Jambalaya That'll Warm You Up

"New Orleans food is as delicious as the less criminal forms of sin."

-Mark Twain

Why hello there readers! Sorry for the lack of posts but I took a brief hiatus from cooking while in Kansas City. Unlike my December trip to KCMO, this month's trip was COOOOOOLD, however, I was lucky to get out before the snowfall got real (and deep!).

This is what the snow looked like while I was there:

This is what it looked like just a couple days after I left. The snow is up to two feet!

Anyhow, now I'm back in the milder climate of good ol' Sacramento but I've still been craving some pipin' hot meals to warm up my poor cold body...so this week, I decided to make a hearty batch of jambalaya. This down-home recipe is on the milder side of the spiciness scale but if you like heat, add a tad more cayenne and hot sauce (whoo-boy!) and you'll be set. I had to keep our batch toned down since the kidlets were eating with us. Also if you want to keep true to the holy trinity of Cajun cooking (onion, celery and green bell pepper) you can sub in a green bell pepper for the red. No one at our dinner table likes green bell peppers which is why I threw in a red one. ;)

This recipe makes enough jambalaya to feed a family of four and have enough the next day for a round of leftovers. It reheats well. Don't you love when you can get two meals out of one night's cooking? I know I do!

Now pour yourself a stiff drink, get cooking and... Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Jambalaya

Ingredients

1 lb. Andouille sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 tablespoon Canola oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, diced
5-6 cloves of fresh garlic, diced
1 large red bell pepper
3 stalks of celery, diced (use the tender stalks in the heart of the celery) & dice up those celery leaves as well
1 (10 oz) can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies- drained
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes- drained
3 bay leaves
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons concentrated tomato paste
1 teaspoon hot sauce (I like Frank's or Crystal)
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups long grain white rice- uncooked, rinsed
1 lb. fresh large shrimp- rinsed, peeled and deveined
6 scallions, sliced thin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste
juice of 1/2 a lemon
flat-leaf parsley, chopped- for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. In a heavy bottomed pot, heat canola oil on medium-high heat. Add sliced sausage, cook until browned. Remove sausage, place in a bowl and set aside.

2. Leave the sausage drippings in the pot, heat 1 tablespoon of butter. Add in diced onions. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, sauté a few minutes more until onions soften and become translucent.

3. Add celery, celery leaves and red bell pepper. Allow to cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add both cans of tomatoes, bay leaves and sprigs of thyme. Allow to simmer for 4-5 minutes.

5. Add Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, hot sauce and sausage. Stir and allow to cook 5 minutes.

6. Add chicken stock. Bring ingredients to a rapid boil. Add smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, oregano and Louisiana Cajun seasoning. Stir thoroughly.

7. Add 2 cups of rinsed rice. Bring to a boil.

8. Lower heat to a simmer, cover tightly and allow to cook for about 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed.

9. Turn off heat. Add in uncooked shrimp and sliced scallions. Give it a good stir or two.

10. Replace lid. Let it sit, untouched, for 15 minutes. (The shrimp will cook up from the heat in the pot.)

11. Open. Removed bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

12. Squeeze lemon over jambalaya. Stir. Sprinkle with chopped parsley (optional). Serve.

Seared Scallops with Tangy Carrot Puree

This year unfortunately I'm 1800 miles away (literally) from Mr.S. for Valentine's Day. I have to admit I'm a wee bit bummed but to be honest everyday is Valentine's Day when you're with someone you're head over heels in love with so in the long run it's no big deal. I love that we do romantic things year round instead of only on a day that Hallmark dictates that we should. One of my favorite things to do with Mr.S. is cook dinner for him. Don't get me wrong, I love cooking with him too but sometimes it's nice to spoil your partner with a fabulous meal. In fact, Julia Child once said, "I think careful cooking is love, don't you? The loveliest thing you can cook for someone who's close to you is about as nice a Valentine as you can give,"...that Julia, she's a wise one-- and I think she was spot on.

Anyhow, before I left for my trip I made Mr.S. this recipe for scallops with carrot puree. The puree didn't come out quite as smooth as I would have liked (I was at Mr. S's so I was using a blender to puree the carrots and it kept crapping out every 10 seconds) but it didn't matter because he looked so happy when I placed the plate of  caramelized scallops before him. It sounds crazy but--- I'll take a romantic dinner on an average old Wednesday night any day over a box of chocolates or an expensive meal on February 14th.

So readers, please excuse the awful photo (I was more concerned about starting the meal then getting the perfect pic) and take the time to look over the recipe below. Then pick a night, any ol' normal night and surprise whomever you love by cooking this recipe. Light some candles, open a bottle of good wine and celebrate each other. You'll be glad you did.

Seared Scallops with Tangy Carrot Puree

Ingredients

1 lb. dry, large sea scallops
3 tablespoons clarified butter
sea salt and freshly ground pepper


1 large shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 large carrots- peeled & cut into 1/2-inch rounds
1/2 teaspoon Maldon salt (you can sub in sea salt)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup room temperature water
1/2 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice
3-4 Tablespoons Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter


Instructions for Puree

1. Place a large steel or cast-iron skillet, over medium heat. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil across the pan. Once the oil starts to shimmer, throw in the chopped shallots. Cook your shallots for about 3-4 minutes, until they get soft.

2. Add garlic, cook until fragrant. Add carrots, salt, cayenne and water.

3. Raise heat to high and bring it all to a boil. Then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 10-12 minutes.

4. Once the carrots are tender, take the skillet off the heat and allow ingredients to cool for 5 minutes.

5. Move your mixture to a blender. Add your Meyer lemon juice and blend. Then add your Greek yogurt and butter and blend. Puree until smooth but thick.

Handy Tip: When using a blender to process hot foods/liquids- slightly release one corner of the blender's lid. This will prevent the vacuum effect that results in heat explosions. To safeguard against splatter, place a towel over the top of the machine, give it a few pulses after which you can process on high speed until smooth.

6. Season to taste with salt. Set aside and keep warm.


Instructions for Scallops

1. Place scallops on a large plate. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper on both sides.

2. Place a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Place a tablespoon and a half of butter on the skillet.

3. Place half of the scallops on the skillet, you want them spread apart so they have room to sear. Now here's the most important thing- don't touch them for 2 minutes. Don't nudge, peek or poke...you want to get that nice think layer of crunchy caramelization on them. At the end of 2 minutes, gently flip each scallop over and cook for another 1.5-2 minutes. Remove and place on a warmed plate.

4. Repeat with remaining butter and scallops.

5. Spoon carrot puree onto plate. Arrange the scallops on top of the puree. Pair with mixed greens salad or your favorite roasted veggies.

Fresh Meyer Lemon Dressing

I'm sure most of us are familiar with Occam's Razor or as it's more affectionately known- the K.I.S.S (Keep It Simple, Stupid) principle. It's basically a line of reasoning that states that the simplest answer is usually correct. Well, sometimes I think that goes for cooking too. With two large Meyer lemon trees laden with fruit in the courtyard of my urban cottage, I'm always looking for new recipes to use the tangy lil suckers up as I can't stand to see them go to waste. Most of the recipes I come across usually involve tangling with a laundry list of ingredients and slaving over an oven. Well, this time I thought I'd go simple...and it turns out it was the best choice. I did a little experimenting and whipped up this delicious zingy Meyer lemon dressing. It's sweet, it's tangy...it elevates your plain everyday salad to a whole new level and uses stuff that you probably already have lolling about in your fridge and cupboards.

Fresh Meyer Lemon Dressing 
(enough for 2 large salads)

Ingredients

5 tablespoons freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice

2 teaspoons prepared Dijon mustard

1.5 teaspoon sea salt (I used Maldon)

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1.5 tablespoons finely diced shallot

1.5 teaspoons fresh ground pepper

1 teaspoon honey


Instructions

1. Whisk all ingredients together in a medium-sized mixing bowl.

2. Serve over your favorite salad.

3. You're done! Simple, huh?

Oven Roasted Broccoli That'll Knock Your Kidlets' Socks Off

Here's an old joke, you may or may not have heard before:

Question: What's the difference between broccoli and snot?
Answer: Kids don't eat broccoli.

Well about a year ago I would have believed it, but currently one of my favorite dishes to make Mr.S.'s kidlets is roasted broccoli. Yep, you heard me right--- BROCCOLI! Really! It's easy to cook, it's incredibly nutritious (low-cal, rich in phyto-nutrients and a great source of Vitamins A & C) and it doesn't hit the ol' wallet too hard either. Initially the kidlets pooh-poohed the roasted broccoli at dinner time, but with a few tweaks we got them on board and begging for more. The main game changer was letting the broccoli cook longer so it softened and the florets got a slight caramelized crust going. (They love those crunchy, brown, charred pieces.) That extra cooking time really makes a difference in texture and taste. The kidlets seem to like the roasted broccoli sprinkled with grated Parmesan so we eat it like that most of the time but sometimes we add some soy sauce and sesame seeds to jazz it up.

Roasted Broccoli

Ingredients

2 lbs. fresh broccoli, cut into florets

1/4 cup olive oil

Kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

4 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 lemon

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Instructions

1. Preheat oven 425 degrees F.

2. Rinse broccoli and dry thoroughly. Cut into bite-sized florets.

3. Place aluminum foil on a large rimmed baking sheet. Spread the florets out evenly on the foil in a single layer.

4. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt, fresh ground pepper and garlic. Swish it all around with your hands. Make sure everything is lightly (and evenly) coated. Space the florets out as much as you can. They cook better if they're not crowded.

5. Pop the baking sheet in the oven and roast for approximately 18-22 minutes. At the 10 minute mark, take a spatula and flip the suckers over so they cook nicely all the way around. (Note: Keep an eye on the broccoli the first time you make this, every oven is different and some run really hot. You want the broccoli to start to get a nice brown color but not burn.)

6. When done, remove sheet from oven and squeeze some fresh lemon juice over it. You can either sprinkle some grated Parmesan on the broccoli at this point or just leave it on the table and people can put it on themselves.

7. Toss. Serve immediately.

Kidlet Friendly Crispy Ranch Chicken

Kidlets say the darnedest things.

Last night I was at Mr.S.'s and we helped with some homework, watched a bit of TV and played a few games of chess with the kidlets (Kidlet #2 got a set from his grandpa for Xmas this year). At one point, Kidlet #2 had Pepper pup in a headlock and was trying to spend some quality time with him. Pepper was having none of it (as usual) and was squirming, wriggling and whining in a valiant effort to escape. Somehow he pulled a Doggie Houdini and broke free, ran into the other living room and then came over to hide in my lap. As he took off though, Kidlet #2 called out, "Waaaaait Pepper! I'm available!!" His 10-year old sincerity was touching but hilarious at the same time and we all burst into a fit of giggles.

About 15 minutes later during a cut-throat game of chess between Kidlet #1 and Mr.S., I suggested to Kidlet #2 that he "give some pointers to his dad so he could beat [Kidlet #1]." His reply was, "Nah...a smart chimp could beat [Kidlet #1]." When I advised him that it wasn't very nice to say such a thing, he countered with. "WHAT?!!? Do you know how many smart chimps there are out there?!!?"

Seriously, out of the mouth of babes. What can you do but laugh? And much like you can never predict what they'll say, you can never predict what they'll eat either. We've been lucky with Kidlet #1, he's an adventurous eater and will try anything once...and if the dish is spicy? Well, the spicier the better! I'm sure this kid could probably chow down on a ghost pepper without batting an eye. Now Kidlet #2 is more of a reluctant eater. He'll look with suspicion at anything new, "weird," or remotely resembling healthy. *Sigh.* But over the past 3.5 years that Mr.S. and I have been dating, I've found that I could usually get Kidlet #2 on board with dinner if I go with traditional recipes, comfort foods and pretty much anything with chicken breasts. So for dinner tonight we had roasted broccoli and cauliflower (the kidlets and Mr.S. LOVE the broccoli especially) and crispy ranch chicken. Most recipes I've ever seen for ranch chicken utilize mayo or butter but I like to try and keep it healthy so I use Greek yogurt. No one's the wiser and it's fat-free. Hallelujah! The chicken's also cooked in the oven--which eliminates the greasiness that you get when you fry it.

The kidlets loved the crispy ranch chicken and it looks like this dish will be making some repeat appearances in our dinner rotation.


Kidlet Friendly Crispy Ranch Chicken

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

6 oz. plain-flavored Fage Greek Yogurt

1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing mix

2 cups smashed corn flakes (I put mine in a Ziploc and run a rolling pin over it a few times)

4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

4 tablespoons bread crumbs

Olive oil spray (or in a mister)


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack that can accomodate the 4 chicken breasts on it (this will keep the bottoms of the chicken breasts from getting soggy).

3. In a bowl, mix together your ranch mix, crushed corn flakes, Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.

4. Pat your chicken breasts dry, then coat all sides with the Greek yogurt (about an medium amount, don't go too skimpy or too thick).

5. Dredge your yogurt-covered chicken breasts through the dry ingredient mix and place them on the wire racks.

6. Spray the top with olive oil spray.

7. Place the sheet in the oven. Cook for approx. 25-35 minutes, depending on the thickness of the breast.

8. Remove from oven and serve warm.

Dine Downtown 2013 Impressions : Mulvaney's and Red Rabbit

I have to admit, most years I don't tend to participate in Dine Downtown. It usually falls after the holidays and I'm a bit burned out on going out, but this year I agreed to go twice. Mainly because the restaurants were two places that I love- Mulvaney's and Red Rabbit. Unfortunately, my experiences at the two businesses were as different as night and day.

Mulvaney's:

Now let me preface by saying Mulvaney's is my favorite restaurant in Sacramento. I've had many a great meal there over the years. It's our go to restaurant for date nights as well as special occasions and the place in town we always recommend to friends, visitors and even strangers. So maybe that's why the lackluster food we were served on Saturday night really took me by surprise and disappointed me so much. The food we had didn't resemble any meal I've ever had at Mulvaney's.

For the Dine Downtown menu, we decided to try:

1st Course: Wood Ear Mushroom Scaccia w/ Frisee Salad

2nd Course: Ginger Grilled Mary's Chicken on Winter Squash Puree, served with Forbidden Rice and Sesame Bok Choy

3rd Course: Nena's Mexican Chocolate Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Ice Cream

The first course resembled an oversized mushroom and cheese ravioli that had been fried. The scaccia exterior was charred and ugly as a Sicilian scaccia should be, but mine was also cold and chewy. Not a pleasant way to start off my meal.

The second course was our chicken entree. The skimpy serving of chicken was okay but boring. It lacked seasoning and quite frankly I've cooked better at home. The squash puree was bland and my bok choy was simultaneously mushy and slimy. Fail again. The one redeeming component on the plate was the forbidden rice but my intention for the evening was not to go out and spend $30 on a side of rice.

The last course was the chocolate bread pudding and I figured at least this course couldn't go wrong- afterall Mulvaney's is home of the Valrhona Ding Dong. Bzzzz! Wrong again. The bread pudding was dry as the Sahara and it's only saving grace was the tiny scoop of ice cream perched upon it, which as it melted softened up the bread pudding. For a moment, I contemplated spooning some of my coffee over the dessert but decided it probably wouldn't be very ladylike...that is until I noticed a woman at the table next to me doing the same thing.

The only thing remotely "Mulvaney-ish" about our night was the great service. Our waitress was friendly and attentive and her service was flawless from start to finish. Usually after dining at Mulvaney's, I like to retire to their cozy little bar for an after dinner cocktail but not after this dinner. The meal completely fell short of our expectations. I figured we should cut our losses and finish up our evening elsewhere. Now I know during Dine Downtown, restaurants are slammed with diners and they're just trying to get through the night; but instead of just turning and burning tables, they really should take the opportunity to let their business shine and show what their food and service is all about. Otherwise, why participate? As a repeat customer, I know that the food we had is not the norm for Mulvaney's but for someone just venturing to try the place for the first time, I could see them not being impressed or returning. Which is shame really, because on most nights Mulvaney's really serves up some delectable dishes from their kitchen.

Red Rabbit:

Tuesday night, a friend and I decided to dine at Red Rabbit. We had both been there before and had liked the food and atmosphere. We were greeted by a host that may have been new to the job and just trying to find his footing. Although we had reservations, we had to wait about 10 minutes to be seated and he didn't take that opportunity to suggest that we meander over to the bar and grab ourselves a drink.  As we waited for our table, I noticed that he kept dropping menus on the floor and appeared to be a bit scattered? Frazzled? Maybe a mixture of both? Anyhow, once we were seated with menus and water, there seemed to be a long lagtime as we waited for a server to show up and acknowledge us. Just as I was contemplating stopping a passing staff member to ask if we had a server, our server popped up. Now we were ready to roll.

From the Dine Downtown menu, I opted to try the:

1st Course: Local Roasted Beet Capresee w/ Orange and Basalmic Gastrique, Arugula, Marinated Red Onions, and Warm Goat Cheese Squares

2nd Course: Pork Ossobuco with Creamy Polenta and Roasted Garlic, Sauteed Spinach

3rd Course: Candy Bar Pie

I supplemented my dinner with two tasty cocktail drinks- a Dark & Stormy and a Krakow Salt Mine. The Krakow did a great job of showcasing the apple cider flavor. It's a good beverage if you want something delicate and not overwhelmingly alcohol tasting. The Dark & Stormy...whoa, baby! It was delicious but strong (that is not a bad thing btw). I'm no rookie when it comes to libations but that drink put me pretty far along to Tipsytown.

Although I've dined at Red Rabbit before I've never tried their beet caprese or pork ossobuco. I loved the beet caprese- the sliced beets were roasted perfectly, there was a nice balance between the citrus and the balsalmic and the marinated red onions gave it a nice unexpected tangy flavor and crunch. I loved the little goat cheese bites that were more like balls than squares, the panko batter on the outside was a nice added touch. The cheese balls were warm and creamy inside and crisp and crunchy on the outside. All the componenets of this starter course worked well. It's a dish I would go back and order.

For my second course, my waiter brought out a large serving of pork ossobuco nestled atop some creamy polenta and accompanied by a few stalks of broccolini (maybe they ran out of the spinach?). Both my dining companion and I were amazed at how extremely tender the ossobuco was- it fell just right off the bone and when scooped up with the polenta it was the perfect bite. Also, the broccolini was nicely cooked and brought some fresh, edible color to the plate.

For the finale course of my menu, I went with the candy bar pie which promised a melange of caramel, peanut butter butter cream and dark chocolate enveloped in a pretzel crust. The dish was a bit on the heavy side probably better suited for sharing then eating one all to yourself, but that pretzel crust---the unexpected crunchy and saltiness under the layers, really propeled the dessert from a "B" dessert to an "A."

Our server was polite, efficient, and dishes were spaced apart nicely. Not super chatty, which is fine as we didn't need much explanation on the menu that night and were engrossed in our own conversation. Overall, I felt that Red Rabbit embraced the idea of what Dine Downtown is all about and I was impressed with what they put out. In fact, it's only been two days since I've dined there but I've already told several people to go in and try them out for meals and/or drinks.

Weeknight Creamy Clam Chowder

My god, has it been colder than a witch's tit or what lately? I know it's been colder than past Sacramento winters because I've actually been wearing SOCKS the past two weeks and I rarely wear socks (I absolutely abhor the feeling of my feet being encased). However, it's been a choice of wearing socks and being uncomfortable and grouchy or having numb toes and blue feet...so there you have it, socks win. Dammit! Anyhow, to keep warm I've also been eating a LOT of soup. Soup, it's the ultimate comfort food and there's so many different kinds-- smooth butternut squash, heart warming chicken noodle, zingy tom yum...the list is endless. What's your favorite kind to dig into on chilly nights? For me, it's homemade mushroom soup- the thick velvety kind that dances on your tongue with a luxurious, earthy flavor. I could eat it everyday! For Kidlet #1, it's clam chowder in a bread bowl. He goes absolutely bonkers for the briny-creamy concoction. He'll even eat the watery canned stuff in a pinch (gack!)...so I thought I'd surprise him with a batch for dinner last night. Now I know there's all kinds of low-cal, low-fat, skinny-minny recipes out there for clam chowder. I've tried a few...and quite honestly, they suck. I say- if you're gonna make some chowder, go balls out and use butter, cream and potatoes. You can even use fresh clams but if you're like me, you're a bit lazy on weeknights and canned will suffice. Anyhow, give yourself a reprieve from the almond milk and tofu and be decadent for one evening. Vive la chowder!

(Chowda purists be warned though- this is not the traditional chowder most likely immortalized in the memories of your youth spent summering in New England; however, it is a hearty, aromatic, delicious taste of the sea nonetheless, so give it a try. )


Creamy Clam Chowder

Ingredients

1/2 lb. sliced bacon
1 large sweet onion, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 lb. of Honey Gold potatoes, quartered or 3 Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
1 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
1 leek, chopped (white and light green parts only)
2 cobs fresh corn, zippered
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
3 cans (10 oz. undrained) whole baby clams
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons rice flour (you can use AP flour if you must)
1 cup whole milk
1 cups cream
3 teaspoons Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon thyme
4 sourdough bowls (optional)

Instructions

1. In a pan, cook your bacon. Let it crisp up (about 3-4 minutes). Remove bacon with a slotted spoon or tongs and set on a paper-towel, leave the bacon grease in the pan.

2. In the pan (with the bacon grease), add in the onion and leek. Saute for about 7-8 minutes over medium heat, until onions are soft and semi-translucent. Stir frequently. Add in garlic. Cook for about another 1-2 minutes. Transfer ingredients to a large soup pot, set aside.

3. In pan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Add your jumble of celery, potatoes, carrots and corn. Cook for about 10 minutes on medium-high heat. Transfer ingredients to soup pot.

4. Open all three cans of clams. Drain liquid into a measuring cup and save. Place clams in a bowl and place in fridge.

5. Place soup pot on burner over medium-high heat. Add 2 cups of clam juice. Stir. Allow to cook for 15-20 minutes.

6. Add in clams, salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaf. Slowly add in milk and cream. Stir until sauce comes to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and allow to cook another 15 minutes. Chowder will thicken.

[7. If you like your chowder on the slightly thicker side: In a pan or small pot, whisk together 3 tablespoons of rice flour with 3 tablespoons butter. Once it's bubbling, add a large ladle of chowder to the flour and butter mixture (aka roux). Mix together well then add it back into the pot of chowder. Turn the heat up and allow it to come to a boil, then again reduce to a simmer.]

8. Hollow out your sourdough bowls. (I like to keep the dough I pull out, it's great for dipping into the soup.) Chop your bacon slices into 1/4-inch pieces.

9. Stir soup occasionally. Adjust seasonings if needed. Make sure potatoes are knife-tender. Discard bay leaf.

10. Ladle into sourdough bowls. Sprinkle with bacon bits. Garnish with cracked pepper or chopped fresh parsley (optional). Serve hot.