Pasta with Tuna, Tomatoes, Garlic, Capers, and Olives

I have always been intrigued by recipes of this type. Pasta! Tuna! Oily salty bits! I love all those things!


But in the execution, it was a little bit... fishy. Are you laughing at me? Because I felt kinda silly when I took a bite of this dish and thought, hm, kinda fishy. I mean, it has two types of fish in it. So, well, DUH.

But whatever, it was good, and more importantly, it was a weeknight dinner. So I present the recipe to you, dear reader, because maybe fishy pasta is your thing. Or maybe you have some advice on how to make it more balanced. If nothing else, we all need an opportunity to laugh at ourselves (or each other).

Pasta with Tuna, Tomatoes, Garlic, Capers, and Olives
From the Food Network

2 oz. pasta (such as penne or rigatoni)
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup white albacore tuna
1 red, ripe tomato (locally grown, yesss)
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
2 anchovy filets, finely chopped
4 Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
Parmesan or other firm cheese for grating
Pepper

Cook pot in a large pot of salted water until al dente.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add tuna, tomato, olives, capers, and anchovies. Cook until tomatoes start to break down, about 5 minutes. Season with pepper (you shouldn't need to add any salt). Toss pasta in with sauce, serve garnished with cheese and basil.

Serves 1

Deteriorating Duckfat Fries?

I, admittedly, have not had anything at Duckfat other than their Belgian fries, fried in, well, duck fat. And in the effort of full disclosure, I should let you know that I've only had Duckfat's fries twice.


But the second time I had them (and yes, I was eating only fries for dinner, what of it), I was not blown away. They were a little soggy, and I found myself searching for the smaller, crispy ones. The Thai chili sauce that I ordered tasted like Velveeta cheese mixed with salsa. And I say that not just to be mean, but because it really did.


I have heard this opinion echoed from several other people- that the fries at Duckfat are no the longer, "crispy on the outside, melt in your mouth decadence" they once were.

So while I have only been to Duckfat twice, I'm not inspired to go back, as I hate being disappointed over fries, especially ones that have so much potential.

Mashed Potato Bacon Chive Pizza

Everyone time someone eats at Otto Pizza, they mention their potato, bacon, scallion pizza (The Phoenix, Appetite Portland, Eat & Run, and me). I didn't have a slice of that particular topping-combo when I was there, but it definitely stuck in the back of my mind. I have heard and read many people raving about pizzas and potatoes, so I decided to give it a whirl.


I am a huge fan of the Portland Pie Company's wheat dough available at the grocery store. It always makes for an easy, delicious weeknight dinner, as it allows you to focus your creative energy into the toppings, rather than spending a lot of time making your own dough (although, I do that too, and it's delicious!).


So for this topping combo, I made mashed potatoes (secret: boil some garlic with your potatoe and then mash it all up together. It makes the garlic sweeter, rather than adding raw garlic at the end, which can be overpowering. Unless your into that sorta thing, *wink*).

I dotted the mash onto the olive oiled and buttered crust, and sprinkled chopped cooked bacon, and diced chives on it. I bake mine in a reasonably hot oven, because I like the crust to crisp up a lot and the toppings to brown. OH, I also sprinkled on a little grated triple creme cheese. Delish! My version was so good, I can only imagine how it must taste when the pros do it.

Mushroom Leek Stuffed Chicken and Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ahh, a needlessly complicated dinner. Best undertaken when you're cooking alone, starting late, and really hungry, right? No, wait...


My self-made quickfire challenge last night was a menu of crispy roast potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, and mushroom leek stuffed chicken breast. And while I can say the chicken and Brussels sprouts were worth the wait, the potatoes were not.


I just finished reading Ruth Reichl's Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise, the then NY Times restaurant critic's memoir of her anonymous dining experiences. Reichl's writing style is very personal and I highly recommend her book, with the warning that it will probably make you want to go out and eat in New York City. Reichl is also a cook and her book is sprinkled with inspiring recipes. While this Brussels sprouts treatment may sound simple, it allows the sweetness of the baby cabbages to shine, and who can resist vegetables and bacon?


Slice Brussels sprouts in half, dice thick cut bacon (raw), and toss all togther in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in 400 degree F oven until sprouts are caramalized, about 20 minutes.


The chicken is a bit more complicated, however. The recipe is from Cook's Illustrated, and my only complaints are that I overcooked the chicken and reduced the sauce too much so it was pretty salty. So beware those user errors.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts
(adapted from Cook's Illustrated to serve 1)

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
4 white mushrooms, sliced
1 small leek, white part only, halved and sliced
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
half of one lemon, juiced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 thyme sprigs, de-leafed
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
salt and pepper
cooking twine, 3 lengths, 12" long

To prepare chicken:
Butterfly chicken breast, spread flat and pound with a meat pounder until 1/4" thick. Trim breast until chicken is square, and save excess chicken. Place into a food processor or dice finely.

To prepare stuffing:
Heat 1 T. of oil in skillet over medium heat. Saute mushrooms until all moisture is evaporated and mushrooms are golden brown, about 11 to 15 minutes. Add chopped leeks and saute until softened, 3 minutes. Add garlic, and saute a few minutes more. Add half the lemon juice, thyme, and salt and pepper. Remove from heat and finely dice mixture or combine with reserved diced chicken in food processor. Pulse in food processor. Use wine and chicken stock to deglaze empty skillet and set aside.

To stuff and cook chicken:
Spread stuffing mixture 1/4" thick on butterflied chicken breast, leaving 1/2" border. Roll chicken up tightly, and secure with three lengths of cooking twine. Salt and pepper chicken. Heat skillet and remaining oil over medium-high heat, until smoking. Brown chicken about 2 minutes on all sides. Add stock and wine, bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook 12 to 15 minutes, until internal tempature reads 160 degress F. The stuffing contains raw chicken, so care should be taken to ensure fully cooked.

Phew, tired yet? Remove chicken to rest, and prepare the pan sauce. Add mustard, extra thyme, a squeeze of lemon juice, and salt and pepper to pan sauce. Reduce until thickened (but not too thick!). Carefully cut twine on chicken, cut on the bias, and serve topped with pan sauce.

Eat and then go take a nap.

Baltimore Saurkraut Tradition

Whilst reading the Washington Post online, I learned that saurkraut is a Baltimore Thanksgiving tradition. Hm, I thought, I'm from Baltimore, and I've never had/seen/heard/smelled any saurkraut at the annual spread. I'm usually only concerned with canned green bean cassarole and lots of gravy. But who am I to quibble with an alleged Charm City tradition. I just had some for dinner instead.


I made Gertrude's Restaurant's recipe for Sauerkraut and Apples and included some hot Italian sausage and kale. The recipe says the bacon is optional, but we all know omitting it isn't really an option, don't we. I subbed in that sausage and braised the whole mess in some PBR. Mmmhmm, yes ma'am. The only drawback of this meal was that I finished my jar of saurkraut that we made in my preserving class. But I think I am going to try making some kimchi next, since I can't get that fermented cabbage out of my head.

Gingersnaps with Crystallized Ginger

After a particularly harrowing trip to the mall (thanks Videoport for calling me about my lost and then found car keys!), my friend A and I retired to her house to make two cookie recipes. We ended up baking until midnight, mourning the loss of same-sex marriage in Maine while surrounding ourselves with cozy smells and a warm oven. It seemed appropriate to have a little bit of good karma (finding my lost keys) and to create some lovely treats on a day when the majority of Maine voters found it appropriate to repeal some civil rights.

While I don't even like crystallized ginger, these gingersnaps have such an intriguing flavor. I found the mix of spices to be unique (see the balsamic vinegar and cardamom), and A was so excited to use her brand new stand mixer. These cookies bake up beautifully and would be perfect as holiday gifts.

Gingersnaps with Crystallized Ginger
From Real Simple

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, plus 1/2 cup more for coating
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup molasses
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Cream the butter and 1 3/4 cups sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed. Lower to medium and add the eggs, molasses, vinegar, and vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and pepper. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Beat until incorporated. Fold in the crystallized ginger.

2. Divide the dough into 3 equal portions (it will be sticky). Place each portion on a sheet of plastic wrap and form into a 12-inch log, 2 inches in diameter. Wrap and chill for 1 hour.

3. Slice each log into disks, 1/2 inch thick. Dredge in the remaining sugar. Place on a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet, 2 inches apart.
Bake until crinkly around the edges, about 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.

Rabelais in BA Foodist

This is not my photo! Credit due to Andrew Knowlton of Bon Apetit

Ohhh the press loves us, yes they do. Here's more national attention, this time from Andrew Knowlton (aka the BA Foodist), purveyor of snark and great cooking advice, from Bon Apetit Magazine. He hands his blog post over to Portland locals Don and Samantha Lindgren of Rabelais bookstore, where they detail some of their favorite cookbooks. Not listed: my favorite new one (from them), Earth to Table: Seasonal Recipes from an Organic Farm by Jeff Crump. I hope to make/review some recipes for you in the future!

Read the BA Foodist post.