Spatalian Eggs

Matt named them. I wanted to make him breakfast for his birthday, and this was the first thing that came to my mind. They're modeled after one of the most delicious breakfasts I've ever had: Teo's Italian Eggs served at Dizzy's, a fancy diner in Brooklyn. But they have a little spanish flair, hence "Spatalian".

Spatalian Eggs (serves 2)
2 tbls white vinegar
2 heaping cups plain or rosemary focaccia, cut into bite size pieces
4 fresh eggs
1 chorizo sausage, julienned
1/2 large red bell pepper, julienned
1/2 medium onion, julienned
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup parmesan, grated
Handful fresh basil, cut in a chiffonade
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Good olive oil

Place a shallow but wide pot of water on to boil with a few splashes of white vinegar in it, with the water reaching about 3 inches up the side of the pot.  In a saute pan, cook the chorizo, red bell pepper and onion with the garlic powder and a bit of salt and pepper until the vegetables are just soft and the chorizo is browned. Meanwhile, divide the focaccia evenly between two large cereal bowls. Once the water is boiling, turn it down until the water is still.
To Poach the Eggs: Crack the eggs very gently into the water, holding the egg just above the surface and allow it to fall slowly. Do not let the eggs touch. Allow to cook for 3-4 minutes without touching them, then remove them gently with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
Divide the chorizo mixture evenly on top of the focaccia. Transfer two eggs to each bowl with the slotted spoon (moving the eggs to a separate bowl first allows some of the water to escape so the bread doesn't get soggy). Top with the parmesan, then the basil, then sprinkle the red pepper flakes on top of each egg. Drizzle olive oil over the whole dish.

Happy eating!

Matt's Birthday Dinner

Well, technically his birthday is tomorrow, but we're going out for dinner tomorrow night. So tonight, I wanted to make him a special birthday dinner, for just the two of us.  I designed this meal trying to incorporate his favorite things. Love you, Matt--Happy Birthday <3

Spicy Tex-Mex Burger

3/4 lb ground sirloin

2 tbls grated red onion

2 cloves garlic, grated

1/2 poblano, broiled and skin removed, then minced

6 strips of cooked bacon, 2 minced, 4 left whole

3/4 tbls pureed chipotle in Adobo sauce

1 tbls Worchestershire sauce

3/4 tsp cumin

3/4 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Salt and Pepper

Pepper jack or sharp cheddar cheese (enough to top the burgers)

2 crusty buns

Put the sirloin in a mixing bowl and grate the onion and garlic into it. Then add the bacon bits, minced poblano, chipotle, worchestershire, cumin, coriander, paprika, salt and pepper. Heat your grill pan or skillet to medium-high heat with enough oil to just coat the bottom. With your hands, mix the meat mixture until just fully combined (do not over mix) and form into two patties with the center a bit thinner than the edges. Brown the patties on both sides (a couple minutes each side) then top with the cheese and cover the pan with aluminum foil and allow to cook another couple minutes. Meanwhile, toast the buns. Serve with a salad dressed with olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, and salt and pepper.

Cherry Cheesecake

For Crust:

2 cups cinnamon graham crackers, crushed

5 tbls butter

pinch of salt

Combine the graham crackers with the butter and salt and work with  wooden spoon until the butter and crackers are fully incorporated. Pour into a baking pan and press into the bottom and sides. Press firmly to avoid getting crumbs in the cheesecake.

For Cheesecake:

1 lb cream cheese (2 8-oz blocks), softened

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 pint sour cream

1 lemon, zested

1 dash vanilla extract

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on low speed for 1 minute until smooth and free of any lumps. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to beat slowly until combined. Gradually add sugar and beat until creamy, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters. The batter should be well mixed but not over-beaten. Pour the filling into the pan with the crust and smooth the top with a spatula.

Set the cheesecake pan on a large piece of aluminum foil and fold up the sides around it. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan; the foil will keep the water from seeping into the cheesecake. Bake for 45 minutes. The cheesecake should still jiggle (it will firm up after chilling), so be careful not to overcook. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for at least 4 hours. Loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula around the inside rim.

For Fruit Topping:

4 cups pitted cherries, raspberries, strawberries or black berries (fresh or frozen and defrosted)

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

Cook the cherries in a medium sauce pan, covered, until the cherries release their juices and come to a simmer, about 10-15 minutes, stirring often. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch until well combined. Return the saucepan to low heat, add the sugar and cornstarch mixture, and stir until it is dissolved into the cherries. Return to a simmer, and cook about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Pour over the cheesecake when ready to serve.


Happy Eating and Happy Birthday!

Take-out Fake-out!

Yes, I know, the name is really cheesy, but I was SO excited to finally get a handle on chinese take-out! This is not my recipe, but I modified it a little to make it a more well-rounded meal. So here you go, fool-proof chinese food in the comfort of your own home :)

Szechwan Chicken and Eggplant
3 tbls oil, anything withstanding high heat
2 tbls toasted sesame oil
1 lb japanese eggplant (or baby italian eggplant), cut into bite-size pieces
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
3-4 scallions sliced on a diagonal
1-inch piece ginger, minced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbls garlic chili paste or 1 red chili, chopped or sliced
2/3 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 tbls low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbls rice wine vinegar
1 tbls brown sugar
1 tbls cornstarch
1 tbls toasted sesame seeds
Handful of basil, cut in a chiffonade

Heat a wok or very large skillet to high heat with half of each of the oils until the oils just start to smoke. Add the eggplant in one layer and cook about three minutes, tossing frequently, until just cooked and browning.  Remove the eggplant to a plate and repeat the process with the chicken.  Remove the chicken to the plate, and add the scallions, ginger, garlic and chili, allowing to cook for about a minute. Add the chicken broth. Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and corn starch in a bowl allowing the ingredients to fully dissolve, then pour the mixture into the pan. Cook about a minute until the sauce has thickened, then add the chicken and eggplant and toss to coat. Add the basil and sesame seeds and cook another minute. Serve over brown basmati or your favorite rice.

Happy eating!

Delicious and Healthy? Who knew?

Every time we have pasta, my main concern is the massive amounts of starch and the complete lack of veg. Which is why when I thought of this pasta, I was really excited. And we absolutely LOVED it. I've made it a few times already, and its both quick and easy. I really recommend this one for a weeknight dinner.

Arugula Pasta
1/2 lb of small or short-cut pasta (quinoa is probably my favorite pasta)
1 package chopped prosciutto (or a few slices of bacon, or hot italian sausage, or whatever you have on hand--I have even used turkey bacon)
1 small onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup white wine
1 14.5 oz can of plum tomatoes, drained and chopped
Salt and pepper
1 package of arugula
Generous handful of basil or parsley, chopped
Grated parmesan

Put a pot of water on to boil, for the pasta. Cook until al dente, but reserve some of the starchy pasta water. In a large skillet, saute the prosciutto (or whatever), drain if necessary, and transfer to a towel-lined dish. Add a bit of oil to the pan and saute the onion until just tender, then add the garlic and saute another minute or so. Add the prosciutto back in along with the oregano, salt and pepper. Add the wine and allow the alcohol to cook off, then add the chopped tomatoes and allow to cook for 2 minutes. Add the starchy pasta water and then the arugula, stirring until the arugula is wilted, then add the basil. Serve topped with parmesan.

Happy Eating!

Burger Night!

This week, Matt’s cousins from Utah came into town and I wanted to make a nice dinner. Since you can’t go wrong with burgers, I figured a nice juicy burger would be a good choice. But…this is me we’re talking about. So I couldn’t just make any burger…

Indian Style Lamb Burger

1 1/2  lbs ground lamb

1/2 lb ground pork (or beef, but pork is much cheaper and with the lamb being so expensive…)

1 shallot or half a small red onion, grated

2 cloves garlic, grated

1-inch piece ginger, grated

1 tsp each of turmeric, coriander, cumin, garam masala, chili powder

1/2 tsp each smoked paprika and black pepper

1/4 tsp each of cinnamon and red pepper flakes

4-6 tbls crumbled feta

4 sliced smoked mozzarella

4 brioche buns

Heat a grill pan to high and brush with oil. In a large bowl, add the meat and spices and grate in the onion, garlic and ginger. Combine with your hands until all ingredients are just incorporated (over-mixing will lead to tough burgers). Make 8 even balls and flatten them out. Pile the feta onto 4 of the patties and put the other 4 patties on top. Seal the edges so the feta will not come out. Put the burgers on the grill pan and sear for 3 minutes on each side. Then lay the slices of mozzarella on the burgers and cover the entire pan with tin foil and allow to cook another 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cut open the rolls and toast them, then slather both sides of the rolls with Indian BBQ Sauce (recipe to follow) and put greens (anything you have around) on the top side. When the burgers are done, put them on the bottom of each roll and put the lettuce and top of the bun on top. Serve with salt and vinegar chips (or any kind you like). These burgers are HUGE so…Happy, and messy, eating!

Indian BBQ Sauce

2 tbls light oil

3 apples, julienned

1/2 large onion, sliced

3 tbls tomato paste

1-inch piece ginger, grated

3 tbls stock

1/3 cup tomato sauce (its fine if it has flavor, whatever you have)

1 tbls garam masala

1 tsp each turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder and paprika

6-8 cardamom pods, wrapped in 1 layer of cheese cloth and tied

2 bay leaves

2 cinnamon sticks

Salt to taste

1/3 cup craisins

In a medium sauce pan, over medium heat saute the apple and onion in the oil until they begin to caramelize. Add the tomato paste and grate in the ginger and stir briefly to wake up the tomato paste.  Add the stock to deglaze the pan, then add the remaining ingredients. Don’t be afraid if you taste it and it’s not very good—the spices and flavors need time to meld and combine. Allow to cook, covered, for no less than half an hour. You might want to make extra as a dipping sauce or anything really. It’s really delicious, and if you add some fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley, it will really brighten it up, so you can thin it out with water and use it as a marinade or a sauce. Go crazy!

Japanese...ish...

A while back, I bough this amazing tuna steak. Unfortunately at the time I was really busy and I knew I wouldn't have time to cook it before the tuna went bad, so I stuck it in the freezer for another night. Well Monday night was that night. So i defrosted the tuna completely, made a simple asian-style glaze, and coated the tuna with it before searing it. Pretty simple preparation because my boyfriend just loves the flavor of the tuna and I didn't want to overpower it. However, I was able to get creative with the side dish, and I have to say, I really didn't feel the need to eat the tuna after tasting this.

Soba Noodle Stir Fry

2 bundles of soba noodles

1 1/2 tbls light oil (any variety you have)

1 red bell pepper, very thinly sliced

1 medium onion, sliced to the same thickness as the pepper

2 cloves garlic, chopped or grated, depending upon your taste

1 tbls toasted sesame oil

1 tbls chili garlic

1 tbls hoisin sauce

1 tbls rice vinegar

1 tbls lite soy sauce

1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, grated (straight into the bowl to get the juices)

4 scallions, sliced on the bias (its prettier than just regular slices)

handful chopped cilantro

1 tbls toasted sesame seeds

Put a medium-sized pot of salted water on to boil, and when it comes to a boil, add the soba noodles and cook until just before done (pull out about a minute before the package directions). Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add the light oil and saute the onion and bell pepper over medium heat until soft. While allowing them to soften, stirring occasionally, in a small bowl whisk together the garlic through the ginger. Turn the heat down to low, add the noodles to the saute pan, add the marinade, and combine carefully so the noodles don't break. Stir carefully for about a minute, then add the remaining ingredients and saute another minute. Garnish with extra cilantro and scallions and serve. Happy eating!

Family Dinner

Over the weekend, I was home with my family, and two of my non-related family members came over for dinner. We split the meal so they were bringing the veggie (a delicious salad, as always), my mom did the main course (steaks--her specialty), and I made the side dish (roasted potatoes with olive oil, chili powder, fresh rosemary and salt and pepper) and dessert. The dessert turned out pretty well, so I thought I'd share it with you. I am going to make some sort of apple variation of it next week after I go apple picking, but the original was bright, rich and delicious.

Lemon Raspberry Pound Cake
1 10-oz bag frozen raspberries, defrosted (no sugar added, if possible)
3 tbls Amaretto liquor (like Disaronno)
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 8oz package cream cheese
1 cup butter
2 1/2 cups sugar (2 cups if the raspberries have added sugar)
6 eggs
3 cups cake flour

Pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees and butter and flour 2 loaf pans. Combine the raspberries, amaretto, lemon zest and vanilla in a bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, cream together room temperature cream cheese and butter with your hand-mixer (they will not combine easily if they are cold) and whip for about 2 minutes. Add the sugar a bit at a time while continuing to cream the ingredients. When they are light and fluffy, add the eggs 2 at a time and continue to beat. When all the eggs are fully combined and fluffy, add the flour 1 cup at a time and stir manually until just combined. Pour in the raspberry mixture and swirl into the batter, making sure it runs through the batter, but isn't completely mixed in. Pour into the prepared loaf pans (half in each) and bake for an hour and a half (check at 1 hour). To make it extra special, before you serve it, turn the loaf upside down on your serving plate, and pour some of the cream cheese frosting from the "Birthday Cake to the Extreme" and allow it to come down the sides a bit. Slice and serve.

Happy eating!