Wednesday, March 31, 2010

National Food Bloggers Bake Sale - Saturday April 17th At The Grove!


Divas, I have an exciting announcement!

Domestic Divas will be participating in the National Food Bloggers Bake Sale - Los Angeles!  The sale takes place on Saturday April 17th, 2010 from 10:30 am - 1:30 pm at Morel's French Steakhouse and Bistro at The Grove in Hollywood. The market is located at 189 The Grove Dr.  The bake sale is to benefit Share Our Strength, an fabulous organization that strives to end childhood hunger.

I'll be making a big batch of my famous Bacon Brownies with Bourbon Caramel Sauce.  So come on down, chow down and support a great cause!

Event Information
National Food Bloggers Bake Sale - Los Angeles
Saturday April 17th, 2010
10:30AM - 1:30PM
Morel's French Steakhouse and Bistro at The Grove
189 The Grove Dr


Click here to make a donation!

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

New "Flicks & Food" Column On GeekWeek - PRECIOUS Green Chili (Not Fried) Chicken!


Hey divas, check out my new GeekWeek column that's just gone live!  This time, I tackle the movie PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE and write up a healthy recipe inspired by the movie for Green Chili (Not Fried) Chicken.  So check it out!

Click here to link to my column!

Monday, March 29, 2010

Meatless Monday: Whole Grain Spaghetti With Marinara Sauce


Sometimes the simplest things are the best.

On Friday night, the A-Girl came over for a hike with the Adorable Monster followed by dinner.  While I've been known on occasion to attempt challenging recipes, more often than not, I prepare simple meals.

My trick to making simple food taste awesome? 

The ingredients, of course.  In fact, this is just about every chef's trick.  It's from where we draw our inspiration, and it's a large part of the reason why the food in top restaurants tastes so flipping amazing. 

For our dinner, I made a classic marinara sauce, an Italian red sauce usually made with tomatoes, garlic, onions, herbs and spices, which I served over a whole grain spaghetti.  I added a healthy portion of fresh organic basil, a highly fragrant leafy herb which gained popularity as the main ingredient in pesto and showcases a variety of awesome health benefits, like protecting cells from free radical damage and aiding in the immune system by inhibiting the growth of bacteria.  This turned out to be the perfect post-Runyon hike meal - a hearty pasta dish accompanied by my famous Roast Cauliflower which I topped with dried cherries, parsley and pine nuts.   Everyone loved it, and the Adorable Monster only tried to hump the A-Girl, who he must consider his girlfriend, one time. 


Whole Wheat Spaghetti With Marinara Sauce
Serves 6 people
Cooking time:  40 minutes

Ingredients
2 boxes whole grain spaghetti (I used one made with spelt flour)
parmesan reggiano
pinch of sea salt

marinara sauce:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped, or 1 tablespoon dried thyme
1/2 medium carrot, finely shredded
2 28 ounce cans peeled whole tomatoes
1 teaspoon fresh oregono
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons fresh basil, julienned
salt and pepper

Directions
To make the marinara sauce, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened (8-10 minutes).  Add the thyme and carrot and cook for 5 minutes, until carrot is very soft.  Crush the tomatoes with your hands (I love this part!) and add them and their juices.  Add the bay leaf.  Bring to a boil, stirring often, and then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the thyme, oregano and basil and simmer for 10 more minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  This sauce keeps for 1 week in the fridge and 6 months in the freezer.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the whole grain spaghetti and cook for about 8 minutes, or until al dente.  Do not overcook.  Drain and rinse with water and toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.

To plate, place some pasta in a wide-bottomed bowl and smother with a generous portion of marinara sauce.  Top with a little fresh grated parmesan reggiano.  Enjoy!

Source For Ingredients
organic canned whole tomatoes (Muir Glen) and organic whole grain spelt spaghetti (Vita Spelt) from Whole Foods

organic onion, organic garlic and organic carrot from Studio City Farmers Market

organic basil from Trader Joe's

parmesan reggiano from Surfas

Wine Pairing
We started with a bottle of Copain 2006 Syrah (Robert Parker 95-97 points) from the James Berry Vineyard.  We'd recently tasted the Saxum 2006 James Berry Vineyard, Proprietary Blend (Parker 95 points) and wanted to compare the two wines.  I must admit that we slightly preferred the Copain, at least at this early stage.  But they're both fabulous wines - big boys with an inky-black color and super concentrated fruit.  I'll be interested to taste them both again down the road once they get some age under their belts.  You know we'll be drinking them...

Then, we followed it up with a Cabernet Sauvignon from Anthill Farms.  While we've imbibed copious amounts of Anthill Farms Pinot Noir, for which they're known, we'd never tasted their Cabernet Sauvignon, in part because they just made it for the first time.  So on this night, we popped a bottle of their 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Timber Crest Farms, Dry Creek Valley.  It drank great for the first fifteen minutes, but then faded.  We capped it and let it rest until the following night, when we re-tasted it.  I enjoyed it much more on the second day - it mellowed, and some of its mustiness faded, allowing more of the fruit to shine.  I was reminded once again that wine is such a temporal creature, always changing, morphing, elusive yet endearing, welcoming, yet challenging. 

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Pan-Roasted Pacific Rockfish With Fresh Tomatoes, Capers And Garlic


Nothing cooks faster than fish in a saute pan - we're talking under ten minutes.  And few things are healthier than fresh fish full of protein, omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients.

Even better, top the fish with a mixture of fresh tomatoes, capers and garlic all smothered in lemon juice and olive oil.  And you have today's Simple Suppers recipe!  When I made this dish, I used a lovely piece of Pacific Rockfish, but Red Snapper would be an excellent substitution.  Enjoy!

Pan-Roasted Pacific Rockfish With Fresh Tomatoes, Capers And Garlic
Serves 2 people
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
2 4 ounce Pacific Rockfish or Red Snapper fillets
2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon capers
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or fresh basil
salt and pepper

Directions
To cook the fish, rinse the fillets with cool water and pat dry.  Then, sprinkle both sides of the fish with salt and pepper.  Heat the grapeseed or canola oil in a saute pan over high heat until almost smoking.  Add the fillets and quickly cook on each side, until cooked through.  Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, place the tomatoes, garlic, capers, olive oil and lemon juice in a bowl and toss to combine.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To plate, place a piece of fish on a plate and top with a heaping portion of the tomato-caper-garlic mixture.  Enjoy! 

Source For Ingredients
pacific rockfish, organic capers, organic garlic, organic thyme and organic lemons from Whole Foods 

Wine Pairing
For this dish, I'd recommend a crisp, citrusy California chardonnay, such as Windy Oaks.  Or, if red wine suits your tastes, try a Burgundian-style California Pinot Noir from a producer like Windy Oaks or Anthill Farms.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Meatless Monday: Roasted Sweet Potato Soup


There are few things I love more than soup, and vegan purees happen to be a specialty of mine.  The simple act of blending the soup together gives it a creamy texture without the cream.  For this recipe, I rub the sweet potatoes with cardamom, chili flakes, thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper, then I roast them in the oven until they're tender.  Finally, I blend them with a mixture of garlic, vegetable stock and olive oil to a creamy texture.  The result is a delicious soup with layers of flavor - spicy, sweet, creamy!  I promise you'll love it!

Roasted Sweet Potato Soup
Serves 4-6 people
Cooking time:  about 50 minutes

Ingredients
5 sweet potatoes, halved
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1/4 cup olive oil plus 2 tablepoons
1 garlic clove, peeled
3 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, chopped
salt & pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Rub the inside of the sweet potatoes with the olive oil, cardamom, thyme, chili flakes and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place them in a heavy bottomed pan cut sides down. Fill the pan with 1/2 inch of water. Roast for 4o minutes, or until cooked through and tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Once they're cool enough to handle, scoop the sweet potatoes out of their skins and place in a blender.  Add the stock, the 1/4 cup of olive oil and the garlic glove. Puree until smooth.  Place in a pot on the stove top.  Warm over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning (salt and pepper) as needed.  To serve, drizzle with a little olive oil and top with chopped parsley.  Enjoy!

Source For Ingredients
organic sweet potatoes, organic garlic, local Mission olive oil and organic thyme from Hollywood Farmers Market

organic vegetable stock, organic cardamom and chili flakes from Whole Foods

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Braised Pork Belly With Soft Polenta


Oh, the decadence!  Oh, the layers of fat and meat and more fat!  Oh, heavenly belly of pork!  

Alright, so maybe I'm not much of a poet, but if anything in the culinary universe inspires one to burst into spontaneous iambic pentameter or even just haiku, it's pork belly.  Yes, this is the cut of meat that is cured into bacon, which is how most Americans know pork belly.  Fresh pork belly, long popular in Asia and other regions of the world, hadn't made much of a dent on America's palate until recently.  David Chang of NYC noodle bar Momofuku who is famous in part for his pork belly buns even admits that a decade ago, he couldn't have called them "pork belly" and expected to sell them (by the way, I love the Momofuku cookbook and referred to it when constructing this dish).

Well, folks, that has all changed.  Bacon's popularity as a big culinary trend seems to have led people to discover pork belly itself.  Well, some people at least, like myself.  So, over the weekend, with visions of Animal's BBQ Pork Belly Sandwiches (see side picture) dancing through my head, I undertook my first attempt to braise the crap out of a fresh piece of pork belly.  Well, first I rubbed it with a mixture of salt, sugar, nutmeg and cardamom, wrapped it tightly and let it sit overnight.  Then, I braised the crap out of it in my brand new oven at 325 degrees for bordering on four hours.   During this time, I occasionally basted it in its own fat and braising juices.

Finally, after an excruciatingly long wait, I dished it up over a plateful of soft polenta.  Kuzak and I settled down before out plates and regarded our hunks of pork belly, nestled on their soft polenta pillows, topped with a piece of crispy sage.  "If it sucks, we can order pizza," I reassured him, knowing culinary experiments can go really well, or really poorly.  With that, we both tucked into our dishes and let out little noises of pleasure.  I'll sum it up this way.

Braised Pork Belly = A Little Piece Of Culinary Heaven

The luscious, velvety pork belly melted into the polenta, which it turns out is the perfect receptacle for pork belly juices.  This dish was an absolute winner, and I would make it again in a heartbeat (but not too often, if I'd like to avoid a heart attack).  And I even had two leftover chunks of braised pork belly.  No, I didn't give them to the Adorable Monster, though he did get to lick some plates.  Instead, I transformed them into pork belly ravioli the next night.   Now, that's a revelation.  Stay tuned for that recipe coming up next week!

Braised Pork Belly With Soft Polenta
Serves 4 people
Cooking time: 3-4 hours

Ingredients
1 pound fresh pork belly
1 tablespoon grapeseed or canola oil
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup tamari
1 cup water
1/2 cup polenta (grits)
2 cups filtered water
1/4 cup parmesan reggiano, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 pieces of sage
1 tablespoon olive oil

Rub
1/4 cup Kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cardamom 

Directions 

Mix together the rub ingredients and rub it all over the fresh pork belly.  Wrap tightly in plastic and allow to sit in the fridge for at least twelve hours but not longer than twenty-four hours (overnight).

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Remove the pork belly from the fridge and pat it dry.  Cut it into four pieces of equal size.  Next, heat the grapeseed oil in a braising pan over medium-high heat.  Quickly, sear the pork belly pieces on all sides until golden brown.  Add the chicken stock, tamari and water to the pan.  Cover tightly and place in the oven.  Braise the pork belly for about three to four hours, occasionally basting the pieces and making sure they stay moist.  If needed, more water can be added.

Once the pork belly has taken on a pillowy texture and is fork tender, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, add the 2 cups of filtered water, polenta (grits) and about 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a pot and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Cover and reduce to a simmer.  Cook for 5 minutes or until they reach desired consistency.  Stir in the parmesan and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Finally, fry the sage leaves in the olive oil over medium-high heat and allow to drain on a paper towel.

To plate, spoon the soft polenta onto a plate in a circle.  Top with a piece of braised pork belly and place a crispy sage leaf on top.  Enjoy!

Source For Ingredients
fresh pork belly, tamari, grapeseed oil, organic olive oil, organic sage, organic grits, organic nutmeg, organic cardamom, Kosher salt and organic chicken broth from Whole Foods

parmesan reggiano from Surfas

Wine Pairing
We paired a bottle of Carlisle 2007 Zinfandel, Carlisle Vinyard, Russian River Valley with the braised pork belly ($40 off the mailing list/SOLD OUT).  Robert Parker rated this wine 93 points.  It's not entirely Zinfandel, but rather a blend of 92% Zinfandel and the rest Carignan, Petite Sirah, and a few other Mediterranean red grapes.  The wine is a deep, purple color with hints of pepper and dark fruit on the palate, perfect to stand up to the very rich, braised pork belly. A truly great wine from a great producer!

Click here to visit the Carlisle's website

And check out my new pages pages at the top of my blog, including my brand new Wine page!  Or, just click here!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

New "Flicks & Food" Column Up On GeekWeek!


Divas, my latest and greatest column is up on GeekWeek!  This week, I wrote up a recipe for my Vegetarian Enchiladas With Homemade Enchilada Sauce inspired by the documentary, FOOD, INC.  I also write about Meatless Monday and what you can do to help.  It's a must read column - and a must try recipe!  So check it out!

Click here for the direct link to the column!

Monday, March 15, 2010

Meatless Monday: Chickpea And Quinoa Salad With Lemon-Tahini Dressing


Happy Meatless Monday!  Today, I thought I'd share with you a simple salad recipe for Chickpea And Quinoa Salad With Lemon-Tahini Dressing that's healthy, delicious and easy to throw together on the fly.  There are plenty of reasons to load your diet up with chickpeas, including their high fiber content and virtually fat-free source of protein.  Likewise, quinoa, an ancient grain with a nutty taste, is also high in fiber and protein.

What else?  To help boost the health properties of the dressing, I've added tumeric, the superstar of the spice world, which is a potent anti-inflammatory that has been shown to decrease the risk for certain types of cancer.  The salad is essentially a composed salad with an array of fresh vegetables and fruit, including tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, red bell pepper and avocado.  The final ingredient is a light sprinkling of fresh dill (one of my favorite herbs in the whole world).  So give it a try - this recipe makes for a delicious complete lunch!

Chickpea And Quinoa Salad With Lemon-Tahini Dressing
Serves 4 people
Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry
1 cup quinoa, cooked
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
8 small radishes, halved
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1/2 cucumber, chopped
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

lemon-tahini dressing:
2 tbsp sesame tahini
1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground tumeric
salt & pepper 

Directions
To make the lemon-tahini dressing, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, tumeric and cumin in a bowl.  Add water as needed to thin to a nice consistency.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

To make the salad, put 1/4 of quinoa in the center of each bowl.  Arrange the vegetables around the quinoa, dividing them evenly and grouping each kind each together to to make a composed salad.  Pile 1/4 cup of chickpeas in the center of the bowl.  Drizzle with the dressing and top with the dill and a little fresh cracked pepper.  Enjoy

Source For Ingredients
organic radishes from Sage Mountain Farm (Hollywood Farmers Market)

organic tomatoes, organic cucumber, organic avocado, organic lemon, organic bell pepper from Hollywood Farmers Market

organic canned chickpeas (Eden Organics), organic cumin, organic quinoa, organic tumeric and organic sesame tahini from Whole Foods

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Swordfish Involtini Alla Siciliana (Adapted From The Babbo Cookbook)


Ever since my first trip to Osteria Mozza (and meeting Mario Batali on a subsequent trip to Pizzeria Mozza with my Top Chef Brother), I've been in love with his regional approach to Italian cuisine.  In most cities, the streets are littered with Italian restaurants, most of which server what I consider to be Americanized Italian food (c'mon, we've all eaten it!).  While it can be tasty, it doesn't get my heart all pitter-paterring in food excitement.  Osteria Mozza did - and The Babbo Cookbook by Mario Batali likewise has been a goldmine of cooking inspiration.

I've been steadily working my way through it, whipping up fresh pastas, and now tackling several of the seafood dishes, including Sauteed Skate And Rock Shrimp In A Saffron Clam Cironette and Halibut with Carciofini Al Mattone And Tomato Anchovy Vinaigrette, but my favorite seafood dish so far has to be Swordfish Involtini Alla Siciliana.  To prepare this dish, you must first make a basic tomato sauce, and then it's laden with olives, capers, red pepper flakes, pine nuts, currants and white wine.  Into the braising pan the sauce goes, followed by Swordfish fillets topped with a yummy herb/bread crumb mixture.  The whole thing gets baked together, and then served with the sauce ladled on top of the fish.

Holy cow!  This sauce is something to write home about!  The combination of briny capers and olives, spicy chili flakes, sweet currants and rich pine nuts sets off a chain reaction of flavor that will have you licking your bowl.  The Swordfish with the bread crumbs is also fabulously moist and meaty, and goes amazing with the sauce.  I've since made this dish several times, and it's quickly becoming one of my favorite household staples.


Swordfish Involtini Alla Siciliana (Adapted From The Babbo Cookbook)
Serves 4 people
Cooking time: about 1 hour (including making basic tomato sauce)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups basic tomato sauce (see below)
4 swordfish fillets (totaling about 1 1/2 pounds)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Gaeta olives
1/4 cup salt-packed capers, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 cup currants
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
salt & pepper

basic tomato sauce (makes 4 cups)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped, or 1 tablespoon dried thyme
1/2 medium carrot, finely shredded
2 28 ounce cans peeled whole tomatoes
salt

Directions
To make the basic tomato sauce, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened (8-10 minutes).  Add the thyme and carrot and cook for 5 minutes, until carrot is very soft.  Crush the tomatoes with your hands (I love this part!) and add them and their juices.  Bring to a boil, stirring often, and then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Season with salt.  This sauce keeps for 1 week in the fridge and 6 months in the freezer.

To make the swordfish, preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

In an oven-proof skillet or braising pan, combine 1 1/2 cups of the basic tomato sauce with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the olives, the capers, the red pepper flakes, the pines nuts, the currants and the wine.  Bring to a boil over medium heat and then remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parsley, the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.


Rinse the fish and pat dry.  Season each piece with salt and pepper.  Place each piece of fish in the oven-proof skillet and top with a heaping spoonful of the breadcrumb mixture.  Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until each piece is cooked through.

To plate, place a piece of fish on a plate and spoons the sauce over it.  Enjoy!

Source For Ingredients
wild-caught swordfish, organic onion, organic garlic, organic carrot, organic thyme, organic flat-leaf parsley and local Mission olive oil from The Hollywood Farmers Market

organic whole-peeled tomatoes, olives, capers, red pepper flakes, pine nuts, currants and Ezekiel bread (for making bread crumbs) from Whole Foods

Cookbook
The Babbo Cookbook by Mario Batali

This is hands down, my favorite recent cookbook purchase.  Inspired by a trip to Osteria Mozza and at the urging of my Top Chef Brother, I purchased it along with my pasta attachments for my stand mixer.  Since then, I've been cooking up a storm and loving ever minute of it!  This is exciting food bursting with flavor and made accessible to the home cook.  I gave it to my mother, The Original Diva, for Chrismtas, and she loves it, too.  I may not be able to afford to eat at Osteria Mozza every day - but now I can bring the Osteria to my house.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Meatless Monday Includes Domestic Divas In Their New "Bloggers On Board" Section!


Divas, check this out!  Meatless Monday, who I support by publishing weekly meatless recipes, is featuring Domestic Divas as one of their Bloggers On Board.  I love the new section which has links to other great blogs that also run "Meatless Monday" recipes.  So check out the new site and the other blogs!

CLICK HERE FOR THE DIRECT LINK!

Also, Meatless Monday got a great write-up in The New York Times last week about how school districts are starting to implement the program!

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE!

Meatless Monday: Broccoli Rabe With Pine Nuts


Here's another great meatless recipe!  While broccoli is a staple in many households, its cousin, broccoli rabe (also known as rapini) is far less common.  This plant has spiked leaves surrounding a bud that looks like a small broccoli floret, and sometimes it even sports yellow flowers, which are also edible.  Even better, it sports the same enormous healthy nutrients as other members of the brassica family, such as vitamins A, C and K, calcium, iron and potassium.

For this recipe, I sauteeed the broccoli rabe up with garlic and chili flakes, finished with some lemon juice and topped it with toasted pine nuts.  Now this is how you cook veggies!  The lovely organic broccoli rabe pictured above came from Ronaldo at Sage Mountain Farm, my favorite vendor at the Hollywood Farmers Market!

Broccoli Rabe With Pine Nuts
Serves 4 people
Cooking time:  7 minutes

Ingredients
1 big bunch of broccoli rabe (about 6 cups raw)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
2 heaping tablespoons pine nuts, toasted and salted
salt and pepper 

Directions
Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium high heat.  Add the garlic and chili flakes and saute for one minute.

Add the broccoli rabe and reduce heat to medium and continue cooking for about two more minutes.  Next, add the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of water and continue cooking until the broccoli rabe is tender, but not overcooked (about three to four minutes).  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, place the kale in a serving bowl.  Top with the pine nuts.  Enjoy! 

Source For Ingredients
organic broccoli rabe from Sage Mountain Farm (Hollywood Farmers Market)

organic garlic and organic lemon from Hollywood Farmers Market

pine nuts and organic olive oil from Whole Foods

Friday, March 5, 2010

Simple Suppers: Grilled Chicken Sausage With Roasted Asparagus And Polenta (Plus Music On Tap Featuring Blitzen Trapper)


Happy Friday!

I can't believe how quickly the week has flown by.  Today, I thought I'd share one of my favorite quick dinners to throw together:  Grilled Chicken Sausage With Roasted Asparagus And Polenta.

I always keep a stash of spicy chicken sausages in my fridge, ready to pop into braised cassoulet or a meaty ragu sauce at a moment's notice.  However, they're great by themselves, too.  Simply throw them into a grill pan or onto a grill, and presto chango, you have the centerpiece for a great meal.  I served these grilled sausages over a soft polenta and topped the whole dish with lovely organic asparagus that I roasted in the oven.  This is a healthy, complete meal that cooks up in a flash!  So check it out!

Grilled Chicken Sausage With Roasted Asparagus And Polenta
Serves 2 people
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
2 chicken sausages
1/2 cup polenta (grits)
2 cups filtered water
1/4 cup parmesan reggiano, grated
1 bunch asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Snap the tips of the asparagus and place them in a roasting pan.  Drizzle them with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until tender.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, add the 2 cups of filtered water, polenta (grits) and about 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a pot and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Cover and reduce to a simmer.  Cook for 5 minutes or until they reach desired consistency.  Stir in the parmesan and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To cook the sausages, heat a grill pan or a grill to medium high heat.  Halve the sausages down the middle and grill them with the center part down for about 3-4 minutes or until cooked.  Flip over and grill for another few minutes.


To plate, spoon a heaping portion of the soft polenta onto a plate.  Top with a chicken sausage and the roasted asparagus.  Enjoy!

Source For Ingredients
organic andouille chicken sausages (Applegate Farms), organic grits and organic olive oil from Whole Foods

organic asparagus from Trader Joe's

parmesan reggiano from Surfas

Music On Tap


Blitzen Trapper - Furr

Great album from this Portland, Oregon band that fuses Americana with an edgy punk attitude - sort of a Ryan Adams meets Eliott Smith vibe.  I discovered the album in Kuzak's car and can't stop listening to it.  Love it!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Flicks & Food With The Domestic Diva: RATATOUILLE Pan-Roasted Striped Bass With Ratatouille!


My new "Flicks and Food" column is up on GeekWeek!  This week, I went into the vaults and picked one of my favorite foodie films of all time, RATATOUILLE!  I paired the movie with a great recipe for Pan-Roasted Striped Bass With Ratatouille, of course!  It's a great flick and a great dish, so check it out.

CLICK HERE FOR THE DIRECT LINK TO MY COLUMN!

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Love By The Glass: Virginia Wine Week March 22-28!


Thomas Jefferson accomplished some amazing feats, but he also failed... to make great wine in Virginia!  And since that time, many have struggled to succeed in his stead with little success.  However, that has all changed.  Virginia now boasts a growing array of wineries which make diverse varietals such as Viognier, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Bourdeaux-style blends, sparkling wine and the native Norton.  The state boasts more than 155 wineries and nine different wine producing regions.

An admitted wine snob, I was biased against anything produced on the East Coast, let alone in Virginia, but one winery changed my mind: Villa Appalacchia.  Located off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Floyd County, this winery is the brainchild of winemakers Susanne Becker and Stephen Haskill and specializes in Italian varietals.  They also happen to be friends of my parents and they toted over a few of their bottles last summer when invited over for a dinner party.  Not only did I adore their Pinot Grigio (rich with nice minerality), but I also love their red wines, including Sangiovese and Primitivo. 

Having been won over, I have completely changed my tune about Virginia wines. With modern technology, it's suddenly possible to produce great wines just about anywhere, and if you look at the world map, new wine producing regions are constantly popping up all over the place.  Still don't believe me about Virginia wines?  If you're a local, then coming up March 22-28 will be your chance to check them out for yourself.  Love By The Glass, the first ever Virginia Wine Week, will hit more than 100 participating restaurants and wine shops across the state which will add at least two Virginia wines for sale by the glass.  Look for the posters or visit Virginia Wine to find participating businesses.

While these wineries haven't yet reached the heights of France or Napa yet, with talent and support, you never know what could be possible!  Plus, as a huge fan of eating and drinking local product (I mostly shop at farmers markets and our wine cellar is mostly stocked with California wines), having a great local wine region is a huge plus.  So if you can, check out Love By The Glass (what a great name!).

Click here to read more about Virginia Wine Week!

Click here to visit Villa Appalacchia's Website!

Monday, March 1, 2010

Meatless Monday: Organic Zucchini Soup


Happy Meatless Monday!  Today, I'm writing up one of my favorite soups to make on a cold day - Organic Zucchini Soup!  I add a little peeled potato and pureed this soup to give it a creamy texture (sans the cream, of course!).  While technically a fruit, zucchini is handled like a vegetable in the kitchen and has many health benefits.  It's low calorie, fiber-rich and contains vitamin C, manganese, vitamin A, potassium, folate, copper, riboflavin and phosphorous. This is a delicious, meatless, healthy soup that you're sure to love!

Organic Zucchini Soup
Serves 6 people
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
4 organic zucchinis (large), chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons roasted walnut oil (for drizzling)
salt and pepper

Directions
In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and saute until just softening (about 5 minutes).  Add the garlic and chili flakes and saute for 1 more minute.  Then, add the zucchini, potatoes, stock, thyme and bay leaf and bring to a simmer.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  To plate, ladle some soup into a bowl and drizzle with roasted walnut oil (good olive oil would also work).  Enjoy!

Source For Ingredients
organic zucchini, organic potatoes, chili flakes and organic onion from Trader Joe's

organic vegetable broth and organic bay leaf from Whole Foods

organic garlic and roasted walnut oil from Hollywood Farmers Market