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Month: August 2010

Artichokes with Roasted Garlic Aioli

yholmes 1 Comment

I couldn’t be happier that Laura Calder is on the Cooking Channel. Finally – a show that defies any preconceived ideas of fussy & pretentious French cooking.

On an unrelated note I am equally unhappy that Sandra Lee is STILL on Food Network.

French Food at Home is refreshing and carefree. Laura Calder is lovely. Her background music is even cute. She makes me want to buy a swing for my porch and fill glass carafes of stock and wine for my fridge. How pretty.

As are these beautiful artichokes she threw together. Perfect starter or snack for a lazy afternoon… which is how I enjoyed my Sunday (and wishing for a swing).

If you need direction on how to prepare an artichoke here’s a great video that breaks it down.

INGREDIENTS

For the aioli:

  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 3/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 head garlic, roasted*
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Juice of 1 lemon

For the artichokes:

  • 6 large Jerusalem artichokes or 12 baby artichokes (poivrade variety, which are the tiny ones)
  • 1 to 2 lemons
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

DIRECTIONS

To make the aioli: Beat the yolk with the vinegar and mustard in a bowl. Whisk in the oil, drop by drop, to make a thick mayonnaise. Squeeze the garlic out of the roasted cloves into the mayonnaise and whisk smooth. Season the aioli with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, to taste.

To prepare the artichokes: Trim the artichokes, rubbing with lemon as you go, until you are down to the core with a bit of stem attached. Halve. While you’re trimming, bring a pot of water to the boil. Squeeze the juice of a lemon into it and salt it. Drop in the artichokes and cook until tender, about 10 minutes, depending on the size. Drain, and pat dry. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and brown the artichokes on all sides. Transfer to paper towel to drain. Serve with the aioli.

* To roast a head of garlic, wrap in foil and bake for an hour at 350 degrees F.

Chicken Larb Gai

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Not only is this Thai dish super lean and packed full of flavor… it’s yet another excuse to head to my favorite Asian grocery store: Hong Kong Market. Inside awaits an almost overwhelming selection of any Asian ingredient on your list (and the best selection of frozen potstickers – gyoza – dumplings in Dallas).

Fresh lemongrass and thai bird chiles are a must. I would also suggest a better than average fish sauce (Three Crabs Brand Fish Sauce is the best). I store it in the fridge as I use it often for Vietnamese Bun and it lasts forever. Central Market also has these ingredients… but for 3 times the price. So be adventurous and check out the Asian markets.

This recipe is adapted from Giada’s Turkey Larb. You can use any ground meat for this dish but the chicken breast is great & stays very moist with the onions. She also calls for mint… I prefer cilantro and Thai basil in the dish.

INGREDIENTS

Dressing:

  • 1/3 cup fresh lime juice, from about 5 limes
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 large lemon
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce*
  • 2 tablespoons honey

Larb:

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 3 shallots, thinly sliced
  • 1 (4-inch) piece lemongrass, minced (about 1/4 cup)*
  • 2-3 Thai chiles or 1 serrano chile, stemmed and thinly sliced*
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken breast
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated
  • *Can be found at specialty Asian markets

DIRECTIONS

Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, lemon juice, fish sauce and honey. Set aside.

Larb: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, shallots, lemongrass, chile, and salt, to taste. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and season with salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the meat and vegetables are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the dressing to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Spoon the chicken mixture onto the lettuce leaves and arrange on a serving platter. Serve with sticky rice or steamed white rice if desired.

 

Grilled Romaine with Steak, Cherry Tomatoes and Parmesan

yholmes 1 Comment

Summer in Texas can leave you at a loss when it comes to meals. A steak can sound so appetizing but the sides are just too much. Who wants a hot potato when it’s 105 degrees outside? This is one of my favorite ways to make a salad a meal.

Grilling lettuce is quite brilliant. The goal is to get a slight char on the outside leaves but the inside remains crisp and cool. Your lettuce will have more flavor than you ever thought possible… for lettuce anyway.

Being that my favorite condiment is balsamic vinegar I usually drizzle mine with the good stuff… but a cold blue cheese dressing would be over the top.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 head of romaine lettuce
  • 1 pound flank steak
  • Cherry tomatoes (as many as you want)
  • Parmesan cheese (as much as you want)
  • Olive oil
  • Balsamic vinegar or dressing of choice
  • Salt & Pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat grill and set to medium flame.

Season steak with salt, pepper or your favorite seasoning (I like Montreal steak seasoning) and grill to your desired doneness. Set aside to rest before slicing.

While steak is resting, cut the romaine lettuce in half lengthwise and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill for a few minutes per side – just long enough to get some char on the outside leaves.

Arrange lettuce on a large platter and top with steak slices, tomatoes and shavings of parmesan cheese. Top with balsamic vinegar or your dressing of choice.

 

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