Conservative Cook

Here Comes the Artichokes

LowDownCentral — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 11:00:00 +0000

A favorite vegetable of mine that also grills well is the prickly artichoke. There are a couple of essential steps involved in preparing it for the grill, or your oven broiler if you don’t have a grill. Today I’m using the broiler method. Three simple ingredients can turn a common choke into something really special to enjoy as a first course, or if you’re lucky enough find some extra large ones, even a whole meal.

We had a wonder preparation of this vegetable in France in 2000. We stayed in the little northern town of Brittany. Being right on the coast, we learned that was perfect weather for growing artichokes. There were many fields near and within just a few of miles of the hotel. Even so, there weren’t any artichokes on the hotel menu, and one night the chef really outdid himself to impress us with a surprise. We had asked him about it earlier, and he didn’t really have any particular reason why they didn’t use them in their kitchen. Our appetizer looked more like a work of art than something to eat, and I tried to duplicate that beautiful presentation after we got home. This is as close as I have come.

Toasty Grilled Artichokes

2 fresh large artichokes

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Pare off bottom leaves on chokes, and trim the discolored stem end. Place the chokes in large kettle of water. Bring to a boil, lower temperature to simmer, cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes—depending on size of choke—or until the stems are slightly tender to the point of a paring knife.

Drain off water. Remove chokes to a plate for 10 or 15 minutes until cool enough to handle.

Slice chokes in half. Carefully lift out the very center from the smaller purplish leaves to the fuzzy part of the choke. Loosen the fuzzy center with a small paring knife by gently inserting it down and across the top of the base and lift out the center. Avoid cutting too deep or too far down into the heart—it’s really the best part!

Generously sprinkle salt and pepper between the leaves and over the cut side of the choke. Slowly drizzle the oil over the cut surface so that it “washes” the salt and pepper down between the leaves.

Preheat broiler and place halves cut-side up on baking pan. Broil for about 4 minutes, or until the leaf edges are brown and crisp. Remove to serving dish. Because the oil and seasonings basted the choke in the oven, you won’t need any sauce for dipping. They taste great just like that.

Enjoy!

A Creamy Coconut Delight

LowDownCentral — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:00:44 +0000

For all you coconut fans, here’s something that should remind you of a sweet treat you’ve enjoyed in an old Southern diner, or maybe at your grandmother’s house. I found this recipe and changed it a little to make it easier.

My dear mother-in-law was very fond of shopping old bookstores for recipe books, so I was naturally very happy when I inherited a lot of those cookbooks. She had been collecting them for years. I don’t even know if she ever made any of these foreign dishes, but she always had plenty of her old American favorite recipes pinned up on her kitchen bulletin board. Since I’ve always loved coconut too, the first recipe I looked for was one with coconut. I found one and with a little tweaking, it turned out to be a definite winner.

It’s actually a variation on a standard custard recipe. I recently baked one for some dinner guests, and while I was delighted at how much they enjoyed it, I was a little disappointed at how there was none left over.

Even a novice in the kitchen can turn out a perfect custard, and this variation is just as easy. First you’ll need to boil some water. Let it simmer while you assemble the other ingredients.

Coconut Custard

Boil six cups of water, and keep it simmering on the stove until you’re ready to bake the custard.

Preheat Oven to 350°

Mix together:

4 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 C sugar

1/3 t salt

Gradually add:

3 C hot milk

1 t vanilla extract

½ C shredded toasted coconut

Stir well to combine, and pour into 8-inch greased baking dish. Place the dish in a large pan, and carefully pour the hot water around the sides of the dish. Bake 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the edge comes out clean. The custard will firm up after it cools. Refrigerate at least one hour.

You can serve this with some whipped cream, or alongside a little pitcher of chocolate or caramel sauce, fresh berry sauce or some toasted nuts. Any of these toppings taste great with coconut.

Enjoy!

A Fresh Catch

LowDownCentral — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:00:07 +0000

A light and moist crab cake is a perfect light dinner for a warm summer night. I’ve tried several recipes, and finally made this one up from a combination of recipes for crab, clam and salmon patties. While all three original recipes were very good, they all took more time that I wanted to spend preparing a summer meal.

Try this one if you’re in the mood for a delicious, moist and tasty crab cake. You could serve any number of dipping sauces with these, but I’ll give you two of my favorites that I think best bring out the delicate flavor of the crab.

Crab Cakes

1 lb fresh cooked crab (or canned)

1 egg

1 T mayonnaise

2 T celery, finely minced

½ C breadcrumbs or panko

4 green onions, thinly sliced

2 T fresh parsley, minced

½ stick unsalted butter

2 T olive oil

salt to taste

white pepper to taste

In a bowl, combine the crab, egg, mayonnaise, celery, breadcrumbs, onions and parsley with the salt pepper. Shape into patties.

In a large skillet, heat the butter and oil. Fry the patties until golden brown. Carefully turn them over to brown the other side. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Dipping Sauce #1

1 C mayonnaise

2 t Dijon mustard

1 ½ T lemon juice

1 T fresh dill, minced

1 t white pepper

¼ t cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce

¼ t salt

Blend all the ingredients together until smooth.

Sauce #2

For another choice of dipping sauces—and one that’s a little spicier—mix ½ C catsup with 3 T straight full-strength horseradish. You can vary the horseradish depending how hot you like it.

On a large platter, arrange the patties on a bed of romaine lettuce leaves. You can add a garnish plate on the side with some tomato slices, green olives and radishes. Accompanied by some crackers, these crab cakes make a perfect light summer lunch or dinner.

Enjoy!

Anyone for Salsa and Chips?

LowDownCentral — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:00:34 +0000

When we lived in California, there was a small Mexican restaurant we visited whenever we were in the mood for some authentic Mexican food. One of their specialties was carnitas—the roasted pork chunks served alongside warm tortillas and fresh condiments. Their enchiladas were also quite good

While we waited for our dinner, we usually had a beer with their traditional salsa and chips. They made their chips and salsa fresh every morning. The salsa tasted so fresh and good, we asked the waitress about the ingredients. “Only tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper” she told us. I was hoping I could re-create this winner in my own kitchen, and was anxious to try.

The next time we craved chips and salsa, I made up a batch. After several tries, I finally got the proportions right and added just a touch of sugar (to bring out the sweetness of the tomatoes) and the vinegar (to spice the flavors and keep the tomatoes bright). It turned out quite well, and I’ve used the same recipe ever since. If you make it, and if the little West Los Angeles restaurant called “Sarapé” is still there, you can compare your salsa to theirs.

Salsa

3 vine-ripened tomatoes

½ red onion

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

¼ bunch fresh cilantro, larger stems removed

½ t sugar

1 t red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut up tomatoes and onion into chunks and place them in a food processor or blender. Pulse until chunky. Add the cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper, sugar and vinegar. Pulse a couple more times just to blend all the ingredients. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving.

And now for the chips: Like most restaurants, if the chips are made in-house, they are generally fried. I wanted to make my own chips too, but thought they’d be a little more healthful if baked instead of fried. And don’t forget a sprinkling of salt when they come out of the oven.

Tortilla Chips

Preheat Oven to 425°

1 package fresh yellow corn tortillas

Salt

Lightly spray two or three large cookie sheets with a vegetable cooking spray. Stack the tortillas and slice in quarters, and then in quarters again. Arrange the tortilla wedges on the sheet allowing a tiny space between them. Lightly spray the tops.

Set the racks closer to the middle of your oven. Bake the chips for 6 or 8 minutes, or until they are slightly golden. Remove from oven, sprinkle with salt, and return to oven for another minute.

These are delicious with any Mexican dip. They aren’t as fattening as a fried chip, but very corny and tasty.

Enjoy!

Breakfast Eggs with a Mexican Flare

LowDownCentral — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 03:27:29 +0000

It’s time for breakfast again. You know you should have something substantial and nutritious, but not too filling or fattening. You also know that if you get a good morning breakfast start, you’ll be more productive the whole day—and the best part—you won’t need a mid-morning snack.

I made these today, and they were definitely hearty and filling. If you work, or if you’re really rushed in the morning, you can make these up the night before, wrap and refrigerate overnight, and microwave them in the morning. You can vary the combination of ingredients with different tortillas, cheeses, green onions and the peppers.

Spicy Breakfast Egg Wrap

2 low-carb whole-wheat tortillas

2 T olive oil

3 eggs, slightly beaten

Salt and pepper to taste

½ C onion, chopped (or 2 scallions, chopped)

2 small tomatoes (1 chopped and 1 sliced)

¼ C small curd cottage cheese (or ricotta or yogurt)

6 small slices jalapeno peppers (canned or fresh)

(Substitute 3 T green or red bell pepper if you

prefer a milder breakfast)

3 T fresh cilantro, chopped

2 or 3 shakes hot sauce (Tabasco) (optional)

¾ C shredded cheese

(white or yellow cheddar, jack or pepper jack)

2 T sour cream

Sprig cilantro for garnish

In a skillet, heat the oil and sauté the onion until golden. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, slightly beat the eggs. Combine the eggs with the salt and pepper, cottage cheese, peppers, chopped tomato, cilantro and hot sauce. Add egg mixture to skilled and mix in with the onion and cook slowly until eggs are collected but not firm.

Place the tortillas on a flat surface. Divide the egg mixture between the two tortillas. Sprinkle some of the grated cheese over the egg. Fold over to close and secure the last folded side with a toothpick. Top with the remaining cheese.

Microwave for a couple of minutes on medium power, or until the cheese is melted. Serve plain out of hand, or top with sour cream and a sprig of cilantro. Serve with some tomato slices or a piece of fruit, of if you prefer a heartier weekend breakfast, add some bacon, ham or a side of refried beans or hash browns. Now go take on the day.

Enjoy!

©Pauline Boren 2008

Care for Something Sweet?

LowDownCentral — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:01:27 +0000

Is it time to indulge yourself—maybe just a little? Do you want something sweet, but not too sweet? How about something that has a little food value bonus too? If you like nuts, you’re in luck with this easy recipe. A long time ago, I found a close “relative” of this recipe in a little booklet that accompanied a holiday gift basket. That was back in the days when companies assembled gift baskets with all natural dried fruits and nuts. I must say, however, that I take full credit for the tweaking I’ve done to make it easier. I make these—especially during the holidays—or whenever we crave something crunchy and sweet and are still trying to be on a healthful food track. Because they are sweet, you don’t need very many to satisfy that nagging sweet tooth.

I keep a plastic container of these in the freezer for other uses such as on hot or cold breakfast cereals, luncheon salads, cream pies, puddings or custard. If you have little children, they’d probably love to find a snack-size baggie with a few chocolate chips, raisins, dried apricots or cranberries, and these candied walnuts in their lunch box.

Candied Walnuts

Preheat Oven to 350°

Cover large cookie sheet with cooking spray

1 egg white

1/3 C granulated sugar

1 t cinnamon (or nutmeg)

3 C walnut halves (almonds or pecans)

2 shakes salt

In a deep bowl, beat egg white until frothy. Add sugar, spice and salt and stir until well blended. Add nuts and toss with large spoon to coat nuts evenly on all sides.

Pour the nutty mixture onto the cookie sheet, separating the nuts with a fork. Bake in the center of the oven for ten minutes. Remove, toss a little with a metal spatula, and continue baking for 2 more minutes.

Remove from oven, turn out onto parchment paper or a paper towel and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Shrimp with an Asian Flair

LowDownCentral — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:18:47 +0000

If you like shrimp, and want to try something different for dinner, how about a simple recipe with an Asian flair? In addition to the fresh shrimp, it also has ginger and cilantro—two spices that really work well with seafood—and are used in so many Asian recipes all over the world. We recently visited China, and that trip inspired me to make this one again when we returned to the states.

Most of the work in this recipe is in the chopping, but if you work outside the home and time is an issue, put your food processor to work for you. I’ve made this dish with fresh sea scallops, and they are equally delicious in this marinade.

Asian Shrimp and Rice

24 fresh large shrimp

½ C fresh lemon or lime juice

1 T fresh ginger, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 whole medium shallot, chopped

3 T fresh cilantro, chopped

½ t salt

1/8 t black pepper

2 or 3 shakes of red pepper flakes

1/3 C olive oil

Rinse the shrimp and drain on a paper towel. Prepare and combine all of the above ingredients in a glass baking dish. Add the shrimp and pour the marinade evenly over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours. You can delay cooking them longer, but no more than about 6 hours or the citric acid will “cook” the shrimp—like it does in ceviche.

Rice

1 C jasmine rice

2 C cold water

1 t salt

Combine rice, water and salt in saucepan. Bring to boil. Simmer covered 10 to 12 minutes until rice is tender. Remove from heat. Stir.

Now you’re ready to start dinner, lift out the shrimp from the marinade and set aside. In a skillet, carefully and slowly sauté the marinade until the garlic and shallots are tender and golden—about 6 or 7 minutes. Add the shrimp and toss quickly until all the shrimp are pink. Be sure not to overcook the shrimp. Remove the pan from the heat and put a lid over it until ready to assemble the dish with the rice or noodles. I used rice this time.

Plate the shrimp and rice, and top with a serving of the shrimp. Top each serving with a sprig of cilantro. A small green dinner salad is all you need to complete this dinner. We also enjoyed a glass of chilled white wine with it.

Enjoy!

©Pauline Boren 2008

Gazpacho…A Cool Spanish Favorite

LowDownCentral — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:02:28 +0000

I’ll quote my online source on the brief history of the origin of this wonderful cold Spanish soup:

“Gazpacho soup — usually simply referred to as gazpacho — is a cold Spanish soup originating in the Southern region of Andalusia….

“Today, in the United States, most gazpacho recipes include tomato, cucumber, bell (sweet) pepper, onion, garlic, and celery. Some also include olive oil, bread, vinegar or lemon juice, fresh herbs, sugar, canned tomato juice, or hot sauce. Gazpacho is sometimes pureed until smooth, and sometimes served with small or large chunks of vegetables.” Wikipedia

I was surprised to learn of its Spanish origin—rather than Mexican. I have only ordered it here in the States in Mexican places, and also didn’t know that bread was one of the original ingredients. I don’t remember if I saw it on any menu of the Spanish restaurants we visited while in Madrid, Barcelona or Sevilla.

I’ve made it many times, but never added bread or breadcrumbs. You add some if you prefer a thicker soup. You’d probably want to use a couple of crust less slices and pulse them in the food processor with some tomato juice before adding them to the soup.

Tomatoes and tomato juice are both wonderful sources of both vitamins and antioxidants, as are so many other fresh vegetables you can add. Tomatoes are plentiful now that summer is here, and if properly washed pose no problem with pesticides, etc. If that’s your concern with using raw vegetables, you can shop at an organic vegetable stand or market to be on the safer side.

My recipe is a compilation of several recipes, as well as a few additions to suit my personal taste. I add different veggies each time I make it. It just depends what I have on hand. The main ingredients you need each time are the tomato juice and the spices.

Gazpacho

4 stalks celery, cut into 1” pieces

2 small vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into quarters

1 green bell pepper, sliced into 1” pieces

1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1” pieces

½ small red onion, quartered

1 clove garlic, minced

½ C chopped fresh cilantro leaves

¼ C chopped fresh parsley leaves

1/3 C red wine vinegar

1/3 C olive oil

2 T freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice

2 C tomato juice (or V-8)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 t hot sauce (or Tabasco) (optional)

In a food processor, pulse all the ingredients a few times. Do not pulse it to a puree consistency unless you want to drink it through a straw. Smaller chunks add to the texture. Chill at least 4 to 6 hours before serving.

My favorite part of this soup is that you can prepare it ahead of time—even a couple of days—refrigerate it, and it actually tastes better after the flavors have blended and it has a nice chill on it.

Ladle into bowls or dishes, garnish with sour cream, a couple sprigs of fresh cilantro, or a number of other toppings. Some croutons would also be good to keep the “bread” theme. If you want a fuller bodied soup, add a diced fresh avocado just before serving. This soup makes a great appetizer, a soup course or a cool lunch with some crackers or a roll. A cup also makes a refreshing and healthful summer snack.

Enjoy!

A Crispy Choice

LowDownCentral — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 03:24:12 +0000

A few friends are coming to dinner, and you’d like to serve a little appetizer, but don’t want something too heavy or filling. Your meal will be substantial, so something light would be perfect to go along with a cocktail or glass of wine. How about a light crispy cheese morsel?

You can make these crisps with almost any dry hard cheese. A few choices readily available in supermarkets are Parmesan, Pecorino or Dry Monterey Jack. Of course, in a cheese specialty shop you will find many more hard cheeses from which to choose.

I’ve used a softer cheese—white cheddar—and while the appetizers are still good, they just aren’t as crisp. The cheddar crisps are the lighter ones topped with roasted red pepper bits in my photo below.

I definitely prefer the crispier texture.

You can vary the spice by substituting another dried leaf spice in place of the parsley. If you like to experiment, you can come up with your own favorite. A shake of red pepper flakes adds some color and a little zip. In the last batch I made, I sprinkled a few pepper flakes (in addition to the black pepper) in half of the mixture and baked them. The heat was definitely noticeable, so use it sparingly.

I prefer using dry Parmesan cheese. I’ve seen several similar recipes in a few old cookbooks, and all vary in several steps and ingredients. I came up with this quick and easy one, and you might want to try it. Even as a simple snack they’re pretty tasty.

Cheese Lace Appetizers

1 C grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

1 t fresh lemon zest

1 t fresh parsley, minced

1/8 t ground black pepper

(one shake red pepper flakes—optional)

Preheat oven to 425°

Combine the ingredients. Drop by tablespoon on two parchment-lined cookie sheets. Space them at least 3 inches apart so they don’t melt into each other. Bake 3 minutes or until the edges are golden. Remove from oven. Slide parchment onto counter and let stand a couple of minutes until they firm up. Serve.

Enjoy!

Bread … The Staff of Life

LowDownCentral — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:53:44 +0000

Say you’re planning dinner, you have all the ingredients for the entrée and the salad, but you’re thinking that some warm fresh bread would be great with it. Unfortunately, you haven’t been shopping in a few days, and you won’t have time to go now. Well, my bread recipe to the rescue. This recipe literally takes just minutes to assemble and one hour to bake. Don’t worry about the alcohol in the beer. You won’t taste it because it evaporates in the baking.

Now you’re asking yourself, if I were baking bread for dinner, why would I put walnuts and raisins in it? Well, because this bread could fit into both dinner and breakfast. If you leave out the optional ingredients, you’ll have lighter white crusty bread which I find more appropriate with a meal. If you choose the walnuts, raisins and cinnamon, you’ll have a sweeter hearty breakfast bread.

Walnut Raisin Bread

(Old Fashioned Beer Bread without the Optional Ingredients)

3 C self-rising flour

3 T sugar

1 can beer (cold or room temperature—either is okay)

½ t salt

¼ C butter, melted (for the top)

Optional Ingredients to Add to Above Batter for Walnut Raisin Bread:

½ C chopped walnuts

½ C golden raisins

1 t cinnamon

Preheat Oven to 350°

Grease a loaf pan with butter or cooking spray. Combine flour and sugar. Slowly add beer and stir well. Put in greased pan. Let it sit while you melt the butter in the microwave. Pour melted butter over the top. Bake 1 hour, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven. Carefully turn the bread onto a rack to cool. Let it sit about 20 minutes before slicing. That’s it. Bread is on the table!

Cut generous slices and serve warm with butter. Any leftover can be stored in a plastic bag. Also makes good sandwiches, plain or French toast. You can freeze for later too. Just warm it up in a

350° oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

Enjoy!