Panzanella-Palooza: The Summer Edition

Over the years I have sung the praises of the Panzanella Salad. Italian peasant fare, vegetables combined with dry bread cubes and a vinaigrette dressing. It is an established fact that if it is summer there will be panzanella salad in Mama D’s Kitchen of Love. This summer is no exception. In fact it has become the reigning go to supper here, appearing at least weekly in various shapes and forms.

Panzanella got its start in Tuscany long ago with onions being the star of the show. Later tomatoes took over that position and modern panzanella was born. Bread, usually stale has also been a principle player. Thrifty Tuscans didn’t want even the most stale bread to go to waste so they would soak it in water and add vegetables to make a meal. This is probably how it got its name. Pane means bread and zanella means deep bowl. If you have wet bread and vegetables you are going to need a deep bowl.

Making so many Panzanella salads this summer I have come to a few conclusions. I wanted to share some of those along with a recipe or two in case you want this to be your Panzanella-Palooza Summer, too.

  1. The bread you use is important, it is bread salad after all. The bread should be sturdy, crusty and maybe a little stale. Sourdough is my current bread of choice. I am always searching for a loaf that has the flavor and smell to take me back to San Francisco. La Brea Bread Company (available at Caputo’s) makes one and I just got another great loaf at Mariano’s bakery. Don’t worry if your bread isn’t stale. You backyard grill or even your oven can create the perfect croutons for your salad.There are lots of other good choices including Ciabatta and French. I’ve made several wonderful salads with Multigrain Baguettes as well. Use what you love or have on hand.
  2. Tomatoes get lonely so give them some company. Summer vegetables are hitting their stride right now and most of them play well with tomatoes. Onions should always be invited to the party. Cucumbers, bell peppers, summer squash and zucchini are great bowl mates too. Artichoke hearts (I use frozen for convenience) are a welcome addition as well. If you love the vegetable it will love being in your salad.
  3. Having a variety of vegetables makes for great flavors. Having a variety of textures makes for a great salad. I like to mix raw and cooked vegetables to achieve that wonderfully interesting balance. This summer, I have been grilling many of the vegetables. Tomatoes, onions, and peppers have all had a turn on the grill before jumping into a salad. Tomatoes grilled just enough to release their juices combine beautifully with crunchy red onions….etc.
  4. When it comes to dressing, simple is probably better. The recipe below is not very complex, but if you are feeling a bit fancy it is a great match up to any salad.
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    Mediterranean Vinaigrette

    A twist on the classic vinaigrette with plenty of lemon and more than a hint of garlic. Add any fresh herbs of your choice. This is wonderful on a Greek salad, but it would be equally delightful as a dressing for grilled vegetable or a pasta salad. It makes a great marinade as well.

    Ingredients
    • 1 Medium Lemon Juice and zest
    • 2 Cloves Garlic Grated
    • 1/4 Cup White Balsamic Vinegar
    • 1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes Optional, to taste
    • 3 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Herbs Parsley, thyme, basil, or you choice
    • Kosher Salt and Pepper To taste
    • 1 Tsp. Dijon Mustard
    • 1/4 Cup Olive oil
    Instructions

    1. Combine all of the ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake until completely blended. Allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

    As the summer has gone on, I have stripped it down. Some good olive oil warmed with a few smashed garlic cloves is a lovely base. Combined with a flavorful vinegar, salt and pepper it lets the beauty of the vegetables shine through.

  5. Add some protein and make your salad a meal. Use anything that sounds good to you. Leftover chicken, cured meats, beans, grilled sausage or steak all work well. Then there is cheese. Who doesn’t love cheese? Fresh mozzarella or cubed Asiago have found there way into my salads, but the best discovery has been Grilled Feta. It is firm and dense enough to hold up to the grill’s heat though it does need to be watched carefully. The time and effort is worth it.
  6. Herbs make everything better. Chop up a handful of whatever you love and add them to the salad. Basil, parsley, and chives are my current go tos.Here is a Basic Recipe for a Summer Panzanella Salad…it is very grill forward and leaves room for all kinds of interpretation.
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    Summer Panzanella Salad

    A basic recipe for Panzanella salad that takes advantage of Summer's bounty.

    Servings: 2
    Ingredients
    • 3-4 Ounces Crusty Bread Stale is great!
    • 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
    • 2 Cloves Garlic Smashed
    • 1 Medium Onion Any variety
    • 2-3 Medium Tomatoes
    • 2 Cups Chopped Vegetables Whatever you love
    • 1/2 Cup Chopped Herbs Any variety to taste
    • 2 Tbsp. Vinegar Your choice
    • 1 Cup Chopped Protein Anything
    • 2 Ounces Cheese
    • Salt & Pepper To Taste
    Instructions

    1. In a small pan heat the oil and garlic gently . Once the garlic begins to sizzle take it off the heat and let it steep.

    2. Slice the bread about 1 inch thick. Brush both cut sides with a little of the olive oil and toast in the oven or on the grill. It should be dry and lightly browned. Let it cool then cut it into cubes. Place in the bottom of a deep bowl.

    3. If you are grilling vegetables, brush them lightly with some of the garlic olive oil and place on a medium grill. Tomatoes can be cut in half horizontally  and will only take a few minutes. Cherry tomatoes can be skewered. Other vegetables whether cooked whole or chopped should be tender and lightly charred. Cut any whole vegetables into bite size pieces. Put these on top of the bread cubes.

    4. Cut or chop raw vegetables into bite size pieces. Roughly chop the herbs. Cut your protein into bite size pieces as well. All of these can be put on top of the bread cubes. Toss everything together.

    5. Add the vinegar to the remaining garlic olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. If the salad seems a bit dry add a bit more olive oil. 

    6. Let the salad sit for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.  Taste and adjust any seasonings. Divide between 2 plates and serve.

    As you can see, this is a very general and basic recipe that will lend itself to any direction you want to head in. There are so many vegetables that would enjoy winding up in this kind of salad. Play around..that’s part of what Summer is all about. Know too, that as Fall approaches and winter comes along, there will be lots more Panzanella Salads.

3 Nights on the Grill, 3 Marinades, a Tip, and a Hack

Memorial Day Weekend is here. While the most important part of this time is to remember those who have fought and are fighting to keep our country safe, it is the unofficial start of Summer.That means it is officially grilling season in Mama D’s Kitchen of Love.

We do grill almost year around, but it is so much nicer when you don’t have to put on a winter coat to do it. Our little grill is still performing wonderfully and the adaptations we have made to size and heat are now second nature. We continue to discover new things that cook beautifully on the grill, as this post will show. We’ve done a one dish meal, grilled chicken (and an array of other proteins), and even a single ingredient for a recipe. This last being easy on a small grill that can be ready in 5 minutes.

Now for that One (Grill) Basket Meal. I was inspired by a plethora of Sheet Pan Fajita Recipes. So, I decided to move my ingredients from the oven to the grill. This will work with any fajita recipe with just a bit of adaptation. My protein of choice was chicken breast. A Bag-o-Bits was in the freezer and this seemed like the perfect use for it. Marinating helps flavor the meat and amends the too long in the freezer time. This marinade would work for any protein that you want to give a citrusy southwestern flavor to.

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Grilled Fajita Marinade

This is a basic recipe that will work for chicken, beef, or pork. The ingredient amounts suit me, make any adjustments to suit yourself.

Author: binner216@comcast.net
Ingredients
  • 1/4 Cup Fresh Lime Juice
  • 2 Tbsp. Canola Oil
  • 2 Tsp. Dried Minced Onion
  • 2 Tsp. Dried Minced Garlic
  • 1 Tsp. Ground Cumin
  • 1/2 Tsp. Ground Coriander
  • 1 Tsp. Ancho Chili Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp. Agave Syrup
  • 1/2 Tsp. Salt
Instructions

  1. Mix all of the ingredients together. Pour over 1 pound of your protein of choice. A zip top bag works well for this. Toss to coat all the protein. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator 4-6 hours.

  2. Remove protein from marinade. Throw the marinade away. Grill your protein to your liking.

This brings me to a hint that I want to share. I used (and will continue to use) dried onions and garlic in this marinade. Time saving was my first reason to use them. Yes, it doesn’t take much time to chop up onions and garlic, but it takes even less time to toss in their dried counterparts. I think they also impart more flavor, especially in long marinating. These are not new ingredients; they have been around forever, If you have relegated them to the back of the spice cabinet, throw them away and buy new jars. As with any spice they lose flavor as they age. They are relatively inexpensive so this is not a big waste.

 

I had a craving for something Asian inspired. Boneless chicken thighs are my favorite poultry for the grill. They cook quickly and have enough fat to remain tender and juicy. This marinade started with orange juice and combined a host of aromatic flavors to create a marinade that would also work with pork. I opted for all fresh ingredients and gave them a quick whirl in my mini processor. Once the thighs had absorbed the flavors they were joined by Baby Bok Choy and thick Red Onion slices.

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Asian Marinade for Chicken or Pork

this marinade will give your protein of choice a decidedly Asian flavor. If you like things on the spicy side add a teaspoon of Sambal.

Author: binner216@comcast.net
Ingredients
  • 1/4 Cup Fresh Orange Juice
  • 1/4 Cup Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
  • 1 Small Finger Ginger Root
  • 2-3 Cloves Garlic
  • 1 Tsp. Sesame Oil
  • 2 Tbsp. Red Onion
  • 1/2 Tsp. Agave Syrup Optional, to taste
Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in a mini processor. Pulse until the ingredients are coarsely chopped.

  2. Place the chicken or pork in a zip top bag. Pour the marinade in and seal. Knead the bag a few times to coat the protein. Marinate in the refrigerator     4 -6 hours. Remove the protein from the marinade and grill. Discard the remaining marinade.

While we are grilling almost every evening, there are still some things that don’t work. Number one on that list would be pasta. Preparation is best left on the stove. That being said, there are lots of grilling possibilities for what goes in and on the pasta. I made a not so heavy Carbonara recently that featured asparagus. Most vegetables have an affinity for the grill and asparagus is one of my favorites. I usually marinate it in olive oil, balsamic, and Italian herbs and grill the lovely spears until they have that perfect amount of char. The only difference was the spears were sliced into more pasta friendly pieces. (Pencil asparagus would work well whole in this dish.)

I have a confession to make. Sometimes I use bottled Balsamic Vinaigrette. This was one of those times.  I found one that is relatively additive free (at Aldi no less). I added a bit more olive oil and dried garlic and called it a marinade. I have another confession. I do this more often than not with most vegetables that I grill. It saves time and that is always a plus in the summer. So I am considering this to be my third marinade. I guess it could qualify as a hint or a hack depending on your interpretation. Whatever you want to consider it, find a Balsamic or other vinaigrette that you can live with and  enhance it to your liking.

While the asparagus grilled, I made the rest of the sauce. Pancetta, garlic, and red pepper flakes cooked up in a large skillet. Pasta cooked to “al dente” at the same time. I found an interesting technique for the eggs. They were beaten together with the romano cheese and tempered with a some pasta water. Amazingly, no scrambled eggs (yes, that has happened to me once or twice) and a sauce that was creamy without any cream. That little hack is a keeper.

As we enjoy the beginning of summer and the continuation of grilling season, I hope these marinades, hints, and hacks are helpful.

 

A Reluctant Spring and An Adapted Recipe

I’m sitting here listening to the wind propelling a driving rain at my window. The air is flirting with being warm (sort of), and Spring is more than a week old. This week has been quite unsettled weather wise. It has been warm and sunny and cold and gray seemingly within hours of each other. I know the old adage that if you don’t like the weather in Chicago, just wait an hour, but I (and I know I am not alone) want Spring to come in and stay awhile.

As a seasonal cook, I am anxious to create light and bright meals that are bursting with the flavors of spring. When I’m still wearing my winter coat to shop for ingredients of the season, that kind of inspiration is a struggle. I feel the need to eschew light salads and set my sights on warm and comforting soups.

Long time readers know that I love creating recipes based on what I have on hand and what I have a taste for at any given moment. Readers also know that I do like to take inspiration from someone else’s imagination once in a while, too. When I came across a recipe for a Vegetable Chowder on Facebook, I knew what would be coming out of the Kitchen of Love next.

The recipe features Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Potatoes in a decadent Cheddar Cheese Sauce. Perfect for a Winter evening or an overly chilly Spring one. Thicken the sauce a little more and it could be the kind of side dish that would make a marvelous counterpoint to an Easter Ham. The best of both seasons, so to speak.

While this recipe is an adaptation from Life Made Simple. There was another adaptation before mine. Decatur Macpherson and Twelve Tomatoes also took it for a spin. So, to my knowledge this is the third generation adaptation of this recipe. Every good cook looks at a recipe and immediately starts their own editing process. My initial edit looked like this:

While I really made no major changes to the recipe, I did give it a few tweaks. More cauliflower, less potatoes, and absolutely no celery, because I knew that was how I would like it. Every cook, whether casual or professional, makes changes to a recipe  based on their taste and preferences. I do not like celery therefore I didn’t use it. I wanted a slightly less starch heavy soup so I added more cauliflower and reduced the potatoes. You get the idea. I’m sure you do this in your own kitchen. That’s how creative cooking works.

The soup that resulted was beyond memorable. I took the time to add each vegetable individually. This resulted in cauliflower and broccoli that were still tender-crisp. The broccoli even retained most of its color. The cheese sauce was a study in Yin and Yang. Fat free half & half played brilliantly with the cream cheese and buttermilk filled in for the heavy cream. Never mind the fact that those were the ingredients I had in the house. It was our supper twice within a few days and I’m sad that we ate it all so quickly. Here is what I believe is the Third Generation Vegetable Chowder recipe.

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Vegetable Chowder

Adapted from Life Made Simple and Decatur Macpherson/Twelve Tomatoes

Servings: 8
Ingredients
  • 1 Quart Low Sodium Chicken Stock
  • 1 Head Broccoli Cut into florets
  • 1 Small Head Cauliflower Cut into florets
  • 1 Medium Russet Potato Peeled and cubed
  • 1 Cup Sliced Carrots
  • 1 Yellow Onion Diced
  • 4-5 Cloves Garlic Finely chopped
  • 1/4 Tsp. Cayenne More or less to taste
  • 1/2 Tsp. Smoked Paprika Or to taste
  • 2 Tsp. Italian Herb Blend I like McCormick Grinder
  • 1/2 Tsp. Dried Thyme
  • 5 Tbsp. Butter Divided
  • 5 Tbsp. Wondra Flour
  • 2 Cups Half & Half I used fat free
  • 8 Ounces Cream Cheese Cubed & room temp.
  • 2 Cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
  • 1/3 Cup Buttermilk
Instructions

  1. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and saute for 5 minutes or so.

  2. Add the garlic, paprika and cayenne and cook for another minute or two.

  3. Pour in the Chicken Stock and the potatoes. Bring to a low boil and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes. Add the herbs at this point.

  4. Add the cauliflower and simmer for 5-6 minutes more then add the broccoli. Cook until the vegetables are barely tender crisp.

  5. In a separate pan, melt the remaining butter and stir in the flour. Cook this for 3 minutes or so until the roux begins to turn golden, then slowly whisk in the half & half.

  6. Bring to a low boil, stirring constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. Add the cream cheese cubes and stir until they are melted into the sauce. Finally, stir in the buttermilk. Add this mixture to the soup pot and stir to thoroughly blend.

  7. Lower the heat and add the cheese to the pot gradually, allowing each addition to melt. Heat a few minutes more and it is ready to serve.

This will definitely be appearing again. At this time of year, in this part of the country, there could be another cold snap. Even if there isn’t, the rich creamy goodness of this soup is going to be heating up Mama D’s Kitchen soon.

 

Porcini Pasta Revisited

When something is wonderfully delicious, it earns the right to be made again. It also earns the right to be tweaked a little to make it even more wonderfully delicious. Porcini Pasta is just that kind of recipe. I first made it as a side dish to enhance grilled steak. It stole the show so to speak. It was definitely tasty enough to move into the spotlight as a main dish. I dressed it up with a little cheese and served it to non-meat eating guests. Again it was a home run. Could the third time be even more of a charm? So here’s what I came up with.

It was one of those days that seemed busy from the minute my feet hit the floor. Errands, laundry, and a bit of grandboy sitting and before I knew it, dinner (or plans for it) was looming on the horizon. Time to take stock of what was interesting in the pantry. Porcini pasta was sitting in an unassuming corner and not too far away was a jar (yes, I do succumb sometimes) of Alfredo Sauce. A brief foray into the refrigerator yielded  crimini mushrooms and some prosciutto. I also found a chunk of Aged Asiago Cheese. I sensed that this could be the start of a wonderful friendship.

I gave some thought to how I was going to use the prosciutto. I decide to see if I could fry it to create crispy bits much like bacon. The thin slices frizzled up beautifully and crumbled into wonderful salty flakes that would serve as both a surprise crunch in the sauce and a garnish.

Using my original recipe as a guide, I sliced the mushrooms and chopped up shallots and garlic. These cooked in the drippings  from the prosciutto and some olive oil until they were lightly caramelized.

While the water for the pasta boiled, I thinned the Alfredo sauce with some chicken broth and let it simmer with the mushroom mixture. I added a good amount of the grated Asiago and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper. I cooked the pasta until it was barely al dente, drained it and added it to the sauce along with half of my prosciutto flakes. Things got happy for a few more minutes and dinner was ready to plate. All it needed was a sprinkling of a little more cheese and a flurry of prosciutto flakes.

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Porcini Pasta Revisited

The original side dish recipe has graduated to an easy Weeknight Supper.

Servings: 3
Ingredients
  • 8 Ounces Porcini Pasta
  • 3 Ounces Prosciutto
  • 8 Ounces Crimini Mushrooms Sliced
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Shallots
  • 3 Cloves Garlic Chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 1-1/3 Cups Alfredo Sauce
  • 1/2 Cup Chicken Broth More or less as needed
  • 1 Cup Grated Asiago Cheese Divided
  • 3/4 Tsp. Freshly Ground Pepper
Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of pasta to a boil. While the water heats prepare the sauce.

  2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and heat. Add the prosciutto and cook until it is crispy. remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel.

  3. Add the mushrooms, onions, and garlic to the drippings in the pan. Cook stirring occasionally until everything is lightly golden brown.

  4. Add the Alfredo sauce and the chicken broth and cook over low heat for 5 minutes or so.

  5. Cook the pasta until it is just barely "al dente."

  6. Add 3/4 of the cheese and half of the prosciutto to the sauce along with the pepper. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. toss to coat and allow to cook for a few minutes more.

  7. Pour into a serving bowl and top with the remaining cheese and prosciutto.     Serve

If my truth be told, I hardly ever make anything the same way twice, not that there’s anything wrong with that. I am always looking for ways to make things better or to incorporate ingredients that I have on hand. That’s how Mamam D’s Kitchen of Love rolls. 

 

 

 

 

Caramelized Broccoli and Other Vegetables

I have a new favorite way to cook broccoli and I can’t take credit for it. First, let me say that Broccoli is probably my favorite vegetable side. I like the taste, and the nutrient profile makes it an excellent choice for adding some green to a plate. It is easy to cook and lends itself to many styles and flavors. It is available year round without too much of an out of season mediocrity factor. It is also usually a good value. What’s not to love?

All of these factors result in Broccoli gracing our plates several times a week. That means I am always thinking about different ways to prepare it. I admit that I search Google, Pinterest, etc. quite often for ideas and I am sure that I am not alone. That’s when I found what I believe to be the best way to cook broccoli, ever, Caramelized Broccoli

The recipe came up many times in my search and while I can’t be certain, I think it originated with Chef David Gingrass, a well-known Bay Area chef. In one article he said it would make a Broccoli lover out of a hater. If you are a broccoli lover like me you then become obsessed.  It is easy to prepare, but takes a bit more time and effort than putting it in a steamer. This is a small price to pay for the fantastically delicious results.

Now, even though I have made this recipe a number of times, I can’t quite leave it alone. If you can caramelize broccoli, what other vegetables would benefit from this technique? The short answer is lots. And so the experimentation begins…

The requirement of any vegetable is that it can be cut into a good-sized slab creating at least one flat surface. It also needs to be fairly dense since it is going to be under pretty intense heat. While the experimentation continues, here are two vegetables that were wonderful.

Zucchini was my first test. Halving it lengthwise and creating chunky fingers was the perfect shape, The garlic, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice were an ideal complement to the creamy texture that the caramelizing created. To carry the experimentation further, I will be trying yellow squash and perhaps eggplant.

The next experiment was Cauliflower. This was certainly not a huge leap as it is closely related to broccoli. Cut into thick steaks, it too, was a delectable addition to a dinner plate. In this case it joined Steak and Roasted Beets.

I’ve just conducted a mini brainstorming session and have added Carrots, Leeks, Sweet Potatoes, and Delicata Squash to my list of possibilities. I’m sure this is only the beginning.

I think that this calls for a “Master Recipe” of sorts. So, without further ado, here we go:

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Caramelized Vegetables

A master recipe to create golden, sweet, and tender vegetables. Cooking times will vary by vegetable. You are looking for golden brown and tender.

Servings: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 Pound Vegetable "Planks"
  • 2 Tbsp. Olive OIl Divided
  • 1 - 2 Tbsp. Water
  • 2 Cloves Garlic Sliced
  • 1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 - 2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
Instructions

  1. Cut firm, dense vegetables into flat slices about 3/4" thick.

  2. Heat 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil in a deep skillet that has a lid. The heat should be medium high.

  3. Lay the vegetables in the skillet cut side down. Cover and cook for 5-8 minutes (depending on the vegetable) until they are golden brown.

  4. Add the water cover again and cook until water evaporates, and vegetables are barely tender, 3 - 6 minutes.

  5. Add remaining Oil, the Garlic and Pepper Flakes. Cook until the vegetables are tender and the garlic is golden. 3 -5 minutes.

  6. Remove to a plate and drizzle with the Lemon Juice and serve.

This technique would make even the most vegetable resistant eater into a fan. Here’s hoping that you will give it a try. I know that I will continue to experiment with other vegetables and maybe even other flavors. It is easy and oh so delicious.