Tuna Two Ways

/0 Comments/in , , /by

I had some amazing food on our trip last year to Italy. Ironically, ­I expected to have some of the best pizza, pasta and pesto that I’ve ever experienced, but was disappointed. Instead, I ate some of the best risotto, salads, seafood, cured meats and cheeses! There was a common theme running through my favorites – simple, fresh and using local ingredients. During our trip, we either stuffed ourselves at a meal with several large courses, or we ate too much as we grazed our way throughout the day with antipasti (appetizers) or piattino (small plate) delights.

The last stop of our adventure was attending Expo Milano 2015 (World Expo). The theme of this world exposition was “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.” We explored the pavilions of many countries, making a few indulgent stops at the specialty wine (and Nutella) booths. On the second day, we were lucky enough to be part of a small group shuffled in to see a cooking demonstration with a top-notch Italian chef that was famous and highly skilled, but unknown to us. I’m still not sure why we were selected since the rest of the audience seemed to be VIPs. Regardless, we enjoyed watching him. I couldn’t understand everything he was saying, but I noted the interesting ingredients he used in the savory seafood dishes we sampled. Almost a year later, I tried to recreate them using just my memory and notes I kept on my phone. I was about 90% successful – they didn’t taste exactly like the famous chef’s, but I was happy with the results. I also had to make up my own name for them because I don’t recall he didn’t call them by any specific name. Try it yourself and as the chef noted, feel free to add more or subtract ingredients until you like the taste of it (yes, I did understand that part of his demo)! I still have a few more delicious dishes from the trip that I’m trying to recreate. Perhaps those will warrant a future post. Buon appetito!

Tuna Two Ways (Appetizer)

For either recipe, cut ¾ – 1 lb. fresh Ahi tuna steaks (approximately 2 steaks) into cubes.

Spicy Tuna

In a large bowl, mix the following together:

1 T. toasted sesame seeds

2 T. balsamic vinaigrette

2 T. soy sauce

Hot chile sesame oil (a few drops or more to taste if you like it spicy!)

½ t. toasted sesame oil

Add the cubed tuna and toss until coated. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

Summer Tuna Salad

1 large grapefruit

½ of a 13.75 oz. can of quartered artichoke hearts, roughly chopped

¼ c. julienned sun-dried tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped

½ fennel or celery root, chopped

Seasoning salt to taste

Slice top and bottom off grapefruit, then cut the peel off in sections. Cut the segments out from the membrane, cut into chunks, and put in a large bowl with any excess juice. Add the chopped artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, fennel root, tuna chunks, and seasoning salt to taste. If you like more zip, you can add chopped dried hot red peppers, red pepper flakes or dried chili pepper “threads” if you can find them in specialty stores. You can also add chopped picadew peppers for extra zest. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Both of these tuna dishes are great appetizers, side dishes or a light lunch with fresh vegetables, bread, olives or risotto.

Italian food pavilion (right of the tower) at Expo Milano 2015. Image (c) 2015 Kristy Kummer-Pred

Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts

1-1/2 to 2 lbs Brussels sprouts

4 T. olive oil

1 T. Montreal Steak Seasoning

2 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces

½ lemon

Wash the sprouts and trim the base of them off, then cut in half. In a large bowl, toss them with the olive oil, steak seasoning, bacon and zest from the lemon. Spread evenly into shallow baking dish. Bake at 425 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour (stirring around halfway through) until tender on the inside, but crispy and browned on the outside. Remove from oven and toss with juice from the ½ lemon. Serve warm alongside the Sunday Supper Roasted Chicken.

Sunday Supper Roasted Chicken

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

I’m discovering that as life gets busier, it gets harder to make time for the simple things such as sitting down to a nice family dinner. I enjoy nice home cooking, but rarely have the luxury of time during the week, so I try to do bigger meals on the weekends and hope for leftovers.

Here’s an easy favorite to throw in the oven and let cook while you do other things. The recipe below is a combination of a few favorites, and I use different herbs almost every time, depending on what I have in the kitchen. Try your own combinations, you won’t go wrong. The best part is that your house will smell amazing and you can tell all your guests that it’s your secret recipe! Try pairing it with oven-roasted Brussels sprouts that you can cook at the same time. The roasting process makes the flavor of the sprouts very mild. Even my mom, the biggest vegetable pusher (who ironically hates Brussels sprouts) ate them!

Sunday Supper Roasted Chicken

(1) 5-6 lb. whole roasted chicken

1 large lemon, sliced

1 t. dried parsley, sage, or thyme

1 large fennel bulb OR medium onion, cut into eighths

Several sprigs of fresh rosemary or fresh sage leaves, rinsed well

1 T. butter, melted

1 T. olive oil

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Discard the neck and giblets from inside the chicken and rinse it thoroughly in cold water, including inside the cavity. Dry it with paper towels and place on cutting board to prep. On the breast side, loosen the skin from the meat and slip in a few of the lemon slices, dried parsley/sage/thyme and/or sprigs of rosemary. Put half of the fennel bulb or onion chunks in the cavity, along with the remaining lemon and fresh rosemary or sage. Place the chicken in a roasting pan, breast side down. Mix the melted butter and olive oil together and brush over entire bird. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and put the remaining fennel/onion and herbs around the chicken in the pan.

Put pan in oven, uncovered, and bake for 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Baste with juices every ½ hour. The chicken is done when it’s tender and meat thermometer reads 180-185 degrees in the thickest part of the breast or thigh. If chicken looks too brown partway through, cover lightly with foil. Remove lemons from cavity and let sit covered for 5-10 minutes before carving and serving with the fennel and onions. Serves 4-6.

FullSizeRender

Autumn Clam Chowder

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , /by

When fall arrives along with football and cold & flu season, there’s nothing better than a cup of hot chowder. I have tried many different potato soup, clam chowder and other hearty recipes, and settled on this combination as my favorite – it has the best of all flavors and it’s easy to spice it up more or less to your personal tastes. I happened to have a fresh crab for the last pot, so I added the meat in at the last minute for a bit of extra seafood flavor.

Autumn Clam Chowder

(2) 6.5 oz. cans of minced clams

3-4 slices of bacon, cut in half

3-4 medium potatoes, cubed

1 med. onion, chopped

1 t. chicken bouillon

2 t. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 t. dried, crushed thyme

(1) 15-oz can fire roasted or southwestern style  corn, drained

1 fire-roasted red pepper, chopped

2-4 T. jalapeno peppers (jarred), chopped

salt & pepper to taste

2 c. milk

1 c. half-and-half

2 T. all-purpose flour

Strain the clams into a measuring cup, saving the juice. Set the clams aside and add water to the juice until it equals 1 cup, then set aside. In a large pot, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. To the bacon drippings, add the onions and cook few minutes until soft. Add the clam juice, potatoes, thyme, bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to boiling, then cover, reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are soft. Mash them lightly.

Whisk together the milk, half-and-half, and flour. Add to the potato mixture and increase heat back to medium. Cook and stir often until slightly thickened and near boiling. Stir in the clams, jalapenos, red pepper, clams, crumbled bacon and corn. Bring the mixture back up to boiling and until everything is heated thoroughly. Serve in large mugs or bowls, sprinkled with more chopped peppers or shredded cheddar cheese if desired.

Autumn Clam Chowder 2

Root Beer BBQ Sauce

/0 Comments/in , , , , , /by

Every so often, I find myself searching for recipes to use up random things that are in my refrigerator or cupboard (is it just me?!). This time, it was root beer. I bought 2 liter bottles for summertime root beer floats when I had friends visiting recently. We used about half of one bottle, and a week later, suddenly there were two opened bottles in the fridge. Still not sure why, but that’s for a different article.

I remembered seeing recipes over the years for spare ribs and BBQ pork made in a crockpot with cola or root beer. I found many variations for Root Beer BBQ sauce online, and combined a few to make my own. I also added in a few more ingredients for my own taste (and to use up even more random findings, like tomato sauce from last year’s garden since the new crop is almost ready…!). This recipe is easy but does take awhile to cook, but it doesn’t take much attention, so it’s easy to have on the stove while you’re doing other fun summertime things.

Root Beer BBQ Sauce

2-liter bottle of root beer (not diet)

1 c. red wine or apple cider vinegar

1 c. tomato sauce

½ c. ketchup

½ cup mustard (regular yellow or deli style)

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 T. hot sauce

2 T. molasses

2 T. brown sugar

juice from ½ lemon

1 t. each kosher salt and ground black pepper

1 can tomato paste

1 t. liquid smoke

3 T. cold butter

In a large pot, boil the root beer down until it’s about 1-1/2 cups and more concentrated, about an hour. Add in the remaining ingredients and simmer for another 45 minutes or hour until it’s slightly thickened and the acidic vinegar taste is cooked out. Add in the liquid smoke and butter at the end to finish it off. Serve with your favorite summer grilled meat. Note: any ingredients or measurements in this can be changed to suit your individual taste. For example, more tomato paste for a thicker sauce, less vinegar for less tang, or more brown sugar and liquid smoke for sweeter, smokier flavors, and of course more or less salt & pepper.

Picnic Potato Salad (German Style)

/0 Comments/in , , , , , /by

German potato salad

There are many different variations of German potato salad, most are served warm and feature the same basic ingredients. I created this one from a basic recipe and a few tweaks I’ve tried over the years. I usually make this on the morning of our annual family reunion picnic (for a bunch of Germans!) and serve it warm, but it’s also very good cold and is pretty hearty – in case you’re traveling. If you’re serving a large group, I recommend making a double batch, but do it one portion at a time, and you’ll need a very large bowl to toss everything together in.

 

 

German Potato Salad

5 lbs. of medium-sized red or Yukon Gold potatoes, cleaned & cubed

1 lb. bacon, cut into small pieces

1-1/2 lbs. smoked or German-style sausage, cut into pieces or slices

1/2 or 1 large sweet onion, finely chopped

2/3 c. apple cider vinegar

3 T. bacon grease

2 tsp. celery salt (or 1-2 stalks of celery, finely chopped)

2 T. flour

1/4 c. sugar

1-1/3 c. water

1 tsp. dijon mustard

salt & pepper to taste

2 T. fresh chopped dill (optional)

1 fennel root, chopped finely (optional)

IMG_2922In a large pot, cover the chopped potatoes with salted cold water. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are slightly tender, but don’t overcook. At the same time, saute the sausage slices in a large saucepan until browned. Drain and place in a large bowl. Drain the potatoes and add to the sausage in bowl when ready.

Cook the bacon pieces in the large saucepan until crisp. Drain off the grease and set aside 3 T. Saute the onion (and celery if you choose) in it until tender. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, celery salt and stir well. Add the sugar, water, vinegar, bring to a boil, then boil 2 minutes or until thickened slightly. Stir in the mustard and pour over the potatoes, sausage, bacon and chopped fennel root in the large bowl. Add the fresh dill and toss until well coated. Serve warm. If you decide to serve cold later, cover and refrigerate. Toss before serving, and add a few dashes of the vinegar to moisten if needed. Makes 12-14 servings.

Quesokopita with Cilantro Pesto

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

One of the reasons I started my website cookingwithkristy.com was because I wanted to see if I could re-create delicious food I had eaten in restaurants without being a full-fledged chef. I decided to extend this idea when my husband recently brought home what looked like a quesadilla from the store along with three different kinds of dips for it. It really was a flat version of Spanakopita, which is a savory, Greek, layered dish made with spinach, feta cheese and pastry crust. I’ve also had this in many restaurants, but it often lacks flavor and is less than savory.

After following the instructions to cook the spinach “quesadilla” (which basically was only reheating it), and sampling it with each of the three dips, I found my favorite combination and challenged myself to try and cook something even better. I searched the web – there are a million different recipes for spanakopita and pesto, so I just picked out all my favorite ingredients and seasonings, simplified the cooking and assembly, and came up with the recipe below. Although it doesn’t look like what came home from the grocery store, it can be eaten with no utensils and tastes MUCH better! I even gave it a new name based on my dear love of quesadillas, and now Spanakopita!

To save time while making this, you can make the pesto the night before and refrigerate, or make it first and just set aside for serving. You can also chop the garlic, leeks and herbs prior.

Quesokopitas With Cilantro Pesto

1 lb. package of fresh spinach

2 T. olive oil

1 leek

2-4 cloves of garlic

¾ oz. package of fresh mint, leaves separated from stems

¾ oz. package of fresh dill, with the thick stems removed

6 oz. crumbled feta cheese

2 eggs, beaten

16 oz. package frozen filo or phyllo dough (found in freezer section near the desserts)

salt & pepper to taste

spray olive oil

nutmeg

Take out one roll of filo dough & follow directions on package for defrosting & bringing to room temperature. Clean the leek, cut off & discard the dark leafy parts. Cut the rest in chunks & put in a food processor with the garlic or chop finely. In a very large frying pan, heat the olive oil & sauté the leeks & garlic until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add in the spinach, a couple of handfuls at a time, cooking & tossing with tongs until it’s wilted down & dark green. Remove from the pan & put in a colander over a bowl. Press out the excess liquid & let cool.

In the meantime, put the dill & mint in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add to the cooled spinach mixture, along with the feta, eggs, salt & pepper. Stir until well mixed and set aside.

Line two cookie sheets with a piece of parchment paper. Open the package of filo and take two sheets of it. Spray with olive oil, put on the cookie sheet, and repeat 4 times until there are 8 layers. Put some of the spinach filling on half of the filo and fold over the rest. Spray the top with more olive oil and sprinkle with nutmeg. Repeat until there are four “quesokopitas.” Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until lightly browned and flaky. Remove, cool slightly, and cut each into quarters. Serve while warm with the Cilantro Pesto (or plain).

dill + mintspinach mixturespinach mixture spread on filoQuesokopita with Cilantro Pesto

Cilantro Pesto

/0 Comments/in , , /by

4 bunches of fresh cilantro

¾ c. olive oil

1 c. pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

1 c. shredded 3-cheese Italian mix (Parmesan/Asiago/Romano)

Juice from 3 fresh limes

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

salt & pepper to taste

Microwave the pumpkin seeds in a glass bowl for 2 minutes on high to toast them. Toss or stir, then microwave again another 2-3 minutes until lightly toasted. Cut the majority of stems off the bunches of cilantro & put into food processor (if your processor is smaller, you may need to only put in half the cilantro at first). Add the pepitas & remaining ingredients & process until smooth. Add the rest of the cilantro if necessary & more salt & pepper or lime juice to taste.

Note: This recipe makes a decent sized batch. You can freeze extra easily and use later tossed in hot pasta or with rice. This pesto is delicious on spanokopita, with any traditional pasta or ravioli, or just on toasted bread. Try it with other nuts such as almonds, pine nuts, or walnuts.

 Cilanto, pepitas and cheeseIMG_1974IMG_1984

 

Baked Arancini

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

A few years ago, I met a friend for happy hour at a Portland restaurant that served arancini. I had never had it or even heard of it, but I immediately fell in love with those little fried balls of risotto. Arancini is said to mean “little oranges” in Italian and originated in Sicily. I’ve tried them at a few different places and vowed to try making them myself someday. I even asked my mom who is part Italian if she ever had them or possessed some ancient family secret recipe, but she had not and did not.

So while planning an upcoming trip to Italy which includes a stop at the world’s fair Expo Milano 2015 – ironically advertised with the theme “Food is Life!” – I also started researching different arancini recipes just to see how common they were and different variations. Although they are traditionally fried, I didn’t want the mess so I baked them in the oven. They turned out just as delicious and lighter tasting than the heavier fried version. They do take a little bit of time, but it’s a great way to use up leftover risotto if you have any. Buon appetito!

Mushroom Risotto

(3) 14-oz cans low-sodium chicken broth

1 oz. dried mushrooms (a mix of porcini, crimini, shiitake, and oyster is delicious), cut into small pieces OR 2 c. finely chopped fresh mushrooms

1 large shallot, finely chopped

1 tsp. finely chopped garlic

1 T. olive oil

1 c. uncooked arborio rice

1/2 c. dry white wine such as chardonnay

1/2 c. fresh grated 3-cheese blend (parmesan, romano, asiago)

freshly chopped basil and/or thyme to taste

sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

Put the rice in a strainer over a large glass bowl or measuring cup. Pour the broth over the rice to rinse the starch off. Microwave the broth 2-3 minutes until hot, then add in the mushrooms (if using dehydrated ones) and set aside.

In a large deep frying pan, heat the olive oil, onion & garlic over medium heat until soft and slightly browned, stirring frequently. Carefully add in the rice (watch out for popping!) and wine. Cook it 2 minutes, stirring continuously, then reduce heat to medium. Strain the mushrooms out of the broth and set them aside.

Gradually add the broth to the rice mixture, 1/2 cup a time until it is absorbed each time and before adding more. With the last portion, add in the asparagus and mushroom pieces. Cover and cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking. When all the liquid is absorbed and mushrooms are tender, remove from heat. Stir in the cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread in a shallow dish and refrigerate until cooled. Can make this the day before making the arancini.

Arancini

Risotto (recipe above or your own favorite version)

1-1/2 c. Italian style Panko bread crumbs

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1-1/2 c. flour

Spray olive oil

Fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2″ cubes

Marinara sauce

Line 2 cookie sheets or baking pans with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the panko, beaten egg and flour all into separate shallow bowls. If being served as a main dish, use an ice cream scoop for approximately 3″ rounds. If being served as an appetizer, then a smaller scoop will make approximately 2″ rounds. Wet your hands with cold water or use gloves, then form the chilled risotto into small balls with a piece of mozzarella in the center. Roll in the flour, then the egg, then the panko, being sure to coat the entire piece and set on the baking sheet. Repeat until you’ve used all the risotto. Spray the arancini with the olive oil spray and bake approximately 20 minutes or until crispy. Warm up the marinara sauce and drizzle over the arancini just before serving.

If you love these and want a few more variations to try, click here.

arancini IMG_4984

 

 

Ginger Lemon Cheesecake

/0 Comments/in , /by

I was trying to think of a delicious chocolate dessert to feature for Valentine’s Day, and remembered a “light” chocolate cheesecake recipe I my roommate made many years ago that was so tasty. The crust on it was made with brownie mix, a dash of cinnamon, and a jar of carrot baby food! The filling was chocolate swirled – it was delicious and very rich despite being “light.” With all the gray, rainy weather we’ve been having, I decided to try something a bit on the “lighter,” yet more tropical side to help make the long, dark days a bit happier. I have tried many restaurant cheesecakes and some of my favorites have been lime or lemon with coconut or nuts in the crust. Something about the tartness mixed with sweetness of the cream cheese makes it perfect. Here’s one of my favorite interpretations that I’ve tried, and it’s a perfect treat for Valentine’s Day (and a few days after)!

Ginger Lemon Cheesecake

1-½ c. all-purpose flour

½ c. almond flour

½ cup powdered sugar

pinch of salt

1 cube (½ c.) cold butter, cut into chunks

2 egg yolks

1 T. ice water

2 (8-oz.) packages regular cream cheese

2 (8-oz.) packages Neufchatel cheese (light cream cheese)

1 c. granulated sugar

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons almond extract

2 (10 oz.) jars of lemon curd

Candied ginger pieces

In a food processor, blend the flours, powdered sugar, salt and butter until crumbly and well-mixed. In a small bowl, mix the egg yolks with the ice water and add to the flour mixture while processing until the dough forms a ball. If necessary, add more ice water, a small amount at a time until it pulls away from the sides and is soft. Remove dough, form into a ball and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until cold all the way through, about 2 hours (can refrigerate overnight if needed).

Lightly pat the dough into a circle on a smooth, clean surface sprinkled with powdered sugar. Slowly roll out, re-chilling if it gets too warm. Spray a springform pan well, and fit dough into it on the bottom and up the sides. Cut off the excess and chill entire pan 15 minutes in the freezer.

In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese on medium until smooth. Add the sugar, one cupt at a time, until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, then the almond flavoring. Remove crust from freezer and pour in about 1/2 of the batter. Take one jar of the lemon curd and drop by the teaspoon on top of the batter. Take a knife and gently swirl the curd into the batter. Gently spread the remaining batter on top and smooth.

Gently chop up a few of the candied ginger pieces and sprinkle around the outer edges of the batter. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until center is set. Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake sit with the door closed for 15 minutes (it may still look jiggly and the top will have puffed up, but it will settle down when cool). Remove cheesecake from oven and gently run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan without removing sides of pan yet. Cool pan completely on a wire rack, then cover and chill 8 or overnight. Remove sides of pan and transfer cheesecake to a serving platter. Remove lid and microwave 1/2 of the 2nd jar of lemon curd for 30 seconds at a time until thin enough to easily spread over cheesecake. Top with a few more pieces of the candied ginger, whole or chopped. Slice with a large knife dipped in water each time and serve!

Options: Use 2 c. of all-purpose flour instead of the all-purpose/almond mixture, plus vanilla instead of almond flavoring if you prefer. For a slice of warmth, try lime curd with the candied ginger instead of lemon. There are also many great recipes online for making your own curd, I used pre-made because it’s faster and still delectable.

ginger lemon cheesecake