October Day

This was a perfect autumn weekend. Lots of sun, the trees are well into the color change and it was Apple Fest in Long Grove. Way too many people, so I stayed only long enough to have my annual cider donut, then came home to put together the meal for this weeks Table.

Pumpkin Spider

Tuna Confit

Grilled Vegetables

Parsley Salad with Grilled Figs and Gorgonzola

Baked Apple with Spiced Cranberry Relish

The spider (spiked cider) is an interesting drink to take the chill off a cold day. Fresh cider is simmered with cinnamon sticks and cloves. Canned pumpkin is whisked in and heated through. The mixture is drained into a mug; a shot of rum added as well as a cinnamon stick. Very pretty, but the rum didn't add anything at all so I left it out of the second cup. I expect this will be a new staple on a cold winter evening. Very simple.

The tuna confit was a new experience. The tuna steak is salted and refrigerated over night. Into a pot goes yellow onion and fennel, thinly sliced, garlic, a split serrano pepper, basil, thyme, bay leaves and pepper corns. EVOO and Canola oil are added to cover and simmered for about half an hour. The herbs will be wilted and the oil very fragrant. The tuna is added and simmered until pink in the middle, about 10-15 minutes. Be sure there is enough oil to cover the tuna. The tuna is set aside until it is room temperature. The herbs are pressed through a sieve to get all their flavor out and into the oil. It's a terrific base for a vinaigrette. The vegetables are placed on an oiled grill and basted with the herb oil. I used red potato and acorn squash slices, thick onion and tomato slices, and red and yellow peppers. After grilling the vegetables are placed in the center of the plate and the tuna steak on top. A bit more of the oil is drizzled over all. I was very pleased with this dish and look forward to the leftovers.

Using Parsley for a salad is new in the last weeks. I tossed the parsley with a bit of the herb oil mixed with some balsamic vinegar. The fresh figs are cut in half and grilled basting with balsamic vinegar, just until soft. They top the parsley salad and a bit of crumbled Gorgonzola cheese is a garnish. Figs are new thing for me. Had not had them until a few years ago (Fig Newtons don't count) Fresh ones have a short life so I enjoy them while I can.

Last year about this time I did a baked apple, so I decided to do another this year. I found a different recipe that incorporated another of my favorite fall/winter foods, cranberries. I had a bag in the freezer and cooked them in ruby port wine with diced red onion, fresh ginger slices, dark brown sugar, salt, pepper and cinnamon. When the cranberries have popped, set aside to cool a bit. The apple is hollowed out with a melon baller and the hole filled with the relish. Cover with foil and bake until apple is soft, but not collapsed. I let it cool a bit and added a bit of whipped cream and a sprig of mint. I particularly liked this relish because it was not overly sweet and I will use this recipe again during the holidays.

This table was one I am very proud of. It looked wonderful and tasted the same. A very fitting table for this time of year.

Strange Weekend Weather...

It rained...the sun came out...thunder. Repeat for 2 days. The leaves have come a long way toward color changes. It was the kind of weekend that inspires me to cook something that will fill my apartment with wonderful aromas. I found a chubby Cornish hen in Whole Foods and decided to change my original plan and prepare it. Question became, should I try something different than just roasting it? Here is what I put on the table:




Moroccan Cornish Hen
Fennel Salad with Artichokes, and Jicama in a vinaigrette
Warm Wheat Berries with Asparagus and Onion




I have a tin of Tagine spices and made a paste with it. Tagine is a Moroccan stew featuring meat or poultry prepared with vegetables, olives, preserved lemons, and garlic. The spice mix is made of: cinnamon, cumin, ginger, cayenne pepper, paprika and saffron. I put cut up lemon inside and some herbs under the skin. Let me tell you, the aroma was fabulous. The rub gave the skin a crispy red brown color.







The salad came from the textbook for my class. I enhanced it a bit with the jicama, chopped Italian flat leaf parsley and made my own vinaigrette a la Julia Child. The shaved Parmesan on top was a good addition. The different flavors and textures of the fennel, artichoke and jicama were brought together with the dressing and cheese.







I had some cooked wheat berries in the freezer from last week and added chopped onion and asparagus. It was a bit of a stir fry. The chewy texture of the wheat berries is becoming a favorite.

The weather changes daily this time of year. We shall see what next weekend will bring. Have a good week!

The Falling Leaves outside my window...

Well the leaves are not actually falling ....yet, but they are beginning to change color a bit. There are other signs of fall in the air. The lake is covered with Canada Geese preparing to go South and there is a nip in the air.. This time of year brings to mind 'comfort food'. This weeks table fills the comfort food bill:

Apple Cider Martini
Meatloaf with Tomato Relish
Roasted Asparagus
Wheat Berry and Mushroom Salad
Apple Crisp


This week I will add a 'drink' to the Table. Since I am able to purchase single serving bottles I will use them as I can. This week the martini is made from vodka and apple cider. The vodka bottle has a small opening but a cinnamon stick fit nicely and changed the vodka without purchasing a large bottle. The vodka is mixed with the cider and shaken with ice. A nice beginning to the meal.

The meatloaf is a mixture of ground beef, pork and lamb. The relish is made from oil, bay leaves, diced red peppers, diced tomatoes, parsley,catsup, worstershire. After the relish is cooked part is mixed with the meat and formed into a loaf. The rest of the relish is spread over the top and strips of bacon cover the loaf. It is baked until done. Excellent! I will make this meatloaf again!

Roasted asparagus is a simple dish, but excellent. Trimmed asparagus is sprayed with EVOO are roasted until tender crisp.

The wheat berry salad is amazing. The berries are cooked with bay leaves and fresh thyme. Saute bacon with EVOO, onions and a pinch of red pepper and fresh rosemary. Garlic is added as is a mushroom mixture. Add white wine and chicken stock. Cook until berries are softened and mushroom mixture is cooked. This can be served warm or room temperature. Love it!!

Dessert is an apple crisp. The apples are a mixture of sweet and tart apples. They are mixed with a mixture of sugar, cinnamon and flour The topping is oatmeal, butter, nuts and a bit of sugar. A topping of Greek Yogurt, brandy flavoring and sugar is put on top of the warm crisp.

This was a satisfying meal and a nice beginning to heavier foods for the cooler weather. We shall see what next weeks bring.

A Labor Day Feast

The last 3 day weekend for a bit and I wanted to fix something homey; something that would make my apartment smell great while cooking. I think my table this week reflects the end of summer and it's lighter meals and the beginning of heavier autumn cooking.

Roasted Turmeric Chicken with Vegetables
Coleslaw with Berries
Ricotta Mousse with Berries

Turmeric is a spice related to ginger and is known as a powerful healer, specifically for arthritis. I made a paste of it with EVOO and rubbed the outside of a whole chicken. The chicken is placed on a vertical roasting device (sometimes a beer can, but not this time) Rosemary and lemon are placed inside to flavor the meat from the inside. The vertical chicken is placed in a roasting pan and surrounded by chunks of Yukon gold potatoes, chunks of sweet onion, and slices of red, yellow and orange peppers. My herbs have been very prolific this year and I snipped some sage and thyme to sprinkle over the vegetables along with salt and pepper. A bit of chicken broth is poured over the vegetables and inside the cavity. The pan is placed in the oven to roast until the skin is crispy and juices are clear. The aroma of the roasting chicken and vegetables is lovely. Since the weather was nice I had windows open and could smell the chicken when I went outside. The color of the broth was a bright gold from the turmeric as a bit off putting, but it tasted terrific.

Along with the chicken and vegetables I prepared a slaw. A bag of coleslaw mix with end of season strawberries and scallion slices is dressed with lemon yogurt, salt and pepper. Very pretty and the crunch of the slaw mix complimented the chicken dish.

I had visited Valentino Vineyard on Saturday and purchased a very nice white wine. It was excellent with the meal.

I'm not big on desserts, but this sounded light and yummy. I whipped low fat ricotta with a bit of orange zest and a couple of tablespoons of the juice. It is layered in a wine glass with crushed raspberries, blue berries and black berries. A tiny bit of sugar and more orange zest is added. I garnished the glass with the last of the bing cherries and some mint leaves.

We shall see what the farmers market holds next week. It's the beginning of soup season and I'm hoping for some nice ripe vegetables for a pot of minestrone. Have a good week everyone.

...and The Next Food Network Star is....The Sandwich King

Last week Jeff Mauro was crowned the Next Food Network Star. He is also known as The Sandwich King from Elmwood Park, Illinois. My table this week features two of his sandwiches; one from the competition and one from an appearance on Good Morning America. His motto is: that he can turn any meal into a sandwich and any sandwich into a meal.

Ricotta Stuffed Chicken Sliders
Jeff Mauro's Greek Taco

Cheesecake-Stuffed Peaches with Blueberries

Chicken breasts and thighs are put in a processor until chunky. Then mixed in a bowl with ricotta, Worchestershire, S&P and parsley. Mix well and form into patties. Chill. Onions are put into an pan with EVOO and caramelized with sugar, S&P and a bit of whiskey to deglaze. The chicken patties are browned on both sides and finished in the oven. This combination of ingredients is excellent and I will use it again.

A dressing is made from egg yolks, lemon juice, Canola oil, hot sauce, capers and ketchup, and processed in a blender and chilled.

To assemble the sandwich a pretzel roll is buttered and toasted; the chicken slider is placed on the bottom , the onion relish and dressing are added and served with a dill pickle and garnished with minced chives.

The second sandwich is the Greek Taco. Ground lamb is browned in a bit of EVOO and removed from the pan. Red onion is cooked in the drippings; garlic and oregano are added. Tomato paste is added. Deglaze with red wine and put browned lamb back into pan. Set aside

Prepare Tzatziki; grate cucumber and place in strainer with salt to remove liquid. In a bowl mix Greek yogurt, Feta cheese, garlic and mint. Squeeze liquid from cucumber and add to bowl.

Tomato relish: Toss chopped and seeded tomato , diced cucumbers and red onions with EVOO, red wine vinegar and S&P. Let set at room temperature.

To assemble:
Toast a corn tortilla and place on a plate. Top with Tzatziki, lamb mixture and top with relish. Fold over to eat. An excellent sandwich!!

As a sweet after thought I prepared a cheesecake stuffed peach. The cream cheese is mixed with cinnamon and sugar, one egg yolk and vanilla. This mixture is spooned into peach halves and roasted in the oven. Half way through the baking a mixture of blueberries, brown sugar, butter and peach white balsamic vinegar is spooned over the top for another 1o minutes. This is a lovely light dessert.

These are a great couple of meals. I served the sandwiches with apple coleslaw for an extra crunch.

I have lots of possibilities for next week, but they will all depend on the weather. Have a great week.

Gorgeous Week-End...Can Fall Be Far Behind??

This weekend was cooler and less humid. It gave me inspiration to cook!!! Actually it was good to be able to turn on the oven. Today On Marilyn's Table are dishes that fit the season and were ingredients from the farmers market. Here is what is on Marilyn's Table:

Stacked Caprese Salad

Gilled Tri-Tip With Oregano Herb Rub
Tomato-Sweet Corn with Fresh Basil Dressing and Crumbled Blue Cheese
Salsa Rice With Black Beans and Corn

The Caprese Salad comes from inspiration from the Old Fort Pub on Hilton Head Island. It was almost to pretty to eat....almost. It was fabulous and so simple. The bottom layer is the tomato slice, then a slice of fresh mozzarella cheese. In the center is a thick slice of grilled sweet onion; another slice of the tomato and another of the cheese. A sprig of basil is put on top. The dressing brings it all together. Rice wine vinegar, fresh basil leaves (from my herb garden) sugar, S&P and EVOO in a blender . Drizzle the dressing over the top and around the stack. Lovely!!

Tri-Tip is not a cut of meat you see often; it is a bit tough. I was in Trader Joes' to pick up frozen brown rice packets I love and saw small packages of tri-tip. This is a cut of meat that is very low in fat but must be marinated. It is very flavorful!! This recipe is for the meat to be marinated in an herb rub. The rub is: garlic salt, celery salt, ground black pepper, onion powder, paprika, dill, sage, crushed rosemary, S&P. Moisten the meat and rub in the marinade, and refrigerate overnight. Then grill the meat on both sides until there are prominent grill marks and finish in the oven until the meat is medium rare. Let rest about 10 minutes before slicing. Great meat and good for very thin slices for sandwiches the rest of the week.

The next is a corn-sweet onion dish: a simple vegetable dish: mixed fresh corn kernels, sweet onion, and cherry tomatoes. The dressing is the same as with the Stacked Caprese Salad. Mix the vegetables with the dressing and refrigerate until serving. Sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese and serve. Excellent.

For lunches this week I prepared the Salsa Rice with Back Beans and Corn. The rice from Trader Joes is gently warmed. The black bean, salsa and fresh corn are added with minced cilantro S&P.

Another recipe provided by the chef from The Old Fort Pub is their Sea Island Bouillabaisse. Amazing!! I will prepare it later in the fall. A bit warm for it now. Next week is expected to be very warm and humid. I will think about what to prepare for the table!

Have a good week! Classes begin next week so I will think about simpler cooking.

.

A Celebration of Summer

This week was very hot again so cooking was not big on my radar. However, it's the time of many of fresh summer vegetables and fruits. When I visited my farmers market I found some great ingredients. The table this week focuses on what I found:

Tomato Zucchini Gratin
Mirai Sweet Corn with Lime Parmesan Butter
Pan Seared Scallops and Shrimp
Wine Poached Summer Fruit

Herbed Gazpacho
Vegetable Quiona

This week the focus is on the fresh vegetables and fruits of the season. The Tomato Zucchini Gratin I made last week with a zucchini I received from my Wisconsin Family. Tomatoes and zucchini are sliced and salted. Then they sweat to remove some of the water. They are wiped dry and layered with garlic, chopped kalamata olives, chopped basil and Parmesan cheese and baked. This was an excellent dish and I will repeat it as long as tomatoes and zucchini are available.

Dinner this weekend was included sweet corn...My favorite, Mirai from Twin Garden Farms was available at the farmers market. This corn is amazing. It can be eaten raw!!!, But I cooked it and spread it with butter, lime zest and juice and Parmesan cheese. YUMMY!!

Along with it I served pan seared scallops and shrimp. They are dredged in Panko, chili powder, oregano, cumin and thyme. They are seared in EVOO and served with an orange butter reduction. A simple dinner but excellent.

For a light dessert I prepared a dish of poached summer fruit. White wine, sugar, a cinnamon stick, lemon juice and zest and a slice of fresh ginger are heated. Then the fruits are simmered, sliced pears, peaches and plums until soft. The fruit is removed and cooled. The sauce reduced and served over the top. Lovely.

For lunches this week I prepared gazpacho and quinoa pilaf.

The gazpacho is simple as well. All the ingredients are combined and chilled. The ingredients are low sodium V-8 juice, canned fire roasted tomatoes, chopped fresh tomatoes, yellow pepper, cucumber, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. I expect it will be great at work this week with the quinoa.

Quinoa is one of my favorite ingredients. Here it is cooked and then mixed with sauteed garlic, yellow pepper, scallions, broccoli florets, canned tomatoes with juice, and salt and pepper. Can be served warm or room temperature.

We shall see what the weather brings this week and there for our menu for next week. Take care and keep cool.