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I <3 Potatoes!

As an experiment I created a Wordle word cloud from the f00die feed:

Todo: try in using a separate feed for just my Recipes category.

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2008 07 22 lbjay Food 2.0 Comments (0) Permalink

Hobo Potatoes w/ Arugula

Is it a green? Is it a herb? Don’t care. Love it.

Arugula makes a really simple addition to potatoes of any kind. I’ve added handfuls of fresh arugula to smashed potatoes, but it’s too hot for boiling potatoes these days. I prefer to keep the cooking outside on the grill, which means hobo packs.

Hobo Potatoes w/ Arugula

  • 6 all-purpose potatoes, medium-sized
  • 4 T olive oil
  • salt & pepper (any kind of seasoned salt works well, too)
  • 2 cups arugula, loosely chopped

Give the potatoes a good scrubbing but don’t peel. Cut them in half lengthwise and then slice into 1/4 inch thick half-circles. Toss with the olive oil and s & p.

Lay out two sheets of heavy-duty foil, one on top of the other. Spread a little extra olive oil in the middle of the sheet and pile on 1/2 the potatoes. Lay another square sheet of foil on top so that the edges line up. Fold up each side of the square to seal in the pack. Lay the packs directly on the grill over at least medium heat. They’ll need to cook for ~20 minutes. Move/turn them around frequently to make sure everything’s cooking evenly. You should be able to hear the contents inside sizzling.

Put the chopped arugula in a good-sized serving bowl. Pull the packs off the grill and carefully open one side. Check that the potatoes are done. If not just reseal and leave on the grill a little longer (or abort and nuke them in the microwave–but not in the foil!) Assuming the potatoes are done, you should be able to tip the contents of each into the bowl on top of the arugula. Toss the hot potatoes with the arugula and serve.

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2008 06 17 lbjay Recipes Comments (0) Permalink

Weekly Menu, June 15-20

Picking up our first weekly share today. It ante’s up the challenge of planning a menu for the week when you’re not sure what you’re getting and how much of it. Fortunately, the new CSA seems like they’re going to be good about e-mailing weekly guesstimates.

The weather acts as a foil as well. I can pencil in “Grilled Chicken Breasts”, but they might end up being stuffed and baked instead (and vice-versa).

Sunday
  • Grilled Chicken Breasts
  • Hobo Potatoes w/ Fennel Fronds & Arugula
  • Spinach or Bok Choy (in the grill basket)
Monday
  • Saag Aloo (w/ leftover potatoes)
  • Basmati Rice
  • Salad
Tuesday
  • Fish w/ Ginger & Tomatoes
  • Leftover rice
  • Napa slaw w/ Mango
  • Salad
Wednesday
  • Leftovers
Thursday
  • Grilled Tofu
  • Grilled Zucchini
  • Tomato Crostinis
Friday
2008 06 15 lbjay Weekly Menu Comments (2) Permalink

Hobo Peach Pack w/ Shortbread

We did a mixed grill thing w/ some friends last night using several meat share items: a ribeye, a sirloin, some lamb kebabs and some garlic+cheese pork sausage. After pulling the meat I threw on a hobo pack of fresh peaches and let it sit while we polished off dinner.

  • 6 peaches
  • 2 T butter
  • 2 T brown sugar
  • 4 small shortbread cakes
  • 1 cup plain yogurt (greek style preferably–I’m a fan of the Fage stuff)
  • 4 T honey

Peel, pit and slice the peaches. Lay out two square sheets of foil on top of each other. Spray the center with non-stick spray or canola oil spray. Pile the peach slices in the middle. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and dot with the butter. Lay another square of foil over the top and roll up the edges to seal the pack.

While you’re eating whatever it was you fired up the grill for, let the hobo pack sit over the dying coals. When you’re ready for desert, pull them off. Put a shortbread in each of four bowls. Divvy up the peaches over the shortbread. Spoon a big dollop of yogurt on each and finally drizzle each with a tablespoon of honey.

I’ve also grilled unpeeled peach halves directly on the grill grates, and this can be good too. However, peaches are notorious for soaking up pesticides. Most of that is going to be in the skin, so I figure a hobo pack is the way to go, even though you may not get that nice, smoky “grill flavor”.

2008 06 02 lbjay What's for Desert Comments (1) Permalink

Mint & Jalapeno Quinoa Pilaf

I knew I wanted to make some kind of pilaf thing to go with some lamb chops. The lamb chops recipe was sort of moroccan–braised in a sauce of onions, tomatoes, coridander, cinnamon–so I wanted to complement that.

Quinoa Pilaf w/ Mint & Jalapeno

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 jalapeno, small, minced fine
  • 2 T fresh mint, minced
  • 2 T red onion, minced
  • 2 T lemon juice
  • 1 T honey
  • 3 T olive oil
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Cook the quinoa in the broth. Add the mint, jalapeno and red onion and toss with a fork. Mix the lemon juice with the honey, then whisk in the olive oil. Drizzle the oil mixture over the quinoa. Add the feta and toss again.

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2008 05 19 lbjay Recipes
What's for Dinner Comments (0) Permalink

Jerk Chicken Marinade

I got inspired watching Chef John Bull rock some delicious looking Jerk Chicken on Sunday. His recipe was a bit hard to follow, so I took one out of Chris Schlesinger’s License to Grill and adapted for what I had on hand.

  • juice from 2 limes
  • 3 scallions
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro
  • 1/3 cup honey mustard
  • 1/2 t cayenne
  • 1 T coriander seed
  • 1 T green peppercorns
  • 1 T ground allspice
  • 2 T brown sugar
  • 1 t each dried basil, oregano and thyme
  • 1 t salt

Grind the spices your spare coffee grinder (you have one, right?), then blend everything in a food processor. Should make a saucey paste; enough for 6-8 split chicken breasts. Coat the chicken, cover with plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge for at least an hour, but not more than two or the lime juice will start “cooking” the chicken too much and toughen it. You want to grill the chicken slowly over indirect heat so the sugars in the marinade don’t burn, maybe 30-40 minutes.

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2008 05 13 lbjay Recipes
What's for Dinner Comments (1) Permalink

Weekly Menu, May 12-16

Sunday
Monday
  • Carrot Slaw
  • Leftovers
Tuesday
  • Crustless Potato & Leek Quiche
  • Sauteed Asparagus
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
  • Date Night / Flatbreads?
2008 05 11 lbjay Weekly Menu Comments (2) Permalink

Seared Scallops w/ Chive-Walnut Pesto

I haven’t even made this yet but it sounded good. The idea hit me on the way to work this morning.

Chive-Walnut Pesto:

  • a bunch of fresh chives
  • 1 small clove garlic
  • 1/4 cup toasted walnut pieces
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • a couple grinds of salt

Sear the scallops on both sides. Place on a bed of Jasmine Rice (or quinoa mabye?). Spoon pesto over the top. Serve w/ lemon wedges.

2008 05 05 lbjay Recipes Comments (1) Permalink

Crockpot Oatmeal

It’s one of the things that got us through the winter up here. I hope I can still enjoy it as the weather heats up.

Just before you go to bed put the following in the crockpot.

  • 2 cups steel cut oats
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 8 cups water

You can spray the inside of the pot with some non-stick spray oil. Mine usually sticks anyway, but I think it helps at least. Turn the pot onto low. In the morning you’ll have some yummy oatmeal. Store it in the fridge all week. Each morning scoop some in a bowl, add some milk and sliced bananas and microwave.

Optional things you can add before cooking:

  • add 1/2 cup of raisins. Personally, I don’t like the resulting texture.
  • A couple of tablespoons of butter cut in small pieces.

Rumor has it that Oprah loves this recipe.

2008 05 02 lbjay Recipes
What's for Breakfast Comments (2) Permalink

Organic Farm Tour

Jennifer & I went to a thing at the Natick Community Organic Farm on Saturday. It was billed as a “workshop” but really just ended up being a nice 2 hour tour of the farm and an informative Q&A session with Director, Lynda Simkins. Jennifer blogged her excellent notes from the tour.

Things I went away excited about:

  • Planting some early season stuff, like spinach, kale and chard
  • Expanding our garden for next year by tarping over the future areas during this summer.
  • Building some small hoop-house structures with wire or PVC and something called “remay”. These can be used to protect against frost and bugs.
2008 04 28 lbjay Growing Stuff Comments (0) Permalink