Seasonal Cooking ... Artichoke with Easy "Aioli"

I'm not growing artichokes and probably never will ... I don't have a spot that is warm enough, early enough to grow the quality of artichoke that I would want.  I'm spoiled ... because "The Local Guy" gets these artichokes from California and they are the best ever!

The Ingredients

I'm going to refer you to "Simply Recipes" for a pictorial on how to prepare, cook and eat an artichoke.  This is exactly the way I do it except I've never added the garlic or a bay leaf to the steaming liquid; I might try that next time.  I also don't bother with all the pretty presentation trimming unless it's for company.

For the aioli:
2 cloves garlic
A couple of pinches of sea salt
1 cup mayonnaise
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
A pinch of cayenne pepper

Using a mortar and pestle (I use my molcajete, you could use a bowl and the back of a spoon) smash the garlic with the salt until it forms a smooth paste.  Add all the rest of the ingredients, mix well and chill (I said it was easy : )

Serve the artichoke leaves with the chilled aioli.

Enjoy!

Seasonal Cooking ... Thai Beef Salad

You are going to be seeing a lot more recipes appearing on my blog now that my garden is getting into production mode ... I hope you don't mind : )

I have a lot of lettuce ready to harvest ...

... and I have beef left over from last night's dinner; so it's "Thai Beef Salad" for lunch ...

The Ingredients

For the dressing :

1 tsp grated lime peel

4-5 Thai chili peppers, finely minced (I used the pickled ones I grew last summer)

Juice of 2 limes (about 1/4 cup)

1 tbsp Thai fish sauce

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp canola oil

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Mix the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar in a small bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves.  Whisk in the canola and sesame oils to form a vinaigrette and stir in the minced chilies and lime peel.

For the salad :

Lettuce for 2 servings of salad (leaf or romaine)

4 radishes, thinly sliced

1/2 small sweet onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cucumber, peeled and sliced

5 or 6 Thai basil leaves, shredded

8 ounces thinly sliced beef

Place the lettuce on a plate and top with the onions, radishes, cucumber and shredded basil.  Arrange the beef on top of the salad and add dressing or serve it on the side ...

Enjoy!

Seasonal Cooking ... Grilled Asparagus

For The Asparagus:
Insert 2 small wooden skewers into 5 or 6 thick stalks of asparagus for each serving (see photo for placement).  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with minced garlic.  Grill until tender, about 5 minutes on each side.

The Rest of the Menu:
Top Sirloin grilled to medium rare
Sweet Onions, cut into thick slices, brushed with olive oil and grilled for 5 minutes on each side
Artisan Bread (preferable homemade) cut into thick slices, halved, buttered and grilled until golden

Enjoy!

Harvest Monday ... and Grilled Chicken and Spinach Salad

The spinach in my garden is looking great, so it's spinach salad time!

Grilled Chicken and Spinach Salad

For the chicken:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup white wine
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 -3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 yellow onion, slices
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast

Combine the first 7 ingredients in a bowl, add the chicken breast, cover and marinate for 4 hours.  Preheat a BBQ grill and grill the chicken until done, about 20 minutes.  Tent with foil to keep warm.

For the dressing:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
1/4 cup olive oil

Place the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat and simmer until thickened and reduced to half its' volume; allow to cool.  In a small bowl combine the reduced balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard and honey; whisk in the olive oil a little at a time to form a thick vinaigrette.

For the salad:
2 hardboiled eggs, cooled, peeled and sliced
Enough spinach for 2 good sized salads
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Place the spinach on a salad plate, top with the onion, crumbled bacon and egg slices.  Set slices of the chicken breast to the side and add dressing or serve on the side.

I'm joining other bloggers over at Daphne's Dandelions as we share our weekly harvests...it's fun to see what others are harvesting and what they are cooking up with it...check it out!


Enjoy!

Seasonal Cooking ... Asparagus and Bacon Quiche

It's May and local asparagus is abundant.  I'm not going to try to grow my own; I don't have much growing space so I think this is one I'll pass on.  Fortunately "The Local Guy"  brings beautiful, pesticide free asparagus in from Yakima, so I can have all I want.  I had some of this for dinner last night and I'm going to blanch and freeze the rest.

This is one of my favorite recipes using asparagus and has become a family favorite.  The first time I made this for Mike and his son, Brian, Mike was sure that Brian wouldn't eat it because "Brian doesn't like quiche".  Well Brian not only liked it, but consumed so much of it that Mike was starting to guard the last piece that he had staked out as his own.

Asparagus and Bacon Quiche

Ingredients:

9" pre-baked pie crust
3/4 cup raw asparagus cut into 1" pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion (I used a leek this time)
1/2 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used Colby)
4 eggs
1/2 cup cream or half and half
1/2 tsp grated spice blend (it's my own mix in a grater jar; Spice Hunters Garlic Herb Sensation is close)

Place the asparagus, onion, bacon and cheese in the bottom of the pie crust ...

Lightly beat the eggs, cream and spice blend in a bowl and pour over the ingredients in the pie crust ...

Place on a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes ...

Enjoy!

Harvest Monday ... and Hwe Dup Bap

I'm joining other bloggers over at Daphne's Dandelions as we share our weekly harvests...it's fun to see what others are harvesting and what they are cooking up with it...check it out!

I have had several small harvests of greens and lettuces this week and one really big harvest ... a bunch of my Asian vegetable started to bolt and since I want to redo the drip system in that bed I decided to go ahead and harvest almost everything there.

I gave a bunch to the neighbors who are going to be providing me with eggs :)  A lot more are going to be turned into Hwe Dup Bap, a salad like Korean dish of hot rice, vegetables, and seafood.

Ingredients:
 Asian greens (tatsoi, mizuna and Chinese cabbage work very well), lettuce, radishes, cucumbers and onions; prepared as for a salad

Any combination of fish and shellfish (traditionally sashimi for true Korean Hwe Dup Bap); I used seared ahi, seared scallops, cooked crab and cooked shrimp

Cooked short grain white rice (such as Calrose)

Sauce (traditionally red chili paste thinned with vinegar); I use the Spicy Thai Chili Sauce that I used as a dipping sauce for eggrolls.

Preparation:
Place the greens in a large bowl and top with the seafood.  Add the hot rice and sauce to the bowl and toss.

Enjoy!

Harvest Monday ... And "Fusion" Thai ...

I've had some nice harvests of greens this week; lettuce, kale and chard, and Asian greens...

This is one of my favorite Chinese Cabbages, Tender Gold from Territorial Seed.  Look how big it has gotten!  This is from seed that I started in January and transplanted to a hoop covered bed in February.

I'm joining other bloggers over at Daphne's Dandelions as we share our weekly harvests...it's fun to see what others are harvesting and what they are cooking up with it...check it out! 


I harvested the big hod full of Asian vegetables for a Thai "Fusion" Dinner that I made for friends last night ("Fusion" meaning that I use ingredients that I have on hand, not all necessarily true "Thai").  The menu was "Thai Style" Egg Rolls with Crab, Scallop and Shrimp Filling, Sweet and Spicy Thai Chili Sauce, Thai Chili Sauce with Lime and Garlic, Thai Style Crab Fried Rice (I posted this recipe on April 4), Clam-Coconut Soup, Seafood Saffron Curry with Jasmine Rice, and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Pineapple and Crystallized Ginger Sauce for dessert.

Here is a close up of the Crab Fried Rice and Egg Rolls...

I thought I would share the recipes for the Egg Rolls and Dipping Sauces today...

Spicy Thai Chili Sauce
1 cup Mae Ploy Sweet Chilli Sauce (available in the Asian food section of many grocery stores)
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Combine Chilli Sauce and vinegar in a small bowl and then whisk in the oil a little at a time.

Thai Chili Sauce with Lime and Garlic
Juice of 3 limes
4 to 5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
1 tbsp sugar
4 to 5 chopped fresh Thai chilies (or 7-8 pickled Thai chilies ... I used the ones in my fridge from last season)
2-3 more Thai chilies for garnish

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a small bowl and allow to sit  at room temperature for an hour or more (the longer it sits, the hotter it gets!).  Strain the sauce into a small serving bowl and discard the solids.  Add a few more finely chopped Thai chilies to the sauce for garnish.


"Thai Style" Egg Rolls with Crab, Scallop and Shrimp Filling
1 1/2 cups finely chopped Asian Vegetables (whatever is in season; I used Joi Choi, Chinese cabbage and Tatsoi)
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped bean sprouts
1/4 cup cooked crab (I use Dungeness)
1/4 cup chopped fresh (or frozen and thawed) scallops
1/4 cup chopped fresh (or frozen and thawed) shrimp meat
2 tbsp Thai Chili Sauce with Lime and Garlic
10 to 12 egg roll wrappers

canola or peanut oil for deep frying

Combine the first 7 ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour.  Place a spoonful of the filling in the center of a wrapper and roll up (here's a link to a You Tube video that shows how to roll up the filling in the wrapper).  Heat oil in large, heavy pot or wok and deep fry until golden brown.  Serve immediately with dipping sauces on the side.

Enjoy!

Harvest Monday ... and Easter Dinner ...

I still haven't been doing much out in the garden since my fall last week.  I am feeling better and am in the planning and testing phase of a new drip watering system for the raised beds, but haven't been harvesting since I haven't felt much like cooking by evening most days ... but I did go out and cut some herbs for the marinade for our Easter lamb...

Grilled Lamb with Balsamic Vinegar Marinade

Marinade :
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
10 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh marjoram

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.  Place a boned leg of lamb in a large freezer bag and set into large bowl (just in case the bag leaks).  Add the marinade to the bag and seal.  Place in the refrigerator and marinate for 2-3 hours.  Remove from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature (about 30 minutes).  Preheat BBQ grill. Remove lamb from marinade and grill, turning often, until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 130 degrees (about 30 minutes).  Remove lamb to a serving platter and tent with aluminum foil.  Allow to rest for 10 minutes.  Cut across the grain into slices.

I'm joining other bloggers over at Daphne's Dandelions as we share our weekly harvests...it's fun to see what others are harvesting and what they are cooking up with it...check it out! 

Enjoy!

Harvest Monday ... and Crab Fried Rice

I have a harvest!

This is one of the two beds in which I am growing "Asian greens".  All of the plants here are from seed started since January ... except for the purchased Candy onion plants that I tucked in here and there...

This is what I harvested to go into our dinner tonight ...Joi Choi, Violetta Pac Choi, green and purple Mizuna, Tatsoi, Chinese cabbage Orange Mini, and some Merlot lettuce for our salads ... plus some bean sprouts that I started a few days ago.  I'm joining other bloggers over at Daphne's Dandelions as we share our weekly harvests...it's fun to see what others are harvesting and what they are cooking up with it...check it out!

My husband and I are very fond of Asian cuisines (that would be why I have two garden beds devoted to Asian vegetables).  Thai food is my favorite while Mike prefers Japanese.  A couple of years ago we ate at Khu Larb Thai in Pt. Townsend and tried the Crab Fried Rice.  It was wonderful!  I've played with various recipes since then to come up with something similar and this is my version (Mike says he likes it better than the one at the restaurant : )

Deb's Thai Style Crab Fried Rice (printer friendly version)

1 Tbsp soy sauce (I like Yamasa Less Salt)
1 Tbsp Thai fish sauce
1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
2 quarter size slices fresh ginger
2 Tbsp canola oil
1  large egg
2  cups cooked and cooled jasmine rice
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 cups chopped mixed Asian vegetables (bok choi, mizuna, tatsoi, Chinese cabbage, etc)
1 cup bean sprouts
6 green onions cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound of cooked crab meat (Dungeness here in Washington)... rinse and drain well if previously frozen
2 more green onions, finely sliced for garnishing
1 lime, quartered

Cook the rice using a rice cooker or if you're cooking it on the stove, place 1 1/2 cups rice in a saucepan with  3 cups of water. Bring to the boil and then turn down the heat to low and cover. Cook for about 15 minutes or until rice is fluffy and all the water has evaporated. Place rice in a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.

Mix soy sauce, fish sauce and oyster sauce in a small bowl, add the sliced ginger and set aside while rice is cooking/cooling

Heat the oil in a wok over a medium high heat. Add the egg to the wok and scramble until set (about 30 seconds). Add the cooked rice and stir fry for 2 - 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir fry for about 30 seconds more. Push the rice mixture to one side of the wok and add the toasted sesame oil,  the Asian vegetables, green onion and red bell pepper and stir fry for 2 - 3 minutes.  Stir the vegetables into the rice mixture.

Remove the ginger slices from the sauce mixture (discard the ginger) and add the sauce to the wok and stir fry briefly to mix evenly.

Add the crab and gently (so as not to break up the crab too much) stir into the rice/vegetable mixture

Spoon rice onto a serving plate and garnish with green onions.  Serve lime quarters on the side for squeezing over the rice dish.

Serves 2 to 4

I serve this with a salad on the side and spring rolls if I have time to make them.  A first course of coconut-chicken or coconut-shrimp soup goes perfectly with this menu  (I'll share that recipe in another post).

Enjoy!