CORRECTING MY OWN MISTAKES

We all make mistakes. In the kitchen, one can make a number of mistakes that can be immediately corrected during the cooking process and end up with the right dish. But sometimes you notice that something went wrong when you are done cooking. Are you going to throw out the dish and try to make something else, or try to make lemonade from the lemon you have at hand?

The first category of mistakes is the most common, and the easiest to fix:if you added too much liquid, if possible, you let the food cook a little bit longer until the excess liquid evaporates. You forget an ingredient, you add it, you skip a step, either you go back or amend the usual procedures to accommodate the wrong turn that you took.

But there are also big mistakes, mistakes that happen at the very end, when you think that the dish is ready, and to your horror, you discover that this was not what you expected or what you were aiming for. Believe me, every cook makes these kinds of mistakes. Don't worry, we'll always find a way to correct them.

CHICKEN  TENDERS

                                             

                               

Remember the chicken tenders I made for my last tea party? Of course you don't. I did not post the recipe. That was because they didn't come out the way I had hoped they would. You know that one of my basic principles when I am cooking for a crowd that I don't fry, and prefer to cook everything in the oven, especially the meats. But for the first time, I thought of putting aside this principle, because I was aiming for finger foods, and prepare some chicken tenders. My first instinct was to go for my usual recipe of fried chicken, but I wanted to improvise. Big mistake. I decided to cook the chicken tenders in the oven instead of frying them. So I did my homework and looked for recipes of baked chicken cutlets. I found a number of recipes, and they all promised juicy, well done, baked chicken. Not true.

In my mind baking instead of frying means less fat. All the recipes I found used fat in some form to marinate the chicken before cooking it, and then spray some cooking oil or fat on the baking sheet. This gives the impression that you are not actually using fat. But what about the whipping cream or the oil that you used in the marinade? Anyway, as usual, I decided to take the middle ground and eliminate this initial fat and use only the cooking spray, knowing that I used it before with success. Also not very advisable. I marinated the chicken as usual in some onion/garlic mixture, lemon juice, a pinch of oregano and of course salt and pepper. I dipped them in egg, flour and bread crumbs, and as a new thing, added panko (the Japanese crumbs).

I arranged the chicken tenders on a baking sheet spayed with cooking oil and baked them in a 375 degree oven. My husband came in the kitchen at this moment, asked what I was cooking, and made a remark that I should be careful not to serve half baked chicken. Maybe this was the mistake. I left them a bit longer in the oven. Also I think because of the added panko, they did not turn golden brown as expected, so I had to wait longer for that to happen. The end result was not very tender chicken tenders. They tasted good, but very dry.

So, I tried to save the leftovers. It was simple and easy: I made a gravy by cooking a finely chopped clove of garlic in a drop of oil, added some mushrooms from 2 (4 oz) cans, and diluted 2 heaping tbsp of chicken gravy powder in 2 cups of hot water and added them to the pan. I then added the chicken and let them simmer on low until the liquid thickened. The chicken tenders were saved. I served them over pasta with a salad on the side.

                                          

                               

GETTING READY FOR SPRING

Today is the first day of daylight saving time. The weather is beautiful in New York, at least from behind the windows. I woke up to beautiful blue skies, plenty of sun and lots of warmth, from the heating of course. They say it's rather cold outside, but I didn't go out today, I want to enjoy the illusion of getting closer to spring, before snow hits us again in a few days. All these feelings and expectations made me really think about spring. We have to get ready. So before it's time for spring cleaning, I should start checking out my freezer to consume whatever is still there, before we replenish the kitchen for the new season. I came upon a beautiful piece of salmon. This will be our dinner tonight.

 ORANGE FLAVORED SALMON WITH DILL MUSTARD SAUCE

                                                    

This turned out to be a very easy and delicious dish. Usually I cook salmon with a mushroom sauce, but today I thought of making something different, with a very light sauce. Luckily my husband was very enthusiastic about the idea, he thought that this would be a very welcome change in our routine. Still, he came into the kitchen several times to check on what I was doing, just to make sure. I made it with what I had at hand, nothing fancy. You'll need:

1 large slice of salmon, about 1 1/2 lbs, or 3 to 4 fillets

Zest and juice of 1/2 orange

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp mustard

2 tsp mayo

7 sprigs dill

2 tsp capers drained

1 tbsp oil

In a non stick pan, large enough for the fish you are using, arrange the slices skin side down. Sprinkle with the lemon juice, half of the orange juice and half of the orange zest. Add salt and pepper to taste, and the oil, and lightly rub it in the fish. Let stand until the oven is preheated. Place the oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. When the oven is heated, put the fish in the oven.

In the mean time combine the mustard, mayo, orange juice and zest in a small bowl. In the chop chop finely chop the dill and capers. Add them to the bowl and mix thoroughly. The sauce is ready. you don't need to add salt and pepper, the mustard and capers are enough.

Check on the fish after  about 12 to 15 minutes. We prefer it well done, but if you prefer to have it with some pink in the middle remove it from the oven. If you are like us, check the skin, if it is browned on the edges, it's good. You can turn off the oven and leave the fish inside for 5 or 6 minutes until ready to serve. Transfer the fish to the serving dish, the sauce to a small serving bowl. Serve with some mashed potatoes and salad greens. I actually used the sauce as dressing for the greens. Just thin it out with a drop of oil and you're done.
Note: you can make the sauce with yogurt instead of mayo. Today it so happened that I had these two spoonfuls in the mayo jar, and it was time to use them and put the jar in the recycling bin.

                                            

NEVER TAKE SOUP FROM STRANGERS

I almost never eat soup outside, especially at the cafeteria at work. I am not very finicky, I can go around the world and almost eat anything, a bit like Andrew Zimmern in "Bizarre foods", but I like to draw the line at soup. Why, you may ask, well, simply put, I am never sure what's in that bowl of soup. It may be too much fat, maybe some lard, and I don't eat pork, or maybe, which is the worst case scenario, the soup is made of all the leftovers in the kitchen. Don't tell me you're surprised by this last notion. Haven't you ever made soup from leftovers? I did, and it usually turns out to be delicious. But these are my own leftovers, I know how they were cooked to start with, and how they were made into soup. I don't know what happens in other peoples kitchens. So no soup from strangers.

MINESTRONE 
                                             

The main reason I hesitate in ordering this soup at a restaurant or at the take out place around the corner, is that I know that some recipes for minestrone call for cooking the onion either in lard or in the fat rendered by pancetta. Since I don't eat pork, I prefer to always make it at home. And believe me it's the easiest soup to make. You almost don't need a recipe for it. But I'll give you one anyway, even with some variations. For this specific minestrone, you'll need:

1 cup small pasta, I used "stelline" small stars, elbows or orecchiette are fine too

1 medium zucchini

3 medium potatoes

3 to 4 celery stalks

1 carrot or about 8 to 10 baby carrots

1 can canellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 (14.5 oz) can tomato sauce

1 tbsp oil

Start by preparing the vegetables: chop the celery, peel and dice the potatoes and the carrot, dice the zucchini (peel it if you want to, I didn't) by cutting it in half lengthwise, then again cut the two parts in half, and then dice them. The main idea here is to have all the veggies the same size so that they can all cook in the same time. In a large pot cook the pasta in the oil until light golden, stirring often so that you don't burn some of it on the bottom or the sides. If you want, you can add here some chopped onion and one finely chopped garlic clove. I didn't. Add some water, stir, then add the vegetables. Stir and barely cover with water. Bring to a boil, stirring every now and then to make sure that the pasta is not sticking to the bottom of the pot. You can add a couple of vegetable stock cubes or granules, or stock from the start. It all depends on taste and what you have at hand. When the pasta and veggies are almost done, add the tomato sauce and stir to combine. At the end add the beans, stir, and let it simmer on low for a couple of minutes more, just to incorporate. Serve topped with some grated cheese.

BEEF AND LENTIL SOUP

                                                  

I used to have this soup in France. I loved it. It was our favorite lunch during winter when I went to study with a friend of mine. Her mom made it for us, and because she knew of my diet restrictions she made sure that it didn't contain anything that I should not eat. When I tried to make it here, I checked out many cook books, and discovered that they had very complicated recipes for it. Some made it in the slow cooker, others through a very elaborate process. But all that is not for me. The principle of this soup is very simple, so why complicate things? I waited for the good opportunity to make it. That's when I had a piece of beef leftover from a beautiful roast I had made for dinner with friends, and a cup of cooked lentils from the last tea party. Of course you can make it from scratch, sear the beef cubes in some oil, then add water and let it cook until almost tender, then add all the other ingredients. But my way helps you use the leftover roast in a way that no one will suspect that this is "recycled" meat. Now, you do understand why I don't eat soup outside? You'll need:

3 cups cooked beef cubes

1 cup green lentils, cooked and drained. Don't rinse them

4 celery stalks, chopped

1 carrot, or about 8 to 10 baby carrots, peeled and chopped

1/2 small onion, chopped (optional)

1 garlic clove, very finely chopped ( optional)

1 tbsp oil ( optional)

I made the last three ingredients optional because if you want, you can totally skip this part. I did. So, if you are using the onion, cook it in oil  in a large pot until translucent, then add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the vegetables and stir for 3 to 4 minutes more, adding a pinch of salt and pepper. Add water to barely cover the veggies and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until the veggies are almost done. If you are using dry lentils, add them with the vegetables. If they are cooked, add them with the cooked beef when the vegetables are tender. Stir and let simmer until the soup is done. Serve topped with some chopped parsley for color.

SOUP DAYS ARE HERE TO STAY

The cold weather is still hitting New York. We are hit by storm after storm after storm. Judging from what I see on TV, we are not alone in this, it's all over the country even in places who never had winter before, let alone snow and ice. In these conditions, I don't cook anymore. The only thing I do when I go into the kitchen is look at what I have at hand and think of how to make soup out of it. Yes, I use what I have around, because I've limited my outings to the minimum. The only shopping I did, was for small pasta to add to my soups. 
I had some home made veal stock in my freezer, so I added some veggies to it, the simple frozen mixed vegetables that you get from any supermarket, and voila I had vegetable soup. Knowing that it was all home made, my husband had some of it. He liked it. So I got encouraged and kept making soup.

NON DAIRY CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP
                                                  

When I was checking my refrigerator two days ago, I found a couple of very ripe tomatoes and half a container of grape tomatoes that was sitting there for a week or so. It didn't go bad, but if left for a longer period I think it may have. So now I have too many ripe tomatoes on my hands, what can I do with them? The answer was obvious: I'll make soup. I thought of making a cream of tomato, but because I wanted to give some of it to a friend that doesn't eat milk, I had to think of a way of making it without cream or milk. That was easy. You'll need:

4 or 5 ripe tomatoes
About 2 cups grape tomatoes
1 (14.5 Oz ) can diced tomatoes with juices
3 celery stalks
2 to 3 scallions, chopped white part and some green
5 or 6 baby carrots, chopped
2 small potatoes or 1 cup flakes

Chop all the ingredients and transfer them to a large pot. Barely cover them with water and bring to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, to taste. When the vegetables are tender, remove from heat and let stand until cooled. 
Working in batches, beat the vegetables in a blender until smooth. Rinse and dry the pot, and return the blended veggies to it. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. If you are using the potato flakes add them now to the soup. You can also add a cube of vegetable stock or some granules. Adjust seasoning. Serve with some toasted bread on the side.
You may add a dollop of sour cream on top of you bowl if you want, and sprinkle with some chopped parsley, chives or cilantro. I had mine simple, just with some crackers.

ANOTHER TEA PARTY, II

EASY SALSA WITH AVOCADO
                                                     

Instead of a regular salad I opted for salsa. I thought it was better than the regular mixed salad, mainly because of the fine chopped vegetables and the fact that I can serve it with some store bought scoop chips. It is very refreshing, and your guests can scoop it with the chips as a dip.

It was a big success and everybody asked for the recipe. You'll need:

5 medium firm tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped

1/2 chopped green bell pepper

2 tbsp diced red onion

1/2 cup minced cilantro

2 tbsp lime juice

1/2 tsp each cumin and salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 avocados, ripe, but firm

To seed the tomato, simply chop off the top, where it has the green vine, and apply a little pressure on the tomato to push the seeds out. Start chopping from the top. If you find some more seeds in the lower part, press again to push them out and continue chopping. I usually peel the bell pepper with a vegetable peeler to remove the fine transparent film or skin. This is what make bell pepper hard to digest for some people, including me. Chop the pepper the same size as the tomato. As  for the onion, I usually let the red onion sit in some hot water for a few minutes before chopping it. Why? I discovered that some red onions are very strong, and that when "rinsed" in hot water for a couple of minutes, they become sweeter and lose the strong flavor, the pinch that sometimes can ruin your dish, especially if it is a raw sauce. Also instead of chopping by hand, I pulverize the onion in my little chop-chop, so that nobody gets a big chunk of onion under his tooth. 

Mix all the ingredients, except the avocado, in a bowl, cover it with plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. When ready to serve, add the avocado. Cut the avocado in half, with a knife trace 4 to 5 lines in two directions to form small squares, and then scoop with a spoon into the salsa bowl. Mix and serve. I put the bowl on a large platter and added the corn scoops on the side.

The recipe for the LENTIL DIP is on a previous blog (By special request on 9/19/12). Today I didn't add the chopped egg on top because of the vegetarian restrictions.

                                         

For the smoked salmon simply arrange the slices on a platter. I rolled the slices and arranged them in a fan pattern and added some black olives for color. 

Do the same for the beef slices.

                                               

ANOTHER TEA PARTY

Considering the success of my new formula of having friends for the "five o'clock tea" , I gathered some friends this week end in the honor of some visiting colleagues. The success of the formula comes from a delicate balance between the different items of your menu: you can have some store bought, and others, the easy and fresh one prepared at home, preferably the night before. This time I tried something new, since I had some vegetarians in the group. I mainly decided to make a lot of salads: salsa, three beans and lentils. I opted for an easy pasta dish, and a baked chicken dish. I ordered a platter of beef and spinach empanadas from a store close to home, where two sisters from Latin America make them from scratch. I also prepared one platter of smoked salmon, with cream cheese, capers, chopped onion and toast on the side, and another platter of " viande séchée", Italian dried beef slices, that you can buy from specialty stores, actually I got mine at Costco. For dessert it was strawberry mousse, home made, and a chocolate mousse cake, store bought, don't be greedy!
                                                   

SHRIMP AND BEANS SALAD
                                            

You may find a similar recipe to this one on an earlier blog. In fact, the idea of this salad is very simple: just combine three kinds of beans with fresh ingredients and add, or not, some shrimp. Why not? Because I was not sure that my vegetarian guests would eat shrimp, so after making the salad, I kept some on the side before adding the shrimp. You'll need:

1 can each: chick peas, black beans and white beans,

1/2 can of corn, drained

1/4 red onion, very finely chopped

2 celery sprigs, finely chopped

1/2 bunch cilantro finely chopped

1/2 cup lemon juice, or to taste
1 bag (about 2 lb) cooked shrimp, medium, 31-34 count

1 to 2 tsp cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

Drain, rinse and drain the beans and transfer them into a bowl. Add the celery, onion, cilantro, lemon juice and spices. Mix, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Remove the tails of the shrimp, and make sure that it is well drained. Transfer to another bowl and sprinkle with some lemon juice and cumin. Just before serving, divide the shrimp in two parts. Mix the first part with the salad. Arrange shrimp around the edge of the serving platter, then fill the platter with the salad. Arrange some shrimp on the top, and add some green leaves, cilantro or mint, on top as garnish.

COOKED ANGEL HAIR PASTA
                                    

This is a very easy pasta dish to make and it is really a crowd pleaser. You really don't need a recipe for it, it all depends on the amount you need to make, and your preferences. It is basically angel hair pasta, with some onion and carrots. It takes minutes to make, so plan accordingly: if your guests are supposed to come at 5 pm, you can make it after everything is ready, about 4 or 4:15. Keep it in the pan until ready to serve. It will not need reheating and will be as delicious at room temperature as hot from the stove. You'll need:

2 packages of angel hair pasta, I used 2 each 8.8 oz, and it was a bit too much
1/2 medium onion
1 large carrot or about 7 or 8 baby carrots
Chicken or vegetable stock, or granules
1 to 2 tbsp canola oil
Salt and pepper to taste

In the food processor pulverize the onion, then the carrots and transfer to a large non stick skillet. Add 1 tbsp oil and cook on medium heat until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Then add the pasta, with an additional tbsp of oil, and cook stirring frequently to get an even color. Make sure that you stir the pasta from the bottom and sides of the pan so that part of it doesn't get burned. When the pasta is golden brown, add liquid to barely cover it. Cover and bring to a boil on high heat. When the liquid is all absorbed, reduce heat, add some more liquid and stir. Cover and let cook. Check on the pasta after a couple of minutes, if it is not done add some more liquid, stir and adjust the seasoning if need be. When all the liquid is absorbed and the pasta done, not al dente, turn off the heat and keep covered until ready to serve. You can top the pasta dish with some toasted almonds and pine nuts.


                                            

THE LAST OF THE FESTIVITIES

Holidays are over, no more dinners or parties, but wait, don't put away the good china yet. We still have some more festivities to go through. Yes, we had many friends in town who decided to stay for a couple more days, and after being together in fancy dinners and restaurants, I decided to gather everybody at my place for one last party. I thought of a new formula for this gathering, something that would keep us all together drinking, eating and enjoying the company. Instead of the usual dinner, seated or otherwise, I thought of having everybody for tea at 5 in the afternoon. This way, people can wake up at their leisure, do whatever they have to do, have a light lunch, or nothing at all, if they woke up late as I did, then come for drinks and food, and go home at a decent time to get ready for the week. For me it was a snap: I had the cleaning lady the day before, so the house was clean and ready for guests. I prepared most of the things that evening, and left only some touch ups for Sunday. This formula allowed us to stay all together in one room, no going back and forth to the kitchen, and cleaning after they left was easy. The success of this new formula encouraged me to organize another one next Sunday in honor of a group of friends who are in town for the week. Hope the weather cooperates!

                                                

EASY MEAT BALLS

                                          

If I decided to have friends over for tea or drinks, please don't take that as just serving some store bought chips and dips. No, I actually served something ready (baked hors d'oeuvre), but with it I had a full menu all home made. Also, home made doesn't necessarily mean you have to slave over what you are serving and spend long hours in the kitchen. It's easy to find the right balance between easy and elegant. So these meatballs are the perfect idea for this menu. You'll need:

3 lbs ground beef

1 bunch each: parsley and dill

1 medium onion

3 to 4 garlic cloves

1 to 2 eggs

1/4 cup bread crumbs

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

In a food processor mince the onion and garlic. Chop the parsley and dill and add them to the food processor and pulse until you get a smooth mixture where you can't see the leaves of the herbs anymore. In a large bowl mix the ground beef with all the ingredients and the herbs until well combined. Don't work it too much or the patties will become tough. You will have to work them when you start forming the meat balls. Let stand for 30 minutes, then start forming the patties. Take about 1/3 cup in one hand, gently press your fingers over it, transfer it to the other hand to form a rather thick finger, then pat it down and shape it in an oval form. Keep the meat patties in a plastic container in the refrigerator. The next day, preheat the oven to 375, arrange the patties on a baking sheet, and put it in the oven undisturbed for about 15 to 20 minutes until the top is browned, and some juices are rendered in the pan. Turn the patties and give them another 7 to 10 minutes and remove them from the oven and let them cool before you transfer them to the serving dish.

CHICKEN KEBAB

                                                      

That's another easy dish that people will think you've spent a whole day preparing, while it only took 30 minutes or so. The special marinade with an Indian twist gives it an extra flavor, a kick, that makes it different from any other chicken dish you can serve. It can be made with breast or thighs. I made both, knowing that some people prefer breast or dark meat. I have to confess that I made a boo boo while preparing it, but, was lucky enough to correct it before it was too late. What was that? Well I mixed all the chicken pieces together before putting them in the skewers, so it took me longer to separate them. To avoid this, marinate the chicken pieces separately. Also I made a lot, it was helpful because the children came the next day and found something nice to eat, and I took some of it to work for lunch. You can halve or double the recipe easily. You'll need:

4 half chicken breasts, skinless and boneless, fat trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes

5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, fat trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes

3 tbsp frozen onion/garlic mixture

3 tbsp lemon juice

3 tsp garam masala (Indian spices), or more to taste

1 tsp curry powder

About 2 cups plain yogurt

Salt to taste 

In a glass bowl mix all the ingredients together. Let stand for 30 minutes, then start putting 3 to 4 pieces in bamboo skewers that were previously soaked in hot water. Arrange the skewers in a rectangular dish, deep enough to hold the whole quantity you're making. Cover with plastic or aluminum foil and refrigerate until the next day. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, arrange the skewers on a baking sheet and cook until one side is browned, then turn once, and let cook until done. Let cool, then arrange on the serving dish. The chicken kebab can be served at room temperature. 

COUSCOUS AND SHRIMP SALAD

                                      

                                                   

Another easy dish you can make ahead and get a lot of praise for it. Actually this dish was the star of the party, everybody liked it and asked for the recipe. It can be prepared a day ahead, or the same day. You can use cooked shrimp or cook the shrimp yourself. This time I made it in the morning and used cooked shrimp. It actually doesn't need a recipe. All you have to do is cook the couscous according to the package directions, chop some lettuce, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion and cherry or grape tomatoes, toss everything with the shrimp and your favorite dressing. Go for a simple vinaigrette, or add a tsp or two of mustard. Just let it marinate in the refrigerator for an hour or two so that the flavors can combine together. How easy is that? As usual, I made the couscous just with the boiled water, no butter added.

I also served some ready hors d'oeuvre that you can buy frozen and bake while you have the oven on, and on the side a cilantro pesto made of cilantro, red onion, garlic, lemon juice and oil, all finely chopped and to taste, and my special sauce (7/15/12) with mustard, capers and dill.