Quinoa Paella

So I signed on to Yahoo! tonight and saw a feature on Paella. Of course, I immediately wanted to make it, but I thought I would give it a bit of a twist. Since Quinoa is such an awesome grain and leaves me feeling much more light and less stuffed than rice does, I figured I would try making a Paella out of it. It came out awesome! Since I used an oven safe pan and finished it off in the oven, it even got this beautiful "socccarat" which is the term for the crispy layer of rice (or in this case quinoa) that forms on the bottom of the pan. It really makes a difference baking the paella vs. just cooking it in a pot. Also remember, if you don't like seafood or want to save some money, you can always just make this dish with some chicken and chorizo or sausage (the seafood really makes it though).


Quinoa Paella

Ingredients:
12 Sea Scallops (Cleaned w/ lemon and water and Cut in Half)
12 Large Shrimp (Cleaned w/lemon and water and Deveined)
3 Chicken Sausage Links Cut (or 6 oz of Chorizo if available)
2 Cups Quinoa
1 Can Diced Tomatoes (14oz) (no flavoring or additives)
1 Medium Onion or 2 Small Shallots, Chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper, Chopped
2 Cups Chicken Broth
6 Cloves Garlic, Chopped
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tsp Paprika
1 Tsp Saffron (if available)

Preparation:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large, oven safe paella pan or deep fry pan, saute garlic, bell pepper, and onion over medium heat until onions are translucent and garlic begins to brown. (about 3 mins) Add chicken sausage (or chorizo) and continue to saute over medium heat. (If using chorizo, make sure chorizo cooks through.) Add scallops and shrimp and cook until shrimp and scallops are no longer raw on the outside (about 5 minutes). (Do not overcook seafood as it will continue to cook in the oven.) Add paprika, safron, and dry quinoa and saute together for a couple of minutes. Add tomatoes and chicken broth and stir. Cover and place in oven. Cook for 30-40 minutes stirring occasionally, until quinoa absorbs all water and is light and fluffy. Let rest, fluff with fork, and serve. Serves 4.

Brine Baby Brine!

Brining is perhaps one of the best ways to keep meat moist and juicy while cooking. Everyone hears a lot about brining during Thanksgiving time and Christmas when everyone and their mother (literally) is frying a turkey in the backyard. I am happy to see my friend Sharon is keeping the brine tradition alive throughout the year with this great recipe she concocted. Sharon recommends baking the chicken with potatoes that have been boiled, but if you want to throw in some carrots, sweet potatoes, or other root vegetables, I am sure this will be delicious as well! Let us know what you think.

Brined & Roasted Garlic Chicken (Serves 2)

Brine Base:
Water
½ cup Salt
1/8 to ¼ cup Sugar
4 Bay Leaves
3 Garlic cloves smashed
4 Peppercorns
Pinch of coriander
Pinch of nutmeg

Ingredients:

2 Chicken Breasts
4-5 Potatoes
6 Cloves Garlic
1 Tablespoon Dried Thyme
White Cooking Wine
Salt and Pepper to Taste


Brine 2 chicken breasts with above mixture for 24 hours
Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Boil water with a pinch of salt and add 4-5 new potatoes. Boil potatoes for about 10 mins, remove and rinse in cold water and slice potatoes into quarters.

Add about ¼ to ½ cup of white cooking wine to bottom of baking dish. Add chicken and sliced potatoes (sprinkle mixture with pepper, salt and dried thyme), 6 cloves of garlic and cover with tin foil.

Bake for about 45 mins or until juices of chicken run clear and potatoes are nicely cooked. Serves 2.

Blaze: Balsamic Glaze

So I always used to make my own balsamic glaze, but having it in a handy little squeeze bottle already prepared is much easier! You can try this stuff on almost anything: salads, pasta, meats, fish, cheese, cheesecake!, really anything. And they come in a variety of flavors, including truffle and fig! Pick up a bottle!

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Caramelized Onion and Ricotta Dip

Sorry it's been so long since I last posted! The holiday craze was so busy, but I am finally back in the swing of things and ready to kick off 2009 with some awesome food! This recipe comes from my roommate Brendan who has been inspired to create some delicious food and is doing an awesome job. This one is a kind of spin on the traditional french onion dip (remember, the one your mom always made with the Knorr's Onion Soup Mix and Sour Cream). It's very simple but tastes amazing! He recommends eating it with pita chips or some fresh veggies. I say try baking or broiling it to create a bit of a crust on top! Awesome!

Caramelized Onion and Ricotta Dip

Ingredients:
1 Large Sweet Vidalia Onion, chopped medium fine
1.5 Cups Fresh Ricotta
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to tastes

Preparation:
Heat olive oil on medium heat and saute onions until translucent. Lower heat and continue to saute onions until they are golden brown, gooey, and caramalized (around 10-15 minutes). In a bowl, combine caramelized onions, ricotta, and Parmesan cheese. Mix thoroughly. You can either serve like this or bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes until bubbly and crusty. Serve with pita chips, fresh veggies, or anything else you feel like dipping. Enjoy!

Fresh Broccoli Salad

So this recipe comes from my Aunt Michelle (I promised I would give her credit) and it really is a fun way to make broccoli taste good. It is almost like making coleslaw but with broccoli. It does have some mayo in it, but if you use light mayo, this recipe is healthy and delicious.


Ingredients:
2 Bunches Fresh Broccoli
10 Slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2/3 Cup Raisins
1/2 Onion, Chopped
1 Cup Light Mayo
1/2 Cup Sugar (you can use less if you don't like it too sweet)
2 Tablespoons Vinegar

Preparation:
Wash and cut broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Combine broccoli, bacon, raisins, and onion in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar; mix well. Pour dressing over broccoli mixture and toss. Refrigerate two hours before serving, tossing occasionally.

Beef Stew

It's getting cold out, so this stew is sure to warm you up. My mom used to make this when we were kids. It's not a difficult recipe and cooks in a little over an hour. You can even begin the recipe in a pan and then transfer the stew to a crockpot to finish slow cooking all day, leaving the meat soft and tender. You can serve it over rice, noodles, quinoa, or just enjoy it plain. Here's to winter. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1.5-2 pounds beef or veal, cubed
1 cup flour
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 bell peppers, coarsely chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 cups carrots, peeled and chopped
1 cup sweet peas (canned, fresh, or frozen is fine)
15 oz can tomato puree
1 cup wine (red or white)
2 cups beef or vegetable stock
2 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Roll beef in flour and shake extra off so the beef is coated. Set aside. In a large stockpot, sauté onions in olive oil until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add beef and sauté until brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add wine and veggies and sauté another 5 minutes. Add tomato purée, water, and stock, stir. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover and simmer for 45 mins or until the beef is tender and the stew is thick, stirring occasionally. (you can also cook in crockpot all day or slow cook in pot for a few hours over very low heat). Add peas and salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm over rice, noodles, bread, or plain.

Fennel and Apple Soup (cold or warm, its awesome)

I know, sounds kinda strange right? But truth is, this soup is delicious. I was inspired to create this from a soup I had at DOC Wine Bar in Brooklyn. (I will write about this place someday as well. It has a delicious, Italian inspired menu along with an awesome wine cellar with some good deals. The interior is warm and rustic and there is seating outside when the weather is nice. DOC Wine Bar 83 North 7th Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn)

The soup at DOC was served cold and it was perfect for summer. The chef wouldn't reveal his secret recipe, but he did allude to the fact that there were no more than 5 ingredients and it did not have cheese or dairy in it, despite the fact it was so delicious and creamy. Since I haven't been able to stop thinking about this soup, I decided to come up with my own rendition, and to my surprise, it tastes almost exactly like the one I keep dreaming about. (I actually ate mine warm and it really brought out the apple and fennel flavors. It also helps get the chill out of you on these cold nights.) It is also very healthy.


Fennel and Apple Soup

Ingredients
2 Fennel Heads Coarsely Chopped (looks like celery and smells like licorice)
3 Peeled Apples Chopped Coarsely (Skins Discarded) (Sweeeter is better, I used Gala)
5 Cloves Garlic Coarsely Chopped
2 Cups of Vegetable Stock (or water if stock isn't available)
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Small Onion or Shallot Coarsely Chopped
1 Small Bunch of Fresh Dill Chopped (or to taste)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Pesto or flavored oil (for garnish)

Preparation

In a large saucepan, saute garlic and onion in olive oil for a few minutes. Add fennel and apples and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the apples are soft and the fennel has begun to carmelize and brown. (If the mixture begins to brown too fast or burn, put a little stock in early.) Add the dill and saute for a few more minutes and then add the stock. Cook until the stock comes to a boil and then remove from the heat. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes. Next, put the mixture into a blender or food processor and puree until the soup is creamy and smooth. Return soup to the pan. (Optionally, you can put the mixture through a mesh strainer or a food mill to get out some of the "strings" of the fennel and make the soup even smoother. You don't have to if you don't mind a little more texture in your soup.) Cook over a low heat for a few more minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste. Let soup cool and serve with a swirl of pesto, olive oil, or a flavored oil on top. (You can also serve this cold by putting in the refrigerator overnight.) You will swear there is cheese or cream in this when it is really just the richness of the veggies! Enjoy!