the undertaking

To be honest, I actually had planned the following menu before seeing the movie:

Herb and Parmigiano Crusted Tilapia with Quick Tomato Sauce
Sauteed Broccoli Raab with Chili, Garlic, and Lemon
Great Garlic Knots

What I hadn’t planned for until after the movie gave me that little boost of extra motivation, however, was dessert.  Gianduia Mousse.  I always need something sweet after Italian food.  Here is how the day/night rolled out.

I had taken the day off because we are in an economic crisis and are supposed to take days off when there is nothing to do.  Well, lately there hasn’t been a single day that fit that description, but Friday was going to be the closest thing.  Or maybe I just made it seem that way in my head so I felt justified in taking the day off to cook.  First step was grocery shopping and between all the different grocery stores, all the ingredients were found with the exception of broccoli raab.  The produce guy at Gelson’s said they do carry it but were currently out and were expecting a shipment the next day.  The next day didn’t work for me, so Sauteed Broccoli Raab with Chili, Garlic, and Lemon became Sauteed Broccolini with Chili, Garlic, and Lemon.

The first thing I made was the dessert, which I picked because it actually seemed pretty easy.  Let me tell ya, skinning hazelnuts is not easy.  I followed all the instructions and about 1/3 of the skins came off.  But to get the rest… that is an hour of my life I won’t get back.  The end result was decent, but not worth ever doing it all again.  Just too sweet for my taste.  The whipped topping, however, will probably be used again.  Two ingredients, only minutes of work with an outcome that is light and fluffy.

And something else that isn’t easy… tying dough into knots.  I couldn’t find refrigerated breadstick dough anywhere so I went with refrigerated pizza dough instead, which a few reviewers said was the better way to go anyway.  I decided to make garlic knots because I thought there would be a lot of sauce leftover from the main dish and we would need something to dip in it.  Turns out we had zero sauce left over, which is unfortunate because they really needed to be dipped in something.  I chose the healthiest garlic knot recipe, so of course it was probably the least flavorful.  They were nothing compared to the little pieces of heaven at C&O Trattoria in Marina del Rey, but they are worth making again as long as next time there is something delicious to dip them in.

I chose tilapia because my boyfriend said he wanted to try fish again and my mom ha told me before tilapia was a good fish for people who don’t like seafood because it doesn’t really have a taste of its own and just takes on that of which it is served with.  So cooking tilapia and smothering with tomato sauce sounded like a great idea.  And boy was it!  Honestly, we had know idea we were eating fish, it just tasted like flakey goodness.  One lesson I learned is don’t use tongs to turnover and serve fish because it will fall apart.  But yes, it was delicious and he ate every bite unlike my last attempt at fish, a salmon dish I had to finish for him.  He particularly loved the tomato sauce, which is great news since it was super easy.  The tilapia was easy too, except for chopping all the herbs.  Not a fan of prep work, as you know.

I may have started cooking the broccolini a little late in the game and therefore was rushing so it probably was not as good as it could have been.  I bought a lemon zester for the occasion, but when it came down to game time I realized I didn’t know how to use it.  So I squeezed in some lemon burst instead.  And then at the end I forgot to squeeze the lemon juice over it.  Oh well, I don’t care for veggies that have too strong of a lemon flavor anyway.  The scant 1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes definitely added a kick though.  May try the recipe again if I ever get my hands on some broccoli raab.

So all in all, not a remarkable meal, but I am still pretty proud of myself.  I made a lot of food and all of it was edible and we stuffed ourselves full.  The main course, at least, has definitely earned a spot in regular recipe rotation.

Herb and Parmigiano Crusted Tilapia with Quick Tomato Sauce

serves four

2 large cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbs.)
6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes
Pinch granulated sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
3/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as thyme, parsley, chives, or oregano
Four 6-oz. skinless tilapia fillets
1 large egg

In a small (1- to 2-quart), heavy saucepan, cook the garlic in 2 Tbs. of the oil over medium heat until it begins to color, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, sugar, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, on a large plate, toss the breadcrumbs, Parmigiano, herbs, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper.

Season the fish with salt and pepper. Beat the egg in a wide, shallow dish. Dip each fillet in the egg and then the breadcrumb mixture, pressing it on to help it adhere.

In a 12-inch heavy-duty nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 4 Tbs. olive oil over medium-high heat. Add two of the fillets and cook until the coating is nicely browned and the flesh is opaque and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Use a slotted spatula to move the fish. Repeat with the remaining fillets. Serve the tilapia with a spoonful of the sauce.

Sauteed Broccoli Raab with Chili, Garlic, and Lemon

serves four

3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. minced garlic (2 to 3 large cloves)
Scant 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Finely grated zest of half a lemon; plus fresh lemon juice to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. broccoli raab, rinsed, trimmed, and blanched

 

Put the oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a 10- to 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Cook until the garlic is fragrant and starts to sizzle slightly, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low if the garlic starts to brown. Stir in the lemon zest, 1/4 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Raise the heat to medium high and add the broccoli raab, turning to thoroughly coat in the oil and spices. Turn frequently, until it is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, sprinkle lemon juice over the broccoli raab, toss again, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

 

GREAT GARLIC KNOTS

Gianduia Mousse

serves six

 

For the mousse:
6 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup Hazelnut Butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the garnish:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 Tbs. finely ground toasted hazelnuts (see the Hazelnut Butter recipe for toasting directions; grind the toasted nuts in a food processor)

To make the mousse:  In a 2-qt. metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring with a rubber spatula until the chocolate is completely smooth. In a separate small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup of the cream over medium heat to just below the boiling point. Remove the bowl of chocolate from the pan of water and wipe the bottom and sides dry. Pour the hot cream into the melted chocolate and stir together with the spatula until well blended. Add the hazelnut butter and stir until well combined. Stir in the 2 tsp. vanilla.

In a chilled mixing bowl, using chilled beaters, beat the remaining 1 cup cream until it holds soft peaks. With a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture in four batches, blending thoroughly after each addition. Pour the mousse into a 1-1/2 qt. soufflé dish or serving bowl, or into individual serving bowls or glasses. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours (or 1 hour if using it to fill profiteroles).

To make the garnish:  In a chilled mixing bowl with chilled beaters, beat the 1/2 cup cream until frothy. Add the 1/2 tsp. vanilla and continue beating until the cream holds soft peaks. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream on top of the mousse. Sprinkle the chopped hazlenuts over the whipped cream and serve.

Hazelnut Butter

 

yields about 1 cup

 

8 oz. (1-2/3 cups) hazelnuts
1/4 cup vegetable oil, such as canola or sunflower

To prepare the hazelnuts:  Heat the oven to 350°F. Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in the heated oven until the skins are mostly split and the nuts are light golden brown and quite fragrant, 15 to 18 min. Don’t overcook the nuts or they’ll become bitter.

Put the warm hazelnuts in a clean dishtowel. Fold the towel around the hazelnuts and let them steam for at least 5 min. Then rub the nuts in the towel to remove most of the skins (try to get at least 50% of the skins off). Let the hazelnuts sit for another 10 to 15 min. to cool completely. Toasted, peeled hazelnuts can be cooled and frozen in a sealed plastic container for up to three months.

To make the hazelnut butter:  Put the nuts in a food processor; add the oil and pulse a few times. Then process, checking the consistency every few seconds, until the texture resembles that of natural, unhomogenized peanut butter or wet sand, 1 to 2 min.

*All recipes except for Great Garlic Knots thanks to www.finecooking.com

Julie/Julia

I went and saw Julie & Julia last Thursday, not because I had a strong interest in the movie, but because I was invited to a free screening.  This post isn’t going to be a movie review, but I will say that I was pleasantly surprised.  Of course, how could I not have liked it considering one of the two main characters blogs about cooking.

The reason I am mentioning it is to give background information for my next post… meaning it will explain why I couldn’t wait to get in the kitchen and cook the next day and why I may have gotten a little carried away.

The good news is, no, I do not plan to copy Julie Powell and work my way through Julia Child’s cookbook which I know does sound like something I would attempt to achieve.  But its been done already, obviously.  And while I wouldn’t be surprised if the movie does spring many copycats, I’m not going to be one of them.  I mean, if you see the movie, my kitchen is about the same size as hers except I don’t have a full-sized fridge, and believe me, she is not making meals like this out of that kitchen:

One of the cool things though is that her blog is still out there in cyberspace.  And she has a new one that she still uses.

The Julie/Julia Project

What Could Happen?

So while I am not going to repeat Julie Powell’s undertaking, when I move into a new place with a bigger kitchen I very likely will buy Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” and try a few recipes here and there.  The easier ones.

you’re probably wondering

You are probably wondering why the sudden motivation to get caught up on food blogging?  Of course you are.  Well, the reason is last night’s dinner.  It looked a little something like this…

Ok, it looked exactly like that.  It was that.  And it was good.  Really good.  After finishing it off, my boyfriend said I had every right to quote him on my blog saying, “That was the best main dish you’ve made to date.”  He went a little overboard with the compliments through the whole meal, but I wasn’t going to stop him!

I found this recipe on finecooking.com and just couldn’t resist.  Or should I say I found a picture and reviews of the recipe.  The website only shows a few recipes to those who aren’t paying members, and I refused to pay since so many recipes are available elsewhere online for free.  However, the more I looked the more I kept coming back to this one.  So, I called my mom who first told me about the site figuring she was a member and I could use her login information.  Unfortunately she no longer is a member, but fortunately she has back logs of the recipes, including this one!  She was a sport and read the whole thing to me over the phone.

In hindsight, it would totally have been worth paying for and I am now a member so that I can pass it on to you!  Well, that and now I have access to all their recipes which I hope are just as good.  Since I am still a beginner cook, a lot of times cooking at home actually turns out to be more expensive than eating out because I don’t always have all the spices, herbs, and other small ingredients I need.  This one however, we definitely saw the savings.  The meat itself was $18 for the two filets, maybe another $10-$15 for remaining ingredients I didn’t have.   So we’ll say $30 total for two filet dinners.  You’re not going to see that price at any fine dining restaurant!

One thing that the website doesn’t have that I was able to get since my mom had the recipe from a different source was recommended wine pairings.  It mentioned Petite Syrah, something with a little spice, so we stopped by BevMo and picked up a bottle that seemed to match that description.  What a great pair!

I could continue to go on, but how about you just try it for yourself.

FILET STEAKS WITH AN IRISH WHISKY & PAN SAUCE

4 1- to 1-1/4-inch-thick pieces beef tenderloin (about 7-1/2 oz. each)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs. vegetable oil (if not using a cast-iron pan)
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
3 Tbs. finely chopped shallots (from 1 large shallot)
1/4 cup Irish whisky, such as Jameson, or brandy
1/2 cup homemade or low-salt canned beef or chicken broth
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 to 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Season each steak generously with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy-based (preferably cast-iron) skillet that’s large enough to hold the steaks over high heat until quite hot. (Add the 1 Tbs. vegetable oil if not using cast iron.) Test by touching the edge of one steak to the pan surface; it will sizzle briskly when ready. Immediately drop in the steaks and sear one side for 2 minutes. Sneak a peek to see if the first side is nicely browned. If not, continue to sear that side for another minute or so. Flip the steaks and sear the other side for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium high, cook for another 2 minutes, flip, and cook until a digital instant-read thermometer in the center of the meat reads 120°F for rare or 125°F for medium rare, another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the steaks to the warm platter and let them rest, covered loosely with foil, while you make the sauce.

To make the pan sauce: Return the unwashed pan to medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until fragrant and just tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the whisky or brandy and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan. Add the broth and Worcestershire sauce, raise the heat to medium high, and bring to a boil. Whisk in the mustard and then the cream. Continue to cook at a boil, stirring, until reduced to a saucy consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste the sauce and season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Serve the steaks with the sauce.

And though I didn’t talk about them, the GREEN BEANS WITH SHALLOTS are worth trying too.

chicken breasts with balsamic vinegar and garlic

Ok, I know it isn’t the most photogenic of chicken dishes, but don’t judge the ugly chickling!  At only 268 calories per serving and 30 grams of protein, not to mention I had just about every ingredient in the apartment already, this dish was a great find.  Not the best chicken dish to date, but definitely one of the better ones, I even ate about half the mushrooms you see in the picture above.  Now that’s saying something.

Click the link below for recipe:

CHICKEN BREASTS WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR AND GARLIC

mediterranean night

My friend Sarah posted some recipes from her cooking class and they looked/sounded so good I couldn’t wait to try them myself!  One more reason why I enjoy blogging and recipe sharing.  I get to reap a few of the benefits of a cooking class without spending the time and money for the actual class!  Thanks Sarah for letting me do so!

MARINATED LAMB KEBABS

While these tasted great, the best part was actually the smell.  Just that little touch of cinnamon made them mouthwatering!

ZUCCHINI FRITTERS

The only downfall to these is there is a lot of prepwork involved.  Lucky for me, however, is that when I need assistance my boyfriend is always willing to help!  He is better at chopping anyway and his eyes have a better tolerance for onions than mine do.  So for me on this particular occasion, there was no downfall!

And since I didn’t have to do any of the prepwork, making these was actually really fun!  Not sure why, but I really enjoyed flipping them like pancakes, trying to get the timing just right.  Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever made pancakes before.  I guess that is why that thrill seemed new to me.

Anyway, the outcome was fantastic and we both ate way more of them than we thought we would.  In my opinion, the yogurt recipe wasn’t needed for these, but it did go well as a dip for the kebabs.  I ate the leftover fritters for breakfast but they were definitely better the first time around.  Morning after, the taste of the feta was a whole lot stronger and just too cheesey for what I can handle in the early hours.  For dinner though, man were they yummy!

Thanks again Sarah!  This meal is sure to be repeated.

awesome recipe recommendation

I really need to try harder to post about my cooking more quickly after cooking and consuming it.  This particular meal was almost a month ago now, but it was memorable enough that I feel I can still give it an accurate review.  DELICIOUS!  The chicken was moist and flavorful.  The chow mein noodles added a great crunch to the green beans.  I was a little nervous about the couscous since I had never tried to make it before.  It looked either undercooked or overcooked, I couldn’t tell, but it actually turned out pretty good and we cleaned our plates of everything.  Thank you SuzyQ for the recipes, and thanks Mom for passing them on to me!

Chicken with Artichokes & Sun-Dried Tomoatoes

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4 

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breast, raw
• 3 tablespoons I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Mediterranean Blend
• 1 garlic clove
• 14 ounces artichoke hearts, canned in water
• 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes (not oil packed)
• 1 cup fat-free, reduced sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Finely chop the garlic clove. Drain the can of artichokes. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes. Season chicken, if desired, with salt and ground black pepper. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, melt 2 tablespoons I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® Mediterranean Blend spread over medium-high heat and cook chicken, turning once, 6 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. Remove to serving platter and keep warm. In same skillet, melt remaining tablespoon Spread over medium heat and cook garlic, stirring occasionally, 30 seconds. Add artichoke hearts and tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Stir in broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened. Stir in cheese. Spoon over chicken.  (Personal Note:  I am not a big fan of artichoke hearts so, while I did cook with the amount the recipe called for, when the sauce was done I picked out the big hunks and just left in the little pieces.)

Asian Green Beans

Prep Time: 5 minutes or less
Total Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4 

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons Bertolli® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 pound whole fresh green beans
• 3 tablespoons Lawry’s® Marinade Teriyaki with Pineapple Juice
• 1/4 dry cup chow mein noodles

Preparation

1. Finely chop garlic. 2. In 12-inch skillet, heat Olive Oil over medium-high heat and cook garlic 30 seconds. 3. Add green beans and Marinade and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until beans are tender. 4. To serve, top with chow mein noodles.

Curried Whole Wheat Couscous

Prep Time: 5 minutes or less
Total Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons raisins
• 1 Knorr® Vegetable Bouillon, Extra Large Cube, crumbled
• 2/3 cup couscous, whole wheat, dry

Preparation

1. In 2-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat and cook curry powder 30 seconds, stirring. Add water, currants, and Knorr® Vegetable Bouillon Cube to a boil over high heat. 2. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered 2 minutes. Stir in couscous, then remove from heat. Let stand covered 5 minutes. 3. Fluff couscous with fork before serving. Garnish, if desired, with chopped fresh parsley.

*WARNING* Whole wheat couscous does look similar to mouse droppings.  If you spill it while cooking be sure to clean it up immediately so that you don’t think you have a mouse when you are cleaning two weeks later like we did.