This is seriously one of our favorite dishes. It is easy to make and it is SO GOOD. The most important part is the sauce:
Combine peanut butter, brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, and lime juice.
Whisk until smooth and creamy – this takes a little bit of work, actually, the peanut butter is stubborn.
It is very important to get the right chicken. This is my absolute favorite (from Bell & Evans), which is available at Whole Foods Market.
It cooks up super crispy on the outside and super juicy on the inside – perfect!
I like to cut it up Ton Katsu style and serve it with coconut rice and, of course, a big dollop of the peanut sauce.
Chicken with Peanut Sauce adapted from Real Simple Serves 2
2 servings frozen breaded chicken breasts 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp fresh lime juice 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
Cook the chicken according to the package directions. In a bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, sugar, and ginger until smooth. Slice the chicken and serve with coconut rice* and peanut sauce.
*replace up to 1/2 water with coconut milk when cooking rice.
1 head of butter lettuce
1 head of Romaine
a big bag of spinach (10-15 oz)
a bunch of asparagus
4 green/spring onions
a pint of hothouse strawberries
5 tomatoes on the vine
a bunch of large radishes
2 hothouse cucumbers (more…)
Last weekend, a friend and I went berry picking at Homestead Farm in Poolesville, MD. It was the end of strawberry season and the beginning of tart cherries, so we got to pick both. There is nothing more satisfying or fun than harvesting your own food (though my legs are sore from squatting to pick strawberries, and my arms are sore from reaching up for the cherries).
The farm has a nice open patch of grass for parking next to the main store – which sells vegetables, herbs, and flowers; jams and sauces made at the farm and elsewhere; and already picked berries (sold at a higher price than if you pick your own). From the store you can either walk (a long way) to the berries, or hop on the tractor that drives back and forth between the fields and the store. You can bring your own containers, or pick up a cardboard carton from the store. I ended up with almost 7lbs of berries! I decided to make pies with my haul – a sour cherry lattice pie and a strawberry icebox pie.
My cherry haul.
The cherry filling inside the crust, dotted with butter.
Pate Brisee, recipe follows 1 cup sugar 4 tbsp cornstarch 1/4 tsp salt 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon 2 lbs fresh sour cherries, pitted (about 6 cups), or 1 3/4 pounds frozen sour cherries, partially thawed 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 1 large egg, lightly beaten vanilla sugar* or coarse sanding sugar, for sprinkling
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one disc of dough to a 13 inch round, 1/8 inch thick. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate, and trim leaving 1/2 inch overhang. Refrigerate crust for 30 min while you prepare the lattice strips.
On a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll out second disc of dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut 14 strips (12 inches long and 1/2 inch wide) with a fluted pastry wheel or a sharp knife; use a ruler if you have trouble making even strips. Place strips on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate until cold, about 10 minutes.
Combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add cherries and vanilla, and toss. Pour cherry mixture into prepared pie plate. Dot top with butter. Lightly brush exposed edge of crust with egg.
Make the lattice: Lay 7 strips of dough across pie. Fold back every other strip. Lay another strip perpendicular in center of pie. Unfold the strips over perpendicular strip. Fold back the strips that are under the perpendicular strip. Lay a second perpendicular strip next to the first. Unfold the strips over the second perpendicular strip. Repeat, weaving strips across half the pie. Return to center, lay a perpendicular strip on unwoven side of pie, and repeat. Trim strips to make a 1-inch overhang. Tuck extra under rim of crust, and crimp to seal. Brush lattice with egg and sprinkle with sugar. Refrigerate 30 min until firm.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Transfer pie plate to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling (if using fresh cherries, begin checking after 1 hour; if using frozen, it will take about 1 hour, 35 minutes). If top begins to brown too quickly, tent with foil and continue to cook.
Let pie cool completely on a wire rack.
*I keep a jar of sugar with vanilla bean pods in it. Whenever I use a vanilla bean, I toss the empty pod into the jar. The sugar becomes infused with vanilla flavor. It is great for baking and for coffee. When the sugar starts to run low I fill up the jar again, shaking it every now and then to distribute the flavor.
Pate Brisee adapted from Martha Stewart This is seriously the BEST dough recipe. It is flexible, it won’t crack, it is super tender and flaky and awesome. It is important that everything be COLD. Makes two 9 inch single-crust pies or one 9 inch double-crust pie
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp coarse salt 1 tsp sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut in pieces 1/2 cup chilled butter flavored Crisco, cut in pieces 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
Whisk or sift together the flour, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Add the butter and shortening, and cut together until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle the ice water evenly over the flour and work together with your hands until the dough just holds together. Do not overwork.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface. Divide in two. Place each half on a sheet of plastic wrap. Flatten, and form two discs. Wrap, and refrigerate at least 30 min before using.
10 graham crackers (2 1/2 by 5 inches) 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 3 tbsp sugar pinch of salt 2 quarts strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced (about 6 cups) 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup unsweetened cranberry juice 1/3 cup cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-inch pie plate. In a food processor, blend graham crackers until finely ground. In a bowl, combine crumbs, butter, 3tbsp sugar, and salt. Press mixture into the bottom and up the side of the pie plate. Bake until crust is lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar, cranberry juice, 3 cups strawberries, cornstarch, and salt. Using a potato masher, gently mash strawberries. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until very thick, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Stir in remaining strawberries. Pour into cooled pie crust. Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours (or up to 1 day). Top with whipped cream, if desired.
I stopped in at this Rockville Italian restaurant for lunch with a friend. Amici Miei debuted on the Washingtonian’s Top 100 list in 2007 at #65, in 2008 it fell to #85, then to #91 in 2009, by 2010 it was off the list. Falling rankings have a lot to do with new restaurants opening, so we decided to try it out despite indications that quality might be declining. We arrived around 1:00 for lunch, and were pretty much the only ones there (the deli next store was packed), so I was a little wary. We ended up having a lovely meal and lovely time, though, so I wonder why this place is not more popular. It is located in a strip mall that is a bit hidden, which might have something to do with it. There is patio seating next to a nice little fountain, but we decided to eat inside. The interior is fairly upscale and nicely designed.
The waiter brought us fresh bread and poured olive oil for us to dip it in. We had to ask for balsamic vinegar, but he brought it immediately. We walked past a wood burning pizza oven on our way to the table which made it hard not to order a Margherita pizza, but I wanted to try more of a variety. I ordered the Piatto Unico, a lunch sampler plate, which consisted of a caprese salad, gnocchi alla Bolognese, meat balls, and panna cotta (they also offer a vegetarian sampler). The caprese was good, but not outstanding. I prefer my Mozarella fresher and softer. The gnocchi were very good – soft and delicate and covered in a rich meat sauce. The meatballs were a little firm for my taste (I like them fluffy), but drowned in a lovely tomato sauce and topped with cheese. The panna cotta was unfortunately covered in a caramel sauce that tasted burnt, rendering it practically inedible. I tried to cut into the center of the custard to try some without the caramel, and what I managed to get was very nice. My friend is a vegan and the waiter was very helpful in suggesting a dish that would fit her diet. She ordered the fusilli all norma – fusilli pasta with roasted eggplant and tomato sauce. It normally comes topped with ricotta, but they left that off for her.
All in all, Amici Miei is an upscale casual restaurant with solid (but not fantastic) Italian food at very reasonable prices.
The other day I was on my way to lunch at Chef Geoff’s, when I saw a banner across the street saying “Now Open” at what looked like a Greek restaurant. I decided to try it out and changed course.
Nostos is an upscale Greek restaurant – something that is sorely lacking in the Tyson’s area. Don’t get me wrong, I love my Plaka, but it is not a good place for a nice dinner and drinks – Nostos definitely is. The interior is very modern with clean lines, stark white walls accented with dark furniture, and black and white photos. It is meant to look like the “sugar cube” houses of Greece with rounded, white washed walls and an exposed rafter effect. There is a main dining room lined with windows and a smaller room that could be used for private events. The large bar area is nicely separated from the main dining room, reducing noise interference. The bar is also well stocked with a wide selection in addition to Ouzo and Greek wines. The hostess told me that they are working on happy hour specials – I think that this may become a great place to hang out.
On to the food! The menu is clean and fresh, offering upscale (but still simple) versions of traditional food. There were a wide selection of mezze plates categorized as vegetarian, cheese, meat, or seafood in addition to several dips and salads. There were a few traditional entrees, and a wide selection of fish – prepared simply grilled with olive oil and lemon. I decided to order the “traditional sampler” entree in order to try a variety of dishes. The sampler came on a lovely, white, sectioned plate with moussaka, spanakopita, dolma, and arnaki fournou. The moussaka (layered casserole) was made the way that I prefer it – with potatoes in addition to the eggplant and ground beef, and topped with a nice layer of bechamel. The potatoes were very tender and the meat had a nice tomato-y flavor, though I would have preferred a touch more cinnamon. There was a nice bit of chewy, browned cheese on top. The spanakopita (spinach and cheese stuffed phyllo pastry) had a wonderfully herb-y flavor, though it was not terribly crisp. The dolma (stuffed grapeleaf) was tender and filled with a lovely mixture of ground beef, rice, and mint. It was topped with a delicious creamy egg yolk and lemon sauce that was like the Greek equivalent of Hollandaise. The arnaki fournou consisted of slices of slow roasted lamb in a gravy sauce. The lamb had a nice flavor, though it was not as tender as I would expect after “slow roasting”. The gravy was lighter than I expected it to be, with a hint of lemon flavor.
As it was lunch, I did not have dessert, though I would like to come back and try the galaktoboureko, baklava, or rizogalo. I would also like to make a meal out of several of the mezze plates. Nostos is definitely worth a return visit – several, in fact.
We have joined a CSA this year – it stands for Community Supported Agriculture and what it means is that you buy a share in a local farm and they deliver produce to you weekly. The CSA that we joined is Dragonfly Farms and you can read all the information about it here. We got our first share this week and, as you can see, it was packed full with good stuff!
Beautiful! What was in the crate:
1 head of butter lettuce
1 head of Romaine
a big bag of spinach (10-15 oz)
a bunch of asparagus
2 green/spring onions
several stalks of rhubarb
a pint of hothouse strawberries
4 tomatoes on the vine
a pint of English peas (more…)
I had been wanting to explore Georgetown for quite some time when I saw I an article in the Washingtonian that inspired me to just go out and do it. The article was focused on Georgetown and highlighted several favorite spots – it even included a map! So on a GORGEOUS day, I hopped on the Metro to Rosslyn, map in hand, and walked across Key Bridge to begin my adventure.
Leeks are a fantastic spring vegetable. They have a light onion and garlic flavor, similar to shallots, but much milder. Their smaller cousins, ramps, have a more intense flavor but a shorter peak season – take advantage of them when you can find them. I like to add leeks to pizzas, pastas, soups, and casseroles. Here I combined them with spinach and shrimp in a lovely spring pasta dish.
Leeks grow up through the earth, resulting in dirt becoming trapped in their many tight layers. The easiest way to clean them is to cut them into half moons and soak them in water.
Swish the leeks around with your hand, then let the dirt settle to the bottom of the bowl – the leeks will float. Scoop the clean leeks out from the top of the water and let drain in a colander for a few minutes.
Saute the leeks in butter.
Add shrimp and lemon zest and cook until opaque.
Use short, firm pasta – gemelli is my favorite.
Add spinach and cream to the pasta, mix in the shrimp and leek mixture. Enjoy!
Shrimp, Leek, and Spinach Pasta adapted from Real Simple
12 oz gemelli, fusilli, or some other short pasta 2 tbsp unsalted butter 2 leeks (white and light green parts only), cut into half-moons 1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp grated zest of 1 lemon 3/4 cup heavy cream 10 oz baby spinach
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water until al dente. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot, do not rinse.
Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks have softened, 3 – 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and lemon zest and cook, tossing frequently, until the shrimp is opaque throughout, 4 – 5 minutes more. Add the cream and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pasta in the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring, until slightly thickened, 1 – 2 minutes. Add the shrimp mixture and the spinach to the pasta and toss to combine.
I had some left over ingredients from some of my dishes this week: a leek, some shredded zucchini, and some basil. I didn’t want these to go to waste so I decided to throw them all together into a quiche – adding a little bacon for flavor and because, well, it’s bacon.
I started by cutting the bacon into small pieces and frying it. Then I sauteed a diced onion in some of the bacon fat, adding the zucchini and the leek.
I blind baked a pie crust, then sprinkled it with cheese to seal the crust and keep it from getting soggy. I would have liked to use mozzarella or Gruyere, but all I had on hand was Mexican 4-cheese blend.
I mixed up a few eggs with a little cream, salt and pepper, and basil.
I combined the egg mixture with the vegetable mixture and poured it into the pie shell.
I covered the edges of the pie shell in foil to prevent over-baking.
After 45 minutes of baking – I had a gorgeous lunch.
Bacon, Zucchini, and Leek Quiche
1 refrigerated pie crust 1/4 lb of bacon, cut into small pieces 1 small onion, diced 1-2 medium zucchini, shredded or grated 1 leek, white and light green parts only, cut into half moons 3 eggs 1/4 cup of heavy cream 1-2 tbsp basil 3/4 cup shredded soft cheese (mozzarella, Gruyere, cheddar) 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place pie dough into a 9inch pie pan and press into the bottom. Cover the dough with foil, pressing into the bottom and edges, and fill with pie weights, beans, or rice. Bake for 12 minutes, remove the foil and weights, bake another 5 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool slightly. Sprinkle 1/4 of the soft cheese over the bottom of the crust to seal it. Reduce the oven to 350 degrees F.
Meanwhile, place the bacon pieces in a cold skillet and set over medium high heat. Cook until crispy, then set aside on paper towels. Pour off most of the bacon grease, leaving about a tablespoon in the pan. Saute the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the shredded zucchini, the leeks, and 1/2 tsp salt, cook a few more minutes.
Whisk together the eggs, cream, basil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Add the vegetable mixture, bacon, remaining 1/2 cup soft cheese, and Parmesan to the eggs. Pour the mixture into the pie shell, cover the edges with foil, and bake 35-45 minutes – until the center is set. Cool on a wire rack 10-15 minutes before serving.
When I first saw this recipe, I was thinking – that is a lot of butter, and what’s with the Mt Dew? But seriously, this is the most dangerously addictive, unhealthy dessert. It is rich and complex and fantastic. The Mt Dew cooks down into a tangy caramel sauce that is absolutely scrumptious. The recipe makes 16 dumplings, but unless you are feeding an army, you do not want to make that many. They lose their crunchy topping when reheated, and that is one of the best parts. So you only want to make enough to eat immediately – for us, that is 2 dumplings each (or 1/4 of the recipe).
I was so excited to eat these, that I forgot to snap a shot after they were cooked. I will be sure to do that the next time I make it and add it to this post.
*EDIT* Here are some pictures of the finished product!
All baked and bubbling.
Melting together with some vanilla ice cream. *END EDIT*
Apple Dumplings
adapted from Pioneer Woman
Time: 1 hr Serves: 8
2 granny smith apples
2 cans (8oz) crescent rolls (Pillsbury)
2 sticks salted butter (or add 1/2 tsp salt to 2 sticks unsalted butter)
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
cinnamon
1 can (12oz) Mt Dew Soda
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Peel and core the apples, cut into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place each roll in a buttered 9 x 13 pan. Melt the butter, then add the sugar and barely stir (you want the mixture to by lumpy, that’s what makes the tops crunchy). Add the vanilla, barely stir, and pour entire mixture over apples. Pour the Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan, and sprinkle the tops with cinnamon. Bake for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sauce from the pan over the top.
