Cinco de Mayo Bobby Flay style

Posted on May 11, 2014 by theoldcopperpot

Last weekend my sister Nila came to town, and since she lives all the way in Kansas, we don’t get to see each other often enough. The weekend was filled with all things L.A. .. Getty Museum, Santa Monica Beach, happy hour at Drago Centro, The Last Book Store, but I’d have to say my favorite event was spending an evening in the kitchen together, making a Bobby Flay feast for an intimate dinner party.

Now if you’ve ever perused Bobby’s Mesa Grill cookbook, you can probably understand how quickly the time flies by when preparing his dishes. And while it is true that many of his dishes do take some time to prep, it’s worth it! I simply love the fresh tastes of his contemporary Southwestern menus.

So here’s what was cookin’ in my kitchen ..

Frisee Salad with Chorizo and Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette
serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
12 ounces Spanish chorizo sausage, sliced 1/4″ thick (I substituted the soy chorizo from Trader Joe’s .. YUM!)
8 ounces frisee, torn into bite-sized pieces
Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 plum tomatoes, quartered
Thinly shaved Asiago cheese or Parmigiano-Reggiano, for garnish
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the sausage and cook until lightly browned on both sides, 4-5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. (If you make it with TJ’s soy chorizo, it’s pre-cooked so remove the casing and crumble in a skillet to warm through.)

2. Place the frisee in a large bowl, add 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Place the tomatoes in a bowl, add a few tablespoons of the dressing season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.

3. Divide the frisee among 4 large plates, arrange tomato quarters and slices of the chorizo around the perimeter of each plate. Garnish with shaved cheese and chopped cilantro, and drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette.

Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette
Makes about 1 cup
8 cloves roasted garlic, peeled (instructions to follow)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped red onion
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Combine the garlic, vinegar, onion, honey, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste in a blender and blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and blend until emulsified. This can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated.

Roasting garlic: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Separate the cloves of a head of garlic, but do not peel. Drizzle the cloves with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap the garlic securely in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until very soft. Squeeze the pulp from the skins, discarding the skins. Roasted garlic will keep covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Queso Fundido with Roasted Poblano Vinaigrette
Serves 4

Bobby Flay says this is one of the all-time most requested recipes at Mesa Grill. He says “what’s not to like about melted, bubbly cheese topped with a green chile vinaigrette?” It’s pretty easy to make, so give it a try!

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
3 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese (12 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces fresh goat cheese, cut into 8 slices
Roasted Poblano Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Tortilla chips

1. Preheat the broiler.

2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk int he milk and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the grated cheese; season with salt and pepper.

3. Scrape the mixture into an 8-inch cast-iron pan and place the slices of goat cheese over the top. Put the pan under the broiler and broil until the goat cheese is golden brown on top. Remove from the oven, drizzle with the poblano vinaigrette or spoon it over the top, and sprinkle with the cilantro. Serve with chips for dipping.

Roasted Poblano Vinaigrette
Makes about 3/4 cup

2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped (instructions to follow)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine the poblanos, 2 tablespoons cold water, vinegar, garlic, honey, canola oil, and salt and pepper in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. This can be made up to 8 hours in advance and refrigerated. (BTW, if your market doesn’t have poblanos, you can certainly use Anaheim chiles.)

Roasting Peppers and Chiles
Pre-heat your broiler. Cut peppers or chiles lengthwise; remove seeds and stems. Place peppers, skin side up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Slide into the oven and broil until charred nicely (keep a close eye on your oven – this won’t take long!). Remove from the oven and place peppers in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for about 15 minutes to allow the skin to loosen, then peel. Roasted peppers and chiles can be covered and stored for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Tortilla Chips
I’m fortunate to live in a diverse city, with access to all sorts of ethnic markets. One of my favorites is Baja Ranch, just up the street. They make the BEST corn tortillas, fresh every day. I like to make my own tortilla chips in order to cut down on the fat and sodium. Cut the tortillas into chip-sized wedges; spray a half-size cooking sheet with cooking spray, then lay the tortillas in a single layer. Spray the tops with a bit more cooking spray, then sprinkle with kosher sale. Bake in a 375 degree oven until crisp and golden, about 12-14 minutes.

Wild Mushroom Quesadillas with Red Chile Jack Cheese and White Truffle Oil
Serves 4
Not only is this dish super tasty, it’s beautiful, too!

1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 1/2 pounds assorted mushrooms, such as cremini, shiitake and portobello, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 ancho chiles, soaked (instructions to follow)
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 ounces)
12 (6-inch) flour tortillas (I used corn)
1/4 cup grated cotija cheese or Romano cheese (1 ounce)
4 teaspoons white truffle oil

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook until golden brown and all of their liquid has evaporated, 8-10 minutes.

3. Remove the anchos from their soaking liquid, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid. Stem, seed, and finely chop and place in a bowl. Add the reserved soaking liquid and the cheese, and mix to combine.

4. Place 8 of the tortillas on a flat work surface. Divide the cheese mixture and mushrooms among the tortillas and season with salt and pepper. Stack the tortillas to make four 2-layer tortillas and cover each with one of the remaining tortillas. Brush the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with the cotija cheese.

5. Transfer to a baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly golden brown and the cheese has melted.

6. Cut into quarters and drizzle with the truffle oil.

Soaking chiles: Place dried chiles in a bowl. Pour boiling water over the top to completely immerse the chiles. Let soak for about 30 minutes, or until soft. Remove the chiles from the water and remove the stems and seeds, reserving the water.

Jalapeno Poppers
One of my favorite appetizers is jalapeno poppers .. you may remember reading about them in a prior post. Since I had a bit of leftover chorizo, I thought it’d be fun to replace the salami in with the soy chorizo, and YUM!!! .. will definitely be making this again! Check out this link to my prior post for the “specifics.”

Coffee-Rubbed Filets Mignons and Rib-Eyes
Searing over a wood fire is one of my favorite ways to prepare a steak, and last year we picked up a Santa Maria style barbeque which is the perfect tool for making a perfect steak. We rubbed our steaks with BBQ Beef Coffee Cure (recipe from Tim Byres cookbook called Smoke: New Firewood Cooking) and the hubby grilled our steaks to perfection!

BBQ Beef Coffee Cure
Makes 2 1/2 cups
Byres says “I encourage rolling up your sleeves and using your hands to mix these spices – it helps to capture a feeling of nostalgia for cooking” .. and I couldn’t agree more!

1/3 cup finely ground dark roast coffee
1/3 cup dark chili powder
1/3 cup smoked paprika
1/2 cup kosher salt
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons granulated garlic
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl, using your hands to break up any clumps. Do not refrigerate. Store in an airtight container, in a cool, dry place, such as your cupboard.

A walk down memory lane

Posted on November 3, 2013 by theoldcopperpot

Growing up, I have vivid memories of my father making oyster soup. Surprisingly, out of a family of seven, it was just me and my dad who had any interest in oysters. My 7th grade mind remembers him pouring milk into a saucepan, adding about a half stick of butter, and when it came to a simmer, he would open up and pour in a few cans of oysters. Topped with a sprinkle of black pepper, was it ever good.

Recently I tagged along with my husband to the Christian Community Development Association conference, mainly because it was in New Orleans, and while in NOLA we were lucky enough to dine at Donald Link’s restaurant called Herbsaint. While on lunch break one day, we wandered into this restaurant (honestly, we were just too hot and tired to walk any further) and what a nice surprise! The photo above is of an amazing catfish dish that I enjoyed. We were all a bit surprised that the New Orleans small plates were larger than dishes we’ve been served at downtown L.A. restaurants.

Another draw for me to tag along on this trip had to do with friends I made after Katrina. Our church had partnered with Christ Church in New Orleans East to re-build 11 houses, and after spending a couple of weeks tiling bathrooms and fireplaces several years ago, I found myself endeared with these wonderful people.

My friend Nancy surprised us a shortly after our return with a cookbook authored by Link called Real Cajun. Looking for inspiration for “what to make for dinner” this weekend, I stumbled across Link’s recipe for an oyster stew, and (oh my goodness!) were we ever in for a treat.

In the cookbook, Link explained the humble beginnings of this recipe. The first Friday that his restaurant Herbsaint was open after Hurricane Katrina, of the 40 people whom he ordinarily employed on a weekend night, only 7 could make it to the restaurant. His friend John Harris, chef at Lillette restaurant, called and offered to help in any way that he could. He and 2 of his waiters came to work with Link that night. Link described the evening “we never expected to be so slammed just 5 weeks after the worst natural disaster in American history, but we were, and we were running out of food fast.” Link asked John if he could create a new dish from his comparatively lean pantry, and he made this delicious stew in 30 minutes and the restaurant sold 25 orders in the second half of the night!

Herbsaint-Infused Oyster Stew with Smoked Bacon
Serves 6-8 as a main course, 8-12 as an appetizer

1 pint shucked oysters (about 24 oysters), drained and liquor reserved
3 ounces thick-sliced smoked bacon, cut into 1/4″ cubes
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1 small onion, chopped into 1/4″ dice
1 bunch scallions, sliced
2 celery stocks, chopped into 1/4″ dice
1 cup chopped (1/4″ dice) fennel bulb
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
5 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/3 cup flour
1 small russet potato, peeled and diced
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons Herbsaint or other anise-flavored liqueur (like Pernod)

Pick through the oysters to ensure they are clean of grit or shell (or buy them already shucked at Whole Foods, like I did!). Place half the oysters in a food processor and puree until smooth (I used my immersion blender which worked perfectly). Transfer the puree to a bowl and refrigerate along with the remaining whole oysters until needed.

Heat the bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven over low heat until its fat is rendered and the bacon is just starting to sizzle 2-3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and the onion, scallions, celery, fennel, garlic, bay leaves, salt, cayenne, pepper and thyme. Cook slowly, stirring frequently, until they are tender, about 10 minutes. You want to “sweat” the vegetables so they soften and release their juices without browning them.

Add 2 more tablespoons of butter to the pot. As soon as the butter melts, add the flour and stir until ingredients are evenly coated. Add 2 cups reserved oyster liquor (I used my fish stock), the potato, and pureed oysters and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add 1 cup of cream and simmer for 5 more minutes.

To finish the stew, add the last cup of cream, remaining tablespoon of butter, Herbsaint, and reserved whole oysters. Cook for 5 more minutes and serve.

Note: If you do not have enough oyster liquor from the pint of oysters, add fish stock, chicken broth, or water, as needed.

This stew is absolutely delicious served with warm, crusty bread, a simple green salad, and a glass of Sancerre wine. All I can say is, “AMAZING!”

Canning Party – Chutney

Posted on October 14, 2012 by theoldcopperpot

I’ve heard it said that at some point, we eventually become carbon copies of our parents. The other day at Trader Joe’s, the items in my cart totally made me think I’m becoming my mother, whom I admire tremendously. I’m not sure if it was the organic carrots or the raw almonds, but it’s definitely happening. One of our chores growing up was helping my mom can the summer’s fresh bounty, and recently I’ve enjoyed making chutneys, pickles, and other treats for my pantry. Last Sunday I had my very first canning party … it was so much fun, I can’t wait until the next one!

Chris, my Canadian buddy, inspired this recipe selection of Peach and Raisin Chutney. She is an excellent cook, so I was thrilled that she came out for the party. We found this recipe on the Canadian Living website, and it is amazingly delicious. The chutney will make cold meat sing! Also, spoon on top of goat cheese crostinis, brie, pork tenderloin, pancakes, breakfast crepe, french toast, or even ice cream.

Peach & Raisin Chutney
8 cups sliced peeled fresh peaches
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 cups chopped onions
2 cups raisins
2 cups cider vinegar
1/2 cup diced sweet red pepper
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Preparation
In large heavy Dutch oven, combine peaches, brown sugar, onions, raisins, vinegar, red pepper, mustard seeds, salt, turmeric, cinnamon, curry powder, cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring often, until thickened and toffee-brown in colour, about 1 hour.

Fill hot 1-cup canning jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles.

Cover with prepared discs. Screw on bands until resistance is met; increase to fingertip tight. Boil in boiling water canner for 10 minutes. (See Canning Basics)

Turn off heat. Uncover and let jars stand in canner for 5 minutes. Lift up rack. With canning tongs, transfer jars to cooling rack; let cool for 24 hours.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I thought it’d be fun to make a pear chutney, as well … this girl’s just gotta have some chutney on hand for turkey leftovers. One of the blogs I follow, Food In Jars, had this excellent recipe for Bartlett Pear Chutney with Dried Cherries and Ginger.

Pear Chutney with Dried Cherries and Ginger
makes 3 half pint jars

3/4 cup dried cherries, chopped roughly
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons apple brandy
4 cups roughly chopped Bartlett pears (4-5 medium pears)
2/3 cup sugar

Place dried cherries in a heat-proof bowl or measuring cup and pour boiling water over top. Set aside. Heat a large, non-reactive pot or skillet over medium heat. Add oil and heat until it shimmers. Add onion and sea salt and cook until the onion softened and develops a bit of color. Add ginger, mustard seeds and cardamom and cook until spices are fragrant and the mustard seeds begin to pop.

Add vinegar and brand to pan and use a wooden spoon to work up any bits of fond on the bottom of the pan. Add dried cherries and their liquid. Add chopped pears and sugar and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low, put a lid on the pan and let pears simmer gently for 30-35 minutes so that they soften.

When the pears can be crushed with the back of a wooden spoon, remove the lid from the pot. Increase the heat to high and cook quickly, stirring regularly, to help reduce any remaining liquid.

When chutney is no longer at all watery and looks deeply colored, take a taste. Should it need it, add a splash more vinegar, a pinch more salt or a spoonful more sugar. Do make sure to taste for adjustments before canning, as ingredients can vary from kitchen to kitchen and it’s the only way to ensure that you’ll wind up with a product that you like.

When chutney is fully cooked down and tastes good to you, ladle it into three prepared half pint jars. Wipe rims, apply lids and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

When time is up, remove jars from canning pot and let them cool on a folded kitchen towel. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and eaten within a week. Sealed jars can be kept in the pantry for up to one year.

A Night at the Bowl

Posted on September 17, 2012 by theoldcopperpot

Is there anything more wonderful than a night at the Hollywood Bowl? Last night we joined several friends for an evening under the stars to hear The Brian Setzer Orchestra. Although I’m a big fan of Brian’s, I was most excited to see Leslie Spencer making her debut at the Bowl. Go Les!

You never can be sure if there will be an opening at a picnic table, so we decided upon a simple tapas dinner. My colleague Sonya had generously shared with me a bowl of figs from her tree, and I found an idea for them on one of my favorite food blogs, A Feast for the Eyes. I wrapped each fig with a slice of proscuitto, with a dab of brie cheese tucked inside, then placed them on a skewer. I finished them by placing on the grill for a short time, so the cheese would soften a bit. Delicious and so very easy! Thanks, foodiewife, for a great idea.

Having spent half the day meeting with a new client and at a property inspection, I didn’t have a whole lot of time for food prep before hopping on the shuttle for the Bowl, so I decided to keep it simple and made goat cheese crostinis. I thinly sliced a baguette, drizzled each piece with olive oil, and toasted the crostinis in the oven. Fortunately I had a few toppings on hand from recent canning experiments, including: tomato basil marmalade, pickled fennel with orange zest (both from Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc cookbook), and rosemary onion confit (The Pickled Pantry by Andrea Chesman).

From the kitchen of Kathy Gibson

A story of culinary adventures

Tag Archives: Appetizer

Cinco de Mayo Bobby Flay style

A walk down memory lane

Canning Party – Chutney

A Night at the Bowl