Speedy Sausage, Kale & Potato Soup

Brrrrrr, early this morning the view through the window was wet, gray and totally uninspiring so I made the obvious decision to stay snugly tucked under the covers and read. Hours rolled by as The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt transported me into other lives, other worlds. No book review here; I'm still processing my many mixed responses to this lengthy Pulitzer Prize winning novel. But shortly after noon a series of annoying stomach rumbles reminded me that breakfast was a lost hope and I'd better get up and start moving on lunch prep. 

Soup fit my mood and the weather; quick comfort food is always a good thing on a cool, dreary day. The open bag of Halloween candy, my favorite Snickers bars conveniently stored on an adjacent kitchen counter, didn't even tempt as an emergency snack. Nope, instead some spicy chicken Andouille sausage, Yukon gold potatoes and curly kale prompted a flurry of chopping and cooking, tasting and seasoning without benefit of a recipe. The result? A warming bowl of soup that pleased us both. How do I know? RL ate two full servings and didn't even reach for the hot sauce. 

Lemon zest and juice added an extra pop to each bowl, brightening the flavor while avoiding a too-sour bite. Soups and stews typically improve with an overnight rest, so I am eagerly anticipating another bowlful at lunch tomorrow. 

 Speedy Sausage, Kale and Potato Soup

serves 3-4

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, medium dice
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 links cooked sausage, sliced (precooked chicken Andouille today)
2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in 1" dice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried basil
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups kale, destemmed & roughly chopped
zest of 1 large lemon
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup instant potato flakes (optional)
lemon wedges to serve alongside
shredded Parmesan cheese, optional

Heat the olive oil in a medium kettle over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for several minutes to soften. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute or so until fragrant. 

Add the coins of sausage, diced potatoes and herbs; toss to coat. Add the chicken broth and cook until the potatoes are just tender. 

Add the kale and cook a few minutes longer until softened. Stir in the lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasonings.

For a thicker broth, stir in instant potato flakes, 1/4 cup at a time. (You could mash the cooked potatoes to thicken the soup, but I like a thicker broth and potato chunks.)

Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with shredded Parmesan and serve with lemon wedges.

Savory Hand Pies with Three Fillings

Random thoughts as I played with more filling combinations for Savory Hand Pies and a Minty Cucumber Sour Cream Sauce.

Photo: Savory Sausage Hand Pie with a side of Minty Cucumber Sour Cream Sauce

More Savory Hand Pies? Well, why not? my Asparagus Mushroom Hand Pies were a success (after tweaking the recipe and adding some lemon zest) and I was on a roll with some new filling combinations to try. Once again frozen pie dough made for a quick and easy baking session. 

Asparagus starred as a repeat ingredient, of course, since it was local and fresh. This time I severed the tips, halved each thick spear lengthwise and then cut them into short pieces. Tossed with oil and minced garlic, all of the pieces were sauted in a cast iron skillet until softened and lightly browned. Sprinkled with lemon zest they were tempting to nibble on "as is".

Caramelized onions should add a sweet/savory backnote to each of the three filling combinations. The thin slices of white onion cooked low and slow in a dash of oil and butter until lightly caramelized. Some recipes call for a finish of brown sugar and balsamic vinegar, but this batch did not require any flavor boost.

Sweet Italian pork - crumbled, cooked and drained - joined the party as a savory meat option. Yum! a flavor-packed spicy sausage, asparagus and onion mixture would be perfect for a cool-weather Spring treat.
   

Sausage and kale pair well tastewise in any season, so a bowl of braised kale joined shredded cheeses and toasted pine nuts as the remaining filling choices. 

Left column: skillet roasted asparagus, caramelized onions pies topped with mozzarella.
Center column: braised kale, Italian sausage, caramelized onion pies topped with mozzarella.
Right column: all of the above ingredients plus lemon zest and pine nuts.

All three of the fillings rated high marks, though my personal favorite was the everything hand pie. I love my pizza slices loaded with ingredients and evidently prefer hand pies the same way. That said, next time I'll simplify the ingredient mix, experiment with new flavor combos, and make a sweet hand pie or two for RL to enjoy.   

The simple asparagus/caramelized onion filling surprised me with its overly sweet flavor punch. A quickly mixed faux tzatziki sauce tamed the sweetness, balancing sweet and savory with some light flavor pops. The same sauce boosted the appeal of the kale/sausage/onion filling.

...and what do you do with leftover spoonfuls of filling? I tossed it all into a ramekin for a delicious baked snack. Once again... Yum!

Minty Cucumber Sour Cream Sauce - faux Tzatziki

1/2 English cucumber, shredded and wrung dry in a tea towel

2 green onions, green and white parts minced

2 Tbs fresh mint leaves, minced

1 tsp dried dill

1/2 cup sour cream 

1 Tbs lemon juice

dashes of green Tabasco, to taste (optional)

Soba Noodle Salad with Chicken and Vegetables

Buckwheat soba noodles plus chicken and assorted vegetables equals a whole-meal salad with an abundance of tastes and textures. Yum!

A new medication has radically changed my tastebuds, making cooking and meal planning a whole new adventure. Citrus bites, too harshly acidic. Shrimp tastes metallic and no longer pleases. My favorite chile peppers and sriracha sauce now burn my mouth. Even coffee seems too bitter to enjoy. Aaaargh! So I'm playing with different spices, fearlessly swapping out ingredients in recipes old and new, and occasionally have to resort to a bowl of cereal for dinner when the new approach does not work. RL  hasn't complained yet, so the process continues. What a perfect time to work my way through my new Patricia Wells cookbook, Salad as a Meal: fresh ingredients, healthy eating, and an opportunity to tailor a new recipe to my taste.

I skimmed the chapters, glanced at the index and found many tempting choices. Buckwheat soba noodles and chicken sounded interesting, so I began with my own version of Wells' "Chicken and Soba Noodles with Ginger-Peanut Sauce". Swapping peanut sauce for peanut butter and adding 3 cups of chopped raw vegetables were the major changes. Cilantro has now joined parsley on my new list of Not-So-Good herbs, so I will omit it in the future.

 Visually interesting, this colorful Asian noodle dish rated two thumbs up today at lunch. The sauce pleasantly surprised my tastebuds with layers of flavor; sweet, sour, salty, faintly bitter and perhaps even a hint of umami (savory/meaty) as well. Smooth buckwheat noodles contrasted nicely with the assorted vegetables and peanuts for crunchy, toothsome bites, and it all came together quickly with ingredients already on hand. Win! It might even be healthy, but today it was all about the taste.

Half a package of noodles filled two bowls at lunch with enough left for another meal, or to use as filling for Asian pancakes or Thai spring rolls.

Slivered chicken, cilantro, onion, red pepper, cucumber, and cabbage are ready to go.  

4-minute noodles plus vegetables and an Asian sauce 

One lunch noodle bowl and a platter of leftovers to enjoy a another meal.

Soba Noodle Salad with Chicken & Vegetables

Adapted from Salad as a Meal by Patricia Wells

yields about 4 servings

Sauce:

6 Tbs tamari or other Japanese soy sauce

2 Tbs sesame oil

1 Tbs sweet Thai peanut sauce (optional)

4 Tbs seasoned Japanese rice vinegar

1 Tbs grated fresh ginger (or Gourmet Gardens ginger in a tube)

1 Tbs Gourmet Gardens lemongrass (optional)

2 cloves garlic, peeled & pressed or minced

1+ Tbs mirin (optional)

1 Tbs lime juice, more if needed as a finish

6-oz soba noodles (about ½ a package for me)

1 cup shredded cooked chicken (about 4 small thighs)

3 fat scallions, green and white parts, sliced thin

2-3 cups sliced raw vegetables of your choice (cabbage, carrots, cucumber, peppers, etc.)

2 Tbs toasted sesame seeds, white or black

handful of salted peanuts, chopped

handful of fresh cilantro leaves 

1. Whisk together the sauce ingredients; taste and adjust as needed (RL added lime juice to his bowl). Place in a large, shallow bowl and set aside.
2. Add the soba noodles to a large pot of salted, boiling water; stir to prevent noodles from sticking. Cook according to the package directions until tender, about 4 minutes – keep an eye on the pot and adjust heat to avoid foaming and boiling over! Drain in a colander, then rinse thoroughly until the water runs clear. Rinsing is important, keeping the noodles from sticking and clumping. Drain thoroughly.
3. Add the drained noodles to the bowl containing the sauce. Toss to coat evenly and thoroughly. Add the chicken, scallions and sliced raw vegetables; toss to mix and distribute the sauce.
4. Garnish with the sesame seeds, peanuts and cilantro. 

Notes: 

1. Any leftovers will incorporate well into an Asian pancake/omelet or make a great filling for rice paper spring rolls.

2. Serve with lime wedges for an added pop of flavor.

Update: June 9, 2016
Spring rolls are the way to go with leftovers. The Asian omelet was edible, but nothing to get excited about.

Awesome Asian Turkey Sliders

...with a side of Sesame Rainbow Slaw

Not too excited about ground turkey? Get over it - the taste of these delicious Asian sliders might be reason enough to fill the freezer with this healthy protein. Healthy? Turkey contains vitamins B-6 and B-12, niacin, choline, selenium and zinc. That is good to know, but our attention was on the palate-pleasing flavor when these cuties hit the tastebuds. Lime, sugar, fish sauce, basil and garlic meld nicely with the turkey into a delicious Asian bite, one that easily handled the heat from any added sriracha and jalapenos. The generous handful of apple matchsticks provided a welcome crunch to the otherwise soft sandwich.   

Every bit of kitchen island and sink countertop showed signs of action during dinner prep. The dozen plus slider ingredients, and even more for the slaw, called for a lot of chopping, mixing and tossing. Still, dinner came together surprisingly quickly as each major component was prepped and set aside.

   *slice and marinate the apples

   *mix the basil mayonnaise

   *season and form the meat patties or meatballs

   *slice, chop and mix the slaw vegetables

   *whisk the slaw dressing, add to the slaw veggies and toss

Chef de Cuisine Hilary adapted this delicious dish from two recipes she found in the Nov. and Dec. 2015 issues of Shape magazine. Colorful, imaginative and fully loaded with sweet/hot/citrusy/tangy flavors, her turkey sliders were a fiesta on the plate and in the mouth. We politely nibbled the first bites of apple-topped sliders-with-slaw:  bite... pause... register the taste... smile! Mmmmm, yes, we each inhaled the rest of our first slider in another bite or two and hurried back to the stove for more. 

We are eager for another Asian slider dinner, soon please (especially if Hilary cooks).These sliders would make a festive party appetizer as well, with a large batch cooked and held in an electric skillet or on a warming tray. Anyone for a party?

Asian Turkey Sliders

serves 4

Juice and zest of 1 lime

2 teaspoons sugar

1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons fish sauce

1 crisp apple, cored & cut into matchsticks

1/4 cup reduced fat mayonnaise (Best Foods)

2 Tablespoons Gourmet Garden basil paste concentrate, divided

1 pound ground turkey

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon canola oil

1/2 cup water

Sweet Hawaiian rolls, (or mini slider buns) split

Hot sauce, (Sriracha, etc) to taste

*Sesame Rainbow Slaw (recipe below)

Directions:

1. Use a medium bowl to mix lime juice, sugar and 2 teaspoons fish sauce. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add apple machsticks; toss to coat and set aside.

2. Use a small bowl to blend together the mayonnaise and 1 Tablespoon of the basil paste; set aside.

3. In a large bowl mix together by hand ground turkey, garlic, remaining 1 Tablespoon fish sauce, remaining 1 Tablespoon basil paste and lime zest. Shape into 8-12 meatballs or fat patties slightly wider than the slider buns..

4. Heat the oil in a large skillet and brown meatballs over medium heat until browned on all sides, about 10 min.

5. Drain the apple mixture; add the liquid to the skillet with the meatballs. Add water; bring to a boil and scrape up any browned bits from the skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until cooked through and liquid reduces into a clingy glaze, about 8 min.

6. Spread basil mayonnaise on buns, top with apples and glazed meatballs. Serve with a side of Rainbow Sesame Slaw and offer optional hot sauce and jalapeno slices on the side.

Rainbow Sesame Slaw

2 cups packaged broccoli slaw

2 cups red cabbage, cut in 1/4-inch strips

3 large red, orange & yellow bell peppers, cut in 1/4-inch strips

4 scallions, diagonally sliced

1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

1/3 cup golden raisins

1/3 cup peanuts, chopped or minced

2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

2 Tablespoons sliced pickled ginger, minced (optional)

3 Tablespoons sesame oil

1 Tablespoon low-sodium Tamari

2 Tablespoons honey

2 Tablespoons rice vinegar

1 Tablespoon chile paste (more or less to taste)

Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Use a large bowl and toss together the solids, broccoli slaw through ginger (if using). 

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients.

Add the dressing to the mixed slaw; toss gently to combine. If making ahead, toss occasionally to recoat the slaw and redistribute the dressing.

Greens with Chicken Salad and Fruit

It's the berries...

"Superlative. This 1920s slang phrase would seem to convey the idea that berries are a choice snack or dessert. A similar phrase, 'the bee's knees,'has no such connection with reality aside from its rhyme and cute image."

It is the berries that first draw your eye in this plate of greens, but the chicken salad and vinaigrette dressing more than hold their own flavorwise. Sweet and savory tastes, varied textures and a vivid visual pop all combine to make this lunch salad an appealing winner.  

"Master Chef’s are fond of saying, “We eat with our eyes first”, but did you know there’s research to back it up?  A study in the late 1970’s showed that, when we find food more appealing, not only do we enjoy it more we also absorb more nutrients from it.  Subsequent studies have validated this finding." 

I have taken that saying to heart lately as I try to focus on healthy lunch plates that will satisfy my appetite and not feel like the dreaded "diet food" of old. Bright colors and attractive plating can make a dish look so invitingly delicious that you just know it's going to be terrific, even before the first bite. So far, it's working. 

Add some fresh herbs to the mixture of torn greens. I love the surprise flavor pop added by fresh mint, basil and parsley leaves. Change up the fruit for different flavor combinations. Tired of chicken? add tuna salad or chunks of salmon instead. Just remember, it's a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds.


Chicken Salad with Grapes
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
1 stalk celery, diced
4 green onions, chopped
1 cup red seedless grapes, halved
1/3 cup pecans or almonds, chopped

In a bowl toss together lightly the above ingredients with the dressing. Let the mixture marinate for 15 minutes for the chicken to soak in the flavors.

Curry Dressing for Chicken Salad
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (or lime juice)
2 Tablespoons lite Best Foods mayonnaise (or sour cream)
1 heaping Tablespoon Major Grey's chutney
3 Tablespoons oil
2 to 3 drops of Cajun Sunshine or your favorite hot sauce
Fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
Fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
Salt and white pepper to taste

 In a small bowl whisk together the mustard, Garam Masala, cumin, vinegar, mayonnaise and chutney. Slowly add the oil in a stream, whisking until emulsified. Add the remaining ingredients; taste and adjust seasonings as needed. 

Vinaigrette for Mixed Greens Salad
3:1 ratio olive oil to white balsamic vinegar
dried basil & mint leaves
honey
Dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground pepper

Whisk together to blend thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add sparingly to a bowl of cleaned torn greens and fresh herbs; toss to coat.
The Main Event
Cover a salad plate with a fluffy bed of lightly dressed mixed greens and herbs. Add a generous scoop of Chicken Salad with Grapes. Scatter 1/4 cup of fresh raspberries and 1/4 cup of fresh blueberries over the greens. Enjoy.

Braised Kale and Ham Bits with Grits

There is no such thing as too much leftover holiday ham, not when this dish is so delicious and so easy to prepare. You won't think of it as leftovers, I promise. It was Monday, the traditional day to cook up a pot of Red Beans and Rice, and I was tempted in that direction. But that big bag of kale in the fridge made the decision for me; forget the RB&R and work with the pork and kale instead. Savory, salty, tangy, richly flavored and vibrantly gorgeous to look at - what's not to like about Braised Kale and Ham over Grits?! It's even healthy with a ton of nutrients: vitamin B6, dietary fiber, calcium, potassium, vitamin E, vitamin B2, iron, magnesium, vitamin B1, omega-3 fatty acids, phosphorus, protein, folate and niacin. See, healthy... healthy enough to balance the not-quite-so-healthy Cheese Grits that shared the plate.  

This dish might be reason enough to bake more ham than you need, just to have some leftover meat. Or you could buy some smoked pork or turkey parts, boil to remove some of the saltiness, and use the smoked meat instead. Substitute bacon or sausage? Of course you can, and it will still be delicious. 

One bunch of kale yields a mountain of raw greens when chopped, but cooks down into a fraction of that volume. Initially the ingredients look sufficient to feed a crowd, but will reduce to enough for 4 ample portions (unless you have are feeding some really big appetites). Serve the kale and ham over a mound of grits and it will feed 6 or more.   

Ingredients:

two-count swirl of olive oil to coat pan
1 onion, chopped
2 fat cloves garlic, peeled & sliced
2 cups cooked ham bits (or smoked pork bits, smoked turkey bits, chorizo, bacon etc.)
big pinch of salt (optional) & freshly ground pepper 
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup tamed jalapeño rings (Mezzetta's)
1 large bunch curly kale, cleaned & chopped
splash of chicken broth (as needed, optional)

Cooked Cheese Grits and some hot sauce to accompany 

Directions:

1. Use a large heavy-bottomed skillet or dutch oven; lightly coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Saute the chopped onion for 2 - 3 minutes to soften; add the garlic and cook for another minute or two until fragrant. 
2. Add the cooked ham pieces, salt & pepper, vinegar and kale; stir to mix. Cover, lower the heat and cook until until the kale is tender, roughly 15 - 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a splash or two of low-sodium chicken broth if the pan grows too dry.
3. Uncover and cook until the liquid evaporates, stirring frequently. Serve over cooked grits with your favorite hot sauce available on the side.

  

Pasta Salad - Plus Peppers and Carrots and Broccoli... oh my!

Moving off the boat after a short project-filled few weeks at the dock or following a lengthy cruise, means our meals grow interesting. It reminds me of an episode of the TV show Chopped where cooks prepare a dish from a basket filled with "must-use" ingredients. Thankfully boat cooking is considerably less exotic than the TV challenge. Some days we win with new flavor combinations, on other days the food is just... unusual. The goal is to empty the fridge and freezer in case of a power outage on the dock while we are gone. Most of the assorted bottles and jars that fill the refrigerator door shelves will survive a brief power interruption, but experience has taught me not to leave any meat or seafood in the freezer. Don't ask, it's a marriage-threatening tale.

One recent end-of-stay breakfast was a winning combination of apple-filled, syrup-drizzled, sourdough crepes topped with sliced almonds and apple pie-flavored whipped cream. Sigh! what a decadent contrast to a more typical bowl of cereal, yogurt and sliced bananas. Apples are on the traveler's prohibited food list for transport across the US and CDN border in either direction, and I hated to waste the few beauties remaining in our fruit bowl, thus the apple crepes. Fruits with seeds, stone fruits, potatoes and onions, dairy, some meats, etc. are on the list. This list is long and seemingly variable so it's easiest not to carry much uncooked food north or south in order to avoid Custom's delays. But I digress... let's move on to lunch and a tasty, colorful pasta salad packed with vegetables and protein.

Pasta salad shines as a superstar dish, versatile and ready to embrace a mixed assortment of vegetables, cheeses and occasionally protein. The latest combination was colorful with a rainbow assortment of mini peppers, broccoli and carrots. Cavatappi is always a favorite short pasta, its open curls attract other ingredients in a welcoming hug and hold the dressing as well. Cheeses, capers and some protein added more flavor punch and a zesty vinaigrette dressing pulled it all together. The dish served as a hearty lunch for two, plus a generous portion left over for a next-day snack on the southbound ferry. 

 Pasta Salad Plus Peppers and Carrots and Broccoli, oh my!

• cooked cavatappi (5 generous handfuls uncooked pasta)
• 6 fat green onions, chopped 
• 1 cup of diced mini sweet peppers 
• 1 cup broccoli flowerettes, blanched  
• 1/2 cup carrot coins, blanched  
• 2 tablespoons rinsed capers 
• 1 cup shredded mixed cheeses (Parmesan & mozzarella) 
• 3 slices of hard salami julienned 
• 1 small can of premium, solid tuna packed in oil

The dressing included: 

• 1/2 package dehydrated onion soup dip mix
• 5-count swirl of extra virgin olive oil
• 3-count swirl of balsamic vinegar
• 2-count swirl of seasoned rice vinegar
• fresh ground black pepper to taste
• Hot sauce on the side for individual tastes 

You know the drill: 

1. Cook, drain and rinse the pasta, drain again
2. While the pasta cooks, prep the vegetables and slice the meat
3. Prepare the dressing; taste and adjust seasonings
4. In a large bowl combine the cooled and drained pasta, chopped vegetables, meats and dressing mixture. Toss gently to coat all with the dressing. 
5. Let rest for several minutes, then toss again. Taste and adjust seasonings - at this point I usually add some hot sauce and red pepper flakes.