Author: Heidi Lee (Page 47 of 96)

Moroccan Chickpea-Couscous Salad

June 20, 2011 / / 0 Comments

Couscous has to be one of the greatest ‘make it quick’ inventions of all time. This salad has an interesting (I would have to say ‘mouthwatering’!!) blend of chickpeas, cinnamon and dates—hitting all of those sweet/savory notes. Make it for yourself and let us know what you think!

Moroccan Chickpea-Couscous Salad

Serves 8 (side dish)

Ingredients:

  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 7 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 package (10 ounces) couscous
  • 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1 can (19 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups shredded carrots (3 to 4 large carrots) OR 2 cups sliced, parboiled carrots
  • 1 cup dates, pitted and coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  1. Reserve green parts of onion for salad. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in medium saucepan on medium heat. Add white onion pieces; cook and stir 5 minutes. Stir in broth, cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper and cayenne. Bring to boil. Add couscous; cover. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.
  2. Make vinaigrette by mixing remaining 6 tablespoons oil, vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in small bowl with wire whisk until well blended.
  3. Fluff couscous with fork; spoon into large bowl. Add sliced green onions, chickpeas, carrots, dates, almonds, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper; toss lightly. Add vinaigrette; toss again. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

 

The Weekly Whet: Blue Bark Rickey

June 17, 2011 / / 0 Comments

This week’s whet comes to us from Anu Apte – owner and “bartender wondergirl” at Rob Roy in Belltown (Seattle), WA.  If you’re looking for that ‘take you back to a simpler time’ kind of joint with those ‘simpler time’ kind of drinks ~ they do that, too!  However, if you’re lookin’ for a really funky joint to sit down, relax, take a load off and sample some kick ass cocktails with some really unique um…kicks; go visit Anu and give one of these Blueberry Bark Rickey’s a try – go summer!

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 oz gin, a London dry works best
  • 1/2 oz turmeric syrup
  • 1/4 St. Germain Liqueur
  • 1/2 oz Fresh lime juice
  • 8 muddled blueberries
  • topped with soda

Muddle blueberries in a shaker, add all liquids, add ice.  Shake and then strain into a Collins glass filled with fresh ice.
Garnish with a blueberry and a lime wedge.

Chef Tomer Shneor’s Corn Soup

June 17, 2011 / / 0 Comments

Our hats are off to Chef Tomer Shneor of Branzino in Seattle, WA (Belltown, to be exact).  He entertained us with stories and some of the best gnocchi EVER!  We also got a little taste of this outstanding Corn Soup – silky, smooth ~ just delish!  Thanks, Tomer!

Corn Soup

Makes 4 Liters

Ingredients:


  • 10 corn ears, kernels removed (save corn cob for corn stock)

  • 2 TBS Olive oil

  • 2 Onion, diced

  • 3 Cloves garlic, smashed

  • 8 Thyme sprigs

  • Corn stock, to cover

  • 1/4 cup Heavy cream

  • Salt, to taste

  • Black pepper, to taste


  1. Place corn kernels and thyme into medium size stock pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 45 minutes; strain stock and set aside.

  2. Sweat onions in olive oil on medium low heat until translucent; add garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low,  add corn kernels and continue cooking  for 10-15 minutes, making sure to stir constantly.

  3. Add corn stock, increase heat to high and bring soup to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, and cook corn soup for 45 minutes.

  4. Remove corn soup from the heat, ladle soup into blender (only a small amount at a time) and puree until smooth. Repeat until all soup has been pureed.

  5. Pour pureed soup back into pot,  and slowly bring it to a boil. Whisk in heavy cream and season with salt and pepper.

 Click Here for More Soups of the Week



Pea and Spinach Hummus

June 16, 2011 / / 0 Comments

A refreshing, colorful take on the usual hummus… not to mention healthy  : )

Pea and Spinach Hummus

Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
  • 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1-15.5 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 garlic clove, minced

Combine all ingredients in food processor; process until smooth.
Serve with pita bread or chips, fresh vegetable crudite (carrots, celery, red bell pepper, etc.), etc. Enjoy!

Blueberry Cinnamon Loaf

June 13, 2011 / / 0 Comments

When I think of summer, I think of berries: strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and, my all time favorite, the blueberry. If you’re a blueberry muffin fan (who isn’t?!), give Blueberry-Cinnamon Loaf a try. You won’t be sorry—bursts of cinnamon and butter, juicy berries… YUM!

Blueberry-Cinnamon Loaf

Makes a 9×5″ loaf, approximately 16 slices

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons chilled butter; cut into small pieces
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 5 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries*
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 9×5” loaf pan.
  2. Combine 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl, and cut in 3 tablespoons butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Cover and chill 30 minutes.
  3. Place 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup butter in a bowl; beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, I at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix 2 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt, in a separate bowl. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
  4. Fold blueberries into cinnamon mixture and then fold cinnamon-blueberry mixture into batter. Mix lightly, leaving some marbling of cinnamon-butter (batter will be thick).
  5. Spoon batter into a loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 55-60 min or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool bread completely on wire rack.

*Note: If using frozen blueberries, DO NOT thaw!

Paso Part 2: Eat, Sip, Savor, Repeat

June 9, 2011 / / 0 Comments

So, where did we leave off?  Oh, I remember, my amazement at the fact that I’m now writing sequels, or as my editor so blithely informed me, “It’s a series you bone head!”  Can you believe I pay her?  Oh well, welcome to my second in the series on Paso Robles, CA – The Food.

When a town has a town square, it makes complete sense to head right into the heart of that town. I grew up in rural Washington State and as I drew nearer to the heart of Paso a little bird of happiness leapt right into mine.  This is farm country (be still, be still!). Better yet, it’s farm country with award winning wines, cutting edge restaurants and the awesome chefs that are changing the culinary scene even as we speak.

My first taste of Paso was Bistro Laurent, a name that seemed completely out of place, yet at the same time, so very right. Temperate al fresco dining, a “something for everyone” lunch menu, and a waitress who knew how to make a decision for me; warm potato and goat cheese salad and a glass of Albariño = Happy Heidi. Sated and kind of ‘glowy’, I set out for my tour of The Abalone Farm.   

Abalone has been harvested from the central coast for over 200 years, is a dietary staple for most locals, and a Holy Grail for shellfish connoisseurs and uninitiated visitors alike. This is because Abalone isn’t something  for which you need acquire a taste, for once you taste it, it acquires you. Preparation: The simpler, the better. Pound it out to less than 1/4 inch thick, dip it in eggwash, coat it in Panko, and fry in butter (prefferably Kerrygold), 2-3 minutes per side. Pair with a Local Paso Wine and all will be well.

My next culinary stop takes me to Artisan, a restaurant that is owned and operated by two-time James Beard Nominee Chef Chris Kobayashi. While Chef wasn’t in the building, his wife and partner, Shandi, made the dinner a winner. We started with a little plate of charcuterie and a melt-in-your-mouth, please-pick-me-up-off-of-the-floor foie gras. Place a piece on your tongue and pair with a glorious Viognier. I was an even Happier Heidi. After much conversation and more taste sensations of beer-based Fondue and a big plate of vegetables (great goat cheese salad) everyone finally acquiesced to my request for the rabbit ragu, and not a single soul was sorry for that decision–except maybe the rabbit. A few more flights to share? Why the hell not?! Needless to say, we closed the joint! Keep it up, kids.

The next evening I met Michael Cervin for dinner at Robert’s Restaurant and Wine Bar. They have the best chairs EVER!! Seriously, so comfy and relaxed I could have spent the night. Back up… I couldn’t possibly go a step further without mentioning our waiter, Trevor.  He came poppin’ over with his pompadore and some serious happy! He was infectious, educated about everything Robert’s and just a joy!  Thanks for the great night T!

Chef Ryan Swarthout (we’ve decided that his next dining establishment will be Swarthy’s) is the culinary star behind Robert’s, and he makes it his own with a passion that comes from his heart, and a freedom to create that comes from the owners: Smart folks. Ryan is one of those guys that comes across understated, shy smile, kind of quiet, but once you get him to talking he comes alive like a battery operated toy! Passion suits him, and it shows in his product. I could go on and on about his food (which is wonderful) but I prefer talking about him.  

My deepest desires must be written all over my face (yikes!) because he pulled up one of those comfy chairs and we talked food, wine, and why we do what we do. I’m not sure if it was the hour he spent with us, the molten chocolate dessert he presented to me, or a combination of the two, but it pushed me into Exponentially Happy Heidi-mode. We closed that joint, too!  Damn, I love my job! 

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Il Cortile. The Carbonara I enjoyed there was excellently prepared, the service was spot on, and they went to extra special lengths to make sure that the wine paired perfectly with the meal. 

That concludes the second in my series of blogs gushing about the treasures of Paso Robles. I’ll be back soon with my final outpouring of affection for the Wine of Paso, but in the meantime, you can revisit my blog about the people—Paso Part 1: Go for the Friendly, Stay for the Fun.

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