Buffalo Chicken Salad

Back before we had a baby, we used to love to go out for happy hour. We always liked being out in the early evening, and getting home before people started flooding into New York City for their big night out. (we both got "staying out all night" out of our systems back in our single days) We liked to order some buffalo wings with blue cheese dressing, and sometimes we'd get enough to make those our dinner.

These days we aren't making it to happy hour, so we brought the happy hour to us... or at least the buffalo sauce. Tonight we enjoyed a Buffalo Chicken Salad - if I add the word salad to it, it makes me feel like it is a reasonable dinner.

We used chicken legs and thighs to make it more substantial. We accompanied the chicken with the traditional celery and carrot sticks, plus some salad with a generous dollop of blue cheese dressing.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Legs and Thighs
Coconut oil
Chicken Legs
Chicken Thighs
1/2 C Hot Sauce (we used Frank's Red Hot)
1/3 C Butter

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a baking sheet with coconut oil. Place the chicken on the baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes (or until the chicken is done). Melt the butter and combine with the hot sauce. Toss the chicken in the sauce. Reserve the extra sauce for dipping.

Blue Cheese Dressing
1/4 C Mayonnaise
1/4 C Yogurt
1/4 C Blue Cheese
generous squeeze of lemon (1 T)
dash of cayenne

Mix all of the ingredients and chill.

This post is part of Fight Back Friday, The Foodie Friday Cafe, Friday Food, I'm Lovin' It, Food on Fridays, and Frugal Friday.

A Revised Menu Plan and Falafel

Have you ever seen the show Portlandia? (the first season is available on Netflix instant) I'm not always a huge fan of sketch comedy, but some of the pieces really had us laughing. In the first episode, there is a couple that goes to great lengths to make sure their chicken was ethically raised. That sketch hit close to home for us...

Yesterday, I wrote about how I was so excited about going to the farmers' market and dairy farm... Well, that plan didn't pan out. It turns out that while Mother Nature was cooperative, our car was not. When we moved to Massachusetts, we made an unorthodox choice of vehicle. We decided to purchase a 1985 diesel Mercedes. It's a great car - they run forever, they're safe and you never have to worry about finding it in a parking lot. The one downside is that they can have trouble in the cold. Under 20 degrees the diesel fuel tends to gel up and requires some special treatment. We thought we had covered all of our bases by using a cold weather fuel additive and plugging in the engine block, but it still didn't start. So our food shopping will all take place at the neighborhood grocery stores and the fish mart.

Menu Plan

Monday - Ham and Eggs, Plantains and Salad
Tuesday - Rib Steak, Cauliflower, Green beans and Salad
Wednesday - Split Pea Soup
Thursday - Buffalo Chicken Salad
Friday - Fish (whatever looks best at the fish market that day), kale salad and mashed butternut squash



The other night we made some falafel that turned out really well. I realized that I had never made it from scratch, and I don't know why not. It is so easy! And it tastes so much better than falafel from a boxed mix! We served it over spinach salad, with avocado and tzatziki sauce.

Falafel inspired by Moosewood Cookbook and The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook

4 C chickpeas
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/3 C onion, chopped
1 t cumin
1 t turmeric
1 t coriander
1/4 t cayenne
1 1/2 t salt
2 eggs
3 T tahini
2 T flour (I used chickpea flour)
olive oil

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Chill for 1 hour. Form small balls or patties.*

Stove Top: Gently heat 1/4 inch of oil in a cast iron pan, and add the falafel in small batches. Cook until crispy (about 5 minutes), and flip to the other side. Remove and cool on a wire rack or paper towels.

Oven: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Generously coat a large sheet pan with the oil, and arrange the falafel. Cook until crispy on the first side (about 30 minutes), and flip to the second side (cook an additional 15 minutes). Remove and cool on a wire rack or paper towels.

*I made them too big and it made it difficult to flip them and preserve the crunchy crust. You want the crust!

Tzatziki Sauce
1 C yogurt
1/2 cucumber, finely chopped
1/4 C onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 t salt

Place the yogurt, cucumber and onion in a bowl. Sprinkle the salt on the minced garlic on a cutting board. Use the side of a knife to smear the salt and garlic to create a paste. Add the garlic paste to the rest of the dressing. Let sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to combine.

This post is part of My Meatless Mondays, Delicious Dishes, Made by You Monday, Just Another Meatless Monday, and Midnight Madness Meatless Monday, and Menu Plan Monday.

Salmon and Lentil Salad with Lemon Caper Dressing

The doctors have been warning me for a while now that we are going to have a big baby. I don't have gestational diabetes, but I think it's just in my genes that everything I eat goes straight to the baby.(Some people will roll their eyes when I complain about this.) I was almost 10 pounds when I was born, but my mom hadn't gained much weight. Her wedding rings were actually loose when she went into the hospital. Sugar, fruit and refined white stuff especially beef up the baby, so I have been trying to stick with a fairly high fiber and protein diet and to stay active with lots of walking and yoga.



One meal we especially enjoyed was a Salmon and Lentil Salad with Lemon Caper Dressing. It was nice and refreshing on a hot night. We simply layered some salad greens, cold lentils (but they could be served hot too), pan-fried salmon and topped it off with a delicious, tangy lemon caper dressing. It's a great low carb meal - whatever your reason. For an extra short cut, Trader Joes has some tasty pre-cooked lentils that are pre-seasoned. They keep for quite a while in the fridge, and are great to keep on hand for a quick meal. We like the seasoning they use, and used them as our flavor inspiration.

French Lentils
1/2 lb French lentils
1/2 T thyme
1/2 T oregano
1 t garlic powder
1/4 t salt and pepper
2 bay leaves

Spread the lentils out on a cookie sheet to check for pebbles. Place in a strainer and rinse. Place in a stockpot and add water to cover by an inch. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender but still firm.

Lemon Caper Dressing
2 T olive oil
1 t spicy brown mustard
dash of salt and pepper
1 T apple cider vinegar
2 T water
1 t capers
1/4 lemon, juiced
Extra capers for garnish

Whisk ingredients together to combine.

We enjoyed some extra capers sprinkled over the top of our salad.

This post is part of Ekat's Kitchen Friday Potluck, Designs by Gollum Foodie Friday, Fat Camp Friday, Susie QT Pies Friday Follow, and Ann Kroeker's Food on Friday.

The Chip Shop

My dad was in town for a visit this last weekend. This was his first time visiting us since we moved to Brooklyn, and we had a great time walking around exploring our new surrounds and eating lots of delicious food. On Saturday he requested fish and chips for lunch. We knew that The Chip Shop would be a good spot to satisfy his craving and it was right on the way for our walk to Prospect Park. His visit conveniently coincided with restaurant week here in Brooklyn, and once we arrived at the Chip Shop we learned that they were participating in Dine In Brooklyn. The special at The Chip Shop was for 2 three course lunches for $20.11. Dad and I ordered twin lunches. We each got the salad, fish and chips and the rhubarb crumble with custard sauce. My husband ordered the deep fried haggis with salad.



Dad and I were very pleased with our lunches. The salad was simple with nicely dressed greens; the fish had a crispy shell of batter with tender, flaky cod; and the chips were full of potato flavor. The portion was quite large and I couldn't finish mine. I think they could make it smaller for the three course special. Because we were already so full, we decided to ask to take one dessert to go. The rhubarb crumble was good. I could have gone for even more custard sauce and less crumble, but that's just my personal preference.

My husband was a bit disappointed with his lunch. We had visited The Chip Shop once before about a year ago and he ordered the haggis that time too. He thought it wasn't as good this time around. Last time we visited their Atlantic Avenue location. Maybe the haggis is just better there, but he decided he would order something different next time.

Dine In Brooklyn continues until March 31st. It's a great opportunity to try some local restaurants.

This post is part of Works-for-me-Wednesday, Let's Do Brunch, and Welcome Wednesday.

Steak, Rosemary Potatoes and Salad

I haven't posted in more than a week - already falling short of my goal to post at least three times per week. There are two reasons for my absence: I have been craving lots of raw foods and salad, so we have resorted to eating more out-of-season foods. I figure raw vegetables is a pregnancy craving I should listen to, but it doesn't make for interesting posts. I also have been reading the Steig Larsson books. Have you read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series? I got the series as a Christmas present, but just got around to starting it last week. It is hard to put the books down, and it is good that I'm on third (and last) book because it is interfering a bit with the rest of my life.


A couple of weeks ago at the farmers' market, one of the farmers was providing cooking advice to another customer on how to cook steak. His advice turned everything I knew on its head. He suggested first cooking the steak in a cast iron pan in the oven and then searing it. He gave a convincing explanation as to why this would cook the steak more evenly and keep more juices inside. I can't remember the details now.

We had a big thick 2 pound sirloin steak, and I tried cooking it at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. When I checked it, it looked gray and hardly cooked it, so I put it in the oven for another 15 minutes. I seared it for 3 minutes on each side, and it looked nicely browned. After letting it rest, we started to slice it and found that it was well done (instead of the medium I was hoping for), but it was still nice and juicy. I would try using this method again, but cooking it only for 15 minutes in the oven. My husband thinks its crazy, but I think I'll give it one more shot and see if I can convince him.

Have you ever tried cooking a steak in the oven first followed by searing? How did it turn out?

This post is part of SuzieQTPies Scraps of Life Link-up, and...

A Second Chance for Liver and Onions

Liver and onions is one of those dishes that many people remember as something their parents MADE them eat when they were children, but I think it has really gotten a bad rap. With proper preparation and an open mind, I think you will find that it is really tasty.

I don't remember my parents ever making liver and onions when I was a child which might help me accept it as a delicacy now. I don't associate it with sitting at the table by myself until I ate three more bites. For me, that special honor was saved for any yellow squash. I hated the mushy, stringy texture (I have learned to embrace squash as an adult). But I digress, I'm writing to convince you to try liver.

I have two important tips to share with you on preparing liver that will ensure it's success. First, soak it in milk for at least 30 minutes. Second, it cooks quickly so only cook it for 2-4 minutes per side (depending on thickness). Follow those two rules and it will not be bitter or resemble old shoe leather, but a succulent treat with a rich flavor. Please see the recipe below or check out this other post for another take on it.

The liver filters toxins out of our bodies, so it's really important that it comes from an animal that is properly raised. I would suggest that you only buy liver from a farmer you are certain only pasture raises their animals.

A large plate of liver on a bed of sauteed onions.

We served our liver and onions with some salad and quinoa.

Liver and Onions

1/4- 1 C milk
1 lb beef liver, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
2 T coconut oil
2 T butter
2 onions, sliced
1/4 C flour
salt and pepper

Rinse the liver and place it in a shallow bowl. Add enough milk to cover it and let soak while preparing the rest of the dinner (at least 30 minutes). Heat a cast iron skillet and add 1 T of coconut oil and the onions. Cook until they are soft and add 1 T butter. Once the butter is melted, remove the onions to a plate.

Mix the flour and salt and pepper in a shallow bowl or plate. Remove a piece of liver from the milk and shake dry. Dredge the slices of liver in the flour mixture. Place the cast iron pan over medium heat, add the coconut oil, and add the slices of liver. Cook only 2-4 minutes per side (we like it still pink in the middle). Remove to a platter and serve.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesday at Kelly the Kitchen Kop, Works-for-me-Wednesday, Let's Do Brunch, Full Plate Thursdays, Pennywise Platter Thursdays, Alphabe-Thursdays, and...

A Tasty Treat at Bedouin Tent

Friends have been really curious to learn about any new cravings or eating habits since I have been pregnant. Up until recently, I would respond that I didn't really have any cravings, but aversions to foods I traditionally enjoyed. I am a long-time coffee lover/addict, but once I became pregnant the smell of coffee was revolting. I've had trouble eating spinach, and several other things.

I am entering a new phase, not just food aversions anymore, but food cravings too. The first thing was Orangina. I could drink Orangina all day (but I don't). I have started making my own by combing a bit of orange juice and seltzer water. Then came the French toast, and tomato sauce (lasagna, pasta, etc). I normally like to eat new and different things each day, but now I definitely seem to lock in on a few tried and true dishes and want to eat them over and over. Very interesting to see how your body changes.

The latest craving is anything with chickpeas - humus, falafel, salad with chickpeas, etc. So when we were out and about the other day, I was on the lookout for a falafel sandwich for lunch. I was very pleased when we stumbled across Bedouin Tent, Mideastern Stuffed Pita. We peeked through the window to see someone making pita bread to order, and I was sold.

Inside the front door, the restaurant looks just like a take-out place, but if you walk past the kitchen you discover a charming dining room decorated to feel like a Bedouin tent. I guess they also have a charming outdoor dining section during good weather, but right now it is under a large pile of snow.

I ordered the falafel plate which came with humus (mostly outside the photo), a salad of lettuce, tomatoes, onions and green peppers lightly dressed in olive oil and vinegar, and freshly made pita. It hit the spot.

My husband ordered Lambajin which is described in the menu as a Mideastern Pitza with lamb, onion, tomato, parsley and spices. I was expecting pieces of lamb and vegetables, but was pleased with the savory ground mixture too. The crust was similar to an extra thick pita bread. The topping had a selection of spices we couldn't identify. It was a new flavor palette for us, and it took a bit of getting used to, but it was really tasty.

All in all we were pleased with our meal. It satisfied my craving for chickpeas, and it was really affordable. I think we will be back again. My husband says that he would recommend it to anyone.

Pork Chop and Mushroom Salad

I remember seeing a TV show several years ago where a chef visits an unsuspecting household and prepares a dinner for the family. I think he had an hour to prepare the meal, and he could only use the food in their pantry and fridge. The family always seemed to have a really well stocked kitchen: shrimp in the freezer, some fresh herbs in the fridge, at least a couple of vegetables, beans, rice, etc. I was not that impressed with the chef's results. I thought that anyone would be able to come up with the idea of shrimp and asparagus risotto with a side of sauteed vegetables if you had the same resources he was working with.

At the time, I was single, living by myself and working lots of hours. I did cook at home, but I had a routine where I would spend Sundays planning, shopping and cooking my meals for the week. I usually tried to freeze half of what I made, so that I would always have a variety of meals to chose from. I was really organized (much more than I am now). I never had much food just hanging around in the house waiting to be prepared. I wanted to see what the chef could make with what I had in my cabinets and fridge: some frozen blueberries and broccoli, a little yogurt, dry beans, milk, coffee, Kosher salt and some spices.

These days I frequently feel like the chef in the challenge. I come home from work and try to figure out how to form a meal from the vegetables in our farm share, the meat in the fridge/freezer, and the staples in our cabinet. Sometimes these challenges produce some unusual results. One such meal was pork chop and mushroom salad. It might not be a combination I would plan ahead to make, but it was really good. I would consider making it again. The mushrooms had a rich, meaty flavor that helped the salad seem more substantial.



Pork Chop and Mushroom Salad

1 pork chop
1/2 lb of mushrooms, chopped (we used shitake mushrooms)
1 T butter
salad greens
olive oil
vinegar (we like raw apple cider vinegar)
salt and pepper

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat, drizzle with oil and add the pork chop. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side. Let it rest for 5 minutes, and then slice. Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat and add the mushrooms. Cook until tender. Toss the salad greens with oil and vinegar and top with pork chop and mushrooms.

Is your kitchen well stocked? Do you have any unusual creations that were the results of thinking on your feet?

This post is part of Hearth and Soul Blog Hop, Top Ten Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, and Tuesday Twister.

Plans for Week 17

Yesterday was one of those days when I was really excited to do some cooking for the week, but nothing turned out quite right. That really kills the mood. I bought a chicken at the Union Square Greenmarket on Saturday, and decided that I wanted to boil it to create some chicken broth and shred the meat to use on salads. I ended up using the huge stock pot because the chicken was slightly too big for the normal soup pot. This pot is pretty wide, so in order to cover the chicken with water, I had to use a fair bit of water. The chicken stock ended up being really watery. The upside is that we have a lot of it. Oh well. I was planning to cook quinoa and brown rice in it anyways. I guess I managed to stretch it farther. After making dinner, I decided to bake some cherry tomatoes. We just got them on Saturday in our farm share, but they were very ripe. I have done this lots of times, but yesterday I left them in the oven too long, and they cooked down to burnt bits. I managed to save a few. Hopefully I got my kitchen mishaps out of the way for a while.


This week's share brought us arugula, some bitter greens for braising, daikon radishes, potatoes, beets, garlic, heirloom tomatoes and cherry tomatoes.

The plan for this week is:

Monday - Salad with pork chops and mushrooms

Tuesday - Steak topped with leeks and mushrooms, beet salad, and arugula salad

Wednesday - Chicken breasts with garlic scape pesto and salad

Thursday - Lentils with beets and goat cheese

Friday - Out to dinner


Last night we had some shredded chicken with tomato sauce, oven roasted potatoes and a big salad. The tomato sauce was really good and really dressed up a simple dinner. It was so simple, but full of great tomato flavor.

This post is part of Monday Mania at The Healthy Home Economist and Menu Plan Monday at I am an Organizing Junkie.

Italian Vinaigrette

I learned on my way home from work that we had a last minute guest coming over for dinner tonight. I did a quick mental run through of the kitchen contents and decided we really didn't have the makings of a dinner that would comfortably serve 3 (or 1). My husband suggested that he pick-up pizza, and I loved the idea. I picked up some lettuce, and we were in business.


I have worked in some restaurants along the way, and two of them were casual Italian-American places. Both restaurants had the same recipe for their house vinaigrette. It's really complex. Are you ready for it? Large squirt bottle filled with about half olive oil and half red wine vinegar (slightly more oil). Place thumb over the nozzle and vigorously shake. Squirt on some chopped lettuce. Sprinkle it with a couple of shakes of oregano. Garnish with a tomato wedge (two if the customer is a regular), and you are finished.

As a step up, the salad I made tonight even included local tomatoes, cucumber and carrots. Pizza pie and salad with leftovers for tomorrow. Perfect. Here is my dressing recipe for home:

Italian Vinaigrette
3 T olive oil
3 T red wine vinegar (or I used apple cider vinegar)
pinch of oregano, salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Combine the oil, vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper. Toss salad with dressing and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.


We are heading to Boston tomorrow and leaving the computer at home, so no posts for several days. I hope to bring back news of exciting adventures and fun family time. Do you have any suggestions for restaurants in the North End/Financial District of Boston?

Heirloom Tomato and Mediterranean Tuna Salad Napoleons

There is a blog called A + M that has a weekly recipe/cooking contest on a featured ingredient. We have entered twice before, once with a Deconstructed Eggplant Parmesan Salad (for fresh mozzarella) and another time with Cherry Chutney topped Pakoras (for cherries). I thought both of these were pretty good. They tasted great and were creative, but neither one even made it into the final list. I guess I shouldn't feel too bad because there have been between 100 and 200 recipes in entered in both of those rounds.



The contest topic for this week is Heirloom Tomatoes, and we decided to try throwing our hat in the ring once again. We tried to think of something that was fresh, summery and unique for the tomatoes. We decided to create a no-cook dish with Mediterranean tuna salad layered with tomatoes. Here's the recipe:

Heirloom Tomato and Mediterranean Tuna Salad Napoleons Serves 4

16 ounces tuna
16 ounces cannellini beans
1 handful Niçoise olives, pitted and chopped
1 small roasted red pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoons capers
3 scapes, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
2 heirloom tomatoes, sliced
4 cups salad greens
Parmesan cheese curls

Combine the tuna, beans, olives, peppers, capers and scapes in a mixing bowl. Mix the oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, herbes de Provence and drizzle over the tuna mixture. Layer the salad greens, tuna mixture, tomatoes and top with cheese curls.

Homemade Pasta with Pesto and Summer Squash

We were starving when we got home from work yesterday. We had thought of making stuffed zucchini, but it was much too hot to turn on the oven. We decided to have a snack of bread and cheese to tide us over and allow us to come up with a plan for dinner. We wanted a quick meal that would use up vegetables with limited heat. We had a big bunch of basil so we decided to make walnut pesto, and somehow we made the leap from there to homemade pasta to accompany it. My husband - who hates flour because of the mess - even volunteered to make the pasta. So dinner wasn't so quick after all, but it was worth the time investment. Homemade pasta has a rich, buttery taste which pairs nicely with the herby, garlicky flavor of the pesto. I was sad when I felt full because I just wanted to keep eating.









Pasta serves 3
1 C flour
1/2 t salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 T water

Mix flour and salt. Make a well in the center and add the egg and water. Mix together. Mixture should form a stiff dough. Pour out onto a well floured counter, and knead for 3 to 4 minutes. Roll out to desired thickness and cut into strips. Place over the rim of the mixing bowl. Let rest. Drop into boiling water and cook 3 to 5 minutes.



Walnut Pesto inspired by kiss my spatula
2 C loosely packed fresh basil leaves, rinsed and dried
1/4 C coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 C Parmesan cheese
1/2 C olive oil
1 large garlic clove
salt and pepper to taste

Blend all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Store any leftovers in an air tight container.

We tossed the pasta with some sauteed summer squash and pesto, and added a dollop of pesto on top.

Kohlrabi Hash

I woke up this morning wondering what I should make for dinner tonight. In my half-asleep state, I was trying to figure out what we had left in the fridge from the farm share. I could think of greens, radishes, turnips... aha, we have kohlrabi. I was excited to remember the kohlrabi because that guaranteed something new and different to prepare, eat and write about. I decided right then that I wanted to have kohlrabi hash with steak and salad.

I had seen kohlrabi in the stores, but I had never purchased it, prepared it, or eaten it. I got some tips from our CSA coordinator last weekend, and I double checked on the internet to make sure I wasn't missing out on any other stellar ideas. Everyone seemed to agree that kohlrabi hash was a great way to go. When our CSA coordinator mentioned kohlrabi hash, I envisioned grated kohlrabi in a cast iron pan cooking away in some olive oil, but when I looked up kohlrabi hash on-line all the recipes were inspired by potato pancakes. They included eggs, breadcrumbs, onion and seasonings. Of course all 5 or 6 of the recipes ended up referring back to one source – funny how that happens. We decided to go with the original idea - simple kohlrabi hash browns.

We made a salad with salad mix, radishes, carrots and salad turnips from our CSA share. Salad turnips are interesting because from the outside they look like regular turnips with a white waxy skin, but once the skin is peeled off, the texture is much closer to jicama. It has a slightly sweet flavor and is great raw. Salad turnips and kohlrabi are the two new things I have tried so far through our farm share. We topped the salad off with our house vinaigrette. My husband's salad dressing came through yet again - it was delicious!

We cooked the steak in a cast iron pan on the stove top. Before living in an apartment, the idea of frying a good thick steak would have appalled me. I thought the only way to cook them was on a grill, but they turn out great this way. We generously salted and peppered each side and placed it in a hot pan over medium high heat with a bit of olive oil. The trick is to leave it alone for as long as it needs to cook on that side, ours was over an inch thick so we did 6-7 minutes per side. This part is hard for me because I'm a cook that likes to fiddle (stir the pot, push thing around while they are sauteing, etc.). But in this case, it's best to set the timer and leave it alone until it is time to flip it because it will create a wonderful crust on the steak. Here is a photo of the finished meal:


Kohlrabi Hash Browns
2 heads of kohlrabi, peeled
olive oil
salt and pepper

Grate the kohlrabi with a box grater or food processor. Place the grated kohlrabi in a piece of cheese cloth or paper towel, and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Heat up a skillet and generously coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil. Dump in the kohlrabi and spread out into an even layer. Cook for a couple of minutes over medium heat and then flip. Cook until the kohlrabi is browned on both sides. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

The kohlrabi hash browns were great! We both wished there were more so we could go back for seconds. They are very similar to potato hash browns, but slightly sweeter and a slightly firmer texture.

Lentil Salad with Beets

I have gotten a bit behind on my posts during the busy holiday weekend. In addition to being 4th of July, it was also my husband's birthday. We made time to head to the Farmers' Market at Union Square Saturday morning to pick up some food to supplement our farm share. We got some chicken from Quattro's Game Farm. They also had some pheasant and other birds labeled wild game, and we asked if they were wild animals that they had killed. We learned that they were "wild" breeds that were farm raised because it is illegal to sell the meat of wild animals. Interesting. I think it is misleading to label them "wild." Heritage breeds or something else seems more appropriate, but we bought a cut-up chicken in a bag of marinade and some chicken breasts. We also got some non-homogenized milk from Milk Thistle , a delicious loaf of bread from a Our Daily Bread, and eggs.


We brought home our loot and decided to prepare some chicken in our dutch oven, red quinoa and a cold lentil salad. Here's the recipe for the lentil salad inspired by Martha Stewart:

Lentil Salad with Beets, inspired by Martha Stewart
6 C water
1 1/2 C French lentils
3 medium beets, scrubbed
3 T balsamic vinegar
2 T apple cider vinegar
2 t Dijon mustard
1/4 C olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
pinch of salt
4 carrots, chopped
salad greens
goat cheese

Bring water and lentils to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered until the lentils are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain and put aside to cool in a mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, place beets in a medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cooking until fork-tender. Remove beets from water, and set aside until cool enough to handle. Peel and slice.

In a coffee cup, combine the mustard, balsamic vinegar, cider vinegar, salt and oil. Add the shallots. Mix the vinaigrette dressing, lentils and carrots. Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill.

When ready to serve, layer the greens, lentil mixture, sliced beets and crumble soft goat cheese over the top.

The first night we had this as a side dish, but we have since eaten the leftovers as a meal.

Back Home

We got back into New York City late last night, and arrived home to an empty fridge. We had friends pick-up our farm share last Saturday. We offered them the week's food in exchange for a photo. Here's the photo:


They report that they are enjoying the vegetables and they made the salad with mixed greens, beets, fennel (bulb and leaves) and carrots (tops and all).

Tomorrow will bring more tales of cooking and eating...

Eggplant Parm Salad

During my recent blog trolling, I discovered the website The A + M Blog. This website has great recipes and they host weekly recipe contests. Each week they feature a selected ingredient. Readers submit their recipes for editors and other readers to test. The winning recipe each week wins prizes and will be featured in an upcoming cookbook. This whole process was intriguing to me, and my husband and I decided to throw our hat in the ring.

This week's contest ingredient is fresh mozzarella. We brainstormed lots of ideas for fresh mozzarella, and landed on eggplant parm salad. We were inspired by the deconstructed green sushi salad from Green Kitchen Stories that we tried last week. Our salad was designed to be a summer alternative to the traditional eggplant parm that requires oven time. (Please vote for our entry here.) The only down side of this plan is that it only used a little bit of purslane from the share. We will have to get back on the CSA bandwagon tomorrow.

Eggplant Parm Salad serves 4
1 C Balsamic vinegar
1 small eggplant, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1/2 C flour
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup bread crumbs
6 oz arugula
small handful of basil, stems removed and torn into pieces
olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 lb fresh mozzarella, cut into strips
2 tomatoes, cut into strips
salt
pepper

Pour the Balsamic vinegar into a sauce pot. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool and place in sealed container. It should be the consistency of a thick syrup. If it gets too thick, it can be thinned with additional vinegar.

Dredge an eggplant slice in the flour, then dip it in the egg, and finally dredge it in the breadcrumbs. Shake off any excess breading and transfer the eggplant to a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining eggplant. Allow the eggplant to dry for 15 minutes once all of the slices are finished. Pour the oil to a depth of 1/4 inch in a small saute pan. Once the oil is warm, work in small batches frying the eggplant slices until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and season with salt to taste. Repeat with the remaining eggplant. Once cool, cut the eggplant slices into thirds.

Place arugula and basil in a mixing bowl and toss with 2 T olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.

Layer the greens, eggplant strips, tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella on dinner plates. Drizzle the Balsamic vinegar reduction over the top.

Purslane Salad

I'm attending a farewell dinner this evening for one of our beloved staff members. She is off to new adventures and we are taking her to 5 Napkin Burger for dinner. I've never been there before and I'm curious to see what $15 burger tastes like.

Because I knew I would be out for dinner this evening, I saved the recipe from last night's salad for today's post. I was very excited to get three types of wild foods last week in the CSA share. The first one we're trying is the purslane. I tried looking up some recipes, but they were very sparse. The basic message I took away from my research was that purslane is similar to watercress. I have never prepared watercress either, so that wasn't too helpful.



Purslane looks like a jade plant with thinner leaves, and it's hard to imagine it tasting great raw, but it does. Here's the recipe:

Purslane Salad
2 C purslane, broken into bite-size pieces
1 radish, sliced
1 salad turnip, sliced
1/2 cucumber, sliced

Dressing:
1 T balsamic vinegar
2 T oil
pinch of salt and pepper

Mix the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the dressing in a separate container. I like to use a coffee mug and spoon- the handle makes it easy to grasp the mug and the spoon blends the oil and vinegar together well. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to mix.


Purslane

Vegetarian Sushi Salad

I don't like to be late. I feel like it's inconsiderate and disrespectful to the person I'm keeping waiting. But sometimes life seems to get in the way, and I can't help it. This morning I decided I wanted to try a recipe that required I run to the store to pick-up a couple of things before preparing the meal. I had 2.5 hours. That should be plenty of time to get everything done at a nice leisurely pace, right? Wrong. Somehow I got down to 30 minutes before I had to leave and all I had ready was some chopped up broccoli and marinating tofu. Where did the time go? I had to buy myself some time and push lunch back 30 minutes, but the results were worth the wait.


I had some salad greens and radish that I wanted to use up from the share and decided to try Green Sushi Salad from Green Kitchen Stories. I like this blog because it has great recipes, beautiful photos and it's in English and Swedish. Tack så mycket. I tend to use recipes as a starting point, so here's my version:

Vegetarian Sushi Salad, based on Green Kitchen Stories
Requires 1-2 hours for the tofu to marinate

5 T sesame oil
5 T soy sauce
2 T rice vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 red chili or 1/4 t red pepper flakes
2-inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 16 oz. package of firm tofu
2 C cooked short grain brown rice
1 C field greens
1 large radish, sliced
1 crown of broccoli, cut into 1-inch florets (about 2 C)
1 avocado, cut into cubes
1 handful sugarsnap peas
1 handful bean sprouts
1/2 cucumber, cut into slices
4 sheets nori seaweed, ripped into bite size pieces
1 small handful roasted sesame seeds
1 handful cilantro

Combine the sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, red pepper and ginger in a mixing bowl. Drain and dry the tofu and cut into small cubes. Add the tofu to the marinade and gently spoon the marinade over the tofu. Cover the bowl and place in the refridgerator.

Cook the brown rice and allow to cool.

Layer the rice, vegetables and tofu and drizzle the marinade over the top as a dressing.

All we have left from our first week is some braising greens. Any suggestions on how to prepare them?

Roasted Root Vegetables

I have a confession. I don't turn on the oven if it's hot outside. Our apartment is really small, so small that apartments this small don't exist outside of New York City. So if we turn on our oven in the hot weather, even with our window air conditioner running, the apartment will be miserably hot. No worries. I have had some practice at life sans oven because I grew up in a hot climate where we basically didn't use our oven for 6 months of the year. But when I was growing up we had a BBQ, and that was our go to cooking equipment for the summer, we don't have a BBQ in the city. Maybe we will figure a way to get a tiny grill on our fire escape at some point, but I think it's officially illegal... I'm tellling you all of this because yesterday it finally cooled off and I decided to use the oven for dinner! This offered an exciting variety of options different from just using the stove top every night.

We had turnips and salad greens from the CSA share at home and I decided to pick up a couple more things on my way home to round out the meal. It started pouring during the afternoon, and by the time I got home I was sopping wet. All the more reason to get the oven started. I don't know if I fully exploited the oven opportunity, but I decided on steak, oven roasted root vegetables and salad for dinner. I felt like some simple comfort food. Here is the way I decided to use the turnip:

Oven Roasted Root Vegetables
Preheat oven to 450°

3 small red potatoes, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 small turnips, peeled and chopped
1/2 large onion, chopped
olive oil
sea salt
pepper

Combine the vegetables. Add enough olive oil to coat the vegetables and salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 45 minutes, or until tender. Stir occasionally to prevent the vegetables from sticking.

We really enjoyed the meal. It's amazing what a little olive oil, salt, pepper and heat can do.

House Vinaigrette

I've just recently started reading blogs (I'm a bit of a Luddite). I never got into them before because I thought it was mostly people putting lots of personal details out to the world. I didn't feel the need to read other people's diaries, and so I stayed away. Recently this changed when I started reading food blogs. There I found some information that I could use. I decided that I could feel comfortable sharing what I ate for dinner, and City Share was born.

The one dangerous thing about these food blogs is that they seem to feature A LOT of desserts. Desserts with gooey, tempting photos. I can almost feel myself going into sugar coma just reading them. I try to keep the baking to a minimum. Or when I do bake, the goods need to be whisked away to work, someone else's house, or a party so that I don't eat a half a pan of brownies or a pie in one evening. Because of this, we will be focusing not on desserts, but meals.


Last night's dinner was a salad with a side of steamed asparagus. The asparagus was just steamed and served plain. Why mess with a good thing? The salad featured greens and radishes from our share, napa cabbage, carrots, bits of mozzarella, pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and sautéed chicken breast. I think the salad dressing is key, and luckily my husband makes the best salad dressing! We occasionally buy a bottle of dressing to make life easier, but it always disappoints. This is our go to recipe, and we decided to call it our House Vinaigrette. He never really measures, but here's a best guess of the proportions:

House Vinaigrette
Juice of half a lemon
1 clove garlic, minced
Splash of cider vinegar (approx. 1T)
1/4 t fresh ground pepper
1 t Dijon mustard
2 T olive oil

After mincing the garlic, drag the side of the knife over the garlic to crush the garlic and release the juices. This step of smearing the garlic is the key to the whole dressing. Combine ingredients.

Happy Eating!