Crisp Potatoes with Salsa Verde Drizzle for Tyler Florence Fridays

My choice for Tyler Florence Fridays, his Crisp Potatoes with Salsa Verde, isn't the prettiest Tyler dish I have ever made but it is tasty. Yukon gold potatoes are crisped and browned in a pan ad the served with a green sauce of olives, garlic, capers, parsley and lemon. It is a good side dish or for me, a small plate with a simple green salad made a nice dinner.

This recipe comes from Tyler's Food 911 on the Food Network and the recipe can be found here. 

Crisp Potatoes with Salsa Verde Drizzle 

Tyler Florence

(Yields 10 Servings)

3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves chopped
4 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup green olives, pitted and chopped
2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 bunch fresh parsley, leaves chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced

Peel the potatoes and slice them into thin 1/8-inch thick slices. Put them into a large bowl and toss with the thyme, rosemary, and olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Place a large skillet onto the grill and coat the bottom with olive oil. Place the slices into the pan, overlapping them in 1 layer until the entire surface is covered with potatoes. Drizzle some more olive oil over the top. Cook over medium-high heat until the bottoms are browned and crisp. Turn the potatoes over and cook the other side until they are browned and crisp.

In a food processor add the olives, capers, garlic, and parsley. Process, adding some olive oil in a thin stream, until you have a smooth puree. Mix in the lemon juice and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Coat the bottom of a large platter with some of the salsa, pile the potatoes on top, and drizzle on some more salsa.


Notes/Results: A great combination of flavors, the tangy salsa verde partners well with the creamy flavor and crispy texture of the potatoes and it goes together quickly and easily. The recipe calls for a skillet on the grill, I used a pan on the stove with just a bit of olive oil for the potatoes and made the salsa verde in the mini-chop. I used one potato as I wanted a light dinner with the potatoes and a green salad, but I went ahead and made a half batch of the salsa verde. I think the leftover salsa will be great on fish or chicken or even spooned on top of a baked potato. This is a simple dish that I will make again. 

You can check out what dishes the other TFF participants chose and see what they thought of the recipes by going to the round-up on the TFF site here.

Nigella Lawson's Scallops & Chorizo--A "One Pot Wonder"

This week's I Heart Cooking Clubs theme is "One Pot Wonders" which means recipes where all the elements are prepared in one pot or pan. I am almost embarrassed about posting this recipe for Scallops and Chorizo from Nigella Express because it is so simple and once your scallops are defrosted, it takes less than 10 minutes to have this on the table. An easy tapas or starter with some crusty bread to soak up the sauce or if served on top of salad or saffron rice, a nice lunch or dinner entree. 

Nigella says, "I have long been a fan of scallops and bacon and scallops with chile, and this is my combination of the two, using chorizo--the sausage not the salami--to ooze its paprika-hot orange oil all over the sweet, white scallops. It's quicker than the speed of light to make and quite as dazzling."

Scallops and Chorizo

Nigella Express, Nigella Lawson

(Serves 4 as Main Course for 8 as Starter)

4 oz chorizo sausage 

1 lb small scallops (halve them to make 2 thinner discs if they are very fat)

juice of half a lemon

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Slice the chorizo into rounds no thicker than 1/8 inch. Put a pan on the stove to get hot and then dry-fry (the chorizo will give out plenty of its own oil) the chorizo rounds until crisped on either side; this should take no more than 2 minutes. Remove chorizo to a bowl or serving plate and fry the scallops in the chorizo oil for about a minute per side. Return the chorizo to the pan with the scallops, add the lemon juice and let bubble for a few seconds before arranging on a serving plate and sprinkling with lots of parsley. 

Notes/Results: A great little dish that goes together very quickly and is quite tasty. The combination of the sweet scallops and lightly spicy chorizo brightened by the lemon is excellent. I also like the fact it uses only four ingredients plus a little pepper (with the chorizo, no salt was needed) and they are things I had in my freezer and pantry. This would be an effortless party dish and I would make it again.

You can see what the other IHCC participants chose as their "one pot wonders" by going to the IHCC site here.

Use It Up Dinner: Quick & Easy Eggplant, Zucchini and Chicken Sausage Over Rice Noodles

With zucchini and eggplant sitting in the vegetable drawer along with some chicken sausages from the farmer's market and wanting a quick and easy dinner, I threw together this Quick & Easy Eggplant, Zucchini and Chicken Sausage over Rice Noodles. The sauce is basically a combination of a couple of sauces from my vegetarian cooking classes with the ingredients changed up a bit. The almond butter gives it a nice, slightly nutty taste and the lite coconut milk makes it creamy. Served over thick rice noodles with a simple salad with miso dressing, it makes a delicious Asian-themed dinner in less than 30 minutes. 

Quick & Easy Eggplant, Zucchini and Chicken Sausage Over Rice Noodles

by Deb, Kahakai Kitchen

(Serves 4-5)

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 Japanese eggplants, sliced on the diagonal
1 medium zucchini, sliced in half-moons
2 chicken sausages (about 8 ounces), sliced in half moons
2 cloves garlic, minced

Sauce--recipe below
salt / pepper to taste
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped for garnish

Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat, add onion and saute a few minutes until it starts to soften. Add in the eggplant, zucchini, sausage and garlic and cook until crisp-tender. Add in the sauce, cover and simmer about 5 minutes, then add salt and pepper to taste and garnish with cilantro. Serve over rice noodles.

Sauce:
1 can (14 oz) coconut milk (lite or 1/2 can regular diluted with 1/2 can of water)
1/3 cup almond butter
2 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari

1 Tbsp ginger grated
1 Tbsp agave
juice of one lime
1 tsp sambal oelek (or other chili paste)

salt and pepper to taste

Blend all ingredient together in blender and season / adjust flavors to taste.

Notes/Results: Creamy and good, I loved the pairing of the chicken sausage and the veggies. Because I was feeding my Mom, I lightened up the spice level just a bit, but more sambal oelek or other chili paste would also be nice for a spicier version. You could also sub peanut butter for the almond butter--I just like the taste of the almond butter and usually have it on hand. Served over rice noodles (and if you use tamari or a gluten-free soy sauce), it is a great gluten-free meal. 

I am sending this one to Presto Pasta Nights being hosted by the wonderful Joanne at Eats Well With Others. Check out her blog on Friday for a round-up of some yummy pasta dishes.

Things I Am Loving This Week

Time for the "Things I Am Loving This Week", those (mostly) food-related things that I am enjoying and want to share. This week seems to have taken a departure from the mostly healthy food and recipes I normally have on the site and is a bit more indulgent. Oh well... balance in all things is important! 

I love the way my kitchen smells when I make a batch of lilikoi curd. Lilikoi (you may know them as passion fruit), are starting to show up again at the farmer's market and when they do, I grab them to make some curd. Delicious spread on an English muffin, bread or a scone, a cute little jar of it also makes a great gift. (As you can see, I ran out of my "cute little jars" and have one big jar and three little ones. Hmm... who should get that big jar?)

I find the process of making the curd soothing and meditative. There is something about standing over the double boiler, whisking the thin liquid and waiting for it to become custard that I find two parts relaxing to one part exciting, as I wait to see if it thickens up properly. You can find the recipe I use and pictures of the process on an earlier post here. Yes, it is a lot of butter, eggs and sugar but oh so good!

I love hanging out (and eating) on the North Shore of Oahu. It is beautiful and has a laid back vibe that makes it relaxing. I didn't manage to take a lot of pictures when we were up there last week but I did capture at least some of what we ate. 

There are tons of great places to eat on the North Shore, but sometimes you need to just pull over and enjoy a plate of garlic shrimp from one of the ubiquitous shrimp trucks parked along the road. Everyone has a favorite but arguably the most famous is Giovanni's.

Simply a big paper plate full of a dozen garlicky shrimp with two scoops of rice, topped by even more garlic so you can be sure you won't be attacked by vampires any time soon after consuming it. You eat at picnic tables under the trees and it is a good idea to get plenty of napkins and have some towelettes in the car. Finger-licking good! ;-)

Although I didn't take photos so you can't prove it, I'll admit to stopping at North Shore Chocolate and Espresso to grab a couple sweet treats made with local North Shore grown chocolate. Mom had the espresso truffle, I had a raspberry one and we split a mini "turtle" tart, with nuts, caramel and chocolate in a tiny crust. Yum! Having our "pre-dessert", we toured around a bit and then headed up to Ted's Bakery for a slice of their famous Chocolate Haupia Pie. A layer of chocolate pudding-like filling, a layer of haupia, (a coconut pudding-like filling) and then topped with whipped cream. Other places in Hawaii do it but Ted's Bakery does it best. 

More than a few calories were consumed that day--but we did enjoy it.

I love my childhood favorite, Chicken Fricassee. It's homey, comfort food and what I requested every year for my Birthday dinner, so since I have a too-rapidly approaching Birthday, my Mom offered to cook it for me while she was here. Since you should never turn down a home-cooked meal from your Mom, I said yes. ;-) My Mom is not sure of the exact origin of the recipe, but she adapted it slightly from her Mother's recipe. In any case, it is a family favorite. 

Chicken Fricassee

by Deb at Kahakai Kitchen's Mom & Grandma

1 whole chicken cut up or your favorite chicken parts

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

3 Tbsp canola oil

1 Tbsp chopped dried onion or fresh onion if you prefer

1 Tbsp of dried parsley
2 cans Campbell's low-salt / low-fat Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can Campbell's low-salt / low-fat Cream of Mushroom Soup 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Wash chicken pieces and  pat dry. Put the flour, paprika, salt and pepper into a Ziploc bag, add chicken pieces (1/2 at a time) and shake until chicken is covered. Heat canola oil in a large skillet or pan and put chicken in pan, skin-side down, (do in batches if necessary), and lightly brown on both sides. Put browned chicken pieces in a single layer in prepared baking pan. Stir soups, 1&  1/2 cans water, minced onion and parsley flakes together and pour over chicken. Cover with foil and bake for about an hour and fifteen minutes or until chicken is done, removing foil for the last 15 minutes of baking time. Season to taste. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes. 

Yep, not healthy at all but for a once a year treat, it makes me happy. (And notice I did have a small side of veggies with it!) ;-)

So these are the "Things I Am Loving" for this week. How about you? What's your favorite childhood comfort food or indulgence?

Portuguese Bean Soup for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

When selecting this week's soup, I decided to make Portuguese Bean Soup, (a local favorite here in Hawaii), so my Mom could try it. Just about every local cookbook I own has a recipe for it, but I finally settled on a recipe from By Request: The Search for Hawaii's Greatest Recipes by Betty Shimabukuro of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. It is the recipe used for the Punahou School Carnival, scaled down, as for the carnival upwards of 1,800 gallons are prepared each year. (I figured if they sell that much of it, it must be good!). I boiled the ham hocks and made stock from them the night before, then Mom and I made the soup after a long day on the North Shore and a warm bowl of it really hit the spot for dinner. 

The book says, "It is especially filling, with cabbage and macaroni cooked in. To cut the fat in this soup, cook the ham hocks a day ahead and refrigerate the broth. The next day, remove the hardened layer of fat atop the broth, then complete the soup."

Punahou Portuguese Bean Soup

By Request: The Search for Hawaii's Greatest Recipes, Betty Shimabukuro

(Makes 10 Large Servings)

1 lb ham hocks

3 small cans kidney beans

2 large potatoes, cubed

3 large carrots, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 16-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 16-ounce can tomato sauce

1 lb Portuguese sausage, diced or cubed

1 cup macaroni, uncooked

1 tsp granulated garlic

1 Tbsp sugar

salt and pepper to taste

1 medium head of cabbage, cubed

Boil ham hocks in 2 quarts water until tender (save stock). Cut meat from the bones. Bring ham stock to a boil and add the cut meat and all the remaining ingredients except the cabbage. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring frequently. If too thick, add a little water. Add the cabbage, cook until tender. 

Notes/Results: This is a wonderful soup, very thick, hearty and so full of flavor. One of those soups that you just want to keep eating even as it fills you up and it tastes just as good days after it is made. We made a few changes, starting with cooking the ham hocks in a combination of chicken stock and water, for the extra flavor. Next, we reduced the amount of Portuguese sausage from 1-lb to about 1/2 pound, (with the meat from the ham hocks, all the veggies and the macaroni it was more than plenty), and used about 1/2 of the head of cabbage. Speaking of the macaroni, I used about 2 cups and rather than the normal smaller elbows, I used some larger pasta that was marked "conchiglie" or seashell pasta on the package, (although I think they resemble a small "lumaconi" or giant snail pasta in their shape--see pasta shape pictures here). Finally, we cooked the soup for about 50 minutes which was plenty and since we don't like mushy pasta or cabbage, I added the pasta about 20 minutes out and the cabbage and meat from the ham hocks (so it wouldn't break up too much) at about 10 minutes out. I bought a local Portuguese sausage (from Kukui Sausage) at the farmer's market but if you can't find Portuguese sausage where you live, (it is sometimes called Linguiça and is a cured pork sausage seasoned with onions, garlic, and paprika), you could easily use a spicy kielbasa or a smoked Spanish chorizo. This is a keeper recipe and won an enthusiastic thumbs up from Mom too. As you know, I make and eat A LOT of soups and this one is definitely going into my "Top Ten Best Soups" that I will be posting in a couple of weeks as Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays hits its one-year anniversary. 

A quiet Sunday, we just have a few friends in the kitchen this week but it looks like they brought some yummy soups and stews to try:

Debs from Deb Cooks... is back this week with a warm and toasty French Onion Soup. Debs says, "It's beginning to feel like summer is over and this weekend it didn't stop raining (grrrrr) so I felt in the need for some comforting soup to warm me up. Not that it was cold, but with the rain comes the dreaded feeling of winter on it's way. Anyway, now I've depressed you all, here's the recipe that'll cheer you up as well as warm you up. Yeah, yeah, I know I should have wiped the bowl before putting under the grill, to remove the little bit of soup I spilt, and it would not have got baked on. Hey ho, a rustic dish should look rustic I say."

A foodie classic was on the menu for Natashya from Living in the Kitchen with Puppies. She says, "This month for Recipes to Rival, we made Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon, a beef stew made with red wine, bacon, mushrooms and onions. As was her custom at the time, there are a large number of steps that seemed superfluous; so I simplified the way I made mine. For my own I didn't blanch the bacon, just browned it and the other ingredients bit by bit, the beef tossed in the flour & salt and pepper, and tossed all the browned meat and veggies into the slow cooker. Then I used the liquid to deglaze the pan, seasoned it with the garlic, thyme, tomato paste and salt and pepper and reduced it before adding it to the slow cooker. I stirred the stew together, adjusted the seasoning to taste, and cooked it in the slow cooker for about 5 hours. It turned out wonderfully, nice and tender and rich, and lovely on a bed of buttered whole wheat egg noodles."

Kait from Pots and Plots has been attempting to recreate a favorite restaurant dish. Kait says, "Three years ago one of our local restaurants had a soup they called Baja Chicken Enchilada Soup. I got to have it maybe 3 times before it was permanently removed from the menu due to lack of interest. I just have to say how much that totally SUCKED because this soup was awesome. So I have been trying to duplicate it from memory ever since. Nothing has been quite right and by now, I’m sure I barely remember what it tasted like. But then I threw this together this morning for a last minute Thoughtless Thursday post. By Jove, I think I got it! Or at least something I’m willing to accept as sufficiently awesome that I’ll keep the recipe. It’s not as fix it and forget it as a lot of crock pot recipes, but it’s well worth the effort. And at only 344 calories and 10.4 grams of fat per bowl, it’s a dieter’s dream."

Thanks to Debs, Natashya and Kait for keeping me company today and sharing their wonderful dishes. If you have a soup, salad, sandwich or combination that you would like to share, click on the logo on the side bar for all the Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays details. 

Have a great week! 

Sin-Ger Thirst Quencher (Hibiscus-Ginger Drink): A "Simple Saturday Sipper"

I am still working my way through the bags of dried hibiscus I had my Mom send me from Trader Joes several months ago and I found the recipe for this Sin-Ger Thirst Quencher from Vegan Soul Kitchen: Fresh, Healthy, and Creative African-American Cuisine by Bryant Terry. This refreshing drink it somewhat seasonless with the tang of the hibiscus and lemon and the spicy warmth of the ginger. With the Vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, calcium, and iron and antioxidants in the hibiscus, it makes for a healthy "Simple Saturday Sipper". 

According to Terry, the drink was inspired by one at a Senegalese restaurant called Joloff in Brooklyn, where they combine a traditional Caribbean drink called "sorrel" that is made from dried red hibiscus with a ginger drink. Dried hibiscus can be purchased at health or specialty stores and according to Bryant Terry, in Caribbean or Latin markets where it is called "sorrel".

Sin-Ger Thirst Quencer

Vegan Soul Kitchen by Bryant Terry  

(Yield 12-14 Servings)   

13 1/2 cups water

1 cup (about 1 ounce) dried hibiscus

1 cup fresh ginger juice (from 2 packed cups freshly grated ginger--see below)

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3-4 lemons)

1 cup agave nectar or simple syrup

In a large saucepan over high heat, combine 7 cups water with the hibiscus. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile in a 1 gallon pitcher combine the ginger juice, lemon juice, agave nectar, and the remaining water and stir well. Refrigerate.

Allow the hibiscus drink to cool for 2 hours and then strain into the pitcher with the ginger drink mixture. Mix well and refrigerate until cool. Serve over ice.

Note: For ginger juice: To get ginger juice from ginger knobs, grate them on a coarse grater (no need to peel) or pulverize them in a food processor. Wrap them in cheese cloth and squeeze to extract all the juice. You can also squeeze the pulp through your hands without cheesecloth in batches and then strain the juice. 

Notes/Results: An excellent drink, tangy and not too sweet, (I did lessen the amount of the agave syrup it called for a bit), the drink has a great combination of flavors. I had some ginger juice from a company that makes it here in Hawaii, but it is easy enough to make on your own. Hibiscus has been used for weight loss, strengthening the immune system, preventing bladder infections, curing constipation and is thought to be beneficial in lowering blood pressure and controlling cholesterol. Ginger is known for its ability to sooth gastrointestinal distress and its antioxidant properties among other benefits. Delicious and good for you too--what could be better?

Pan-Roasted Halibut Shutome (Swordfish) with Prosciutto, Lemon, White Wine, and Capers for Tyler Florence Fridays

This week my pick for Tyler Florence Friday's is his Pan-Roasted Halibut with Prosciutto, Lemon, White Wine and Capers. Although Tyler used halibut, fresh, local shutome or swordfish is about half the price of halibut here and is...well...fresh and local, so that is what I used. Served with some Ewa Sweet Corn and a Trader Joe's Multi-Grain Pilaf with millet, cracked wheat and soy beans in a tomato base with spices, it made an easy and delicious dinner.

 

The recipe is from Tyler's How to Boil Water on the Food Network. You can find the recipe here. 

Pan-Roasted Halibut Shutome with Prosciutto, Lemon, White Wine, & Capers

Adapted from Tyler Florence

(Serves 2)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground salt and pepper
2 (6-ounce) halibut fillets
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
2 slices prosciutto, cut into strips
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 teaspoons capers
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley plus whole sprigs, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put the flour on a deep plate or in a shallow bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Dredge the fish in the flour. Put a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and the butter and get the skillet hot. Add the fillets and cook until browned on 1 side, 2 to 3 minutes. At the same time, add the prosciutto and cook, stirring, to brown. Then flip the fish, put the skillet in the oven, and roast until the fish is just cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Remove the fish to 2 serving plates. Dump the prosciutto out onto paper towels to drain. Put the skillet back over medium heat. Add another tablespoon olive oil, the white wine, lemon juice, capers, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the parsley and bring to a boil; boil until reduced and thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the fish, top with the prosciutto, and serve immediately.


Notes/Results: Delicious--a great combination of some of my favorite flavors and ingredients. The shutome worked really well, it was fresh and stayed very moist and tender. I made just a few changes to the recipe, lessening the butter by about 1/2 and using just a bit of oil. I also used the entire lemon and doubled the capers. With the saltiness of the capers and the prosciutto, you will want to be careful with the salt on this one, I was right on that edge, although my Mom, who likes more salt on her food than I do, found it perfect for her. The fish went well with the sweet corn and the rice, which I topped with some chopped pistachios for a bit of crunch. All in all, it was quick to throw together and made for a tasty dinner.  

You can see what recipes the other TFF participants chose for this week and what they thought of them by checking out the round-up at the TFF site here.

Happy Aloha Friday!