Fresh Approach Cooking

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© 2013 Rachael at "Fresh Approach Cooking" http://www.freshcatering.blogspot.com

Labels: Beef, blueberries, Entree, Grilling, LittleBlueDynamos

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Okay, so I went, let's see -- 14 years (?) without eating mayo.

Yup, you read that right. 14 years. I think I was counting calories. Or perhaps...avoiding my fate...

Then, one glorious afternoon, as it sat, glistening in a small ramekin, mixed with chipotle chiles and a touch of parsley - along side some marigold hued sweet potato fries - I started tentatively back in. I never looked back.

In those first few days back from self-restriction-Island, I became a tad bit obsessed. I ranted. I raved. I ate it with a spoon. (Sick! And yet...) I considered slathering it on as a moisturizer. I became a vocal proponent. A knife wielding advocate.

Mayo man, it's da bomb.

Sure, it has some (fantastically) over the top negatives associated with it. Spoiled luncheons. Fat. A certain way of coating the mouth.

But to this lil" blogger, its' the bestest.

I mean come on now kiddies - it's oil! It's a touch of mustard! It's eggs. It's magically delicious.

Pair it with a few of my favorite things (mussels and tarragon) and voila...dining perfection.

A simple sauce, without compare. Livens up briny mussels and makes for a meal to remember.

Fragrant, rich, mouth wateringly divine.

Try this, and enjoy.


2 lbs mussels, cleaned (I used green lip...)
1/2 cup mayo
2 cloves garlic, mashed
pinch of salt
a hearty pinch of minced tarragon
a loaf of rustic bread, sliced thick
olive oil
pepper

Combine the mayo, garlic, salt and tarragon. Mash up with a mortar and pestle (or should that read: Mash in a mortar using a pestle? Either or, I suspect you get the idea) or in a food processor. Set aside to rest while you finish up.

Heat a grill to HIGH. Like insanely high. The hottest it will go. Throw on your mussels on the lower bit and the bread (which you have sliced and slathered with oil and pepper.) on the upper rack. Shut the top. (If you don't have two racks...put the bread on some foil to the furthest edges.) Let cook for 3 minutes. When the lil" guys are open, pull them out quick.

Scoop the mussels into a bowl. Top generously with giant glops of that sinful mock-aioli. Serve with bread. Relish the moment. Repeat as needed.


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Aioli - a cold egg and oil emulsion with olive oil and garlic. Many variations of this sauce are made. Basically is is a garlic mayonnaise. AAA Recipes.com

Tomorrow is World Blog Day!

In Greece a week of forest fires have have laid waste to at least 454,000 acres of land, most of it in the Peloponnese, the glove-shaped southern peninsula where about a third of Greece's olive oil is produced.
The flames might not devastate the overall olive oil industry in Greece, the world's third-largest producer: Initial estimates indicate about 4 percent of average annual production will be lost. -AP

Labels: Grilling, Seafood

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Greetings and salutations my fine friends!

D'ja miss me?

Yea, I missed you too.

The summer is flying by, with good times being had all around. Busy stuff indeed.

Met a macrobiotic rock star (who is weirdly related to my teenaged crush.) who changed my world for about 30 seconds with his guru-esque ways. Went to the Aquarium. Got a sunburn (ouch.) Wished I could somehow know in advance where Britney Spears is gonna be so I can avoid her. (The papparazzi crush around that poor child is surreal. And annoying. Especially when you are in the car behind her. Im just saying.) And generally hung out, maxin' and relaxin' as I'm prone to do.

But I'm back for a bit just to say hi-how-do-ya-do and share a recipe I am just wild over.

It's a real interesting combo of intense flavors and vivid psychedelic colors. Perfect for a light summer meal, or just when you want to rebel against the macrobiotics in general.

Try it my peaches, and enjoy!

4, 4 oz. tuna tuna steaks
2 chiles, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 small onion
1 T. grated fresh ginger
1 T. tumeric
1 T. garam masala
2 T. lemon juice
1/2 cup cilantro
Salt

Puree the chiles, garlic, onion, ginger, tumeric, garam masala, lemon juice and cilantro in a food processor and puree. Add some salt. Puree again.

Cut the fish into large chunks. (Mmm. Chunks.) Coat the fish with the puree and let sit for 10 minutes at room temp.

Heat your grill or grill pan.

Sear the tuna for about a minute per side (more if you want it anything past rare...)

Slice and serve with basmati rice.

Makes four servings.

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Check out this awesome, random article on my darling Treva. She sure makes a kid laugh...

Marcobiotic: A very restrictive diet, containing mainly whole grains, considered by its advocates to promote health - Health.net

Garam Masala: Literally 'hot mixture'. This refers to a blend of spices much loved in Northern Indian cookery - Geocities

The company that makes Wonder Bread, the white bread with red, yellow and blue balloons on the wrapper said Tuesday that it was closing its Southland bakeries and laying off 1,300 workers. But junk-food lovers can take heart: The company locally will still make Hostess Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Ho Hos and other snacks. - LA Times

Labels: Entree, Grilling, Seafood

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Hidee-ho campers!

Wow, is the weekend over already?

I don't know where the time went.

Me, I spend a huge portion of my weekend making shrimp and grits, and chili. Because you know, nothing says summertime like grits and chili...

Oh wait...maybe not. Or may be...

Nah, it doesn't. What says summertime is grilling.

And if you are one of my darling friends who eshews meat in favor of member of the vegetable kingdom...well, a bbq is a whole other animal (hardee har har) and one you should conquer indeed.

So for them, (and the veg lovers amongst us) this came to be.

All the things you want from a grilled-veg-platter, in one heaping, teetering, ooey-gooey stack.

Eggplant Napoleon stack indeed.


So simple, so elegant. SO delicious.


1 large eggplant, sliced 1/2 inch thick
Olive oil
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 large ball-o-mozzarella cheese
2 large beefsteak tomatoes, sliced thick
4 large mushroom caps, cleaned
1 bunch basil leaves


Pre-heat and oil your grill.


Toss the eggplant slices, mushrooms and tomatoes with the olive oil and vinegar. How much olive oil you ask? Enough to coat, not so much it becomes soggy. Season with salt and pepper.


Grill each component until cooked to your liking. The eggplant will take the longest. After the eggplant is mostly cooked, top with a slice of cheese, and close the grill to let the cheese melt, about 3 more minutes.


To compose, simply stack the components together. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy

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Basil is Greek for 'royal' or 'kingly'.

Napoleons are usually made in small shapes just large enough for an individual serving

There is a Williams-Sonoma outlet store near Las Vegas! Williams-Sonoma Marketplace, Fashion Outlets Las Vegas, I-15 at Exit 1 in Primm, Nevada

Both Craft and Osteria Mozza opened on Friday night.

Labels: Gluten Free, Grilling, Vegetarian

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Over one too many cocktails this weekend, (as evidenced by the odd comments The Ombudsman and I left on the last post - read at your own discretion...) the boy pointed out that I mention the 4th being my favorite holiday much too often.

Apparently, get one drink in me, and instead of going on about how much I love him, or the Dodgers, or a really well curated art exhibit, stinky cheese or a really good fish taco, I rhapsodize about the 4th. Ad naseum.

Strange, but true. (And better than being a hostile drunk I think!)

So, since I am currently sober as a judge, I will refrain from going on and on about the topic once again...sparing you my mooney-eyed drivel.

But it is you know. The best holiday ever. Gosh I love it! So I am also wishing you (people in this country that is) an extremely happy Fourth of July!

There, I did it.

Kaboom!

I mean come on, it's good times!

And to add just that much more enjoyment to your day, may I humbly suggest you work this wonderment onto your menu. It is a sort of light and refreshing (if beef can be called refreshing) kebob-o-delights. Simple, beautiful (don't you agree?) and tasty as all get-out.

Try it my peaches, on the 4th (the best holiday ever) or any time you just want something a bit different from the everyday. Just make sure to take the lemons and bay leaves off before you dive in.



2 - 3 pounds sirloin steak
1/4 cup Worchestershire sauce
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 lemons (Meyer if you can get them)
Fresh Bay leaves (California) soaked in cold water
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons mint, minced
Salt and pepper to taste



If using wooded skewers, soak them in cold water until ready to use.

Cut the steaks into large cubes. Toss with the Worchestershire sauce and oil, add some pepper and let marinate for up to four hours, turning three or four times.

Slice the lemons very thin. Remove any pits and pour any juice that comes out in with the beef marinade.

Thred the beef onto the skewers, alternating with bay leaves and lemon slices.

If the kebobs are at all dry, roll them around in the marinade to coat. The leaves and lemons cannot be dry or they will burn.

Grill for 6-7 minutes, on medium-high heat turning once or twice.

Remove from the heat.

While they are resting, combine the yogurt and mint. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with the kebobs.

Makes about 10.



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Turkish bay leaves are smaller and less pungent that California bay leaves

A day after regulators in the United States placed a partial ban on imports of certain types of seafood from China, the Chinese government promised Friday to cooperate in tackling its food safety problems but urged a quick resolution. - NY Times

Labels: Beef, Entree, Grilling, Low-Carb

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Is it true that people everywhere dream of sunny Southern California? Well, for my money, they should. It's the best.

One of the great draws is the notion that we can BBQ all year round (which isn't exactly true, there are seasons in these parts, but whatever) and indulge ourselves in ways most of the world finds a bit quirky. (At first!)

For instance, it was here that someone at hit restaurant California Pizza Kitchen first devised of BBQ chicken pizza. And at time, it was quite the sensation, I assure you.

I'm guessing it was the combination of toppings that made it so popular...it was different. Off kilter. Tangy and surprising. And heavens is it good. I would go so far as to say, we all became somewhat obsessed.

But that was eons ago my peaches, seriously eons...possibly the 80's! Now we all indulge in seemingly off-kilter toppings on our pizza pies and think nothing of it. Right? But then? Then it was beyond...just beyond.

We all had to have it.

And now that I have brought it up, you are just dying to recreate that first heady dream of BBQ chicken pizza, aren't you! Well my loves, you can! You CAN! (And without resorting to buying something frozen) All it takes is the simple act of purchasing this weeks local favorite - MADE IN L.A. Find - Gayle's BBQ Sauce. (Which is Gluten Free! Whoopee!) A pizza crust and a bit of chicken, and you are on your way!

Turns out this bottle of joy was not only devised right down the road in super-fab Beverly Hills, in 1984 but it was the secret weapon in the pizza revolution, (Or so their website tells me.) as the official BBQ sauce of CKP. And it comes in four distinct flavors. Fancy that. They are Original Sweet 'N' Sassy, Extra Sassy, Honey Mustard and Honey Sweet. Turns a girls head it does! Delicious options all.

The Extra Sassy (pictured) that I purchased at Whole Foods is gloriously over the top, it's a thick and rich, sweet and tangy revelation. And whether doused on chicken or topping corn, it transcends your outdoor dining into a moment of sheer perfection.

Find it, buy and and think up ways to ingratiate it into your world. Make pizza on the grill! Pour it over kebobs and ribs and burgers! And in the mean time...try this out for size...a new way to use an old favorite indeed...

4 medium red garnet sweet potatoes, peeled
1 teaspoon butter
Gayle's Extra Sassy BBQ Sauce
Salt
1 inch peeled ginger
oil for frying

Chop the sweet potatoes into uniform sized pieces. Fill a pot with cold water, add a healthy dose of salt, add the potatoes, bring to a boil and simmer until cooked through.

Meanwhile, using a very sharp knife, slice the ginger root into very thin threads. Heat a small amount of oil in a pan and add the ginger to fry until just golden. Remove and drain on paper towels, sprinkle with salt and hold until ready to use.

When the potatoes are done, drain, and add the butter. Mash well and add Gayle's BBQ Sauce to taste.

To serve, top with frizzled ginger.

Makes 6 - 8 servings.

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California Pizza Kitchen was founded in 1985 by Larry Flax and Rick Rosenfield. There are now over 200 full-service restaurants, 28 CPK ASAP locations and their pizza is available in the freezer cases of grocery stores. - CPK.com

Most of the 40,000 tonnes of barbecued charcoal used every year in the UK comes from unsustainable sources.

Arguably the world’s the largest barbecue event was held in Des Moines, Iowa in 2002 sponsored by both The KCBS (Kansas City Barbecue Society) and IBS (Iowa BarbecueSociety) in co-operation with the Iowa Pork Producers where over several thousand pounds of pork were barbecued and served.

3 out of 4 American households own a grill and they use it on average 5 times per month. - BBQ Online

Labels: Gluten Free, Grilling, Made In L.A., Side-Dish, Vegetarian

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The fight. The Kentucky Derby. Cinco de Mayo. The Palisades Symphony Spring Concert. It was a big weekend. Bigger than big! Chock-full-o-fun! Over the top in the best possible way.

The weather? Phenomenal. The mood? Relaxed happiness. My place in the world? Secure.

Sigh. Grin. Sigh.

And now my sweets, it is Monday. And frankly, my brain is total and complete mush.

I feel like a Hollywood starlet after a bender.

I mean really.

I burnt myself OUT. And here I thought the weekend was for recovery.

Bah, I say. Bah. It is for FUN!

So as the non-stop weekend threatened to fade into the past, I had to stop and drink it all in. I enticed my boy, the Ombudsman over for a bit of chill time, replete with style, substance and sustenance, in the form of grilled steak with chimichurri sauce. (and a good old fashioned run-on sentence. Cuz who doesn't love that! Faboo!) Because we all know, sitting out by the grill in the twilight, with a beer in hand, is the best of life's little offerings.

And then there is chimichurri. Icing on the cake of happiness.

Argentina’s beloved fresh herb condiment. Simple, vibrant, delicious, versatile. Sexy good stuff.

Grill up a steak and make a fat batch to drizzle over. Lap it up my dears, it is unmitigated perfection. It might not bring your brain back from a fuzzy weekend, but it sure makes for a happy mouth.

4, 8-ounce skirt steaks
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

Chimichurri ingredients
1 cup flat leaf parsley stems removed
1 cup fresh cilantro, stems removed
3 T. fresh oregano, stems removed
1/4 cup olive oil
2 T. red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
Black pepper

Marinate the steak in a shallow dish with the three minced garlic cloves, olive oil, salt and pepper for at least 30 minutes.

For chimichurri, puree the parsley, cilantro, oregano, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, cumin and salt in a blender. Taste and add additional salt and pepper as needed.

Heat your grill (or grill pan) and cook the steak at least six minutes, or until done to your liking. (I went for three minutes per side to medium rare.) Remove from the grill. Let rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice against the grain and serve.

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Orlando-based Darden Restaurants will shut down more than 50 of its Smokey Bones Barbeque & Grill locations and will sell the remaining 73. The action ends Darden's plans to build the first national casual-dining barbecue chain and affects 4,000 workers. The company, owner of Red Lobster and Olive Garden, said it had decided to jettison Smokey Bones based on an accelerated decline in sales and drop in customers. – AP

Argentina leads the world in beef consumption, with the annual average per person consumption at just over 143 pounds (65KG). Consumption in the US? 94.6 pounds (43.8 KG) annually, Australia and Brazil tie at 82.5 lbs. (37.5 KG) Annual average in the Ukraine? 20 lbs. (9.5KG)

Labels: Beef, Entree, Gluten Free, Grilling, Low-Carb

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My darling friend The Queen of the Valley is a predator. And last week she decided to devour some serious prey.

Actually, I think that should be spelled pr-editor. An excellently inspiring compound of producer-editor. Terrifically crafty title, don’t you think? Gives me a chill. Happily, she is a warm woman and it’s just a job description meaning she produces and then edits her work.

That work, brilliant though it may be, takes up hours upon hours of her days and nights and weekends and whatnot. Cutting in to her home life, and most importantly her social life. The social life that on occasion - much to my delight - includes me.

This past week, she managed to put her work aside just long enough to fire up the grill and have a few of her nearest and dearest over to indulge. The spread was incredible, with something for everyone. We laughed the day away for sure.

I know in most of the country its much to chilly for any sort of grilling, but here in Southern California, the markets declare it is still summer, and they are offering a curious mix of figs and persimmons, berries and pumpkins. Temperatures are hovering in the “perfect” zone too, so we will continue to celebrate the warmth of the season.

For her spectacular grilling extravaganza, (replete with an authentic barbacoa de cordero) I offered up my humble version of sausage and peppers. Festive colors, bright flavors, a touch of spice and all it requires is a bit of slicing and you are on your way. Serve with some beer, or sparkling wine and enjoy!


12 Spicy Italian-style sausages, grilled
2 red bell peppers
2 green bell peppers
2 large white onions
2 bulbs fennel
2 teaspoons olive oil
½ teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
salt and pepper to taste

Seed and slice the peppers into long strips. Slice the onion into large half moons and the bulb of the fennel into thin strips.

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil. Add the fennel first and cook over medium heat until just starting to wilt. Add the rest of the ingredients and saute until just crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and serve with the grilled sausage.

Makes enough for 6 people (2 sausages each)

You can also make this in a pan on the grill, or in a foil packet in the grill (away from direct heat)
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Barbacoa de cordero - goat bbq

Gov. Jim Doyle said that he'll do everything in his power if he wins re-election to keep the state No. 1 in cheese production. Doyle said that he'd increase state incentives to help cheese plants upgrade and train their workers. He said that Wisconsin won't take a backseat to California as long as he's governor.

In the US - October 27th is Wild Foods Day, National Potato Day and American Beer Day. Cheers to that!

Labels: Entree, Grilling, Low-Carb

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Love is in the air, and it isn’t even springtime in Paris. It just seems like this little (though, larger by the day) food-centric blog-o-sphere is abound with stories of enchanted meetings, blossoming relationships and truly romantic outcomes. (Update: Like this.)

Me, I’m not there, not even close really, but I do have good friends filling my thoughts and letting me feed them, and that is pretty durned okay by me.

As for the rest of it, well, what I have come to know of love seems to revolve around a small white tub of fresh goats milk cheese from Corsica and a fiendishly giving cheese monger who may have stolen my heart with his gentle offerings of profoundly delectable foodstuffs.

While deeply mired in a day of shopping for who-knows-what-all, I made a much-needed stop in to the Cheese Store of Beverly Hills. It’s a tiny little room that I have long considered the true heart of the burb. It’s delirious aroma fills your head, while your eyes feast on the abundance of luscious delights. There is always a small handful of cheerful patrons and an occasional juicy star spot. It is also where ones diet could swiftly go the way of the Dodo and your bank account will certainly feel the pangs of withdrawal.

On this occasion, I was on a mission, and my imaginary bf Todd, who was cheerfully waiting behind for the counter, greeted me on arrival. As always, he was there to answer any and all of my seemingly strange questions, was only too happy to help fulfill my cravings and desires (va-voom!). He does this so easily too! Just by plying me with oozing gooey fantasticness while cooing meltingly sentimental comments such as “This Roquefort is considered too strong for the American palate, what do you think?” “Do you taste the light hint of lavender?” and “Wait, just try this one more. You’re going to love it…it’s from a small village in the Southern foothills of…” well, you get the idea.

My request was simple, I had some grape leaves and wanted to use them to wrap around a cheese and grill it. I was thinking feta would be a classic match, but in truth was on the fence, since it is not my favorite. Twelve samples later (and that was before I expressed my profound love for blue cheeses. Bring on the mold baby!) we settled on an outrageously fresh Corsican Brocciu. It’s a fresh goat/ewes milk ricotta style cheese that comes in a little tub and made my mouth smile with its touching innocence. I knew it would be the lynchpin to wow my guests with this unique dish.

Getting home and firing up the grill was just about the hardest part in this recipe. The cheese just gets warmed through, making it a priority to use top quality ingredients. Take some grape leaves, a little bit of exceptional olive oil, some bread and a hot grill or pan, and you too can find out what heaven must taste like. This is just without parallel. The saltiness of the grape leaves, the crunch of the bread, the creamy, warm cheese and the smokiness of the fire come together to make appetizer perfection. Try this and you will, without a doubt, enjoy.

24 grape leaves, rinsed and stemmed
1 cup ricotta or feta style cheese cut into 24 1 ½ oz. pieces
Olive oil for brushing
Black pepper
48 slices of baguette, toasted (or ideally, brushed with oil and grilled)
4 medium tomatoes, diced
6 black olives, pitted and diced (I used dry cured)
Salt


Preheat your grill or a large dry pan.

Gently toss the cheese pieces with enough olive oil to coat. Season with black pepper.

Place a small bit of the cheese on a grape leaf and fold over to seal. Brush with a bit more olive oil and set aside. Continue with the rest of the cheese. You can make the bundles up to a day in advance. Refrigerate, covered if you do.

Toss the tomatoes with the minced olives, add a small dash of oil and season to taste with salt.

Grill the grape leaves, seam side down for about two minutes on the edge of your grill (away from the direct heat) turn and grill an additional two minutes. Remove and serve with bread and tomato relish.

Makes 24


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Brocciu is a derivative of the word Brousse, another name for cream cheese made from raw ewe's milk or goat's milk. Brocciu is special because it was the first whey cheese with the AOC seal. Brocciu is very popular in Corsica and is sold in re-usable baskets. Most of the time, it is eaten fresh, but a part of the production is ripened. It is however, difficult to find this specialty outside of Corsica. –Frencheese.Co.Uk

Cheese, a concentrated dairy food made from milk, is defined as the fresh or matured product obtained by draining the whey (moisture or serum of original milk) after coagulation of casein, the major milk protein. –Innovate with Dairy.com

Switzerland's Nestle SA (NESN.VX) said on Monday it was buying weight-loss company Jenny Craig for around $600 million after a high profile diet by actress Kirstie Alley helped boost the U.S. company's sales. Nestle said it agreed to buy Jenny Craig from private equity firms ACI Capital and MidOcean Partners. The price was about five times what these investors paid in 2002 for the company, which sells prepackaged meals and offers personalized weight loss programs through a network of over 600 centers. Nestle, the world's largest food company, said weight management would form a new pillar of activity in its nutrition business. -Reuters

Labels: Appetizer, Grilling, Vegetarian