roasted fish, potato, asparagus with dill butter

just because i don't like salmon doesn't mean i don't like white fish fish (although now that i think about it, i do like salmon when it's raw suhi, but not cooked). we tend to make the same kind of fish dinners, only because we like to keep the flavors really simple and clean. this recipe is really no different, just another great combination of all the things i like -- asparagus from the farmer's market, potatoes, and capers. it's a super easy recipe, and with a great presentation and hardly any work involved at all, it would be a great option for a small dinner party, too.

roasted fish, potato, and asparagus with dill butter: serves 2
adapted from donna hay (spring, 2009 issue no. 47)

4 baby potatoes, sliced
1 lb firm white fish fillets
1 bunch thin-medium asparagus, trimmed
1 tb capers
olive oil
2 tb butter
1 tb dill leaves
salt and pepper to taste
lemon

1. preheat oven to 400F. toss potato and asparagus with olive oil and season with salt and pepper (not too much salt because of the fish and capers in the dish). place potato on baking tray and roast for 25 minutes.

2. season fish with oil, salt and pepper. add fish and asparagus to tray and roast for 15-20 minutes or until the fish is cooked through and the potatoes are golden.

3. combine the butter and dill and spoon over fish, garnish with capers and squeeze of lemon (donna roasted the capers along with the fish).

grilled lamb chops with salmoriglio sauce

wow for someone who was vegetarian for about a decade, i do seem to eat a lot of meat now!! it's not something i'm necessarily happy about. i would be lying if i said i didn't like the taste of certain pieces of meat. but i would be definitely lying if i said it didn't make me feel morally conflicted.

i try to assuage this conflict by at least only buying locally raised meats from the farmer's markets. this past weekend i went to a new farmer market (new for me folks, and that was thankfully light years better than that other one i tried out) and some of the farms even had photo albums of all their happy chickens, sheep, pigs, and bison in real fields and mucking grounds. it certainly convinced me that, indeed, these animals probably lived their lives as naturally as possible. but it made it that much harder for me to look at those photos and then buy a piece of cryovacked loin. but like i read somewhere recently, these chickens had a really good life for several months and then one very bad day.



i don't mean for this to devolve into a manifesto of sorts, although i do believe too little attention is paid to what we put into our bodies. i spend the majority of my disposable income on food. i believe that i should spend an equal amount of thought and conscious effort in making sure i know the provenance of that food. if not because of the animal i am eating, or the inevitable environmental damage, but at least because of the very fact that i am ingesting it!

i might think a lot about food, but when it comes to cooking, simpler is a lot of times better! i was looking for a new lamb chop recipe and came across this unassuming idea. salmoriglio is a strong, pungent lemon-herb sauce, originally form calabria and sicily. i could not believe how delicious it was! if you like lamb, please try this recipe! and then we can go back to debating whether i should be vegetarian again :-)



grilled lamb chops with salmoriglio sauce: serves 4
from gourmet (may 2000, original recipe click here

1 1/2 tb finely chopped fresh oregano
1 1/2 tb finely chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
1 1/2 tb fresh lemon juice
1 tsp coarse salt
salt + pepper to taste
6 tb olive oil
4 shoulder-blade lamb chops

1. grind herbs, zest, lemon juice, and 1 tsp coarse salt to a paste with a mortar and pestle. transfer to bowl and add oil in slow stream, whisking until emulsified. season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. pat lamb dry and season with salt and pepper. heat a lightly oiled well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. then grill lamb, turning once about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare.

3. spoon sauce over lamb. if this is how the sicilians eat, then i need to move there.

comfort food: pierogi

sorry, no tuesdays with dorie here. vibi from la casserole carrée choose the "two-fer" pumpkin slash pecan pie, but i already have got my pies to bake for thanksgiving, and i just can't bear to do another one!

but this weekend i did make pierogis. i can't remember when i first ate a pillowy puff of potato, but evidently i was polish in a past life because i love them!! they're like a comfort food for me. when i was younger i used to eat a plate of them with caramelized onions for dinner.

so when we finally decided to use up the kielbasa we bought from the farmer's market, i got the brilliant idea of making my own pierogis!!



yes, it's true i like martha's recipes, but i figured her mother would know a thing or two about making pierogis. unfortunately i was going between the online and magazine recipe, and halving both and i wasn't as organized as i should have been. it was an afternoon of oops, that was supposed to be 1.5 cups of flour! and an oops, i forgot to salt and pepper the potato mix! and shit my countertop next to the oven is hot and my dough is now sticking!

do you ever having baking days like that???



but the end result was some delicious pierogi. never doubt that something as simple as potato stuffed dumplings can taste amazingly better homemade than store bought! i think there was a little bit of that delicious taste called "pride" in each bite too ... i couldn't believe i made these babies by hand!!

for the online recipe - and a great video of martha and mum - click here.

roasted fish with vegetables

last night was one of the first saturday nights the mimis have had in a while to stay in and enjoy a home cooked meal. we made sure to get to the farmer's market early (which for us, is by noon. what is early for you on a saturday??) so that we could see what blue moon had on hand. striped bass comes in to market season by late summer, and we were lucky they still had some filets left for the day. noodle pudding usually has it on their specials list by now. in fact, that may have been where i first tried striped bass a couple years ago. it's now one of my favorite fish for fall.

i often think of fish as a summer thing because i love it on the grill with just a spritz of lemon. it's hard for me to think of mild fish in the colder weather when i'm craving heavier, cozier type of meals.

but here's a recipe that is perfect for fall, that keeps the fish light and fresh but incorporates one of my favorite ways to have vegetables in the fall: roasting.

and the beauty of this recipe is that it is so versatile. i prefer mild, flaky fish like striped bass but you could use other filets as well. as long as 1. it can be cooked through (i.e., tuna would not work) and 2. it isn't too soft (i.e., skate is a possibility but you'd really have to watch the time).



also feel free to use whatever combination of vegetables you may prefer for roasting. i love the simplicity of mirepoix, with leeks instead of onions. the leeks roast up to a sweet toasty crisp. and of course, garlic. roasted garlic cloves may be the vegetable kingdom's gift to the culinary world. don't skip on them, and don't be afraid to eat them whole!



roasted fish with vegetables: serves 4

1 1/2 lb filet of fish
1 bunch carrots
1 bunch celery
1 bunch leeks, white and some light green parts, cleaned
8 garlic cloves
salt + pepper
olive oil
lemon

1. preheat oven to 400F. cut the carrots and celery into 1/2 inch chunks and the cleaned leeks into 1/2 inch slices. slightly smash and peel the garlic. toss everything with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. evenly place on bottom of roasting pan. cook until just tender and slightly brown, about 45 minutes.

2. rub some olive oil on both sides of each fish filet. season with salt and pepper (i like using coarse sea salt for this). lay on top of roasted vegetables and cook until fish is done, about 15 - 20 minutes depending on thickness of filets. by then the vegetables should be nicely roasted and caramelized, but if not you could always take out the filets when done and finish off the vegetables for a couple additional minutes. spritz fish with lemon and enjoy!

pork chops with pomegranate-fennel salsa

i confess. i often ... okay, yes almost always! ... buy pomegranate seeds already hulled out of the shell. i'm really not that lazy. it's more that i just can't help it. they are coming into season now and when i go to the market and see the little containers full of those gorgeous red tangy seeds i just can't help buying one or two! which is exactly what i did a couple days ago.



totally unrelated, one thing that i've been surprised about since i've been eating meat this year is how much i like pork chops and tenderloin. and with flying pigs up at the farmer's market every saturday by us, it's very tempting to treat myself at home with a nice pork dinner.



so i searched around for a recipe and when i found this one with pomegranate seeds i just knew i had to try it with the seeds i just bought! we added a bbq spice to the rub for the pork chop, just to give it a bit of complementary flavor to what i expected to be a relatively sweeter salsa.

and in the end, dinner was perfectly delicious. i'm not sure if it's because we bought the fennel at the farmer's market as well, so it was more fresh than usual, but it really had a great flavor. i highly recommend trying this! the recipe also suggests the salsa would pair well with lamb.



pork chops with pomegranate-fennel salsa: serves 4
adapted from gourmet (jan 2002, original recipe online at epicurious, click here)

1 lb fennel bulb, stalks cut off and discarded (although you probably could use some of the greenery as garnish if you'd like)
1 cup pomegranate seeds
2 tb chopped chives
1 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp honey
olive oil
salt + pepper
coarse sea salt
spice rub of your choice (we used a moderately spiced pre-made bbq rub)
4 thick cut pork chops

1. preheat oven to 400F. halve fennel bulb lengthwise and core it, then cut into 1/4 inch dice. cook fennel in olive oil in a skillet over moderate heat, stirring until tender, about 15 minutes. transfer fennel to bowl and stir in pomegranate seeds, chives, vinegar, honey, and salt and pepper.

2. pat pork chops dry and season with coarse sea salt, pepper, and spice rub. heat olive oil in skillet over high heat until hot (but not smoking). sear chops until golden brown on each side, about 2 minutes each side. pour off excess oil - the easiest way is to use tongs to hold chop in the skillet and then pour oil out. put skillet in oven (make sure it has a metal handle!!) until 150F internal temperature, turning pork chop over once about 5 minutes in.

* note: we had very thick pork chops and that's why we suggest finishing off in the oven. if you only have very thin pork chops, you could very well just finish in the skillet on top of the stove.

strozzapreti with black kale, sage, and potatoes

deborah madison is one of my favorite cookbook authors. i have never made anything of hers that i didn't like. i mean, the good lady obviously loves her butter, so what is there not to like?! :)

normally i use the old standby, but her local flavors book is also a great treat, with beautiful photos of recipes organized by seasonal fare typically found at your farmer's market.



even though i hate the colder, darker days, i have to admit that i love dinner in the fall. everything becomes warm and hearty without being yet winter heavy.

strozzapreti ("priest stranglers") refers to the pasta's shape, which resembles folded and twisted ribbons of fettuccine. the strozzapreti i found at fairway was probably a little more twisted than what i'm used to but ms. madison also suggests gemelli if you can't find any.



ms. madison also suggests this serves 4 ... umm, maybe 4 paul bunyans. i did use a bit more pasta than her recipe (who buys 3/4 lb of pasta??) but even so, this pasta is quite rich, so it would easily serve 6, and maybe 8 if you had something else accompanying the dinner.



strozzapreti with black kale, sage, and potatoes: serves 6
adapted from madison's local flavors (2002, p. 101)

4 tb butter
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
10 sage leaves
2 bunches cavolo nero (black kale)
salt + pepper
2 cups finely diced yellow potatoes (about 3/4 lb)
1 lb strozzapreti
5 oz italian fontina cheese, cubed
freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano

1. bring large pot of water to boil. meanwhile, heat butter, garlic, and sage in small skillet over medium heat until butter is lightly browned and nutty smelling. turn off the heat and discard the garlic.

2. chop kale coarsely. when the water is boiling, add salt and kale. boil for 4 minutes, then add potatoes, and boil for 6 more minutes or until both are tender. scoop out, shake off excess water and reserve in bowl. in same water, cook pasta until al dente, then drain.

3. combine pasta, potatoes, and kale. pour the butter and sage over the mixture and using a pair of tongs, pick up some of the pasta to wipe out the butter pan. add the fontina and a generous grating of parmigiano, and toss well. season with pepper and enjoy!

best turkey burger for the end of summer

this relentless head sinus cold couldn't have come at the worst time - new york city weather has just been shamelessly gorgeous the entire week!!

but i've gone through three boxes of tissues. one pack of ricola and albuterol. lots of vitamin C and zinc. countless pill popping. add on to that ... the stress of getting everything ready for mr. mimi's big surprise party last weekend, all the math work i'm supposed to be doing for my economics class, the mess of papers on my desk (i hope there isn't anything important in that mail), i haven't played tennis in eons, i want to start training, et je veux prendre des leçons françaises ... what i need is a vaca and a detox, stat!!

well, the vaca is long over and the detox isn't going to be until next month. so i have to comfort myself by giving you a recipe to enjoy those last days of summer grilling. i have to admit that since i've been selectively eating meat again, the thing i seemed to most enjoy - you know, eating sensually with all five senses - were the hamburgers!



i never craved them before, but they were so good this summer, i just loved them. maybe it has to do with the context of lazy summer evenings with a grill and friends? how much of the food we like or don't like has to do with the memory of that food, with the context, with what we were doing or who we were with? it's like the memory of music, n'est-ce pas?



best turkey burger: serves 4
from martha's great food fast (2007, p. 123)

1 1/2 lbs ground turkey - note: try to get the best quality, from your local farm or farmer's market if possible, it truly does make a difference!
1/2 cup finely grated gruyère cheese
4 scallions, thinly sliced (we omitted b/c i hate scallions!)
1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
salt + pepper
vegetable oil for grill

1. heat grill to high. in medium bowl, use fork to gently combine turkey with cheese, scallions, breadcrumbs, mustard, and garlic. season generously with fresh salt and pepper. divide the mixture evenly and gently form four 1-inch thick patties.

mr. mimi tip: in order to avoid the shrunken flying saucer hamburger syndrome ... while forming the patty, press the middle so that it is thinner in the middle and wider on the outside. then when the meat contracts while grilling, it will shrink to a normal hamburger shape.

2. lightly oil the grill. place patties on hottest part; sear until browned, 1-2 minutes per side. move patties to cooler part of grill and continue grilling until cooked through, about 5-10 minutes each side.

martha mondays: tomato tart

another round of martha mondays!

i hate the end of summer. shorter days, colder evenings. it all just means one depressing thing: crappy man winter is on its way. so you'll probably see me try to squeeze in every last drip drop of summer left here in the next couple of weeks. denial is a wonderful thing! ... and so is this tomato tart!

i bought martha's baking handbook back around the holidays last year, and this was one of the first things that caught my eye. the thought of using blah winter hydroponic tomatoes seemed a waste of the whole effort, and so i had to wait it out six long months!



there's nothing tricky about this tart, just your standard pâte brisée dough, tomatoes, garlic, fontina cheese, and basil for garnish. i haven't made dough in quite a long time so i decided to make it with half vegetable shortening, half butter to make it easier to work with (in case you're wondering, shortening doesn't melt so that's what makes it easier). but i still had problems rolling it out, mainly because it became a wee crumbly as i tried to stretch it to 13 inches. so the dough got manhandled when putting into the tart pan, although it still turned out pretty flaky. note to self: more practice with pâte brisée! hmm ... i see all sorts of pies in my baking future :)



you could say this is just a fancy pizza, and even though the preparation and assembly is easy, it is a bit of total time needed (with the garlic roasting, baking, and cooling). but pizza never looked so amazing, smelled so awesome, or tasted so delish! next time i will have to come up with a way to dry the tomatoes a bit before baking so that the crust can stay a little more firm. but make this your next lazy sunday and maybe you, too, will forget that cold weather is almost here.



it appears i also need more practice with my lovely camera and studio light set-up (there is no option for "natural" light since i ain't baking or cooking until well after sun down.) do you see all those blown highlights in the tomatoes and cheese?! ugh.

tomato tart: serves 4 as main (or 3 if you are anything like me!)
from martha's baking handbook (2005, p. 268)

1 head garlic
3 tb olive oil
1/2 recipe pâte brisée (follows)
3/4 cup grated fontina cheese
1 1/2 lbs ripe, firm tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
salt + pepper
12 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

1. preheat oven to 30F. place garlic on piece of aluminum foil; drizzle with 1 tb olive oil and fold foil to encase garlic, sealing folded edges well. place on baking sheet and roast until golden brown and top of knife easily pierces flesh, about 45 minutes. remove and let cool.

2. on lightly floured surface, roll dough out to 13 inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. remove excess flour and fit dough into a 10 inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom, pressing into edges. use rolling pin to trim dough flush with top edge of tart pan; chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

3. raise heat in oven to 425F. when garlic is cooled, squeeze cloves out of their skins and into small bowl. mash with a fork and set aside while tart shell is chilling.

4. spread roasted garlic evenly on bottom of tart shell. sprinkle with 1/4 cup grated cheese. arrange tomato slices in overlapping circular pattern on top of cheese, working from outside towards the center. season with salt and pepper. sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of grated cheese and drizzle with remaining 2 tb of olive oil.

5. bake tart until crust is golden and tomatoes are soft but retain shape, 45-55 minutes. cool on wire rack for 20 minutes. garnish with sliced basil leaves and serve warm. (you can make this a day ahead and reheat at 300F until warmed through.)





pâte brisée: full recipe (use half for tomato tart)
from martha's baking handbook (p. 224)
note: i used half shortening, half butter - but i'm giving the recipe as written

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, cold cut into small pieces
1/4 cup ice water, plus more if needed

1. combine flour and salt in food processor. add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces. (to mix by hand, combing dry ingredients in bowl and cut in butter with pastry blender.)

2. with machine running, add ice water through feed tube in slow, steady stream, just until dough holds together without being sticky. do not process more than 30 seconds. test by squeezing small amount of dough together; if it is crumbly, add more water 1 tb at a time.

3. turn out dough and divide in half, shaping into flattened disk and wrapped in plastic. refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. can also be frozen up to 1 month; thaw overnight in refrigerator before using.

garlic chicken

anyone who knows me, knows i'm only not only never speechless, but i'm passionate about politics. when i was an adolescent, my nickname was "madame president" until someone had the courage to burst my dream and tell me that only american-born people can be president. then i decided first female secretary of state would be good enough, but ms. albright beat me to it. now i'll just have to settle for senate majority leader :)

so even though this is my food blog, you'll have to indulge my occasional political ramblings, particularly at a time like this.

i remember in my 11th grade US history class, a photo of hillary clinton was posted beside the chalkboard. she looked so powerful, and so graceful; it was just a photo-op but i knew she was looking right at me. i remember staring at it, thinking i could be anything i wanted to dream of. emotionally i am still saddened by her loss. strategically i still think she would have been the better VP choice. but honorably i am proud to be part of her 18 million cracks. she didn't have to apologize for anything; her speech was for us.

and bubba ... amazing then, amazing tonight, amazing always. i'm so glad he tried (in vain, i'm sure) to make people realize that this is politics, not a peace parade, and that obama is a stronger candidate because of the primary contest against hillary. the people who constantly berate hillary with this delusion that the republicans would never have come up with this negative ad shit on their own has been living under a rock for the past 8 years.



both clintons have reminded me why i'm proud to be in the democratic party, and why the party still owed them the gratitude that they never have been given since he left office. but i anxiously wait for tomorrow night to see if obama can convince me that he has earned the vote to celebrate this historic moment. i am certainly not as undecided as before, but i am definitely not as convinced as i need to be.

now how to segue to some garlic chicken??! ;)

this was made some time ago, and what it might lack in the creativity department it sure does make up in the delish factor. so if you're looking for a quick and easy meal, this is all you need! (sorry the photos have such a yellow hue - photoshop expert i ain't!)



garlic chicken: serves 2
adapted from donna hay magazine (issue 37, p. 136)

cook one chicken breast in olive oil on high heat until cooked through. add 2 cloves crushed and 1 clove chopped garlic and season with salt and pepper. toss with a handful of chopped parsley and chives and a squeeze of lemon.

martha mondays: peach, apricot, and cherry pie

sorry about that political diatribe. it should be an interesting week. but regardless, even if you don't agree with me, hopefully you still keep reading this blog! because food knows no political bounds :)

this lovely martha monday pie was made about a month ago. i rushed to get it done by the date i picked out and then didn't have any time to get it posted, but better late than never (i think?!)



despite the fact that i just bought a bunch of grapes, i do normally like to stay within season for my fruits and vegetables. i'm not so much a fruit pie person (you either are or you aren't) but it would seem heresy to let summer pass by without at least one fruit pie baked. i tend to like the pies in the old standby book, but wanted to give martha a try.



this was easy enough to assemble (although i did not have time to do the lattice) and pretty much your standard pie filling technique. i wasn't exactly fond of the flavors - i think it was the cherries that bothered me - but mr. mimi loved it. and of course, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and almost anything turns into delish!



the next martha monday will be on september 8th. keeping with the summer theme, the recipe will be the tomato tart on p. 268 - pretty simple but a great addition to any one's labor day picnic! if you want to join me, simply make the tart and post about it on september 8th. if you email me a link, i will make sure to include you on my post.



peach, apricot, and cherry pie
from martha's baking handbook (2005, p. 236)

i'm omitting the recipe part for the dough, so just use whatever one that's handy!
1 lb fresh peaches, pitted and sliced into 1/4 inch wedges
1 lb fresh aprictos, pitted and sliced into sixths
1 lb fresh sweet cherries, pitted and halved
2/3 cup sugar (increase to 3/4 if you like a more sweet pie)
3 tb cornstarch
1/4 coarse salt
juice of 1 lemon
2 tb butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk
1 tb heavy cream
sanding sugar for sprinkling (optional)

1. in large bowl, toss together peaches, apricots, and cherries. add sugar, cornstarch, salt, and lemon juice; toss to combine.

2. spoon mixture into chilled pie shell, mounding fruit in the middle (to make sure it doesn't get soggy, fill the pie shell right before you're ready to cover). dot with butter. brush rim of pie shell with water and cover with lattice, or entirely. if you cover entirely, make sure to cut some steam slits. in small bowl, whisk egg yolk and cream and brush on top. generously sprinkle with some sanding sugar. freeze or refrigerate pie for 30 minutes until firm.

3. meanwhile preheat oven to 400F with rack in lower third. place pie on parchment lined baking sheet. bake until crust begins to turn golden, about 20 minutes. reduce oven temp to 350F. continue baking, rotating halfway through, until crust is deep golden brown and juices are bubbling and thickened, about 40-50 minutes more. let cool completely and enjoy!

please check out lil miz lynn over at bites and pieces who made an awesome looking pie!

fish en papillote

anyone who knows me knows i ain't speechless ...

why does the democratic party consistently have to disappoint me? don't even get me started with how pissed i was that the party leaders fucked up florida and michigan (so not counting votes in 2000 was bad, but not counting your own votes in the 2008 democrat primaries is permissible?!) - that's like ancient history now.

i have never felt this depressed since the third of november 2004, when the mimis were honeymooning in peru and heard the news. after all that excitement felt during the protest - i was like this is it, this is going to be real change. and then the bubble burst and it was back to the reality of what the fuck?

i felt similar excitement during the primaries this year (except florida and michigan, see above). granted, the end result was not what i wished for, and the amount of accusatory, misogynist shit i had to hear from people on the other side of my own party was beyond anything i could ever imagine. but it was an exciting time to be a democrat again. if 2004 wasn't our year, for goodness sake, what could go wrong now??!!

oh, why am i so naïve?

even though i was not thrilled with the idea of obama as our party's nominee (i think people are going to be sorely disappointed when all that rhetoric meets reality; and perhaps they are now realizing the messiah is just another strategic politician) i still had hope that the choice of 48 percent of the democrat party was going to be at least considered. sure, there was always second place during every primary cycle, but for goodness sake - 48 percent!! - this was different! but then 18 million voters were just pushed aside as sore losers, and i just don't know what to think about my party anymore. and somehow now all the things/votes/politics that were such evil in hillary are suddenly okay in joe?!

and even though this is fueled by my emotions, even looked at realistically (i.e., we want to win) i just don't believe that joe actually adds much to the ticket. i know that demographic analysis is often ballooned into media-hyped generalizations. but who, really, is going to switch to obama because of biden?

i am just so frustrated, angry, and disappointed. all i feel is an empty pit in my stomach. contrary to what is posted in the new york times comments section ... i am not a bitter hag or a rovian republican or a racist. all i have to say is that i'm glad i live in new york where my vote really doesn't matter. because if i lived in ohio or florida i would feel absolutely tortured going into that booth in november.

now that i have gotten that out of my system, the real purpose of my post was to show you an awesome way to get your fish on during the last weeks of summer. there's only so many times you can do tuna or swordfish on the grill. sometimes you want just a light, flaky fish (or in my case, like all the time!) and here is the perfect way ...

fish en papillote
fillets of your favorite white fish (sole, flounder, wild bass, snapper, etc)
a couple of new potatoes, sliced - or a couple of cherry tomatoes, halved - note: you could probably play around with other types of vegetables, you just need something to act as a small bed for the fish
1/2 vidalia onion, sliced
fresh sprigs of thyme, parsley, chives, and/or dill (play around with what you have)
salt + pepper
old bay
olive oil

1. toss the potatoes, tomatoes, and onion with olive oil and salt and pepper. place on a piece of parchment paper. add herbs on top. depending on your number of servings, and how you want to present the fish, you can either put it all on one parchment, or do it individually.

2. place fillets skin side down on top of mixture. drizzle a little bit of olive oil on top and then season with salt, pepper, and old bay. fold parchment into closed pouch and then wrap entire pouch in aluminum foil.

3. meanwhile have your grill to 375F. place pouches to the side of the direct flame, cook for about 30-40 minutes until done. to serve, you can either serve it right in the pouch, or plate it. but if you plate it make sure to get all that delicious juice too, it's the best part!

this version had potatoes, all in one pouch







this version was tomatoes, in individual pouches

martha monday: pistachio tartlets with crème fraîche and berries

welcome (back) to martha mondays, where i work my way through her baking handbook ... trying things out, challenging myself, and hopefully learning (and eating yummy things) along the way.

i have to admit i'm a sucker for photos. if a recipe doesn't have a photo, i'm apt to neglect it but if something has a gorgeous photo, i can't wait to dig in even if it has ingredients i'm not fond of (exhibit A, mocha roulade).

so with warmer weather finally here, there are several things i've been wanting to try out, purely based upon martha's photo :)



i decided to start with the pistachio tartlets with crème fraîche and berries (p. 255) as they seemed easy and fresh. the dough was quite soft, but really lovely and definitely a keeper for other fillings. i loved that the crème made it not too sweet, which was perfect with the berries.



for some other tartlets, please check out zakia over at the frosted bakeshop who also loved the pistachio dough. and new blogger, lynn from bites and pieces also joined us this week. and she made the crème fraîche from scratch, quite impressive!!



next martha monday: either the peach, apricot, and cherry pie (p. 236) or the sour cherry cobbler (p. 279). both seem your standard summer fare, but i would love the challenge of doing a "real" lattice top. post by monday, 28 july and email me your link: marthamondays -at- gmail.com!

and i apologize for the poor overexposed non-color corrected photos of my delicious pistachio tartlets! i promise next time not to wait until 11pm the night it is due!! :)

the best savory galette, ever

i implore you to make this galette.

it is one of the best things i have made, ever. okay sure, my home made repertoire is pretty darn small, so i guess that isn't saying much! hehe. but really, this is one of the best things i have ever eaten at home.



i know what you're thinking ... mimi, how can something simple be so delish? yes, surely you think i'm exaggerating. but please, make this galette and just try, just try!, to tell me that it isn't also one of the best dinners you've ever made.

leek and goat cheese galette: serves 6
from deborah madison's vegetarian cooking for everyone (1997, p. 498)

galette dough (p. 696)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tb sugar
12 tb cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 - 1/2 cup ice water, as needed

1. mix flour, salt, and sugar together in bowl. cut in butter, leaving some pea size chunks. sprinkle with ice water by the tablespoon and mix with flour mixture until you can bring dough together. (you can also use a mixer or food processor if you like.) press into disk and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

2. roll out disk on lightly floured counter about 1/8" thick. you can either make one large galette or six small ones. i'd suggest the small ones because with the filling, it becomes a bit unwieldy. and for dinner, it's nice to serve individual size galettes. either way, roll it out to a circle of your size, and no it doesn't have to be a perfect circle, that's the beauty of the galette.



for the filling:
6 large leeks, including inch of green
3 tb butter
1 tsp chopped thyme
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup crème fraîche
salt + pepper
1 egg, beaten
3 tb chopped parsley
4 oz (herbed) goat cheese, less or more to taste

1. preheat oven to 400F. thinly slice and wash the leeks. you should have about 6 cups.

2. melt butter in medium skillet. add leeks, thyme, and 1/2 cup water. stew over medium heat, stirring frequently, until leeks are tender, about 12 minutes. add wine and continue cooking until reduced; then add the crème and cook until it coats the leeks and little liquid remains. season with salt and plenty of pepper. let cool 10 minutes then stir in all but 1 tb of the beaten egg and 2 tb of the parsley.

3. spread leek mixture on top of rolled galette dough, leaving a 2 inch border around the edge. crumble the goat cheese on top, then fold the dough over the filling (fold it over a little or a lot, up to you). brush with reserved egg and bake until crust is browned, 25-30 minutes. garnish with remaining parsley. bon appétit!