the thin chef

The other night, Jason and I saw an episode of Good Eats where Alton Brown was making pizza dough. I’ve made pizza dough before…flour, yeast, warm water, etc…and it’s fine. It’s nothing special, but it’s homemade, which is usually better than anything you can buy.

But Alton’s version was pretty different than the one I’ve made before, and his variations—as we found tonight—are what sets apart good enough from really delicious. His recipe calls for bread flour, which has a higher gluten content than regular AP flour, and it also calls for it to be kneaded for 15 to 25 minutes, further developing the gluten in the mix.

I won’t blather on about how fabulous it was…I’ll just say that I don’t think I’ll make pizza dough any other way again. When cooked, the crust had those air pockets that good restaurant crust has. We felt very professional and pizza savvy. It was chewy and crisp and more complex than what I’ve made before. Here’s the link to the dough. (You MUST try this soon!)

In an effort to hasten the arrival of the warm spring weather, we decided to grill our pizzas instead of baking them. I love the flavor a charcoal grill lends to, well, just about anything. But pizza is one of my favorite foods to grill…it’s something about those char marks that can only come from a hot grill, they add a touch of the same je ne sais quoi that a brick oven does. Since the dough made two rounds, and since we are pizza-loving people, I decided to do something different on one, but keep the other one classic. Margherita toppings went on the first, while the second got a swirl of herbaceous pesto made with mint and walnuts, and a tangle of soft and sweet caramelized onions. Briny feta rounded everything out on top. The pizzas were perfect enjoyed outside on a still-cool spring evening (rare for Florida in late March!) with a bottle of light, bright syrah blend.

Grilled Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Mint Pesto + Feta
serves 1 or 2 when combined with a second pizza

3/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup walnuts
1 small clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 to 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 large (softball-size) onion, thinly sliced
Half of pizza dough (recipe link above)
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Place mint, basil, walnuts, garlic, lemon zest and salt in a small food processor. Pulse until everything is pretty finely chopped. Add 1/4 cup oil, and process until combined but still textured. Add more oil as needed so pesto isn’t dry. Set pesto aside.

Heat remaining tablespoon oil in a large saute pan with a lid over medium-low heat. Add sliced onion, and toss to coat in oil. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover pan, and cook, stirring often, until onions are very soft and golden, about 30 minutes.

Prepare grill by evenly spreading 3/4 of the hot coals on one side of the bottom of the grill and the remaining 1/4 on the other side (or set your gas grill to medium-high heat on one side and medium heat on the other). Put dough on the hot side of the grill for 1 minute, or until the underside is golden brown and starting to blister around edges. Flip it onto the cooler side. Carefully spread pesto (as much or as little as you like) on the dough. Top with caramelized onions and feta. Grill until dough is thoroughly browned and crisp on the bottom and the feta is soft and warm. Serve immediately.

Grilled Pizza Margherita
serves 1 or 2 when combined with a second pizza

Place oil and garlic in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook until garlic is golden and fragrant. Add tomatoes (be careful, because they’ll splatter!) and salt. Stir to combine. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add 4 leaves torn basil, stirring to combine. Simmer for 10 minutes more.

Prepare grill by putting 3/4 of the hot coals on one side of grill and the remaining 1/4 on the other side (or heating to medium-high heat for gas grills). Put dough on the hot side of the grill for 1 minute, or until the underside is golden-brown and starting to blister around edges. Flip it onto the cooler side. Brush edges with olive oil. Carefully spread sauce (as much or as little as you like, but keeping in mind too much may make toppings and crust soggy) on the dough. Top with mozzarella. Cover grill (open top vents). Grill pizza until dough is thoroughly browned and crisp on the bottom and the cheese is melted. Top with remaining 3 leaves torn basil. Serve immediately.

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Yesterday, walking through my parents’ backyard—which winds almost an acre behind their house—I realized that I completely take it for granted. I was fortunate enough to grow up with a backyard full of prolific citrus trees. These beautiful trees have limbs that sigh under the weight of grapefruit, oranges, tangerines, mandarin oranges, kumquats, and lemons.

When I was growing up, and still to this day, the fridge is always stocked with fresh juice that my dad lovingly hand squeezes every weekend. On the kitchen floor are galvanized buckets full of fruit for snacking. I think I got, like, 1 cold all through high school, most likely thanks to my daily high doses of vitamin C.

Citrus is innately Florida. Most of the old money here came from the citrus business, and most of the central part of the state where we live and where I grew up was, at one time, all orange groves. Even when I was in high school, there were still sprawling old groves that were eventually torn down for housing developments. (Though I’m fairly certain these groves had been overcome by citrus canker, a disease that renders the fruit too ugly to sell.) When I would drive home from college in the springtime, I’d roll down my windows when I got into town to smell the orange blossoms. Forever and ever, citrus will mean home to me.

I grabbed a few oranges from one of my parents’ trees yesterday…and on this gorgeous, blue-sky-perfect spring afternoon, I decided to use them to make a sunny cocktail. I don’t always love bourbon, but with fresh orange, it’s lovely. A few bubbles courtesy of some Perrier lightened it up just enough for an effervescent afternoon libation.

Sweet Orange + Bourbon Cocktail
makes 1

1 ounce bourbon
3 ounces fresh orange juice
Sparkling water

Pour bourbon over ice in a glass. Add orange juice. Top with as much sparkling water as you prefer (just taste as you go). Best enjoyed outside in the sun under blue skies.

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Ooops…has it really been two weeks since I last posted? Shame on me. Well, at least I have something tasty to share to make up for my absence.

I am, clearly, so very boring sometimes. Every time I am home alone, I eat pasta. Seriously, every time. And, when Jason isn’t here, I also tend to eat things he doesn’t like. So, when he’s away, pasta + his dislikes = my dinner. Without fail. So boring, right?

But truthfully, I never get bored with creating new things to mix in with, or put on top of, pasta. This time around, it was mushrooms and blue cheese—two things Jason will not touch. But also two things that go together harmoniously. I threw in some arugula since the gorgonzola makes a pretty rich sauce. Oh, and also because I cooked the mushrooms in a lot of butter, so I figured the green leafies offset the saturated fat. Or something.

This would be fine on any cut of pasta, but sometimes I just want the swirling and slurping that comes along with long strands. Simple and quick, but with an air of sophistication (maybe it’s the gorgonzola?), this is hearty and rich enough to make a lovely vegetarian weeknight dinner.

Pasta with Mushrooms, Gorgonzola + Arugula
serves 2

1/2 pound pasta of your choice
1 square container sliced cremini mushrooms (also called baby bellas)
1 large or 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped and reserved, stems discarded
Coarse salt + ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 bag baby arugula
Crumbled gorgonzola cheese, to taste

Cook pasta per package directions. In the meantime, melt butter and oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When butter bubbles and froths, add mushrooms, shallot, and thyme, stirring to coat everything in butter/oil. Don’t salt it yet.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and deeply golden brown and shallots are slightly caramelized. Add salt and pepper to taste–go easier on the salt than usual, because gorgonzola can be salty.

When pasta is al dente, drain–but reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water (I use a coffee mug). Add pasta to the skillet with mushrooms. Toss to combine. Add arugula, and toss until it wilts. Add gorgonzola, as much or as little as you like, keeping in mind it can be pretty strong…just taste as you go. Add reserved pasta water, a little bit at a time, tossing, until the cheese melts and forms a nice creamy sauce that coats the pasta. Taste as you go. Serve immediately.

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The words egg salad elicit one of two responses: sounds of mmmm and yumm…or utterances of disgust. If you realize that I’ve posted about egg salad before, I wish I had a prize to give you. Because that means you have either been a reader from the beginning, or you’ve browsed my archives. Either of which definitely deserves a prize. I’ll work on that.

I digress. Egg salad, to me, is one of those things that can be delicious or horrendous, depending on the ingredients you use. Good, organic eggs, the fresher the better should be the base. Add just enough mayo to hold it all together. A dollop of dijon adds good flavor. Maybe a few capers, if you have them. Freshen it up with some herbs and a spritz of lemon. And whatever you do, don’t smash the eggs to a gushy mush. If you like hardboiled eggs, deviled eggs, etc…you’ll most likely enjoy egg salad if it’s made like this.

I like to spoon it onto grilled or toasted bread, a bite at a time. Sometimes I put a little bit of sambal olek or harissa to spice it up. For texture, I like to add a little extra salt in the form of big pink flakes or little gray pebbles. It’s a decidedly springy lunch, perfect for those endless February days when the warmth of summer feels juuuust beyond your reach.

Light + Fresh Egg Salad
serves 2 for lunch

4 eggs
3 to 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon capers, drained and lightly chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill or parsley
Light squeeze of lemon juice
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Grilled or toasted bread, for serving
Sambal olek, harissa, or sriracha, for serving
Flake sea salt or gray salt, for serving

Put eggs in a pan and cover with about 1 inch of water. Cover and bring to a boil. When the water boils, turn off heat and let sit, covered, 10 minutes. Drain and plunge into ice water or run under cold water for a few minutes to stop the cooking.

Peel eggs and place in a large bowl with the mayo and mustard. Using a fork, lightly mash eggs until they are in small pieces, being careful not to over-mash. Stir in capers, dill, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Spoon egg salad onto bread, adding hot sauce and/or a sprinkle of salt, if you like.

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We don’t buy salad dressing. Like, ever. Why? Because any dressing you make at home is going to taste 100% better than what you could buy. And, did I mention? It’s ridiculously easy to make your own. From a simple lemon vinaigrette (our go-to salad topper) to flavorful Asian versions, and even Caesar dressing, it’s cheaper, healthier, and tastier to make dressing at home.

I had some buttermilk in the fridge from making these pancakes (try them this weekend, they are wonderful), so I decided to make a less-guilty version of classic ranch dressing—a favorite in our house, but one we don’t indulge in often. It’s fantastic spooned over an avocado…add a few radish slices, and you have a legitimate salad. It’s also perfect drizzled over a simple salad topped with bacon—kind of a deconstructed wedge salad, that omnipresent steakhouse classic.

Buttermilk Dressing
makes about 1 cup

Less thick than classic ranch, this dressing is much healthier, using low-fat buttermilk and light mayonnaise. Usually, I find fresh garlic too strong in salad dressing, but garlic is kind of a hallmark of ranch. I think the granulated garlic achieved the right flavor without the harsh bite of fresh. If you don’t have granulated garlic, grate 1/2 small fresh clove into the dressing.

1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 heaping teaspoon chopped fresh dill

Combine buttermilk and mayo in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. Add salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and dill. Whisk until salt and garlic are fully dissolved. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Dressing will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

*Though this is not related to food, I’m going to mention it anyway: My high-school friend Vicki is in a contest to win a fabulous wedding package from Crate + Barrel. If you have 3 minutes to spare, click here: http://www.ultimateweddingcontest.com/entries/32658 and vote for her and her precious fiance. Wouldn’t you want to win a dream wedding? I thought so. Vote away!

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Potatoes are one of those chameleon foods (I also think eggs and tofu are chameleons)—they can be made into so many different dishes, and they take on the flavor of whatever they’re cooked with.

But sometimes (like eggs, but not really like tofu), potatoes are so lovely in their natural state with just a little something added to make them sparkle. Simply roasted with salt, pepper, oil, and some herbs, potatoes can be perfection.

Use a pretty heavy hand with the oil, salt, and pepper. It might not be the most figure-friendly way to cook, but it is the most flavor-friendly way. Plain potatoes can be awful, so don’t waste your time with skimpy oil or salt. These are a super versatile side dish, and leftovers are delicious chopped, cooked with some onions, and topped with fried eggs for breakfast hash.

Perfect Roasted Potatoes
serves 4

1 pound small red-skinned potatoes, well scrubbed and little sprouty spots removed
4 big cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
Extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt
Ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or dill (or a combination of both)

Preheat oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Cut potatoes in half or quarters, depending on their size. The goal is to make them all the same size. Place potatoes and smashed garlic in a large bowl, and add a few glugs of oil. Don’t drown them, but be generous (maybe 2 tablespoons). Toss potatoes in oil. Add salt and pepper (again, don’t be bashful with the seasonings). Toss until everything is well distributed.

Pour potatoes and garlic onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread them out so they’re not touching, and so the flat sides are facing down.

Roast for 20 minutes. Toss potatoes with a big spatula, and roast for 15 minutes more, or until potatoes are fork-tender and golden brown. Place potatoes in a serving bowl. Add herbs, and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

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Texture, to me, is half of what makes food good. Flavor, of course, is king…but for me, the texture can make or break a dish. For instance, the cheese dip you get in hole-in-the-wall Mexican places is one of my favorite guilty indulgences. It tastes good, sure, but what gets me is the combination of the warm, crisp chips covered in silky, melty, gooey cheese. It’s addictive. Perfectly cooked fresh pasta, slightly chewy and tender…it’s perfection. I can’t eat jello or applesauce because of the texture (they make me gag). It’s not that the flavor of those foods is gross to me…it’s purely a texture thing.

This brings me to dark meat chicken. Braised dark meat, to be exact. Braising coaxes out the innate butteriness of nearly anything (is butteriness a word? probably not, but oh well). Sometimes I like a slow braise, for things like short ribs and ropa vieja. But sometimes, a quick braise is all you need for a satisfyingly tender results. Chicken thighs do beautifully in a quick braise.

I was inspired by this Cooking Light recipe. (I got a subscription to CL for Christmas, and I’m loving it. Great magazine.) I essentially rewrote the recipe, though, for what I had on hand and what I thought would be good. It’s great for a weeknight, since it cooks quickly, and using dark meat is especially wallet-friendly.

Braised Chicken Thighs with Herbs and Tomatoes
serves 3 or 4, depending on how big your chicken thighs are

4 medium or large boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Coarse salt and ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 pint grape tomatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup good chicken broth
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons sour cream (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 to 4 cups cooked egg noodles

Put chicken thighs on a plate. Use tongs to flatten the thighs (sometimes they’re curled up in the package), then evenly sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat in a large sautee pan with deep sides and a lid. Add onion and thyme. Cook until onion is translucent and tender, about 4 minutes. Move onion to edges of pan, and increase heat to medium-high. Add remaining butter to pan, and put chicken in pan. Sear until both sides of chicken are golden, about 3 minutes per side. Stir onions while the chicken sears so they don’t burn.

When chicken is seared, toss everything around. Add tomatoes, wine, chicken broth, and Dijon. Shimmy the pan, and stir, to combine everything. Cover pan, and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on how big the thighs are, until the center registers 160 on a meat thermometer.

Take chicken out of sauce, place on a clean plate, and cover loosely with foil. Turn heat up to medium-high, and simmer sauce until it’s reduced by a bit. Off the heat, stir in sour cream, if using. Stir in half of fresh parsley.

Put about 1 cup cooked egg noodles on each serving plate. Top with a chicken thigh, and spoon the sauce over top. Top with additional fresh parsley, and serve.

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Valentine’s Day isn’t really a big thing for us. Jason is usually much better than I am at the whole day, with pretty flowers and lovely chocolates to surprise me. This year, though, after the big move and outfitting our new digs with couches, tables, rugs, and the like, we decided that we’d give each other just the gift of an evening together. Of course in the house, that means an evening spent eating.

On the second day of our honeymoon in Paris last may, Jason tasted green peppercorn sauce (the one that came alongside his steak frites) for the first time. What ensued can only be described as true infatuation—I think he ordered this nearly every day we were there, and talked about it for weeks thereafter. But he had a point. The light but creamy sauce—speckled with mild green peppercorns and slightly sweet from the addition of brandy—is truly divine. No matter what. You could dip shoe leather in it and the leather would be edible. Delicious, even.

When we returned, I promised Jason I’d try my hand at making the sauce. We had some friends over for a bistro meal...but it wasn’t quite the same. Tonight, for our evening together, Jason suggested steaks with green peppercorn sauce. How could I say no to my Valentine? We couldn’t find brine-packed peppercorns, which are traditional, but that’s OK. The sauce was really, truly, spot on. As in almost as good as the ones we had in France. (Not to give myself too much credit…it’s a simple sauce…)

With roasted potatoes that were also among the best I think we’ve had in a very long time, (that post is to come) and, of course, the yummy, perfectly seared steaks, this was an absolutely fabulous evening in.

Honeymoon in Paris Steaks au Poivre
Serves 2

2 steaks of your choice (we like ribeyes, NY strips, or top sirloin)
Coarse salt and coarsely ground black pepper
Olive oil
2 tablespoons green peppercorns packed in brine (preferred) OR dried green peppercorns (still OK)
1/2 to 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup beef stock or broth
Scant 1/4 cup brandy

Sprinkle steaks generously with salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature for about 30 to 40 minutes. If your steaks are very thick (2 1/2″ or more), preheat oven to 400º.

Crush peppercorns in a mortar and pestle or in a zip-top baggie with a rolling pin. Add the crushed peppercorns to 1/2 cup cream in a small bowl. Stir, and set aside.

Heat a large skillet over almost-high heat (an 8 out of 10). Add just enough oil to barely coat the skillet. If the oil smokes, it’s ready. If it doesn’t, give it another few seconds until it does. Open the windows in your kitchen and turn on any vent fans and ceiling fans. Pat top side of steaks dry with a paper towel, and carefully place dry side in skillet. Pat other side dry.

Cook steaks about 4 to 6 minutes per side, or until nicely browned and medium-rare, or your preferred doneness. (Here’s a good guide for knowing the doneness of your steak.) If your steaks are very thick, this is when you transfer them to the preheated oven for about 7 or 8 minutes more.

When the steaks come out of the skillet, reduce heat to medium-high (about a 6 out of 10) and immediately add stock to the skillet. Use tongs to scrape bits from the bottom. Add the cream and peppercorns, and stir. Add brandy. Simmer sauce until reduced and slightly thickened, about 8 minutes. Add additional cream, if you’d like, until the consistency and flavor are just right. There should be enough salt from the steaks left in the pan, but taste, and add salt, if needed.

Serve sauce either in a ramekin alongside steaks or spooned over top. Bon appetit!

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Have you ever baked a pizza in a skillet?

I remember being about 9 years old eating in a Pizzeria Uno and thinking it was divine. Just beyond. The golden, flaky, crispy crust, the gooey cheese, and the (probably bordering on ridiculous amounts of) sausage and thick, red sauce…it was so fabulous to me. I don’t think my parents were a fan, because I’m fairly certain we never went back. Perhaps because the Uno in Orlando was a chain, and a far cry from the true Chicago original. When I went to Chicago last year with my girlfriends, I knew I had to have the real thing. And we did. Not at Pizzeria Uno (I heard mixed reviews), but a place whose name I can’t recall. A fun, rowdy bar-restaurant with very few tourists in sight. Anyway, the pizza there brought back those delicious-gooey-yummy-flavorful memories. I do love thin crust, but I’m beginning to think that deep-dish is my true heart’s desire.

Jen of Last Night’s Dinner has posted a few times about the iron-skillet pizzas that she and her husband make (in fact, there are fabulous instructions and a recipe posted right now on her blog).  They always look amazing, and so one night, with barely enough ingredients on hand, I just kind of threw stuff in the pan and winged it. It was most certainly not the amazing version we had in Chicago, and it didn’t even look as good as Jen’s. But, I think we were onto something…and it’s my new favorite way to make pizza at home.

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I have always loved granola. Well, as far as I can remember. When I was young, we lived in a house about a half mile away from a TCBY. I remember when it first opened, when frozen yogurt was a new concept. The swirly stuff was considered healthy, and the toppings bar was unlike the one at our old haunt Baskin Robbins.

This one had granola in a little toppings cubby, neighbor to the colored jimmies, hot butterscotch, and candied walnuts. I don’t remember if I’d had it before, but from the first time I had it sprinkled onto my chocolate-vanilla swirl, I was hooked. From then on, it was granola that topped my TCBY, which became an almost daily treat when my mom was pregnant with my little brother (it was summertime, after all).

Granola remains a favorite ice cream topping, but it’s also a go-to order when dining anywhere that claims to make theirs from scratch. I’ve made it before…realizing it tastes best when coated in a generous mixture of oil and honey, making it a pretty unhealthy choice for breakfast, even if it’s made with oatmeal.

Last week, I tried a combination of a few different recipes I found online, modified to suit what I had in the pantry. I also cut the sugar and fat down. It was pretty good, but I’m going to keep tweaking until I find just the right mix. Until then, here’s the recipe to get you started. Adjust as you see fit.

Basic Honey-Almond Granola
Makes about 5 cups
I didn’t have any dried fruit on hand, so I didn’t put any in, but cranberries and cherries are both delicious add-ins. I’d add them after baking so they don’t get too dried out. If you don’t have almonds, walnuts and pecans are both good substitutes. And play around with sweeteners…try agave nectar or even apple juice concentrate instead of the honey/molasses combo for a taste and texture you like. The wheat germ not only adds nutritional goodness, it also helps everything stick together and get crunchy.

4 cups old-fashioned (not quick) oats
1 cup wheat germ
1 to 1 1/2 cups sliced almonds
1/2 cup honey
3 tablespoons molasses
2 to 3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Place oven racks in middle two positions. Preheat oven to 275º. Line 2 baking sheets with a Silpat or parchment paper. Set aside.

Combine oats, wheat germ, and almonds in a large bowl. Combine honey, molasses, 2 T water, and vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is uniform and melted.

Pour honey mixture over oat mixture and stir to combine, using your hands or a wooden spoon. Divide mixture in two on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake, stirring mixture and switching positions of pans halfway through, until granola is golden, about 15 to 25 minutes. (It won’t feel crisp until after it cools.) Keep an eye on it, as it goes from golden to burned in a matter of minutes. Cool on baking sheets set on wire racks until granola is cool to the touch and crisp. Store for up to a week in mason jars with tight-fitting lids, tupperware containers, or zip-top bags.

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