Sunday, February 26, 2012

Let the Good Times Roll

Mardi Gras ends on Fat Tuesday, so the food that is generally prepared is a bit of a last hurrah before Lent. I decided I would do seafood since I expect to prepare a lot of fish during Lent.

The recipe I chose is a combination of several Jambalaya's and Gumbo's I found. Chicken thighs are sauteed in a large skillet until browned and the skin is rendered. They are then removed and set aside.  Onion, celery, red bell pepper and garlic are sauteed in the pan with a bit of vegetable oil.  Sliced andouille sausage is added and browned.  Thyme leaves are added with a can of diced tomatoes, bay leaves, clam juice and chicken stock The chicken thighs are put back in the pan and simmered until they are cooked through.  Remove and cool enough to handle.  Shred the chicken and return it to the pan, discarding the skin and bones.  Before serving add shrimp and cook until they are pink and cooked.  I fixed polenta instead if the usual cheese grits.  The polenta is toasted in a dry pan until lightly browned.  Chicken broth and clam juice are added and simmered until all the liquid is absorbed.  Grated cheese is stirred in.  The chicken and shrimp dish is served over the polenta with chopped parsley. Very rich, but very good.

I don't usually have dessert and last year I made a King Cake which I gave away.  Not wanting to make another one of them, I chose a variation of Bananas Foster, made famous in New Orleans.  Butter, brown sugar, orange juice, cinnamon and nutmeg are simmered in a skillet until slightly thickened.  Sliced bananas and toasted pecans are folded in and served over ice cream.  An excellent ending to an excellent meal.

In the next weeks I will be delving into the world of Mediterranean food.  I found several cookbooks in my collection I have not used and will peruse them for Marilyn's Table.  Stay Tuned!!

Monday, February 20, 2012

Reflections...

This week marks the beginning of Lent on the Christian calendar.  First is Fat Tuesday (Shrove Tuesday in the UK) and then Ash Wednesday.  During the 46 day period before Easter it is tradition to 'give up' something, usually the eating of meat. and/or a habit. So, Fat Tuesday is a last chance to indulge before the six week abstinence.  With that thought in mind  here is what is on Marilyn's Table this week:

Grilled Rib Lamb Chop with Fennel Relish
Herbed Yukon Gold Sweet Potato Mash

Fat Tuesday's menu is traditionally pancakes.  I'm not much of a fan of pancakes, but these were easy to prepare and there enough left from the weekend to warm on Tuesday.

Blender Pancakes with Lemon and Powder Sugar
Winter Fruit Salad

First, the lamb chop meal.  Penzeys makes a very nice no salt lamb seasoning which I used for the grilled chop. However, the two stars of this meal were the fennel relish and the potato mash.

Chop a bulb of fennel and saute with chopped shallot and garlic.  When softened, remove from heat and stir in a bit of anchovy paste, chopped parsley, chopped Calamata olives,  capers,  red pepper flakes and sherry vinegar.  Set aside while making the potato mash.

In a pot cook until just tender, cubed, peeled Yukon Gold and sweet potatoes.  Remove from heat and drain.  Mash with a small  bit of butter.  While the potatoes are cooking, in another pan put milk, whole peppercorns, a bay leaf and herbs, I used fresh thyme, rosemary and sage.  Heat until the milk bubbles around the edges.  Remove from the heat and set the mixture aside for 10 minutes while the flavors of the herbs can infuse with the milk.  Strain and whip into the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper if you desire.

Can you hear them?  I can!   Simon and Garfunkel.  Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme perked up the flavors of this meal. The relish added a crunch and the herbed potatoes were truly amazing..

On to the practice pancake meal.  These pancakes were more like crepes,  Eggs, milk, melted butter, sugar vanilla and salt are put into a blender.  When completely blended, flour is added a bit at a time.  The batter is very thin.  Cook one at a time using two tablespoons of the batter.  Cover with a paper towel and keep warm in the oven.  Fold them over and put on the plate.  Drizzle with fresh lemon juice and dust with powder sugar.   Along with these I served a winter fruit salad.  Fresh orange and grapefruit supremes (segments), sliced fresh pineapple and kiwi.  A pretty colorful plate and the citrus cut the sweetness of the pancakes.

Next week I am planning a New Orleans Mardi Gras meal.  I hope you check in!  Have a great week!

Sunday, February 12, 2012

I'M BACK!!

OK so it's time to start my new style of eating and  fill you in on it.  I've successfully cut down on  the heavy holiday foods and begun a healthier menu.  Today the menu for Marilyn's Table is:

Sauteed Halibut with Romesco Sauce
Mediterranean Roasted Broccoli & Tomatoes
Broiled Grapefruit with Crystallized Ginger Glaze

With Lent coming in a couple of weeks, I thought it time to pursue more seafood into my menu.  Today it is halibut, a mild, firm fleshed fish.  I sauteed the steaks in EVOO after I prepared the sauce.  Red bell peppers were on sale this week so I bought half a dozen and broiled them.  After the skin is blackened they are put into a paper bag to steam.  After the steaming the blackened skin slides right off.  They are put in a blender with a softened, stemmed and seeded Ancho chili, salt, toasted sliced almonds, red wine vinegar, sugar, red pepper flakes, garlic and some whole grain bread. The sauce is served on top of the sauteed halibut.  Excellent and I will need to find ways to use the leftover sauce.  Perhaps on a chicken breast or tossed with pasta?

The salad/vegetable is made with roasted broccoli, cherry tomatoes, garlic, EVOO and a bit of salt. After the broccoli is lightly browned and the cherry tomatoes are softened, they are removed from the oven and tossed with grated lemon zest, lemon juice, sliced pitted olives, oregano and rinsed capers.  This can be served warm or room temperature. Either way is excellent and very colorful.

I'm not a dessert fan, but sometimes a bit of sweetness is wanted.  The glaze for the grapefruit is crystallized ginger with nutmeg and a bit of vanilla.  It is ground in my spice grinder and spread over the grapefruit half and put under the broiler.  I served Cutie slices and dried cranberries for some color.  I have not broiled grapefruit before and will do it again. Very nice ending to the meal.

Next week I will begin Lenten menus. First will be Shrove Tuesday's traditional pancakes and then the following week a Mardi Gras feast straight from New Orleans.

Have a great week and Happy Valentines Day to those of you who celebrate it!!