Crumbs and Scraps

It's been awhile since last I posted, and I apologize for that. It's been quite hectic around here, both at home and at work. When I finally arrive home at night, I hesitate to look at a computer again - I think I'm starting to show symptoms of internet-glow. I've been working straight through my lunch breaks, and coming home only to find things that need doing around the house. I haven't been food shopping in some time and I'm certainly scraping things together when it comes to dinner, or better yet, calling for takeout!

Last night, I got home late from meeting a friend for drinks and was already starving. I had no patience for a lengthy recipe so I made burgers that I had defrosted from my dwindling collection of meat in the freezer. I used some leftover pita breads, some blue cheese herb mustard, creamy gouda cheese, and some arugula to manage an upscale burger sandwich that I finished on the panini grill for a crispiness that you can't get any other way. Creativity at its finest!

from Flickr - by the_babyladies

Finally, this weekend, I think we have some free time, and I'm going to focus my attentions on a new menu to get us back on track for both cooking, and for health. Takeout isn't the best thing for us, but in a pinch, it is delicious, and always enjoyable. I need to get back in the habits that I had been following so closely though, and the best way to do that is by cooking from scratch.

While it may be snowing outside right now, we are nearing the spring and that means farmers' markets, fresh locally sourced greens and beautiful produce. I can't wait! This is such a strange time of year, it's not winter, it's not spring, it's lighter longer, but we still don't want to hang out with the elements. I can only dream about the days that I can walk down the street and pick out some fresh ingredients that have been recently plucked straight from the ground.

from Flickr - by NatalieMaynor

I'll try and post another chapter of The Professional Chef tomorrow, as we are nearing the part of the book where recipes are incorporated into the lessons, and I'm very much looking forward to that!

Until later, then...there's Indian food on it's way!

Foumami

I've been meaning to visit this kitschy spot since I read about it months ago in my daily ThrillList email. The self-proclaimed Asian sandwich bar has a creative menu of sandwiches and salads using many key Asian ingredients such as ginger, Wasabi, soy sauce and cilantro. While a few of the items seem a bit forced into the constraints of what would be considered "Asian," (Wasabi Caesar Salad, Asian Cobb), the majority of the menu is striking and unique.

When I glanced at the menu online, in preparation for my visit, I immediately knew that I needed to have an Iced Ginger Tea! I love beverages with ginger in them, and this one was absolutely no exception. The spiced bite of ginger flavor integrated with the sweetness of the tea is a definite winner! It was wonderfully refreshing on this warm day!

I opted for the Braised Beef Brisket sandwich as my lunch, and as soon as I could pay and step sideways to the pickup window, they had called my name! Now, that's some service! I unwrapped my meal, thinly sliced brisket, cooked to perfection (silky, smooth and falling apart) along with some cucumbers, scallions and cilantro sprigs, all wrapped in a flat bread similar to naan. It wasnt very large but it ended up being a hearty lunch for me and I was satisfied for the afternoon! The sandwiches also come with a pickle and potato chips...but I wished for something a bit more authentic as a side...some Kim Chee, or a small bowl of edamame would have been a really cool touch.

They offer many soups on their online menu, one or two of which are available each day. There were a few specific flavors that would certainly go back for (Wonton, Hot & Sour, String Bean Noodle), because they sound delicious. Other options include desserts such as shaved ice and cookies.

Foumami is located at 225 Franklin Street, in the Financial District of Boston. Check them out at their website, or call them (617-426-8858) to find out about those soup specials!

Cool fact of the day: In Japanese culture, umami is one of the five basic tastes with sweet, sour, bitter and salty.  In Japanese, it means "pleasant savory taste."

A Minestrone for Spring

Yesterday, we were in Vermont for a quick visit with Matt's mom, and we woke up to what I can only describe as a snowstorm. There was an inch of snow on the ground, it was coming down in buckets, and it hardly felt like the end of April! We drove back through rain and snow to warmer temperatures here in Boston, and thankfully, today was short-sleeve and flip-flop weather! What a difference 24 hours makes, huh?

Last night, it was so dreary and blah. It was definitely a soup and sandwich kind of evening, so I started cooking early in the afternoon...this soup takes a LOT of prep work, and minimal cooking time.

From Jamie's Kitchen, Jamie Oliver creates a delicious minestrone for the spring season. Using vegetables readily available during this time of year can make a meal seem even more comforting. It just seems...right. I made some basil pesto (for the end of the process), and gathered some chicken stock, diced fennel, sliced asparagus, cauliflower florets, diced zucchini, blanched and diced plum tomatoes, olive oil, sliced garlic cloves, chopped scallions, sliced green beans, shelled fava beans, broken spaghetti noodles, salt, pepper, basil and chives. I left out peas and yellow beans - and i'll tell you why - I couldn't find yellow beans and I was already shelling fava beans, so I chose to just stick with those. Check out the mise en place on this one!

It took a long time to cut, dice, chop, slice and shell all these veggies! I totally cleared out a nice little alcove in my fridge though - that's a lot of vegetables!

Once we were ready to start cooking, I brought a pot of stock to a boil. Meanwhile, I added about 5 tablespoons of olive oil to a large pot. I heated the oil until warm and then added the sliced garlic cloves, diced fennel, and sliced scallions, and gently fried them without browning for about 15 minutes.

While that was cooking, I started to gather the ingredients for my sandwich...Chicken and Mango with Cilantro-Pesto, from the Williams Sonoma Panini Cookbook. While I didn't take pictures of the process, I will say that the recipe was quite easy...and delicious! I'll make it again so I can document it for you guys sometime soon.

Once the 15 minutes were up, I added all of my veggies (asparagus, cauliflower, zucchini, fava beans, green beans, tomatoes) along with some broken up spaghetti noodles and my boiling chicken stock. Stir everything together, and depending on how liquid-y you like your soup, add some more stock accordingly. I added an extra cup of stock because it didn't look soup-y enough for my taste, but if you love a REALLY chunky soup, there's no need!

I brought it all to a boil and allowed it to cook for about 10 minutes more. Meanwhile, I assembled and pressed my panini sandwiches.

When plating, I scooped some soup into each bowl and then topped them with a hefty tablespoon of pesto. I sprinkled some chopped basil and chives on top and then put a panini on each plate. The pesto packs a real punch of flavor into each spoonful of the soup...I'm so happy I've got leftovers for lunches this week! :)

A Soup-er Sandwich

I love the day on my menu that calls for a delicious panini and a nice, steaming bowl of homemade soup! And that's exactly what tonight was - Soup and Sandwich night! I took that kickboxing class again (ouch!) so I got home a bit later tonight. Good thing I made my soup last night while we enjoyed our 'Za!

From Flickr - by AmberNectar 13

Soups are great because you can throw everything in the pot and then just let it go! I have recipes that call for only 1/2 an hour of real simmer time, while others call for 2-3 hours of the heat. Either way, you'll have a heartwarming bowl of goodness when the time is up! I knew I'd be getting home later tonight so, rather than eat dinner at 10pm, I decided it would work well to simmer that soup for the 2 hours it needed last night. I did all the necessary spice adjustments, blended it with my immersion blender, and strained it through a sieve to remove all the lumps. I let it cool a bit and then put it in the fridge, in anticipation of tonight's meal.

Tonight, when I came home, I assembled my paninis, turned on my panini grill (which I love! Thanks Bill and Heidi!), and started to heat up the soup...within 30 minutes, we had a delicious, comforting meal of steaming soup and a gooey panini!

Stir's White Bean Soup with Sage and Hazelnuts is a creamy, velvety soup, with none of the fatty dairy ingredients you'd think to find! It's just water, and white beans, and sage, but the depth of flavor would make you think there's 20 ingredients in there! As for the panini, I thought the soup would pair well with a Rustic Turkey Sandwich, with Apples and Brie. Once heated through, the few slices of Brie on each sandwich just started to ooze and get all gooey and delicious! I used a delicious seeded, wheat bread for this sandwich, and it really worked the rustic effect quite well!

Soups and sandwiches, or salads, make for a great, hearty meal. And if you plan ahead, it can most definitely work in your favor when you need something quick and easy. Heat up your soup, grill your panini and sit down to enjoy! Just like that! Making a pot of soup is a great weekend activity, and it makes your house smell SOOOOO good! Try it this weekend! :)

The Menu - The Focal Point of your At-Home Culinary Journey

When it comes to planning my meals, I make a menu, and it comes in handy for numerous reasons. First of all, never again will you ask the question, "What do you want for dinner tonight?," only to be answered by "I don't know." Yea - I know, you ALL know what I'm talking about!

Second, it makes going to the grocery store a helluva lot easier, don't you think? A list of things you'll need to make meals for numerous days in a row - it's a brilliant concept, right? More on that in a later post, I promise!

You can plan a menu by day, or by type of food, or by country of origin, you can do it anyway you like...but here's how I do it: I make a list of different main ingredients and I pick ONE recipe for each of those main ingredients. You can't get bored if you're only eating chicken once every 2 weeks! My categories are as follows: Fish, Shellfish, Chicken, Beef, Pork, Lamb/Veal, Soup/Sandwich, Risotto, Pasta and Breakfast for Dinner. My husband especially likes that last one...

This little tip will help you plan ahead for your meals. You can prep things ahead of time if you know you are going to be home late one night. Marinating something overnight, and then just throwing it in the oven when you get home is the easiest way to get a great, home-cooked meal without all the fuss!

I normally just spell it all out on a piece of paper, which I then check off when I make one of the meals. Sometimes the menu lasts longer than other times, just based on things that come up - did we meet someone out somewhere for dinner? Did we both feel like sushi one night? Did I just SERIOUSLY not feel like cooking - because that happens once and awhile...and that's okay!

Whichever way you plan your menu, I promise you will find that it helps you immensely in the long run. It's much less stress to just know what you have to cook when you get home - and sometimes, even get excited about it! :)

I'd love to hear your feedback - if you try my tips and think they are good...or even if you hate them...leave me a comment and let me know! It will definitely help me figure out what road to take this blog on!