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Cherry Tomato and Feta Tart

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Recently I borrowed a friends State Fair of Texas cookbook full of winning recipes… one of which belongs to her husband. He is a proud blue ribbon winner for the best lasagna I’ve had in my entire life. This recipe book is full of innovative recipes and a tomato pie that called for bouillon caught my eye. What a strange ingredient! I can’t say it wouldn’t be just as delicious without the bouillon… but I believe it won her the blue ribbon.

It appears some things are just meant to be. I had cherry tomatoes that weren’t going to make it another week, basil that was developing brown spots, a disc of pie dough in the freezer and a nice hunk of feta leftover from last weeks Pistachio Crusted Chicken. It was delicious and would be perfect alongside Baked Shrimp Scampi for a simple and impressive make ahead dinner party menu!

INGREDIENTS

For the crust:

  • 1 1/2 sticks cold butter, cut into pea size pieces
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
  • Pinch kosher salt
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

For the inside:

  • 1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 3 green onions, finely sliced
  • 5 large basil leaves, cut into long, thin strips
  • 1 Star garlic and herb bouillon cube, or chicken bouillon*
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 pie crust recipe above or a store bought pie dough
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
  • 2 cups Mozzarella, shredded

DIRECTIONS

For the crust: In the bowl of a food processor combine the butter, flour and salt. Pulse, pulse, pulse until the mixture looks like finely grated cheese. Add half of the ice water and pulse again. The mixture should start to come together to form a rough ball; if it still seems dry add the remaining water and pulse until it has formed a rough ball. Remove the mixture from the food processor to a clean work surface and form it into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This can be done a few days in advance.

Toss tomatoes, basil & green onions with the bouillon and olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. Remove from refrigerator and drain off any liquid that has developed from the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Remove dough from the refrigerator 20 to 30 minutes before using to allow it to soften up a bit. Dust the dough and a work surface with flour. Roll out dough into a 10-inch tart shell and prick the bottom with a fork.

Spread 1/2 of the tomatoes into the bottom of the pie shell and top with 1/2 of the cheese. Repeat. Drizzle the top with a small amount of olive oil.

Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes on the middle oven rack.

*The STAR herb & garlic bouillon can be found at Jimmy’s Food Store for less than $2. I keep it on hand and use it when cooking rice and pasta. Chicken bouillon can also be used in this recipe.

Baked Shrimp Scampi

yholmes 1 Comment

I’ve never been a huge fan of Shrimp Scampi. I love the garlic but the butter seems overwhelming and traditional scampi can be a little flat in flavor. This recipe from the Barefoot Contessa makes up for all of the lackluster. You can prepare the butter & herbs early: just don’t add the panko until you are ready top bake. The original recipe calls for 12 tablespoons of butter. I cut it down to 8 but by all means knock yourself out and butter up.

The lemon is the star of the show. The aromas will keep you parked in front of the oven door… watching… waiting.

Serve with a side of whole wheat linguine or eat it out of the pan. This makes a great appetizer or entree.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 pounds (12 to 15 per pound) shrimp in the shell
  • 3 tablespoons good olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons dry white wine
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
  • 1/4 cup minced shallots
  • 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or rosemary leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 extra-large egg yolk
  • 2/3 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)
  • Lemon wedges, for serving

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.

In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.

Starting from the outer edge of a 14-inch oval gratin dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you like the top browned, place under a broiler for 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges.

Pistachio Crusted Chicken with Feta

yholmes 1 Comment

The pistachio crusted chicken at Sevan, a local Dallas BYOB Mediterranean restaurant, is a favorite in my dining crowd. There are many delicious entrées on the menu… but this is ALWAYS ordered. I gladly accepted the request to recreate this dish mainly so I can order a different entrée and know I won’t be deprived of my old standby favorite.

I have been visiting this family run restaurant for years and they consistently turn out wonderful food. If hummus is your thing – Sevan makes super creamy hummus with just the right amount of garlic and lemon. My suggestion and another “always order” is the Muhammara. An addictive spread of roasted red bell pepper, walnuts and pomegranate molasses will keep my seat at Sevan a permanent one.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
  • 1 cup chopped pistachios
  • 3/4 cup dry plain bread crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 ounces crumbled French Feta cheese
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 eggs, beaten

For the Tomato Sauce:

  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, minced
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 ounces tomato paste (small can)
  • 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1/4 cup red wine
  • 1/2 – 1 teaspoon sugar (depending on the sweetness of the canned tomatoes)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS

To make the sauce:

In a medium saucepan, sauté garlic and onion in oil until translucent.

Add tomato paste, tomatoes, water, wine, sugar, oregano and basil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer for 20 minutes over medium low heat.

 

For the Chicken:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare three bowls: one containing flour to coat chicken breast, another containing the beaten egg, and the third containing chopped pistachios, breadcrumbs and oregano. Season all 3 with salt & pepper.

 

Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Add feta cheese, 2 teaspoons chopped pistachios and 1/2 clove minced garlic to one side of the flattened chicken breast. Fold over and secure with toothpicks to keep filling inside.

Coat breast in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip chicken in egg mixture and then into the pistachio mixture. Set aside and finish breading the remaining chicken.

Heat olive oil in oven safe skillet over medium heat and sear chicken for approximately 3-4 minutes on one side and then flip over. Cover with foil and place in the oven. Bake approximately 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.

Serve with tomato sauce and garnish with feta.

 

Dark Chocolate Molten S’more Brownies

yholmes 4 Comments

My great friend Laura is a wonderful cook and her lemon bars, guacamole and salads dressings are famous in our circle of friends. She was in charge of dessert for a recent dinner and quite kindly brought these to share. The graham cracker crust was perfect and was the star of this sinfully gooey dessert.

These look half done, but just the inside was molten. The outside of the brownies were dense and chewy.

She purposely left the pan on my kitchen countertop… but after a few grazings and slivers they have been banished to the neighbors.

I wish I had them back…

INGREDIENTS

For the Crust:

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • Pinch fine salt

For the Brownie:

  • 1 box Dark Chocolate Brownies

For the Topping:

  • 4 cups large marshmallows

DIRECTIONS

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 by-8-inch square baking pan with foil so it hangs over the edges by about 1 inch.

For the crust: Lightly butter the foil with some of the melted butter. Stir the rest of the butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the brownie batter according to the directions on the box.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is crispy and a toothpick inserted into the middle is to your preferred level of “gooeyness”. For a more gooey inside check after 20 minutes. For brownies more well done bake for about 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and carefully position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and preheat on low. Layer marshmallows across the top and toast under the broiler until golden, (keep an eye on it, it can go quick), about 2 minutes. Cool on a rack, gently removing the brownies from the pan using the aluminum flaps. Carefully separate any marshmallow from the foil and fold away. Cut into 12 (2-inch) squares.

Braised Short Ribs with Coriander and Balsamic

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The Feb/March issue of Fine Cooking featured an exceptional build your own Short Ribs recipe. I appreciated the explanation of the method and the ability to change any ingredient and make it mine. I chose to use 2 of my favorite ingredients – coriander and balsamic vinegar – and they made me proud once again.

I am itching to make a new version with an Asian flair. Though I am certainly ready for Spring, I could handle a few more weeks of winter weather to reinvent this sick to your ribs meal.

Lots of crusty bread should be parked beside your bowl… dip away!

INGREDIENTS

  • 4-1/2 to 5 lb. English-style beef short ribs (8 to 12 ribs)
  • 3 Tbs. vegetable oil
  • Kosher salt
  • ground black pepper
  • 3 carrots, medium-diced
  • 2 stalks celery, medium-diced
  • 1 medium onion, medium-diced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 whole dried bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoons paprika (smoked)
  • 1 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 1/2 cups dry red wine
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325°F. In an 8-quart Dutch oven, heat 2 Tbs. of the oil over medium heat. Season the ribs with 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Add half of the ribs to the pot (or as many as will fit without overlap), and cook, turning with tongs, until nicely browned on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the ribs to a platter and repeat with the remaining ribs. Pour off all but a thin layer of fat from the pan.

Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil, carrots, celery, and onions to the pan. Season with 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, until the aromatics are soft and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme, coriander, paprika, and garlic, and cook, stirring, until well distributed and fragrant, about 1 minute.

Pour the 1/2 cup red wine into the pot and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot, until the liquid is reduced to about 2 Tbs., about 1 minute.

Transfer all the ribs (and any juices that have accumulated) back into the pot. Pour the soy sauce, 2 cups red wine, and beef broth and 1 cup water over the ribs and using tongs, arrange the ribs as evenly as possible and no more than two layers deep.

Bring the liquid to a simmer, cover, and put the pot in the oven. Cook, turning the ribs with tongs about every 40 minutes, until they are fork tender, about 2-3/4 hours. (The meat may fall off most of the bones about midway through cooking; this does not mean that the ribs are fully tender.)

Transfer the ribs to a serving platter or dish. Let the sauce and solids sit in the pot for a few minutes to cool and with a shallow spoon, skim off as much of the fat as possible from the surface. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper, and add the vinegar.

Serve the ribs with the sauce spooned over, sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Pork Loin with Cider and Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes

yholmes 1 Comment

Pork and apples are a classic combination. I eat most of my apples with cheese and honestly getting a nice texture from a cooked apple can be tricky. So apple cider is a welcome ingredient already full of flavor from the allspice, cinnamon and cloves.

A few months ago I made a version of this pork recipe with my Acorn Squash and Sweet Potato Ravioli. I had boneless center cut chops brined overnight in apple cider and peppercorns. This time a 6-chop pork loin roast was in the freezer begging to free up some space. Since it was on the bone I did not brine the meat but if you have a boneless tenderloin or chops I would suggest brining for a few hours to overnight.

I’ve given instructions below on how to prepare this with pork chops and skip the roasting part all together.

This was very simple to prepare and the payoff is much larger than the effort. I served with roasted cauliflower and Jerusalem artichokes (also called sunchokes).

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 sprigs rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
  • 2 sprigs sage, roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed
  • Pinch crushed red pepper
  • Salt
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 (6-chop) pork rib roast
  • 2 large yellow onions, sliced
  • 1 bundle thyme, tied with string
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 quart apple cider
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 teaspoons whole grain mustard

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a food processor, combine the chopped herbs with the garlic, crushed red pepper, a generous pinch of salt and enough olive oil to make a paste. Rub the paste on the outside of the pork rib roast.

Toss the onions with olive oil, and salt, and place in the bottom of a roasting pan or large oven proof skillet. Add the thyme, bay leaves and 2/3 of the cider. Place the pork on top of the onions and place in the preheated oven. Roast the pork at 425 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pork has developed a brown crust.

Lower the oven to 375 degrees F and roast for another 30 to 35 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 150 degrees F. If the crust on the pork starts to get too dark, cover it with foil.

Remove pork from oven and transfer to a platter and cover to keep warm. Place pan with onions and cider on burner over medium-high heat. Add remaining apple cider & chicken stock to the pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce until sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in whole grain mustard and butter to finish sauce.

Cut the loin into chops & serve with the cider mustard sauce.

If using pork chops:

Rub the paste on the outside of the pork chops and set aside.

Preheat skillet over medium high heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan. When hot, add chops to the pan and brown on both sides until a nice crust forms. Remove chops from pan and set aside. In the same pan add onions or shallots and cook until translucent and soft. Deglaze the pan with apple cider scraping the brown bits off the bottom on the pan. Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce until sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in whole grain mustard and butter to finish sauce.

Place pork chops back in the pan to heat through in the sauce.

Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes & Cauliflower in Herb Butter

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 pound Jerusalem artichokes, cut into large chunks
  • 1/2 head cauliflower, broken into bite size pieces
  • Salt & pepper
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • Fresh herbs of your choice: sage, thyme, oregano, tarragon

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Toss artichokes and cauliflower in olive oil, season with salt & pepper and toss in oven proof skillet. Roast for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove pan from oven and add 2 tablespoons butter and herbs. Toss to combine. Serve warm.

Sunny Paris Cod with Crispy Capers

yholmes 3 Comments

Penzeys Spices is an incredible store with an abundance of fresh herbs, spices and original blends. Penzeys’ storefronts are a rare find. Dallas is 1 of 2 lucky cities in Texas to have a store to walk in and be wowed by the many jars full of intoxicating aromas. They also have an online store and catalog.

“Sunny Paris” is a perfect name for a blend of shallots, green peppercorns, French basil, French tarragon, chervil, bay & dill… it smells warm. This is not a cheap blend of spices and history has it they actually stopped producing it due to it’s hefty cost. Thankfully the fans spoke and it’s back on the shelves. It is wonderful sprinkled on top of egg or in a dressing and such a warm flavor for fish. To taste such a dish, all you have to do is to check on the menu to know how much does a fish cost.

If you are in Dallas head to Penzeys and peruse their incredible variety of cinnamon from around the globe, original spice blends and pick up a few vanilla beans from Madagascar at a bargain price.

A special thank you to my great friend JEN L for the introduction to Penzeys and sharing your Sunny Paris with me.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound Atlantic cod, or any white flaky fish
  • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Penzeys Sunny Paris spice blend
  • 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 lemon, zested
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons capers, drained

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350.

In a small bowl combine breadcrumbs, lemon zest, salt, pepper and Penzeys Sunny Paris spice blend.

Cut cod into 2 equal pieces. Pat dry with paper towel to remove any moisture and season both sides with salt & pepper and sprinkle ¼ tsp of Sunny Paris on each serving. Brush one side with Dijon mustard and top with breadcrumb mixture.

Preheat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add fish fillets and cook for 1 minute. Drizzle top of fish with a little olive oil and bake in oven for 5 minutes, or until fish is firm and done.

Meanwhile, heat a thin layer of olive oil in a small saucepan or skillet. When hot add capers and fry until crispy – about 2-3 minutes. Place on paper towel to drain. Note: STAND BACK – they will pop.

Remove fish from oven and top with crispy capers and fresh lemon juice.

Vegetable Omelette with Pecorino Romano and Aged Balsamic

yholmes 1 Comment

My most recent indulgence is a bottle of aged balsamic vinegar… it was worth every penny. The problem is I am now hooked and can’t stop putting it on EVERYTHING. It lacks the acidic hit its younger and cheaper sister is known for and is the perfect accessory to bring excitement to some pretty boring food.

Try it on a salad of arugula & spinach topped with figs, Pecorino Romano and a hard boiled egg. Or for dessert: vanilla ice cream topped with strawberries and a drizzle of balsamic.

I realize there are worse addictions to have… and I will hold out on that second job until I see just how long this little bottle lasts on my counter top.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 large whole egg
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1/2 cup roasted broccoli, chopped
  • 1 cup fresh spinach
  • 1/2 tomato. diced large
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • Pecorino Romano
  • Mozzarella

 

DIRECTIONS

 

Preheat oven to 450±.

In a small nonstick skillet, heat 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat. Add broccoli and spinach and season with salt & pepper. Sauté until spinach has wilted. Add tomato and sauté for 2 more minutes.

Add eggs on top of vegetables and cook until egg whites are almost cooked through, about 3 minutes. Top with a few pieces of mozzarella and shaving of Pecorino Romano cheese.

Bake in oven for just a few minutes for cheese to melt. Top with a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar.

 

Bok Choy with Shiitakes and Oyster Sauce

yholmes 1 Comment

I can’t say enough about my friend Catherine… whom I adore. Not only is she the kindest person with the sweetest smile, she is not afraid to give anything a try in the kitchen. We had a girls night in to catch up, drink wine and cook some things on our “blog list”.

She brought Mark Bittman’s Bok Choy recipe and I did my mom’s Beef Stroganoff (recipe coming soon). As an appetizer we devoured brussel sprouts glazed in maple syrup with bacon and for dessert we munched on squares of dark chocolate. Life is good.

Recipe by Mark Bitten for The New York Times

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 1/2 pounds bok choy, trimmed
  • 1/4 cup peanut oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (optional)
  • 1 cup fresh shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup commercial oyster sauce

 

DIRECTIONS

Soak shiitakes in one cup of very hot water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid. Trim mushrooms and chop. Separate leaves and stems of bok choy; cut stems into 2-inch lengths and slice leaves into ribbons.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. When oil is hot, add bok choy stems, garlic if you are using it, reconstituted mushrooms, and about 1/4 cup reserved mushroom water. Cook, stirring frequently, until stems are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil; sauté fresh shiitake mushrooms over medium-high heat. Continue cooking until they begin to brown and crisp on edges.

Into the large skillet or wok, add bok choy leaves and oyster sauce and toss vegetables gently to combine; continue cooking until greens wilt, about 2 more minutes. Serve immediately, topped with crisp mushrooms.

Brussel Sprouts with Shallots, Bacon and Maple Syrup

yholmes 3 Comments

This past weekend I took my beautiful friend, Jen from upstate NY, to one of my new favorite restaurants in Dallas: Neighborhood Services. I’ve dined at Neighborhood Services several times and am always impressed with the creativity of the chef & owner: Nick Badovinus.

I’m a lover of brussel sprouts IF they are roasted in the oven. I do not care for the boiled to death green balls of bitterness. These were so fabulous and the entire table raved about how delicious they were. So I set off to recreate them as best as possible and they are almost as tasty as Nicks.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 shallot, cut into thin strips
  • 1 tbsp. maple syrup: Grade A Vermont preferred
  • 1 tsp. brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • salt to taste
  • 2 strips thick cut bacon
  • brussel sprouts (as many as you want)

DIRECTIONS

Cut bacon into small dice – about 1/4 inch. Place in saute pan and cook over low heat. When crispy, drain bacon on paper towels set aside to cool. Keep bacon fat in saute pan for later.

Boil pot of water. Drop in whole brussel sprouts for 2 minutes. Remove from pot and place into bowl of ice water. Cut brussel sprouts in half, and spread onto flat baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil and lightly salt. Place on high shelf in oven and broil for about 7- 10 minutes or until lightly blackened.

In the saute pan with the remaining bacon fat, add 1 tbsp. of butter and melt over over medium heat. When melted, saute shallot until tender. Add maple syrup, brown sugar and apple cider vinegar and stir until slightly thickened. Toss in brussel sprouts and toss until coated.

Serve topped with bacon.

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