Thyme Out

I never measure.  That’s why I like Jamie Oliver – a dash of this and a shake of that.  Also his accent is adorable. This combination of ingredients always works, no matter the proportions.

In your food processor, whip up:

• Lemon zest (at least a whole lemon)
• Lemon juice
• Fresh basil leaves
• Fine sea Salt
• Organic ground cayenne - a dash is good
• Ground black pepper
• Garlic (not more than two cloves, unless you like it really garlicky)
• Pine nuts
• Parmesan or Romano cheese
• Drizzle in olive oil last

Looks pretty over little curly fusilli noodles, or keep on hand to brighten up sandwiches.

Sometimes you just need a little comfort food.  This recipe is from my sister-in-law, Kathy.

Ingredients

• 3 eggs separated
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 lb cottage cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2/3 lb egg noodles (already boiled)
• (1/2 cup – cornflakes, bread crumbs, dried fried onions etc – optional)

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This recipe is from The Soup Bible, by Debra Mayhew, which is one of the best soup cookbooks I’ve found. There are three recipes in this cookbook which are outstanding. The other two are Thai Chicken and Noodle Soup and Seafood and Sausage Gumbo.

The parsnips and lemon give this soup a slight twist on the traditional chicken soup. Whenever anyone gets a cold, I make them this soup. (more…)

Every farmers’ market, people ask about turmeric.  They don’t know what it tastes like, but the want to buy it.  Is there is a gorrilla marketing campaign touting the health benefits of Turmeric?  Yes, yes, I know it’s good for you.  But I like it cause it tastes good.  Our curry powder contains turmeric, and I often throw it in eggs to change things up a bit.

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 onion
• 1/2 tomato
• 1/2 cup mushrooms
• 3 Tablespoons fresh cilantro
• 1 oz extra sharp cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon organic curry powder

Directions

1. Saute onion, tomato, and mushrooms in oil over medium heat.
2. beat eggs with curry powder and a splash of water.
3. Add eggs to pan.
4. Sprinkle cilantro and cheese over eggs.
5. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.

I usually make this in the fall and winter, but the past few days have been so cold, I broke out the soup pot and made a double batch of Curried Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup. The roasted sweet potato slightly sweetens the bite of the curry and the two flavors meld together to create a complex and tasty soup.

6-8 servings

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons organic curry powder
• 2 cups red lentils
• 4 cups unsalted chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 1 roasted sweet potato

Directions

1. roast sweet potato in a 425° oven for 30 minutes. Do this while you make the rest of the soup.
2. saute onion, in olive oil and butter over medium heat for 4 minutes
3. add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes
4. add curry powder and lentils and cook for a few more minutes
5. add water and chicken stock and bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes
6. remove skin from sweet potato, then add the potato to the soup
7. puree everything together
8. return to pan and season with salt and pepper
9. ladle into bowls and garnish with a light dusting of paprika

I like turkey, but with just two of us, roasting a whole turkey is a little excessive.  Instead, I buy the turkey breast tenders at whole foods and roast them.  They are a little less than a pound a piece, so one is perfect for the two of us. 

In this recipe, the sweetness of the grapes and the nutty flavor of pecans are perfect complements to the heat of the curry and cayenne.

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Owner and acclaimed chef Craig Stoll shared this with San Francisco Chronicle readers. There isn’t much that you can make at home that recaptures the magic of Delfina Restaurant, but this comes close.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 shallot, finely minced
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 head radicchio
• 1/2 head frisee, tender light green leaves only
• 2 ounces baby arugula
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts
• 4 thick slices pancetta
• parmesan wedges

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This was fun to make and serve on Halloween night, but it would also make for a festive fall or holiday appetizer. The oozing cheese and cream make for a very rich dish, so a crisp green salad complements it perfectly. I served it with Insalada del Campo, a perennial favorite at Delfina Restaurant in San Francisco. Delfina’s owner and chef Craig Stoll generously shared it in the San Francisco Chronicle. The pumpkin recipe is from my most recent issue of Gourmet. Here it is.

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“Happy Donut.” The name doesn’t exactly market that fact that they also sell the most delicious sandwiches known to man. Toasty warm on the outside and thickly layered with crunchy marinated carrots, bright green cilantro and cold refreshing cucumber – all necessary to cool down the fiery chili-encrusted pork at the core – these Vietnamese sandwiches are dangerously addicting. If you don’t have immediate access to a Happy Donut or its equivalent, here’s an (I’m sure non-authentic, but satisfies the craving) equivalent. I started the preparation for lunch the night before, but we were so excited about it that we had them for breakfast, with Vietnamese style ice-coffee. Thus the name.

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While the contractors continued to rip apart our condo, we escaped the dust and rubble and spent three days in the mountains. Thursday was sunny and hot (I got a sunburn). The weather turned manic on Friday, dropped 30 degrees, and pummeled us with a spectacular spring storm, dropping more than a foot of snow in less than 12 hours. Saturday, the sun returned to reflect off the snow laden branches. A spectacular first day of spring!

We returned to Denver on Sunday to find the circuit breaker thrown on our refrigerator and freezer. Everything inside was a bacterial cesspool and had to be tossed in the dumpster. Our stove has been disconnected, so we are now without a cook top and oven for the next few weeks.

After an arduous trip to the grocery store to replace all of our chilled staples, we threw together a tasty meal, worthy of the first day of spring, grilled chicken with Herbes Provencal and spinach salad with grapefruit and walnuts.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon organic Herbes Provencal

Directions

1. Whisk together the mustard, vinegar, olive oil, and Herbes Provencal to make marinade.
2. For best results, marinate chicken in plastic bag overnight—it will be exceptionally tender. If you are in a pinch, let the chicken sit for at least 30 minutes .
3. Grill over medium heat until done.

We eat a lot of chicken, so I am always looking for a way to mix it up a little bit. This is easy to make, but has an exotic taste, like you spent a lot of time in the kitchen. In testing our new spice blends, we made this recipe twice. First with Garam Masala, then with Chinese 5 Spice Powder. In our kitchen the Garam Masala version won hands down, however, if you are a fan of anise, you may prefer the Chinese 5 Spice version.

If you plan ahead and marinate the chicken overnight, the flavors are richer and the chicken is more moist.

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Champagne vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon organic ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoon organic Garam Masala (or organic Chinese 5 Spice Powder)
• 2 chicken breasts

Directions

1. Make a marinade by whisking together the mustard, vinegar, olive oil and spices.
2. Pound the chicken breasts to 1/2 inch thick and even in height.
3. Marinate the chicken breasts overnight in a plastic bag.
4. Grill chicken over medium heat until done.

We spent Labor Day Weekend with my in-laws in Anderson, California. It’s real country up there, with goats and chickens and llamas roaming in yards and fields. My mother-in-law Cleo buys her vegetables from neighbors, and sends us back to San Francisco with the best bounty of the season. This time we returned with those little purple Japanese eggplants, tomatoes and fragrant basil from her own garden. During the visit, in between making root beer floats and chocolate haystack cookies for our demanding children, she somehow managed to whip up this delicious/nutritious eggplant casserole. It’s reminiscent of eggplant parmesan but without all the oil and frying and mess. I made it as soon as I returned, with my nice vegetables from the friendly farmers. I won’t pretend that I measured anything, but these are the ingredients. (more…)

Love having this on ccccold Sunday afternoons,
as we watch the Pats… win!

Ingredients

• 6 boneless skinned chicken breasts
• 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 large onions, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeño pepper, minced
• 1/4 cup organic chili powder
• 3 Tablespoons  organic ground cumin
• 1 Tablespoon organic dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons organic ground coriander
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 15 1/2-ounce can stewed tomatoes
• 1 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
• 2 15 1/2-oz cans kidney beans, rinsed, drained
• 1 15 1/2-oz can black beans, rinsed, drained
• grated cheddar cheese (we like hot habanero cheddar)
• loaf of crusty rustic bread (or sour dough)

Directions

1. Place chicken in large skillet. Add enough water to cover chicken, and bring to boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until cooked (about 10-15 minutes). Drain chicken; cool slightly. Coarsely shred meat. (Can be made a day ahead, covered and refrigerated.)
2. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, green pepper, red pepper, and jalapeño. Saute 1 minute. Mix in chili powder, cumin, oregano and coriander. Add tomatoes and broth. Bring to simmer, breaking tomatoes with wooden spoon. Simmer over medium/low heat for about 1 hour to blend flavors, stirring occasionally.
3. Add beans and shredded chicken to chili. Simmer uncovered until chili thickens, stirring occasionally, (about 30 minutes).
4. Ladle chili into bowls. Top with shredded cheese. Serve with thickly sliced bread (and/or carrots and celery).

Our special Organic Lemon·Anise Rub transforms the lowly can of salmon into delightful delicacies. Top with homemade tartar sauce.

Ingredients:

FOR SALMON CROQUETTES

• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 Tablespoon canola or safflower oil
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 can pink salmon
• 1 cup panko (Japanese style bread crumbs; look in Asian section of supermarket)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 teaspoons Organic Lemon·Anise Rub seafood blend
• zest and juice of one large lemon
• second lemon for squeezing on top

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This rub is custom blended for the Chef de Cuisine at the 8100 Mountainside Grill in the Park Hyatt in Beaver Creek. The restaurant sits at the base of Beaver Creek and the bar has a fabulous view of the ski mountain. They grill the salmon on a wood fired grill and it tastes absolutely fabulous.

Ingredients

• 2 6-oz salmon steaks
• 1 Tablespoon Smith & Truslow Organic Lemon·Anise Rub
• 1 Tablespoon grape seed or olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• lemon wedges

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Driving through the sleepy little town of Petaluma, California, known for its eggs and dairy,  you might see no reason to pull into an undistinguished strip mall. Way in the back left corner of the  parking lot, near Leo’s Vacuum Cleaners and a deserted nail salon, sits a diamond in the rough called Dempsy’s Brewery. First surprise—the charming atmosphere. If it’s warm, sit outside overlooking the Petaluma River. In inclement weather, my first choice is the comfortable worn wooden booth directly across from the kitchen window, permitting a preview of outgoing dishes punctuated with lively shouts of “mas papas fritas, por favor!” and “con tomate!” Second, the beer rocks, with a selection of ales including their classic Red Rooster, Irish Ale and Ugly Dog Stout plus a variety of intriguing seasonal offerings. Stop by the bar and refill your jug for later that evening. We did. What more can you expect from a brewery—perhaps a pile of Buffalo wings or potato skins? That’s where the tertiary layer of this unassuming treasure comes in; the food transcends brew pub fare and rises to the level of some of the best restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area. Seasonal produce from the owner’s own farm star in imaginative combinations from all ethnicities. The menu changes daily, and might include a Mexican posole, a Greek hummus plate, or a mixed plate of little gems like fresh caperberries, home made flat bread and beet salad. Determined to recreate a orange/chipolte pork sandwich served with cole slaw on soft potato bread I interrogated various waiters and cooking staff, extracting one or two ingredients from each. We improvised the rest, and although it’s not an exact recreation, came up with this equally flavorful rendition.

INGREDIENTS

• pork roast, about 3 lb.
• mesquite chips

SPICE BLEND FOR PORK

• 2 teaspoons organic granulated onion
• 1 teaspoon organic ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon organic ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon organic orange peel
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon organic ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon organic ground cayenne

FOR SAUCE

• 1/2 gallon orange juice
• 1/2 can or bottle Guiness Stout or other dark beer
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• canned chipotles, from 1-3 depending on your heat tolerance or addiction, pureed
• 1 cup brown sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash and pat dry pork roast.
2. Massage spice mixture into pork.
3. Grill pork on indirect heat, using mesquite chips. This takes several hours. Use a meat thermometer.
4. Combine sauce ingredients and bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer until reduced and thickened.
5. Let pork roast cool. Cut as thinly as possible. It may just come apart in shreds, which is fine.
6. Place pork in sauce and let the sauce soak in until you are ready to assemble the sandwiches.
7. Serve on soft white rolls, with enough fortitude to absorb the sauce, and with Coleslaw with Fennel

I love the fall.  In Colorado, the days are still warm, but the nights and mornings are crisp and cool.  You have to dress in layers.  Sweatshirts in the morning, t-shirts and in the afternoon, and down vests in the evening.  It’s manic and I love it.

Along with the cold weather comes the harvesting of tomatoes.  I had dinner with my friend Laurie last night, she sent me home with a big bag of tomatoes from her garden.  More than John and I can eat in salads, so I decided to make tomato soup.  I love this recipe, the cream cheese softens the acidity of the tomatoes and the spices and red pepper give it a good kick.

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One of the things I love about cooking is that sometimes you have to improvise … and sometimes it results in a great new recipe. Last week, I made this chicken soup while visiting my mother.  During the summer, she lives on Wolf Lake, in the Catskill mountains. Her spice cabinet is scantily stocked. And, though there are plenty of farm stands with fresh produce along the rural roads that weave throughout the Catskills, in traditional grocery stores supplies are somewhat limited. I finally gave up my search for saffron after three unsuccessful attempts. (Can you believe I actually tried to buy saffron in a grocery store?)

John and I had spent the day at Storm King Mountain, which I highly recommend if you are anywhere near upstate New York. The outdoor museum sits on 500 acres of rolling hills in the Hudson Highlands. On display are American and European modern sculptures by David Smith, Alex Calder, Henry Moore, and many others. The sculptures are absolutely fabulous. The leaves were just starting to turn to soft yellows and vibrant reds, so the backdrop was equally spectacular.

We returned from our outing late, so I made the soup while we started cocktails (at the lake, cocktails are a daily ritual!). Fortunately, my mother had already done most of the work (ie made the stock, and picked the chicken meat off the bones). When the soup was ready, I sat down to rave reviews all around.

My mother went into the kitchen to ladel up refills. All alone in the kitchen, she started to laugh. “What’s so funny?” I asked from the table. “You forgot to add the chicken.” she replied from the kitchen. So, we had vegetable soup for a 1st course, and chicken soup as a second course. Both were outstanding.

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 carrots, minced
• 1 celery stick, minced
• 2 small parsnips, minced
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup broken egg noodles
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• juice of one lemon.
• 1-2 cups shredded chicken (already cooked).
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Saute the onion, carrots, celery, and parsnips in olive oil and butter for 5 minutes
2. Add chicken stock and heat till boiling
3. Add egg noodles and cook over medium heat until noodles are just tender (8 minutes)
4. Add lemon juice, cilantro, and CHICKEN, and cook for 5 more minutes
5. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve

This recipe is from The Soup Bible, by Debra Mayhew, which is one of the best soup cookbooks I’ve found. There are three recipes in this cookbook which are outstanding. The other two are Chicken Soup with Vermicelli and Seafood and Sausage Gumbo.

This soup is a staple in our house. It gets us through the winter, which is my favorite season in Colorado. I usually make a double batch and freeze it. The spice of the turmeric and cayenne helps clear your sinus after a hard day skiing. It goes equally well with white and red wine. (more…)

Refried beans, sometimes known as frijoles, get a bad rap nutritionally because they’re often made with lard, then fried in oil. Neither is necessary. This healthy version (note that I even snuck a carrot in and no one noticed) is just as delicious and having a pot of them around is an excellent way to stretch your family food budget in this time of financial uncertainty. Pull out the old crock pot for stress-free, one-pot easy preparation. Turn it on low before you leave for work and come home to the robust, earthy aroma of Old Mexico. What can you do with a pot of frijoles?

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We custom blend our Organic Tarra·Cardamom Rub for the chef de cuisine of the 8100 Mountainside Bar and Grill in the Park Hyatt in Beaver Creek, CO. He rubs the blend on elk and cooks it over a wood fired grill. It is absolutely fabulous. When I can beg some elk off a hunting friend, I do. Otherwise I use this rub to make the best hamburgers around. Tarragon and cardamom combine to bring out the earthy flavors of the meat. Serve with a dark beer, or a bold red wine such as a hearty zinfandel.

3-4 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Smith & Truslow Organic Tarra·Cardamom Rub
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 egg

Directions

1. Mix the egg, spice blend, and ground beef together
2. Make 3-4 hamburger patties
3. Grill over medium heat, until done

We custom blend our Ginger·Mustard Rub for the chef de cuisine of the 8100 Mountainside Bar and Grill in the Park Hyatt in Beaver Creek, CO. He rubs the blend on chicken and cooks it over a wood fired grill and serves it with a lemon thyme sauce. It is absolutely fabulous.

I am usually not a big fan of turkey burgers. I find them bland and dry. I do however like them when prepared as below. The egg and panko breadcrubs keep the meat moist, and the Ginger·Mustard Rub seasons the turkey perfectly. Serve with white wine and a nice summer salad.

3-4 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey breast
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Smith & Truslow Organic Ginger·Mustard Rub
• 1/2 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• 1 egg

Directions

1. Mix the egg, spice blend, and ground turkey together
2. Make 3-4 turkey patties
3. Grill over medium heat until done

Endive Been Thinking . . . besides spooning them directly out of the crock pot into my mouth, what else can I do with this this nutritious, delicious and oh so economical pot of refried (not) beans, otherwise known as “The Economy Sucks but my Creamy Pinto Beans Rock” Frijoles. All of the below configurations have received rave reviews in my family; in other words, they eat it without complaint.

• Classic Rice and Beans: Spoon over rice and top with shredded mozzerella, jack or queso fresco. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro. (more…)