Author: binner216@comcast.net

Greenie Beanie Salad with Warm Bacon, Shallot, and Garlic Dressing

Don’t laugh at the title of this post. Greenie beanies was how we always referred to this vegetable when my kids were growing up. Maybe it helped them eat them more willingly, maybe I just made up silly words because I was that kind of mom. Whatever the reason, we still refer to those lovely green spears as greenie beanies. They are still a family favorite and if you took a poll, half the family would like them as a salad and the other half would like them as a warm side dish, though everyone would eat them both ways.

The garden has given us a veritable bounty of beans. The beans have survived being nibbled down to almost nothing by deer, shivering through cold beginnings, basking in very warm sunshine and way more than enough rain. Thanks to care by many residents especially wonderful Lois, the beans are sweet and tender and just beg to be eaten simply. Green Bean Salad in Mama D’s Kitchen consists of blanched green beans in a dressing of olive oil, garlic, fresh basil, and balsamic vinegar. This is how my mother made it except that the beans were more than blanched and  the dressing usually featured mint as the herb of choice. I think she used mint because it was very plentiful in our backyard. Anyone who has grown mint knows that it knows no boundaries, so there was always a steady supply for bean salad and the requisite summer iced tea.

When I fix green beans as a side dish I fry up some bacon and add shallots. Then I toss the blanched beans in this deletable bath and heat until everything is happy. Green beans and bacon have a natural affinity and the shallots add a subtly onion-y flavor that is perfect with almost anything.

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I couldn’t decide which of my preferred preparations to make so I opted for a mash-up of the two.The beautiful beanies would be lightly cooked to the perfect tender crispness and dressed with a vinaigrette of garlic, olive oil and balsamic. The dressing would be further enhanced with shallots and bacon. While I decided to chill the beans slightly, the dressing would be warm.

Blanching green beans seems to work the best for me. Cooking them briefly in boiling water then plunging them into an ice bath, while seeming cruel and unusual punishment, results in bright green beans that crunch ever so gently when you bite into them. It sets the stage for whatever they will become.

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On this occasion, they chilled briefly  while I prepared the dressing. Two slices of chopped peppered bacon crisped up in a pan. Out came the bacon and away went the drippings. The pan was left with all those beautiful brown bits. They weren’t alone for long. I added some olive oil followed by some diced shallots. Once they were soft and fragrant I added some garlic and let them cook long enough to become really good friends. Then a bit more olive oil and some balsamic vinegar and the dressing was perfect.

By this time the beans were slightly chilled and ready to welcome their rich brown dressing. The bacon crowned the dish and a new family favorite was born.

Green Bean Salad with Warm Bacon Shallot and Garlic Dressing
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Green Bean Salad with Warm Bacon Shallot and Garlic Dressing
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. In a large pot, bring a good amount of salted water to boil. Add the green beans and cook for 3 - 4 minutes (they should be just barely tender and quite crisp).
  2. Drain the beans and place in a bowl of ice water. Stir to cool as quickly as possible. Drain well and store in the refrigerator while you make the dressing.
  3. Chop the bacon and cook it in a small skillet until it is crisp. Remove the bacon and drain on a paper towel. Pour off all of the drippings but leave the browned bits.
  4. Add the olive oil to the pan and let it get hot. Add the shallots and cook for 3 minutes or so until they begin to turn golden.
  5. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes, stirring often.
  6. Add the vinegar and reduce the heat to low. Let the dressing simmer for a few minutes. Check the flavor and add salt and pepper if needed.
  7. Put the beans in a serving bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Sprinkle the reserved bacon on the top and serve.
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It looks as though there will be more beans to come as well as tomatoes and peppers (as long as the squirrels don’t sample too much).  In spite of everything our community garden is giving us lots of food and a different perspective on apartment living.

 

Smokey Grilled Chicken Thighs with Sage and Other Good Things

Chicken thighs are wonderful. Meaty, juicy and the perfect protein for the grill. While the boneless/skinless variety is everyone’s darling, the bone in/skin on version is not without its charms. The bone adds flavor and the skin, when carefully trimmed provides a nice little blanket of succulent juice.

These thighs come to the table like a little present. There’s a tasty surprise under the skin, herbs led by fresh sage leaves, garlic and olive oil. The grill provides a nice smokey flavor thanks to that skin and olive oil. In this case a small (very small) grill fire is a good thing. Where there is fire there will be smoke. Where there is smoke there will be flavor.

Figure on two thighs per person. My package had six and there were three of us eating so the equation worked. Just multiply and divide, or let the serving adjustment feature on this recipe do the thinking for you.

This went wonderfully with a Potato and Green Bean Salad the I will share with you soon. As the holiday weekend stretches before us, give this recipe a try. It’s perfect for an intimate gathering, but can easily adapt to feed a crowd.

Smokey Sage Grilled Chicken Thighs
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These little bundles of goodness make a wonderful dinner.
Servings
3
Servings
3
Smokey Sage Grilled Chicken Thighs
Print Recipe
These little bundles of goodness make a wonderful dinner.
Servings
3
Servings
3
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Mix the garlic, herb blend, and olive oil together in a small bowl. Allow to sit for an hour or so before assembling the chicken thighs. This allows the herbs to soak up the olive oil and become almost a paste.
  2. Trim the chicken thighs of extra fat and skin. They should have a nice little cap of skin when you're finished.
  3. Carefully loosen the skin and gently pull it aside. Leave one edge of skin connected to the meat.
  4. Divide the garlic herb paste evenly between the thighs. Spread it ever so gently on the flesh of the thighs.
  5. Place two sage leaves on each f the thighs and carefully pull the skin back in place.
  6. Use kitchen twine to tie up the thighs. I did this like ribbon on a package; crossing the twine on top and knotting it on the bottom.
  7. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper and place skin side up on a medium hot grill. Allow to cook 7 -9 minutes with the lid down until the bottom is nicely browned.
  8. Carefully turn the thighs skin side down. Close the lid and allow to cook for 5 minutes or so. Check the thighs at this point. Lifting the lid should cause a little fire. Blow it out and re-cover the grill. You've just set up your smoker.
  9. Let the chicken continue to cook/smoke for another 5 minutes or until they are cooked through (internal temperature should be 165 degrees).
  10. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut the strings and plate the chicken.
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Love, Mama D

 

Summer Vacation and Italian Three Bean Salad in the Kitchen of Love

It’s hard to believe that my summer vacation will be over in a week. As the saying goes, time flies when you’re having fun. To be honest, I will still have a generous portion of each afternoon to do all the summer type things that I am remembering how much I enjoyed. While I’m not riding my bike or trying to go “over the bars” on a swing, I am taking time to enjoy the simpler things that made the Midwestern summers of my childhood so special, warm days, long evenings, and now, time in the kitchen.  I am loving the time that I can spend planning and preparing meals. Produce abounds from the garden, farm stands, and the grocery store. The colors and textures paint visions of meals that are vegetable driven, healthy and dare I say it, fabulously delicious.

I’ve gone back to dinners around a theme. Recently we had an Italian inspired dinner. Okay, lots of my dinners have an Italian vibe. What do you expect? I’m Italian and proud of it. “Italian-ness” aside, I do love pork. Tenderloins are my current favorite because they are versatile, quick cooking and the perfect size for two. I wanted to do another version of the pork wrapped in pork that is always so succulently yummy. I had a little thin sliced pancetta that I carefully uncoiled to create a delicate casing for the pork.

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The seasoning for the meat had a very sausage like taste…red pepper flakes, fennel, and Italian herbs. In the summer, if you are Italian, and you think sausage, the next thing to pop into your head is peppers. Of course, peppers fried in olive oil with a bit of onion had to become the side.

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Now what? In what I feel was a stroke of brilliance, a bean salad came to mind. Then the gears in my Italian brain meshed and I decided to make an Italian version of Three Bean Salad. We all remember the traditional Three Bean Salad that often appears at picnics and many salad bars. Varying combinations of green and kidney beans swim in a decidedly sweet vinegar dressing. Can this become a Paisan? I kept the green beans and added garbanzo and cannellini beans. The dressing went from sweet to tangy with the addition of lemon juice and white balsamic vinegar. Garlic and olive oil completed the transformation.DIGITAL CAMERA I opted to use rosemary and parsley as the herb component because I love how they taste with lemon. I chose red for the onion and pepper because they’re pretty and it gave a little nod to the Italian flag. As with any marinated salad, I made it early in the day so that everything had time to become as friendly as the goombahs from the old neighborhood.

Italian Three Bean Salad
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Italian Three Bean Salad
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Cook the green beans in salted boiling water for about 2 minutes. You want them quite crisp, but with a tender heart.
  2. Drain the beans and cool quickly in a bowl of ice water. Drain well again and place in a large bowl.
  3. Add the cannellini and garbanzo beans to the bowl. Let the peppers and onions join in the fun, too. Toss everything together.
  4. Combine the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice & zest, garlic, mustard, rosemary and parsley in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake vigorously until the dressing is completely blended.
  5. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss to coat everything. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, overnight if you have the time.
  6. Give it one more good toss before you serve it and taste again, making any adjustments. It's ready.
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This was a wonderful partner for the pork and peppers, but it would go well with any grilled meat and would be a hit at any party you brought it to. Another plus for this dish is that it can easily function as a one dish meal. The beans provide plenty of protein and fiber, but if you wanted to up the ante, add some cheese.

I did just that for lunch the next day. A little feta cheese, some tomatoes and a nice bed of baby greens from the garden made for a lunch that was as tasty as it was pretty.

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Waiting (Impatiently) on a Garden and Pesto Pasta Salad

I love our community garden. Ever since I put my tomatoes, peppers, and squash in the ground I’ve been excited to reap the rewards. Here’s the problem. Gardens take time. The whole sunshine, rain, and TLC thing is not an overnight process. Our weather has been far from cooperative. It got a little too cold right after we planted. Then it got really hot and we were watering everyday. We of course wished for rain and guess what? You know the saying, “when it rains, it pours”? Yeah, that’s what’s been going here for a few too many days. In spite of all that, the garden is flourishing. The plants seem to enjoy the constant precipitation with little sunny interludes. They are bigger everyday and I can even see growth from morning until evening.049

While there is an abundance of baby lettuce, some tender young kale, and lovely radishes, the big-ticket items have yet to set fruit (an industry term). I’m like a child waiting for Christmas. I’ve been good and my proverbial stocking has been hung, so where is the big payoff? This is where patience comes into play. Mama D’s summer kitchen (and imagination) is swimming with ideas for healthy summer dishes bursting with garden fresh produce. Until my very local thing comes along, grocery store produce will have to do. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…

A recent supper was a one dish wonder, Pesto Pasta Salad. Multigrain rotini joined green beans and tomatoes in a homemade pesto dressing. Smoked Mozzarella added a bit of protein and a dusting of Pecorino Romano topped it all. It is easy to make and lends itself to all kinds of variations. It all began with my Roasted Garlic Pesto. This is a recipe that I have revised and tweaked over the years until it is perfection, at least in my eyes. It involves the usual suspects; basil (from the pot on my balcony),

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parsley, olive oil, pine nuts, and of course garlic. This is where my version takes a right turn from the traditional recipe. I roast the garlic. Forty minutes or so in the oven and the bitter edge of garlic-ness is mellowed into something more subtle, slightly sweet and dare I say it, more complex. I also give the pine nuts a quick toast to enhance their flavor as well.

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Everything gets blended in the processor to create a rich and savory paste that improves anything it touches. For this recipe, I made just what I needed, but when the basil is plentiful, a big batch is just as easy to make and it freezes beautifully. I usually measure 1/4 cup portions into individual zip top sandwich bags. The small bags go into a larger freezer bag and can live happily for several months in the freezer ready to ad that yummy touch to soup, pasta, or grilled meats.

Roasted Garlic Pesto
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Servings
1-1/2 Cups
Servings
1-1/2 Cups
Roasted Garlic Pesto
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Servings
1-1/2 Cups
Servings
1-1/2 Cups
Ingredients
Servings: Cups
Instructions
  1. Cut the top off the head of garlic (just enough to expose the cloves a bit). Place in the center of a square of heavy duty foil. Drizzle with a little olive oil and wrap sealing completely but leaving a little breathing room. Place in a 350 degree oven and bake for 40 minutes or until the kitchen smells wonderful and the garlic feels soft. Unwrap and allow to cool.
  2. Toast the pine nuts on top of the stove. Place them in a dry non-stick pan and toast over low heat shaking frequently to prevent burning. This should take 6 or 7 minutes.
  3. Place the basil and parsley leaves in the bowl of a processor. Squeeze the cooled garlic into the bowl. Add the pine nuts. Pulse to coarsely chop the ingredients.
  4. Add the grated cheese and pulse to combine.
  5. With the motor of the processor running, stream the olive oil into the feed tube. Stop as soon as the mixture is the texture that you like. (Do not process until smooth).
  6. Scrape the pesto into a bowl. Check for seasoning Add some ground pepper and a pinch of salt if you want.
  7. It is now ready to use. It can be frozen in 1/4 cup (or whatever amount you like) packages. It will keep in the refrigerator for a week. Pour a thin layer of olive oil on the pesto before you put it in the refrigerator to help preserve color and flavor.
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This pesto was transformed into a dressing for my pasta salad. Multigrain rotini was my pasta of choice. I like how the dressing clings to the spiral ridges. My vegetable additions, alas, came from the refrigerator instead of the garden. In spite of all of  my coaxing, the beans aren’t even a glimmer in the plants’ eyes and the tomato plants are bearing some tiny yellow blossoms, but nothing more. While the mini heirloom tomatoes and haricot vert made a delightful salad, I look forward to making this again in a few weeks with my own homegrown bounty.

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I turned my pesto into a lighter dressing by adding some vegetable stock and a shot of white balsamic vinegar. I used a Smoked Mozzarella because I had it on hand (this may be becoming my new mantra), but any cheese with a bold flavor would work. Some grilled chicken would also make for a wonderful main dish salad. Prepare this salad the day ahead to give the flavors some time to get to know each other better, just take it out about an hour before serving for maximum flavor.

Pesto Pasta Salad
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Pesto Pasta Salad
Print Recipe
Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. About 3 minutes before the cooking time is over add the green beans.
  2. At the end of the cooking time drain the pasta and beans and rinse well with cold water. Pour the beans and pasta into a large bowl.
  3. Cut the tomatoes in half and add them to the bowl.
  4. Whisk the pesto, stock, and vinegar together until well blended. Pour the dressing over the ingredients and toss to coat well. Taste and add salt and/or pepper if needed.
  5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Overnight is better.
  6. When you are ready to serve, toss well and check for seasoning. If the salad seems dry add a little more vegetable stock or a splash of olive oil. Sprinkle the Romano cheese on top and serve.
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So, the garden keeps on growing in spite of a visit from some hungry deer last night. I’ve waited this long, I guess a little longer won’t hurt.  Love, Mama D

 

 

 

Summer Vacation, Scarborough Farro, and Artichoke & Tomato Salad

Summer has arrived in Mama D’s Kitchen. I’m officially on Summer vacation for 3 whole weeks! Instead of rising before 5 every morning to get on a school bus, I can get up early (if I want) and do what I want. Morning walks, afternoon swims, puttering in the garden, and more than a little time with my grandsons. It also means that I have more time to spend in the kitchen and with the bounty of fresh produce around, inspiration is always arriving.

Once summer is firmly entrenched meals just naturally get lighter. Recently we feasted on Grilled Turkey Italian Sausage that was accompanied by a simple Artichoke and Tomato Salad and a riff on my Farro Risotto that I affectionately call Scarborough Farro.

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Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme, of course, feature prominently in this dish. If you haven’t listened to  Scarborough Fair lately, take a few minutes to go back to a time that was simpler, yet very complex. Superficially a peaceful song based on an old English ballad, it intertwines with an anti-war song not so subtly protesting the Vietnam War.

Farro has been cooking up in my kitchen a lot lately. I followed the same steps that I did for the Farro Risotto, cooking onion as well as garlic along with the uncooked  farro in some olive oil. I added some chicken stock and let it cook for a good 20 minutes.Towards the end I added my herbaceous quartet. These four herbs get along really well together with a sweet harmony much like Simon & Grafunkel. The best part was they all came from our garden.

Click on the link to the farro risotto recipe above. Once you’re there, do a few substitutions. Leave out the spinach and roasted peppers (though I think they could stay in if you like) and add a good 1/3 – 1/2 cup of chopped fresh herbs near the end of the cooking. My personal preference was to let the thyme and parsley take the lead vocal while the rosemary and sage provided the harmony. Make a blend that will sing your own song. 

Now to that Artichoke  and Tomato Salad:

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I used a can of whole artichoke hearts, I find that I get better pieces when I cut them myself. If you can find fresh baby artichokes, by all means go for it. They are hard to find in this part of the country, but if you do find them it will make this salad even more amazing. I used a combination of red grape and yellow cherry tomatoes, mainly because it’s what I had on hand. Sweet onion was the final component.

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I made a straight forward vinaigrette. I added just a touch of Agave Syrup. Since my dressings tend to be light on the oil, this bit of sweetness balances the acidity and creates a better texture. Everything went together early in the day so that when it was time for dinner everyone was well acquainted.

Artichoke and Tomato Salad
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Servings
3
Servings
3
Artichoke and Tomato Salad
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Servings
3
Servings
3
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Combine the artichokes, tomatoes, and onion in a bowl. Toss gently to mix.
  2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Close tightly and shake until all of the ingredients are thoroughly blended.
  3. Pour the dressing over the vegetable and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (more is better).
  4. Serve with your favorite grilled meat, fish, or poultry.
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Summer is here and the Kitchen of Love is bursting with inspiration. I have lots of adventures to share with you and a memory or two as well, so keep tuning in.             Love, Mama D