Wild Mushroom Frittata

An assortment of wild mushrooms this time of year, along with a salad, and this dish works for brunch or dinner.
Oyster, Crimini, Shiitake (stems removed), baby Portobello, Chanterelle, and button mushrooms can be used, just slice larger mushrooms to similar cut as the smaller ones.

Wild Mushroom Frittata

Preheat oven to 325F.

2 Tablespoons butter
1 shallot, diced
1/2 onion, diced
5 cups assorted mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon Alfie's seasoning
5 large eggs
1 cup half and half
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1 1/2 cups Fontina cheese, grated and divided

In a saute pan over medium heat, melt butter.
Add shallot and onion, stirring until softened.
Add mushrooms and cook until tender, sprinkle with Alfie's seasoning.
Cool mixture slightly.
In a bowl, whisk together, eggs, half and half, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Stir in 1 cup of cheese and mushroom mixture.
Pour into lightly buttered pie pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over top.
Bake frittata until golden brown, and just cooked in the center, about 45 minutes.
Cool and serve.

Eggplant and Tomato Salad

The CSA delivered some medium size eggplants and the neighbors have been showering us with tomatoes from their gardens.
A quick broil, with a little cheese, and a salad or appetizer for dinner is ready.

Eggplant and Tomato Salad

2 medium eggplants, sliced 1/2 inch
4 medium size tomatoes, sliced 1/2 inch
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan
4 ounces feta cheese
salt and pepper
5 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 Tablespoons fresh basil, sliced
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Garnish: fresh basil leaves

Score the eggplant lightly and sprinkle with salt and let sit in colander for about 15 minutes.

Preheat broiler.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and brush with 1 Tablespoon of oil.
Broil the eggplant, turning until lightly browned.
Top each eggplant with shredded Parmesan, and broil until melted.
Top with tomato and feta cheese and broil again, until cheese is softened.
In a small bowl, combine 4 Tablespoons of olive oil, basil, garlic, and lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Place eggplant and tomato stacks on serving platter and drizzle with olive oil, basil mixture.
Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired.

Raincoast Crisps with Tapenade

I am off to Seattle to attend the International Food Bloggers Conference and one of the sponsors is Raincoast Crisps.
We are huge fans of these crackers. They elevate any cheese plate and are delicious on their own.
They come in a variety of flavor combinations and now also have several wheat free options, Thank You!
Today, along with some cheese, I am serving the Raincoast Oat Crisps with Roasted Red Pepper and Artichoke Tapenade. The Raincoast Crisps hold up to any dip or pate.

1-9 ounce jar roasted red pepper, drained and chopped

Raincoast Crisps with Tapenade

1-12 ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup parmesan, grated
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
1/4 cup fresh basil, sliced
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until mixture resembles a chunky pesto.
Allow the flavors to meld for a few hours.
This could also be used over pasta, as a sauce or on top of grilled fish.

Thai Chicken Cakes with Cilantro Lime Mayo

These can be formed into small 2 inch cakes to serve as an appetizer or made into 4-6 inch cakes to be used as a main course. Served along with a side salad, would be perfect for lunch or dinner.

Thai Chicken Cakes with Cilantro Lime Mayo

Cilantro Lime Mayo:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
juice of 1 lime
1 Tablespoon fish sauce
3 green onions, minced
1 bunch of cilantro, leaves only minced
1-2 Tablespoon honey
garlic chili paste or Sambal Oelek, 1/2 teaspoon+

Mix together mayo, lime, fish sauce, onions, cilantro, honey, and chili paste(to taste) stirring well.
Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Thai Chicken Cakes:
2 chicken breast, cubed
2 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 inch peeled fresh ginger root, roughly chopped
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 small onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 1/2-2 cups panko, for breading (I used GF crackers, processed)
2 Tablespoons, plus more if needed, rice bran oil

Place the chicken, garlic, ginger, mustard, onion, cilantro, red pepper, salt and pepper in a food processor and process for 15-20 seconds.
Shape the chicken mixture into cakes and roll into panko, place on a wax paper lined baking sheet.
Heat the oil in a frying pan of medium heat and fry the chicken cakes on each side until golden.
Remove to serving platter and dollop with Cilantro Lime Mayo.

Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

The farmers market featured these bright blossoms that I could not resist.
We stuffed them, baked them, ate them! They were accompanied by some lightly sauteed baby heirloom tomatoes, drizzled with reduced balsamic, and fresh basil.

Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

10-12 zucchini blossoms, washed
5 ounces goat cheese, softened
3 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
2 teaspoons shallot, fined chopped
2 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped
2 teaspoon olive oil
squeeze of lemon juice
a few flakes of red chili pepper (optional)
freshly ground pepper and salt, if needed

Preheat oven to 350F.

Line a baking sheet with foil and grease olive oil.

In a medium bowl, mix the goat cheese, Parmesan, shallot, basil, olive oil, lemon juice, and pepper until well combined.

Spoon or pipe about 1-2 Tablespoons of cheese mixture into base of each blossom. Twist the tops and tuck under. Place on greased baking sheet.

Bake about 10-12 minutes. Lift each blossom with a spatula and transfer to serving dish.
Note: for garnish or salad, quickly saute tomatoes in a little olive oil, top with a drizzle of reduced balsamic and basil leaves.

Asian Barbecue Wings

Hoisin and sesame baked chicken wings are good hot or cold. They are perfect finger food for summertime activities.

Asian Barbecue Wings

3 pounds of chicken wings, tips removed
1 Tablespoon rice bran oil (or vegetable oil)
kosher salt and fresh pepper
1/2 cup minced green onions
1/3 cup Hoisin sauce
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sesame seed, garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 425F.

Pour oil on a large baking sheet lined with foil.
Place chicken wings on baking sheet and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven about 45 minutes, until chicken skin is crispy, turning once.

In a small saucepan, combine green onions, Hoisin sauce, butter, honey, ginger and sesame oil and heat to make a sauce.

Remove wings from oven and place in a bowl. Pour Hoisin sauce over top and mix well.
Top with sesame seeds, if desired.

Kale Chips with Nutritional Yeast

This is just a little twist on the kale chips. We like a little kick to it, so we add some red pepper flakes. They can be omitted if the heat is not desired.

Kale Chips with Nutritional Yeast

Preheat oven to 300F.

5-6 cups kale leaves, centers removed and loosely chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 heaping teaspoon nutritional flakes

On a foil or parchment lined baking sheet, toss kale with olive oil and sea salt (massage in well)!
Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, if desired.

Bake kale about 20-30 minutes until crispy, but not burnt.
Remove from oven and sprinkle nutritional yeast over top.

Smoked Salmon Pizza

This recipe is patterned after a pizza that Wolfgang Puck made famous. I believe he tops his with caviar but I think a tablespoon of capers or minced chives would be a great addition sprinkled over top of the pizza.
I made a gluten free crust but use any prepared pizza dough.

Smoked Salmon Pizza

8 ounces prepared pizza dough
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup Dill Cream
6 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon lox
capers, minced chives (optional)

Preheat oven to 500F

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12 inch round, a little less than 1/4 inch thick.
Transfer dough to rimless baking sheet or pizza stone, brush with olive oil.
Scatter sliced onion over top. Bake until crust is golden brown, about 6-8 minutes.
Cool 5 minutes.

Spread the Dill Cream over the top to the edge of pizza.
Arrange the salmon to cover the surface entirely.
Use a pizza wheel to slice.
Top with caper, minced chives, or caviar, if desired

Corn Tacos with Avocado Cilantro Crema

If you like Mexican food, fresh vegetables, and peppers, you are going to really enjoy this!
Fresh corn is now in the market but frozen will work well also.
The avocado crema is also good as a tortilla dip or slathered on a sandwich. I just saw Bake using it as a dip for grilled shrimp.

Corn Tacos with Avocado Cilantro Crema

Avocado Cilantro Crema
1 bunch of cilantro, washed
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 green onion, sliced
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 large avocado, pitted and cubed
1 large lime, juiced
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Combine cilantro, garlic, green onion, and sugar in a food processor until finely chopped.
Add sour cream, vinegar, avocado, lime juice, salt and pepper, blend until smooth.
Adjust seasoning to taste, more sugar, lime juice, salt or pepper, as desired.

Corn Tacos
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup sweet onion, diced
2 cups corn
1 cup zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
1red chili pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup baby heirloom tomatoes, halved
6-8 corn tortillas

In a large saute pan over medium heat olive oil and add onion, cook until soft (about 5 minutes). Add corn and zucchini, cook about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add peppers and cook about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add 1/2 of tomatoes.
In a large non-stick pan or over gas burner, heat corn tortillas until warm. Remove and spoon in vegetable mixture, top with avocado crema, and tomatoes.
Serve with additional avocado crema and lime on the side.

Strawberry Burrata Basil Salad

The local strawberries are everywhere; sweet and juicy. Pair them with fresh summer basil, right out of the garden, and you know I am always on the lookout for dishes where I can use burrata.
A good quality olive oil, fresh ground pepper, and sea salt finish the dish.

Strawberry Burrata Basil Salad

8 ounces strawberries, washed, hulled and halved
4-8 ounce ball of burrata
3 basil leaves, sliced
pinch of sugar
pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper
2 teaspoons reduced balsamic (balsamic syrup)
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
pinch of sea salt

Place the burrata cheese in the middle of a serving bowl.
In another bowl, toss strawberries with basil, a pinch of sugar, a pinch of salt, and fresh ground pepper.
Spoon the strawberries around the burrata cheese. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar over the strawberries.
Top with a drizzle of olive oil and sea salt over cheese.

Caramelized Onion Hummus

So many of my faves in one dish, caramelized onion, garlic, lemon, and cayenne pepper!
Lydele served a similar, commercial hummus with an appetizer before dinner one night. I had so much of it, she sent me home with some.

In a future post, I will describe Lydele's kitchen in Provence. The amazing food that comes out of a 2 foot kitchen with something that looks like a microwave but is some kind of oven. There are a lot of balls in the air to make meals work but Lydele does it flawlessly and the outcome is simply fabulous food.

Ok, back to the hummus recipe that the appetizer inspired.

Caramelized Onion Hummus

2 sweet onions, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup Tahini (ground sesame)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper

In a saute pan over medium heat, add olive oil and onion. Cook until browned but not burned, about 20 minutes. Take off heat and add garlic, and stir to warm garlic.
Combine chickpeas, Tahini, lemon juice, cumin, salt and peppers in a food processor. Add onion and garlic olive oil mixture to food processor and mix until smooth.
Spoon into serving dish.
Note: a handful of sauteed chickpeas and extra caramelized onions can be used to garnish.

Grilled Sambal Chicken Skewers

I served these over rice with coconut cream, but could be used as an appetizer at a barbecue.
This recipe was found on Epicurious, some of the measurements were adjusted. It is a spicy, hot dish due to the combination of hot sauces.

Grilled Sambal Chicken Skewers

1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sambal oelek (or other hot chili paste)
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup siriacha sauce
2 teaspoons peeled ginger, finely grated
1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2- 2 inch pieces
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
8 bamboo skewers soaked in water, for at least an hour.

Whisk together sugar, vinegar, sambal oelek, fish sauce, siriacha, and ginger in a bowl.
Toss in chicken thighs and marinade until ready to grill.

Put 4-5 pieces of chicken on a skewer. Transfer marinade to a small saucepan and heat to boiling, continue to boil until marinade is reduced by half, about 8-10 minutes.
Grill chicken over medium-high heat until cooked, about 10 minutes, basting with reduced marinade.
Transfer chicken skewers to serving platter and top with sesame seeds.

Bacon-Cheese Fries

Burgers and dogs are cooking on the grill this weekend, served with fries on the side. To enhance the baked fries, top with bacon, cheese, and grilled onions.

Bacon-Cheese Fries

4 slices apple wood bacon, diced

1/3 cup sweet onion, diced

Alfie's seasoning or sea salt and fresh pepper

1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

In a saute pan cook bacon until crisp, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add onions to pan and saute until softened. Remove from pan with slotted spoon.

Deep fry or bake french fries according to package directions. Remove from oven and while fries are still hot, sprinkle with seasoning and cheddar cheese; top with onions and bacon. 

Smokey Winter Salsa

Trying to find salsa for your Cinco de Mayo fixins? Are the tomatoes in your local not quite ready? Or, if it is the middle of winter and tomatoes are out of season, this salsa comes to the rescue. It is a hot, smoky, salsa due to the addition of chipotle sauce.

I am already thinking this will be topped on a frittata or omelet for breakfast.

1 14 ounce can of fire roasted diced tomatoes

Smokey Winter Salsa

3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, plus 1 Tablespoon adobo sauce

1/2 cup onion, chopped small dice

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, Mexican if you have it

Kosher salt, to taste

In a food processor, pulse the tomatoes and chipotle peppers with sauce, to combine but still chunky.

Put the salsa in a small saucepan and add the onion and oregano.

Simmer for about 10 minutes to meld flavors, add salt if needed.

Spicy Crispy Chickpeas

Spicy, toasty, from the pantry chickpeas.

Spicy Crispy Chickpeas

2 cans (14 ounces) chickpeas
drained, rinsed well, and dried
2 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 Tablespoons kosher salt
zest of a lemon

Preheat oven to 400F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Drain and rinse the chickpeas well, dry with paper towels and remove skins.
Place in a bowl and mix in olive oil. Add turmeric, garlic salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper, stir well. Spoon onto baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake about 30-40 minutes, until crispy but not burned.

In a small bowl mix kosher salt and lemon zest together, stirring to release lemon oil.

Combine chickpeas and lemon salt together and serve.

Guacamole Dip

What goes best with salsa and chips? Guacamole!
Grilling the limes brings out the juice.

Guacamole Dip

2 Tablespoons sweet onion, finely diced
1 small tomato, seeded and chopped
1 Jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 limes, halved and grilled
1/2 teaspoon cumin
4 Hass avocados, pitted, peeled and diced
few drops of hot sauce (I like Cholula)
salt and pepper, to taste

In a mixing bowl, combine onion, tomato, Jalapeno, garlic, juice of 1 lime and cumin.
Allow to sit until just before serving.
Add avocados and hot sauce; stir until just combined, you want to keep it chunky. Season with salt and pepper, and check seasonings, add more hot sauce or lime juice if needed.

Fresh Mango Salsa

Mango salsa is so good by itself with some corn chips, over grilled chicken, or fish (like halibut). I was making it to use with the grilled chicken and putting the brakes on everyone wanting to scoop it up with tortilla chips before hand.

Mango Salsa over Grilled Chicken

1 mango, peeled, pitted, and diced
3 Tablespoons green onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup red pepper, diced
1 small Jalapeno, finely diced (ribs and seeds removed if you want it milder)
3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
pinch of salt
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced

In a bowl combine mango, green onion, red pepper, J
alapeno, lime juice, cilantro, and salt. Stir well to combine. Allow to sit for all the flavors to meld. Just before serving add the avocado and stir again.

Grilled Baby Bell Peppers

A great side dish for dinner, picnic, or barbecues.

Grilled Baby Bell Peppers

1 pound of baby bell peppers
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8th teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 Tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
2 Tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled
1 Tablespoon olive oil

In a large bowl, mix 2 Tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper flakes. Add the bell peppers to the bowl and coat the peppers well.

Heat grill pan over high heat and grill peppers, turning as they become charred.
Remove peppers and place back into bowl.
Add additional olive oil, and mint; stir until combined. Place peppers on serving plate and top with feta cheese.

Sriracha Shrimp

Spicy shrimp can be served thread onto skewers, on top of pasta, or salad. These were served with individual picks as an appetizer.

Sriracha Shrimp

3 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 garlic clove, minced
1-2 Tablespoons sriracha sauce
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup green onion, finely chopped

In a large bowl, whisk together butter, vinegar, soy sauce, anchovy paste, garlic, and sriracha until well combined. Set aside 1/4 of sauce.

Add the shrimp and marinate an hour.

Heat a grill pan over high heat and grill shrimp about 1 minute on each side.
Remove shrimp to serving dish. Drizzle with remaining sauce and sprinkle with onions.

Beet "Tartare"

I was looking through Saveur magazine and I saw beef tartare, and thought, I wonder if I could do a take on that using beets? When I went back to look at the recipe with my glasses on, it said BEET. So here is the recipe served on individual endive spears.
I think in the future, I would try a dab of goat cheese in place of the sour cream.

Beet "Tartare"

4 medium beets, roasted and peeled
salt and fresh pepper, to taste
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
zest of 2 oranges
endive spears
1/4 cup sour cream
a few cilantro leaves

Coarsely chop beets and add to food processor; pulse until finely chopped but not pureed.
Transfer beets to a bowl. Stir in vinegar, 1/2 of orange zest and salt and pepper.
Serve on endive leaves with a dab of sour cream, a cilantro leaf, and sprinkle with remaining orange zest.