Flavors in Love

If you are a New Yorker…then you know how long it takes for spring
to REALLY arrive.  Too often on the east coast we get tastes or hints of spring days in late March and early April, only to be followed by more snow, and more cold.  However, this past weekend, I feel that spring REALLY arrived and my New York world started smiling again after a long winter, and many false starts to the much awaited spring.

As we all know, pollen is not the only thing in the spring air…and with the cherry blossoms, spring dresses, muscle tee shirts and crocus comes a rejuvenated spring bloom of aliveness amongst the minds and hearts of all New Yorkers.  AND, for the food lover, that aliveness is coupled by an excitement for Spring Vegetables!

When I don’t know exactly what I want to cook, I use the grocery store for inspiration.  This past Sunday was such an occasion, and although I knew I wanted the meal to have the pinks and greens colors of spring, I wasn’t sure exactly what it would be.  However, as I was perusing the Whole Foods isles I came across some very good looking ”fat leeks” as they are called.  They made me think about one of the best meals I had in Paris last year as we started that meal off with a leeks vinagrette.  I also found some fresh beets and put together a very simple dish of roasted beets and  leeks vinaigrette. I seriously can’t believe I don’t make this more often…it is so good and so so simple.  Beets are one of my favorite vegetables and when you roast them, they get even sweeter.  Add the tartness of the vinaigrette to the leeks which get soft and soak up all the juices, and you have yourself a perfect spring side dish or first course that virtually anybody can make.  Plus, the colors are sensational too

In addition to this perfect first course, I also found some fava beans at Gourmet Garage.  I was excited because fava beans and fresh Pecorino is a typical combination found in Italy in the spring and thus, inspired me to make my first fava bean spread of the season…one of my best recipes. It’s really an appetizer, very similar to pesto as it’s a puree made with basil, mint, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and garlic.  I have been making this fava bean spread for years and I serve it with some toasted or grilled sour dough bread brushed with a little olive oil.  This is always on of the first things that friends and family ask me to make when they visit and with a refreshing  glass of Italian Pinot Grigio, it makes another perfect spring appetizer .  And what a gorgeous spring color!!!

Here are the recipes:

Hello everyone…  

 I am very excited about this post.  Besides the exceptional food we created for this past Sunday Supper, I am eager to introduce you to the outstanding company that helped me cook this dinner. 
 
Last Sunday I had the great honor and pleasure of cooking with one of the most extraordinary woman I know.  Regena Thomashauer.. who I call “Mama Gena” is an outstanding women’s coach, mentor and teacher.  This is a woman who has huge heart and an unbridled passion for helping women use the power of pleasure to have their way with the world. Regena Thomashauer is the founder and head of “Mama Gena’s School Of Womanly Arts.”    www.mamagenas.com 

I have been working with Mama Gena for over a year now and as a result of her work, not only feel far more deeply connected to my “inner Goddess” so to speak…but feel  
that I am able to greatly experience the pleasures of every part of my life in a  
more sensual and palpable way.  When she asked me to give her a private cooking class, I couldn’t have been more excited.  I had been wanting to give something back to her since I started working with her, and what better way to do so than to engage in one of the most pleasurable activities out there…eating! 

So, this past Sunday we decided to cook for some of our mutual  friends and her daughter Maggie Maggie wanted something Mexican, and  I wanted to teach Regena how to make the best roast chicken in the world, so we made a compromise and I created this menu:  

Mango Margaritas 

Mexican Spice Rubbed Chicken

Tortillas and Freshly Made Guacamole 

Chopped Salad with Jicama and Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette  

Cumin Scented Black Beans 

and of course…

Healthy Chocolate for Dessert  
 

Talk about pleasure!  
Here are the recipes and some photos.  Please enjoy and make sure to  
check out Mama-Gena’s website… www.mamagenas.com

ULTIMATE GUACAMOLE   ( The real deal)      

Serves four 

1 teaspoon. finely minced jalapeno pepper  
4 tablespoons. chopped white onion* 
4 teaspoons. chopped coriander 
1/2 tsp. salt

juice of  ½ lime

Freshly ground pepper to taste

2 Ripe Haas Avocadoes

½ cup seeded and chopped plum tomatoes

Tortilla chips or fresh corn tortillas ** 

Preparation:

In a mixing bowl, combine the jalapeno, onion, coriander, salt and lime juice. Using the back of a wooden spoon, thoroughly mash these ingredients until you get a juicy paste.  
 
Split the avocados in half lengthwise and remove the seed. Using a knife, section the

inside into approximately ½ inch cubes. Stir these chunks into the bowl and mash with the back of the fork until the mixture is rather smooth. ( if you like your guacamole chunky, make sure not to mash it too much)

Stir in the chopped tomato and serve. 
   
 
*Mexicans use the white onion specifically 
** Although Americans eat guacamole with tortilla chips the proper way to serve guacamole is inside a fresh warm corn tortilla. 

Note:  You can also garnish with more onion, cilantro and jalapeno if you wish.

 

MY FAVORITE ROAST CHICKEN WITH GOAT CHEESE AND MEXICAN SPICES STUFFED UNDER THE SKIN

Serves 4-6   

2/3 cup ( about 6 ounces) soft, fresh goat cheese, at room temperature

½ cup finely chopped cilantro

1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped

3 ½ tablespoons Roasted Garlic Puree

1 Tablespoon Orange rind

Mexican spices ( can buy a mix in grocery store)

¼ t chipotle chili powder

Salt and freshly ground pepper

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 orange cut in half

1 large roasting chicken, about 3 ½ pounds ( preferably organic)

½ cup white wine

1 cup good quality chicken broth 

For gravy

2 cups chicken stock or good quality chicken broth

1 cup white wine

Juice of 1 orange

2 T maple syrup

Dash of chipotle powder 

Roast the garlic according to instructions and mash up cloves and put aside in a small bowl.   

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, thoroughly stir together the goat cheese, coriander, shallot, garlic puree, orange rind, and 1 T Mexican spice,  ¼ t chili powder, olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper 

Pat the chicken dry. Salt and pepper the chicken and rub the Mexican spice onto the back side of the chicken. Salt and pepper back side of the chicken. Turn chicken over. . Loosen the skin over the breast meat, thighs and as far down the legs as possible by gently sliding your fingers between the skin and the meat, avoid tearing the skin.  Stuff the cheese mixture under the skin of the breasts, thighs and legs, using it all.

Rub 1 teapsoon Mexican spice onto the top of the chicken . Salt and pepper.  Squeeze the juice from the orange all over the chicken.  Put ½ of the orange inside the cavity of the chicken..  

Drizzle with olive oil   Set chicken on a rack in a roasting pan or a baking sheet..  Add the broth and wine to the bottom of the pan

.Place foil over the chicken and put chicken in oven covered for 1 hour. 

For gravy:

In a small saucepan, boil the stock, white wine, maple syrup and orange juice and !/4 t. chilpotle powder until reduced by half. 

After an hour, take the foil off the chicken and add the wine and orange juice mixture to the bottom of the pan.and continue cooking for 15 minutes.  Open the oven and spoon the juices accumulating on the bottom of the pan over the chicken.

Continue cooking until chicken skin is crispy and the meat is just cooked through while remaining juicy, 20-30 minutes.  

.

Remove the chicken from the oven, pour off the pan juices into a gravy strainer.

Strain the gravy into a small saucepan on top of stove.

Boil until gravy is reduced and thick…. 5 minutes.

Transfer to a gravy boat. 

Carve the chicken and arrange it on a platter garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve the chicken warm or at room temperature with the gravy on the side.  
 

Serve with chicken with warm tortillas, guacamole, fresh cilantro and cumin scented black beans. 

Quick Cumin Scented Black Beans

Serves 6 1 Tablespoon freshly ground cumin ( ground in a spice grinder)

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 cans organic black beans

2 cans fire roasted chopped tomatoes

¼ teaspoon chilpotle chili spice

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro

Juice from 1 lime 

Heat olive oil in a medium sized sauce pan.  Saute onions and garlic for 5 minutes until soft.  Add Cumin and sauté.   Add tomatoes and sauté for 5 minutes then add black beans, salt and pepper.   Let simmer on stove for 15 minutes to 20 minutes until beans are thick.   

Add fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro.

Hello fello food enthusiasts. 

So…, I love cooking on Sunday nights.  It’s kind of a ritual that I have actually. I’ve noticed that many people are eating in more frequently these days to save money, and even though the economic state of the world is WAY less than ideal to say the least…it’s at least nice to know that families are getting back to the basics of home cooking, togetherness and nourishing times together.  And then there’s the simple truth that cooking at home can be healthier than eating out.  You use less fats and oils and if you choose to, you can cook with organic ingredients as well. 

 Whether I am cooking for somebody else, or just for myself, Sunday evening is usually a regular recipe testing, food experimenting evening for me…AND, I try to make WAY too much food so that I have leftovers for the rest of the week as well.  This past Sunday I happened to be cooking for some special friends of mine, and thought I would take a risk and try to perfect my Cioppino recipe with a gorgeous and tasty winter salad.  For those who don’t know “Cioppino” is a seafood stew derived from Italian origins.

 

It was developed in the late 1800s by Italian fishermen who settled in the North Beach section of San Francisco. Originally it was made on the boats while out at sea and later became a staple as Italian restaurants proliferated in San Francisco. It was made with the catch of the day and any leftovers. On Sunday,  I used a variety of seafood… scallops, shrimp, calamari, red snapper and mussels.   This is a perfect Sunday meal… as you can make the base ahead and then add the seafood at the last moment. You can also make it as spicy as you’d like, and I add red chili flakes.  I like spicy food so my Ciopinno was on the hotter side…very delicious in my opinion.  This rich stew/soup tastes tangy and spicy and you could actually choose to serve it over pasta if you’d like. 

Since it’s a one dish meal.. I simply served it with a salad, and last night.. I used soft sweet butter lettuce and spicy arugula and added sliced red onions, cherry tomatoes, radishes, walnuts, steamed haricots verts and gorgonzola dolce.My guests were very happy with the meal.   

 

Here is the my Cioppino Recipe:  

 

Ciopppino 

Serve 6 

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced

6 small carrots, peeled and diced

5 stalks celery, diced

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 can whole peeled tomatoes with their juices

2 tablespoons. tomato paste

1 cup white wine

2 8 oz bottles clam juice

1 t dried oregano, crushed

4-5 sprigs fresh thyme

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

!/2 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley 

½ pound mussels, cleaned and de bearded

½ pound large sea scallops cut in half

½ pound rock shrimp

½ pound regular shrimp peeled

½ pound squid. body( cut into rings) and tentacles

¾ pound red snapper or other white fish..cut into large chunks 

Toasted bread for dunking 

In a large casserole ( I love Le Creuset), heat 3 Tablespoons olive oil until hot and then

add onions, carrots and celery and  sauté for 5-6 minutes.. Add the garlic and sauté for another 3 minutes.  Add tomatoes, white wine and clam juice, oregano, thyme and red pepper flakes.. salt and pepper to taste.

Let simmer on top of the stove for about 20 minutes.

 

Add in all the seafood, cover and let seafood cook until just tender about 5-7 minutes. 

Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve with olive oil croutons to dip into the broth.  

Serve immediately.

 

 

For my list of last weeks happenings: please check out my “Happenings” page