This was the question that was asked by my mother every day when we spoke. We both enjoyed talking about food. She passed away in 2006. I miss someone asking that question. So this is where I will tell whomever what I am making for dinner.
The steak was done on the stove top, 4 minutes per side. I use the post on Natasha's Kitchen as a guide to pan searing steaks. Click here. We all need a little support now and then.
A couple of weeks ago I make Chicken Souvlaki. We used pita bread and what was not used we put in the freezer. Some how I stumbled on this recipe for homemade pita chips from the Cookie + Kate site. Nice!
I made the Crispy Pork Schnitzel recipe from The Bold Appetite a couple of weeks ago. We both loved them so here were are again.
The fritters are a Jacques Pepin recipe. We get our corn from Cole's Farm Stand. The corn is picked about 100 feet from the stand. I am not sure how much longer they will be picking so we are trying to enjoy it while we can.
Crispy Pork Schnitzel
Ingredients-
5 thinly sliced pork cutlets
1 1/4 cup unseasoned panko bread crumbs
1 1/4 cup unseasoned Italian bread crumbs
1 large egg
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
oil
Method-
Set up your breading station: a bowl of flour, a bowl of beaten egg, and a combo of both breadcrumbs.
Season each bowl with a heavy sprinkle of salt.
Coat each cutlet in flour, followed by the egg mixture, and finally, the breadcrumbs. Be sure to press the breadcrumbs in to ensure complete coverage before setting the breaded pork aside. Either cover and place in the refrigerator for later or move onto frying.
In a large, deep pan or skillet, add about 1/4 inch of oil and heat it to 350°F over medium-high heat.
Fry the pork chops for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until they’re a light golden brown.
Once cooked through, remove the chops from the oil and place them on a paper towel-lined plate.
Corn Fritters
Ingredients-
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 cup sparkling water
1 cup shucked corn
vegetable oil
Method-
Mix the flour and baking powder in a bowl. Slowly add the sparkling water, only enough to make a batter.
Stir in the corn.
Heat oil in a sauté pan and add a spoonful of batter to the oil.
Let it sit for a few minutes, until you see bubbles on the top, then flip the patties and cook on the other side for about 2 minutes.
Put a baking rack to cook and season with salt as soon as they come out of the pan.
To see Jacques Pepin prepare this recipe, click here.
Today was a good day to have an appointment near Luzzi's Cheese Shop. It's one of my favorite spots for incredible cheeses, cold cuts, and delicious prepared foods. Naturally, I couldn't leave without picking up something for tonight's dinner.
I bought a package of two chicken cutlets and their Roasted Potatoes. I added some of our Marinara Sauce and sliced Mozzarella to make Chicken Parmigiano. I also made a side of sauteed Zucchini to add some color to the plates.
Delicious and a super easy clean up.
Tonight, I'm making Eggplant Rolatini with an eggplant from Cole's Farm Stand. I got a perfect one—just a single eggplant was all I needed to make a delicious dinner for two, plus an extra portion to freeze for later.
I adapted the recipe from Lidia Bastianich's Lidia's Italian American Kitchen.
I adjusted her ingredient amounts to work for a smaller crowd, and couldn't resist adding some sliced prosciutto. Why not, right? The salty, savory prosciutto pairs beautifully with the creamy eggplant and rich tomato sauce.
Ingredients-
1 1/2 cups Ricotta
Tomato Sauce
Course Salt
½ cup olive oil
½ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
All-purpose flour
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Cheese
1 1/2 tbsp chopped Parsley
Sliced Proscuitto
4 oz Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, cut into 1/4 x 1/4 inch sticks
Method-
Spoon the ricotta into a large, fine-mesh sieve or a colander lined with a double thickness of cheesecloth or a basket-type coffee filter. Set the sieve over a bowl and cover the ricotta well with plastic wrap. Drain the ricotta in the refrigerator at least overnight, or up to 24 hours. Discard the liquid in the bottom of the bowl.
Make the tomato sauce.
Trim the stems and ends from the eggplants.
Remove strips of peel about 1-inch wide from the eggplants, leaving about half the peel intact.
Cut the eggplant lengthwise into1/4-inch thick slices and place them in a colander.
Sprinkle generously with the coarse salt, tossing to expose all slices, and let drain for 1 hour.
Rinse the eggplant under cool running water, drain thoroughly and pat dry.
Pour ½ cup each of the olive and vegetable oils into a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
While the oil is heating, whisk 2 of the eggs and 1 teaspoon salt together in a wide, shallow bowl.
Spread the flour in an even layer in a separate wide, shallow bowl or over a sheet of wax paper.
Dredge the eggplant slices in flour, shaking the excess off.
Dip the floured eggplant into the egg mixture, turning well to coat both sides evenly. Let excess egg drip back into the pan.
When a corner of a coated eggplant slice gives off a lively sizzle when dipped into the oil, it is ready for frying.
Add as many of the coated eggplant slices as fit without touching and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, about 4 minutes.
Remove the eggplant to a baking pan lined with a paper towel and repeat with the remaining eggplant slices.
Adjust the heat as the eggplant cooks to prevent the egg coating from cooking too fast or overbrowning.
Add oil to the pan as necessary during cooking to keep the level more or less the same.
Allow the oil to heat before adding more eggplant slices.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Stir the drained ricotta, 2/3 cup of the grated cheese, and the parsley together in a mixing bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Beat the remaining egg in a separate small bowl and stir it into the ricotta mixture.
Pour some of the tomato sauce over the bottom of a baking dish.
Sprinkle lightly with 2 tablespoons of the remaining grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Lay one of the fried eggplant slices in front of you with the short ends towards you.
Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta filling over the narrow end of the slice and top it with a slice of Prosciutto and then a mozzarella stick.
Roll into a compact roll and place, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish.
Repeat with the remaining eggplant slices and filling, placing the rolls side by side.
Ladle the remaining tomato sauce over the eggplant rolls to coat them evenly.
Sprinkle the remaining grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the top of the eggplant and tear the basil leaves, if using, over the cheese.
Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake until the edges of the casserole are bubbling and the filling is heated through, about 30 minutes.
Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
The star of dinner was the side dish. I made this salad yesterday. From the New York Times Orzo Salad with Lentils and Zucchini.
Ingredients-
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1cup green or brown lentils
1cup orzo
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
1/4 cup sliced pickled pepperoncini (about 6 to 8 peppers)
Black pepper
1 pound zucchini or summer squash, or a combination, preferably small to medium, trimmed
2/3 cup raw pistachios or walnuts, coarsely chopped
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup firmly packed whole herb leaves, such as basil, mint, dill, parsley, tarragon, oregano or a mix
Method-
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add the lentils and cook for 9 minutes, then add the orzo and cook until the lentils and orzo are cooked through but not mushy, another 10 to 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the oil, lemon juice and pepperoncini.
Season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. If using small or medium zucchini, halve them lengthwise, then slice crosswise into ¼-inch-thick half-moons. (If using large zucchini, quarter them lengthwise first, then slice crosswise into ¼-inch-thick triangles.)
Add to the dressing and stir to combine.
Drain the lentils and orzo very well, then add to the zucchini, along with the pistachios and scallions.
Stir to combine, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
Stir in the herbs just before serving.
Eat warm or at room temperature. (Salad keeps, refrigerated, for up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature and adjust seasonings before eating.)
This weekend, I whipped up a batch of corn chowder that was so good, it didn't even last long enough for a proper photo shoot.
The secret to this soup's incredible flavor starts with the corn itself. I used the freshest ears from Coles Farm Stand, picked just moments before I bought them. You simply can't beat the sweet, crisp taste of local corn, and it made all the difference in this dish.
I searched online for a simple corn chowder recipe and settled on one that used just a few ingredients, most of which I already had in my pantry. The recipe called for bacon, but I didn't have any on hand. What I did have was a jar of bacon fat I'd been saving, and it was the perfect substitution. I sautéed the onions in that rich, smoky fat and then followed the rest of the recipe as written.
The result was a creamy, hearty soup that tastes like a warm hug on a summer day. It's proof that sometimes the best meals come from the simplest ingredients and a little creativity in the kitchen.
The original recipe from SimplyJoy.com
I made 1/2 of this recipe and had enough for the two of us, plus twolunch portions.
Ingredients-
4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced into small pieces
1 small onion, diced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (40 grams)
5 cups chicken broth (1133.8 grams or 1182.9 ml)
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes diced into 1/2 inch pieces (680.4 grams)
8 cobs of corn husks and silk removed, and kernels cut off
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 cup heavy cream (227 grams or 236.6 grams)
salt and pepper
Method-
In a large stock pot or a large dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring often.
Add the onions, cooking until they are translucent and very soft, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the flour, coating all the onions and the bacon. Continue cooking about a minute until the flour begins to brown, it will be very thick and gummy.
Very gradually, pour in the chicken stock.
Pour about two tablespoons at a time (no need to measure, this is just an estimate), whisking it into the flour mixture. There should be no visible liquid between each pour.
Continue this way until you use all the liquid, pouring more quickly at the end. This should take no more than about a minute or two.
Add the potatoes, corn, thyme, and bay leaves and increase the heat to high and bring to a boil (you are looking for big bubbles at the surface).
Then reduce to a simmer (the lowest you can go heat wise and still see bubbles) and continue cooking for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
Stir in the cream, and let heat through for a minute.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. The amount of salt you add will vary depending on your bacon and chicken stock.
1 lb Boneless, skinless Chicken breasts
1/2 tbsp Oregano
1 tbsp Oil
3/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/4 tsp White pepper
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
1/2 tbsp Lemon juice
Method-
Mix salt, spices, herbs, oil, and lemon juice in a bowl and set aside
Wash and pat the chicken dry with a clean paper towel.
Cut chicken breast into 2-inch bite-sized pieces.
Combine the chicken bites with the marinade till well coated. Set aside in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
While the chicken is marinating, soak the bamboo skewers in water to keep them from burning during cooking.
When ready to bake, thread the chicken pieces on the skewers till all the meat has been threaded.
Place chicken skewers in a parchment paper-lined air fryer basket.
Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking time.
Internal temperature should be at least 165°F.
Let it rest for 2 minutes.
