Love in a Cup

Perhaps I was infected by the Valentine’s Day fever that has already swept the nation into a punch-drunk stupor, or maybe I was inspired by the recent snow storm that left DC swathed in a cool and creamy candescence…

… but whatever the reason, I found myself dreaming up a luscious white chocolate mousse during my Monday morning conference call, when I clearly should have been concentrating on more substantive matters. In any case, I couldn’t wait to get into my kitchen and create it.

Fast-forward 12 hours and the product of my musings was complete. And it was resplendent. The silken chocolate cream settled softly in voluptuous, glossy dollops within champagne flutes, as the sinfully-rich raspberry coulis rolled down its slopes. As a final touch, I perched fresh raspberries atop the velvety peaks for a tangy finish.

The mousse was everything I had hoped for- luxurious, indulgent, sexy, and positively euphoric. Like an intoxicating love affair without any negative repercussions.

If love were a dish… this would be it.

Hominy: The Forgotten Corn

The Native Americans once considered hominy a culinary staple long ago. In modern times, however, it seems that the corn product has been demoted; relegated to humble stews and not much else. I’ve been intrigued by the mysterious starch for many years now, but only recently did I give in and actually spring for a can of it.

I decided to try something different with the ingredient that would really highlight its tender, chewy bite and mild corn flavor. I came up with several intriguing concepts:


. Hominy pizza: fried corn tortilla topped with hominy, black beans, pulled pork (or even rotisserie chicken sprinkled with paprika and cumin), chili verde salsa, mango, cilantro,, and queso fresco (put in oven to warm everything and melt cheese)

. Hominy grits cakes: puree hominy in food processor, combine with finely-chopped crispy bacon, roll into balls, chill until firm, then flatten into patties, pan-fry in butter, and top with fried egg and salsa

. Hominy turkey chili: add hominy to onions, garlic, chili powder, chipotle powder, cubed or ground turkey, kidney beans, and tomatoes and simmer until flavors meld

. Hominy pilaf: sauté hominy and zucchini with cooked whole wheat orzo in garlic olive oil, then mix in parsley and garnish with feta and chopped, toasted walnuts

. Hominy nachos: roll hominy in panko bread crumbs and deep-fry, top with melted jalapeno jack cheese, shredded lettuce, salsa, and ground beef cooked in taco seasoning

And last but not least,

. Hominy salsa, served warm: pan-fry hominy in butter, add red onion, bell peppers, black beans, garnish with queso fresco and cilantro (See recipe below)


Southwestern Salmon with Warm Hominy and Black Bean Salsa

For the salmon:
. 4 salmon fillets with skin removed
. ½ tsp paprika
. ¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper
. ½ tsp garlic powder
. 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
. Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste

For the salsa:
. 2 tbsp salted butter
. 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
. 16 oz canned white hominy
. 16 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
. 1 red bell pepper, large dice
. ½ red onion, finely chopped
. ¼ jalapeño, minced
. ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
. Zest of 1 lime
. Juice of ½ lime (more, if desired)
. Freshly ground sea salt

For garnish:
. Cilantro
. Queso fresco (or feta)
. Lime zest

. Preheat oven to broil

. Heat butter in skillet over medium heat
. Stir in garlic and cook for a minute, being careful not to let it brown
. Add hominy, bell pepper, and jalapeño, and sauté for 10 minutes, until peppers are soft
. Add black beans, lime juice and zest, cilantro, and salt
. Continue to cook for 10 more minutes until flavors meld

Meanwhile…
. Dry salmon fillets with paper towel and season both sides with spices, salt, and pepper
. Broil fish uncovered on foil-covered cookie sheet for 5 minutes
. Remove fish from oven, cover with foil, and broil for 2-3 more minutes

. Spoon “salsa” onto plate and top with salmon fillet
. Garnish with more cilantro, lime zest, and crumbled queso fresco

*Cook’s Note: This dish would also be great served with broiled jumbo shrimp

A Saucy Dilemma

These days, everything seems to come super-sized, and tomato sauce is no exception. The jars on supermarket shelves usually come in sizes so large you’d have to cook a pound of pasta to use them up. If you’re like me and don’t have a family of four to feed (and don’t eat like a family of four), then you’re probably familiar with “bottom-third” syndrome. According to this phenomenon, a consumer constantly finds himself/herself left with an excess third of the jarred contents that wasn’t needed in a given meal.

What’s a cook to do?

One day, in my frustration (and during a particularly boring interdisciplinary studies class in college), I brainstormed recipes that would require only that last third of the jar, and which were more interesting than just spaghetti or meatloaf.

I’ve listed those ideas below. Some are more ambitious than others (i.e. cheddar chive soufflés with tomato crème), but all will save you from the dreaded “bottom-third.”

. Mix with half-and-half, thyme and sherry for instant tomato bisque
. Add to risotto at the end of cooking, before stirring in parmesan
. Add chicken broth to create a soup base, add aromatics and pasta
. Mix with white or brown rice as a side dish, adding cannellini beans if desired
. Cook green beans in sauce, add lemon and fresh oregano to finish
. Slather on a char-grilled cheese burger with melted mozzarella and toasted brioche bun
. Stir in a spoonful of sauce to alfredo sauce for a twist on the classic fettuccini or macaroni and cheese
. Top scrambled eggs or fill an omelet with sauce, adding fresh parsley and pancetta
. Add diced mango and orange zest as a topping for broiled salmon
. Grill Italian sausages with onions and peppers, then top with sauce and white beans
. Bake chopped eggplant and zucchini in sauce with fresh herbs, topped with melted mozzarella
. Stir into hummus or white bean dip, adding fresh thyme
. Bake cheddar chive soufflés, drizzle with tomato cream to finish
. Add chipotle peppers, smoked paprika, and chili flakes as a topping for pulled pork bbq sandwiches
. Spoon over polenta, adding sausage if desired, and bake casserole-style in cast-iron skillet

The recipe below stemmed from idea #3 on the list above. It’s a simple soup, yet it boasts complex and robust Italian flavors that don’t take hours to develop.

Italian Orzo Soup

1/2 cup olive oil (coat pot bottom)
2/3 of one white onion, finely chopped
4 small cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup jarred marinara sauce
6 spoonfuls canned tomato chunks
4 tbsp fresh rosemary
32 oz chicken broth
1 large chicken bouillon cube
Juice of 1 lemon
15 oz can white kidney beans (cannellini)
1 cup warm water
1 dash paprika
1 dash dried thyme

1 ½ cups torn, bite-size pieces of rotisserie chicken breast

¼ lb orzo or other small pasta shape, cooked

. Boil water and cook pasta while soup is being prepared
. Heat oil over medium heat
. Add onions and sauté until translucent, and then add garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 more minutes (do not let brown)
. Add tomato sauce, tomato chunks, and rosemary. Cook for 5 minutes
. Add chicken broth, bouillon, herbs, beans, lemon juice, and water, then simmer for 15 minutes
. Immediately before serving, add orzo and chicken meat
. Spoon into shallow bowls and garnish with fresh parsley or rosemary

To Morocco, in 45 Minutes

Sunday night. The wind was howling at a paralyzing 10°, and Monday morning was lurking just around the corner.

I craved an escape from my mid-winter slump, dreaming of jetting to some foreign milieu to soak up every sunbeam and feast on all exotic dishes therein. However, this was not a feasible option, and I settled instead on preparing a hearty stew inspired by my desire for a slice of the Mediterranean and the preserved lemons that had sat patiently in my fridge for the past month.

Although not quite a vacation, my kitchen did fill with the aroma of North African spices for a few hours, and somehow the week ahead no longer seemed quite as daunting.


Moroccan Stew with Preserved Lemons

This stew is not only easy; it’s also incredibly healthy. It's packed with iron, omega 3s, and protein, without any any help from meat or dairy. The brand of vegetable broth is crucial in developing the rich base- Imagine is best. Look forward to leftovers- it’s even better the next day.

⅓ cup olive oil
½ large white onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 (16 oz) can “no salt added” diced tomatoes with juice
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups cauliflower florets (bite-size pieces)
2 ½ cups Imagine vegetable broth
2 small preserved lemons, chopped (about ¾ of a cup)
3 cups fresh baby spinach, stems removed
1 ½ cups garlic-marinated green olives, pitted and halved
1 can chickpeas, drained

1 cup Israeli couscous (cooked according to package directions)

For garnish:
Chopped flat-leaf parsley
Chopped, toasted cashews

Cook time: 45 min
Serves 4-5

. Heat olive oil over medium heat in large, heavy-bottom pot
. Add onion and sauté until translucent
. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to let it brown
. Add canned tomatoes with juice, along with the cumin, coriander, and cinnamon
. Simmer for 5 minutes to let flavors meld
. Add cauliflower florets and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently
. Add vegetable broth, preserved lemons, and olives; simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
. Begin cooking Israeli couscous, according to package directions
. Add baby spinach, olives, and chickpeas
. Cook for another 10-15 minutes until cauliflower is cooked through
. Serve in shallow bowls over couscous, garnishing with parsley and chopped cashews

Bark with Some Bite

With the holiday season still flickering in the wake of its demise, I can officially declare I’ve had enough of Christmas caroling, gift wrapping, and cookie-baking. However, in these unsullied days of 2011, it seems that some of the 2010 debris persists. In my case, this means countless rolls of tattered wrapping paper, a prickly carpet of pine needles where the tree once stood, and more chocolate and candy than any sane, normal person should be in possession of.

In light of the latter, I recently stood in front of my bulging pantry, fighting the urge to toss it all into the garbage. But of course, I couldn’t. Instead, I decided to err on the frugal side and incorporate the sweets into some new entity that could be re-gifted; thereby relinquishing my possession of it as soon as possible.

I evaluated my ammo: several bars of good dark chocolate (72%), 5 cans of Mauna Loa’s Kona coffee-glazed macadamia nuts, and a large box of salted caramels. My imagination immediately leapt to one luscious batch of chocolate macadamia cookies, but since I am not a baking enthusiast, I was exhausted simply by the prospect.

And then, an epiphany: bark. I used to make white chocolate peppermint bark with Esmeralda when I was little. Apparently my favorite part was smashing the little mint pieces into oblivion with a meat tenderizer. I hadn’t made it since then.

I decided to use the intense dark chocolate as a base, lightening it up with artful drizzles of white chocolate and salted caramel. To finish, I sprinkled the melted chocolate with crushed Heath Bar, slivered almonds, and of course, the coffee macadamia nuts. The result was crunchy, crispy, chewy, and creamy… true chocolate divinity.

Chocolate bark’s flexibility is terrific- you can truly use any extras you have on hand to make it your own. The key is simply to find a balance of textures and tastes to really make it fresh and interesting.

A few ideas:

Base: any solid dark, milk, or white chocolate
Crunchy: chopped pretzels, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, pecans, granola clusters, or bacon
Chewy: dried cherries, candied orange rind, nougat, or marzipan
Creamy: melted Nutella, marshmallow fluff, cream cheese, or peanut butter





ESB Chocolate Bark

. 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate
. ¼ cup melted white chocolate
. ¼ cup melted salted caramels
. 2 Heath Bars, roughly chopped
. ¼ cup Mauna Loa coffee-glazed macadamia nuts
. 3 tbsp slivered almonds

. Melt dark chocolate in a double boiler
. Pour melted chocolate dark chocolate onto a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper, using a spatula to spread it into a layer ¼” thick
. Melt white chocolate in a small saucepan, stirring frequently over low heat
. Melt caramels in microwave until it begins to bubble (30 seconds)
. Drizzle white chocolate and caramel over dark chocolate layer
. Sprinkle remaining ingredients over the chocolate, to taste
. Chill completely, then break apart into large pieces

Conquering the Morning After, One Bite at a Time

In honor of the New Year, this post is dedicated to January 1st’s international ailment: the hangover.

Different countries tout various remedies; Vietnam relies on the noodle soup known as pho, while Mexico swears by its tripe stew called menudo. To each his own, but personally the thought of choking down sheep’s stomach first thing in the morning is far from appetizing.

There appears to be a consensus in America, however, that carbs, grease, and breakfast fare are all excellent choices for the morning after- the larger the quantity, the better. A towering stack of fluffy pancakes drenched in sticky syrup and slathered with melted butter; a steaming bowl of silky fettuccini tossed in an unctuous Alfredo cream; a chargrilled burger dripping with meaty juice, topped with thick-cut bacon still sizzling from the griddle; all are strong contenders in battling the morning-after blues.

Nevertheless, sometimes while hung over it just isn’t possible to cook a gourmet meal, let alone leave the house. On such desperate occasions, before you reach for the ramen, consider the following recipe. Not only does it combine the grease, carb, and breakfast elements, but it also utilizes ingredients you should already have on hand. Even better, the dish takes minimal effort, so you’ll be nestled back in bed in no time.

Cook’s note: I have not included a picture with this recipe for the simple fact that it is not a pretty dish. But considering its irresistible nature and your current physical state, who really cares?


“The Morning-After Spaghetti Scramble”

. 4 strips thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
. ¼ pound spaghetti, or other long pasta
. 2 large eggs, lightly whisked
. 2 tbsp heavy cream
. 2 tablespoons butter
. Grated parmesan, mozzarella, or cheddar for topping

. Cook bacon in microwave according to package directions, set aside
. Cook spaghetti until al dente, drain, and transfer it to a large skillet
. On medium heat, immediately add whisked eggs and cream, tossing with pasta to coat
. Add butter and bacon bits, mixing thoroughly for 30 seconds, allowing some of the egg to scramble (the egg that doesn’t will create a smooth coating for the pasta)
. Quickly transfer spaghetti mixture to a bowl, topping with grated cheese
. Serve immediately, accompanied by a side of aspirin and tall glass of water

(Cook’s note: Don’t bother saving leftovers if there are any: this dish is best eaten straight out of the skillet.)