Mediterranean Eastern Europe Flank Steak Surprize

The usual ride home from the office with the usual chit chat...  How was your day? Did you get the Schmuckatello order?  The door knob got fixed?  Perfect.

Now I need to preface.  I've married the perfect man for me.  He is a foodie but he is not a picky eater.  He loves to experiment and his only restrictions/request are NO PEAS and NO BEETS.  I can work within that limitation.  When ever I've asked him about what he may want for dinner I'm met with...."whatever you feel like cooking."

Then there is tonight's ride home from work...

Husband: I think you are out of wine.

Self: Can we stop at Marios Market...I'm thinking Flank Steak.  I can pick up wine there.

Husband:  Flank Steak is perfect.  I'm thinking Easter Europe Mediterranean marinade! Make it happen!

For just a brief moment I'm stunned.  Actually, speechless.  Next, elated!  He has given me a suggestion and I'm running with it!  I have NO Earthly Idea what is Mediterranean Eastern Europe Flank Steak but I'm going to figure it out. (And he HAD to know I was going to be all over this challenge)


After a bit of googling...here is the ingredient results:

INGREDIENTS

 garlic cloves

4 rosemary sprigs

1 teaspoon salt

pepper

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red-wine 

1/8 cup cider vinegar

1 teaspoon  Xylitol

DIRECTIONS

Smash garlic with the leaves of the rosemary sprigs, salt, and plenty of pepper. Mix in oil, red-wine, vinegar, and xylitol.
Marinate steak in a resealable bag, refrigerated, for 4 to 24 hours. Flip the bag occasionally.

We have since tried this Flank steak recipe twice.  The first time the meat was only marinated for about two hours.  The second time the marinade was allowed to sit for 24 hours.  Both times the meat was FABULOUS!  Give it a go!

SOURCE (with liberties taken)

Martha Stewart Living, September 2010

Green Marinade with no name

The other night I wanted to make the Creamy Bibb dressing recipe for our dinner salad.  Only problem, I didn't have veganaise.  Without that ingredient it just didn't have the dressing consistency for which I had hoped.  Never fail, there had to be another use for this lovely, fresh, green sauce.

Yesterday's lunch was to be skirt steak on the grill but as I looked at this dressing fail I get an idea.  It is no longer a dressing but a marinade.  As I write this, there is a skirt steak basking in a slathering of green sauce marinade and I can't wait to try it.

Now if I could just come up with a better name for this new recipe...

Directions
Puree in a blender: 

½ tin anchovy fillets with oil with a large handful each of 

chopped chives

parsley 

the juice of 1 lemon

3 garlic cloves 

1/2 cup EVOO and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper

We gave this marinade overnight in the fridge to do its thing and last night we popped the skirt steak on the grill for just under 15 min.  Seven minutes on the first side and then flip and another five.  The steak was allowed to rest for about 5 min. before we devoured it!

The steak was served over braised Bok Choy with a side of sliced avocado.  

Braised Chicken with Cilantro, Mint and Chiles

This dish was so much fun for me.  It was a departure from "safe" flavors and it let me pull out the fun kitchen "toys".  Come on, folks, isn't everything better when you get to use an immersion blender?  It turns me into part cook, part mad scientist.  Toss aside the apron and get me my lab coat.

I made a few additions (not something I normally do to these experimental recipes on the first round) and a few exclusions and a few substitutions (but we know that is what I do here).

Lets start with the cilantro.  This seems to be a love/hate herb for most people I know. Up until now, I have not been a fan of cilantro.  For me, it is a very much "in moderation" food/flavor.  Just a hint and its fresh, too much and its like having your mouth washed out with soap.  Blah!  Then came this recipe.  It is cilantro laden.  Its cilantro GREEN.  Its a whole CUP of packed cilantro.  While I was anxious to try the recipe, I was equally anxious to throw out random cuss words knowing my mouth would be washed later with Braised Cilantro Chicken.

Normally I don't mention too much about the wine pairings.  Sometimes I try the suggested varietal, sometimes I don't.  With this recipe I did pair it with a Savignon Blanc.  Boy, am I glad I did!  While the cilantro was a bit heavy on the palette, the Sav Blanc cut the soapy taste of the cilantro and it was clean, neat and fresh.  Odd, isn't it?  Normally, I wouldn't like the wine by itself but with the cilantro dish it was quite lovely and enjoyable.

As for the dish itself, it was fresh and spicy but not too spicy hot.  The cilantro was fresh and clean/green tasting and I really enjoyed it.  In fact, I actually enjoyed it more the next day.

Paired with cook red cabbage.

4 chicken drumsticks

4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

1 tablespoon ground coriander

Salt (Pink Himalayan)

Freshly ground white pepper

2 tablespoons canola oil coconut Oil
3 cloves of garlic chopped (my addition)

1 cup packed cilantro, plus leaves for garnish

1/2 cup packed mint leaves (omitted the mint since I didn't have any on hand)

1 small onion, quartered

2 poblano chiles, stemmed and seeded ( used one)

1 jalapeño, stemmed and seeded

1/2 cup light cream or half-and-half  3/4 cup coconut milk
16 oz sliced mushrooms (my addition to the recipe)

Sliced pickled jalapeños, cooked rice and warm naan, for serving

1.       Make 3 slashes to the bone in each drumstick. Rub the chicken all over with the coriander and season with salt and white pepper.

2.       In a large Dutch oven or enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil. Add the chicken and cook over high heat, turning occasionally, until browned all over, about 8 minutes.

3.       Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor ( used my immersion blender because its just so darn fun), combine the 1 cup of cilantro with the mint (Again, didn't have mint), onion, poblanos and jalapeño and blend until finely chopped. Add the coconut milk and 1/4 cup of water and puree until smooth.

4.       Pour the green sauce over the chicken and bring to a boil. Cover partially and simmer over moderately low heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle the chicken with cilantro and serve with jalapeños, rice and naan.

MAKE AHEAD The stew can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Pg 152 2013 Food & Wine Annual Cookbook 2013.

SUGGESTED PAIRING

Lemony, herb-scented Sauvignon Blanc.

Fat Tuesday Etoufee

Ok, so we are well beyond Fat Tuesday and now into Lent.  I get it, I'm late.  Here is the thing, I found this recipe ON Fat Tuesday and had to try it.  And don't tell me you can only eat Étouffée during Mardi Gras.  If that were the case, New Orleans would be shut down and we know that city won't close for anything....not even a hurricane.

This recipe is my first time using almond flour for a roux and I was surprised how well it reacted with the coconut oil.  It browned nicely and was very consistent with a flavor so similar to regular flour when mixed with the mirepoix. (Look at me being all fancy with the cooking lingo)

As usual, you can see my substitutions below.  In round one on Fat Tuesday I wasn't able to get the andouille sausage so I substituted a hot Italian sausage.  I also only use home-made chicken stock as I find the store bought brands generally contain sugar.  And, in round one, I was well into the recipe when I discovered there was no tomato paste in the pantry!  Eek!  Since I wasn't heading out to the store mid recipe I decided to do what I do and Google homemade paste.  Luckily I had enough fresh picked tomatoes in the house and the ability to "fly by the seat of my pants".  The homemade "paste" was very tasty but done on the fly, not quite perfect.  My thought, who would notice when its IN another dish and not standing alone?  Anyway, try this  Étouffée.  Its warm and delicious and easy...even if you have to wing it and make your own paste.

Again with the Rex Goliath pairing....I know, I know, I need to mix it up!

Chicken-and-Andouille Étouffée

CONTRIBUTED BY GRACE PARISI

·         TOTAL TIME: 40 MIN

·         SERVINGS: 6

1/4 cup canola  coconut oil

1/4 cup whole wheat  almond flour

1 onion, diced   

1 small green bell pepper, diced

2 celery ribs, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 andouille sausage (about 3 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (home-made)

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

Steamed organic brown rice and hot sauce, for serving

In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Whisk in the flour and cook over moderately high heat, whisking constantly, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic. Season the vegetables with salt and black pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the sausage and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the broth and simmer until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the chicken and simmer until cooked through, 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper and serve over rice, with hot sauce.

SUGGESTED PAIRING

Pinot Noir is a terrific partner for light, spicy stews like this one.

·      FROM NEW SOUTHERN CLASSICS, PAIRING OF THE DAY: SEPTEMBER 2010

·      PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 2010

Fragrant South Indian Beef Curry

Since starting this blog at the beginning of the year I have come to the conclusion that most recipes need the "three times at bat" rule.  The big exception to that was the Chile Spiced Skirt Steak Taco Recipe.  That won me and my family over on the first try and we keep going back to it time and again.  Since not every recipe is going to be that captivating here is my plan:

• First try:  Follow the recipe as closely as possible omitting or substituting only absolutely when necessary to stick with our dietary restrictions.  (Coconut Oil for Canola Oil is a good example)
• Second Round:  This is where I either liked the recipe and try it again to make sure you followed it correctly or I  mix it up to make improvements.
• Round Three:  Is where I either experiment with sides or re-try my round two improvements.

The Fragrant South Indian Beef Curry recipe required all three rounds, even though I changed very little. (As noted, I switched out the steamed rice and used Quinoa and, of course, went with the healthier Coconut Oil)  The reasons for all three rounds:  I can't decide if I like this dish or not.  I clearly don't dislike it since I made it three times but I'm also on the fence about liking the very strong "fragrant" flavors.  Star anise is a very new ingredient for me and wow, does it pack some seriously strong, perfume-y flavor.  Should I eat it or dab it behind my ears?

Either way, the dish does smell amazing while cooking!  If you give it a try I would love comments back to see what you think.

Curry with a side of steamed brocolli

Fragrant South Indian Beef Curry

2 tablespoons canola oil Coconut Oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

12 fresh curry leaves or 2 bay leaves

6 garlic cloves, grated

4 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger

1 tablespoon tomato paste dissolved in 1/2 cup of water

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

4 small dried hot chiles

4 star anise pods

Two 3-inch cinnamon sticks

1 3/4 pounds boneless beef short ribs, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

Salt

In a medium enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and curry leaves and cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in the dissolved tomato paste along with the coriander, garam masala, cayenne, turmeric, dried chiles, star anise and cinnamon sticks. Add the ribs, season with salt and stir until coated with spices. Cover partially and cook over very low heat until the meat is tender, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Spoon off as much fat as possible and discard the star anise, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves, if using.

MAKE AHEAD

The beef curry can be refrigerated overnight.

SERVE WITHSteamed rice. Quinoa

SUGGESTED PAIRING

Spiced, dark-berried red. We went with our usual Rex Goliath Malbec.  Its heavy, fruity flavor worked well with the hot, spicy, perfume-y beef and this curry dish needs a wine that can stand up to its bold flavor.

Food & Wine Annual Cookbook 2013, page 212

Mini-Meatball Indian Curry

Warning...Before trying this recipe you must be a fan of BIG BIG FLAVOR!

It was once suggested that when it came to food and cooking I had a "high flavor set point".  Meaning when it came to flavor I needed  A LOT of it.  This is something I can't dispute.  I love big flavors.  If you, too, love big flavors, this recipe will not disappoint.

As usual, we gave this recipe the three test rule.  What I found was we loved it each time but the one modification that sealed the deal was substituting Wild Rice for the brown rice.  The wild rice in this dish gave it a great, nutty flavor along with the curry while also giving the meatballs more texture and bite.  And, to be completely honest, I really blow when it comes to cooking brown rice.  It ends up to sticky and mushy and the wild rice keeps is body.

Another thing to love about this recipe is it was naturally gluten free and I didn't have to mess with a bunch of substitutions.

Meatballs on the first attempt with the overly sticky brown rice

Meatballs
1 1/4 lb ground lamb
1 jalapeno, seeded and minded
1 TBS minced & peeled fresh ginger
1 Lg garlic clove, minced
1 C cooked brown, organic rice or Wild Rice
1 lg Egg
2 Tbs chopped cilantro
1 tsp garam masala
Pink Himalayan Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper

Curry
2 /tbs Olive Oil
1 Lg onion, finely chopped
1 TBS minced & peeled fresh ginger (I grated my ginger.  It just seems easier)
1 Lg garlic clove, minced
2 tsp medium-hot Madras curry
6 Tbs raw cashew butter
1 1/2 C tomato juice (12 oz)
Pink Himalayan Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 C cilantro leaves

Brown rice or Wild rice for serving

MAKE THE MEATBALLS

Preheat the broiler and position a rack 8 inches from the heat (I tried this at 8 inches and a bit closer.  I found being a bit closer to the broiler a better choice for me) In a medium bowl, knead the lamb with the jalapeño, ginger, garlic, rice, egg, cilantro, garam masala, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Roll the mixture into 18 balls and place on an oiled baking sheet (I didn't bother to oil the sheet and it worked fine.  There is enough fat in the lamb that the meatballs won’t stick.) Broil for about 10 minutes, until the lamb meatballs are nearly cooked through and the tops are lightly browned.

MAKE THE CURRY

Meanwhile, make the curry.  In a medium enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil. Add the onion, cover and cook over high heat, stirring once or twice, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic and curry powder and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in the cashew butter (I only had almond butter on hand and it was still great) and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato juice and 2 cups of water, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil.

Add the meatballs and any pan drippings to the sauce, cover partially and simmer over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the meat is tender and the sauce is very thick, about 30 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and serve with rice.

MAKE AHEAD The curry and meatballs can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Food & Wine Annual Cookbook 2013, Pg 220

Poached Eggs in Red Wine Sauce

I'm not sure this dish was intended as a breakfast dish, but at our house, why not.

As mentioned below, I used a Malbec for the sauce.  Specifically Rex Goliath 47 lb Rooster Malbec.  We just discovered this crazy reasonable red (Malbec is new to Rex) and really enjoyed the deep, berry flavors. This wine really holds up well and worked very well in the sauce.

This recipe kept me sticking pretty close the original.  The usual coconut oil and almond flour were the substitutions.  I did cut back on the amount of oil.  They had me using it to fry bacon.  Seriously? Who cooks greasy bacon in oil?  Unnecessary. Done.  The other change was not one of choice but rather availability.  Apparently in my area the frozen pearl onion is a rare as a big foot sighting.

In any event, the dish was fabulous!  I love being able to use fresh herbs from the garden.  The wine sauce itself has this great depth and is almost addicting. (My husband and I were trying to find other things we could put it on.)  The separately cooked  eggs, veggies and bacon were so flavorful and I liked being able to distinguish each individual flavor.  It made each bite was a real treat.

Bacon, sauce in a pan and the onions and mushrooms.

Poached Eggs in Red Wine Sauce
One 750-milliliter bottle Pinot Noir (told ya there would be more wine!)  I used a Malbec as that is what I had on hand.

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 medium carrot, thinly sliced

3 thyme sprigs

1 parsley sprig

1 bay leaf

1 garlic clove

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened coconut oil

1 tablespoon all-purpose almond flour

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

1/2 pound white mushrooms, quartered

2 thick slices of bacon, cut crosswise 1/2 inch thick

3/4 cup frozen pearl onions (4 ounces), thawed and patted dry (I opted for Florida Sweet onion chopped into large chunks due to two factors:  Availability of the FL onion and lack of availability of the pearl)*

8 large eggs

Four 1/2-inch-thick slices of rustic country bread, halved crosswise and toasted  Quinoa or Gluten Free Toast

Chervil sprigs or chopped parsley, for garnish

In a medium saucepan, combine the wine with the onion, carrot, thyme, parsley, bay leaf and garlic and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately high heat until reduced by half, 12 to 15 minutes. Strain the wine through a fine sieve and return it to the saucepan; discard the vegetables and herbs.

In a small bowl, blend 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil with the flour to form a paste. Bring the wine sauce to a boil and whisk in the flour paste. Simmer over moderate heat, whisking, until thickened, 2 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and keep warm.

In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned, about 7 minutes; transfer to a large plate. In the same skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Add the bacon and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned but not crisp, about 3 minutes; transfer to the plate.(I eliminated the oil here since we are cooking bacon.  Lets not go crazy with the oil, people)  Add the pearl onions to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, about 5 minutes; transfer to the plate. Keep warm.

Bring a large, deep skillet of water to a simmer over moderate heat. Crack the eggs into a small bowl, one at a time, and carefully slide into the simmering water. Poach the eggs over moderate heat until the whites are set but the yolks are still slightly runny, about 4 minutes. Transfer the poached eggs to paper towels to drain.

We placed a serving of warm quiona on plates, set the eggs on top and spoon the red wine sauce over the eggs. Scatter the mushrooms, bacon and pearl onions around the plate, garnish with chervil sprigs and serve right away.  Next round I'm trying this dish on Sami's Gluten Free Flax & Millet bread.

Clearly I need to work on my food styling but I'm trying!

MAKE AHEAD: The red wine sauce can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat gently, adding a few tablespoons of water if it's too thick.
 *(Side note.  Always check your freezer to see if your husband graciously went out and bought the pearl onions you couldn't find.  Nothing like finding the bag days after I finished the recipe trial)

Gochugaro Grill! Or...fly by the seat of my pants chicken

In starting this blog, the plan was (and is) to transform fun, already existing recipes into healthy gluten free, meals my family would love.  So far so good.  We've had a successful shrimp dish.  We've had a yummy lamb meatball dish.  We had a "meh" pork dish and an OUT OF THIS WORLD Steak Taco dish.

While I love converting the recipes so they conform to my families way of eating, there is something that has become a bit limiting.  The projects have been fun and I have been enjoying the process but the other day I felt stifled.  I didn't want to do it.

"Come on, Girl!  Its way to early in the project for burn out!"  Nope.  Still didn't feel it and I couldn't put my finger on it.

Then there was a light. 

An email came in from my dear cousin, Jess, who had read the blog and fell in love with a dish. While that in itself was encouraging, it was what he said next..."Since I was carefully following a recipe, which I never do, I had to take back my "fly by the seat of my pants" thing somehow".  There is was!  I come from a long line of marvelous cooks who "fly by the seat of their pants".   There was my light.  I needed to forgo the existing recipe for the week and go back to my roots.  I, too, usually cook by the seat of my pants. Below is that effort.  Below is a recipe made from my own head, my own heart and by the seat of my pants and by all those aunts in pants who taught me what I know about cooking.

Ingredients* (Recipe ingredients updated 3/14/2014) (And, updated again 4/5/2014)

Marinade/paste
1/3 C Gochugaro (Korean Chile used in Kim Chi)
1 tps grated fresh ginger (about an inch or inch and 1/2 piece of ginger)
4 cloves garlic chopped
The zest of one lime
2 Tbs Olive Oil (eliminated the Olive Oil on 4/5)
1/3 C Pinot Griggio (Added in the April version)
Juice of one lime and one lemon

4 Chicken Quarters

Mix first six ingredients together in a bowl to form a paste.  Spread over chicken quarters. Tuck some of the marinate under the skin but the majority over the skin.  Let sit for at least one hour and overnight is better. (April version marinated in a zip lock bag for about three hours)

Grill chicken on medium low fire until done. (Depending on the size of the chicken quarter it may take up to an hour) 

The flavor of this dish came across as being smoky spicy with a nice lime undertone.

Veggie Side 
Green Beans
Onion
Mushrooms
Coconut Oil
Flax Seed

For the veggie, I sauteed the onion in 1 T of coconut oil until transparent.  Next add the green beans until almost done.  Add the mushrooms and flax seed.

There was no seasoning on the veggies.  I let the sauteed onion provide a nice sweetness against the spice of the chicken.  It was a nice balance together of fresh and heat. 

Pork & Fennel Ragot with Creamy Bibb Salad

Here is yet another recipe which required little change to fit into the gluten-free, etc lifestyle.

The bonus on this dish for me is I am a huge fan of "one pot" cooking.  In general, when I get home from work I want little fuss with big flavors while cooking.  This recipe provides on both accounts.  It also allowed me to forage out in the garden for a few of the ingredients.  Also a bonus.

The downside:  The fresh fennel bulb was a bit much for my taste.  That said, my local fresh market only had large (and I mean LARGE) fennel bulbs and I may have been a bit heavy handed on the quantity.  Since there were left overs, I gave it a try this morning and the fennel had mellowed out nicely.  

This would be a great dish to make a head.

Pork and Fennel Ragout

Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine


Ingredients
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 1-inch-thick boneless pork loin chops (1 pound total), trimmed and sliced into 1/4-inch-wide strips
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup sliced shallots
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
10 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups red or white wine
Directions
Grind the fennel seeds with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a spice grinder or chop with a knife. Transfer to a medium bowl; mix with the lemon juice and pork. Add the flour and toss to coat. In another bowl, mix the lemon zest with 2 tablespoons parsley.

Heat a deep skillet or pot over high heat and add the olive oil. Brown the pork in batches, 1 minute per side; transfer to a plate. Add the shallots, fennel bulb, the remaining 3 tablespoons parsley, and salt to taste to the skillet. Reduce the heat and cook until the vegetables are wilted, 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, 3 minutes.

Add the mushrooms, wine and 1/2 cup water; scrape up any browned bits. Cover and simmer over low heat until the fennel is tender, 12 minutes. Add the pork and heat through, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and top with the lemon zest-parsley mixture.

Fresh parsley and bibb lettuce from the garden

The salad dressing was a huge success!  The flavor is so fresh, light and green.  It was a great balance against the heavy flavor of the pork dish.  Without question, this will be a staple in our menu and I can't wait to try it in summer when it will be a refreshing treat from the heat.

Creamy Bibb Salad

Directions
Puree in a blender:  ½ tin anchovy fillets with oil with a handful each of chopped chives and parsley and the juice of 1 lemon. Add 3/4 cup veganaise and 1/4 cup EVOO and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, then drizzle over Bibb lettuce.

Chile Spiced Skirt Steak Tacos

When on earth have I NOT had limes in the house?  When?  

Everyone has their go to grocery item that always makes it into the cart.  For my mom, it was ALWAYS, ALWAYS celery.  No matter how many stalks already resided in the fridge, mom bought celery.  For me, its limes and lemons.  Always...

Not that this is an excuse, but this last week we had some pretty significant flooding in the area and my trip to the market was nixed.  So, no limes or lemons bought....or anything else for that matter.

Tonight, here I am trying to make a recipe to blog about and finding little in the pantry in the ingredient department.  My previous recipe ideas put on hold, I find the steak taco recipe. There is NO way I can't have everything at my finger tips.  Its my standard fare.  

We begin the construction of dinner...paprika...check.  Ancho Chile, check. Garlic, onion, check.  etc....How can I be out of LIMES?  How CAN I be out of limes!?!  HOW can I be out of limes?  While mind-boggling, its not to late to send my dear husband off to the store.  Buy limes,  LOTS and LOTS of limes.  Oh, and pick up a bottle of Zin...

Enough of my lime rant.  Lets get on to cooking some FABULOUS Skirt Steak Tacos and I do mean FABULOUS.  (Food & Wine Annual Cookbook 2011, page 140) Only three minor substitutions in this recipe which can be seen below.  And, since starting this around 6 pm there was no way I was going to wait the two hours for the meat to marinade fully.  (We had two skirt steaks on hand.  Both went into the bag and one came out for dinner.  The other steak will be grilled another night and I'll get back to whether or not the extended marination made any significant difference)

The lime and spice combination on the skirt steak was delicious.  This will no doubt become a menu staple.  As for the wine pairing of Zin...meh.  I could take it or leave it.  But keep your hands off my taco!

Slightly over toasted tortilla but delicious

Chile Spiced Skirt Steak Tacos

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1 teaspoon ancho chile powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon light brown sugar Xylitol

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon vegetable oil Olive Oil

1 1/2 pounds skirt steak, cut into 5-inch strips

12 corn tortillas,gluten free Rice tortillas, toasted

Pico de Gallo, Avocado Salsaand shredded cabbage, for serving

In a large re-seal-able plastic bag, combine the paprika, ancho powder, garlic powder, onion powder, xylitol, chipotle, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Add the lime juice and oil and shake the bag to blend. Add the steak and seal the bag. Let the steak stand at room temperature for 2 hours.

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Grill the steak over moderately high heat, turning twice, until lightly charred on the outside and medium-rare within, about 10 minutes. Transfer the steak to a work surface and let rest for 10 minutes.

Thinly slice the steak and serve with tortillas, Pico de Gallo, Avocado Salsa and cabbage.

SUGGESTED PAIRING

Spicy Zinfandel

Herbed Lamb Meatballs

When I had the idea for this blog, I was very much excited about the transformation of recipes. My main goal was to make regular recipes available for those of us following a gluten free, sugar free, dairy free lifestyle.  My first post required several attempts and a few tweaks here and there until I came up with an acceptable end result.

Since my hubby and I are HUGE fans of lamb, the Herbed Lamb Meatballs with Rich Tomato Sauce and ricotta (Food & Wine Magazine, January pg 96) seemed like the next great experiment.  Besides loving lamb, I really love recipes that are full of fun herbs I can pick directly from my garden and this recipe had that going for it.  Full of excitement, I read the ingredient list.  Marker in hand, I was ready to make my substitutions.

While this recipe IS delicious, it was a bittersweet read.  I WANTED to make substitutions and transformations and prove that eating in my new found "free zone" was doable.  I wanted to show change! And with this recipe, there was little to change.  And then it hit me...who said everything has to be changed?  This recipe (other than the ricotta topper) was good on its own. There was no need to change.  Proof that we can eat healthy and fun and tasty without turning our world upside down.

The recipe below does have a few tweaks but those had more to do with the state of my pantry than fitting into my diet.  I substituted coconut oil for the olive oil only because I was running low on Olive Oil.  And, as you will find out if you continue to follow, I only use Pink Himalayan Sea Salt.  Lastly, I added more wine.  I have a feeling I will be doing that a lot as well.

Herbed Lamb meatballs served with my homemade red cabbage slaw with capers.

Sauce
1/4 C Coconut Oil
4 large garlic cloves minced
1 C lightly packed basil leaves, torn
2 T oregano leaves
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
Two 20 oz cans whole Italian tomatoes with the juices, crushed
6 large anchovy fillets, chopped
1 C Red wine (this is totally my idea.  A good red sauce needs wine)
Himalayan sea salt and pepper
Meatballs
1/2 C raw almonds, finely chopped
1/2 C coconut milk
2 1/2 lbs ground lamb
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
1/4 C finely chopped basil leaves, plus whole leaves for garnish
1/4 C finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 T finely chopped mint
1 T finely chopped oregano
1 1/2 tsp finely chopped thyme
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 T dry red wine (just one T?  guess that means a glass for me while cooking)
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground fennel
1 1/2 T Himalayan sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 C coconut oil

Warning:  After an hour of cooking this sauce, your house will smell AMAZING!

MAKE THE SAUCE In a large saucepan, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the anchovies and cook until they basically "melt".  Next, add garlic, basil, oregano, bay leaves and red pepper and cook over moderately high heat for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and simmer over moderately low heat, stirring, until the tomatoes are saucy, 1 hour. Stir in the about a cup of red wine.

MAKE THE MEATBALLS In a bowl, cover the almonds with the milk and let stand until most of the milk has been absorbed, 30 minutes. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the whole basil leaves, olive oil and mix well. Form into 1 1/2-inch meatballs and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.

In a skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Working in batches, cook the meatballs over moderately high heat, turning, until nearly cooked through, 7 minutes per batch.  I had issues with the meatballs sticking to the pan.  De-glazing with a bit of red wine worked wonders.

Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer until cooked through, 8 minutes. Spoon into bowls, top with basil.

MAKE AHEAD The meatballs can be refrigerated in the sauce overnight.

SUGGESTED PAIRING from Food & WinE

Traditional Chianti Classicos, made with only Sangiovese, have an herbal edge that befits these meatballs.

While my initial plan was to have the suggested pairing on hand, that didn't happen with this recipe.  On hand at my house was BV Coastal Cab, a personal choice with heavier tomato based dishes.  The wine that WOULD have been my choice is BV Coastal Pinot Noir.  Unfortunately, it was sold out at my local liquor store.  Probably because Food & Wine named it a great wine under $10.

Pan Roasted Shrimp with Citrus and Quinoa Risotto with Lemon

Recently, on a flight from Wisconsin to Florida I picked up the January issue of Food & Wine Magazine to occupy my time.  For four hours I poured over the fabulous recipes and wine pairings.  As an avid cook, I couldn't wait to get home and fire up the stove.  The "note" section of my smartphone was now chock full of ingredients to Google, wine and ingredients to purchase. The car ride from airport to home must have sounded like an episode from Food Network.

My head was spinning with ideas.  While so many of the recipes in the magazine caught my attention, most had ingredients outside of my health zone.  I am not one willing to be bland and taste-less even though I have eliminated what some consider staples of a regular diet. (No Gluten, No GMO, No corn, No sugar, No dairy, No peanuts, No Soy)  It was time to reinvent a few wheels...and here we are.  My versions of fabulous recipes from Food & Wine fit in to my very structured lifestyle.

And, what better way to start this blog than with Shrimp.  Is it not one of the universally loved sea foods?  The original recipe can be found in Food & Wine Magazine January 2014, pg 71.  (Eliminated from the original recipe:  butter and grilled country bread.  Added to the recipe:  coconut oil.  Change to recipe:  Head On shrimp not used and I use Himalayan salt)

We found the this dish to be so delicious!  So delicious, in fact, that we made it two nights in a row just to make sure it met our flavor standards.  The dish is easy and flavorful.  The olives and citrus turned out to be a fabulous flavor combination which was very unexpected.

My Version of Pan Roast Shrimp with Citrus

1 Poblano pepper—halved, cored and thinly sliced crosswise

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup mixed pitted olives, chopped

Two 1/4-inch-thick slices of lemon, halved

Two 1/4-inch-thick slices of orange, halved

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

rosemary sprig

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup coconut oil

1 1/2 teaspoons pink Himalayan salt

1 1/2 pounds large shrimp

1.       Preheat the oven to 450°. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the shrimp.

2.       Scrape the ingredients into a large ovenproof skillet and roast for 10 minutes.

3.       Remove from oven and add Add the shrimp and toss to evenly coat.  Cook another 10 min or until the shrimp are just cooked through. 

Since this dish originally was to be served with grilled country bread, I made a substitution of Quinoa, also a recipe from Food & Wine with some tweaks.  The original recipe can be found in Food & Wine Magazine January 2014, pg 70. 

My Version of Quinoa Risotto with Lemon and Roasted Tomatoes

( I really took more liberty with this dish since I wanted to service the shrimp dish over the risotto.  I'm sure it would be equally delicious with the tomato portion I eliminated)

   1 1/2 cups white quinoa, rinsed

2.     Kosher salt

3.     1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

4.     6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

5.     1 1/2 teaspoons minced rosemary

6.     2 garlic cloves, minced

7.     Freshly ground pepper

8.     4 whole canned Italian tomatoes, drained and halved lengthwise

9.     1 lemon

10.  1 large shallot, finely chopped

11.  2 cups chicken stock

12.  1/4 cup crème fraîche, plus more for garnish ¼ cup coconut milk

13.  1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

14.  Finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

15.  Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

1.      In a saucepan, bring the quinoa with 2 1/2 cups of water and a large pinch of salt to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, 20 minutes. Let stand covered for 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

2.     Peel the lemon with a sharp knife, being sure to remove all of the bitter white pith. Working over a bowl, cut in between the membranes to release the sections. Cut the lemon sections into 1/4-inch pieces.

3.     In a medium saucepan, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil until shimmering. Add the shallot and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the rosemary and cook for 1 minute.

4.     Stir in the quinoa and stock and bring just to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring, until the quinoa is suspended in a thickened sauce, about 5 minutes. Stir in the 1/4 cup coconut milk, lemon zest, lemon sections. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the risotto into bowls; serve.

Food and Wine says: Pair it with California Savignon Blanc.  

Clearly the magazine knows what they are talking about, it was a great choice.

A side note:  The lined through items are the eliminated ingredients in the Risotto recipe.  I'm guessing you guys could figure this out....but why leave anything to chance. 

I'm really excited about our next test:  Herbed Lamb Meatballs with Rich Tomato Sauce.