Green Chicken Salad

At Foodtasmic we are always looking for easy and simple ways to make a quick lunch that satisfies in several ways. Quick is easier when we can use some basic ingredients that we often have around.

Cooked chicken. We often have left over chicken around from a roast chicken dinner. With just a little chicken a great lunch can be made with a special chicken salad.

Recently we needed to make a quick but special lunch. We had cooked chicken. How were we going to make a different salad mixture?

Special is easier to create when things look better. We do eat with our eyes. This time we chose green as what we would use to tie together taste and color.

In her recipes, the great English food writer Elizabeth David would say, “Pick whatever fresh herbs you have growing outside the back door.”  A pot or two of herbs is relatively easy to maintain most of the year – outside or in. It’s a Foodtasmic basic – try to keep fresh herbs on hand. We chose mint for our salad.

What else did we have that was green? A peek in the crisper revealed cucumbers, blanched green peas and lettuce. That ought to work.

Chopped chicken was the thing. This was not going to be for a sandwich or spread. We cut the cucumber into pieces midway in size between the chicken and the green peas. A base was made from olive oil mayo and Dijon Mustard – two Foodtasmic staples – seasoned with salt, pepper and chopped fresh mint. In went the chicken with a stir followed by the cukes and peas.

The salad was served on a dark green lettuce leaf and garnished with mint leaves. So easy – so quick – so good – so attractive. It was a great warm weather delight.

New Summer Reads

Many words are written about food – volumes in fact. Food is popular on television. There are lots of food magazines. Many publications have food writers or at least articles or columns about it. There are real food personalities out there. Chefs are no longer relegated to the kitchen.

Cookbooks have long been popular. It’s always one of the largest sections in a book store. Just to see, I did a Google search on “cookbook” and got 68,400,000 results. I think a subset is in order.

I get the opportunity to know about happenings in the food and restaurant business somewhat sooner than many people. The same is true of food and wine publications. I looked at a new book last week that won’t be published until the fall.

Quite simply I enjoy reading about food. I find it interesting. It’s a part of my work. And I write about it. The summer is a great time to read. (OK anytime is a great time to read.) With that in mind, let’s look at some new reads in the cookbook category that I have found interesting.

Chef Gordon Ramsey has a new book out. He calls it “Gordon Ramsey’s Home Cooking: Everything You Need to Know to Make Fabulous Food.” I am not a fan of Mr. Ramsey’s personal style. But his book is excellent. It stems from a cooking show and sets out basic recipes that home cooks can follow. The nice part is that he adds something to each to give the final dish a really special touch. That's a Foodtasmic basic.

On the more exploratory side there’s “Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation” by Mark Pollan. He takes lessons in using cooking basics. He learns about fire from a BBQ pit master. Water, air and earth are addressed in interesting ways. We learn alongside Pollan as delves into the secrets of basic cooking.

Todd Gray has written a very nice book - “The New Jewish Table: Modern Seasonal Recipes for Traditional Dishes.” This is a cuisine and sometimes an approach to cooking and eating that are unfamiliar to many of us. What this book does is bring together traditional Eastern-European fare and seasonal American ingredients and cooking. Think farm to table Matzos. It’s a fun read to try.

There’s an entire series of books out there that start with the name of a city followed by “Chef’s Table.” There’s a new one out about New Orleans. The title goes on the say “Extraordinary Recipes from the French Quarter to the Garden District.” This volume is by Lorin Gauden. Great cookbook? Not really. But it showcases some famous restaurants along with others and has excellent photography. It will make a Foodtasmic gift.

A very entertaining TV food personality is Nigella Lawson. She has a new book out – “Nigellissima – Easy Italian-Inspired Recipes.” If you have watched her shows, you will know that she is all about making a meal and using basic fresh ingredients and simple methods to do it. This book reveals her teenage fascination with all things Italian. She went to Florence and learned the language and now shares her yearn for this great cuisine with us.

There is no more entertaining food TV person than Guy Fieri. His unique style - and hair – have made him one of the most recognizable hosts. He has a new book – “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: The Funky Finds in Flavortown: America’s Classic Joints and Killer Comfort Food.”  

Perhaps you have heard Guy say, “If it’s funky, I’ll find it.” Well this book does just that. It takes us on a tour that is fun and informative. Pictures, recipes and stories keep your interest from beginning to end. Sounds Foodtasmic to me.

Famous restaurateur Danny Meyer has released a book that is a good one. It’s titled “Union Square Café Cookbook: 160 Favorite Recipes from New York’s Acclaimed Restaurant.” The Union Square Café is a winner of the James Beard Beast Restaurant in America award. That’s pretty tall stuff. Here is a collection of recipes from that great place.

Chef Edward Lee has penned a winner – “Smoke and Pickles: Recipes and Stories from a New Southern Kitchen.” Chef Lee is known for what is called patchwork cuisine. That’s sort of like fusion cuisine kicked up a notch or two with, in Lee’s case, a tilt toward Korean American.

“The New Persian Kitchen” by Louisa Shafia is a very good book. This is a cuisine that’s not common outside of that area. Persian restaurants aren’t in every town. “Hey, let’s go eat Persian,” isn’t a regular Saturday request. The rich wonders of this food – meat, grain, veggies and fruits - deserve your attention.

A new TV personality is Alex Guarnaschelli. She has a book out titled “Old School Comfort Food: The Way I learned to Cook.” Now this is not a mac and cheese book. But it’s equivalent foods from other places and backgrounds are set out in a easy to use format.

Chef Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park fame has given us a new book. “I Love New York: Ingredients and Recipes” deserves a place in any foodie’s reading or giving list. This book takes a look at the farming side of New York. There are a good number of farms close to New York City that provide great ingredients to use. Even though not as practical as some, the book is surely a good one.

Here’s a great title – “VB6.” It’s Mark Bitmann’s new book about a way of eating. This means vegan before 6:00. His postulate is to consume a basically vegan diet before 6 PM. After that you can have whatever you want in moderation of course. He says you will lose weight and restore your health for good.

Hopefully your interest has been awakened for something new to read that’s about food. Give a couple of these a try. Go together with some friends and get a book or two each. Have some parties and make something from the books. Then pass the books around so that everybody can read them. That's the Foodtasmic way to do it.

This is a great way to learn new things and share good times while doing it. It will also allow everybody to build a perfect list for gifts to give. Fun and play laced with something practical. Sounds like a good idea to me.

Artichoke Rice

Artichoke Rice – A Quick and Easy Side

Ever need a quick and easy something extra to use as a side? One thing we think of is another Foodtasmic staple – Artichoke Hearts. You can get plain ones in cans and sometimes in jars. They are also available frozen. We usually use canned quartered artichoke hearts.

First make your favorite rice or use some that left over. We prefer Basmati for most of our dishes. Make sure to start with olive oil and garlic simmered with the raw rice before adding your liquid. Water is certainly fine. For Basmati we use a 2.25 to 1 ratio of water to rice. Be sure to let our rice sit covered after the heat has been turned off. It’s part of the cooking process. That’s another Foodtasmic hint.

You can sauté the artichoke hearts or toss them on a grill or grill pan. That will add a spot of color and flavor. Fold those into the cooked rice and add green onion and parsley.

It’s that easy and you will have a different side that will go with fish, shellfish, chicken or pork. And it can happen while you are doing other things. Give it a try soon.

Fresh Truffles - What a Treat

Fresh Truffles – What a treat

Along came the chance to buy fresh truffles from Oregon last week. That’s a true Foodtasmic opportunity. I said yes at once.

Then came the “problem” of what to do with the treasure. Pasta? Beef? Rice or Risotto? Potato? Ripened Cheese? Butter? I considered these options and more. How should I show off this unique flavor and aroma?

Then I remember a great recipe from Raymond Oliver. He was before the celebrity chefs. It began, “Take equal quantities of truffles and potatoes….” So potatoes it was.

With something like truffles, simpler is often better. But not too simple. This is a very special ingredient.

I took slices of Yukon gold potatoes – a Foodtasmic staple – and spread them in layers. On top of those went a few slices of large sea scallops. I poured rich veal stock over those and topped them with slices of the truffles and rich farm butter. A grating of fresh Parmesan was strewn on top.

That was it. Good ingredients treated simply and ready for then oven. I wrapped the baking dish with foil and put it in a 350 oven for 25 minutes and brought it straight to table when ready.

The potato, scallop and truffle combo was served on lunch size plates with the juices all around. No bread was needed. That was it. The aroma was intoxicating and the flavors of earth and more filled our mouths with luscious memories.

The cost? Not bad. The truffles were $35 for an ounce. So for $50, I had a generous meal for four. A simple salad of red Bibb lettuce was served while the feature dish was in the oven. A Napa Sauvignon Blanc proved a worthy companion.

Foodtasmic? I think this one was a bull’s eye.

Kitchen Gift Ideas for Brides

This is wedding season. Showers and other events abound along with the big day itself. This also means gifts for your friends. You have the chance to help others get started in their new lives together. Let Foodtasmic give you some ideas.

As is often the case, one or both the individuals have some kitchen wares. Many times these are remnants of a college kitchen that leave lots to be desired.

Do you still have any wedding or other special event presents? For some of us, that’s a long time.

Emma George Jones gave me a fondue set. It’s been so long, they are back. We still use it. Her son Ebbie gave us French onion soup crocks. Still use those too. Kuykendalls gave us a brass boot, for fireside matches, that’s still in use. Leverne Owsley’s beautiful plate is dear to my heart.

From friends in New Orleans we got a Cuisinart – leading edge at the time. It has been replaced but I wish I had the old one. The motor was great. We also got a rice cooker that’s still in use. It’s a great steamer.

Our Le Creuset cookware is from my days in New York and earlier. Ditto for most of my knives.

So what’s the right thing to choose? What's the Foodtasmic thing to do?

Here’s some advice. Go to your kitchen and make a list of 10 things you would not want to do without - something you use most every time you cook. Pick one of those.

Make a list of what you wish you had when you started a kitchen. How about one of those? Or think about something you would still like to have. That might be a good idea.

I looked around and came up with a “must have” list. Let’s start our ideas with these.

• ·         A good cutting board. I use mine most every time I cook. I like wood even though it’s harder to clean. It’s 2 inches thick maple.

• ·         My chef’s knife. I like a 10 inch model but an 8 works too. I cut most everything with it. I’ve had it 40 years. A paring knife and a slicer are the other two I need. And I really use my cheese knife. The serrated edge is very useful.  A sharpening steel is important to have.

• ·         10” non-stick sauté pan – more than one. I like a smaller one too.

• ·         A digital scale. In my book an essential item to do it right.

• ·         A thermometer. How do you know it’s done?

• ·         A 2 ½ quart sauce pan.

• ·         A stock pot – 10 to 12 quarts. The best way to boil pasta.

• ·         A 5 quart enameled cast iron Dutch or French oven. This is a very versatile pot. Le Creuset is the most popular name here.

• ·         Measuring cups and spoons. 1 quart and 1 cup glass models plus 4 half cup varieties are perfect. Get several. One or two are always in use. A set of accurate measuring spoons is very nice.

• ·         An accurate and readable wall clock with a second hand. Timing is very important in cooking.

Those are my “must have.” And with them you can do most things - lots of Foodtasmic activities.

At the next level, I regularly use a veggie peeler - a sturdy one. A good can opener is a must. I use my jar opener too. Cooking spoons and forks are necessary. So are mixing bowls. A really good dish drainer is quite handy. Baking and au gratin dishes are good candidates.

Small appliances are nice gifts. But be practical. What you like may not fit the needs of you recipient.

The list can go on and still be a good one. That’s why a bunch of folks can give kitchen items and not go wrong.

Cook books are still good things to have - the basic practical kind. Julia Child Volume One is perfect. So is the Joy of Cooking. Even with information available at a touch on the Internet, a book to cook with is mighty nice. My Foodtasmic favorite is Elizabeth David.

My preference is a family recipe book – especially to a family member. It’s history and heritage. And it is just as important to pass that to any good friend.

You can also give away things that you have used for years and now it’s time for others to enjoy them. Wouldn’t it be great to tell the bride and groom that this piece came from one of their families as a gift to you? Or share your family history with the new beginning family. We do that often.

How about what not to do? Good idea. Avoid buying it because it looks good unless it’s art. And that can be a great choice. Cute glass cutting boards are useless. So are thin and light most anything – pots, pans and knives for example.

If I had one choice of something to give – other than a personal or family item, it would probably be a cheese knife. It is a great kitchen tool and will last forever. I like the serrated kind with holes in the side. Besides cheese and cheese cake, they cut bread and tomatoes as easy as pie – which they do a good job on, too.

Some of these things can be sort of expensive. When that’s the case, go together as a group. You could easily be giving something that will last a lifetime. And that’s a long time to be remembered. It’s a much better memory than the 3^rd salad plate of a now out of style casual dish set that is a yard sale candidate. That's not a Foodtasmic idea at all.

Select and give with care. What you chose will reflect directly on you and your individuality. Tom and Betty Botsford gave us a beautiful leather-bound book – James Boswell’s Life of Samuel Johnson. I’m sure Dick and Julia Moreman helped select it. When I come in the front door, there it is on the secretary shelf. The secretary was a wedding present to Aimee’s parents. So with a simple glance, I get to remember and honor a group of wonderful people. That is truly a gift that keeps on giving.