Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Mediterrean Mezze

hummus
1 15- to 16-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika plus additional for sprinkling
shrimp, olive, and tomato salad
16 cooked peeled large shrimp with tails left intact
16 unpitted Kalamata olives
1 cup diced seeded tomatoes (about 3 medium)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon (packed) finely grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
cucumber, yogurt, and feta salad
1/2 unpeeled English hothouse cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds
1/2 cup plain nonfat or low-fat yogurt (preferably Greek-style), whisked to loosen
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 3 ounces)
1 teaspoon dried oregano or mint
1 6-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
2 lemons, cut into wedges
4 to 6 pita breads



Preparation
hummus
· Place 1 tablespoon garbanzo beans in small bowl and reserve for garnish. Combine remaining garbanzo beans, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, cumin, and 1 teaspoon paprika in processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle reserved garbanzo beans over. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before using.
· Drizzle hummus lightly with oil and sprinkle lightly with paprika.
shrimp, olive, and tomato salad
· Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
cucumber, yogurt, and feta salad
· Arrange cucumber slices on plate; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spoon yogurt over. Sprinkle with feta cheese and oregano. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 hour ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
· Place marinated artichokes in small bowl. Arrange bowls of hummus, shrimp salad, and artichokes and plate with cucumber salad on large platter. Garnish with lemon wedges.
· Toast pita breads in toaster, then cut into wedges. Arrange pita wedges on platter with salads and serve.From Bon Appetit, August 2009

Mount Rainier Chili

Adapted from Simply Classic Serves 12-14

1# Great Northern white beans, rinsed and picked over
2# boneless chicken breasts
1 Tbls olive oil
2 C chopped onions
4+ garlic cloves, minced
2 4-oz cans chopped mild green chiles
2 tsp ground cumin
1 ½ dried oregano
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp cayenne
8 cups chicken stock
1 12 oz can beer
3 C Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Sour cream
Salsa
Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Soak beans overnight.
Bake chicken breasts with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, dried Italian dried spices and the juice of 1 small lemon. I add the zest as well. Cook until tender. Cool then dice into cubes.

Drain beans. Heat oil in pot. Add onions, cook until tender, 10 minutes. Add garlic, green chiles, cumin, oregano, cloves and cayenne. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add beans and beer, and stock. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 3-4 hours. Add additional water if necessary. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.) Add chicken. (You can add Monterey Cheese at this point also, which I didn’t do but is excellent.). Stir until cheese melts. Ladle chili into bowls. Serve with remaining cheese, sour cream, salsa and cilantro leaves to sprinkle on top.

GARLIC – SAGE SOUP

Serves 6 Mediterranean – The Beautiful Cookbook

6-8 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 large or 6 small fresh sage leaves
2 fresh thyme sprigs
6 C water
6 oz vermicelli
6 egg yolks, lightly beaten (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 Tb extra-virgin olive oil
6 Tb freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1 2-qt saucepan over high heat, combine garlic, sage, thyme and water and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes.

Add vermicelli and cook until the noodles are tender, a few minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir in the oil and serve at once. Sprinkle each with serving with Parmesan, if desired

Upscale Macaroni and Cheese

Bon Appétit Serves 12

2 Tbls butter
3 large red bell peppers, cut into ½ inch pieces
5 celery stalks

1 ½ cups whipping cream
1 ½ cups half and half
1 pound blue cheese, crumbled
1 tsp celery seeds
Cayenne pepper
3 large egg yolks
½ cup chopped celery leaves

1 pound penne
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and celery and sauté until just beginning to soften, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine cream, half and half and blue cheese in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until cheese melts. Remove from heat. Add celery seeds. Season sauce with cayenne, salt and pepper. Beat yolks in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in half of cheese sauce. Return mixture to saucepan and whisk to blend. Add celery leaves.

Butter 13 ¾ X 10 ½ X 2 ¾ inc oval baking dish (4 quart capacity)
Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally, Drain. Return to same pot Add sauce and vegetables; stir to blend. Transfer to baking dish. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before continuing. Preheat oven 400°. Sprinkle parmesan over top. Bake to heat, about 25 minutes.

Curried Shrimp with Banana

The 15 Minute Single Gourmet Serves 1

Curry Sauce:
¼ tsp. Lime zest
2 Tbls. Fresh limejuice
½ tsp. sugar
½ tsp. Curry powder
Dash of ground cloves

Shrimp:
½ tsp. Olive oil
4-5 large shrimp, shelled and deveined
¼ tsp. Minced garlic
½ medium banana at room temperature, cut into 8 strips

Garnish:
Sprig cilantro or parsley

In a measuring cup or small bowl, stir together the sauce ingredients. Set aside.
In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, scallion and garlic; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, making certain the shrimp are cooked on both sides. Reduce the heat to low, add the banana strips, and continue to cook, stirring gently for 1 minute.
Pour the sauce over the ingredients in the skillet. Heat for about 30 seconds; the sauce will be absorbed and reduced.

Pasta with Lemon-Garlic Sauce

Adapted from Sue Schlegel 4-6 servings

3 Tbls. Minced fresh garlic
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup finely minced fresh parsley
2 oz. Toasted pine nuts (optional)
2 Tbls. Fresh lemon juice
2 Tbls. Lemon zest
1 lb. Cooked pasta
freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated parmesan cheese

Sauté garlic in oil until lightly golden. Add parsley and nuts. Sauté one minute. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and zest. Pour sauce over hot pasta and toss. Season generously with pepper and serve with grated parmesan cheese.

CURRIED SPINACH SALAD

Adapted for Simply Classic Serves 8
Junior League of Women

Salad
8 cups spinach leaves (I use a combo of lettuce/spinach)
2 Red Delicious apples, cored and thinly sliced
2/3-cup pine nuts
1/2 cup Craisins (sundried cranberries)
1/3 cup green onion, thinly sliced
2 cups shrimp, diced chicken or turkey (optional)
Dressing
2/3-cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1 Tbls. Major Grey’s chutney
finely chopped (I used my Peach jam, about 2 Tbls.)
1 tsp. Curry powder
1 tsp. Dry mustard
1 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Tabasco

~For dressing, combine all of the ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake well and let stand at room temperature for several hours to blend.

~Stem spinach leaves and tear into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large salad bowl. Top with apples, nuts cranberries, and green onions. Toss with dressing and serve immediately.