Celery, Grilled Grape and Mushroom Salad

Okay, I better fess up that this salad cost over $40 to make! But that is probably because I bought all organic at Whole Foods. And also since the recipe was from the June, 2011 issue of Food and Wine magazine I should have known it would be a bit more on the pricy side. It was SUPER yummy though and is a great addition to a buffet. I made this for 4th of July and we had it with some steaks, grilled vegetables and other traditional salads (potato salad, coleslaw, etc.). It was a really classy addition to our dinner.

Also, this lasts surprisingly well as leftovers. Maybe I got lucky, but since there isn't too much lettuce there wasn't really anything to get soggy from the dressing.

I think the most fun part is that we grilled grapes. I know I've had grilled pineapple and peaches before, but grapes are novel. We just put them on the fire in a veggie basket and they cooked up great! ("We" really equals the guys who did the grilling and thought I was nuts.)

Celery, Grilled Grape and Mushroom Salad 6 servings 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice ½ tsp. celery seeds ¼ tsp. Dijon mustard 2 small garlic cloves, minced ½ cup plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing ¼ cup roasted almond oil Salt and freshly ground pepper ½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves ½ cup tender celery leaves (from one head) ¼ cup salted roasted almonds, chopped 1 pound king oyster mushrooms, sliced lengthwise ¼-inch thick 2 cups green grapes (12 ounces) 2 heads butter lettuce, leaves separated 2 cups very thinly sliced celery

In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar with the lemon juice, celery seeds, mustard and half of the garlic. Gradually whisk in ¼ cup of the olive oil and the almond oil until emulsified. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

In a mini food processor, combine the remaining garlic with the parsley,c elery leaves and almonds nad pulse until finely chopped. Add another ¼ cup of the olive oil and puree to a chunky paste. Season the pesto with salt and pepper.

Light a grill. Brush the mushrooms with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat, turning once, until tender and browned, about 5 minutes. In a bowl, toss the grapes with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat until the skins begin to blacken in spots, about 3 minutes; line the grill with perforated foil if the grapes will fall through. Transfer the grapes and mushrooms to a large bowl and toss with the pesto.

Arrange the lettuce leaves on a platter and drizzle with half of the dressing. Spoon the mushroom-and-grape salad onto the lettuce. Toss the celery with the remaining dressing, spoon it on top and serve.

Spiced Lentils with Mushrooms and Greens

I'm always on the lookout for a way to incorporate lentils into my diet as well as more greens. So this recipe for Spiced Lentils with Mushrooms and Greens from the February, 2011 issue of Food and Wine magazine is perfect, especially since I think nothing with mushrooms can ever be bad. And there is nothing I love better than when foods that seem somewhat boring on their own (i.e. dry lentils and Swiss chard) get tossed together with some spices and end up super tasty as a result! And this is exactly what I got with this one. In fact, it was so good I didn't eat it as a side-dish as suggested in the recipe, I ate it stand alone as a light meal.

Spiced Lentils with Mushrooms and Greens 4 side-dish servings 1/2 cup brown or green lentils 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps sliced 1/4-inch thick Salt 1 garlic clove, minced 1/4 tsp ground cumin 1/4 tsp ground coriander 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1/8 tsp turmeric 1/2 pound Swiss chard or other tender greens, large stems discarded and leaves coarsely chopped 1 Tbsp chopped parsley

In a small saucepan, cover the lentils with 2 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the shiitake and season with salt. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stiffing, until the mushrooms are tender and starting to brown, 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil along with the garlic, cumin, coriander, pepper and turmeric and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the greens and cook, stirring, until wilted, 2 minutes.

Add the lentils and their cooking liquid to the mushrooms and simmer for 3 minutes. Add up to 1/4 cup water if the lentils are too dry. Season with salt. Ladle the lentils into bowls, garnish with parsley and serve.

My Legume Love Affair (MLLA) was originally started by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook. This month's MLLA #33 is being hosted by Ammalus Kitchen

Cod with Chickpeas and Artichokes

This is one of those restaurant recipes that Food & Wine re-does to make affordable. And I'm glad they did because it is really great! The mix of carrots and shiitake with chickpeas is really amazing and would be a good meal - or side - on its own.

There were a couple of things I don't like about this recipe: the heavy use of oil and butter and frying the fish in oil. I'm terrified of frying fish and chicken and things in a pan... I have never mastered it and there's always a bunch of oil popping up in my face when I'm trying to get the stuff in the pan. But I figured it out and it came out edible so I was happy.

Cod with Artichokes and Chickpeas Serves 4 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 small white onion, sliced 1/2 inch thick One 9-ounce box frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and pressed dry 1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps quartered 2 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained 1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth Salt and freshly ground pepper 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley 2 tablespoons snipped chives Four 6-ounce skinless cod fillets Lemon wedges, for serving

In a large, deep skillet, melt the butter in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the onion, artichoke hearts, shiitake caps, carrots and garlic and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 7 minutes. Add the chickpeas and stock, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat until the vegetables are tender and the liquid is nearly evaporated, 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and chives and keep warm.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil until almost smoking. Season the cod fillets with salt and pepper, add to the skillet and cook over high heat until well browned on the bottom, about 6 minutes. Carefully flip the fillets and cook until they’re white throughout, about 3 minutes longer.

Spoon the vegetables into shallow bowls and top with the seared cod fillets. Serve with lemon wedges.

Kale-and-Avocado Salad

I never know what to do with kale. Last year I kept getting it my farmer's basket and always ended up throwing it out or giving it to my bird. I KNOW it's super healthy and I should incorporate into my diet, but I just haven't got there yet. Well, until this salad.

This recipe was on the same page in Food & Wine Magazine as the recipe for Strawberry-Almond Smoothie, which I had torn out. One day when I was flipping through all the recipes I had torn out of magazines, I read this one out of curiosity of what to do with kale. I was intrigued at the instruction to "knead the kale with salt" so I decided to try it.

So it ends up that I do like kale! Especially when it is smothered in avocado like in this salad. And I didn't realize it until I was preparing the salad, there really isn't any dressing. The avocado and lime juice serve as it, even though it is all mushed together. The end result is kind of like guacamole with an Asian twist (due to the sesame seeds).

Kale-and-Avocado Salad 1 serving 1 teaspoon sesame seeds 1 cup packed chopped kale leaves 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 Hass avocado, quartered 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1/2 cup packed arugula leaves 1 small tomato, coarsely chopped 1 radish, diced 2 large pitted green olives, diced 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

In a skillet, toast the sesame seeds over moderate heat. Transfer to a plate.

In a bowl, knead the kale with salt until it begins to wilt. Add the avocado and lime juice and mash until chunky. Add the arugula, tomato, radish, olives, cilantro and sesame seeds, toss gently and serve.

Shrimp and Noodle Salad with Ginger Dressing

My favorite thing about this recipe for Shrimp and Noodle Salad with Ginger Dressing is that is uses pre-cooked shrimp. There a SO MANY times I have leftover shrimp OR I buy the wrong bag of frozen shrimp and accidentally pick up pre-cooked... in addition to that, this recipe also uses other "pre-made" items like packaged coleslaw mix and store bought teriyaki sauce which makes it super easy.

I know it is December, and this recipe was taken from the May, 2008 issue of Food and Wine Magazine, but this noodle salad is so yummy that you can eat it anytime during the year. It's served room temperature, which is "cold" to some people so I can imagine it being nice during the summer. That and the original article I found it in was for "picnic salads" so known as a good dish to prepare ahead of time and travel well. However, we had it for a light dinner (in December) and enjoyed it thoroughly. I even have leftovers for work tomorrow.

The only downside to this recipe is that slicing shrimp "lengthwise" isn't as easy as you would think.

Shrimp and Noodle Salad with Ginger Dressing 4 to 6 servings 7 ounces dried udon noodles or fettuccine (fettuccine broken in half) 12 ounces shredded coleslaw mix 2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced 1 cup cilantro leaves 3/4 pound cooked medium shrimp, halved lengthwise 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce 2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger 1/2 teaspoon Chinese chile-garlic sauce 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Salt Lime wedges, for serving

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold running water. pat dry and transfer to a large bowl. Add the coleslaw mix, scallions, cilantro and shrimp.

In a blender, combine the teriyaki sauce with the ginger and chile-garlic sauce and puree until smooth. With the machine on, slowly add the vegetable oil in a thin stream and puree until the dressing is emulsified. Season lightly with salt. Add the dressing to the bowl with the udon n oodles and toss well. Serve the noodle salad with lime wedges on the side.

Poached Eggs with Baked Feta and Olives

I think feta cheese and kalamata olives is one of the best flavor combinations that exists. I was intrigued by baking the feta and also the use of egg. I can tell you that the egg added a richness to the texture but also cut the richness of the strong flavors. A perfect combination!

The recipe calls for focaccia but I just used some crusty artisan bread and it was perfect. Also, I had to go out and buy a gratin for this recipe. But it was just an excuse to get some more kitchen goodies.

Poached Eggs with Baked Feta and Olives 6 servings Six 3-inch squares of rosemary focaccia, halved horizontally 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing 10 ounces feta cheese, cut into 6 slabs Aleppo pepper or ancho chile powder, for sprinkling 6 large eggs Salt 18 pitted kalamata olives 1 tablespoon chopped sage

Preheat the broiler and position a rack 6 inches from the heat. Bring a large deep skillet of water to a simmer. Brush the focaccia with olive oil and broil until lightly toasted. Put a slap of feta into each of 6 individual gratin dishes. Drizzle each slap with 1 teaspoon of the oil. sprinkle lightly with Aleppo pepper and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly browned and sizzling.

Meanwhile, crack the eggs one at a time into a small bowl, then slide them into the simmering water. Poach until the whites are set but the yuolks are sill runny, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to the gratin dishes and season with salt. Sprinkle with Aleppo pepper, the olives and sage. Serve with focaccia.

Slow-Cooker Sausage and Vegetable Risotto

I was really intrigued by this recipe for Slow-Cooker Sausage and Vegetable Risotto I found in the November, 2007 issue of Food and Wine Magazine. I absolutely love risotto, but I HATE standing over the hot stove stirring the rice. All the steam comes up in my face and I end up a big sweat box. So the thought of doing some prep work and then letting it all cook by itself in the slow-cooker was very novel to me. I was doubtful though . . . would the slow cooker turn out good risotto? Would it be moist enough? Would the rice end up tough?

The risotto turned out perfect! I was so excited that it turned out so well. It was rich and creamy just how risotto is supposed to be. I hope I can learn how to adapt other risotto recipes to be made in my slow cooker!

Slow-Cooker Sausage and Vegetable Risotto 6 servings 4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 3/4 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed 3 tablespoons water 5 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 small onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice 2 cups arborio rice (14 ounces) 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice 1 tablespoon kosher salt 5 cups baby spinach (5 ounces) 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving Freshly ground pepper

Turn a 6- to 7-quart slow cooker to high. In a saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer. In a skillet, cook the sausage with the water over moderately high heat, breaking it up with a spoon until the water has evaporated and the sausage is browned, 10 minutes. Transfer the sausage to the slow cooker.

In the same skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until the wine is reduced by half, 2 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook until all of the wine has been absorbed. Scrape the rice into the slow cooker. Add the hot broth, zucchini and salt and cover. Cook for 1 hour, stirring once halfway through. The risotto is done when the rice is al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Turn off the slow cooker.

Stir the spinach into the risotto until just wilted. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the grated cheese, season with pepper and serve immediately, passing additional cheese at the table.

Food Network Awards

The Food Network. Love it or hate it, every foodie turns it on every now and then. This evening I was looking for a recipe on FoodNetwork.com when I saw an ad for the Food Network Awards which will be an event held at the annual South Beach Food & Wine Festival (which this year has partnered with the Food Network for the first time) in February, 2007. The award show will be televised on the Food Network sometime in April, 2007.

The first-ever Food Network Awards combines the fun of Food Network with the glamour of South Beach to make a completely unique, entertaining, off-beat awards ceremony unlike any other. From a red carpet hosted by Ham on the Street's George Duran and walked by the likes of Snap, Crackle and Pop, to appearances by your favorite Food Network stars, this is a fresh, new awards show. The best part? We're asking our viewers to get in on the fun. Cast your votes now in our five viewer's choice categories and don't forget to watch the Food Network Awards, coming in April, 2007.

I am intrigued by this because I love award shows. AND, I love food. AND, we get to vote! When I saw the bright red "Vote Now" on their homepage, my mind sped forward and I put my judging cap on. This is important since I will be voting for the likes of Paula Dean and Emeril. And I suppose I will have to make my decision one way or another about Rachael Ray. I excitedly clicked my way over to the voting page . . .

Viewer's Choice Award Categories are:

* Favorite Comfort Food Combo
* Best Ballpark Eats
* "Professional Grade" Food Applicance You Can't Live Without
* Favorite Childhood Classic Read
* Favorite Cool & Classic Cocktail

You can't necessarily tell it from the category headings, but there is no voting for ANY Food Network show. The "nominees" are various foods, drinks, books, appliances and baseball stadiums. I felt fleeced for a moment but I voted anyways. I am slightly suspicious of advertising being incorporated into everything. But, the awards show could be interesting to watch - if they do it right. But Snap, Crackle and Pop being on the red carpet smells like overkill of advertising to me. There is also a sweepstakes you can enter to win a trip to the awards show.

Julie Powell's Attempt at Foodie Videoblogging

Julie Powell, author of my latest favorite book Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously, has started using her video camera to tape her own cooking shows.

Food & Wine Magazine's newsleter, The Dish, had a blurb about Julia's videos today. I actually stumbled upon them last week when I found Julie's new blog. She has posted some of her foodie videos on YouTube. She is documenting her "videoblogging" experience and her article will appear in the March issue of Food & Wine. Some of her videos are part of her research for her upcoming cookbook. If her writing style is the same as her first novel, I'm sure she will have some comical viewpoints on the whole thing.

Food & Wine's 100 Tastes to Try in 2007

An amazing foodie-list has been published. Food & Wine's 100 Tastes to Try in '07 can be found in the January, 2007 issue Food and Wine Magazine. This list describes all the new foods and wines to be on the lookout for in 2007 as well as suggested restaurants where you can find unique menu items.

My eyes kept opening wider and wider as I read some of the tasty foods! Things like Maple Flakes, a Veal-muenster Burger, Malt-ball Cake have me drooling. There are some recipes listed for some interesting original creations such as Dan Dan Noodles, Bacon Baklava, Pea and Mint Risotto, and Feta Cheesecake & Wine-Poached Dates. I am really looking forward to trying some of these.

Other observations: I guess Greek food is going to be very popular. Coming from Chicago, I have had alot of great meals in Greektown so I am familiar with most things. Microbreweries will start prodcing their products in aluminum cans. You have to travel far to eat a great meal in a fabulous restaurant.

Actually, that's the part of this list that bothers me. I don't like that they list restaurants. Not everyone can get to Melbourne for Australian wagyu rib eyes or visit Hong Kong to try scallop roe with roasted-potato ice cream. But with the use of the internet, people can find othe rare items on the list such as Aspen Kettle Corn, African spices, and Wild Artichokes.

A few upcoming cookbooks were also mentioned which I have already added to my wish list at Amazon.com. The Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook by Fuchsia Dunlop seems like it will have a lot of good recipes. Fellow food blogger Clotilde Dusoulier's Chocolate and Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen was also highlighted. Many know from her popular Chocolate and Zucchini blog.

In order to keep track of all these fun samplings, I made the Food & Wine's "100 Tastes to Try in 2007" list at the Lists of Bests website. I have alot of fun at that site playing with all of the lists. Now you can too!