summer garden vegetables on their way!

Posted on July 10, 2011 by Sara Watson

July 10th… the garden is coming along nicely despite the cold spring. Is the old phrase for corn “knee high by July?” If that is the case, we are close…. The summer squash is blooming (yay for squash blossoms) In fact, we found our first baby zucchini growing. The sugar snap peas only need to plump up and then we have a fantastic snack right out of the garden. Speaking of snacks, Sophie & Keena picked the first couple raspberries… oh, they wanted more..it was difficult to convince them to wait, they will get better. Grapes are growing, blueberries are blooming…more goodness on its way.

We spent the morning pulling weeds out of the gardens…the kids are actually pretty good sports about that as they think the progress they see coming is so cool. Keena says, “Oh Mom, I LOVE Mother Nature.” Their favorite job is watering the garden… Sophie (the two year old) gets right in there to help….ends up needing an entire wardrobe change after. But who cares…  the family garden is just that… a family job. Don’t get me wrong, this year it was a little more difficult getting the older kids to participate…. they’d rather lay in the hammock and watch. A story about The Little Red Hen changed their minds…  now if they are not helping they are on bbsitting duty and have to follow Sophie around as she feeds basil to our garden guest “Gnomeo” (Thanks Karen S.) Gnomeo looks pretty cute in the garden and keeps Sophie busy as she finds new areas of the yard for him to hang out. The big kids know if they do not participate, there will be no goodness for them. (yeah right)

For any of you who garden and plant summer squash you understand you will have blossoms like crazy…  take a moment to enjoy these! There are so many fun ways to prepare squash blossoms. Stuff them, fry them, put them in soup and more… This is a fun recipe to try, it seems complicated, however if you read through it before beginning you will realize it is not so tough….and it is sure to WOW your family and/or guests. Happy Summer!!!

makes 12 servings (2 per person)

For the corn stock:

1 ear of corn, kernals cut off and cobb reserved. (about 1/2 cup of kernals..save these…you want to use these in the recipe… the stock is for soup, we’ll post that recipe later)

1 sprig oregano or marjoram

put the corn cob, oregano & 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, lower theheat and simmer for about 1/2 an hour to make a nice corn stock. Strain into a bowl to reserve the stock for some corn chowder another day!!

For the Flowers & Veg filling

24 squash flowers

3 tbsp olive or sunflower oil

1/2 medium white onion

1/2 pound zucchini, finely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped mushrooms

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 hulled pepitas, toasted (look in the natural food section in your grocery store)

freshly ground pepper

dash of allspice

salt to taste

Wash and clean the squash flowers carefully, remove the stamen inside and the sepals from the outside, keeping the flowers and stems intact. Soak in water for 5 minutes and then lay out to dry on a dishtowel.

Heat the oil in a deep saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and fry until clear, add squash and corn kernals and saute 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute about another 5 minutes (careful, do not burn the garlic!) Set aside

While sauting, place the pepitas on a baking dish, drizzle with a little oil and add salt & pepper and allspice. Toast in a 350 degree oven for about 8 minutes (careful not to burn).

Add the seeds to the veggies, stir well.

For the cheese filling

1/2 pound Boursin Garlic Herb Cheese

1/3 tsp cinnamon

1 jalapeno (chopped fine)

Mix the cheese mixture and the veg mixture together. Carefully open each flower and put about 2 tbsp inside. (careful not to rip the flower)

To Finish & Serve

1/2 cup all purpose flower mixed with 1/2 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 cup oil

pumkinseed oil for finishing

Enclose the cheese/veg mixture with the petals. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Dredge the stuffed flowers in the flour and shape each flower in the palm of your hands. Shake off excess flour. Place the flowers int he oil about 3 or 4 at a time, and fry on both sides, turning  once, until golden brown (about 4 minutes) Remove the  flowers and place on paper towels to drain.. Continue until all flowers are fried.

To serve, place 2 flowers on a plate and drizzle with pumpkin seed oil.

Optional, spoon a mild tomato sauce or salsa on a plate and place the squash blossoms on top for more flavor.

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Peruvian Splendor!

Posted on June 18, 2011 by Sara Watson

Miles, Olivia & I just returned from a quick but fantastic trip to the wonderful city of San Francisco to visit my sister. She showed us a spectacular time, we tried to fit in as much as possible in four days. Though there were many highlights of the trip, my ultimate favorite was a wonderful Peruvian restaurant on the beach near Half Moon Bay called “La Costanera” What a special place this was! It is Michelin recommended and one can see why with the incredible view and exciting menu. We were entertained watching the brave surfers tackling giant waves. After dinner the kids ran down to the beach while Karla and I enjoyed the last of our wine on the porch with giant fireplaces to keep us warm. If you are in the area, you need to check this place out.

Since we have returned I cannot get a dish out of my head, while all of our food was fantastic, this particular dish was one of the most unique, yet simple dishes I have ever tasted. The presentation was also unique & simple. “Steamed Peruvian Corn on the Cob topped with Huacatay Sauce & Queso Fresco.” The corn was really interesting…the kernals were giant, the flavor was a bit bland, sort of like Hominy, however the sauce paired with it is what makes my mouth water just thinking of it, this sauce has also put me on a new mission to discover more about Peruvian Cuisine.

The sauce is called Huacatay sauce. Huacatay is a native Peruvian herb related to marigold & tarragon. It’s aroma is said to be in between mint & basil. Huacatay is going to be next to impossible to find in The Red River Valley, however you can special order it (along with Peruvian Peppers..that you need to make this authentic) from this website: www.spiceworlds.com/pricelist.html

The authentic recipe is something like this:

1.1 pound queso fresco

3/4 cup cream or evaporated milk

2 bunches Huacatay leaves

chiles to taste

ground natural peanuts

salt & pepper taste.

Place your chopped chiles, peanuts & leaves in a saute pan and lightly toast. Transfer to a blender with the evaporated milk and blend, slowly add your cheese to thicken. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Simple! Now to find Huacatay & Peruvian Peppers….

I played around with this and guessing from the flavors described by folks native to Peru or who are lucky enough to have a market that supplies Huacatay, I created a “Red River Valley” version and added a few extra ingredients to make it really special.

1 head of Romaine Lettuce, chopped

2 bunches of fresh cilantro chopped

1/8 cup mint chopped

5 fresh jalapeno chiles chopped

1/3 cup chopped yellow onion

3 cloves garlic

1 can evaporated millk 

1 tbsp lime juice

salt & pepper to taste

3 tbsp vegetable oil

Heat oil in a saute pan and saute your onion, garlic & chiles lightly. Transfer to a blender. Add the romaine, cilantro, mint, evaporated milk and puree. Add lime juice and salt & pepper to taste. (use less jalapenos to make it less spicy)

This sauce is delicious served with local sweet corn. Drizzle over the corn and add some crushed peanuts and crumbled queso fresco. YUM!

You can also use this sauce drizzled over a nice steak, as a dipping sauce for fresh vegetables and more.

As I await the arrival of my “REAL” Peruvian Huacatay & Peruvian Peppers…this sauce will do just fine.

  www.lacostanerarestaurant.com.

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Sprouts!

Posted on May 28, 2011 by Sara Watson

Wow, we have been having the best time growing our own sprouts… it’s become a bit of an obsession. Lately, the Watson’s have sprouts on everything! Growing our own sprouts has been on the to do list for time, I don’t know why I thought it would be more work than it actually is. The growing process is quite short, giving the kids close to immediate satisfaction. It’s a great project for the younger kids as they can see the changes daily.

We started with a large mason jar and some sprouting seeds. We chose a “sweet-spicy mixture” that includes alfalfa, radish, green pea & yellow pea. We soaked two tbsp of seeds in water for about 5 hours, then drained them. You then let the seeds sit and start to grow. We rinsed the seeds twice a day and then let drain and sit for about 4 days. Everyday you can see changes, it is so much fun to see the kids faces light up when they notice the changes.

We are so excited about this, we have begun researching other seeds and mixtures we can start sprouting. A great resource is this website http://www.sproutpeople.com/. You can order all kinds of seeds. We found great pictures, easy to follow instructions and also some fun recipes.

Like I mentioned earlier, we have been putting sprouts on everything. They are great on eggs, sandwiches of course, in salad’s, a top a dish of beans & rice, a suprise on pizza, Olivia even took some to school for her milk-break snack. The fresh sprouts are 100% better than any sprout you can purchase in the grocery store, they have a wonderful crunch! Apparently they last about a week refrigerated, however we haven’t made it that long, ours are long gone within 3 days. Two tbsps of seeds yield approximately 1 quart of sprouts. As soon as we have 1 quart finished, we get another batch going so we can have a constant supply.  We will never go back to soggy sprouts again.

The attached pictures show the seeds just at the beginning stages of sprouting (day 1) and the next is a final product of sprouts atop a romaine salad with toasted almonds, feta cheese, carrots, edamame and a light red wine vinaigrette. I made this salad for the entire family, but decided to have a little before they all got home. Ooops… I had to find something else for dinner.

Try sprouting! You’ll get hooked!

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Get your grill on

Posted on May 13, 2011 by Sara Watson

Here it is May 14th! The middle of Spring… I know our weather hasn’t really felt like it yet, but we are beginning grill season. Eric pulled our grill out of the garage 2 weeks ago. We have yet to take the cover off. No matter what the weather this weekend, we ARE going to grill!

Of the many food items to grill, my favorite is the Burger! In efforts to create healthier meals for my family  we have been using a lot of ground chicken or ground turkey in leiu of beef. My kids hardly notice the difference. (I do of course, there is nothing like a great juicy beef burger, but lets be a little healthier.) The following recipe is one we created last summer that has a wonderful summertime feel to it. The flavors of the crisp asian slaw compliment the burger. Try it with no bun for a bright-tasting treat! This is a feel good meal that won’t leave you feeling heavy and bogged down. Great for spring & summer!

Asian inspired Burger

3 pounds ground chicken or turkey

8 green onions, including some green parts, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup tamari

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup minced fresh ginger

salt & freshly ground pepper (about 1/4 tsp of each)

1 tbsp canola oil

Preheat your grill.

In a large bowl, mix the ground meat with the onions, garlic, tamari, cilantro, ginger, pepper & salt. Work the ingredients into the meat just until evenly distributed. Do not overmix. Form into 6 patties. Use a small knife to score a large X in the top of each patty. (this helps retain some juices)

Coat the burger with oil and sear the burgers on the grill for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a “cooler” part of the grill and cook for about 5 more minutes. (be sure it’s cooked through)

Put a burger on a plate and top with the slaw. I like to garnish with a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds.

Enjoy!

Asian Slaw

5 cups finely shredded green or red cabbage (or mix them for a nice bright color)

2 large carrots, peeled and sliced (julienned)

2 green onions, sliced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

3 tbsp tamari

2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

In a large bowl, toss the cabbage, carrots, green onions & cilantro together.

In a small bowl, whisk the tamari, oil &  lime together. Pour the dressing over the vegetables, toss, and set aside at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Add salt & pepper.

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Olivia cooks too!

Posted on April 16, 2011 by Sara Watson

The love for cooking must run in the Watson household. Or is it that when we cook together we just have a lot of fun? Either way, Olivia’s new found passion is checking out cookbooks from her school library. SG Reinertson Elementary School in Moorhead has a pretty cool selection as well. Her favorite is one called “Fun with Asian Food” (she has checked it out a few times). We have made banana “lassi’s” which is like an Indian Banana Smoothie, Egg Custard Cups, Vegetable Pancakes and Singapore Chicken Rice Meatballs. All have turned out very good. The book is filled with fun illustrations and also great preparation and cleaning tips. I may have to check out Barnes and Noble and add this to our permanent collection. The book takes you through many of the countries in Asia. In addition to cooking, we’ve had fun looking up the countries on a map to see where they are and reading a bit about each country and trying to guess why they use certain ingredients etc… What a great introduction to the cultures and traditions of Asia.

Our favorite dish is Tropical Thai Chicken Soup. The entire family enjoys it. The kids love working with items like lemongrass and coconut milk… (kinda neat that a 7 yr old knows how to add lemongrass to a dish.) We like this soup so much you might find it on one of our menus at Maxwells or Cafe Muse by Mosaic. We’ll give Olivia credit for discovering the recipe of course.

If you’re interested in the book it is called “Fun with Asian Food” A Kids Cookbook, recipes by Devagi Sammugam. Published by Periplus Editions. Anyone with kids who like to cook should check this book out. Our friend Melissa Schmalenberger might be interested in this book for her blog “365clevercookbooks” Her family will like it too!

Tropical Thai Chicken Soup

Makes 4 servings

1 chicken breast

1/2 lemon

2 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp soy sauce

7 oz cauliflower

10 fresh basil leaves

3 to 4 baby carrots, sliced

2 slices fresh ginger root

2 stalks lemongrass

3 cups chicken stock

1 tsp curry powder

1 cup coconut milk

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

finely sliced fresh chili or chili flakes

2 sprigs cilantro leaves

Dice the chicken breast. Grate the outer skin of the lemon using a fine greater. Squeeze the lime juice and chop the cilantro leaves. Set aside. Place the chicken in a mixing bowl and pour the soy sauce and lime juice over htem. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes to marinate. Cut the cauliflower into small florets. Remove the stems for the basil leaves. Wash the carrots and slice. Set aside. Peel one end of the ginger root. Cut off two thin slices. Cut off the top two thirds of the lemongrass leaving only the thick bottom third and slice this part into round pieces.

Place the chicken stock, chicken, vegetables, curry powder, lemongrass and ginger slices in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes until the chicken changes color. Pour the coconut milk into the pan and add the basil leaves, the grated lemon rind, salt and sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring.

Turn off the heat and remove the pan from the stove. With a spoon or tongs, remove the lemongrass pieces. Serve in bowls sprinkled with chili flakes or chili’s and cilantro.

YUM!!!

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Mexico on my mind…

Posted on March 20, 2011 by Sara Watson

Oh what a wonderful week we had in Cabo! The whale watching was fantastic, the beach and the sunshine to die for…people  watching…fun! The highlight however, was the food! Luckily we traveled with perfect dining partners.. our friends, like us plan the trip around what restaurants we need to eat at. We generally tried to hit 5 or 6 places a day. I could write about a new recipe that we discovered everyday for the next 2 weeks. hmmmm, maybe I will.

Since we were in the Baja Penninsula we had to have our share of Classic Caesar Salads… our favorite was found at a restaurant in Cabo called La Dolce. A wonderful “Italian” restaurant off the beaten path in bustling area of town. The line to get into La Dolce seemed to wrap around the block. Luckly our savvy dining partners knew this would happen and we had a reservation. We ordered the Ceasar Salad to share… and then had to order another one.. it was delightful. There are many  versions of the Classic Caesar Salad out there..this one was purely traditional.

One common misconception about the Caesar Salad was that it was invented in Italy by Julius Caesar (or his Chef :) I doubt Julius Caesar did much cooking) Which is why we find it on so many Italian menus. Note..our favorite salad in Cabo was at an Italian restaurant. In truth, it was invented by Caesar Cardini who had a restaurant in Tijuana Mexico, just north of Cabo on the border of the Baja Pennisula Mexico and the USA. According to legend; in the 1920′s the movie stars from Hollywood would often trek to Tijuana to get “away” from it all. On a particular busy weekend, the restaurant became short of supplies. The quick thinking of Caesar Cardini led him to create this classic salad. To increase the showmanship (and value) of a  simple salad, he prepared and served it tableside with all of the glitz and glamour of a five star chef. Folks were impressed, and so developed the Caesar Salad.

Here is a recipe that we think emulates the Classic. Try it in a wooden bowl and make a show serving and preparing tableside for your family. If anything, they will get a kick out of it and enjoy eating it just because you put on a great show.

Classic Caesar Salad

Makes 6 servings

1 large garlic clove, halved lengthwise
3/4 to 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 (3-oz) dinner roll or a 7-inch piece of baguette, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
8 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained
1 large egg
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 hearts of romaine (an 18-oz package), leaves separated but left whole
1 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup)

Salt and pepper to taste

Season salad bowl by rubbing a cut half of garlic and 1 teaspoon oil onto bottom and side of bowl (reserve garlic).

Heat 3/4 cup oil with both halves of reserved garlic over moderately high heat, turning garlic until golden, 1 to 2 minutes, then discard garlic. Add bread cubes and sauté, turning occasionally, until golden on all sides, about 2 minutes. Transfer croutons to paper towels to drain. Pour oil through a small fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof measuring cup and add enough additional olive oil to total 6 tablespoons.

Put anchovies in salad bowl and mash to a paste using 2 forks. Whisk in egg and lemon juice, then add reserved oil (warm or at room temperature) in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Add salt to taste.

Add romaine leaves to dressing and toss to coat. Add croutons and toss briefly.

Add extra Parmesan cheese and salt & pepper to taste.

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Indian Love Affair

Posted on February 27, 2011 by Sara Watson

It’s true, I’m deeply in love with Indian Food! I would relish the chance to travel to India to explore and to eat. It’s on the to do list someday….

My affair with Indian food began in the early 1990′s while I lived in Minneapolis. I met my friend Manisha in French class…. she introduced me to this wonderful cuisine. She would spend hours and hours in her home preparing a multi course traditional meal for us to enjoy. She took me to Udapi restaurant in Minneapolis and would order for many, many dishes so we could sample as much as possible. When her family traveled to India they brought me back a “Masala Dabba” (a spice container) that I still use today. I miss spending days with Manisha. She still lives in Minneapolis with her wonderful husband and beautiful little girl. I’m not sure if Udapi is still open, if so…maybe a trip to the cities and a visit with Manisha is in order!

The Watson family prep cooks have been really into trying new cuisine lately. Yesterday was Indian day. We prepared a wonderful meal with Makai Sak (spicy creamed spinach) Matar Dal with Tomatoes, (we used yellow split peas) Tamarind -Raisin Chutney, Fresh Mint Chutney. We served this with pistachios, rice and attempted naan…(which didn’t turn out so great, so anyone with a recipe that works..please pass along..in the meantime, we’ll continue to experiment) The whole family enjoyed this…even little Sophie who had two helpings of the Dal.

Matar Dal with Tomatoes (servers 4 or 5)

2/3 cup yellow split peas

6 cups water

1/2 tsp tumeric

3 tbsp vegetable oil

3 medium sized tomatoes cut into 8 pieces each

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger root

1 1/4 tsp cumin

1 to 2 whole dried red chiles (broken into bits)… use as desired

2 tbsp coarsely chopped cilantro

Bring the water, tumeric and a little oil to a boil over high heat. Stir in the peas and again bring to a boil for about 30 minutes. Add the tomatoes. Cover and continue cooking for 1 hour or until the peas are soft and fully cooked. Remove from the heat, uncover, add the salt and stir.

Heat the remaining oil in a small pan over medium heat. When it is hot, add the ginger, cumin and red chili in rapid succession. Fry until the chili’s turn brown. Quickly pour the fried seasonings into the dal. Immediately cover and allow the seasonings to soak into the peas..about 5  minutes.

Add the cilantro and serve.

Malai Sak: serves 4 or 5

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tbsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp tumeric

1 tsp garam masala

3 tbsp water

4 tbsp unsalted butter

2 pounds fresh spinach, trimmed, washed and coarsely chopped

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup of any of the following: heavy cream, cream cheese, sour cream or stirred yogurt

Combine the cayenne, coriander, black pepper, nutmeg, tumeric and garam masala in a small bowl, add the water and mix well. Melt the butter in a 5 quart pan over moderate heat. Add the spinach and sprinkle with salt. Add the spice mixture. Cover for 6 to 8  minutes, then turn the leaves over so that the uncooked layer on the top changes places with the cooked leaves underneath. Cook for an additional few minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the desired milk product. Return the pan to the heat a nd rewarm briefly.

Serve immediately.

Imli Kismish Chatni Tamarind-Raisin Chutney: makes about 1 cup

2/3 cup raisins

3/4 cup water

1 to 2 hot green chiles

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

1 tbsp chopped mint

1/3 cup tamarind, concentrated

1/3 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp garam masala

3/4 tsp salt

Combine the raisins and water in a small pan and quickly bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for about 5 minutes.

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process to smooth puree. Transfer to a non-metallic storage container. Cover. Keep refrigerator, will last up to 3 days.

Podina Chatni Fresh Mint Chutney makes about 1 cup

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

2 tbsp honey

3 tbsp water

1 3/4 cup chopped mint, packed

1 to 2 hot green chiles, chopped

1/4 cup coconut, chopped

1 tsp salt

Combine ingredients in a food processor or blender and mix until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and serve.

The chutneys are condiments and are delicious with many dishes. We especially like them with samosas (Indian fried pastry, stuffed with spiced potatoes, cauliflower & peas). While we did not prepare samosa’s yesterday, we will sometime soon.

We are so lucky to have a good Indian restaurant here in Fargo. Passage to India http://www.passage-2-india.com/ I encourage you to dine here!!! They have a fantastic lunch buffet daily that I love as it allows you to try many options. I think I’ll head over there this week. Maybe with my adventurous dining friends, Melissa & Leah.  I hear their Christmas menu is fantastic as well… we haven’t broke our traditions of turkey and mashed potatoes yet, but when we do..we will head to Passage to India. If you make it there, be sure to order the Samosa’s…

Another fun event in town this week that will celebrate Indian culture is the Fargo Theatre’s Film Festival… Wednesday, March 2nd featuring the film “Made in India”. This event will feature Indian hors d’ouevres prepared by Mosaic Catering & Events, I know that Tandoori Chicken Salad and Curried Hummus Stuffed Tomatoes are on the menu…for more information check out http://www.fargofilmfestival.com/.

I hope you try this cuisine and discover a new culinary adventure yourself.. There are many regions of India, each with their own unique flavors to explore. Enjoy trying them all.. maybe you will fall in love with it as well!

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Tales of Two Chefs….

Posted on February 21, 2011 by Sara Watson

Last Wednesday we entertained family for dinner. Liv was home from Paris for a couple weeks and we got to spend a fun evening with her and her family. Of course, Eric had to prepare a classic and fantastic french dinner. (I made the salad) The menu was, Cognac scented Cream of Mushroom Soup, Coq Au Vin & Tuna Nicoise Salad. It was delicious. We even had an exquisite french bread with plugra (the best butter in the world…of course, it is European.) It was wonderful! I’m so lucky to get spoiled by these meals once in while!

Maybe it’s because it was a blustery Sunday or I felt a little competition on the culinary home front… I had to fire back. I decided to spend the afternoon preparing one of my favorite meals (and specialties…) I spent some time in Oaxaca Mexico and was introduced to a very special cuisine! With the help of my three little prep cooks (Sophie is too young yet, she is still just a taster) Miles, Olivia, Keena & I created a delicious, authentic Mexican dinner.. Dad was suprised!

Roast Chicken with Mole Coloradito Oaxaqueno served with roast corn, black beans & rice.

Sounds simple….sort of…

The Mole sauce is quite time consuming and has a long list of ingredients., the chilis used are dried chiles…you can find them at La Unica in Moorhead or most grocery stores in the Mexican Foods section ..trust me, try this… it is worth it! The kids were soooo  excited to present it to Dad and we had a super fun afternoon cooking together. They were also amazed by preparing each portion of this recipe and then seeing it all come together. Very fun family project!

This recipe is from Susan Trillilng from Oaxaca Mexico. If you like it..I encourage you to check out her cookbook: “Seasons of my Heart, A Culinary Journey through Oaxaca Mexico. It is full of many wonderful authentic recipes.

Mole Coloradito Oaxaqueno

Makes 8 servings

6 cups chicken stock

18 ancho peppers, stemmed and seeded.

21 chiles guajillos, stemmed and seeded.

2 black peppercorns

2 whole cloves

1 whole allspice

1 piece of Mexican cinnamon about 1 inch long

1/2 small head of garlic, cloves separated

1 small white onion, quartered

1 pound ripe tomatoes, quartered

1 sprig oregano or 1/2 tsp dried

2 tbsp plus 1 tsp vegetable oil

1/2 ripe plaintain

1/2 French roll, sliced

1 tbsp raisins

5 whole almonds

3 tbsp veg oil

1/2 cup sesame seeds

2 bars Mexican chocolate (3 oz each) or to taste

Salt to taste

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. On a 10 inch dry griddle (or saute pan) over low heat, toast the chiles on both sides for about 10 minutes. toast the anchos a bilt slower and longer than the guajillos because of their thicker skins. Toast them on both sides until their skins start to blister and they give off their aroma. Remove the chiles, place them in a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak the chiles for 20 minutes, turning to soften them. Puree in a blender, using as little of the chile water as possible, about 1 cup. Pass the puree through a sieve or a food mill to remove the skins.

In another dry saute pan, toast the peppercorns, cloves, allspice and cinnamon stick. Add the garlic and onion, turning often until they become translucent. Cool them and puree in a blender with 1/2 cup of chicken stock or water.

In another saute pan over medium heat, cook the tomato pieces and oregano with no oil until condensed. 10 to 15 minutes. First they will give off their juices, then they will dry out. Puree the tomato mixture in a blender, then pass the mix through a sieve or a food mill.

And again, in another saute pan heat 2 tbsp of the oil and fry the plaintains and bread slices until brown,about 12 minutes. remove from the pan. Add more oil if needed. Fry the raisins until they are plump, about 3 minutes. Remove them from the pan. Fry the almonds until light brown, about 4 minutes. Remove from the pan. Place the plantain, bread, raisins, and almonds in a blender with 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth and blend until smooth. Wipe out the frying pan, put over low heat. Add 1 tsp of oil and fry the sesame seeds and fry until brown, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Cool the seeds and grind in a spice grinder (I use a coffee bean grinder dedicated to spices)

In a heavy stockpot, heat 1 tbsp oil over high heat. Add the chile puree a little at a time, stirring constantly. It will splatter about a bit, but keep stirring. Lower heat to medium and after about 20 minutes, or when the chile puree is thick, add the tomato mixture and continue to cook about  10 minutes, stirring constantly. (this is when it helps to have a few prep cooks who like to stir) Add the onion and ground spice mixture and stir well. Add the plantain mix and the ground sesame seeds, stirring constantly so it does not stick and burn. Add 4 1/2 to 5 cups of chicken stock to thin the sauce, then add the chocolate, stirring constantly. When the chocolate dissolves, add the salt. Let it cook down for 30 minutes orso, stirring occassionally. The more time it has to cook the better. The mole sauce should be just thick enough to coat a spoon.

Serve with chicken, pork, turkey etc… when you add the sauce, it should completely cover the meat.

We served ours with black beans, roast corn & rice with some fresh corn tortillas on the side. Any leftover mole sauce is excellent later with tacos & enchiladas or on some scrambled eggs for breakfast!

Shortcut: there are a few good mole pastes in the Mexican section at your closest supermarket or at La Unica in Moorhead. We like the brand, ”Dona Maria” These create a decent product by just adding chicken stock and a few tbsp of paste. However there is something really fun about trying this from scratch (at least once!) and it REALLY is much better.

Enjoy!

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Easy but Fancy Valentine’s Day dish…

Posted on February 11, 2011 by Sara Watson

Today has been a day of discussing Valentine’s Day favorite meals. My husband Eric is also a chef and had a chance to talk on Rock 102 in Fargo yesterday about Valentine’s Day meals. We stayed up late the night before the show trying to figure out a favorite, but simple dish that would be good to talk about on the radio. We agreed…”Chicken Oscar”. This is a very simple, elegant and romantic recipe. It is traditionally made with veal, but we agreed chicken is easier to find around here and we both like it just as well. The chicken breast is topped or stuffed with crabmeat (buy the best quality crab you can find in the seafood department of your local grocery store… (not the packaged or canned crab by the tuna fish and sardines) The dish is  traditionally served with asparagus spears and Hollandaise or Bearnaise sauce (Hollandaise with tarragon added).

He did a great job on the radio show and now I have been craving this meal!  Guess I’ll buckle down and make it for dinner… maybe tonight…or maybe for Valentine’s Day.

Chicken Oscar

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1/2 cup flour

salt and pepper to taste

4 tbsp butter

1 cup crabmeat

12 asparagus spears, cooked. (I like to broil or roast mine this time of year, or grill in the summer. You can also steam or boil if you wish)

1 (1/4 oz) package hollandaise sauce mix…(package is fine…or I’ll include a recipe for homemade hollandaise too..)

Place chicken between 2 pieces of wax paper on a cutting board and pound thin.

Combine the flour, salt & pepper in a shallow bowl

Heat the butter in a skillet. Dip the chicken pieces lightly in the seasoned flour, shake off any excess.

When the is hot, add the chicken and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden.  While the chicken is cooking, make the hollandaise (either follow the package directions, or use the recipe below.) If using the package…I like to add a little lemon juice and chopped fresh tarragon. Remove both from heat, but keep warm.

Cover each slice of chicken with crabmeat and top with 3 asparagus spears. Drizzle hollandaise over and serve.

Hollandaise Sauce

2 tbsp white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice

4 tbsp boiling water

3 large egg yolks

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp salt

Melt the butter and keep it warm. Heat the the vinegar or lemon juice until warm, have a small saucepan with boiling water and a measuring cup ready.

Place a double boiler over (not in) hot water.

Place the egbg yolks in the top of a double boiler and whisk until they begin to thicken. Now add 1 tbsp of hte boiling water. Continue to beat the sauce until it begins to thicken. Repeat with the remaining water, one tbsp at a time, beating the mixture after each addition.

Add the warmed vinegar or lemon juice. Remove the double boiler fromthe heat. Beat the sauce briskly with a wire whisk. Continue to beat the mixture as you slowly pour in the melted butter. Add salt and cayenne and beat the sauce until it is thick. Serve immediately.

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How about Quesadillas?

Posted on February 4, 2011 by Sara Watson

We have been having fun with quesadillas lately. So much fun that I’m pretty sure we’ll be serving them on Sunday as we enjoy the SUPERBOWL!

The basic quesadilla is like a Mexican grilled cheese. Great for parties, lunch or a quick dinner. We prefer flour tortillas lately as we’ve had better luck finding good fresh flour tortillas than corn. We like to purchase our fresh flour tortillas at La Unica Mexican Market in Moorhead. 2615 12th Ave S (218) 236-1075. Give them a call to find out what day they are preparing their fresh tortillas, be sure to stop in early to get them or ask them to hold a package for you.

The kind of cheese you use for the quesadillas is important. You want a good melting cheese. We like Monterey Jack, Gruyere, Mozzarella, Havarti, Cheddar etc… If you want to go more authentic you should try Quesillo Oaxaca or  Cotija..both found at Cashwise and Sams Club. Quesillo Oaxaca resembles a fresh Mozzarella and Cotija is drier and resembles a feta cheese. The Cotija is usually used for crumbling on top as a garnish rather than melting inside.

Be sure to have a variety of condiments to serve with the quesadillas. Fresh salsa, hot sauce, cilantro, sour cream, fresh limes to squeeze over, shredded lettuce, scallions, cheese dip and more ….

Here is a basic quesadilla recipe with a method for preparing them quickly to serve at your next party. Below the recipe is a list of some of the wonderful items you can add to make your quesadilla unique.

unsalted butter

eight 7 inch flour tortillas

2 cups grated or shredded cheese

Place butter ina large saute pan over medium heat. Heat until almost sizzling. Lay out 4 tortillas and divide the cheese among them, spread it evenly to the edges of the tortillas. Top with the other 4 tortillas. Lift one with a spatula and place in the saute pan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is golden on both sides. You want the tortilla to remain soft, not crunchy. Repeat with the remaining quesadillas. Cut each into 8 wedges and serve with a variety of accompaniments. (you can keep the finished quesadillas in a warmed 200 degree oven while you cook the rest.

Here are some ideas we like for quesadillas, our favorite combinations involved fewer ingredients and then fixed up with all of the garnishes.

Refried beans and salsa

Roasted Poblano or Jalapeno Peppers

Chorizo Sausage

Cilantro & Roasted Red Onions

Spinach

Wild Mushrooms & Chipotle Chiles (the smokey chiles pair nicely with the mushrooms)

Grilled Chicken & Pepperjack

Roasted Corn & Black Bean

Fresh Tomato & Basil

Breakfast quesadillas, scrambled eggs & bacon or sausage..mmmm

You can also add spices to your cheese to make an “embellished” version of the basic quesadilla:

add a dash of cumin, chile powder, cayenne, cilantro etc…

Have fun and experiment to create your own perfect quesadilla!

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