Now I know I say this all the time… but I’m saying it again: I feel so fortunate to live in Seattle where we have easy access to fresh seafood.  Fresh, delicious fish like Pacific Sole, which has the benefit of being a sustainable and plentiful fish, unlike the overfished Atlantic Sole – if you are interested in keeping up to date on which fish are better choices for long term sustainability you should check out the up to date list over at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  Plus… it tastes great! 

The other lovely bonus about eating Pacific Sole is that it is inexpensive.  I purchased fresh fillets and got 4 in a package for only $3.00, so it goes to show that you can have an exquisite seafood feast on the cheap.

Once I got these beautiful fillets of white flat fish home I was contemplating the myriad of ways in which to prepare them.  I really wanted fresh flavors so I opted to marinate the Sole with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon slices, thinly shaved garlic, salt capers and a teeny hit of white wine, I let this marinate covered in the fridge for about an hour.

After the fillets finished marinating I slid them on to my parchment paper… where they would be cooking away in their own juices being steamed to perfection.

I ended up deciding on making a parchment pouch to bake them “en papillote”.  “En Papillote” is a French term for “in parchment”.  The technique is basically lay down a sheet of parchment, put your food and spices in the parchment, lay another sheet on top and then start rolling up the edges (similar to rolling up the edges of a pie crust) until you have made a pouch and then cooking your meal “en papillote”.

An alternative way is to take one big sheet of parchment paper and make an envelope by bringing the sides together – similar to wrapping a present except you will bring those edges together, start folding to seal and then repeat with the open ends.  You don’t need to use parchment paper for this technique to work – you can use aluminum foil too.  It’s just like camping as a kid and doing a Foil Dinner Pouch around the campfire.  I bet you didn’t realize you were using some fancy French cooking techniques as a youngster ;)  Go young little You!

Once the pouch is all closed up – you pop it in to a pre-heated 350 degree oven.  The amount of time depends on how much fish and how thick that fish is.  For my 4 fillets I kept it cooking for about 20 minutes and the fish came out perfect.

Now I don’t really have a recipe for this – as you see it’s simply a process of throwing some stuff in to a pouch and baking it in it’s own steam until done.  You can get totally creative with this, and you can even get the family in on the fun.  Let the kids pick some healthy veggies to throw in to the pouch – trust me when kids get to help make their food and it feels fun they will eagerly eat what they made.  This was a technique I employed quite a bit with my niece when she was a little tot and a picky eater.  As a teen she now has an expanded and well rounded palate that I like to think I helped contribute to just a little.

So let’s wrap up the details here for you to knock this out for your family:

1. 350 degree Pre-Heated Oven

2. Fish, Meat, Tofu and/or Veggies

3. Salt & Pepper

4. Your favorite flavorings: spices, garlic, peppers, capers, citrus, honey, soy, uzu… go crazy

5. Splash of White Wine or Water or Beer

6. Parchment Paper or Foil

Stuff it all in the Parchment Paper, make it in to a pouch, put it in the oven and there ya go.  Dinner is served.

You can make these “En Papillote” dinners a day ahead, put them in the fridge and when you come home from work you will have a delicious meal ready to go without any fuss (and without a baking pan to clean up!)

You can also make these dinners vegan and gluten free – let your imagination take you on a delectable journey!

This is one of those rare posts where the food was so delicious that I totally forgot to stop and take a picture of the finished dish to share with you all.  It looked beautiful, perfectly steamed fish and aromatics and we served it with a lovely side salad with a simple vinaigrette.

Summer time is Tomato time! Specifically…Heirloom Tomatoes!
I grew up with these kinds of tomatoes as a kid.  Striped tomatoes, odd shaped tomatoes, tomatoes in nearly every color of the rainbow and then somewhere along the way tomatoes became standardized, boring and tasteless.  Thank goodness that Heirloom Produce is making a comeback, because you haven’t tasted a tomato until you’ve tasted a REAL tomato like an Heirloom variety.

I have been making one particular salad with fresh Heirloom Tomatoes now for over a decade.  In fact I feel like stepping back to Summer in the year 2006 just to show you a picture of this salad that has been my Summer signature and how it has remained virtually unchanged after all these years.

There isn’t really a recipe for how I make this salad.  It’s more of a process and a combination of ingredients and you add them all together to make this stunning little tomato stack that explodes with the tastes of Summer all over your tongue.

Now let’s step in to the present day, actually yesterday to be exact.  My guy knows that I am not one for jewelry and that I’d rather have a bottle of Truffle Oil over a bouquet of roses.  So he got me bags of some absolutely beautiful produce to play around with yesterday.  In those bags were gorgeous Heirloom Tomatoes – and this is what I did with them yesterday:

As you can see… not a whole lot has changed over the years, which just goes to show how this recipe has been a favored Summertime staple in our house.

Go check out Pike Place Market or your local Farmer’s Market right now, chances are the first Heirlooms of the season are making an appearance!

The first time that I tasted Chimichurri sauce was 6 years ago, almost to the day.  I had taken my guy out to the Buenos Aires Grill for his birthday, where we feasted on delicious steaks slathered in this herby, zesty green sauce.  At first glance I thought it was just another pesto, but then I tasted it.  It tasted fresh and green, like an herb garden is dancing all over your tongue, followed by a little kick of heat to remind you that you are alive and finally a slight tangy kiss of vinegar.  Love at first bite.

Memorial Day is just around the corner – grills are coming out of winter hibernation and getting ready to receive the first choice cuts of meat or the first fresh veggie kebabs of the season.  Instead of regular old Barbecue Sauce like every other year, you should give my tasty friend, Chimichurri a turn at the grill.

Last week my Father-in-Law was up for a visit.  For his last night with us I wanted to make him a special dinner, something where he could taste the love.  I headed up to Bill the Butcher to take a peek at their selection and finally get a chance to meet the voice of their Twitter, Teri.  As some may remember, there was an article about Bill the Butcher quite a while ago. That article did not say the nicest of things.  Admittedly, I had made it a point to stay away based on what I read… until recently.

Teri took me through the shop, introduced me to their butcher, Zach – super nice guy. They put the questions I had to rest with full disclosure about the types of meat they offered and from where they all came from.  They have their customers best interests at heart and are moving forward with lessons learned.  I’m really glad that I gave them a shot because the Painted Hills New York Strips that I picked up ended up being that special dinner I was looking for.

When I got my haul of beef goodness home, I started brainstorming ways to prepare the steaks.  One of my favorite places to mull things over is in my Herb Garden, so I headed out to collect a few snips of this and a few snips of that when inspiration hit me.  Chimichurri!!!  I have everything I need right here!  So I set to work gathering up the rest of the herbs I needed to make that magical green sauce of the Gods.

Now my Chimichurri recipe may not be your Argentinian Grandmother’s traditional recipe, but it is absolutely divine in its own right.  It also doubles as a magnificent marinade for meat and vegetables, and I’ve also used it as a base for a vinaigrette.  It’s versatile, it’s delicious, it’s super easy and I am so pleased with it I want to share it with you.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Yesterday I was talking with my gal pal, Cristie.  She’s the Master Mixologist responsible for my favorite cocktail blog ThirstQuest.  She was sharing with me her ideas for her “Perfect Pair” Valentine’s drinks.  Chocolate Raspberry Truffle and White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle… doesn’t that sound amazing?!?!

So I was telling her about this beautiful martini that I’ve been making since I first discovered Blood Oranges 6 years ago.  Blood Oranges are oranges with a deep crimson flesh, citrusy orange flavor with a little berry finish.  These crimson beauties are in season right now.  Blood Oranges are super high in antioxidants and dang it… they are pretty!

After a little prodding to post the recipe (thanks Lamb!), my gal pal Cristie and I are hitting you with everything you need to romantically and deliciously sweeten up your evening with your special Valentine.  My martini is sweet-tart and as red as a box of Valentine’s chocolates, while Cristie’s drinks are rich and sweet just like the chocolates in that big red heart shaped box.
Check out ThirstQuest’s Perfect Pair Valentine’s Cocktails
And here’s my cocktail recipe:

Bloody Valentine Martini

• 2 shots Absolute Mandarin Vodka
• Juice of 3 Blood Oranges (about 1 cup)
• Splash of Campari
• 2 Slices of Blood Orange, for garnish
• White Sugar, to rim the glass

Equipment:

• Martini Shaker
• Muddler
• Ice
• Strainer
• 2 Martini Glasses

You can start by wetting the rim of your martini glass and dipping it into sugar to get a sweet little sugar rim on the glass.  Set aside.

Fill your martini shaker with ice, vodka, Blood Orange juice and Campari.  Put one of squeezed out juiced orange halves into the mix.  Using a muddler drive the rind down into the ice, when it gets to the bottom you can stop, you just want a quick muddle.  Put the top on the martini shaker and give it a few shakes.

Using a strainer pour the contents of the martini shaker in to you glasses.  Put one Blood Orange Slice on each glass and serve it to your Valentine.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Full Disclosure:  I have received no compensation for any brand or business listed in this article.

I love a condiment that you can use for many different applications.  Such is my Honey Ginger Glaze.  It works beautifully on meat, fish, veggies, fruit and Tofu.  It’s a perfect finish on anything grilled.  It takes an ordinary pork chop and turns it into an extraordinary glossy bite of gingery bliss.

I picked up some gorgeous boneless pork lion chops from the awesome guys over at The Swinery, in West Seattle and combined those with my glaze made with some Chamiso Honey that I ordered from the sweet folks at Grampa’s Honey.

Honey Ginger Glaze

• 1/2 cup Honey
• 1 1/2 Tablespoon Ginger, peeled and freshly grated
• 1/2 teaspoon Aji-Mirin (Sweet Cooking Rice Wine)
• 1/4 teaspoon Sesame Oil
• Juice of half a Lime

Combine everything together in a small bowl and simply whisk to combine.  Makes a little over 1/2 cup, and will keep for up to 1 week covered in the fridge.

Tips:
– Use a pastry brush to brush it on grill foods shortly before it finishes cooking.  If you put it on too early, flames and heat can cause the sugars in the glaze to burn.
– Try it on Fish, Tofu, Beef, Chicken, Pork, Duck, Fruits and Vegetables, it’s very versatile.
– You can use this glaze as a base for marinades and salad dressings.

So how about that Superbowl?  Did you inhale a few too many snacks during the big game and are looking for some dietary redemption?  Fear not, I am here to help you with something sweet, crunchy and delicious.  

I love a good Waldorf Salad, but many of the traditional recipes often are loaded with fatty dressings that drown out the delicious flavors of the ingredients.  It negates the healthful benefits of eating a salad by being overly dressed with fat.  I have my own version of a healthier Waldorf Salad that is really delicious and isn’t going to turn you into a Fatty McFatsauce.

Waldorf Salad

Salad:

• 3 Apples, cored and cut into 1/2″ chunks (I like Gala & Granny Smiths from Full Circle Farms)
• 1 cup Red Grapes, cut in half
• 1/3 cup Walnut pieces
• 1/3 cup Golden Raisins (you can sub Dried Cranberries or Currants)
• 1/2 cup Celery, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice

Dressing:

• 1/4 Plain Yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon Honey
• Juice of Half a Lemon
• Teeny Pinch of Salt

Garnish:

• Butter Lettuce Leaves

Combine the first 6 ingredients and toss well, set aside.  This will be your salad.
In a separate bowl, combine the Yogurt, Honey, Lemon & Salt.  Stir with a fork or a whisk to thoroughly combine.  This will be your dressing.
Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat evenly.

To serve, place a leaf of Butter Lettuce on the plate, then spoon the salad into the lettuce leaf and serve. Enjoy your tasty salad!

Tips:
If you are making this salad ahead of time, do not add the dressing until right before you serve it.  If you dress it too early and it sits around too long your fruits will leak out liquid and you’ll end up with a soupy mess.

Those Butter Lettuce leaves also make a tasty lettuce wrap for eating this healthy salad on the go!

Sometimes the best things in life are the simplest things.  Like this recipe.

On those days when life keeps you running around like crazy, there just does not seem to be enough hours in the day and you want something tasty to snack on but don’t have the energy to fuss around with a complicated recipe.  Well, this is an elegant and simple little recipe that goes together in a snap, keeps well when stored in the fridge and has big flavor that is sure to impress even when you’re pinched for time.

There are a few ingredients that I always keep on hand, because of their versatility and the big flavors they bring to the table.  Goat cheese and Oil Packed Sun Dried Tomatoes are two of those items.  They can be added separately or together from salads, to pastas to appetizers making them a favorite in my kitchen when I’m looking for a little extra punch of flavor.

This recipe is the perfect thing to make when you have unexpected drop-in guests because it goes together in 5 minutes.  Get your ingredients together, add them to a food processor, whip it up, scoop it in to a bowl and throw some crackers or herb toast points on the side.  Done.

Aside from using this as a spread on crackers, it’s also an amazing condiment for burgers and sandwiches too!

Goat Cheese & Sun Dried Tomato Spread

• 1 1/2 cups Goat Cheese
• 1/2 clove of crushed garlic
• 1/2 cup Oil Packed Sun Dried Tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 1/2 Teaspoon  Fresh Thyme or Parsley
• Squeeze of Lemon Juice
• Salt to Taste

Put all the ingredients in to a food processor and pulse until smooth and well blended.  Place in a serving bowl and serve with crackers or toast.  Makes about 2 cups and will keep up to 1 week, covered in the fridge.

Additional Serving Suggestions:
– Topping for crackers, pita chips, melba toast, herbed toast
– Condiment for Sandwiches and Burgers
– Quick way to dress up some Penne Pasta by tossing it together.  Great Hot or Cold!

Is it cold enough out there for you?

With the recent Arctic Blast that brought us snow yesterday and the below freezing temperatures I felt like making snowballs.  After going outside to wrap and protect my fruit trees and salvage what crisply frozen Winter greens I could from my garden I decided that it was too cold to stay outside and make snowballs.  So I went inside and made them there instead!

Now this cookie recipe is an age old recipe.  Who knows where it first originated as it goes by sooo many names such as: Mexican Wedding Cakes, Italian Butternuts, Russian Tea Cakes just to name a few.  But I have read that it is a cookie that has a history that dates back as far as the 18th century. I make these little balls of heaven every single year and over the years I have tweaked the standard recipe to create a lovely, nut filled shortbread type cookie that will melt in your mouth.  Mine includes ground almonds, instead of chopped pecans or walnuts and I like to use a Vanilla Bean with a couple little drops of Amaretto to really make the almond flavor sing.

It’s a super easy cookie to make and if you have little ones around they will have fun helping you to shape them into little balls, while keeping snug and warm during this Arctic Blast.  It also keeps really well.

For this recipe I use unsalted butter.  If you are going to use salted butter omit the salt.
Vegan & Lactose Sensitive – If you are vegan or  lactose intolerant, substitute the butter for Margarine. Please note that vegetable oil spreads will make these cookies spread out and flatten a bit.
Gluten Free – If you are gluten intolerant, substitute flour with your favorite GF All Purpose flour and add an additional 2 Tablespoons of water

Snowball Cookies

• 2 Sticks (1/2 Cup) unsalted Butter, softened
• 1/2 Powdered Sugar
• 1 Cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 Cup Cake Flour
• 1 Vanilla Bean, seeds scraped out
• 1 teaspoon Amaretto
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Cup Almond Flour, or finely ground Almonds

For Dusting:

• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Cornstarch

Dusting Instructions:
Combine in a bowl and set aside

Snowball Cookie Instructions:
Using a mixer or by hand, cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix together until they are all well combined.
Divide the dough in half and form two large balls.  Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge to cool for at least 1 hour and as long as overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°, prepare baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
Now go get one of your chilled dough balls out of the refrigerator.  Begin shaping balls by rolling about 2 teaspoons worth of dough at a time into balls using your hands.  They should be just a little smaller than a walnut in the shell.  Place them about 1/2″ apart on a baking sheet (if you are using Margarine – place them 1″ apart).

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom, the tops will be a very pale golden brown.
Let them cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to the Powdered Sugar and Cornstarch that you made earlier.
Give them a gentle roll until they are well coated.
Reserve a little of the Dusting recipe to sift over the tops of the cookies right before serving.

Images by Kelly Cline ©2010 All Rights Reserved
All content, text and images are  ©2010 All Rights Reserved and may not be used or reposted without express written consent.

Quesadillas… a couple tortillas filled with goodies and grilled until the insides are all ooey gooey melted goodness.  Not only are Quesadillas delicious, they are incredibly easy to make.  My quick recipe is also a snap to change up by adding different fillings to please the palates of any hungry snacker.   Be sure to check my suggestions below for ideas!

For this recipe I have decided to go healthy and make these Veggie Quesadillas.  Now before you start rolling your eyes and running for the nearest burger joint, in my kitchen healthy does not mean bland and tasteless.  I have combined hearty black beans, sweet corn and sharp cheddar for a deliciously satisfying bite.  Try some of the Northwests own Tillamook Cheddar, it’s a perfect fit for this dish.

And just to take it to the edge of insanity, I’ve topped it all off with a homemade spicy Pineapple Salsa.  This salsa packs a mouth watering spicy, sweet punch.  It is also a versatile condiment with a myriad of uses beyond the old Chips & Salsa routine.  Try using it to dress up a boring old Chicken Breast or Oven Roasted Pork Chop or even as a Pizza Topping!

Veggie Quesadillas
Yield: 1 Quesadilla

• 2 Large Flour Tortillas
• 2 Tablespoons Black Beans, canned or rehydrated
• 2 Tablespoons Sweet Corn Kernels, frozen or cut fresh from the cob
• 1 Tablespoon Sweet Onion, finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon Red Bell Pepper, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, finely shredded
• Salt & Pepper to Taste
• Splash of Olive Oil

On the stove top heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add a very small splash of olive oil and swirl it around in the pan to coat the bottom evenly.  Take the first Flour Tortilla and place it into the hot pan.  Working quickly, evenly spread the remaining ingredients on top of the warming Tortilla with a 1/2 inch margin to the edge of the Tortilla.  Place the remaining Tortilla on top of the filling and let it toast.

Once the tortilla is toasted, generally 3-4 minutes, give it a quick flip with a spatula and toast off the other side.  When it is ready, cut it as if you were cutting a pie, making 6 wedges.  Top with Salsa and serve immediately.

Party Tip: You can make these ahead and reheat for 10 minutes in a 375 oven.

Pineapple Salsa
Yield: 2 cups

• 1 Cup Pineapple, in chunks, canned or fresh
• 1/2 Cup Yellow Bell Pepper, roughly chopped
• 1/2 Cup Fresh Tomatoes, seeds removed, roughly chopped
• 1/2 Cup Cilantro, chopped
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, to taste

Combine the ingredients, let it sit for at least 20 minutes to allow the Crushed Red Pepper to add its fire.  Keep in mind that as the Salsa sits the Crushed Red Pepper heat will intensify, so go lightly as it is easier to add heat than it is to remove it.

Additional Quesadilla Filling Ideas:

• Jalapeno
• Sliced Chicken or Turkey Breast
• Sliced Lean Beef
• Seitan
• Shrimp
• Halibut
• Crab
• Mushrooms
• Bell Peppers
• Mama Lil’s Kick Butt Peppers
• Ham
• Spinach
• Bacon
• Sausage
• Asparagus
• Cheese, other than Cheddar – Monterey Jack, Swiss, Racelette,  Feta, Brie, Goat Cheese

Full disclosure: I have received no compensation from any business or organization mentioned in this article.

Images by Kelly Cline ©2010 All Rights Reserved
All content, text and images are  ©2010 All Rights Reserved and may not be used or reposted without express written consent.

That chill air of Fall creeping in and edging out the warmth of Summer was a call to my inner baker to get in the kitchen and fire up the oven.  One thing I love to make is scones.  They are quick, easy and there is nothing more delicious than a piping hot scone fresh from the oven.

Over the years there are a few lessons I have learned when making scones.  The first one is to never overwork the dough.  Overworking the dough gets rid of the all important pockets of fat that are essential for creating that fluffy texture, if you mix the ingredients too much you end up with edible doorstops.

The next lesson of importance is to not over-bake your scones.  This leads to the scone drying out, because as it sits on the breakfast or brunch table cooling off… it is still baking.   I tend to pull my scones out of the oven 2 or 3 minutes before the actual time stated, keeping an eye on the browning on the top and bottom.  Once it get a light brown color it is time to pull them out.  I also remove the scones from the baking sheet while they are warm.  Keeping them on the baking sheet to cool will cause them to continue baking and you will end up with tough bottoms to your scones.

Batter should be mixed with your hands and a wooden spoon for the perfect texture.  Using a food processor or electric mixer will overwork your ingredients.  If you think you can manage a light hand with the electric gadgets then go for it, otherwise get old fashioned and work with those hands.

So with all these scone tips, I’m going to pass along my favorite recipe for making scones that has the addition of hazelnuts and currants, they give a nice little crunch and fruity chew to your scone.  If you don’t have them, this recipe works beautifully without for a classic scone that is perfect with a little clotted cream and jam.

Hazelnut Currant Scones

• 2 cups Flour
• 1/4 cup White Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/3 cup Cold Butter (cut into chunks)
• 1 large Egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup Whole Milk
• 1/4 cup dried Zante Currants
• 1/4 cup crushed Hazelnuts

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or lightly grease it if you do not have parchment paper handy.
Combine the dry ingredients into one bowl.  Add in the butter and with your hands sort of “pinch” the butter into the flour mix.  You are not looking to fully incorporate the butter into the flour and you will want small to medium size chunks of butter between the size of a pea and shelled almond.

Combine the milk and egg in a small bowl and whisk it together.  Drizzle it over the flour and butter mixture.  Using a wooden spoon, stir the milk and egg into the flour mixtures.  Do not over mix, the dough will be lumpy and it will be sticky, you are mixing just enough for the flour mixture to get moist.

Divide the dough into 3 equal portion.  Take one portion out and put it onto a well floured board.  You are going to knead it about 5 or 6 times.  The trick is when you press your dough flat, flip it over then fold, then press flat again.  Repeat that procedure 4 or 5 times.  What you are doing is folding the floured side together, this along with those butter chunks is what makes those lovely flakey layers you are after.

Now make that kneaded dough into a little mound about 5 inches in diameter.  The center of your little mound should be slightly higher than the outside rim, so it’s kind of like a dome.  Now take a big knife and cut it into half and then half again so you have 4 equal pieces.

I like to  brush the tops of my scones with milk then sprinkle a pinch of turbinado sugar onto them. You don’t have to do this, you can leave them plain if you want.

Stick them on your cookie sheet and bake them for about 10-12 minutes until they are golden brown.  Top them with butter, clotted cream or marscapone cheese with fruit preserves.  NOM!

Full disclosure: I have received no compensation from any business or organization mentioned in this article.

Images by Kelly Cline ©2010 All Rights Reserved
All content, text and images are  ©2010 All Rights Reserved and may not be used or reposted without express written consent.