salt and pepper. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork chops.
2. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the pork chops and cook over high heat until browned, about 1 minute per side. Add the garlic, lime zest, lime juice and cilantro to the skillet and roast the chops in the center of the oven for 10 minutes, or until rosy throughout. Transfer to plates and serve.

Salmon with Thai Rice Salad

Seamus thinks this is the best dish he has ever made.

He called me when I was at work, and told me to hurry home because of this dish. I dropped everything and came home, and I was glad I did.

This dish was great!


Salmon with Thai Rice Salad
Courtesy of Food and Wine at http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/salmon-with-thai-rice-salad-qfs

1. 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
2. 3 tablespoons lime juice (from about 2 limes)
3. 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc mam)
4. 2 tablespoons cooking oil
5. 3 1/2 teaspoons sugar
6. Pinch cayenne
7. 1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
8. 3 carrots, grated
9. 4 scallions including green tops, chopped
10. 6 tablespoons chopped cilantro or fresh parsley
11. 2 pounds skinless center-cut salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces
12. 1/4 teaspoon salt
13. 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

1. Stir the rice into a medium pot of boiling, salted water and cook until just done, about 10 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain thoroughly.
2. In a large glass or stainless-steel bowl, combine the lime juice, fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of the oil, the sugar, and cayenne. Let sit for about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice, cucumber, carrots, scallions, and cilantro.
3. Heat the broiler. Oil a broiler pan or baking sheet. Coat the salmon with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Put the salmon on the pan. Broil until just barely done (the fish should still be translucent in the center), about 5 minutes for a 1-inch-thick fillet. Put the rice salad on plates and top with the salmon.

NOTES Asian fish sauce is available at Asian markets and many supermarkets.

French Onion Toasts

Seamus and I were invited to a Holiday party at our friend Marco's house this year, and we wanted to bring something delicious with us. Everyone loves french onion soup, and this dish does a creative appetizer version with the same flavors.

My mom and dad were in town when we made this; I spent about an hour caramelizing the onions and our tiny apartment filled with the smells building in our anticipation of the party. When we did arrive, the toasts got eaten up right away; I wish I would have made more!

French Onion Toasts
Courtesy of Smitten Kitchen by Deb Perlman

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Pounds yellow onions, cut into dice of about 1/3 inch (about 4 1/2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
Pinch of sugar
1 Tablespoon Cognac, brandy, or vermouth (optional)
1 cup low-sodium beef, veal, or mushroom stock or broth
Freshly ground black pepper
Thirty-two 1/2 inch thick slices form a long baguette
Finely grated Gruyere cheese (you might want a little extra)

Directions

1. Melt the butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions to the pan, toss them gently with the butter and oil, reduce the heat to medium or medium-low, and cover the pan. Cook the onions for 15 minutes, then remove the lid, stir in the salt and sugar, and saute without the lid for about 10-15 minutes, until the onions are fully caramelized and have taken on a deep-golden color. Pour in Cognac, if using it, and the stock, then turn the heat all the way up and scrape up any brown bits stuck to the pan. Simmer the mixture until the broth almost completely disperses (a small amount of slosh is okay; you don't want to cook it off so much that the onions seem dry), about 5-10 minutes. Adjust the salt, if needed, and season with freshly ground black pepper.

2. Preheat your oven to 75 degrees. Line two baking sheets with foil. Dollop each round of bread with most of a tablespoon of the onion mixture. Add 1 tablespoon grated cheese to the top of each toast, mound it a bit so it all stays in place. Bake the toasts for about 15 minutes, until bubbly and a bit browned. Serve immediately.

Grandma Peg's Swedish Meatballs

Several years ago, Seamus, his brother Brian, and I all spent an afternoon with their Grandma Peg to learn how to make her famous meatballs. We watched carefully as she completed each step, and took detailed notes so that we could re-create this delicious dish.

These meatballs continue to be one of our favorite go-to dishes that we make often for friends and family when they are visiting. In fact, Seamus and I even wont a cooking competition among our friends with a variation on this dish (we made a Hawaiian loco-moco style twist).

Every time I make this dish, I feel like something must be wrong with the recipe. You really do but an entire can of sweetened condensed milk right into the meatballs, and you really do use molasses in the gravy. It always tastes a little bit weird on its own, but the final results are incredible. Trust the process and you will end up with sweet and savory meatballs that everyone will love.


Grandma Peg's Swedish Meatballs
Courtesy of Grandma Peg

Meatball Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds beef or pork (not sausage)

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

1 egg beaten slightly

2 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 small can condensed milk

1 small onion cut up and sauteed in butter

Directions

Mix together and form into balls; brown slowly; remove from pan.

Sauce 

2 cups water and 4 Tbspns flour in a jar and and shake! Then add 2 Tbspns molasses and stir. Add the liquid to the meat pan. Heat and add meatballs.  Simmer for about 30 minutes.

Gnocchi in Tomato Broth

My all-time favorite food is pasta with red sauce (the way my mom makes it). This dish is quite similar to that, but with a twist. Instead of pasta, you make gnocchi, and instead of using petite diced tomatoes, you use a tomato broth. I had never made home made gnocchi before this, and I was pleasently surprised at how simple it was!

In fact, we made this dish right before Thanksgiving, and I thought that it would be the perfect way to use left-over mashed potatoes. So the day after Thanksgiving, Shea's mom, aunt, and I used a variation on this recipe to make two versions of gnocchi; one with regular potatoes, and one with sweet potatoes, and both were delicious. I think we may have a new Thanksgiving leftover tradition!


Gnocchi in Tomato Broth
Courtesy of Smitten Kitchen by Deb Perlman

Ingredients
Tomato Broth
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Medium carrot, chopped
1 Medium stalk celery, chopped
1 Small yellow onion, chopped
2 Garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1/2 Cup white wine
1 28-ounce can whole or chopped tomatoes with juives
Small handful of fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
2 Cups chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Gnocchi
2 Pounds Russet potatoes (3 or 4)
1 Large egg, lightly beaten
1 Teaspoon table salt
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting surface

Bake Potatoes - Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Bake potatoes for 45 minutes to one hour, depending on size, until a thin knife can easily pierce through them. Meanwhile, make your tomato broth.

Make Tomato Broth - Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium high heat. Once it is hot, add the carrot, celery, and onion, and cook together for 5 minutes, reducing the heat to medium if they begin to brown. Add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute more. Pour in the wine, and use it to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, then cook the wine until it is reduced by half, for several minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, mashing them with a spoon if whole, and the basil and stock, and simmer until the tomato broth thickens slightly, for about 45 minutes. Strain out the vegetables in a fine-mesh colander, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Mustard Milanese with an Arugula Fennel Salad

I can take no credit for this recipe or this dish; it was all Seamus.

When I came home after going to happy hour with some friends and  could hear the crackling oil from the kitchen, I knew I was going to have something great for dinner. Seamus and I don't fry things very often in our kitchen, mostly for health reasons, but the more we do fry, the more I want to fry!

Seamus did a great job of frying this chicken. It was crunchy on the outside, and moist on the inside. The crust of the chicken itself was so flavorful that I would have just eaten little balls of fried crust on their own!

The salad and the sauce balanced everything out nicely; this dish was a treat to come home to!

Mustard Milanese with an Arugula Fennel Salad

Courtsey of Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perlman

Ingredients for the Chicken
2 Boneless, skinless chckien breasts
Table salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 Cup all-purpose Flour
1 Large egg white
2 Tablespoons smooth dijon mustard
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 Teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 1/2 Cup coarse, lightweight breadcrumbs, such as panko
Mix of vegatable and olive oil, for frying

Ingredients for the Salad
3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
2 Tablespoons whole-seed or coarse Dijon mustard
1 Tablsepoon smooth Dijon mustard
1/4 Cup olive oil
5 Ounces baby arugula leaves
Small fennel bulb

Directions
Prepare chicken - On a cutting board with a very sharp knife, butterfly your chicken breasts, and slice them all the way though, so that you end up with four think cutlets. With a  meat pounder (not a tenderizer), pound your cutlets out between two pieces of plastic wrap up to 1/4 inch thickness. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.

Grab three big plates, and line them up on your counter. Pour the flour into the first one. In a small dish, whisk together the eqq white, smooth Dijon, garlic, oregano, and lemon zest. Pour half o fthis mixture into the bottom of the second plate. In the third plate, spread out the breadcrumbs. Dredge each piece of chicken lightly in floud, then heavily in the egg white mustard mixtue, and generously in the breadcrumbs. Repeat with second peice of chicken, then refill egg white-mustard plate and repeat with final two peices of chicken. Arrange the breaded cutlets on a large tray, and chill them in the fridge for 1 hour, or up to 1 day (covered with plastic wrap). This helps the coating set.

Preheat your oven to 175 degrees.

Cook Chicken - Pour 1/2 inch of oil - use a mixture of olive and vegatable oil, or the frying oil of your choice - in a large pan, and heat over medium-high heat. Test the heat with a flick of water - if it hisses, you are good to go. Cook the chicken until golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes on the first and 2-3 minutes on the second. Remove the chicekn from heat, and salt and pepper on both sides while draining on paper towles. Once it is drained, transfer the chicken to a tray to keep in the warm oven. Repeat with additional oil and remaining pieces of chicken.

Prepare Salad - In a small bowl, whisk lemon jiuce and mustards togeether, then whisk in olive oil in a thin stream. Pour three-quarters of this into a large bowl. Add arugula to bowl. Thinly shave your fennel bulb on a mandoline, or cut it as thinly as you can with a sharp knife, and add this to the arugula.

To Serve - Wehn you are ready to serve it, toss the salad. Arrange one piece of chicken from the warm oven on a palte. Drizzle a few drops of the reserved salad dressing onto the chick (you will thank me when you try it), and pile the salad on top. Season with salt and pepper, and eat immediately.

Roasted Eggplant with Yogurt-Tahini Sauce and Cumin-Crisped Chickpeas

Shea and I have been relying heavily on the internet for recipes recently, so this week we decided to break out some of our old fashioned cookbooks for new ideas. As you know, I love both the blog and the book written by Deb Perlman called "Smitten Kitchen". It seems like literally everything I make from her book or blog I end up loving, and this dish was no different.

I was worried that this dish might be too simple, especially considering the star of the dish, the eggplant, has almost no treatment to it at all. Just a little bit of oil, salt/pepper, and then roasted. While it was simple, it was still delicious. The tartness of the yogurt-tahnini sauce mixed with the saltiness of the chickpeas balanced out the earthy flavors that are so fantastic about a roasted eggplant. Yum, yum!

Roasted Eggplant with Yogurt-Tahini Sauce and Cumin-Crisped Chickpeas

Courtesy of Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perlman

Ingredients
1 3/4 Cup (from a 15.5 ounce) cooked chickpeas, drained, patted dry on paper towels
5 Tablespoons olive oil
Coarse or kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 Teaspoon ground cumin
3 Pounds small eggplants (Italian style eggplants if you can find them, 4-7 ounces each)

Yogurt-Tahini Sauce
1/3 Cup tahini paste
2/3 Cup full fat, thick plain yogurt
3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 Garlic cloves
1/2 Teaspoon table salt
About 1/3 cup cold water
2 Tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley

Directions
Crisp Chickpeas - Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Toss the chickpeas with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, freshly ground black pepper, and ground cumin. Spread them on a baking sheet, and roast on top rack for 30-40 minutes, rolling them around on the tray from time to time, until they are browned and crisp. I find that freshly cooked chickpeas crisp faster, so you may need less time for them to crisp if not canned.

Roast Eggplant -- Brush a large baking sheet or roasting pan with a generous tablespoon of oil. Halve the eggplants lengthwise, arrange them, cut side up, in one layer on the oiled sheet. Brush the cut sides lightly with a tiny amount of additional oil, and sprinkle them generously with salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Carefully flip the eggplants so that their cut sides are against the pan, and roast for another 15 minutes, until they are bronzed underneath and tender throughout. If you are using large eggplants, you may need up to 5 minutes additional roasting time.

Make Yogurt-Tahini Sauce -- Whisk together tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, and salt; the mixture will become very thick and stiff. Add water, a tablespoon at a time, until mixture is smooth, with a thick but pourable consistency. I find that about 5 tablespoons (a little shy of 1/3 cup) of water does the trick.

TO Serve - Arrange the eggplant sections, cut side up, on a large platter. Dollop each piece generously with yogurt-tahini sauce. Sprinkle with crisped chickpeas and parsley. Serve immediately, passing extra chickpeas and yogurt tahini sauce.

Galacian-Style Fish Steaks

This is a dish that Seamus and I have been making for the past several years. Seamus in particular loves this dish, while I have always thought it was good, but not great.

Everything changed this time though, because we substituted the flat leaf parsley for cilantro. As it turns out, I don't really like parsley, and I love cilantro. For me, this substitution made all the difference, and I now love this dish just as much as Seamus does!

Galacian-Style Fish Steaks (Merluza a la Gallega)

Courtesy of "Tapas: The Little Dishes of Spain" by Penelope Casas

Ingredients
3/4 Pould potatoes, preferably red, in 1/4 inch slices
4 thin slices onion
6 gloves garlic, minced
2 sprigs parsley
Salt
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
7 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 hake or fresh cod steaks, about 1 inch think
1/2 teaspoons paprika, preferably Spanish style

Directions
In a shallow casserole large enough to hold the fish in one layer, place the potatoes, onion, 2 cloves of the minced garlic, parsley, salt, thyme, bay leaf, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the vinegar, and water to barely cover. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are about half cooked.

Place the fish steaks over the potato mixture and add some more water to barely cover the fish. Sprinkle the fish with salt, cover, and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the potatoes and fish are done. Pour off all the liquid from the casserole. Rome the skin and bones from the fish carefully, leaving 4 fillets.

In a small skillet heat the remaining 6 tablespoons of oil, then add the remaining 4 cloves of minced garlic and saute for a minute. Turn off the heat; add the remaining vinegar and the paprika. Pour over the casserole and serve right away.

Julia Child's Broiled Trout

I was not home when Seamus made this dish, so I don't have a lot of insight on how easy/difficult it was to make, or how delicious it tasted, but the photo sure does look yummy!

Julia Child's Broiled Trout

Courtesy of Julia's Kitchen Wisdom: Essential Techniques and Recipes from a Lifetime of Cooking by Julia Child

For salmon, swordfish, tuna, bluefish, shark, mahimahi, and so forth. Here you concentrate on browning the top of the fish; no need to turn it. Dry the fish, paint both sides with melted butter or vegetable oil, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a shallow pan that will just hold them comfortably. Pour around the steaks 1/8 inch of dry white wine or French vermouth and set 2 inches below a preheated broiler. After 1 minute, brush a little soft butter on top of each and squeeze on drops of lemon juice. Continue broiling about 5 minutes more, or until lightly springy to the touch - cooked through but still juicy. Serve with cooking juices spooned over.

As I mentioned recently, I have found myself to be in somewhat of a "bean phase". Black Bean soup is the perfect Fall dish because it is so warm and filling, and the touch of avocado in this dish really brightens up the soup to make it a great one.

The other stand-out point to this recipe is the addition of the Sherry. Shea and I realized that we both love to cook with Sherry on a trip to New Orleans when we realized that Sherry was the ingredient that gave turtle soup the delicious flavor that we always crave. The Sherry in this soup has the same effect, so enjoy!

Black-Bean Soup with Avocado Salsa

Courtesy of Food and Wine at http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/black-bean-soup-with-avocado-salsa

1. 6 cups drained and rinsed canned black beans (three 19-ounce cans)
2. 4 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
3. 2 tablespoons cooking oil
4. 1 onion, chopped
5. 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6. 1/2 cup dry sherry
7. 1 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
8. 2 avocados, preferably Hass, cut into 1/2-inch dice
9. 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
10. 6 radishes, halved and sliced thin
11. 2 tablespoons lime juice

1. Combine 3 cups of the beans and 1 cup of chicken broth in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the onion and 1 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat, add the sherry, and boil until reduced to approximately 1/4 cup, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the bean puree, 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper, and the remaining 3 cups of chicken broth and 3 cups of beans. Simmer until hot, about 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the avocados, cilantro, radishes, lime juice, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Mix gently. Spoon the soup into bowls and top with the salsa.

About a month ago, Seamus made a poached salmon recipe that we both loved. We had never poached salmon before, and after having such a great experienced, we vowed to do it again.

This recipe involves poaching your salmon in a delicious smelling poaching liquid full of carrots and onions (which we decided to eat with our meal). While we didn't have quite the amorous reaction to this poached salmon as we had to the previous one we prepared, this was still good enough to make again.

Poached Salmon with Cucumber Raita

Courtesy of Food and Wine at http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/poached-salmon-with-cucumber-raita

1. 1 1/2 quarts water
2. 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
3. 3 tablespoons vinegar
4. 1 onion, sliced
5. 1 carrot, sliced
6. 9 sprigs parsley
7. 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
8. 1/4 teaspoon peppercorns
9. 3 bay leaves
10. 3 1/4 teaspoons salt
11. 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and grated
12. 1 3/4 cups plain yogurt
13. 1 clove garlic, minced
14. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
15. 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
16. 2 pounds center-cut salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces
17. 1/8 teaspoon paprika

1. In a large deep frying pan, combine the water, wine, vinegar, onion, carrot, parsley, thyme, peppercorns, bay leaves, and 2 1/4 teaspoons of the salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium glass or stainless-steel bowl, combine the cucumber and the remaining teaspoon salt. Let sit for 10 minutes. With your hands, squeeze the cucumber and discard the liquid. Put the cucumber back into the bowl and add the yogurt, garlic, mint, and ground pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Add the fish to the liquid in the pan and bring back to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered, until the fish is just barely done (it should still be translucent in the center), about 4 minutes for a 1-inch-thick fillet. Remove the pan from the heat and let the fish sit in the liquid for 2 minutes. Transfer to plates and, if you like, remove the skin. Serve the salmon warm or at room temperature. Top with the raita and then sprinkle the raita with the paprika.

Warm Tortellini and Cherry Tomato Salad

I have to admit, this dish was not my favorite, but it was quick and easy. It is a very basic pasta salad that tastes about as basic as it is to make. I brought it with me for lunch for a couple of days, and by the end of the last portion, I was pasta-salad-ed-out.  Still, I thought I would add it to my blog in case I was ever invited to a pot-luck and needed something asap!

Warm Tortellini and Cherry Tomato Salad

Courtesy of Cooking Light at http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/warm-tortellini-cherry-tomato-salad-10000001011332/

Ingredients

• 2 (9-ounce) packages fresh cheese tortellini
• 1 1/2 cups (1 1/2-inch-long) slices fresh asparagus (about 1 pound) 
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 
• 1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil 
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 
• 4 cups trimmed arugula
• 1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) pregrated fresh Parmesan cheese 
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
• 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Add asparagus to pasta during last 2 minutes of cook time. Drain.
2. While pasta cooks, combine vinegars, oil, and pepper in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add pasta mixture, arugula, and remaining ingredients; toss to coat.

Black Bean Burgers with Sriracha Aioli

Anyone who has lived with Shea and I over the years knows that occasionally we go into what we affectionately call a "bean phase". Basically, we both love beans and a couple of times a year, beans are a staple in our diet. So when I saw this recipe, a bean burger with a Sriracha sauce, I knew I would love it.

I made this recipe on a night that Shea wasn't home, so I have to admit I took a bunch of short cuts. The most obvious one is that I forgot to buy buns, so I decided to eat these little patties on their own. They turned out pretty good, but if I was going to make it again I would definitely eat it on a bunch (and maybe even add a fried egg!).

Black Bean Burgers with Sriracha Aioli

Courtesy of Cooking Light at http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/black-bean-burgers-50400000131064/

Ingredients

• 1 (15-ounce) can unsalted black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons lower-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Cooking spray
• 4 (1 1/2-ounce) hamburger buns
• 1/4 cup canola mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha (hot chile sauce)
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 2 cups baby arugula

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. 2. Place beans in a large bowl; lightly mash. Stir in onion and next 7 ingredients. Divide mixture into 4 portions; shape each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.
3. 3. Arrange patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 8 minutes; turn after 6 minutes. Add bun halves to pan; bake 3 minutes.
4. 4. Combine mayonnaise, Sriracha, and juice; spread over bottom halves of buns. Top each serving with 1 patty, 1/2 cup arugula, and top halves of buns.

Somehow this recipe got stuck in my drafts several weeks ago and never got published. And what a shame! It was delicious!

Shea poached the salmon in this dish perfectly; neither of had ever poached salmon before, and it was actually pretty straight-forward and easy. Give it a try!

Poached Salmon with Corn and White Wine-Butter Sauce

Courtesy of Food and Wine at http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/poached-salmon-with-corn-and-white-wine-butter-sauce?xid=DAILY090513ViewRecipe

1. 4 medium zucchini (1 1/2 pounds), coarsely shredded
2. Salt
3. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4. 3 medium shallots—2 finely chopped, 1 halved
5. Freshly ground pepper
6. 2 3/4 cups dry white wine
7. 1 cup fresh corn kernels
8. 2 lemon thyme sprigs
9. 1 bay leaf
10. Four 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets
11. 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
12. 1/4 cup thinly sliced basil leaves

1. Set a colander over a bowl. Add the zucchini to the colander and toss with 1 teaspoon of salt. Let stand for 20 minutes. Squeeze the zucchini dry.
2. In a large, nonreactive skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the chopped shallots and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the wine and cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in the corn and 1/2 cup of water. Cover and cook until the corn is tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, cover and keep warm.
3. In a large, nonreactive saucepan, combine 2 cups of the wine with the thyme, bay leaf, the halved shallot and 2 cups of water and bring to a simmer. Season the salmon with salt, add the fillets to the saucepan and cook at a bare simmer over low heat, turning once, about 6 minutes. Transfer the salmon to a plate and pat dry with paper towels. Discard the poaching liquid.
4. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of wine to the saucepan and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. Season with salt. Stir the basil into the vegetables and transfer to plates. Nestle the salmon into the vegetables, top with the butter sauce and serve.

Polenta-Stuffed Poblano Peppers

I love to reminisce about one of the first dishes Seamus ever cooked for me: stuffed peppers. I had never really had stuffed peppers before that, but now whenever I see a recipe of them, I feel inclined to try it. This recipe in particular caught my eye because of the use of polenta and goat cheese, changing this dish that I typically think of as Mexican into sort of an American/Italian fusion.

Instead of using polenta, I used quick cooking grits and they worked perfectly. They didn't have poblano peppers at the grocery store, so we used regular green bell peppers. I would like to try this dish with poblanos to get the extra kick into the dish without having to add tabasco!

Polenta-Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Courtesy of Real Simple at http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/polenta-stuffed-poblano-peppers-00000000012500/index.html

Ingredients

• 4 plum tomatoes, halved
• 1 red onion, cut into wedges
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 poblano peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup instant polenta
• 1 10-ounce package frozen corn
• 1/4 cup soft goat cheese (2 ounces)
• 4 scallions, sliced

Directions

1. Heat broiler. On a rimmed broilerproof baking sheet, toss the tomatoes, onion, and oil; turn the tomatoes cut-side down. Add the peppers, cut-side down.
2. Broil until tender and charred, stirring the onions and turning the tomatoes and peppers halfway through, 5 to 8 minutes.
3. Heat oven to 400° F. In a food processor, puree the tomatoes, onion, cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper until smooth. Spread half the sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange the peppers in the dish, cut-side up.
4. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 ¼ cups water to a boil. Add ½ teaspoon salt. Gradually whisk in the polenta. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the corn, cheese, and all but 2 tablespoons of the scallions.
5. Divide the polenta among peppers. Top with the remaining sauce and bake until heated through, 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining scallions before serving.

Seyal Machi (Fish in Caramelized Onion Sauce)

This is another recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, Ajanta. Shea and I have started to practice making Indian food using this cookbook and the variety of spices that came with it. This dish seemed simple, so it was one of the first dishes we ever tried and we really liked it.

We have made this dish several times, and this time we tried a couple of new things. We used Cod instead of Halibut, we used coriander seeds instead of powder (we didn't have powder), and deglazed the pan with some white wine that we had left over from my parents visit to DC last week. The dish still turned out well, though so it was worth it!

Seyal Machi (Fish in Caramelized Onion Sauce)

Courtesy of Ajanta by Lachu Moorjani

Ingredients
6 tablespoons oil, divided
4 medium onions, peeled and cut into 1/8 inch dice
4 teaspoons coriander powder
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons mango powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 to 2 teaspoons hot Chile pepper powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 pounds catfish fillets (or other white fish like halibut or snapper) cut into 2 to 3 inches pieces

Directions
1. In a 6-8 quart saucepan, heat about 4 tablespoons of oil. Add onions and saute over high heat, stirring frequently until the onions are deep golden brown, almost caramelized. Heat should be kept high enough so the onions dehydrate and do not become soggy.

2. Add all the spices and salt. Lower the heat a little bit. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes. Reduce to low heat, and leave the sauce on low until the next step is done.

3. In another 10-12 inch saute pan, heat the remaining oil until it becomes very hot, almost to the point of smoking. While the oil is getting hot, pat dry the pieces of fish in a clean towel. Saute the fish in the hot oil about 30 seconds on each side, until it changes color. Transfer the fish to the pot with the sauce. Raise to medium heat and cook until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily, about 3 to 4 minutes. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the fish pieces. Reduce the cooking time for thinner pieces.

Red Beans and Rice

Seamus and I have have traveled to New Orleans three times since we have been together. I don't think it would be a stretch to say that is our favorite US city to visit. We love the food, the music, and all of the fun that we always find when we are in town.

Recently two good friends of ours that we lived with in Hawaii, Bob and Dorothy, moved to New Orleans. We went down to to visit them last year for New Years Eve. We had a fantastic time, and one of the highlights was when Bob cooked red beans and rice for us at their home.

Shea cooked the beans listed below, and I loved them. They instantly took me back to my memories of New Orleans, a place so fun that even when it is time to go home you just want to turn back for one more bowl of cajun food and an abita ale!

Red Beans and Rice

Courtesy of Allrecipes.com at http://allrecipes.com/recipe/authentic-louisiana-red-beans-and-rice/

Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 8 servings   

• 1 pound dry kidney beans
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 6 cups water
• 2 bay leaves

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups long grain white rice

1. Rinse beans, and then soak in a large pot of water overnight.
2. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery in olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Rinse beans, and transfer to a large pot with 6 cups water. Stir cooked vegetables into beans. Season with bay leaves, cayenne pepper, thyme, sage, parsley, and Cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 2 1/2 hours.
4. Stir sausage into beans, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the rice. In a saucepan, bring water and rice to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve beans over steamed white rice.