In the Kitchen

Mel has always loved to COOK. She knew cooking was in her bones from the instant she made her first lasagna as a girl. Something about making a mess in her mom's immaculate kitchen inspired her in an organic way; building layers and layers of flavor in a sloppy lasagna made her feel joyous. Now Mel cooks on instinct and by feeling, but always in an orderly fashion. Her plates represent her purest creativity tempered by skills she spent years honing. Whether she is trying to survive a busy Tuesday night or preparing for an extravagant week-end dinner party, she approach cooking will equal exuberance. Go on give a few of her most accessible recipes a try...

Simple Borscht and Khinkoli/6 servings
These days my natural curiosity about popular fare in Sochi is in full force.  According to CNN more than 7,000 foodservice works will have a hand in doling out approximately 70,000 gallons of borscht to hungry spectators during the 17 days of Olympic competition in Sochi.  Enjoy a few of the flavors of Sochi by marrying a duo Russian/Georgian  dishes.  Vibrant Borscht traditionally includes both beans and potatoes, but my streamlined version cuts back on the carbohydrates in order to make room for a garnish of a few Georgian meat-filled dumplings known as Khinkoli.

For the Borscht:

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 medium beets, peeled and cut into ¼” x 2” baton

2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

½ Cup minced white onion

5 Cups enhanced beef stock with vinegar

4 ounces of shredded red cabbage

1 Tablespoon chopped Dill

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

Sour Cream and chopped dill

Heat the olive oil over medium heat  and add the beets, carrots and onions.  Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally for three minutes.  Add the beef stock and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until beets and carrots are tender.  Add the cabbage and stir until wilted.  Stir in the brown sugar and adjust seasoning to taste.

For the Khinkoli:

1 pound ground beef

½ Cup minced white onion

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon salt

¼ - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes depending on taste

¼ teaspoon pepper

20 wonton wrappers

1 egg, beaten

Combine the beef, onion, dill garlic and seasonings in a bowl and mix well.  Lay the wrappers out on a work surface and place a generous tablespoon of the filling in the center of each wrapper.  Moisten the edges of each wrapper with a little beaten egg and fold according to the directions on the wrapper packaging or according to your personal preferences.  

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the dumplings and cook until they float to the surface of the water-about six minutes.  Alternatively the Khinkoli can be steamed for 8 minutes.

To serve:  Ladle the hot borscht into 6 serving bowls and top each portion with three Khinkoli dumplings.  Garnish with sour cream and dill sprigs and serve at once with rye bread and butter if desired.

Enhanced Beef Stock

This straightforward stock makes use of store bought stock and crock pot convenience.  I even like to cook mine overnight to maximize time.  

1-2 Bone in Beef Shanks

3 Tablespoons canola or grapeseed oil

1 Large white onion, cut into eighths

3 celery stalks with leaves, roughly chopped

2 Large carrots unpeeled, roughly chopped

12 parsley stems

10 Black peppercorns

2 thyme sprigs

1 large bay leaf

4 Cups reduced sodium beef stock

1 Cup water

2 Tablespoons cider vinegar (optional)

Season the beef shanks liberally with salt and pepper.  Heat the oil in a large skillet until nearly smoking.  Sear the shanks for 8 minutes per side or until deeply browned.  Transfer the browned shanks to a crock pot and add the remaining ingredients.  Cover and cook the stock on high for two hours before reducing to low.  Continue cooking for 6-8 hours.  Strain the solids from the stock and reserve for use in a myriad of recipes.

Week-Night Chicken Feta Pitas/serves 4-6

Bulgur sounds about as appetizing as bran flakes.  Sadly, this whole grain’s reputation has been compromised by the soggy pre-made Tabouli salads speedy shoppers purchase to meet their grab and go entertaining needs. Change your thinking about this great grain and befriend bulgur. bulgur contains notable amounts of fiber, b-vitamins, and protein and is nutritionally superior to most all whole grains.   Combining homemade Tabouli salad with grilled chicken and colorful garnishes to make a hearty pita sandwich is the perfect way to get to know this great grain.

For the Pitas:

6 Boneless-skinless chicken thighs, trimmed

4 Large garlic cloves, minced

1 Lemon, thinly sliced

1T Cumin

¼ C Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Chopped Cilantro (optional)

Tabouli Salad (recipe follows)

4-6 Whole Wheat Pitas

Hummus, Greek Yogurt, Cucumber Slices, Tomato Slices, and Kalamata Olives for garnish.

Toss the chicken thighs with the garlic, lemon, cumin, olive oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to a Ziploc bag and allow to marinate at least four hours or preferably over night.  Cook the chicken until cooked through on a medium hot grill until cooked through (about 10 minutes per side). Allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes before slicing on the bias (alternatively the marinated chicken can be pan cooked or baked). Toss the cooked chicken with the cilantro if desired and serve with the Tabouli Salad on warm whole wheat pitas, garnished with hummus, yogurt, cucumber slices, tomato slices, and olives.

Tabouli Salad:

½ C fine Bulgur wheat (I like Ziyad Fine Burghul #1)

3 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

3 medium cucumbers, seeded and chopped

1 medium red onion, minced

½ C Fresh parsley, chopped

¼ C Fresh mint, chopped

½ C Fresh Lemon Juice

½ C Olive Oil

1 Large Garlic Clove, minced

Salt and Pepper

Rinse the bulgur in several changes of cold water and place in a large bowl.  Cover grains with boiling water and a pinch of salt and set aside for twenty minutes.  Drain the bulgur and press out any excess water.  Mix the grains with the tomato, cucumber, red onion, parsley and mint.  Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper together in a small bowl.  Fold the dressing into the salad and allow to sit at room temperature for thirty minutes.  Makes about 7 cups.

Hot and Sour 101

When it comes to Asian soups Tom Yum and Hot and Sour have to be me all time favorites...my husband's too!  Unlike un-thickened Thai soups, Hot and Sour can often turn out to be an incredibly gelatinous disappointment when poorly prepared. When done well, however, the soup's delicate balance between acid and spice is both addictive and refreshing.  Give my version a whirl and spice up your family table.

1/4 Cup dried cloud ear mushrooms

1/4 Cup dried porcini mushrooms

1 1/2 Cup boiling water

6 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

1T cornstarch

6-ounce center cut pork chop, sliced into 1/4" strips

4 1/2 Cup chicken stock

Slurry (3T Cornstarch mixed with 3T water until smooth)

4-ounces extra firm tofu, cut like the pork

1/4 Cup bamboo shoots, cut into julienne strips

1teaspoon black pepper

1 Large egg, beaten

1Tablespoon sesame oil

Scallions, for garnish

Rice Vinegar and Chili Oil, for the table

Pour the boiling water over the dried mushrooms and set aside for twenty minutes.  Meanwhile combine the vinegar, soy, cornstarch, and pork in a bowl and set aside.  Drain the mushrooms and strain  the liquid through a fine sieve lined with a wet paper towel; reserve.  Slice the mushrooms into strips and set aside.  

Heat the chicken stock in a pot and add the mushroom liquid.  Bring to a boil and gradually add the slurry. Whisk until mixture thickens slightly and add the meat (with marinade), tofu, bamboo shoots and pepper.  Bring soup back to a simmer and stir clockwise several times before adding the egg in a steady stream into the swirling soup.  Allow to sit without stirring until the egg sets into ribbons.  Remove soup from heat and add the sesame oil.  Garnish with scallions and allow diners to add vinegar and chili oil as desired.

Game Day Potato Skins

When football season comes to a frenetic playoff peak and all roads lead to the Super Bowl, I know it is time to bust out the man-food.   I may not be able to speak intelligently about rushing yards, ineligible receivers, or roughing the passer, but I know what nibbles make a big game even more memorable and these indulgent potato skins will put anything you can find in the frozen food aisle to shame.

Go ahead and substitute the bacon for small broccoli florets to put a vegetarian spin on these game day treats; just don’t think they are good for you if you do!

6 small russet potatoes

Canoloa Oil for frying

salt and pepper

1 Cup Medium Cheddar Cheese

5 Slices of thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled

4 Scallions, thinly sliced

¼ C Sour Cream

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Scrub the potatoes, prick each one several times with a fork and place into the preheated oven to bake for 1 hour or until easily pierced with a wooden skewer.  Allow the potatoes to cool slightly before cutting each one in half lengthwise.  Scoop out enough potato from each half to create shallow boats that are about ½” thick.  

Heat 2”of canola oil in a frying pan until a bread cube sizzles on contact.  Fry the skins in batches, turning frequently,  until the exteriors begin to crisp and potato is turning golden brown at the edges (about 3 minutes).  Drain on paper towels.  Season the skins with salt and pepper and place on a parchment  lined baking sheet.

Sprinkle the skins with ½ the crumbled bacon and ½ of the sliced scallions.  Divide the cheese (1 generous Tablespoon per potato) among the skins and top with the remaining bacon.  Return the skins to the oven until the cheese melts (about 5 minutes).

Top each potato skin with 1 teaspoon of sour cream and sprinkle with the remaining scallions.  Serve at once.

Potato Skin Variations:

Once you’ve made a batch of basic potato skins you can feel free to get creative with the toppings!  If you are looking for a starting point try four of my favorites and then put your own spin on the skins.

Artichoke: Top the skins with quartered artichoke hearts, sautéed spinach w/garlic and smoked mozzarella and bake.  Garnish with sliced scallions and diced roasted red pepper.

Italian Beef: Top the skins with shredded Chicago Style Italian Beef and Provolone cheese and bake.  Garnish with hot or mild gardinera and grated parmesan.

Brat and Kraut:  Top the skins with thinly sliced cooked bratwurst, sauerkraut and cheddar cheese before baking.  Garnish with  diced white onion

Chorizo and Guac:  Top the skins with cooked ground chorizo, diced poblano pepper and queso fresco before baking. Garnish with sour cream and guacamole.

Spicy Basil Chicken
My husband loves a Thai dish called Spicy Basil Chicken and one of my all time favorite kitchen activities is re-creating restaurant dishes at home. When done well, Spicy Basil is a textural revelation celebrating an artful balance between sweet and spicy.

1T Canola oil

1 1/2 Large red bell pepper, sliced

1 small onion halved and sliced

1 Pound  ground chicken

3 cloves garlic, minced

1Tablespoon minced fresh ginger

2 Serrano chilies seeded and very finely sliced

Large handful of whole fresh basil leaves (Thai purple basil preferred)

1 1/2 Tablespoon fish sauce

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 Tablespoon light brown sugar

Cooked Jasmine Rice

Heat the oil in a skillet or wok until hot. Add the bell pepper and onion and stir fry until beginning to soften. Add the chicken. Work quickly to break it up into pebble like chunks with the back of a wooden spoon. When nearly cooked through add the ginger. garlic, chilies, and basil. Stir fry until basil wilts and mixture is fragrant. Combine the soy, sugar and fish sauce and add to pan all at once. Stir until moistened and flavorful, about 2 minutes. Season mixture with white pepper and serve over cooked jasmine rice.