Spanish Asparagus Revuelto

Last Year's Post:  Spaghetti with Chicken, Herbs and Cherry Tomatoes
Two Years Ago:   Pasta Primavera

Revuelto is a Spanish term that basically means "scrambled eggs with stuff added" but sounds so much more exotic.  This would be a perfect spring dish when local asparagus first appears in the markets, and it would be an ideal brunch entree (Mother's Day!) or light spring dinner.  I was inspired by the fabulous fresh asparagus I found this week.

It's fast and easy but much more interesting than boring old scrambled eggs with the addition of bits of chorizo, that beautiful asparagus, smoked paprika and a little saffron sour cream on the side.  Add some grilled Ciabatta toast and you have a pretty special meal.

This recipe calls for Spanish chorizo, not Mexican.  Spanish chorizo is a dry cured sausage that looks a lot like pepperoni.

 Mexican chorizo is raw ground pork mixed with spices that looks a lot like ground Italian sausage and normally doesn't come in casings.  Speaking of casings, Spanish chorizo has a thin paper covering that you might not notice at first but that needs to be removed before cooking.  It's easiest to remove before you start slicing or chopping.

Make a special meal this spring to celebrate asparagus!

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Spanish Asparagus Revuelto

Serves 4

½ cup sour cream

Pinch of saffron

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

½ teaspoon minced garlic plus one large garlic clove

8 slices Ciabatta bread

2 ounces diced Spanish chorizo

1 bunch thin asparagus, cut into 1-2” lengths

6 green onions, sliced

8 large eggs, beaten

Salt and pepper

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

2 tablespoons roughly chopped Italian parsley

Mix the sour cream with the saffron and refrigerate while you prep and cook the remaining ingredients to allow the saffron to bloom.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.  Brush the bread slices with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and grill, turning once, until crisp with nice grill marks.  Remove from heat and immediately rub each piece with the large garlic clove.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, then add the chorizo and fry lightly.  Add the asparagus and stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes (depending on the size of the asparagus pieces).  Add the green onions and minced garlic and cook 1 minute more. 

Season the eggs with salt, pepper and paprika, whisking to combine, then add to the pan and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, just until soft and creamy.  Divide between shallow bowls, topping with parsley. 

Stir the sour cream again and add a dollop on the side of each serving of eggs.  Add two toast pieces to each bowl and serve.

Mushroom & Pea Risotto

Last Year's Post: Chicken Parmesan with Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce
Two Years Ago:  Orange Pecan Salmon with Three Pea Salad

As a former food company marketer, I have a pet peeve about recipes looking the way they should if you followed the recipe exactly - not prettied up just for publication.  I was attracted to the picture of this recipe, which looked much like the one above but it didn't match the recipe.  As written, the mushrooms were supposed to be cooked in the risotto and the peas stirred in at the end, which would definitely not showcase either ingredient on top of the rice.  So I re-wrote the recipe to match the image and was happy with the results - particularly with the nutty, caramelized cremini mushrooms.  This is a very satisfying dish although it's vegetarian, but you could always add cooked chicken or Italian sausage if you prefer.  It has a light, springtime feel with the peas and chives that could be accented even further if you wanted to add some asparagus.  And it's a one-pot meal, even better.

Stirring risotto does take some time, but I find it oddly soothing especially if you've had a hard day.  And it only takes about 30 minutes to stir, which isn't bad.  Start by cleaning and trimming the mushrooms, then cut them into wedges through the stem - four, six or eight wedges, depending on the size of the mushroom, to end up with pieces that are roughly even in size.

The mushrooms are cooked first to achieve the nutty brown caramelization - they give up their water and shrink considerably during the process.  Don't be tempted to stir continuously, just let them brown before turning over to brown on the other side.

After the mushrooms are browned, they're removed and you start adding layers of flavor to the risotto with shallot, garlic, wine, rice, chicken broth and Gruyere cheese.  Some of the peas get stirred in at the end, and some go on top with the mushrooms and chives.  Easy, light and delicious for (almost) spring.

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Mushroom & Pea Risotto

Serves 2

8 oz cremini mushrooms, cleaned and stems trimmed

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if necessary

1 large shallot, minced

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 qt chicken stock

¾ cup Arborio rice

¼ cup white wine

¾ cup frozen peas, thawed

½ cup grated Gruyere cheese

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons chopped chives, for garnish

Cutting the mushrooms into wedges through the stem (like a pie), cut small ones into four pieces, medium into six pieces, and large mushrooms into 8 pieces so all pieces are roughly the same size. At the same time, heat the chicken stock in a saucepan to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to maintain a simmer.

In a large sauté pan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms and sauté on the first side without stirring until browned, about 4-5 minutes, then turn and sauté on a second side until browned, another 4 minutes or so.  Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside.  Turn the heat down to medium and add shallots and garlic to the same pan, adding a small amount of more olive oil if the pan seems dry, and sauté for 3 minutes.  Add the rice and let toast for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the wine and stir well. Cook until the wine is absorbed and the pan is almost dry, about 2 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium-low.  Add one large ladle (about 1 cup) of the simmering chicken stock to the rice and stir continuously until the broth is absorbed and the pan is almost dry.  Add another ladle of stock and continue stirring until almost dry once more.  Continue the process until all the stock is absorbed and the risotto is creamy, about 25-35 minutes.  Remove from the heat.

Add half of the peas and the grated Gruyere to the risotto and stir to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve on two individual plates or in shallow bowls, then top with the remaining peas, the mushrooms, and chives for garnish.  Serve immediately.

Grilled Salmon and Pineapple with Avocado Dressing

Last Year's Post: French Rhubarb Tarts
Two Years Ago:  Pesto Pasta with Edamame, Spinach and Almonds

My favorite recipes are fresh, delicious and good for you.  This one fits the bill on all three accounts - fresh herbs, juicy sweet pineapple, and rich meaty salmon - all grilled up for a fabulous summer dinner.

I was having a little trouble finding fresh pineapple rings and I'm basically too lazy to make my own out of a whole pineapple, so I did a little calling around and found a grocery store that had fresh rings that happened to be on The Lawyer's way home.  The first thing you might want to understand about The Lawyer is his motto - "when in doubt, buy extra".  Over time this has led to various excesses arriving at our house (three types of salsa, four kinds of canned tomatoes, etc.) to the point where I've learned (that's what happens in relationships over time, you learn) to be very specific when he's going to stop at the store.  "One can of whole tomatoes. Just one small can. Not two."

Anyway, I thought I was fairly specific about pineapple rings but apparently not specific enough.  He arrived home without said pineapple rings ("they were wrapped too tight and had been squished into ovals") but with a package of pineapple slabs ("they look pretty") and a whole pineapple that had been peeled and cored.  OK, I could make the whole pineapple work - it's easy to slice - but we now have pineapple for the next month.  He definitely covers all the bases.

The pineapple rings get brushed with fresh herb oil and grilled right along side the salmon.  If you've never had grilled pineapple, it's a real treat - slightly smoky and warm while still firm and sweet.  After grilling you simply spoon the avocado herb dressing (note:  make at least 15 minutes in advance) over everything and serve.  It tastes fresh, light and very gourmet.

If you have any leftovers (doubtful), chop and mix them with any remaining dressing and some couscous or rice for a great salad the next day.

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Grilled Salmon and Pineapple with Avocado Dressing

Serves 4

Avocado Dressing:

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon

1/8 teaspoon anchovy paste, optional

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 small clove garlic, smashed

½ avocado, diced

For the salmon and pineapple:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh basil, plus sprigs for garnish

1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh chives

1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon, plus sprig for garnish

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Four 4-ounce skinless salmon fillets, about 1” thick

Four ½” thick round slices (rings) of fresh pineapple

Combine all dressing ingredients in a food processor.  Add 2 tablespoons of water and process until smooth.  Cover the dressing and let stand for 15 minutes to 1 hour for the flavors to blend.

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

Whisk the oil, basil, chives, tarragon, salt and pepper in a small bowl to blend.  Brush the salmon and pineapple slices with the herb oil mixture.

Cook the salmon until barely cooked through and still pink inside, about 4 minutes per side.  Cook the pineapple until it has nice grill marks, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

To serve, place one pineapple ring on each plate and top with salmon.  Spoon avocado dressing over the salmon.  Garnish with basil and tarragon sprigs. 

Coconut Lime Grilled Shrimp with Pineapple Rice

Last Year's Post: Jewels of Spring: Asparagus Soup and Chicken with Rhubarb Sauce
Two Years Ago:  Special Brunch - Egg Strudel

The weather is finally warmer and it's time to switch to lighter, healthier foods and start grilling!  This recipe couldn't be any more fresh and tropical with the slightly spicy shrimp balanced by the soothing pineapple flavor of the rice.  Serve it with your favorite tropical drink (complete with little umbrella, of course) and you have a party in the making.

I love that this meal is healthy and relatively low-calorie in addition to delicious.  It's extremely easy to make and very fast, once you've marinated the shrimp.  Be sure to notice the marinating time of two hours -  I wouldn't marinate it any longer (like, say, from breakfast to dinner much less overnight) or the lime juice will toughen the shrimp.  So, plan on about 2 1/2 hours from start to finish but only about 30 minutes of active time.  It would perfect for a weekend where you start marinating the shrimp, then work on your garden for an hour or two before focusing on dinner (or a two-hour happy hour, who's to say?).  If you're having a party you could always do a huge platter of just the shrimp for an appetizer and it would be fabulous.

As I mentioned, the shrimp are very slightly warm from the jalapeno.  If you like spicy food I'd leave the jalapeno seeds in when preparing the marinade, or add another jalapeno.  Either way, this is a great change from the same-old burgers, brats and chicken on the grill.

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Coconut Lime Grilled Shrimp with Pineapple Rice

Serves 4

Notes:  Requires 2 hours marinating time.  Dried pineapple is more intense than fresh; don’t substitute if possible.  Also, several ingredients are common to both recipes – lime zest, juice and cilantro – and may be prepped one time and divided according to the recipes to save time.

For the shrimp:

2 jalapenos, seeded

1 lime, zested and juiced

2 garlic cloves

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup soy sauce

1 lb uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Wooden skewers, soaked in water at least 30 minutes

For the pineapple rice:

2 cups water

1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice

½ cup chopped dried pineapple

1 tablespoon butter

½ teaspoon grated lime zest

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon chopped green onions

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

To prepare the shrimp:  in a food processor, combine the jalapeno, lime zest, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, coconut, olive oil and soy sauce; blend until smooth.  Place the shrimp in a large zip-top bag and pour the sauce over.  Seal and toss to coat.  Refrigerate for 2 hours to marinate.

Preheat a grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.  Thread the shrimp onto pre-soaked skewers and reserve the marinade.

While the grill is preheating, make the rice:  bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan and add rice and next 4 ingredients (through salt).  Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed.  Remove from heat; stir in cilantro, onions and juice.

To grill the shrimp:  place skewers on the preheated grill, turning and basting with the reserved marinade, 2-3 minutes per side, until cooked through.

Serve shrimp skewers over rice.

Halibut Provencale

Last Year's Post:  Greek Shrimp and Orzo
Two Years Ago:   Double Chocolate Biscotti with Walnuts

I recently read a very interesting interview with Michael Pollan, a best-selling author who writes about food (The Omnivore's Dilemma, In Defense of Food).  I think of him sort of as a foodie anthropologist - he writes about our relationships with food and how they're evolved over time.  Anyway, he was interviewed as part of a PR tour for his most recent book "Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation".  The most interesting part of the interview for me was his concept of mindful cooking.  I had heard of mindful eating - the concept of paying attention to what you are eating and stop doing anything else at the same time - but not as it applies to cooking.

Here's a short excerpt from the interview:
I have always cooked, it’s not like I just learned how to cook, but I've always approached it with a great deal of impatience, and always kind of fought against it. Learning to be in the kitchen and not try to be multitasking, aside from conversation or listening to the radio, has been a great gift. I mean I approach it with a very different spirit. One of the most important life lessons of this book is “When chopping onions, just chop onions.” ..... Slow down and you’ll enjoy it more and you’ll squeeze more out of the experience. 
(Reprinted with permission. You can read the entire interview here.)

If you pay attention while you're prepping and cooking, you can learn some pretty interesting things about smell, taste, texture and the transformations that cooking can cause.  For example, this recipe includes fennel.  If you haven't worked with it much, it's an interesting lesson in how to cut it up, what it smells like (licorice), what it tastes like raw (crunchy, with a slight anise flavor), and what it tastes like cooked (mild and sweet).  Be sure to smell and taste as you go, and you'll find all kinds of new foods that you like.  This is a great approach to take with kids also. (Not to smell and taste kids before cooking them, but to include kids in the food smelling, tasting and prepping process.)

Anyway, this is a great light and healthy recipe for baked halibut from Provence that includes tomatoes, fennel, white wine, olives and plenty of herbs.  The mild, sweet fish is complemented beautifully by the Mediterranean flavors and stays very moist because it's covered in sauce while it bakes.  You could also use sea bass. tilapia, cod or any other mild white fish if you prefer.

Here's how to prepare the fennel - start by cutting off the long skinny stems and fronds and just use the bulb.

Cut the bulb in half and cut out the solid core by making diagonal cuts.

Slice and chop the fennel (be sure to smell and taste the raw fennel so you can compare it later to the taste and texture when cooked).

The fennel, onion and garlic are sauteed, then tomatoes are added and cooked briefly before adding the herbs.

Half the tomato mixture goes into the baking dish, then the halibut and the remaining sauce are added.  Isn't halibut pretty?

After baking, a breadcrumb/olive topping is added and browned briefly.

It's an easy, foolproof and very healthy dish.

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Halibut Provencale

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 fennel bulb, cored and chopped

1 ½ cups chopped onion

1 teaspoon salt, divided

4 cups diced tomatoes with juice

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

4 (5-6 oz) halibut fillets

1 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons chopped pitted Kalamata olives

1 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence or French herb blend

1 teaspoon olive oil

½ teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 450d.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds.  Add fennel, onion, and ½ teaspoon salt; sauté 8 minutes or until lightly browned.  Stir in diced tomatoes and juices; cook 2 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in fresh basil and parsley.

Spoon half of tomato mixture into a baking dish large enough to hold the fish fillets in a single layer.  Place fillets over tomato mixture.  Pour wine into dish; sprinkle fillets with ¼ teaspoon salt.  Spoon remaining tomato mixture over fillets.  Bake at 450d for 15 minutes.  While the fish bakes, combine the breadcrumbs, olives, herbes de Provence, 1 teaspoon oil, pepper, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt in a small bowl.  When 15 minutes have elapsed, remove the fish from oven; preheat broiler.

Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the fillets.  Broil 5 minutes or until lightly browned, watching closely so the topping doesn't burn.  Serve immediately.

Ravioli with Peas, Bacon and Lemon Oil

Last Year's Post: Summer Pasta Salad with Fresh Tuna

Pet peeve #352:  thick-cut bacon.  Why all of a sudden is thick-cut bacon the hot trend?  You can hardly find regular bacon any more.  I was watching TV the other day and no less than celebrity chef Ina Garten was gushing about her thick-cut bacon adding a nice chew to her salad.  I don't know about you, but any time "chewy" and "meat" are in the same sentence I don't think that's a good thing.  I can't think of a single meat where "chewy" is the desired texture, particularly bacon. To add insult to injury, we were having breakfast at a new restaurant this weekend and the server asked me if I wanted my bacon crispy.  Yay, someone gets it!   In retrospect I should have known that if they have to ask, something is wrong.   I received a slab of bacon that was at least 1/2" thick and fried until it should no longer be called bacon.  Pork jerky or shoe leather would better describe the looks and taste.  After one or two bites I quit because I was afraid I was going to crack a tooth.  Moral of the story - bacon should thin and crisp, period.  OK, end of rant.  I feel better now.

Anyway, I like to try recipes that contain either an ingredient or a technique that's new to me, partly to expand my horizons but mostly just because I have an incurable curiosity streak.  This recipe contains a new ingredient that also involves a new technique:  lemon-infused olive oil.  While it's true that you can buy any number of olive oils infused with various flavors, there are several compelling reasons to make your own.  First, it will be much fresher.  Second, you can customize it to your taste.  And third, infused oils are very expensive to buy.  A bottle of infused oil will probably run somewhere around $10 if it's decent quality.  Using my Costco extra-virgin olive oil and one lemon, I made a cup of lemon oil for slightly over $1.  Not bad.

One thing you need to know is that you should start one day in advance because the oil needs to steep for 24 hours.  The other thing you should know is that it's important to remove the rinds after 24 hours and store the oil in your refrigerator for food safety reasons.  I once made a big batch of garlic oil and stored it in my pantry, only to read several weeks later that botulism can develop under those conditions.  I was sad to throw the entire batch out but happy that I hadn't tried it in the meantime.

The infused oil is very easy to make.  Remove the outer rind (no pith) of a lemon with a vegetable peeler,  then warm the olive oil and rind over low heat for ten minutes.  Cool and place the rind and oil in a clean glass covered container in the refrigerator for 24 hours.  Remove and strain out the rinds, then place the oil back in the container.  Kept refrigerated, the oil will keep for up to a month.

The lemon oil serves as the sauce for this easy and quick pasta dish.  You might not normally associate crunch with pasta, but there is definitely a crunch factor here from the (crisp!) bacon and the toasted pepitas.  If you can't find pepitas, toasted chopped walnuts would be equally good.

You'll have lemon oil left over after you make this dish, so here are some ideas for how to use it.

• Drizzled over cooked vegetables
• Salad dressings
• Over any cooked or grilled fish
• As a dipping sauce for bread (add any fresh or dried herbs you like)
• Drizzled on top of hummus 
• In cold pasta salads

This dish is very light and fresh-tasting and comes together in the time it takes to cook the pasta (assuming you made the lemon oil in advance), so it makes a great weeknight meal.

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Ravioli with Peas, Bacon and Lemon Oil

Serves 2-3

3 slices of bacon

1 9 ounce package refrigerated cheese ravioli

½ cup frozen peas, thawed

1/3 cup daikon sprouts (or other sprouts or micro-greens)

Lemon-infused olive oil (see recipe below)

¼ cup roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Chop the bacon into ½” wide pieces and fry in a skillet until golden and crisp.  Remove to paper towels to drain. 

Cook ravioli according to directions.  While the ravioli is cooking, cook the peas according to directions.

When the ravioli is done, drain in a colander and transfer to a medium bowl.  Toss with a tablespoon or two of lemon oil, then transfer to individual bowls. Top with peas, bacon, sprouts, and pepitas. Drizzle with a little additional lemon oil, then add salt and pepper to taste.

Lemon-Infused Olive Oil

1 lemon

1 cup good-quality extra-virgin olive oil

Scrub the lemon well under running water and dry thoroughly.  Using a vegetable peeler, peel the outer skin only (no white pith) of the lemon.  Place the lemon peel and olive oil in a small saucepan and heat slowly over low heat for 10 minutes, until the peel begins to sizzle.  Remove from the heat and let cool.

Transfer the olive oil and lemon peel to a clean glass container and cover tightly.  Refrigerate for 24 hours.  After 24 hours, strain out the lemon peel and return the lemon oil to the jar.  Refrigerate for up to a month.  When ready to use, remove the amount needed from the jar and allow to come to room temperature before using.

Spinach, Blueberry & Goat Cheese Salad

Last Year's Post: Grilled Cheese with Pesto, Spinach and Avocado

Summer is such a wonderful opportunity for those of us who are trying to eat healthy.  Fresh fruits and vegetables are abundant, beautiful and cheap, and fresh salads seem so appealing.  But it's easy to get into a salad rut and start to get bored, which is never good.  Life is too short and calories are too precious to be bored with what you eat. (Although I do know an elite ultra-marathon athlete who regards food as fuel and eats pretty much the same thing each day, which I can't even imagine.  He's been known to do a 135 mile bike ultra-marathon in the middle of winter at temperatures down to -30 degrees, which I also can't imagine.)

I always think that if I'm not excited about what I'm going to eat then something is wrong, which is why I tend to post a lot of different salad recipes such as The Perfect Little Summer Salad, Chicken Salad with Fruits and Peppadews, Wild Rice Salad, Summer Salad with Cheese, Fruit and Nuts, Farro, Kale & Smoked Mozzarella Salad, and French Chicken Salad among others.  I'm always looking for new salad recipes and was very excited when I found a new one for spinach salad with fresh blueberries, goat cheese, cucumber, and edamame.  What an interesting and refreshing combination!  Not only is it beautiful, but very healthy as well with  no less than three superfoods - spinach, blueberries and edamame.

The original recipe was vegetarian but it's easily made into a main dish by the addition of crumbled bacon or cooked chicken, turkey, pork or duck so it's a great opportunity to customize the salad to your tastes or use up leftover cooked meat.  You can further customize it by changing the cheese from goat to blue cheese or fontina or any other cheese you like.

I think I'm usually pretty good at envisioning what a recipe will taste like, but this one surprised me.  Not the main ingredients of the salad, but the salad dressing - it has a touch of Dijon mustard that I hadn't really focused on prior to trying the recipe.  If I had, I would've been skeptical that a mustard vinaigrette would somehow magically tie all the ingredients together including the blueberries, but it does.  Try it yourself and see if you agree.

The only ingredients in the salad that are cooked are the meat and the edamame, so if you plan ahead for those two items (or head to the salad bar - my local salad bar carries edamame and numerous meat items) the rest of the salad can come together in literally just a few minutes. It's a great no-cook alternative for a hot summer day.

Spinach, Blueberry & Goat Cheese Salad

Serves 4

For the dressing:

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper

For the salad:

1 package pre-washed spinach

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

1 cup chopped seedless cucumber

1 cup cooked edamame

1 cup crumbled goat cheese

1 cup chopped cooked chicken (or crumbled bacon or other meat)

 In a small bowl combine mustard, lemon juice, sugar, vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking until dressing comes together and sugar is dissolved.

Place spinach leaves in large bowl. Add blueberries, cucumber, edamame, goat cheese and chicken.  Add the salad dressing, toss to combine, and serve.

Chicken Curry

Last Year's Post: Farm Stand Salad

Indian food has not been one of my favorites, so I have absolutely no idea why I decided to try this recipe in the first place ten years ago.  The reason why I remember how long it's been is because The Lawyer and I were in the process of a corporate move to Louisville, KY.  He had gone ahead to begin work and I stayed for a period of months in a small apartment in Minneapolis which didn't really give me much creative outlet for my cooking obsession.  I spent my spare time dreaming about all the great new recipes we would prepare when I finally arrived in Louisville.  Unfortunately, I decided that we needed to make a brand-new recipe the very day I arrived.  I also decided for some reason that all the boxes need to be unpacked in one weekend.  The two decisions collided, and not in a good way.

By the end of the first day of unpacking boxes we were both exhausted, but I had reached that point where you're so tired that you become unreasonably stubborn.  (Or at least I do.  Well, some would say I'm always unreasonably stubborn and that it's just a matter of degree.)  The Lawyer tried to talk me into going to a restaurant or at least ordering a pizza, but NO - I was going to make this recipe come hell or high water.  It's not hard, but a brand-new recipe is not a great idea for one of those nights. I don't recall most of the actual preparation but even through a haze of exhaustion I clearly remember how great it tasted. 

I always thought of Indian food as being heavy and fiery hot, but this dish is very light and fresh-tasting and has warmth from the spices rather than heat.   If you're new to Indian food this is a good introduction.  And it's fun to make because you can see and smell all the individual spices that go into making the overall complex flavor and can adjust them up or down to your taste the next time.  It's much more interesting and instructive than just buying a jar of curry powder and dumping it in.  My guess is that it was the homemade spice mix that attracted me in the first place.

The one fact you do need to come to grips with is that you need quite a number of spices.  Hopefully you already have many of them in your cupboard.  For the rest, I always recommend Penzeys (your local store or online www.penzeys.com) for the widest variety of fresh and inexpensive spices.  And remember, even after buying several spices this meal will still be cheaper than if you went to a restaurant.

The preparation is really pretty straight forward - coat chicken cubes in your homemade spice mix and brown, then remove.

Add onions, ginger and garlic to the pan and cook, then add some more spices - cardamom, bay leaf and cinnamon. I wrap them in cheesecloth and tie with kitchen string so they're easier to fish out later (you can find cheesecloth in some grocery stores and most kitchen supply stores).

Add tomatoes and the chicken pieces and simmer, then add a little yogurt, raisins and some cilantro.

Garnish with toasted sliced almonds and serve with basmati rice.  Don't skip the almonds - they're an important component for both flavor and crunch.

Not at all hard, but I do recommend trying it some day when you're not feeling unreasonably stubborn.

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Chicken Curry

Serves 4-6

2 ½ teaspoons whole coriander seeds

2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon ground ginger

Pinch of ground cloves

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 “cubes

2 tablespoons peanut oil

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 large or two medium onions, halved and thinly sliced

2 whole cinnamon sticks, about 3” long

1 bay leaf

3 green cardamom pods

4 cups whole canned tomatoes with juices

1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup plain yogurt

¾ cup golden raisins, roughly chopped

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Sliced almonds, toasted, for garnish

Hot cooked basmati rice

Special equipment needed: 

spice grinder

cheesecloth and kitchen string, for tying spice bundle

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast coriander and cumin seeds until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.  Transfer to spice grinder, add crushed red pepper flakes, and grind to a powder.  Place in a large zip top bag, and add turmeric, ginger, cloves, salt and black pepper.  Add chicken and toss to coat.

Heat peanut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add chicken, cooking until browned, 3 to 5 minutes.  Remove chicken and set aside.

Reduce heat and add ginger, garlic and onions.  Cook until softened and browned, 8 to 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, place cinnamon sticks, bay leaf and cardamom pods in a square of cheesecloth and tie with kitchen string.  When the onions are brown add the spice bundle and cook for an additional 10 minutes, making sure the spice bundle is covered with onions.  Add the tomatoes and roughly crush with a potato masher or snip with a kitchen scissors.  Add the chicken stock and browned chicken and raise the heat to medium high.  Cook until the liquid is somewhat reduced, about 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to low and stir in yogurt and raisins.  Cook until warmed through, then add cilantro.  Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Serve with basmati rice and garnish with toasted almonds.

Venetian Shrimp and Scallops

Last Year's Post: Chicken Salad with Fruits and Peppadews

This dish has a tomato-saffron sauce that is absolutely delicious with the tender scallops and shrimp.  (Be sure to serve it with lots of crusty bread for mopping up the sauce.)  It's very light, fresh and healthy with fragrant lemon zest and fresh basil, making it a perfect spring or summer seafood dinner. I can usually pretty well envision how a dish will taste just from reading the recipe, but I must say this one surprised me by just how insanely good it was the first time I made it.  It's become a regular repeater at our house, which only happens to the very best recipes since we like to try new ones so often.  If you like seafood you really should try it.

Saffron is a key ingredient in the flavor profile and the recipe won't be the same without it (ditto the lemon and fresh basil).  Crumble the saffron threads as you put them in the sauce for more flavor and more even distribution.  Someone gave me a teeny-tiny mortar and pestle for that very purpose several years ago.  I think it's hilarious because it's so small but I must admit it works great.  I've never seen them in any store and have no idea where it came from.  Don't you just love it?

I typically cut the scallops in half horizontally for this recipe, for a couple of reasons.  First of all, scallops should not be over-cooked or they get tough.  Since sea scallops are often really big, it's harder to be sure they're cooked all the way through without over-cooking them.  Cutting them in half results in a faster cook time, plus they're easier to eat and you have more of them in the dish.  I think five or six thinner scallops look much more attractive and plentiful (along with the shrimp) then two or three giant ones.  Searing them gives an attractive color, a nice caramelized crust, and additional flavor.

One thought about the diced tomatoes - I almost always use fire-roasted tomatoes because I think it adds a little more flavor and I like the little black flecks.  It's strictly a personal preference, but I would suggest checking the sodium content of whatever brand you choose because canned tomato products are notoriously high in sodium.  Same thing for the chicken broth.

This is a fast and easy meal to prepare so it's perfect for any night of the week, although I think it's certainly impressive enough to serve to company.

printable recipe
Venetian Shrimp and Scallops
Serves 4

¾ lb sea scallops, cut in half horizontally

¼ cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large shallot, finely chopped

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice

¼ teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled

¾ lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

12 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn

1 lemon, zested

Hot crusty bread

Lightly coat the sea scallops in the seasoned flour.  Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil and butter.  When the butter has melted, add the scallops and brown for 1 minute on each side.  Remove.

Add a little more olive oil to the pan if necessary, then add the garlic, shallots, and crushed red pepper flakes.  Reduce heat and sauté 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add wine to the pan and scrape up any pan drippings.  Reduce wine 1 minute, then add chicken broth, tomatoes with their juice, and crumbled saffron.  When liquids come to a bubble, add shrimp and cook 3 minutes.  Return scallops to the pan and cook everything together for 2 minutes longer.  Transfer shrimp, scallops and sauce to individual shallow bowls and top with basil and lemon zest.

Pass with bread for mopping up the juices.