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Posts Tagged ‘food’

Zucchini Fritters

Posted in Recipes, veggies, tagged , , on August 4, 2009 | 2 Comments »

By August most of us who grow zucchini, or have friends giving us zucchini, are looking for new ways to serve them. I liked this recipe for Zucchini Fritters that I found in the Tribune Magazine: Young squash shredded and tossed with chive, lemon and egg. Delicious.

Pick the zucchini young and tender, don’t let them linger on the vine and grow to the size of baseball bats.

Zucchini Fritters

Zucchini Fritters

Ingredients:

  • Garlic clove
  • Small bunch chives
  • Lemon zest
  • 1 T flour
  • 1 Egg
  • 2 T olive oil
  • Salt

Preparation:
Grate and lightly salt zucchini. Place in colander and let sweat for about 30 minutes. I used the largest holes on the grater and grated holding the zucchini by the stem. After 30 minutes, squeeze dry and put into a medium size mixing bowl.

While you are waiting for the zucchini: Finely chop ½ T each of chives and garlic. Finely chop the zest of one large lemon. Lightly beat one egg.

Using a fork stir garlic, chives, egg and  1 T of flour into the drained zucchini.

Heat oil in a medium sized skillet over medium heat.  Scoop pancake sized portions of the batter into the pan and fry until golden, about 3 minutes. Flip and crip the reverse side about 2 more minutes. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain while you cook the remaining fritters.

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My oil got a little too hot, medium-high, while I was cooking the fritters in the picture and ended up with a browned edge. They were still delicious.

Lemon zest is the outer peel of the lemon. Using a sharp knife, remove only the yellow portion and not the white bitter pith.

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Strange Food Art

Posted in Eclectic, tagged , , on April 28, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

Dark Roasted Blend has an assortment of Strange Food Art.

These little eggs look a bit concerned about their possible fate.

eggart

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Tilapia with Parmesan Topping

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , on March 29, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

Tilapia is another mild tasting fish. It’s fast and easy to make in the broiler. I like to add a little flavor with a parmesan topping. It’s also an inexpensive and easy to find fish as it’s farm raised.

Ingredients

Tilapia with Parmesan

Tilapia with Parmesan

  • 1 pound Tilapia Fillets
  • 1 Tablespoon Butter
  • Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 3 – 4 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preparation

In a small bowl combine 3 to 4 tablespoons of Mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 1/3 cup grated parmesan to make the sauce for the topping. Set aside.

Rinse the fillets and pat dry. In another small bowl melt 1 tablespoon of butter and add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Brush mixture on fillets. Place fillets on broiler and cook about 5 or 6 minutes.

Top each fillet with the lemon parmesan sauce. Return to broiler for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce puffs and turns golden brown.

Serve.

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Pan Seared Scallops with Ginger Sauce

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , on January 30, 2009 | 2 Comments »

Scallops are another sea food that has a mild taste and can be enjoyed by those who are not especially fond of fish. Scallops are in season now and can often be found on sale. They are an excellent source of B-12, magnesium, potassium and omega-3 fatty acids. This makes them a heart healthy food.

This is a delicious recipe that I found in my local paper, the Chicago Tribune. I used butter to saute my scallops whereas the original recipe calls for vegetable oil. Otherwise it is unchanged.

Ingredients:scallops

  • 1 carrot, peeled, quartered
  • 1 shallot, quartered
  • 1 (2- inch) piece ginger root, thinly sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, halved
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • ¼ cup dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon butter (or vegetable oil)
  • 1 pound sea scallops
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • Chopped chives (optional)

Preparation:

Combine carrot, shallot, ginger, garlic, broth and wine in a medium saucepan. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat 12 minutes, or until liquid is reduced to about ½ cup. Strain; discard vegetables and reserve liquid.

Pat scallops dry with paper towel. Heat butter in non-stick skillet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray over medium-high heat. Place scallops in single layer in skillet; cook until golden brown on bottom, about 4 minutes. Turn scallops. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cook 2 minutes or until second side is lightly golden; reduce heat to low.

Pour reserved liquid over scallops. Simmer 1 minute, or until scallops are done, stirring up any browned particles into sauce and spooning sauce over scallops. Arrange scallops in deep platter; spoon sauce over. Sprinkle with chives.

Serve immediately and do not overcook. Overcooking will make the scallops tough and fibrous.

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Roasted Whole Turkey Breast

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , , on November 27, 2008 | Leave a Comment »

We had a small gathering for Thanksgiving Dinner this year and I didn’t want to cook a whole turkey. Instead I opted for just the breast. It worked out wonderfully. It took less time to cook, wasn’t dried out and no dark meat leftovers. The trick to a moist turkey is to baste, baste, baste.

Ingredients

  • 1 whole turkey breast with bone (about 5 lbs)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons minced rosemary
  • 3 tablespoons chopped sage
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a small bowl mix garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper to make a seasoning mix.

Place the turkey breast on a cutting board or work surface and gently run your fingers between the skin and the flesh to create an air space. Lift the skin as much as you can without removing it from the breast. Rub the seasoning mix under the skin and all over the outside of the turkey breast.

Mix rosemary, sage, chopped garlic, olive oil and butter to make an herb paste. Stuff a portion of the paste under the skin and rub the remainder over the outside of the breast reaching every crevice.

Place turkey breast on a rack in a roasting pan skin side up. Roast for 20 minutes at 425 degrees F. Lower the temperature to 350 degrees F for the remainder of the cooking time. After 20 minutes baste using drippings. Baste every 15 to 20 minutes until turkey is 165 to 170 degrees F.

Remove and cover with foil. Let sit for about 20 minutes before carving.

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Baked Cod with Parmesan Crumb Topping

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , on November 15, 2008 | 2 Comments »

Baked Cod

Baked Cod

Cod is a moist, flaky fish with a mild taste. Even a non-fish lover will enjoy it.

This is a simple and easy to make recipe that will be ready to eat in about thirty minutes.

Ingredients

  • 2 cod fillets, about 1 lb (450 g)
  • 5 tablespoons Italian seasoned bread crumbs
  • 2½ tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • dash of black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon minced parsley
  • 1/8 teaspoon minced basil

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C)

In a small bowl combine bread crumbs, cheese, garlic powder, pepper, parsley and basil. Add the melted butter and oil and stir until evenly mixed. Set aside.

Lightly oil a baking pan with cooking spray. Place the cod on the pan and lightly spray the cod.

Spoon the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the cod. Tuck under any very thin edges of the filets to prevent burning.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes. The fish is done when it flakes.

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Balsamic Vinaigrette with Basil

Posted in herbs, Recipes, tagged , , , on August 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment »

This is my favorite salad dressing. It takes about 5 minutes to make and is so much tastier than the store bought versions.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon minced (finely chopped) fresh basil
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper

Preparation

In a small bowl combine above ingredients. Whisk in the oil until smooth. A fork will work just fine if a whisk is not available.

Balsemic Vinaigrette

Spoon over salad and enjoy. I made this to have with romaine lettuce with fresh cucumbers and tomatoes from my garden.

Garden Salad

You can vary the ingredients according to taste. A 3 or 4 to 1 ratio of oil to vinegar is best. Start with that and add more vinegar if desired.

The dijon mustard is an emulsifier, it keeps the oil and vinegar from separating. I only use a small amount because too much mustard will overpower the dressing.

For a less garlicy taste, instead of crushing the garlic clove in a press, pierce it with a knife and let it sit in the oil for about an hour and remove before adding the oil to the ingredients. Another option is to add a teaspoon or two of minced parsley, which will cut the intensity of the garlic.

This dressing will keep in the refrigerator for a few days.

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Grilled Chicken Rosemary

Posted in herbs, Recipes, tagged , , , on July 31, 2008 | 2 Comments »

This is one of my favorite summer recipes. The chicken can be marinated over night. The next day it will be ready to toss on the grill for a quick meal.

Grilled Rosemary Chicken

Grilled Rosemary Chicken

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 minced garlic cloves
  • 4 teaspoons fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon peel
  • ½ teaspoon lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • Rosemary sprig for garnish

Preparation

Prepare marinade in a food processor. Combine wine, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, lemon peel, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Process for about 15 seconds. Place chicken in a plastic zipper bag and add marinade. Seal bag and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.

Remove chicken from the marinade and grill 10 to 12 minutes over med-high heat. Turn once halfway through grilling and brush with remaining marinade. Transfer to serving dish and add garnish.

I served it with fresh green beans from the garden and a nice glass of Pinot Grigio.

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Fried Zucchini Flowers

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , on July 20, 2008 | 2 Comments »

Fiori di Zucca Fritti

Fiori di Zucca Fritti

The reason I started growing zucchini was for the flowers. The past few summers I have seen them at the local farmer’s market, but they are easy to grow in your own yard.

Pick only the male blossoms. They are the ones on long slender stems. The females are are shorter and have a tiny baby fruit between the flower and the stem. Pick them in the morning when the flowers are open and watch out for the bees. They are best when used on the day picked, but will store for a few days in the crisper in a breathable vegetable baggie.

This is a classic Italian recipe for fried flowers, which I learned from my mom, which she learned from her mom.

Ingredients

  • 2 dozen zucchini flowers
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup flour
  • ½ cup milk
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Preparation

Rinse the flowers; remove the pistil from inside the center of the flower and the small green stems on the outside. Beat three eggs in a shallow bowl. Add the flour, salt and pepper to another small bowl. Put the milk in a 3rd bowl. Heat about ½ inch of olive oil in a pan on medium to medium-high heat.

Preparation

Preparation

Dip the flowers one at a time in the milk, then flour, then egg and add to the heated oil. Don’t overcrowd the pan. I only fry about 8 flowers at a time. Turn when golden brown, usually only a minute or two, and fry the other side. The oil should be hot enough to make them crisp, but not so hot as to burn them. Remove and drain on paper towels. Add more oil as needed for the next batch.

Frying zucchini flowers

Frying zucchini flowers

They can be served hot or room temperature. Usually as an appetizer, but I eat them anytime, even as a snack.

[Update October 2010: For those that prefer to make a batter and dip the flowers, I recently tried a fried flower recipe from the cookbook Recipes From An Italian Summer and the results were excellent. Recipe and pictures here.]

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Lemon Sage Chicken

Posted in herbs, Recipes, tagged , , , on July 11, 2008 | Leave a Comment »

Lemon Sage Chicken

Ingredients

  • 4 Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breast Halfs
  • 4 Tbs. Fresh Lemon Juice
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 28 Fresh Sage Leaves
  • 4 Tbs. Butter
  • 1/8 cup dry white wine (optional)
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Preparation

Place chicken in an 8″ square baking dish. Add lemon juice, olive oil, wine and sage. Coat evenly, cover and refrigerate for 1/2 to 1 hour.

Remove chicken and sage from marinade. Set the marinade aside. Add butter and 3 Tbs. olive oil to a large pan and fry chicken on medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken, season with salt and pepper and add sage leaves to the pan. Fry another 5 minutes or until cooked through. Remove chicken to serving platter. Garnish with cooked sage leaves.

To make the glaze, pour off grease from pan and add the reserved marinade and 2 Tbs. of water. Cook on medium heat while stirring and scraping bits from the bottom of the pan. The glaze will thicken and brown in about 1 minute. Pour over chicken and serve.

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