Veggie au gratin served with lamb, salad, and heirloom tomatoes

I had a delicious brussels sprouts casserole in New York at the Green Table restaurant in the Chelsea Market a few weeks ago and I couldn't stop thinking about it.  When I opened my farm box this week and spotted the brussels sprouts, I knew it was time to attempt a low-carb version.  Because I didn't want to make a bechamel sauce in the traditional au gratin spirit, I elected instead to use an egg-cream custard base for the dish.  While not as "saucy" as it might have been, it has excellent taste and was well-seasoned!

Ingredients:
1.5 cups brussels sprouts, rinsed and cut in half lengthwise
2-3 cups red chard, rinsed and chopped into large sections
1/2 to 3/4 cup scallions, or chopped onions
whole nutmeg
1 tablespoon dry curry mix
1 tsp creole seasoning (or other favored dry seasoning)
sea salt
pepper
4-5 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup cream
1 tablespoon of red sauce (optional)
1.5 cups shredded cheese (I used a combination of Manchego, sharp cheddar, and parmesan)
grapeseed oil

Heat a large pan until medium high.  Add 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil.  When oil begins to shimmer, add brussels sprouts and saute until some browning is visible.  Remove from heat into a separate bowl and allow to cool.  Add onions and cook until slightly browned, remove from heat into separate bowl.  Repeat with chard, but cook until just wilted.  Remove pan from heat.  Allow vegetables to cool until just warmer than room temperature.  Squeeze chard to remove excess juice.  Separate leaves slightly.

Pour combined egg/cream (spice) mixture into a 9x9 greased casserole dish.  Season with curry mix and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Once vegetables are cool, carefully distribute them over the surface of the egg mixture, beginning with chard, then brussels sprouts, then onions.  Lightly season with creole mix.  Sprinkle cheese over surface until it is covered.
Bake at 350 for approximately 25 minutes, then broil for 2-3 minutes to brown cheese.   Serve immediately.

 sauteed scallions

 brussels sprouts

 wilted sauteed chard

mixture of manchego and cheddar cheese

 egg/cream mixture

 red sauce (this is a home-canned version I picked up at the Farmer's Market)

 I layered the parmesan cheese over the egg custard prior to adding the vegetables

 adding the vegetables so they are evenly distributed throughout the casserole

 top with cheese mixture

grate a small amount of nutmeg over the cheese.

Nutmeg adds a wonderful aromatic element to the dish!

Heirloom tomato:  Yummy!

I never know how to cut one of these "curled up" tomatoes

I cut it into "sections", drizzled it with a small amount of lemony olive oil

added a sprinkle of sea salt, pepper, and some freshly chopped Italian parsley from the garden

Delicious!

Lamb chops were drizzled with a small amount of balsamic vinegar and a bit of lemon pepper dry rub,

then cooked on medium-high heat (pan seared) for about 3 minutes/side.  

Serve immediately.

*With the exception of the cheeses, all the fresh food came from my fresh delivery from Greenling.

Port Restaurant in Corona del Mar, CA

Dining out with my dinner group.  We have been getting together for dinner once a month for three years and we've only repeated two restaurants on the list. This week we went to the Port Restaurant in Corona del Mar.  My friend Ann brought this lovely bottle of red wine.  On Monday nights, the corkage fee is waived if you order 2 entrees. 

I had a side of fresh vegetables and Gnocchi over a bed of spinach.  It was delicious, with just the right balance of flavors.  My friend, Jacquin also had the Gnocchi and a side of bleu cheese mashed potatoes for the ultimate carbo load.

Ginger had a filet, fresh veggies and get this - bleu cheese mashed potatoes.  Beautiful presentation.

Ann had the fish special.  I think the presentation of this plate is amazing, how your eye moves from the green sauce to the top garnishes on the fish.

Here is a view of the inside of the restaurant.  We sat as far back as we could from the nightly entertainment that starts at 8:00pm.  We're are more into having a marvelous meal and conversation, rather than listening to loud music and not being able to hear each other.  We left just as it was starting.

Got Leftover Lamb? Make Lamb Hash

Dice 4 small gold potatoes and one small sweet onion.  Heat up a non-stick pan and add some Olive Oil, about 2T and spread it around the pan with a spoon.  Add the potatoes and cook, stirring often to prevent too much browning.  When you see that they are starting to brown, add the diced onion in the middle and cook.  If everything in the pan is not coated with olive oil, add a bit more.  Once the onions begin to cook, you can mix them with the potatoes, stirring often, so that nothing gets too brown.

One piece of leftover lamb (it was about a 5" square) - cut up

Green beans - cook in the microwave with some water, and steam them for about 3 minutes to get them to soften up

The potatoes are onions are looking pretty good at this point.  The potatoes should be fork tender.

After you cut up all of the lamb, coat with some flour and mix it up so it is everywhere.  You will make a mixture in a cup of 2 T flour and 1 cup of water.  Put your hand over the top of the glass or cover with Glad Press n'Seal wrap, and shake it up, to mix up the flour and water.  Add the green beans and floured lamb to the skillet of onions and potatoes.  Then add the flour and water mixture.  Stir to blend and when the lamb is all warmed up - dinner is ready!

Lamb Hash - all in one dinner

On the Road: A late night dinner in Cincinnati

Blue Point Oysters on the half-shell at McCormick and Schmick!

A toast to the upcoming adventures in Cincinnati

at the International Quilt Festival

Blue Points, served with horseradish, lemon slices, and vineager & shallot mignonette.

now you see them, now you don't!

For more information on consuming raw oysters, 

visit Oyster

Pan-seared quail with kale, tomatoes, and "faux-tatoes"

I'm back on my low, or "selective" carb regimen.  That sure doesn't mean boring.  For me, it means no bread or pasta, no sugar.  I realize that I am still consuming carbohydrates in my vegetables, but I don't worry about that.  

Tonight's menu is a wonderful and easy-to-prepare dish.

First item:  slice tomato with drizzled lemon olive oil, small dollops of goat cheese, and fresh Italian parsley 

 Next:  Sauteed Kale and onions

To prepare:

wash a large bunch of curly kale

remove thick, woody stems and coarsely chop

Slice one medium onion into coarse segments

Heat nonstick pan or wok medium-high

Place 1-2 tablespoons olive or grapeseed oil and allow to heat until oil is shimmering

Add onions and cook until transparent.

Season with 1 teaspoon tumeric, a pinch of herbs de provence (optional)

Add Kale and continue sauteing until the kale wilts and becomes deep green in color.

Remove from heat and keep warm until ready to serve.

 Pan-seared quail
Ingredients:
4 partially de-boned quail
1 tsp molasses
2-3 tablespoons red wine
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

dry rub of choice (I used the ever-present curry rub)

In a shallow bowl mix the molasses, wine, and balsamic vinegar together.
One and a time, immerse quail in liquid, then dust with dry rub and place on a flat surface until ready to cook.
Heat a pan to medium high and add 2-3 tablespoons grapeseed oil.  Be sure that pan and oil are quite warm before adding the quail.
Quickly add the quail to the pan, cooking 2 or 3 minutes per side.  Don't touch the birds until ready to turn.  Turn and cook 2-3 minutes on the opposite side.
You may want to add a bit more red wine to add moisture.
Remove from pan and serve.

Delicious and really easy!

Enjoy!

The Fastest Dish in the West (or wherever!): seared ahi tuna

serve it rare!

Oh!  How I love seared Ahi tuna!  It is so good and there is simply nothing faster to prepare.

I forgot to take photos of my prep work (sorry).

Here are the basic ingredients

1-2 fresh, wild-caught ahi tuna steaks

olive or grapeseed oil

dry rub of choice (I used a lemon rub, then topped with coarsely ground black pepper)

To prepare:  bring the tuna close to room temperature prior to cooking.  Rub the tuna with a small amount of olive or grapeseed oil, then coat with dry rub and pepper.

Heat pan to medium high.  Add grapeseed oil once pan is very warm.  Heat oil until shimmering in pan.

Place ahi tuna in pan and cook for approximately 1-2 minutes per side.  Don't over cook (remember the tuna will continue to cook a bit after it has been removed from the pan).

Remove from pan onto a cutting surface.  Cut against the grain of the fish into 1/4 inch strips and move to serving platter.

Serve with ponzu, soy, and wasabi to taste.

tuna steaks just before turning.

Note that there is just barely any cooked layer?  

That is how you want it!

Steaks prior to slicing

sliced tuna served with ponzu sauce and roasted vegetables.

Yum!

Look at these critters!

Don't they look like some sort of sea life?

They are the roots of baby onions.

I sauteed them until they were golden brown. 

Rumor has it that they are really good as a topping for salad or other things.

Stay tuned to see what I do with them, and whether they are actually good to eat!  They smelled great

while they were cooking!

Lemon Spice-crusted salmon with savory Dino Kale

Ingredients:

Salmon filets, preferably wild-caught, separated into 4-6 oz servings

dry curry rub

thin slices of Meyer (or other) lemon

thin pat butter, one per salmon serving

For Kale:

2 bunches Kale, washed and cut into large pieces, 

one Poblano chili, chopped into segments

one bunch of baby shallots or one or 2 shallot bulbs, sliced

2 pieces of pre-cooked bacon (optional)

juice of one-half lemon

pumpkin seeds (approximately 1/4 cup) or to preference

salt and pepper to taste

1-2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Dust curry rub over salmon filets and place in pan.  Place butter pat in center of each filet, then cover butter with one slice of lemon.

Place salmon in oven for approximately 15 minutes.  Do not overcook!

Once salmon is in the oven, heat a non-stick wok or large skillet over stove.  

Add 2 Tblsp oil and heat until oil "shimmers" in the pan.  

Add poblano segments and sautee until lightly browned on edges.

then, add shallots and continue to saute

next, add the kale

begin to turn kale and other ingredients over in the pan.

Kale will begin to deepen in color and look "wilted".

Cook until kale appears tender

Add lemon juice and continue turning in pan

add sliced pieces of bacon

I added raw pumpkin seeds that were previously toasted lightly for additional flavor and texture

yum!

This is a very healthy, delicious meal!

As you can see, it is a people-pleaser, at least in the Jenison household!

Dessert:  mixed berries

Enjoy!  

This meal is very simple and quick to prepare.