Sonia's Seven

Most good friends have had at least two of these dishes. If not, you need to come over more often!

I would like to start cooking classes in June 2013. If you would like to learn how to make any of these dishes, combine a total of 4-6 people and send me a message on Facebook (Sonia Kassambara). Bon appétit!

Seven of my all-time favorites

1-Spring Salad Greens with Strawberries, Herbs, Goat Cheese and Strawberry Vinaigrette
Beverage: Pinot Noir Rosé
I first made this dish in summer 2000. There was a farmer’s market nearby, and I used frisée and other greens, chopped herbs, the first strawberries of the season and my favorite: soft goat cheese. The dressing came together since I love agrodolce, and strawberry and balsamic vinegar is a classic example. Then I added herbs, black peppercorns, Dijon mustard, honey and olive oil. Perfection!! It is one of my favorite ways to celebrate late spring. Pinot noir rosé has a great strawberry aroma and complements the tangy goat cheese.

2-Coconut Cous Cous with Aromatic Vegetable Sauce and Thai Chicken on Skewers
Beverage: Ginger Punch
I first served this at a gathering when I was in graduate school in the spring of 2001. Instead of the Thai chicken skewers I make now, I made jerk chicken skewers. This is dedicated to my Aunt Vicki, who makes amazing coconut rice with cabbage and meatballs. I took the cooking technique of the West African jollof rice/coconut rice of making a stew and cooking the grains but applied it to cous cous, which cooks much faster. And just like jollof rice, I use a sauce or stew, but mine uses coconut milk and Indian-spiced vegetables with separate meat. That way I can make a vegan dish in case I have friends who don’t eat meat. The chicken skewers use my technique of pulsing meat, herbs and spices together in the food processor. I was dismayed to learn about the higher risks of bacterial contamination of ground meats. Now I do it myself and can infuse more flavors. The coconut and spice of the skewers work with the coconut-based stew and cous cous, all from different cultures. Ginger punch features pineapple juice and complements all of these foods.



3-Leg of Lamb with Apricot-Rosemary Relish
Beverage: Sangria
I started making this for Easter 2004 and sometimes make it for Thanksgiving when my mom requests it. The acid, herbal and sweet notes cut through the fatty lamb flavor. Many people who try it say they didn’t like lamb until they tried it this way. This recipe started out as a Betty Crocker recipe in a Bridal Edition cookbook we received as a wedding gift. Sangria is a classic beverage that I love serving at gatherings. The best part is it lets me enjoy myself instead of opening multiple bottles of wine!

4-Frog’s-legs Chicken (poulet à la grenouille) with Sautéed Potatoes and Green Salad
Beverage: Grapefruit Mimosa
I had tasted garlic and fresh parsley often in France and tried frog’s legs in Mali, so when I saw Jacques Pepin’s method six or seven years ago, I immediately tried it. It has been a favorite, and now I cook the potatoes in a similar way. My nieces and nephews love it, too. These fresh, simple flavors would make a nice early lunch, and a grapefruit mimosa would take me right back to both Paris and Bamako with citron and pamplemousse pressés.

5-Peanut Chicken with Black-Eyed Peas and Akara (black-eyed pea fritters) and Fried Plantains
Beverage: Red Sorrel Punch
Peanut chicken can be a stew served over rice or as a marinade for roasted or grilled chicken. Either way, it is a taste that screams, “WEST AFRICA!!” The tastes are pungent and spicy yet comforting to me. Black-eyed peas are made differently in Sierra Leone and neighboring countries, with bell peppers, onions and palm oil. Palm oil is an acquired taste, but just a touch of this oil takes it from the Deep South to a large pot over a wood fire. Red sorrel punch, also called bissap and dabilenni, is made in homes and sold on the streets in West African countries. It’s sharp and fruity like cranberry juice and sweetened. In the U.S., it’s the featured ingredient in Red Zinger.

6-Turkey Breast with Sage Butter, Cranberry Gravy and Cranberry Relish; Butternut Squash-Pecan Lasagna
Beverage: Beaujolais Nouveau
The turkey breast with sage butter is a Bon Appétit recipe that I use whenever I make Thanksgiving turkey for a few people. I first made it for fellow graduate school students away from home. The brined poultry, browned butter and sage make it a rich, flavorful alternative to dry turkeys that many people accept. Cranberry gravy brightens everything and relish, which I make with citrus, doesn’t have the gelatinous taste of the canned jelly. Butternut squash lasagna tastes like ravioli but is a lot less work. Beaujolais Nouveau comes out at the perfect time, right around Thanksgiving, and its young, fruity flavor reminds me of Thanksgiving almost 20 years ago when my friends and I studied abroad in France and had an amazing Thanksgiving dinner together at a restaurant.

7- Banana-Infused Bread Pudding and Banana-Nutella Ice Cream
Beverage: Earl Grey Iced Tea
When living in Mali I brought back Kahlua from my visit to the U.S. I was so excited to have this treat and wanted to feature it, not just drink it in cocktails. There was a bakery that made excellent whole wheat artisan bread. And we were in the throes of banana season, so this bread pudding put all of those tastes together. I have always loved Nutella and crepes, so the ice cream is an unctuous homage to those flavors. The floral citrus notes of Earl Grey iced tea might be sacrilege to some, but it mirrors the sunny essence of the other flavors, the floral notes of banana, vanilla and coffee, yet it’s refreshing where this dessert is rich.

Gift Ideas (or how to treat yourself extremely well)

We Spice Girls can never get enough...of high-quality spices! 

Penzey's (our closest location is 1048 Rockville Pike) is a great site for blends and hard-to-find ingredients like Z'atar, sumac, potent Vietnamese cinnamon for cinnamon rolls, mellow citrusy Ceylon cinnamon for apple pie and Mexican cooking,  Sunny Paris blend--excellent on eggs, quiche and asparagus, chipotle, satay seasoning, and Peri Peri seasoning. Penzey's also sell towels with "Love People. Cook them tasty food." on them!

Speaking of faraway ingredients and spices, the Jerusalem cookbook provides an amazing way to combine and savor foods and flavors we don't always put together. I also enjoyed the intrigue of Hal Vaughn's revisionist biography of Coco Chanel and her "liaisons" with Nazi Germany.

Silicone baking mats are a great time saver for making cookies, macaroons,  meringues, and brittles. I recommend only using them for sweet or neutral scents since they hold on to aromas. This pizza pan is 16 inches in diameter, big enough for take-home Costco pizzas! Other favorites are a pancake pen-shake 'n' shape your pancake batter, a 3-pack of righteous peelers which includes a julienne slicer and an apple slicer to keep the doctor away!

For fellow extreme home economists, consider cheese, vinegar, bread, yogurt, kombucha and mushroom kits to make your own. Williams-Sonoma has some options for almost all of the above. Recommended cookbooks are Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz, Artisan Breads Every Day by Peter Reinhart and Making It: Radical Home Ec for a Post-Consumer World by Kelly Coyne and Knutzen Erik.

Want a bluetooth speaker and FM transmitter for the car? Sync it with your smartphone and take it to multiple cars, the beach, to an office gathering and picnics. Also useful to transmit music is a cute Panda speaker system.

Looking for something lacy and racy? Sheer lace is one of my favorite ways to amp the vamp. Wear this peplum lace top over a tube top, a simple dress or with a tank top and jeans! Try lace socks for that nice and naughty look when going out, with shorts and lace-up shoes or with a spring dress.

And for gifts that keep on giving, consider public radio and community radio stations, religious organizations, shelters like House of Ruth, job training organizations like DC Central Kitchen, food co-ops, Girl Scouts, and supporting local visual and performing artists.

Season's Greetings!!

Ambrosia Macaroons

My cookie game had to be on point today with two cookie exchanges. Here's how it works: make, bake and take a few dozen homemade cookies, share and bring a few back of the other cookies have shared. We now have several dozen cookies at home. Yikes!!

Here is the ambrosia macaroons recipe I created for this cookie-themed day. There is a recipe on Epicurious.com that inspired me. But I made about half a dozen changes, so now it's my own recipe...and yours, too, if you like.

A good option if you are navigating certain dietary considerations. Gluten- and nut-free. Dairy-free with a butter substitute. And DEE-licious!

Ambrosia Macaroons

--these should make 60-72 macaroons, depending on size

-6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

-Solid coconut cream from 1 14-ounce can high-fat coconut milk. When testing again, I think one can leave about 1/5 left in the can, as these can get oily.
-1 to 1 1/4 cup sugar (less is still pretty sweet!)
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-4 large eggs

-3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries AKA craisins

-1 tablespoon finely grated fresh orange peel or 3 tablespoons dried orange peel
-1 teaspoon honey and 2 tablespoons water to soak dried craisins and dried orange peel (I put craisins, peel and liquids in microwave 30 seconds, then cooled before adding to other ingredients)

-1.2-ounce bag freeze-dried raspberries (bought at Trader Joe's. Freeze-dried pineapple from Target or other dry versions of fruits in ambrosia also work.)

-1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, to give a marshmallow flavor

-8 cups loosely packed sweetened flaked coconut (about 1 1/3 bags using a 14-ounce package or just under 3 bags of 7-ounce packages)  mix with dry unsweetened coconut to make less sweet. 

-Optional ingredient: 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Position rack(s) in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. If your oven runs hot, consider setting oven between 300 and 325°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment or silicone pads*. Using electric mixer-preferred, but not necessary, beat butter and coconut fat in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar and salt; beat until blended. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in flavoring, dried fruit, soaked orange peel, then coconut. Drop batter onto sheets by tablespoonfuls, spacing 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake macaroons until very light brown-almost the color of caramel-on bottom and browned in spots, 25 to 30 minutes. They need to be light brown on the bottom, or they will tend to fall apart. Make sure to switch position of macaroons halfway through if using two racks. Watch very carefully using an oven light if you have one. These can go from golden to burnt dark brown in an instant!!! Cool completely on parchment or silicone before transferring.

*If you don't have silicone pads or parchment paper, try to following: Butter a baking sheet, then line with foil and lightly butter and flour foil, knocking off excess flour. Read more about this tip.


Photo: Romulo Yanes

Giving Thanks

I don't know why, but I see Thanksgiving as a culinary challenge. Can I bake bread? How will a brined turkey turn out? What if I replace pumpkin for applesauce; will the cake still turn out?

Luckily, these days I have cooked enough and have enough on my proverbial plate to cruise on autopilot. Tried and true, rock steady. Cooking experts advise against trying one's hand with new things. Who wants to get flustered? How can you explain an overflowing pot of milk in your mother-in-law's house? (Making ricotta cheese for the best lasagne EVAH seemed like a good idea at the time...)

Here are recipes that I have made for many years, have recently tried or have on good authority that all will be well. Happy cooking, give thanks for the harvest and what we have, and make enough for leftovers!

Meats:

My favorite and only turkey recipe!! Read ahead of time; brining is involved, so you need to start the day ahead.Turkey with Sage Butter

My favorite lamb recipe: Apricot and Rosemary Marinated Leg of Lamb

Starches:

Fried sweet white potato oven fries

Caribbean Rice Pilaf-the butternut squash and coconut milk create a wonderful juxtaposition of foods found in the Americas.

Pumpkin Nutmeg Dinner Rolls -AMAZING with herbed garlic butter, orange honey butter and on their own!

Vegetables:

Green Crunchy Broccoli with Cream

1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 clove garlic, chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon olive oil, garlic salt or sea salt, and or pepper to taste. Cook on high heat until liquid vigorously bubbles and starts turning golden yellow. To that add:

3-4 pounds FRESH broccoli. Frozen will not work! Cook 3-5 minutes until broccoli is coated, bright green and softening but still firm when tossed.

Waldorf Salad

This has been my favorite since childhood. Sweet, savory, crunchy and creamy, this marries the other tastes on the Thanksgiving plate.

1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 lemon, zest finely grated and juice reserved
Freshly ground black pepper
2 large crisp apples, such as Gala
2 ribs celery (with leaves), sliced into 1/2-inch-thick pieces (leaves chopped)
1/4 cup golden raisins or dried sweetened cranberries
1/2 lemon, juiced
Optional: 1 head Boston lettuce, trimmed, washed, and dried
Directions
Whisk the yogurt, mayonnaise, honey, and lemon zest in a large bowl and season generously with pepper.
Halve, core, and cut the apples into 3/4-inch pieces, leaving the skin intact. Add the apples, celery and raisins to the bowl, and sprinkle with the lemon juice; then toss with the dressing. Cover and refrigerate if not serving immediately.
When ready to serve, toss walnuts into the salad. Optional: Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large platter, or divide them among 4 salad plates. Place the salad on the lettuce and serve.

Arugula Salad with Pomegranate and Toasted Pecans

* 1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

* 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar

* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

* 1/8 freshly ground pepper

* 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

* 2 medium bunches arugula, rinsed well and thick stems removed

* 1/3 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped

* 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, from 1 medium pomegranate
In medium nonreactive bowl, whisk together vinegars, salt, and pepper. Gradually drizzle in olive oil, whisking until emulsified. Toss arugula with just enough vinaigrette to coat. Sprinkle with pecans and pomegranate seeds and serve.

SWEET POTATOES WITH ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE HASH

So good and satisfying! Here's my imagined rendering of this sweet, hot and savory side. Try adding 10 ounces fresh kale or spinach to boost the health benefits and a pinch of smoked paprika for a Spanish flavor.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

12 ounces fully cooked smoked Andouille sausage or chorizo sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (Trader Joe's has chicken Andouille sausage if low-fat sausage is preferred)

2 medium onions, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

dash cayenne or Sriracha hot pepper sauce

3 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (sometimes called yams; about 3 large), peeled, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch cubes

2 cups low-salt chicken broth

Dash red wine or sherry vinegar
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Transfer sausage to paper towels to drain. Add onions and garlic to pot and cook until translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes and cook until beginning to soften, stirring often, about 12 minutes. Add broth; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Using potato masher, mash some of potatoes in pot. Add browned sausage to sweet potato mixture. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon oil if you drained sausage oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Tuscan Kale Chips

Condiments:

Gingered Cranberry and Kumquat Relish

Herb-Garlic Butter

3 sticks softened butter, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 5 cloves garlic, 1/3 small onion (optional), 4 sprigs parsley, 10 blades rosemary, 2 pinches dried (3 pinches fresh chopped) thyme. In food processor, beat butter sticks. Then drizzle in olive oil, then cream. Drop in garlic, onion, and herbs until just turning light green and creamy. Can use with steaks, bread, and even potatoes and fish. Later on, use to sauté vegetables, pasta, rice, and main dish foods.

I recently made several cups of vinaigrette and marveled at its versatility. I like a healthy dose of mustard. It keeps in the fridge for several days but use a little faster with fresh herbs added. 

Use for: Fresh veggies like carrots, cucumbers, red peppers, green beans, tomatoes, cabbage. Try making Greek salad with this dressing. You can marinate these. Dynamite at a cookout and easy side dishes when made the evening before. Added pita chips for crunch. Also, try with steamed broccoli, squash, potatoes, corn, asparagus, beets...and, of course, lettuce and spinach!

Classic Vinaigrette Makes almost 7 ounces or 200 ml

Ingredients:

1/4 cup chopped onions optional: 1 clove fresh garlic
2 stems' worth (sprigs) of chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/3 cup vinegar-try using 1/4 cup vinegar plus 3 small spoons smooth spicy brown or Dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:
If you are in a bare-bones kitchen, chop onions, garlic and parsley very fine and shake in a container that won't leak out the liquid, like an old mayonnaise, pickle or jelly jar. For best results, mix in blender or insert immersion blender in bowl. Mixture will get thick and creamy. Keep the ratio--yes, with that much oil--and enjoy this delicious classic.

Desserts:

Parfaits? Parfait!

With Jack Frost peeking around the corner, consider the parfaits, fools, and panna cottas to bring fruit flavor without having to forage for winter berries. Serve make-ahead desserts in beautiful glass bowls. Layer with dried fruit, crumbled cookies, cubed cake, or nuts. 

This "fool-proof" parfait recipe includes many inspiring variations.

Banana Pudding is a great dessert since the great citrus is only starting to making its way to markets now. Make sure you toast the vanilla wafers with butter, sugar and cinnamon. Amazing!

Beverages:

Alcohol-Free Fruit Punch

2 cups pomegranate juice, 1 can each apple, orange and pineapple juices concentrate, 1 cup cherry cider, 1/4 cup lime syrup. Dilute with ice, seltzer water.

Wine

These will work with all the sweet, rich and herbal flavors thrown together: Riesling (white), a White Merlot (blush) or White Syrah (blush). My favorite choice is the just-out refreshing fruity red Beaujolais Nouveau, served chilled.

Some friendly advice:

It's dangerous to cook stuffing inside a cooking turkey. Salmonella city!! Cook poultry and stuffing separately then put in stuffing while the turkey rests thirty minutes before serving.

Pace yourself-cook as many things as possible beforehand.

Add a little cranberry sauce to turkey gravy.

If you are serving a meatless meal, consider serving courses instead of many similar dishes together. Like salad, soup, potatoes and vegetables.

If more guests are coming than planned, serving courses with about ten minutes in between will help people feel full with less food.

Here's a list of in-season/readily available foods at their peak for the DC metro area:

Apples
Arugula
Bananas
Belgian Endive
Butternut Squash
Brussels Sprouts
Carrots
Chestnuts
Coconut
Collard Greens
Cranberries
Dates
Grapefruit
Kale
Kiwifruit
Kumquats
Leeks
Onions
Oranges
Parsley
Parsnips
Passion Fruit
Pear
Persimmon
Pomegranate
Pomelo
Potatoes
Radicchio
Red Currants
Rosemary
Sweet Potatoes
Tangerines
Thyme
Turnips
Winter Squash like pumpkin, butternut, acorn

Note: Some fruits like citrus, coconut, pineapple, bananas and dates are not local but are consistently available in major grocery stores to serve as a trade wind for salads, desserts and main dishes.

Tastes of Haiti

The Woodside United Methodist Church, part of the Silver Spring Cooperative Parish, went to Haiti through Volunteers in Mission October 6-13. The food--preparing and eating it--became a rewarding high point for me. Learning through our embedded cook Yves-Rose what Americans like: "pancakes", reassuring her that our group would try (and love) Haitian dishes, and preparing ketchup, aioli, salsa and green papaya salad represented in a way our group's goals. Show people we care, work side by side and have fun!

Fried goodness: Some lunches and every dinner seemed to feature delicious fried morsels we never tired of .

Fried sweet white potato oven fries
We also had plenty of crispy French fries.
Green plantain mashed and fried (Banan Peze)

Malanga (or taro root), parsley and garlic, puréed and fried 

Primer: Tropical tubers 101! 

Salads and Sides: Besides the recipes below, we usually had vegetables, luscious avocados and often papaya or banana.
Haitian Coleslaw
Macaroni and potato salad
Green papaya salad

Macaroni gratin Every time I had gratin, there was ground meat with a touch of tomato and onion sauce at the bottom of the pasta.

Di Riz Djon Djon "secret ingredient black rice"--it was mushrooms! 

Rice and pinto beans 

Meats: I saw Yves Rose marinate meats with sour oranges and limes. Four Stars!!
Chicken stew

Beef and potato stew (still looking for this recipe!)

Fried pork

 Fried chicken

Breakfast and Dessert: Breakfast was interesting. We had delicious omelettes, dozens (and dozens) of hard-boiled eggs, oatmeal, spaghetti with onion and meat, and citrus drinks (Orangeade, limeade, and watermelon limeade) that combined fresh-squeezed juice, sugar, cool water and "essence", a almondy-vanilla flavoring that went in lemonade drink mix, fruit cocktail--pretty much anything that had sugar added.

Coffee-first thing on the table every morning

Spruced up fruit cocktail: vanilla essence and watermelon + bananas

Spaghetti for breakfast!

Banana Pancakes 

Bread Pudding

Guava Jelly

Mamba=Creole for peanut butter

Vache Qui Rit=Laughing Cow cheese wedges
Homemade flatbread

Sonia's sauces: Condiments are the spice of life. These are easy with not too many ingredients.

Apple pancake syrup-pretty close, but didn't use raisins...

Homemade salsa
Homemade ketchup  (I usually boil the onion instead of frying and using oil)

Aioli (simplified by using a good mayonnaise instead of making it) 

Recipes from Haitian Church at Marvin Memorial:

http://recipes.wikia.com/wiki/Haitian_Salad -served at fundraising luncheon

 Pineapple chicken with gravy: Yveline Clement’s recipe

 Ingredients:

Chicken (any part to your liking)

Crushed canned pineapple

Frozen vegetable stew

Olive oil

Salt

Garlic

Lemon or lemon juice

Apple cider or white vinegar

Hot pepper (optional)

Tomato paste

Thyme

Parsley

Other spices: to taste (ex. oregano, basil, chicken bouillon cubes etc.)

Directions:

Wash and clean chicken with cold water; then wash with lemon or lemon juice, rinse very well, squeeze excess of liquids out. Place chicken in a bowl; add salt, garlic, other spices to your taste and vinegar. Cover and put it in the refrigerator to marinate; preferably overnight.

Cook:

In a large skillet or pan put some olive oil on low heat; very carefully add tomato paste to oil with 1-2 tsp of water mix well. Drain chicken and save the juice or marinade; add chicken to the skillet, sauté on both side on medium heat for 2-3 minutes, cover, let it simmer on reduce heat for about 5-7 minutes then add the juice or marinade, the vegetable stew, parsley, fresh thyme, hot pepper. Once again mix everything, cover and let it cook for another 15 minutes on medium heat then add crushed pineapple with the juice steered well let it cook for another 10 minutes.  This may be served with white rice or beans and rice.

 

Baked chicken à l'Haïtienne: This spicy baked chicken dish in Créole sauce is a family tradition and a guest favorite at dinner parties. (Leroy)

 Ingredients:

 Large fresh chicken cut into pieces (bone-in / skin-off)

3 lemons

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup water

Freshly ground garlic, chives or scallions and parsley

Fresh thyme

1/2 hot pepper

3 cloves

1 large onion, sliced

1/4 hot pepper

1 tsp. tomato paste

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Clean and rub chicken with lemons and vinegar. Rinse with boiled water. Marinate overnight in refrigerator in lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, chives or scallions, hot pepper, parsley, thyme and cloves.

Sprinkle a large pan with oil and add the marinated chicken. Pour oil over chicken. Cook uncovered for one and a half hours in preheated oven at 375 degrees until golden brown, turning a few times to brown both sides. To make the sauce, scrape the bottom of pan and add 1/2 a cup of water and 1 tsp. tomato paste. Add sliced onion.

Independence Day Pumpkin Soup: Read about the inspiring history behind the soup prepared on New Year's Day!

Sources:
http://www.haitian-recipes.com/recipes/index.php
http://www.everythinghaitian.com/HaitianCuisine/default.aspx
http://recipes.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Haitian_Recipes
Epicurious.com- Check out my inbox with Haitian / Island recipes

Autumn Glory Salad

Fall is a great time to combine sweet and sharp flavors. Apples aren't quite ready but butternut and other orange-fleshed squash are plentiful. I made this salad out of various fridge finds:
Serves 3-4 lunch main dish portions

About 4 oz spring mix, arugula or baby spinach

20 cubes butternut squash salted buttered and roasted for 40 minutes

20 cubes cooked chicken breast (rotisserie chicken in this case)

1/2 large Hass (dark green with bumpy skin) avocado cut in 16 pieces

10 seedless grapes, halved

2/3 cup shredded carrots should be big crunchy pieces

2 ounces shaved goat milk Gouda or parmigiana reggiano or pecorino cheese

Poppy seed dressing (made dressing with milk-free chai, white miso, black pepper, red wine vinegar, lecithin and olive oil)

Layer a platter or individual bowls/plates with leaves, squash, chicken, carrots, grapes, avocados and shaved cheese. Drizzle a little dressing with each layer.

Let Them Eat Steak! Recipes

Recipes from "Let Them Eat Steak"

Planning food for gatherings is one of my passions. I start planning, then fill the fridge with food and my mind with ideas. If there weren't so many demands for my time, things would be served on time at the table topped with elaborate tablescapes.

Good thing people are just happy to come together over good food and few formalities. Many people asked how we made the items served, so here are the recipes and how-to's.

Sangria 
2 1/2 bottles Sangiovese wine about $3/bottle at Trader Joe's (in states like VA where it's sold in stores), 1 bottle medium-dry sherry, also from Trader Joe's, 4 cups pomegranate juice, 2 cups raspberry wine, apple raspberry concentrate, 32 oz cherry juice, 1 can grape juice concentrate

Alcohol-Free Fruit Punch 
2 cups pomegranate juice, 1 can each apple, orange and pineapple juices concentrate, 1 cup cherry cider, 1/4 cup lime syrup. Dilute with ice, seltzer water


Kids’ Meal-Spaghetti ‘n’ Meatballs 
2 cloves garlic, 2 sprigs of parsley, stems removed
3 pounds cubed chuck stew meat
1 onion
1 piece of bread + 1/4 cup milk, mashed into a paste aka panade
1 small zucchini
Dried herbs/spices: Allspice, Oregano, Thyme, Black Pepper, Salt-a pinch of each per batch, and two pinches salt per pound of meat
Using a food processor, chop garlic and parsley. Reserve a spoonful for the pasta sauce.
If your food processor is 5 cups or  more, grind the meat:
Add no more than one pound of stew meat at one time, plus the percentage of ingredients. In this case, I used 3 pounds of meat, so added a third of the bread/milk mixture, 1/3 zucchini, 1/3 onion,
If you don't have a grinder or medium or large food processor (or patience), consider buying organic ground beef.
Make meatballs no more than 1-inch diameter (approximately your thumb and index finger making a circle). Bake in oven 350 for 30 minutes. You know it is done when all the liquid is clear an turning brown and thick. No pinkish liquid should be in the pan.  Add juices-aka everything at the bottom of the meatball pan(s)- with the tomato sauce.

Tomato-based Sauce:
1 chopped onion, puree 1 small zucchini and 1 red pepper (I roast them first). Add to 26-32 ounces of store-bought (or home-made) marinara or tomato-basil sauce and simmer (cook on low), covered for 20 minutes to one hour, stirring every 10 minutes. I keep some to the side in case someone does not eat meat.

Green Crunchy Broccoli with Cream
1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 clove garlic, chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon olive oil, garlic salt or sea salt, and or pepper to taste. Cook on high heat until liquid vigorously bubbles and starts turning golden yellow. To that add:
3-4 pounds FRESH broccoli. Frozen will not work! Cook 3-5 minutes until broccoli is coated, bright green and softening but still firm when tossed.

Spinach, Kale and Arugula
Rinse the following:
1 lb spinach, 1/2 pound kale wilted in boiling water and 12-16 oz arugula OR 8 oz mustard greens, chopped,  
Add 8 oz shredded carrot.
Heat a high-quality Italian dressing with 2 tsp. Dijon mustard or make your own vinaigrette with  olive oil and  red wine vinegar--30 seconds in microwave
. Add 1/2 cup Romano cheese. Toss vigorously to mix and wilt--greens will compact by over half and will be shiny dark green. Serve room temperature

Herbed mushrooms
Canola oil- 2 tablespoons
2 packs sliced "baby bella"or Cremini mushrooms maybe 5 ounces, each. Sells for $3 to $3.50/pack at Trader Joe's and add two pinches thyme, 1 onion, cracked black pepper and salt to taste (maybe 3 pinches). Cook over medium high heat until all moisture has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Then sautee another 10 minutes, until some mushrooms begin to get crispy brown wdges.

Sautéed Potatoes 
Yukon Gold (used 5 pounds)--can almost always find at Whole Foods, Giant and Harris Teeter (usually not at Costco or Shoppers), . Cut each potato in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 4 pieces-will make wedges.Toss with 1/3 cup olive oil, sea salt, fresh rosemary, parsley, thyme and fresh chopped garlic. Lay out in single layer on baking sheet lightly greased. Bake at 400 degrees 35 minutes or until underside starts turning light brown. The herbs will be darker and crispy but not burnt. Wait a few minutes before transferring potatoes; they will stick less.

Open-faced Garlic Bread
Generously slather French bread rolls cut in half with herb-garlic butter. Bake at 375-400 8 minutes, until the amazing smell drives you crazy.

Grilled Tilapia
Ours stuck to the grill but was still delicious; used 2.5 pounds fish
Spanish marinade: 1/4 cup orange juice, 2 pinches smoked paprika, garlic salt to taste, 1 clove chopped garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, 21/4 cup butter, dash hot pepper sauce like Sriracha or Tabasco.

Feature: Steak 
Grilled to medium, served with steak sauce and herb-garlic butter. 

Steak Sauce 
In 2 cups water, boil mix of 2-inch square tamarind paste, 1/4 cup miso (or 1/4 cup soy sauce), 2 onions, 2 tablespoons pickling spice, garlic salt, 2 small spoons orange peel, 1 small spoon cinnamon, dash orange juice, dash red wine vinegar.  cook on high for 30 minutes. Strain, then add 1 bottle Ketchup base, 3 large spoons Dijon mustard, dash sweet chili sauce, 2 shakes pepper sauce, 1 teaspoon horseradish.

Herb-Garlic Butter
3 sticks softened butter, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 5 cloves garlic, 1/3 small onion (optional),  4 sprigs parsley, 10 blades rosemary, 2 pinches dried (3 pinches fresh chopped) thyme. In food processor, beat butter sticks. Then drizzle in olive oil, then cream. Drop in garlic, onion, and herbs until just turning light green and creamy. Can use with steaks, bread, and even potatoes and fish. Later on, use to sauté vegetables, pasta, rice, and main dish foods.

Tropical Fruit Salad 
cut fresh pineapple (3 cups), strawberry (3 cups), papaya (2 cups) and 2 large spoonfuls elderflower syrup, sold at IKEA.