Frost Kissed Artichokes with Honey Dijon Mayonnaise

Artichokes are a fussy vegetable. They aren't a bundle of asparagus spears, easily turned into a tasty side with some olive oil, a sprinkling of salt and pepper and a splash of balsamic vinegar. In fact they barely even resemble something edible.

Artichokes are all about process. From prep to cooking to that culminating moment when you finally sit down to eat the fruit (or veggie) of your labors. Instead of resenting the artichoke for its demands of high maintenance, we embrace it.

Each step lovingly performed. First the trimming of pointy ends to avoid pricked skin. Then in this case, a lobbing off of the top third to create a nook to hold the creamy dip. Lemon juice thoroughly applied to the exposed surfaces to prevent discoloration. A hot steamy boil to cook and a cool refreshing one after to stop the cooking process. Finally, the inedible parts of the choke carefully removed. 

A dollop of dip is placed in the hollow and then you can sit down with your reward, dipping each of the outer leaves into the embodiment of richness.  Peeling off that bit of artichoke, delicious and grassy in its own right, but hinting at the grand finale to come later. The inner leaves become completely edible, a crescendo of artichoke, building and building and building until that glorious and bittersweet moment comes when you realize that the heart is all that's left. The artichoke is almost finished but the most delicious bites still await you. That heart is carefully portioned out into equal size bites, neither too big nor too small but that Goldilocks-size of just right. A slight hesitation is made before dipping your one remaining chunk of heart. Very slight...

Now "frost kissed" artichokes are particularly amazing.  During those occasional winters in California when the temperature drops below freezing, we get a couple weeks of unusually nutty and delicious artichokes labeled, "frost kissed."  They may look a little off-putting, with the brown blistering outer leaves, but fully cooked, they are fantastic, and must be picked up whenever available!

Ingredients
2 frost kissed (or large globe) artichokes
2 egg yolks
1 cup canola
2 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (I like Maille brand)
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon lemon juice
fresh thyme sprig
salt and pepper to taste
lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions
To start, set a large pot of salted water on the stove to boil. Using kitchen shears, trim off pointy tips of artichoke leaves. Using a large, sharp knife, cut off the top 1-inch of the artichokes and the end of each stem. Using a knife, remove any small leaves attached directly to the base of the stem. Wash artichokes thoroughly under cold water to clean them off, and dry with paper towel.

Once water is boiling, place artichokes in, and cover with a clean cheese cloth, dish cloth, or cloth napkin. This will soak up water and ensure the artichokes stay wet while cooking. Cover pot with lid and cook about 15-20 minutes. When they are ready, they should be just soft enough to push a fork into the inside of the stem, but no softer. Carefully remove artichokes and pace in a colander over sink to drain.  Place in a large ice bath.

I like to make mayonnaise by hand, though I know others find the food processor easier to use for this. I place the egg yolks in a small bowl, then place a cup of oil next to me and get out a tablespoon. Whisk the egg yolks to break them up. Add a tablespoon of oil. Whisk that into the egg yolks so the yolks absorb it. Then repeat. And repeat. Just be patient. It will probably take about 10 minutes to get through all the oil. Then stir in the Dijon, honey, lemon juice, thyme leaves, and salt and pepper.  Refrigerate until serving.

When ready to serve, carefully remove the innermost clump of leaves to expose the fuzzy choke beneath.  Using a spoon, scoop out all of the fuzzy choke and toss.  Sprinkle salt and pepper into the exposed heart. Then, spoon the honey Dijon mayonnaise into the hollow of each artichoke.  Serve with lemon wedges.

Taco Bell's Carnitas Steak Burrito - A Review

It had been one of those days.  The words "Wow Max, that is quite a mess you've got going on here" were overheard as I stumbled out of bed. Stools were being maneuvered around the kitchen, the key to toddler muffin stealing.  Painting time turned into finger painting.  Which turned into a trail of handprints as I attempted to wrangle the toddler for a cleaning.  Markers were used to color not pieces of paper, but tiny hands.  And again, the toddler had to be chased for more cleaning.  Tantrums appeared to be erupting all over the place.  And each mess of toys seemed to give birth to three more messes.

On a day like this, I knew getting dinner on the table would be challenging, to say the least.  More likely, an impossibility.

That afternoon, the most wonderful of emails was sitting there, just waiting to be read.  One that said we would have the opportunity to review the Carnitas Steak Burrito through Daily Buzz Food and Taco Bell.  It appeared to be fortuitous timing.  Dinner was figured out!

Click here to read the full review.


I was financially compensated for this review by Taco Bell through DailyBuzz Food. The opinions are completely my own, based on my experience.

Dan Dan Noodles Recipe

I love Chinese food but I rarely make it at home. I have a few favorite recipes, but I am definitely interested in trying more so I was thrilled to see Fuchsia Dunlop's latest cookbook, Every Grain of Rice which focuses on simple Chinese home cooking. I like the book, my only complaint is that sometimes more explanation of certain ingredients would be helpful; for example in my local Chinese markets I can find lots of different noodles, but some of the recipes just say "wheat noodles" or when I see an ingredient like celery I wonder, should I use conventional celery or Chinese celery? 

I made a dish I adore and which is featured on the cover, Dan Dan noodles. While I have certain ingredients like both dark and light soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar and Shaoxing wine in order to make this particular dish I went ahead and purchased some sweet fermented sauce and embarked on a search for find ya cai. Ok, this is where is gets complicated. I searched high and low at every Chinese grocery store I could find and there was no ya cai, a kind of preserved mustard green. In fact one store told me they hadn't carried it in a long time despite requests from restaurants. I did find lots of other preserved vegetables and Tianjin preserved vegetable another kind of salt pickled cabbage with garlic which I used instead. It's a delicious savory vegetable that adds a really nice texture to dishes and is fairly easy to find. 

I adapted the recipe just a tiny bit, I didn't think the oil was necessary for frying the ground pork because it is so fatty anyway and of course, I had to substitute Tianjin for ya cai. I am going to keep looking for ya cai, but I am very happy to have discovered preserved vegetables and now that I have purchased several kinds I will be experimenting with them. They are inexpensive, come in many different varieties like turnip and cabbage and mustard green stems, and if you like salty picky flavors they are very appealing!

Note: if you can find ya cai by all means use it

Dan Dan Noodles adapted from Fuchsia Dunlop

Makes 2 large servings

1/4 lb ground pork (I used  fatty not lean)

2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine

1 teaspoon sweet fermented sauce (also called sweet bean sauce)

1 teaspoon light soy sauce

11 ounces fresh wheat noodles, medium thickness (not the very thin or wide ones)

3/4 cup chicken broth

2 teaspoons light soy sauce

1 teaspoon Chianking vinegar (also called black rice vinegar)

3 Tablespoons chili oil or to taste

5 Tablespoons Tianjin preserved vegetables  (Tianjin is often available in a squat brown ceramic pot)

1/4 cup sliced green onions, divided

Heat a wok or large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the meat and cook, stirring to break it up. When the meat is cooked, add the Shaoxing wine and the sweet fermented sauce and stir to combine. Cook until fragrant, but still juicy. Remove from the heat and set aside. 

Heat the chicken broth in a pan or microwave, then add to a large serving bowl. To the broth add the soy sauce, Chianking vinegar, chili oil, the Tianjin preserved vegetables and 3/4 of the green onions. 

Cook the noodles then rinse and drain. Toss the noodles with the sauce and top with the meat mixture and the reserved green onions. 

Enjoy! 

Disclaimer: I received Every Grain of Rice as a review copy, this post includes an Amazon affiliate link

Swiss Chard, Potato, and Caramelized Onion Hash with a Heart-Shaped Egg

Nothing says love like a heart-shape egg... Placed ever so gently onto a heap of potatoes, caramelized onion, and swiss chard.  Sprinkled with a bit of cheddar and microbroccoli.  Okay, maybe love isn't quite the sentiment being conveyed.

But definitely whimsy.  Like full on, shouting from a megaphone style whimsy.

Which is why I totally adore Valentine's Day.  I abhor the complaints about how Valentines Day is a made up holiday by Hallmark and such.

Okay 1) It has been around way longer than Hallmark has existed.  2) There are few other days on the calendar where you can break out the heart shape cookie cutters, egg shapers, and dye food vibrant hues of red and pink with such wild reckless abandon. 3) I hate to get all ad hominem, but I'm going to anyway.  You have no soul.  Like saying, "I don't get it," while watching the Puppy Bowl with its super adorable kitten half time show (you know who you are) soulless.

Love is good.  Pink is good.  Red velvet is good.  Hearts are good.  Fun and festivity and whimsy, especially in the midst of post-holiday malaise, are all good things.

Hurtling through this existence and not eating a heart-shaped egg is bad.

I had some things in the fridge that needed to be used up, so I adapted this recipe from Cooking Light with what we had on hand. And of course, I lack the capability of turning a poached egg into a heart shape.  So I fried them instead.

Ingredients
1 sweet potato, diced
1 russet potato, diced
extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
fresh thyme sprigs
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 strips crisped turkey bacon
3 cups thinly sliced swiss chard
1 cup spinach leaves
1/2 cup caramelized onions
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon truffle oil
salt
pepper
cayenne
4 eggs
handful of grated extra sharp cheddar
microbroccoli, for serving

Instuctions
Heat oven to 425.  In a dutch oven, toss the potatoes with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and paprika.  Mix in the garlic.  Throw in the sprigs of fresh thyme.  Roast for about 20 minutes, or until crispy.  Feel free to do everything on the stove, though, like in the original recipe.  I did it like this to free up my time for the rest of the prep.  In the meantime, crisp up the bacon.

Once the potatoes are done, take out of the oven and place the dutch oven on the stove.  If you need to deglaze the pan, throw in a splash of white wine or even some rice wine.  Over medium heat, add a bit of olive oil, then the swiss chard and spinach.  Cook for about 4 minutes, until tender.  Be sure to stir frequently.  Add in the caramelized onions, vinegar, oil, and seasonings.

For the fried egg:  Melt butter in skillet on medium heat. To get the heart-shaped egg, we cracked the eggs into Norpro Nonstick Heart and Pancake Egg Rings, then continued to fry just until egg white is cooked, or sunny-side up, roughly 1 minute. You could also fry the egg normally and cut the egg into a heart shape.

Serve hash with a heart-shaped egg, a sprinkling of cheddar, and a sprinkling of microbroccoli.

Comfort Food Cookbooks

I love exploring the Russian grocery stores out on Geary Street in San Francisco and often purchase luscious sour cream, delicate blini and caviar, sweet cheese pancakes, frozen pelmeni and vareniki dumplings and different varieties of smoked fish. So I was very excited to see that A Taste of Russia by Darra Goldstein was being reprinted on the occasion of it's 30th anniversary. It's filled with all kinds of dishes I want to make such as Piroskhi, Cabbage with Noodles and Poppy Seeds, Radishes in Sour Cream, Cranberry Kvass and Circassian chicken. It's my first Russian cookbook and while lacking photos, it does cover all the basics with recipes that are easy to follow and helpful and enlightening notes from the author who spent time living in the former Soviet Union. I think this Valentine's Day I might make a Russian feast!

Another book that recently caught my eye isBreakfast for Dinner. Clearly I'm not the only one to resort to breakfast for dinner on tough days. I love the quote in the beginning of the book that says "…eating breakfast, even if it's at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, is a sign that the day just begun and good things can still happen." The cookbook is divided into sections--main dishes, sides & starters, drinks & desserts. The egg, biscuit, waffle and pancake variations make perfect sense to me, though I think recipes like Cornflake Crusted Chicken Tenders and Grapefruit Risotto with Seared Scallops are a bit of a stretch. Just using cornflakes or grapefruit doesn't really make it breakfast. But whether you are looking for new ideas for breakfast or for dinner, there are lots of brilliant recipes like Habanero-Cheddar Bread Pudding, Scrambled Egg & Salmon Quesadillas and Bananas Foster Crepe Cake. 

Maybe it's just my love for potatoes, but another cuisine I associate with comfort is Irish food. Cooking teacher Rachel Allen's latest book is Rachel's Irish Family Food and it has loads of dishes that while nothing fancy are particularly appealing this time of year. I've bookmarked Ham and Egg Pie, Oatcakes, Beef and Red Wine Pot Pie and Whole Grain Shortbread. Many of the recipes are very simple and for things I'm not sure I really need a recipe for like Salmon with Capers and Dill, Slow Roasted Shoulder of Pork and Creamy Mashed Potatoes, but if you are just starting out cooking, are firmly in the meat and potatoes camp or are just looking for more options on St Patrick's day, this book is a good pick. 

Salty foods make me happy but imagine for a minute if you had to give up salt. How would you make food taste good? Sodium Girl blogger Jessica Goldman Foung has painstakingly experimented to figure out how to make some of her favorite foods without adding salt or even using salty ingredients. While I'm not giving up olives or blue cheese anytime soon, I learned a lot from reading her book, Sodium Girl's Limitless Low-Sodium Cookbook (with fab photos from fellow blogger/photographer Matt Armendariz). There are nifty substitutions plus tips and techniques for getting the most flavor out of food without salt using spices and garlic or garlic powder, umami broth and sometimes emphasizing the natural sweetness in foods. She even has cheese free versions of macaroni and cheese and quiche that sound and look very comforting. While this book is primarily for those who need to give up salt, there's a lot in it we can all learn.

Disclaimer: This post includes Amazon affiliate links and I received the books as review copies. 

Flatbread Pizza with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, Broccoli, Caramelized Onions, and Pineapple

Lots of roasting happened in the making of this pizza.

I like thinking of the oven as a "black box."  And unlike most metaphorical black boxes, I actually don't like to analyze this one.  Usually, I love thinking about the "why."  Which I'm sure my mom just loved as I was growing up.  Actually, I am still scolded for over-thinking things.

I could learn all the mechanisms by which browning occurs and so on.  But if I do, it would no longer be the mysterious box into which things are placed and then deliciousness occurs.  I've actually had a lifelong reticence to learning about such processes.  As a high school student, I got it into my head that I was not going to take chemistry.  I didn't, and it felt like such a victory.  I carried my anti-chemistry flag right through college and grad school.  I can be such a contrarian sometimes.  I have little doubt that learning some chemistry would explain a lot of the magic, but I obstinately refuse to get into it.

When broccoli and garlic and red peppers are doused in some olive oil, salt, and pepper and put into this magic box, loveliness happens.  So I let the oven work its magic...and then add some fresh pineapple chunks for a sweet, juicy counterpoint.

Ingredients
Roasted broccoli:
3 cups broccoli florets
olive oil
salt
pepper
red pepper flakes
1 lemon wedge

Roasted red peppers:
3 red peppers, cut into quarters
olive oil
salt
pepper

Roasted garlic:
1 head of garlic
1 tablespoon oil

Caramelized Onions:
2 onions, peeled, halved, then sliced

Roasted red pepper pizza spread
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 (15.5) ounce can cannelini beans
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
juice from 1/2 a lime
salt and pepper to taste
the roasted garlic
the roasted red peppers

Cheeses:
1/2 cup grated extra sharp cheddar
1/2 cup grated mozzarella
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

about 1 cup of fresh pineapple chunks
2 flatbreads (we used Stonefire's garlic naan)

Instructions
To roast the broccoli: Heat oven to 425. Place florets on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle red pepper flakes, salt, freshly ground black pepper and Parmesan cheese over pieces. Roast for about 25 minutes, until pieces are soft and have that delicious browning on them. Remove from oven and squeeze fresh lemon juice over top.

To roast the garlic: Heat oven to 400. Take off the papery outer skin of the garlic bulb. Don’t remove all the skin, just the stuff that comes off easily. The head of garlic should still remain intact. Slice off the pointy end of the bulb to expose all the cloves. Place in a small greased ramekin and cover with the olive oil. Sprinkle just a pinch of salt and cover with aluminum foil. Place in oven and roast for about 45 minutes. The cloves of garlic will be all nice and soft.

To roast the red peppers: Heat oven to 425. Place red peppers on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle red pepper flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper over pieces. Once one side of the veggie has a nice brown color, flip; then continue roasting for a total of about 35 minutes.

To caramelize the onions: Place a tablespoon of olive oil in large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion slices. Don’t stir too often yet. Let the pieces brown, without getting burnt. After about 15 minutes or so, once slices have mostly browned, I like to turn the heat down to low or medium low. Stir frequently. I like adding a bit of water or oil every so often to keep the pieces from burning or sticking too much. After about 40 minutes or so, the onions should have a dark brown, jam-like quality.

To make the red pepper spread: In a medium sauce pan, add oil, beans and their liquid, red pepper flakes, roasted garlic, and roasted peppers. Cook on medium low for 10 minutes. Season with lime juice, salt, and pepper. Blend with an immersion blender, and season again if needed.

To make the pizzas: Spread red pepper sauce on flatbreads. Top with cheeses, caramelized onions, and broccoli. Bake at 375 until cheese is all melted and the flatbread is getting crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Once it is done cooking, finish with fresh pineapple chunks.

Pistachio and Apple Salad with Gingery Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

As the tot and I ambled to the nearby park for "lets shovel some sand in the castle-shaped bucket" time, I noticed a lemon wedge.  As did Max.  He politely gave me the used lemon wedge, and I threw it back on the ground, distracting his attention by pointing out the helicopter overhead.  I, of course, did not want to appear ungrateful.

When we actually arrived at the park, I noticed a wedge of lime and a slice of orange.  Used.  Luckily, Max did not notice these and happily began shoveling .  It was strange - finding these lonely remains of fruit scattered on the sidewalks and through the park.  What happened to the rest of these fruits?  Is this a sign that I should be making something with citrus today? Why such variety in citrus?  Is there an outbreak of scurvy?

These questions will forever remain unanswered.  And while this story is rather random and rambly, the mix of pistachio and apple should never be viewed as such.  These aren't two strangers passing through the night.  Pistachio and apple are like two people who just meet, but instantly find that comfortable, well-worn rapport of long time best friends.

I wish I had noticed their amiability before.  Though I have an unfortunate habit of not noticing things around me. I sometimes need to be pulled back from walking into oncoming traffic.

This combo occurred to us one morning while eating a "breakfastable," a morning homage to our beloved Lunchables we delighted in finding in our lunchboxes as kids.  When putting together a "breakfastable," we place crackers, fruit, nuts, cheese, and bacon on the table and have at it. It is during one of these that we discovered the phenomenon of pistachios and apples.

And I took the morning citrus wedge sightings as a sign.  I made a lemony poppy seed dressing with a hint of ginger to coat a salad made with pistachios, apple chunks, mustard greens, arugula, and browned chicken.

Ingredients
1/2 pound chicken breast, chopped
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
ground ginger

2 cups mustard greens
2 cups spinach
2 cups arugula
2 minced celery stalks
1-2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup roasted and salted pistachios
1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
sprinkling of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
black pepper, to taste

Instructions
Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and some ground ginger.  Place canola oil in pan over medium high heat and add chicken.  Brown the sides, and take off heat once the chicken has cooked through.

In a big bowl, toss cooked chicken, mustard greens, spinach, arugula, celery, Parmesan, pistachios, and apple.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, poppy seeds, salt, mustard, honey, ginger, and black pepper.  Pour desired amount of dressing over the salad and toss to coat.