I Love You More Than Food

Author: Caroline

  • Roast Pork Tenderloin with Pumpkin-seed Bok Choy & Roasted Red Onion “tapenade”

    Roast Pork Tenderloin with Pumpkin-seed Bok Choy & Roasted Red Onion “tapenade”

    1 pork tenderloin, salted, peppered, pan seared & roasted in the oven
    5 small carrots or 3 large ones, sliced in small, even rounds
    2 small red onions, sliced in quarter strips
    5 cloves garlic, peeled
    1 apple, in large cubes
    1/4 C pumpkin seeds
    1 lb Bok Choy
    olive oil, salt, pepper

    Roast your tenderloin while you make the other items (~ 350, I pan sear mine on high eat first on all sides).

    Roast the onion, carrot, garlic, and apple in the oven after tossing lightly with olive oil, salt, & pepper. Roast for 40 minutes or until carmelized and shrunk.

    Wash and chop the bok choy, separating the stalks from the leaves. In a large nonstick skillet, sautee the bok choy stalks on high heat, until softened. Add the pumpkin seeds and the green tops, cooking until brightened.

    Roasted Fennel – an addition

    1 bulb of fennel
    olive oil, salt & pepper

    Wash and slice the fennel into thin strips, but thick enough to hold together. Preheat oven to 350. Toss the fennel in olive oil, salt, pepper, place flat on a baking sheet and cook until golden. If you aren’t feeling a little lazy, flip them over halfway through.

    Wine: A grenache or meritage with a base of grenache will bring out the earthy in the greens and the sweetness in the pork.

  • Roast Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Whiskey Compote

    Roast Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Whiskey Compote

    Israeli Couscous
    Pan steamed dino kale
    Roast Pork Tenderloin
    Apricot-Whiskey Compote

    Serves 3-4 with appetizer or for light meal; serves 2 very generously

    For the tenderloin & compote:
    1 small to medium pork tenderloin, silver removed
    1/4 medium yellow onion, diced
    4 garlic cloves, thick slivers
    1-2 tsp thyme
    5-10 dried apricots, sliced
    1/3 C whiskey or brandy
    salt & pepper
    olive oil

    Preheat oven to 375. In a large oven safe pan, heat olive oil to medium high or high heat, without bringing to smoking point. Dress the pork tenderloin in salt & pepper, and sear on each side until golden. Shortly after beginning the pork, add the onion, garlic, thyme. Once pork is golden on all sides, add the apricot to the onion mixture and cook it all for 10-15 minutes depending on desired donenes (I prefer medium, medium well for pork tenderloin. It is the only cut of pork you can very safely cook less than 100% and not get sick).

    Once pork is cooked to desired texture/flavor/temperature, remove it from the pan, and put the pan back on the stove. Deglaze the pan with the whiskey and let it all simmer together until the harsh alcohol smell is gone. You’re done when you let the pork rest a little and slice it up.

    For the kale:
    Using clean chunks of kale, a tsp of olive oil, and generous pepper (with some salt), dry sautee at medium heat in a nonstick pan, adding a few tablespoons of water towards the end to steam and soften the kale.

    For the couscous:
    1 C israeli couscous
    2 T butter
    1/4 C roasted, unsalted almonds
    1 shallot, minced
    1 cinnamon stick
    2 medium bay leaves
    1 1/4 C chicken stock (low sodium)
    salt to taste

    Melt the butter, adding the almonds when hot. Allow to cook for 1-2 minutes, until brightened (if has skin). Add the shallots and cook until golden. Add the couscous and allow to gain color, without burning (3-5 minutes), being sure to stir off and on through the whole process. Add the cinnamon stick and the bay leaves shortly after adding the couscous. Add some salt. Once couscous has colored, add the stock, bring to a boil, and steam/simmer low covered for about 10 minutes, until the couscous is still slippery but does not have a pool of liquid at the bottom. Voila!

    Wine: Crazy as it sounds, I think a dry gewurztraminer would be great with the apricot-whiskey combo. Lazy Creek makes one for $26.

  • Napa Cabbage Salad (great with BBQ or on its own!)

    Napa Cabbage Salad (great with BBQ or on its own!)

    1 large, gorgeous head of Napa (Chinese) cabbage
    1 large carrot
    2 apples
    1 C walnuts
    1/3 lb blue cheese (preferably a good creamy one like St. Agur but the store crumbled stuff will do)
    4 T cider vinegar
    1/2 C olive oil
    1/4 C heavy whipping cream
    1/2 lemon’s juice
    salt & generous pepper

    In a medium bowl combine the vinegar, lemon juice, some salt, and generous cracked pepper. Whisk in the olive oil, then the heavy whipping cream. Whisk in 2/3s of the blue cheese, allowing some chunks to remain, but some to incorporate with the dressing.

    Toast the walnuts on medium heat until fragrant and warm. Crush them with a mortar & pestle (or do like I did, throw them in a high sided pan and hit them with the rolling pin!).

    Remove the outer layers from the cabbage, cut it in half, and wash submerged in water. Shake dry, and cut thinly the cabbage, leaving the core at the bottom.

    Slice thinly both apples, and grate the carrot. Combine the cabbage, walnuts, carrot, and apples, layering in a large bowl with the dressing to make for easier mixing. Let it sit a few minutes, and taste for seasoning. Serve it up!

    Would be most excellent with BBQ chicken or other items, but was nice this winter evening, too.

  • Homemade Mini Apple Galletes

    Homemade Mini Apple Galletes

    Great for breakfast or dessert served warm with ice cream, whipped cream, or custard. Makes four large personal apple galettes.

    Use the recipe for crust on the Leek & Bacon Galette. These were so good my boyfriend actually thought it was dinner in its entirety (see the Napa Cabbage Salad I was busy making while these were baking!) and I had to steal the last one away from him to get a picture of the pastry inside. Can we say, “nom nom nom”?

    For the crust:
    1 1/2 C flour
    1 stick butter
    4-6 T ice cold water
    Food processor would be handy

    Heat your oven to 425. Cut your butter into cubes and place in freezer for 10-20 minutes to firm up.

    In a food processor, combine butter cubes and flour in alternating layers so as not to loose butter on the sides of the processor. Pulse until combined and looking like bread crumbs. Put into a bowl, make a well with your hands, and add 1 T of ice cold water at a time, using as little water as possible (if you don’t, you will have hell rolling this out).

    Once combined, form into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and put in freezer or fridge depending when you intend to use it. Must chill at least 30 minutes, can be stored up to three days in fridge.

    Half at a time (reserving other half in refrigerator), roll out on lightly floured surface to 1/3 inch thick, making sure to do this as quickly as possible so the crust is still cold. Try to make a rectangle so you can cut 5×5 inch squares out. Roll the rest out in the same way, cutting squares as you go, re rolling when necessary. If dough starts to feel room temp or too easily squished, put it back in the fridge for 30 minutes or so. The flakiness is dependent on this, so it’s important to take the time.

    Place on sheet pan with parchment or silicon lining, and put the pan into the freezer if you plan to use it in the next half hour.

    For the filling:
    1/2 C granulated sugar
    1 T cinnamon
    2 apples, halved, cored, and thinly sliced

    Mix the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl.

    Keep the apple halves together so you can spread them evenly and they match each other in gradation. On each pastry square, sprinkle a bit of the cinnamon mixture. Add 1/2 an apple to each square, as shown in pictures. Sprinkle top generously with cinnamon mixture.

    Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until golden and risen.

    Wine: For dessert, try a late harvest white wine, or a french dessert wine like a relatively inexpensive Sauternes. If you choose to add almonds to this recipe, it would be great with Tokaj. For brunch, you could pair it with a dry champagne to cut the buttery crust on the palette, or a sparkling moscatto from Italy.

  • Spicy Sesame Seared Baby Bok Choy

    Spicy Sesame Seared Baby Bok Choy

    1 lb baby bok choy, sliced in half & washed
    2 T sesame seeds
    1 tsp sesame oil
    1 T olive oil
    2-3 tsp chili flakes

    Heat a large nonstick skillet to medium high heat. Combine the oils and heat through. Add the bok choy. When green part is wilted but firm white part is still crunchy, add the chili flakes. When the white part starts to near translucency, add the sesame seeds and cook for 1-2 minutes. Be sure to move them around a bit as they cook to prevent the greens from wilting.

    You could also chop the greens off, chiffonade them, and slice the stalks of the bok choy, cooking them first and adding the greens at the end.

  • The most delicious, easy Leek Galette with Bacon

    The most delicious, easy Leek Galette with Bacon

    For the filling:

    4 medium leeks (1.5 lb)
    3 slices bacon
    1 medium yellow onion
    3-4 T butter
    2-3 tsp thyme
    1/2 C sour cream (or creme fraiche)
    1/3 C coarse grated Parmesan (real stuff please!)
    salt & pepper

    Heat a large saute pan to medium heat, add butter. Slice the green part of the leeks after cleaning them, slice the onion by cutting in half into the root and top, peeling the outer papery leaves, then slicing down each half as if making a quarter but without detaching from the base. Slices perpendicular to this cut, thinly. When butter is melted and has stopped bubbling, but has not browned, add the onion, thyme, & the green part of the leek. Add salt & pepper, reduce heat slightly to between medium and low.

    Continue cutting the leeks into the white part, adding to the pan as you’re able. While the leeks saute and you stir them occasionally, make your pie crust if you haven’t already, or prep your sour cream & parm. Reserve some extra Parmesan for topping the tart.

    Chop your raw bacon into 1 inch peices and toss in a hot pan. Fry until mostly done to your liking and set aside.

    When leek mixture is softened and has caramelized some, put in a bowl and mix in parm & sour cream. If you have time, allow it to cool somewhat before doing so.  Taste for salt & pepper & adjust.

    For the crust:
    1 1/2 C flour
    1 stick butter
    4-6 T ice cold water
    pinch salt (if you are using for savory)
    1 egg yolk
    Food processor would be handy

    Heat your oven to 425. Cut your butter into cubes and place in freezer for 10-20 minutes to firm up.

    In a food processor, combine butter cubes and flour in alternating layers so as not to loose butter on the sides of the processor. Pulse until combined and looking like bread crumbs. Put into a bowl, make a well with your hands, and add 1 T of ice cold water at a time, using as little water as possible (if you don’t, you will have hell rolling this out).

    Once combined, form into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and put in freezer or fridge depending when you intend to use it. Must chill at least 30 minutes, can be stored up to three days in fridge.

    Roll out on lightly floured surface to desired thickness, making sure to do this as quickly as possible so the crust is still cold. Try to make an even circle.

    Place on sheet pan with parchment or silicon lining. Fill the center evenly with the leek mixture, adding bacon peices on top as well as Parmesean (additional). Gently fold the edges in even intervals around and on top of the filling. Whisk the egg yolk with some cold water and brush the mixture on the edges of the galette.

    Cook for 20-25 minutes at 425.

    galette serves 6. Each piece is roughly 400-420 calories.

  • Spicy Cashew Broccoli

    Spicy Cashew Broccoli

    1 head/crown broccoli, cut into even chunks
    2 tsp chili flakes
    2-4 cloves garlic, minced
    2 tsp sesame seeds
    1/3 C raw cashews or cashew peices
    1/2 red bell pepper, diced
    1-2 T olive oil

    Heat the oil in a large sautee pan to medium heat. Add the garlic and allow to soften. Add salt & pepper. Add broccoli & the chili flakes, allow to cook to a brighter green but not fully cook, tossing regularly. Add the bell pepper once broccoli has brightened. When the bell pepper is soft and the broccoli is at its brightest color but still retains some small amount of firmness, add the sesame seeds and cook at medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the cashews and serve.

  • Collard Greens with Bacon & Potato

    Collard Greens with Bacon & Potato

    1 bunch collard greens (kale or chard is OK too)
    1/2 pack bacon, slices cut in half
    1-2 red potatoes medium size

    Fry the bacon in a large saute pan until crispy. Set aside, remove bacon fat from pan leaving just a coating.

    Wash your collards, remove the stems with a knife (the bottom 2/3rds of it is sufficient), and slice them into 1-2 inch thick strips.

    Wash and chop red potatoes into cubes. Removing the skin is optional.

    Heat the large sautee pan with the bacon residue with an additional 1-2 T butter. Add the potatoes when melted and stops bubbling (water is evaporated). Add generous salt & pepper. When colored and crispy, cooked through, remove and set aside with bacon. In fact, break your bacon into peices and mix them together if you’d like at this point.

    Into the pan put the collards and cook on medium to medium low heat until wilted and bright green. Add the bacon & potatoes and cook until heated and the collards stems are tender, another 1-3 minutes.

    Enjoy!

    PS Great with eggs too!

  • Unpacking my Capay Farm Fresh To You Shipment

    Unpacking my Capay Farm Fresh To You Shipment

    I talk frequently in this blog about what I’ve been making with my produce shipment which I began receiving in November, just before Thanksgiving. From the very first shipment I was impressed–I was given not only beautiful, organic produce grown locally which would allow it to last much longer and be eaten much fresher, but also a selection that reflected what I’d be needing for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Thoughtful.

    This past Tuesday I received my shipment of the fortnight. It contained a gorgeous napa cabbage (which I have yet to make a salad with), collard greens, radicchio (unfortunately I still have 4 heads left from last shipments ridiculously large allotment, my only complaint), baby bok choy, butternut squash, baby lettuce heads, leeks, red norland potatoes, dino kale (with a lot of high protein bugs! no seriously, kind of an annoyance, but if i wanted pristine looking engineered veggies I’d go to the chain grocery store and eat pestisides instead of bugs), navel oranges and pinova apples.

    The first night I sauteed simply the bok choy with chili flakes and garlic and we had it all by itself; another night I used some of the potatoes and the collards with some bacon to make a light meal before we headed out, last night I used a bit more of the Amsterdam Gouda (1 lb block that was given to us) in a scalloped potato dish with more of the potatoes, I boiled the kale and served it with poached eggs, and more.

    Needless to say every other Tuesday evening is now spent washing, cutting, tearing and saving greens.

    I finally invested in a salad spinner to cut down the time I spend on this, but it’s necessary to do it or most of the items will wilt and go bad before I have a chance to use them. We receive a full shipment but there are only two of us eating away at the box, so we have to make a serious effort to get our money’s worth, despite that it’s a great value ($29 delivered to my door for all of the above!).

    For salad greens:

    Seperate leaves, remove any bad parts. “Float” in cool water and agitate gently. Repeat if especially dirty in new water. Spin dry (a little moisture left is OK) , wrap in clean papertowels loosely and pack into plastic container, tupperware, or ziplock. Make sure no greens are touching the plastic directly–it will promote spoilage/bacterial growth and will make them go bad more quickly. I like to mix my lettuces at this point and make my own cleaned, ready to use salad mix.

    For cooking greens:

    Wash in similar manner to salad greens, checking leaves carefully for bugs and larvae. Once clean, remove stems and chop leaves to size you’d like to cook with if you know what you’ll do with them. Retaining some moisture on the leaves, wrap in papertowels and store similarly. Cooking greens (collards, kale, chard) will go dry quickly and become tough if they don’t have enough moisture. If this happens, they can still be used, but I’d recommend boiling or steaming them to restore some texture rather than sauteeing.

    For leeks:

    Chop any damaged green leaves off the top, leaving some of the firm green leaves (this goes against what most other sites will tell you, but as long as you throw the green part in the pan a bit before the white so they cook evenly, they’re just as delicious. If you hate them, cut them off and reserve them for making stock!). Split the leeks down the center so each is two long peices. Submerge in cool water in a bowl and agitate, especially paying attention to outer leaves and using your fingers to remove the dirt. Leeks are grown in sand and can be very gritty if you do not do this.

  • Fennel & Carnival Squash Soup (with a kick)

    Fennel & Carnival Squash Soup (with a kick)

    As I have been lately, I took a recipe idea from another blogger and altered it to suit my purposes..

    3-4 servings

    1 carnival squash (hopefully from your FFTY Capay shipment!)
    1 bulb fennel
    2 cloves garlic
    1/4 cup chopped onion
    1/2 stick butter
    2-3 tsp good quality dry thyme
    1 T chili flakes
    1/2 C whiskey or sherry
    2 qt vegetable or chicken stock, or half and some water
    3/4 C milk
    olive oil, salt, pepper
    sour cream/creme fraiche (garnish)

    Cut and seed the squash, coat in olive oil, salt, & pepper. Toss’er on a baking pan and roast it up at 350 for 45-50 minutes. Prep your other ingredients–mince the garlic, chop the fennel into slices, coat in olive oil, salt, pepper and put in baking dish without top (you will add this to the oven the last 15 minutes of the squash). Dice your onion, grab your spices.

    In a soup pot, melt 1/2 stick butter. Add onions when melted, and salt & pepper. Once colored or softened, add the meat of the squash, fennel & garlic, thyme & chili flakes. Cook 1-2 minutes medium heat. Add the whiskey, cook until harsh alcohol smell is gone. Add the stock and simmer 20 minutes.

    Toss it in lots into a food processor and puree until smooth. Return to soup pot, adjust seasonings & moisture using stock, water, milk. Use your brain on this one!

    If you’re sensitive to heat from peppers, careful with that full 1 T! This turned out pretty toasty and delicious.