ORGANIC CHIKEN WITH BEANS & CRUSHED RED BEETS

2 large or 3 medium beets, trimmed
salt and ground pepper to taste
olive oil
1/4 cup kosher salt for blanching
1 cup green beans, ends trimmed and cut on the bias into 2 or 3 pieces each
1 cup yellow wax beans, ends trimmed and cut on a bias into 2 or 3 pieces each
4 organic skin-on breast, preferably with the wing attached
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
1/3 cup corn or vegetable oil
1/2 cup buch fresh lemon thyme or thyme, leaves stripped and leaves and stems held separately
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 red wine vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Sprinkle the beets with salt, pepper and cover with olive oil. Wrap each of the beets in aluminum foil and bake on the for 1 hour or until they are very soft. Lower the oven to 200 degrees F. When they are cool enough to handle, remove the beet skins and chop flesh coarsely.
3. While the beets are roasting, blance the green beans: bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt. Prepare an ice bath and stir the remaining salt. Immerse the green and yellow wax beans in the boiling water and blance for approximately 2 1/2 minutes, until crisp and tender Transfer immediately to ice bath and let stand for 2 minutes. Drain the beans and set aside.
4. Tightly wrap each chicken breast in plastic wrap. Place on a baking sheet and keep in a 200 degree oven for 10 minutes to seal the plastic wrap.
5. Bring a large pot of water to 160 degrees F. Lower the chicken breast into water and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. In a wide saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter. Add the shallots and beets and season with salt and pepper. Cook, crushing beets with a fork, until the mixture is chunky, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and cover to keep warm.
7. In a large, saute pan over medium heat, heat the corn oil until very hot. Unwrap chicken breast and dry completely. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place the breast in the pan, skin side down and add to the pan plus 1 tablespoon of butter and thyme stems. Basting the chicken frequently saute the chicken until the skin is crispy and deep golden brown. Do not flip the chicken. remove the chicken breast to a plate. Drain the pan of all the fat and dab off all the burnt pieces. Add the honey to the pan and return to medium heat. When the honey bubbles add the vinegar, 1/2 cup and thyme leaves. Simmer until thickens, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter, swirl pan to incorporate, and season with salt and pepper. Fold in beans and cook just until sauce is warmed through.
8. On each of 4 plates, spread some beat-shallot mixture. Center a chicken breast on the beets, and spoon the pan sauce with beans over the entire dish.



So this recipe was adapted from Flavor by Rocco Dispirito. What a welcomed change from the normal chicken recipe that you see. Beets are not something that I eat a lot. All I remember as a child is that purple jar on the supermarket shelf that I was given and I (as any child would) asked "what is that?" If you have ever eaten that you probably have never tried beets since then and this story was repeated by everyone that I presented this dish to. But, let me tell you this is nothing like that jar your mom served you when you were a kid. The sauteing of the beets with the shallots and butter was really good. You still had the sweetness of the beets but the shallots gave it another depth of flavor that I was excited about and my guenie pigs (co-workers) loved. So if you are a long time hater of beets, I say give them another try. It might surprise you.

Picnic Sesame Chicken with Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce

4whole boneless, skinless chicken breast, or 2 pounds chicken tenders
2 teaspoons coarse salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
¼ cup (2 ounces) vegetable oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ cup (2 ounces) good-quality mayonnaise
2 cups (8 ounces) sesame seeds, lightly toasted (see note)

Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce

½ cup (4 ounces) Dijon mustard
½ cup (4 ounces) honey
¼ cup (2 ounces) cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ cup (4 ounces) canola oil
¼ cup (2 ounces) mild olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Wash the chicken and pat it dry. If using whole breast, cut them crosswise against the grain into 2 1/2 – inch strips. Season both sides of the chicken with the salt and pepper. Put the sesame oil, vegetable oil, soy sauce, and mayonnaise in a small bowl; and whisk to combine. Place the chicken and the mayonnaise mixture in a heavy-duty zippered plastic bag or in a glass bowl. Toss or mix to cover all the pieces (if using a bowl, cover with plastic wrap), then refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

When ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 425 F with the rack in the upper third (but not highest position) of the oven. Pour the sesame seeds into a gallon-size zippered plastic bag. Transfer the chicken pieces from the marinade into the bag with the sesame seeds. Press on the bag lightly and try to coat each piece of chicken with seeds. Lay the pieces in one layer on an aluminum foil-lined shallow baking dish and bake for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is opaque throughout.

Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce: put the mustard, honey, vinegar and lemon juice in the work bowl of a food processor and pulse 6 to 8 times to combine well. Slowly add the canola oil and then the olive oil through the feed tube with the processor blade running. When the sauce has thickened and all the oil is added, add pepper to taste and process to mix well. (To make the sauce by hand, whisk together the mustard, honey, vinegar, and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Add the canola oil and the olive oil in very thin, steady stream, whisking constantly. Whisk in pepper to taste.) Store the dipping sauce in a covered, non reactive container for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours before serving.

Place the chicken under the broiler about 4 inches from the heat element for 1 to 2 minutes or until the seeds on the top are toasted but not burned. Allow the chicken to cool for 10 minutes at room temperature before refrigerating. Serve hot or cold with the Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce.

Note: To toast the sesame seeds: Put the sesame seeds in a large, dry, heavy skillet set over high heat. Shake the pan briskly back and forth to move the seeds around, or stir constantly with a wooden spoon, until the seeds turn light golden brown. Transfer immediately to the prepared baking sheet to cool; the seeds will continue to cook briefly, so be careful not to over brown.


This recipe was adapted from The New England Table by Lora Brody. So I tried to do something that was not so “frou, frou” as my best friend calls it. He says I really need bring down my cooking to a level that everybody would understand. This I had to listen to from a man who has a Yacht Master watch that cost more than six months of my rent, I digress. But, I gave it a try anyway. So overall this was something that I was satisfied with but not thoroughly enjoyed. I think what threw it off for me was the sesame seeds. I didn’t really like the dry taste that the sesame seeds provided. It gave me something in my mouth that was not pleasant (if you know what I mean and get your mind out of the gutter.) So I would have tried this done this without the sesame seeds or maybe breaded the chicken with bread crumbs or panko to keep with the Asian theme. But, if you like the dry taste in your mouth, then go right ahead and eat the damn thing. But me, I could do without it. Happy cooking until next time.

Champignons Sautes a la Crème (Creamed Mushrooms)

2 Tb of butter
1 Tb of oil
2 Tb minced shallots or green onions
1 Tsp of flour
2/3 to 1 cup of whipping cream
1/8 tsp salt
Pinch of pepper
Optional: 2 to 3 Tb Madeira
1 to 2 Tb of soften butter

Saute’ the mushrooms in the hot butter and oil for 4 to 5 minutes, but don’t let them brown any more than necessary. Add the shallots or onions and toss over moderate heat for 2 minutes.

Stir in the flour and cook slowly for another 2 minutes while stirring.

Off heat, blend in the cream and the seasonings. Then boil down rapidly until the cream has reduced and thickened. Add the optional wine, and boil for a moment to evaporate its alcohol. Correct seasoning.

Off the heat and just before serving, fold in the butter using a rubber spatula.

This is another recipe adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck. In an earlier post I mentioned that I accidentally made this recipe. But, I am so glad that I did. This was sooooooo good!!! When I first made it I was a little pissed that I made such a stupid mistake but I was lucky enough that I had bought enough mushrooms for this recipe and enough to complete my original recipe. I first started out by just putting into some Tupperware wondering “What the hell am I gonna do with this shit.” Then I tasted it. My Gawd!! It was soooo good!! I first started out by using some French bread to scoop it up and that first taste was sublime. I think I ate half the container standing over the kitchen sink. Then I knew that I had to do something with what was left. So I immediately grabbed some chicken breast from the freezer and grilled it. This as a topping on that little piece of chicken made it all worth while. A few weeks later I had a weekday date that I had to entertain a night time caller and I made this again with some simple mashed potatoes and asparagus, needless to say……. I got sum after that meal (wink wink). Well until we meet again.

PASTA WITH SAUSAGE AND BITTER GREENS

1 pound penne or other pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
1 pound Italian pork or turkey sausage
1 cup chopped broccoli rabe, chard, arugula, spinach, broccoli florets, or zucchini
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 carrot, grated
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, with juices
½ cup grated imported Parmesan cheese
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and stir. Return to the boil and cook, uncovered, until al dente, according to package directions. Drain well.

In a large sauce pan heat the olive oil over medium heat (omit if using pork sausage). Add the meat and brown the meat lightly. Remove the meat and set aside. Add the green vegetable, mushrooms, carrot, basil, and oregano, and cook in the pan drippings over medium heat until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes with their juices and stir well to combine. Return the meat and drained pasta to the pot and add the Parmesan. Simmer uncovered 5 to 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

So this was another attempt at doing something that was not so upscale and any average person can do. This recipe was adapted from Nathalie Dupree Cooks Quick Meals for Busy Days. Don’t get too caught up in the ingredients listed such as the broccoli rabe or the “imported” Parmesan cheese. Regular fresh or frozen spinach and regular
Parmesan cheese will do. When I took the first taste it brought me back to my college days when I had little money and I would create a pasta dish because pasta would last for days in the fridge, and if I really wanted to splurge I would add some sort of meat to the pot. Overall, this was an easy dish that I had in my bag of tricks (and I’m sure that most of you out there do too) before I stumbled on this recipe. What drew my attention was the use of broccoli rabe. Overall a pretty standard dish that can be added upon to your taste with the addition of some additional herbs, some zucchini, or maybe some sun dried tomatoes, yummy.

POTATO GRATIN WITH MUSTARD

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
6 Yukon gold potatoes (about 2 pounds), sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 garlic clove, cut in half
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 Dijon mustard
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated on the large holes of a box grater
2 teaspoons yellow or brown mustard seeds

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Coat a shallow, baking dish (about 12 by 7 inches) with butter
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the sliced potatoes, garlic, and milk and set over high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and let simmer until the potatoes just begin to get tender. About 8 minutes.
3. Drain the potatoes, reserving 1 cup of the cooking milk. Combine the milk with the heavy cream and whisk with the mustard. Season well with salt and pepper.
4. Layer the potatoes in the baking dish sprinkling the flour and scattering the cheese between the layers. Pour the cream, mustard, and milk mixture over the top of the potatoes.
5. Scatter the the remaining cheese over the top of the potato mixture and sprinkle with the mustard seeds. Bake until the potatoes are completely soft and the cream has thickened and just started to bubble, about 25 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and transfer the gratin to the rack and broil until the top is golden brown, about 3 minutes.

This recipe was adapted once again from Martha Stewart Living 2002 Annual Recipes. Yet another stellar recipe from "The Stewart." Like I have said so many times before, she can do no wrong. Who would have ever came up with a potato gratin recipe with Dijon mustard? I would have never thought of something like that in all my life!!! So I guess you can tell from my opening lines that this dish was delicious. Again the Dijon mustard was something that was an unexpected change that I just loved. But with me anything that is different I might think is the "bee's knees." But, you be the judge and tell me what you think. Till we meet again. HAPPY COOKING!!!

Macaroni Quattro

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish
1 medium onion, diced
½ cup all-purpose flour
5 ½ cups milk
2 teaspoons coarse salt, plus more for cooking water
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 ½ cups (about 4 ½ ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 ½ cups (about 6 ounces) grated Gruyere cheese
1 ½ cups (about 6 ounces) fontina cheese
1 ½ cups (about 6 ounces) Gorgonzola cheese, broken into small pieces
1 pound ziti or mostaccioli pasta
8 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Butter a 3 quart casserole dish; set aside. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until soften but not browned, about 5 minutes. While the butter is bubbling, add the flour. Cook, stirring constantly with a wire whisk to coat the onions, for 1 minute. While whisking, slowly pour in the milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and become thick. Remove the pan from the heat; stir in the salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and all the cheese. Set the cheese sauce aside.

2. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Salt the water, add the pasta, and cook 2 to 3 minutes less than the manufacturer’s instructions, until the outside of the pasta is cooked and the inside underdone. Transfer the pasta to a colander, and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking; drain well. Stir the pasta into the reserved cheese sauce.



3. Shred about 3 slices of the prosciutto to yield ¼ cup; set aside. Place half of the remaining prosciutto in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer with half of the pasta mixture. Place the remaining prosciutto in a layer over the pasta, and top with the remaining pasta mixture. Sprinkle the shredded prosciutto on top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer the dish to a wire rack, and cool 5 minutes before serving.


This recipe was also adapted from Martha Stewart Living 2002 Annual Recipes. This was yet another stand out recipe that I will have to remember if I wanna impress someone. I was a little nervous about the amount of different cheeses that I really haven’t used before. I had tried all of them before but I was unsure how all of them mixed together would taste. But, I should never doubt what “The Stewart” has handed down to me from her ivory tower that is Turkey Hill. So if you are in the mood for some good ole mac and cheese but don’t wanna have the usual mixture of cheddar cheese and Velveeta (that my step mom used to make, you all know what I am talking about so get you noses out of the air), give this a try. Good luck till next time

Coq Au Vin

A 3 to 4 ounce chunk of lean bacon
A heavy, 10 inch, fireproof casserole or a electric skillet
2 tb butter
2 ½ to 3lbs cut up frying chicken
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
¼ cup cognac
3 cups young, full-bodied red wine such as Burgundy, Beaujolais, cotes du Rhone, or Chianti
1 to 2 cups brown chicken stock, brown stock, or canned beef bouillon
½ tb tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic
¼ thyme
2 bay leaf
12 to 24 brown braised onions (see recipe)
½ lb. sautéed mushrooms (see recipe)
3 Tb flour
2 Tb soften butter
A saucer
A rubber spatula
A wire whip

Remove the rind and cut the bacon into lardoons (rectangles ¼ inch across and 1 inch long). Simmer for 10 minutes in 2 quarts of water. Rinse in cold water. Dry.

Saute the bacon slowly in the hot butter until it is very browned but just lightly Remove to a side dish.

Dry the chicken thoroughly. Brown it in the hot fat in the casserole.

Season the chicken with salt and . Return the bacon to the casserole with the chicken. Cover and cook slowly for 10 minutes, turning the chicken once.

Uncover, and pour in the cognac. Standing back away from the flame, ignite the cognac with a lighted match. Shake the casserole back and forth for several seconds until the flames subside.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.

Salt and pepper the chicken.

Pour the wine into the casserole. Add just enough stock or bouillon to cover the chicken. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, and herbs. Bring to the simmer. Cover and simmer slowly for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear yellow when the meat is pricked with a fork. Remove the chicken and set aside.

Simmer the chicken cooking liquid in the casserole for a minute or two, skimming off fat. Then raise heat to a boil rapidly, reducing the liquid to about 2 ¼ cups. Adjust the seasoning. Remove from the heat, and discard bay leaf.

Blend the butter and flour together into a smooth paste (beurre manie). Beat the paste into the hot liquid with a wire whip. Bring to a simmer, stirring, and simmer for a minute or two. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Arrange the chicken in the casserole, place the mushrooms and onions around it, and baste with the sauce (*) if the dish is not to be served immediately, skim the fat from the top of the sauce with stock or dot with small pieces of butter. Set aside uncovered. It can wait indefinitely.

Shortly before serving, bring to the simmer, basting the chicken with the sauce. Cover and simmer slowly for 4 to

Oignons Glace A Burn
(Brown – braised Onions)

For 18 to 24 peeled white onions about 1 inch in diameter
1 ½ Tb butter
1 ½ Tb oil
A 9 to 10 inch enameled skillet
½ cup of brown stock, canned beef bouillon, dry white wine, red wine, or water
Salt and pepper to taste
A medium herb bouquet: 4 parsley sprigs, ½ bay leaf, and ¼ tsp thyme tied in cheesecloth


When the butter and oil are bubbling in the enameled skillet, add the onions and sauté over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling the onions about so they will brown evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. If they don’t brown uniformly, its okay.

Then either braise them as follows:
Pour the liquid, season to taste, and add the herb bouquet that you prepared previously. Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tinder but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet. Serve them as they are, or follow one of the suggestions at the end of this recipe.


Champignons Sautes Au Beurre
(Sauteed Mushrooms)

A 10-inch enameled skillet
2 Tb butter
1 Tb oil
½ lb. fresh mushrooms, washed, well dried, left whole if small sliced or quartered if large
Optional: 1 to 2 Tb minced shallots or green onions
Salt and pepper


Place the skillet over high heat with the butter and oil. As soon as you see that the butter foam has begun to subside, add the mushrooms. Toss and shake the pan for 4 to 5 minutes. During their sauté the mushrooms will at first absorb the fat. In 2 to 3 minutes the fat will reappear on their surface, and the mushrooms will begin to brown. As soon as they have browned slightly, remove from heat.

Toss the shallots or green onions with the mushrooms. Saute over moderate heat for 2 minutes.
(*) sautéed mushrooms may be cooked in advance, set aside, then reheated when needed. Season to taste just before serving.


So this recipe was adapted from Mastering The Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck. Before the whole Julie and Julia craze, I had this cookbook in my library. Belive it or not I found my copy of this book in a used book store for $3.00 (hence the concept of this blog The Second Hand Cook.) Can you believe that!!! Now I log onto ebay and I find people hocking their damn copies of this book for up to $75.00. Crazy huh? So, onto the recipe. Make sure that you read the recipe fully and know everything that you need before you begin. This is truly ambitious dish to make for anyone who has never had any cooking experience or someone who wants to be bold. So first of all if you have never cut up a whole chicken…… don’t!!!!! Have your butcher do it for you at the local supermarket, if that option is available or you can purchase a whole cut up chicken. I hacked that damn chicken the fuck up. I think I used like 3 different knifes and I ended up ripping that bird up with my hand because I was so fustrated. They make it look so damn easy on the Food Network!! So first the mushrooms…… I ended up cooking the wrong damn recipe. I made creamed mushrooms instead of sautéed mushrooms, that recipe will follow, so look for it. The mushrooms were pretty easy. The sautéed onions were a pain in the ass. Only because they were not available when I went to the damn store. I went to 2 grocery stores before I found pearl onions. These are not something that are at the local grocery store that I normally go to. So I had everything that needed and I began my cooking. So no major missteps with everything and I was done after about an hour and half. My critique is that it came out okay but it tasted a little “winey” (the wine was wayyy too prominent) if you know what I mean. If you are gonna try this I say reduce the wine amounts by about half and increase the beef stock to make up for it. But, overall it was a very tasty dish and is meant to be served when guest come over and not when you are home alone (belive it or not, that is how I spend my Friday nights.) I did this over the snowstorm of 2010 in the DC metro area. So I had nothing else to do but sit around for 2 days and cook. So if I was gonna be trapped in the house I might as well try one of Juila’s most decadent dishes. Well...... till the next entry.

JOLLOF RICE

1/4 cup peanut oil
8 chicken pieces, such as thighs, drumsticks, or breast, or a combination
2 tablespoons hot paprika
2 onions, sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 hot bird's eye or other hot chilies, split twice lengthwise
1 cinnamon stick, halved (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 cup long grain rice
2 cups canned chopped tomatoes in juices
2 cups chicken stock
2 carrots, cut into 2-inch strips
8oz. ham, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, about 1 1/2 cup
2 cups fresh or frozen green peas

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Coat the chicken in the paprika and saute in batches over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the onions, garlic, chilies, cinnamon, allspice, turmeric, rice, tomatoes and their juice, chicken stock and carrots.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook undisturbed for 20 minutes.

Add the ham and peas and stir. Cover the pot again and summer for another 8 to 10 minutes or until the rice is fluffy and the liquid has absorbed.

Serve with wilted greens such as collard or cabbage. A more authentic service would include dasheen, gboma, or callallo.

So this dish was adapted from Chicken From Maryland to Kiev by Clare Ferguson. Must I say that I was truly disappointed. When I was at the store and I was looking through the cookbooks I came upon this recipe and that was the only reason I decided that I would buy it. I was not disappointed with the taste of it but because it truly was not what I had come to expect of Jollof Rice. Let me give you a little background on the situation. When I first moved out of my parents house my first roommate was from Gambia. When she made Jollof Rice I could not believe the taste that was in that dish. It was soooo good. It was way more rustic and authentic tasting. If this dish was called "Jollof Rice" then it was the bastard third cousin of what I ate when my old roommate was around. Now, the people who ate this thought it was excellent and I do also on some level but it just left me wanting what Nancy (my old roommate) would make for me. There were so many things that she introduced me to, food wise that were unbelievable but I dare try to make. So the bad thing about this dish was not the flavor or taste but the lack of remembrance of something that I so longed for since she moved away. I must say that the opening comments to this recipe state: "This is a famous, much-adapted, one-pan chicken-and-rice dish orginating in the kingdom of Jollof in West Africa." So, it could be that what I remembered was the bastard third cousin. The last time I had Jollof Rice was when my sister-in-law's mother made some one Thanksgiving and I think a ate the whole container because it was the closest thing I had to Jollof Rice since Nancy left. But for my fans that have never had what I would like to call Jollof Rice I say you will really enjoy this recipe. Try it out and tell me what you think.

MIDDLE EASTERN MEATBALLS WITH SWIS CHARD

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cups pine nuts (about 4 1/2 ounces)
2 medium leeks white part only, coarsely chopped
1 pound ground beef chuck
1 pound ground lamb
2 eggs, lightly beeten
1/3 cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground allspice
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 28-ounce cans Italian peeled tomatoes and their liquid
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 bunches of Swiss chard (about 3 pounds), large stems discarded and small stems chopped.

1. In a small skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the pine nuts and cook, shaking the pan, until the nuts are toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the toasted pine nuts to a plate to cool.
2. In a saucepan of boiling water, blanch the leeks for about 1 minute. Drain the leeks in a colander and rinse with cold water to cool and drain. Finely chop the leeks in a food processor. Add the ground chuck and lamb in the processor to blend.
3. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add 1/2 of the toasted pine nuts, the beaten eggs, bread crumbs, cumin, allspice and 1 1/2 teaspoons each of salt and pepper. Mix well using a fork and form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place on a baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate to firm up the meatballs slightly for about 30 minutes.
4. In a food processor, puree the tomatoes and their liquid.
5. In a large sauce pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over moderately high heat. Place the flour in a medium bowl and dredge the meatballs, shaking off any excess. Add the meatballs to the pan and cook, turning until nicely browned all over for about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer plate and fry the remaining meatballs in the remaining butter. Return the first batch of meatballs to the casserole.
6. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of water, the pureed tomatoes and the lemon juice and bring them all to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat for about 20 minutes stirring frequently. Stir in the Swiss chard and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Before serving, sprinkle the remaining toasted pine nuts on top.


So this recipe was adapted from The Best of Food & Wine 1995 Collection. So one day I was driving down Georgia Ave. and I saw a Thrift Store that I had not been to in ages. So thinking about my blog I stopped in and found this cookbook (along with a pair of Banana Republic wool pants that I loved but were just a little bit too short, I guess that is the price you have to pay for a pair of $5.00 pants.)So Food & Wine magazine is the creme de la creme of magazines that would most likely scare anyone that is not a seasoned cook. It is so much that I don't even subscribe to it. But for $1.50 I was gonna buy this book and see what I could make from it. Wouldn't you know it there were several recipes that I felt truly comfortable trying. This being one of them. So on to my critique....... Kick ass food!!!! I did spend a little more time in the special food store to find the Swiss chard but it was so worth it. So I did make a few adjustments that should be noted. I did reduce the amount of pine nuts and only included them within the meatballs and reduced the amount of leeks that are recommended for the recipe. I am not a big fan of "nuts" so that is why the reduction was made. Also instead of using water as the recipe called for I used a beef broth. But outside of that..... I and my co-workers loved it!! I must make a point that my co-workers are my guinea pigs as I am a single man and most of these recipes serve 6 to 8, and I damn sure cannot eat all that shit in one week. So on Monday morning's they get to see me come up the stairs with a shopping bag full of "samples" for them. The Swiss chard was a really nice change of taste instead of the usual greens that you get at dinner time. The whole thing was like a meatball soup but really chunky. I thought it was fantastic. So until next time......

Spotlight on Goodness

I wanted to start a new section of my blog that spotlights some of the “goodness” that I just crave and think what others might crave as much as I do given the chance to experience them. So today I told myself that I would not sit around and do nothing all day. So I got up, jumped in the shower, brush my teeth and I set out on my way. I made some stops at the few thrift stores and yard sales and I made my way over to the Dutch Market in Laurel, MD. Ever since they closed there location in Beltsville, MD I was a little weary about going all the way out there for just some produce and meat. But what I truly missed was the pretzel logs that those wonderful Dutch Amish offer. As I approached the parking lot there were parking attendants directing traffic which showed how popular the “goodness” that they offer. I raced inside and looked for the particular


stand that sold the “goodness” that I was looking for and wouldn’t you know it, it was right by the front door. The line that wrapped around on both sides further showed me how much “goodness” these little pockets of meat and cheese offered. So after standing in line for what seemed like an eternity I made it to the front of the line and placed my order, and in true gluttonious fashion I ordered 3 “logs”. I tried to be coy and walk around the rest of the market like I didn’t want just tear open that bag and devour each one of those “logs” like I haven’t had a meal in my entire lifetime. So, when I got back to my car I indulged my senses. That first bite was what I remembered why I loved taking those trips up to Beltsville and enjoy the salty, doughy, savory “goodness” that I enjoyed. It was just as I remembered, the salt that covered the outside gave way to the dough that wrapped the turkey sausage and cheese of the first “log” that I devoured brought be back to a place that I like to call comfort. The picture above shows the Cheese Steak “log” that I also ordered that was just as good when I popped it into the toaster oven and had it for an afternoon snack. So if you are ever in the area and have the time to go to the Dutch Market to get an excellent “goodness” that is one of these Pretzel Logs…….Do it!!!!!

Upgraded Grilled Cheese

So this past weekend was the first nice weekend after a wonderful snow filled winter. So I grabbed my ipod, metro pass, and backpack and I went down to Eastern Market in DC and I was half amazed and half not by how many people were there. But again, it was the first nice weekend of the year. As I wondered around looking at all the different vendors and artist I knew that I would have to plan something big this weekend to cook. But like everything, things don’t always go as planned. So this is how it all started. I first sauntered up and down the produce and vegetables section of the market. I purchased some beautiful tomatoes and of course I didn’t know what I was gonna do with it but I had to have them. Then as I walked inside of the meat section of the market I just gravitated to this peppered bacon I saw. And wouldn’t you know it the cheese monger was right behind that. So I purchased some fontina cheese and it all came together. I was gonna make a grilled cheese. But you can’t have a good grilled cheese without some good bread. I wasn’t too impressed with the breads that I saw there but, I was happy with the purchases that I made today. So, with my bacon, cheese and tomatoes (along with a lot of other stuff that I bought and did not need) I headed back home. On the way home I made a stop at the local market to pick up some bread which I might find suitable. On a hunch I purchased this rosemary boule’. I raced home and I couldn’t wait to start cooking. So, I cooked the bacon in the oven for about 10 minutes or until it was crispy. While that was cooking I sliced the tomatoes and marinated them in balsamic vinegar then I built the sandwich using the rosemary boule' as my base then layering the cheese, bacon, the marinated tomatoes and more cheese on top. So the rest is history. If you need instructions on how to make a grilled cheese then………… I’m not gonna tell you. But, I did use my cast iron grill which gave me the grill marks that you see. The first bite was like heaven!!! I couldn’t help myself…. I devoured that sandwich in like a minute. It was so good that I had to make another one. But this time I used some cheddar cheese that I had in the house. And it turned out just as good!!! The tomatoes marinated in balsamic vinegar really made the sandwich stand out. So happy cooking until the next time.

SPANISH BEEF STEW

1 beef flank steak (1 ¾ pounds)
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 red pepper, cut into ½ - inch strips
1 yellow pepper, cut into ½ - inch strips
1 green pepper, cut into ½ - inch strips
3 garlic cloves, crushed with garlic press
3 Serrano or jalapeno chilies, seeded and minced
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 can (14 ½ to 16 ounces) tomatoes
Capers for garnish

1. Cut flank steak into three even portions. In 5-quart Dutch oven, heat the steak, chopped onion, carrot, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, and 5 cups water to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 2 ½ to 3 hours, until meat is tender. Remove Dutch oven from heat and let stand, uncovered, for 30 minutes. (Or, cover and refrigerate overnight)
2. In 12-inch skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, peppers, and remaining 2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in garlic, Serrano chilies, and cinnamon and cook 30 seconds. Stir in canned tomatoes and their juice; cook 5 minutes.
3. Remove beef to bowl; strain broth. Reserve 2 cups broth. (Reserve remaining broth for use another day.) shred the beef with 2 forks into fine strips.
4. Stir reserved broth and shredded meat into pepper mixture and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Sprinkle with capers to serve. Makes 6 main-dish servings.

So this recipe was adapted from Good Housekeeping Best Recipes 1998. So this was another dish that I made during Snowmaggedon of 2010. Over all it was a pretty decent dish. The most surprising thing about the dish was the use of cinnamon in a savory dish. It was a welcomed change. As I was going to the grocery store before the storm it was a little difficult to find “flank steak” because everything on the shelves was wiped clean so, I used what was available. I don’t know if because I used the steak that I found instead of “flank steak” made the meat somewhat tough. I even marinated the goddamn meat overnight, thinking that I would get a much more tender meat. So I guess that I am gonna have to try making the dish the way that they described it in the cookbook. But overall it was a pretty welcomed dish that I enjoyed more as I let it set overnight and I took it to work the next few days for lunch.

SPINICH, MUSHROOM, AND SAUSAGE OMELET

So its Sunday night right before the Amazing Race and I am hungry. I didn’t do my normal Sunday “cooking” as I would normally do so I didn’t really eat. Let me put this into perspective….. I just started dating someone and most of my money has been going toward that (putting up a good front) and not groceries. Dating is really expensive!!! So get the fuck off my back, why don’t you. So keeping with my blog I have decided I would take a recipe from Julia Child and make an omelet. Yea I know what you are saying….. there is no recipe to making fucking eggs but there is a technique. I was on youtube all day so I decided that watching Julia would be the best!!! The pan movement is what makes it!!. I had a few ingredients of mushrooms, spinach and sausage in the fridge and I thought they would make a good “insert” to the omelet. So I sauted some spinach, mushrooms and sausage in butter as I made my omelet. Anyway the outcome....... pretty damn good if I say so myself. I did add a few drops of Tabasco and some cheddar cheese to the eggs to give it a little punch. Overall I was impressed with the taste of it. But, I was not impressed with the way it looked. (see above). This looked like some mangled eggs at the bottom of a truck stop diner trash can at the end of the breakfast run. I did not get the technique as I hoped I would. But try it out anyway.

Baked Potato & Leek Soup with Cheddar & Bacon

2 medium russet potatoes
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 1/2 cup ssliced leeks (about 2 medium leeks; white and light green parts) rinsed well
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups homeade or low-salt canned chicken broth
4 thick slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup gated sharp cheddar
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion greens or chives

Heat the oven to 475 degrees F. Clean the potatoes in water, pat dry, and poke them in several places with a fork. Set them directly on an oven rack and bake until very tender when pierced with a fork,about 1 hour or so. Let cool completely.

Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and garlic, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken broth and 2 cups of water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until leeks are very tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they are crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon bits with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain off the fat.

When the potatoes are cool, cut one of them in half length-wise. Use a large spoon to scoop the inside flesh in one piece from each half. Cut the flesh of the into ½ inch cubes and set aside.

Coarsely chop the potato skin and the entire remaining potato and add to the pot with the leeks. Puree the contents of the pot in a blender until very smooth (you’ll need to work in two or more batches) Clean out the pot, return the pureed soup to it, and reheat over medium-low. Whisk together the milk and sour cream until smooth and then whisk this into the soup, along with ½ cup of the Cheddar. Stir in the diced potato. The soup should should be fairly thick, but if it seems too thick, thin with some water. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with the remaining Cheddar, the bacon bits, and scallions or chives.

This recipe is adapted from The Best of Fine Cooking Comfort Food. So I’ve never really worked with leeks before. I have seen them a handful of times at the grocery store but never really had the chance to work with them. I followed the recipe with one minor adjustment. I added a little bit more salt than the recipe called for. HUGE mistake!!! I don’t know if the leeks are already salty but usually when I use potatoes in a recipe or at all I tend to over salt it. Something about potatoes require me to add a little more salt than usual. But DAMN!!!!! This was really salty after I was finished. But with my creative ingenuity I saved the day. I added a little more water in the end to thin it out and it worked great. A pretty good soup that I served with some French bread that was a real comfort as I was sitting on my couch watching television on a cold winter night. Try it out. See ya next time!!!!

Baked Mushroom Linguine

4 ounces dried mushrooms (such as porcini or chanterelle), wiped clean
1 quart of boiling water
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 2 teaspoons finely chopped
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 onion, diced
1 pound button mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed and quartered
1 pound shiitake mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed and sliced
2 ½ teaspoons coarse salt, plus more for cooking water
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound linguine
½ cup grated Romano cheese

1. Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl, and pour the boiling water over them. Let sit 30 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse. Wrap the rosemary and thyme sprigs in cheesecloth, and tie with kitchen twine; and set aside. Lift out the mushrooms with a slotted spoon, and place in a mesh sieve over another bowl. Press the mushrooms to release any remained liquid, and pour the liquid back into the first bowl; set the mushrooms aside. You should have about 4 cups of mushroom stock; set aside.

2. Melt 5 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When butter begins bubbling, add the flour. Cook, stirring, until the mixture begins to brown, which is about 3 minutes. While whisking, slowly pour in the mushroom stock into the pan. Continue cooking, the mushroom stock, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick. Stir in the cream and reserved herb bundle. Reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow all of the flavors to infuse.

3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until it begins to soften, which about 3 minutes. Add the button mushrooms, and cook until they release their juices. Add the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms and chopped thyme, and cook until all the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the dried-mushrooms sauce to the skillet, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

4. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Butter a 9-by-13 inch baking dish; set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water, and add to pasta. Cover, and cook 2 to 3 minutes less than the manufacturer’s instructions, until the pasta is very al dente. Transfer the pasta to a colander, and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process; drain well. Stir the pasta into the mushroom mixture. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Sprinkle with grated cheese, and bake until browned on top and the mixture is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let the dish cool 5 minutes before serving.

So this recipe was adapted from the fabulous Martha Stewart Living 2002 Annual Recipes. I must say that the "Martha" can do no wrong. Everything about her just exudes refinement and grace. So when I was making this dish I had to throw on my apron and spoke in a high brow fake Connecticut accent and only drank tea with my pinky finger out for the rest of the day. I mean it must be done this way or there will be a knock at my door from the Martha Stewart fan club demanding that I be locked way for disrespecting the “Queen.” Anyway, so as I was at the grocery store to purchase said items to make this dish I noticed that the cost of dried mushrooms were insane. A one ounce package of porcini mushrooms cost $5.00, so I was like “f**k that.” I purchased two of them and said that I would half the recipe. So everything turned out great. If you are not a big fan of mushrooms then I suggest that you don’t try this because with the mushroom broth and all the dried and fresh mushrooms in the in the mix it made it really stand out but in a good way for me. Overall, a spectacular dish that my co-workers really liked and wanted more.

Turkey Burgers with Tomato Jam, Olives, and Feta

1 pound ground turkey
2/3 cup finely chopped red onion
1/3 cup (about 2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese plus additional for topping
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata olives (about 6) plus additional for topping
1 ½ teaspoons olive oil plus additional for brushing
1 small garlic clove, pressed
½ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon (generous) coarse kosher salt
½ teaspoon (generous) black pepper
4 crusty rolls, halved horizontally
Tomato Jam

Prepare barbecue or grill pan (medium-high heat). Brush the grill rack with olive oil. Gently mix turkey, onion, 1/3 cup feta, 3 tablespoons chopped olives, 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil, garlic, rosemary, ½ teaspoon coarse salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in medium bowl. Form the mixture into 4 patties, each about 1 inch thick. Brush with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill burgers until charred on both sides and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Grill cut side of rolls until toasted, about 2 minutes. Assemble burgers with Tomato Jam and additional feta and chopped olives


Tomato Jam

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cup (scant) finely chopped onions
1 garlic clove, minced
2 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Heat the olive oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook until onion is soft and translucent, stirring often, for about 4 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes with juice, sugar, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Cook over medium-heat until almost all liquid evaporates and mixture is reduced to about 2 ¼ cups, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Set aside and let cool .


Oven Fries with Coriander Seeds

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 pounds unpeeled russet potatoes (about 3 large), scrubbed, cut lengthwise into 1/2 –inch thick sticks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons coriander seeds, cracked
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Coarse kosher salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray large baking sheet with nonstick spray. Toss potatoes with olive oil, coriander seeds, and thyme in large bowl. Transfer to the foil lined sheet, spreading in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in top third of oven and bake until golden, occasionally turning with spatula, about 40 minutes. Season to taste with coarse salt and pepper.



This particular recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit August 2008 Magazine. So it was a Friday night and I was left by myself because all my friends were either working or were too tired to do anything with me. So, the choices were to sit at home and order Chinese or cook something. Instead of spending more money on food, I decided that I would just cook a Sunday recipe on Friday Night, and what is better on a Friday Night than a burger and fries. So the recipe calls for cooking the burgers on a grill and because I live in an apartment that was not an option. So I made do with my cast iron grill that I just love and gives me the grill marks but unfortunately not the taste of a charcoal grill will give you. So if you have the options I say go outside and fire up the grill. What a “kick ass” recipe this was. The idea of making a turkey burger that has some kick to it was an exciting task. So on to my critique…. The burger was so good and the Tomato Jam was an excellent touch that the burger needed. The above recipe calls for crusty rolls and I used these miniature artisan rolls that worked great. If you want a different “burger and fries” night I would so recommend this. The fries on the other hand were somewhat of a disappointment. The fries were not as crispy as I had expected them to be. If I had deep fried them I think I would have been a little more pleased but I think the idea was for this to be a traditional healthy take on a traditional classic. Overall I would say that this was a satisfying meal that I you would enjoy. But deep fry the fries… a few more calories won’t kill you!!!

I'ts Me!!!!

“Once upon a time there was a little black boy in projects of Gaithersburg, Maryland………..” So at the urging of a friend of mine I have decided to create this little blog. So, just so everyone out there knows “I am not” a professionally trained chef. My degree is in business for Christ sake!!! I’m just a random guy who just happens to love to cook and loves to eat. So part of my thing is that I like to go to thrift stores and shop, cookbooks are my favorite. I love to run home and put post-its on all the recipes that I am gonna try. (Yea, I know I’m a dork) I can’t wait to get home on Friday night from work to plan out my meals for the coming weekends cooking session. My co-worker thinks I’m joking when I tell her that is what I am doing. I get bored with food very easily so I have to try something new each week. So after several purchased cookbooks and nothing but time on my hands I bring you (drum roll please)…………………………………........The Second Hand Cook. This is gonna be a mix of some new things that I have tried and some old standards I keep up my sleeve for when a "special" guest might come over. Also, on the way I'm gonna tell you some of my favorite things that I dare try to make on my own for fear of a complete and total melt down. Anyway so look for some things that you might wanna try and tell me what you think.