Coastal Horizons... books, beaches, and backroad adventures: Food

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July 2, 2022

Crying in H Mart

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Nonfiction - Memoir

2021 Random House Audio

Narrated by Michelle Zauner

Finished on June 30, 2022

Rating: 3/5 (Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

An unflinching, powerful memoir about growing up Korean American, losing her mother, and forging her own identity.

In this exquisite story of family, food, grief, and endurance, Michelle Zauner proves herself far more than a dazzling singer, songwriter, and guitarist. With humor and heart, she tells of growing up one of the few Asian American kids at her school in Eugene, Oregon; of struggling with her mother's particular, high expectations of her; of a painful adolescence; of treasured months spent in her grandmother's tiny apartment in Seoul, where she and her mother would bond, late at night, over heaping plates of food.

As she grew up, moving to the East Coast for college, finding work in the restaurant industry, and performing gigs with her fledgling band--and meeting the man who would become her husband--her Koreanness began to feel ever more distant, even as she found the life she wanted to live. It was her mother's diagnosis of terminal cancer, when Michelle was twenty-five, that forced a reckoning with her identity and brought her to reclaim the gifts of taste, language, and history her mother had given her.

Vivacious and plainspoken, lyrical and honest, Zauner's voice is as radiantly alive on the page as it is onstage. Rich with intimate anecdotes that will resonate widely, and complete with family photos, Crying in H Mart is a book to cherish, share, and reread.

I nominated Crying in H Mart to my book group after reading several rave reviews. We don't plan to discuss it until August, but summertime is usually pretty busy with visitors and travel, so I decided to get a jump start. I began reading the print edition of Zauner's memoir, but after a couple of chapters, switched over to audio. I was somewhat bored with the opening chapters but listening to the author narrate her story made for a more compelling experience. I'm not a big fan of authors reading their own works, and Zauner's monotone delivery could have been better, but I enjoyed hearing the pronunciation of specific foods and phrases in Korean. Despite the author's flat audio narration, some of her passages are beautifully written, bringing my attention back to her story. Food (specifically Korean food) is a large part of the narrative and while I enjoy "foodie" memoirs, I was not familiar with most of the items described. I didn't love Crying in H Mart, but anyone who has stood vigil over a loved one can't help but have their heartstrings tugged as they read about the death of Michelle's mother. Overall, this was a decent story, but not one I can recommend. I hope the women in my book group enjoy it better than I did!

November 20, 2021

Parker House Rolls

Parker House Rolls

Growing up, I was not only lucky to know all four of my grandparents, but I also knew my maternal great-grandmother, Louise Ashbrook. I didn't know her as well as I knew her daughter (my grandmother), but I know that she loved nature and was an avid bird-watcher. She was also an exceptional painter of landscapes, as well as delicate scenes on hand-blown eggs, which several family members display at Eastertime. She was also know for her amazing Parker House rolls, which many of my relatives have attempted, over the years, to duplicate. She never measured her ingredients, grabbing handfuls of flour and pinches of sugar & salt, making it impossible for anyone to carry on her legacy. Until last week!

A few years ago, I stumbled upon a recipe for Parker House rolls that Kristen Doyle had shared on her blog (Dine and Dish). As usual, I printed the recipe and tossed it into a pile, later to be filed away and long forgotten. This year we're hosting our family gathering and I decided it was time to try my hand at Kristen's recipe (which she got courtesy of the Omni Parker House Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts). With the weather turning cold and rainy, I made plans to make stew one night and chicken and dumplings the next. What better than to have some tender, buttery rolls to go with that yummy comfort food! I dug through my files and found Kristen's recipe. I followed it almost exactly as written, opting for my KitchenAid mixer (with the bread hook attachment) instead of kneading the dough by hand. I was so pleased (ok, giddy with joy!) to not only have the dough rise perfectly the first time, but also after cutting out each little circle of dough. I waited longer than instructed to pop them in the oven since I was waiting for the rest of the meal to come together, but the kitchen was warm and the dough didn't collapse.

The final verdict? Delicious! They're a bit lighter and fluffier than my great-grandmother's rolls, but they're the best I've ever made. I don't know which is better, serving them warm with salted butter or saving them for the next day and enjoying them with a little bit of mayo and leftover turkey. I guess I better double the recipe. Thanks, Kristen!

Ingredients

6 cups all-purpose flour (I used a little bit more)

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 packages active dry yeast

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened

1 large egg

In a large mixer bowl, combine 2 1/4 cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast; add 1/2 cup butter (1 stick).

With mixer at low speed, gradually pour 2 cups hot tap water (120 degrees F to 130 degrees F.) into mixture.

Add egg; increase speed to medium; beat 2 minutes, scraping bowl with rubber spatula.

Beat in 3/4 cup flour or enough to make a thick batter; continue beating 2 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl.

With spoon, stir in enough additional flour (about 2 1/2 cups) to make a soft dough. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, working in more flour (about 1/2 cup) while kneading. (I used a bread hook and left the dough in the mixer.)

Shape dough into a ball and place in greased large bowl, turning over so that top of dough is greased. Cover with towel; let rise in warm place (80 to 85 degrees F.) until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. (Dough is doubled when 2 fingers pressed into dough leave a dent.)

Punch down dough by pushing down the center or dough with fist, then pushing edges of dough into center. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead lightly to make smooth ball, cover with bowl for 15 minutes, and let dough rest.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In 17 1/4-inch by 11 1/2-inch roasting pan, over low heat, melt remaining 1/2 cup butter; tilt pan to grease bottom. (I used a large jelly roll/cookie sheet pan, brushed with some of the melted butter, leaving the rest in a bowl to dip into.)

On lightly floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll dough 1/2 inch thick. With floured 2 3/4-inch round cutter, cut dough into circles.

Holding dough circle by the edge, dip both sides into melted margarine or butter pan; fold in half.

Arrange folded dough in rows in pan, each nearly touching the other.

Cover pan with towel; let dough rise in warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes.

Bake rolls for 15 to 18 minutes until browned.

Recipe courtesy Omni Parker House Hotel, Boston, Massachusetts

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April 10, 2021

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Photo Credit: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

I have two chicken enchilada recipes (one with red sauce and one with a sour cream sauce), but when I spotted this recipe on Mel's Kitchen Cafe, I thought it might be a good alternative. I was mainly interested in the green sauce option, but after making the casserole, I realized how brilliant it is to make a casserole rather than individual enchiladas! The casserole assembly is much easier (read: faster!) than filling and rolling each tortilla. I can't wait to try this method with my other enchilada recipes.

20 ounces green enchilada sauce

12 ounces salsa verde

3-4 cups cooked shredded or chopped chicken

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

12-14 white or yellow corn tortillas, cut in half

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Fresh chopped cilantro

Sour cream

Guacamole or avocado slices

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

Whisk together the enchilada sauce and salsa verde.

Toss the chicken with the garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. (See my notes)

Spread 1/3 of the sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer eight tortilla halves across the sauce. Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese over the tortillas followed by 1/2 of the chicken. Drizzle with 1/3 of the sauce.

Layer another eight tortilla halves, 1/3 of the cheese, last 1/2 of the chicken, another 8-9 tortilla halves, remaining 1/3 cheese and remaining sauce.

Cover with greased foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10-15 minutes until bubbly and cooked through.

Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Let rest for 10-15 minutes (it will set up and be less runny as it rests) before serving.

Serve with sour cream and guacamole, if desired.

Serves 8

Mel's Notes:

You can use all enchilada sauce if you want (omit the salsa verde and increase the amount of green enchilada sauce by 10-12 ounces).

The casserole can be assembled and refrigerated for up to 8 hours (the tortillas will soften more than if baked right away).

My Notes:

I prefer to use my own roast chicken; rotisserie chickens tend to be dry and salty.

If you don't like your food too spicy, just use enchilada sauce (30-32 oz. total), as Mel mentions in her notes. You can always serve a salsa verde on the side for those who want more heat.

Diced onions would be a good addition. I'd sauté 1/2 a cup in olive oil before adding them to the enchilada sauce.

If you want to stretch the meal or add more protein, beans (white, pinto or black) would be great mixed in with the chicken Be sure to drain them before adding.

For even distribution, I mixed all of the seasonings together in a bowl before mixing them with the chicken.

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March 13, 2021

Mushroom Lasagna

Photo Credit

Oh, yum! Another delicious recipe by Smitten Kitchen (adapted from Ina Garten). I've made this dish a couple of times and it's a huge hit with my family; even my meat-loving husband says it's a winner. If you wind up with any leftovers, they freeze very well.

Salt

Olive Oil

12 pieces of dried lasagna noodles

1 garlic clove, minced

4 cups of hot milk

12 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. ground pepper

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 1/2 lbs. mushrooms (any combination of cremini, portobello, brown or baby white), sliced

1 small onion, diced

1/4 cup white wine (my addition)

1 cup freshly grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).

Prepare noodles: Cook according to package instructions (typically around 10 minutes). Drain and set aside.

Make béchamel: While the noodles are cooking, melt 8 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan. Add the flour and cook for one minute over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon. Pour in the hot milk, a little at a time at first and whisk until combined. Once you’ve added half of it, you can add the second half all at once, along with 2 teaspoons kosher salt, the pepper, and nutmeg. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.

Prepare onions & mushrooms: Clean mushrooms and discard stems. Slice mushrooms 1/4-inch thick. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium in a large sauté pan. Cook the onions until tender, about 3 minutes. Add half of the mushrooms, along with a couple pinches of salt, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until they are tender and release some of their juices, tossing to make sure they cook evenly. Set aside and repeat with additional oil and butter, and remaining mushrooms. Return all the mushrooms to the pan and add the white wine. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Assemble lasagna: Spread some of the sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top, then more sauce (about 1/4 of what remains), 1/3 of the mushrooms and 1/4 cup grated parmesan. Repeat two more times then top with a final layer of noodles, your remaining sauce and last 1/4 cup of parmesan.

Bake: For 45 minutes, or until top is browned and the sauce is bubbly. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

To freeze for future use, allow it to cool completely and wrap two to three times in plastic wrap before freezing.

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September 20, 2020

Lemon Chicken Piccata Meatballs

Lemon Chicken Piccata Meatballs

Simply Delicious Food

I discovered this wonderful recipe on JoAnn's blog (Gulfside Musing) this past summer and finally got around to giving it a try a few weeks ago. My family loved the flavor of the meatballs, which I served alongside some lemony orzo and sauteed zucchini. They loved it so much, I made it again this week! I learned a few things with my second attempt, so be sure to read my notes for some helpful hints.

For the Meatballs:

1 lb. ground chicken

1 egg

3/4 cup breadcrumbs or Panko

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. lemon zest

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

For the Sauce:

1 Tbsp. butter

2 garlic cloves (crushed or minced)

1 cup chicken stock (or 1/2 cup white wine and 1/2 cup stock)

2 Tbsp. capers (optional)

1 Tbsp. parsley (chopped)

1-2 tsp. lemon juice

Salt & pepper to taste

To make the meatballs, combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well.

With wet hands, form meatballs into the size of golf balls.

Heat a large pan or skillet over high heat and add a few tablespoons of olive oil. Cook the meatballs until golden brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.

To make the sauce, melt butter in the pan and add the garlic. Cook for 30 seconds.

Add the stock (and wine, if using), capers, parsley and lemon juice. Allow to come to a simmer.

Add the meatballs and cook for another 7-10 minutes, coating the meatballs in the sauce until they are cooked through.

Season to taste and serve.

My Notes:

For the meatballs, I mixed all the dry ingredients together first in order to evenly distribute the seasonings before adding the wet ingredients (chicken & egg).

I baked the meatballs in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, rather than frying them in a skillet. The first time I made the recipe, I place the meatballs on a large cookie sheet and added enough chicken broth to coat the bottom of the pan. The second time, I omitted the broth and placed the meatballs on parchment paper. I prefer the first method, as the meatballs were a bit dry when I didn't include the broth.

For our dinner, I made a meatball bowl with orzo and zucchini. I prepare the orzo (minus the shrimp) from my Shrimp Scampi & Orzo recipe. For the zucchini, I used Smitten Kitchen's Quick Zucchini Saute. The combined flavors are so good!

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July 4, 2020

Corn Chowder with Chile, Lime and Cotija

Oh, my gosh. Smitten Kitchen has become my favorite source for recipes! I tried this chowder the other day and it was amazing. The lime and cheese flavors are perfect, so don't skip the finishing mixture.

Corn Chowder with Chile, Lime and Cotija

Photo Credit: Smitten Kitchen

Soup

8 medium/large ears corn, husks and silks removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, preferably Spanish, chopped fine
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
1 tablespoon mild chili powder or 1 teaspoon of a hotter one
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock or broth
2 15-ounce cans small red or black beans, drained and rinsed (or one of each)
1 cup whole milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper or cayenne to taste
1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream

Finish

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
1/2 cup finely crumbled Cotija, feta or ricotta salata cheese, plus more for serving
1 lime, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Chili powder or a chili-lime seasoning such as Tajín
Baked tortilla chips (optional)
Diced avocado (optional)

For the soup:

With a sharp knife, cut kernels from 8 ears corn (you should have about 6 cups); transfer half to a bowl. Chop the other half into pulpy bits on a cutting board or blend them in a food processor until half-pureed. Add to bowl. Firmly scrape any pulp remaining on cobs with back of knife into bowl with corn. Set corn aside.

In a large (5 quarts is ideal) heavy pot, heat olive oil and butter over medium. Add onion and cook until tender and beginning to brown at the edges, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeño and chili powder and cook together for 2 minutes more. Add flour and stir into onion-garlic mixture until it disappears. Stirring constantly, gradually add stock. Add beans, corn, and 1 cup milk and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 13 minutes, until corn is tender.

Add salt (about 1 tablespoon Diamond kosher salt) and freshly ground black pepper or cayenne to taste. Add cream to taste (1/2 cup sufficient, but it will be less creamy than traditional) and cook for 3 minutes more.

To finish:

Combine mayonnaise, sour cream or crema, cheese, and juice of half a lime in a bowl; stir to combine. Cut second half of lime into wedges.

Ladle soup into bowls and dollop in center with 1 tablespoon (or more to taste) of mayo-cheese mixture. Squeeze lime juice over to taste, sprinkle with chili powder and chopped cilantro and serve, baked tortilla chips on the side if you wish.

My Notes:

This makes a lot of soup, so next time I'll cut it in half.

My corn cobs were very dry, so I didn't get a lot of corn "milk." Once I removed the kernels, I simmered the cobs in a pot with the chicken stock while finishing the rest of the preparations.

I used a Vidalia onion.

We don't care for spicy food, so I left out the jalapeno and only used 1 teaspoon of chili powder. That's why my photo shows a much whiter-looking soup.

I didn't have small red beans, so I substituted with navy beans.

For the finish, I used feta which I find to be less salty than the Cotija.

I didn't have any cilantro, but I did add diced avocado.

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June 27, 2020

Quick Zucchini Saute

Quick Zucchini Saute

Photo Credit: Smitten Kitchen

As a child, I was a fairly picky eater and it wasn't until I was in my early twenties that I learned to enjoy mushrooms and onions. Even then, I wasn't a fan of squash or zucchini and if you're anywhere near my age, you grew up when zucchini, like most vegetables, was overcooked to the consistency of mush. It wasn't until I started cooking it, usually in a stirfry (resulting in a perfectly cooked piece of tenderly crisp zucchini) that I realized just how delicious it can be. And yet, the vegetable has never been a regular item on our weekly menus.

Until now.

I discovered this amazingly simple recipe on Smitten Kitchen a month or so ago and we've had it already at least three or four times. It's the perfect accompaniment to grilled chicken, fish, pork or steak. I've followed the recipe exactly as written, but after reading some of the comments on Deb's blog, I think I'll try a few of the suggestions (listed in my notes below). If you don't care for zucchini, I highly recommend giving this recipe a try. Even the pickiest eater will ask for seconds!

Ingredients:

1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil (see my notes)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced almonds
1 medium or 2 small zucchinis, cut into 1/8-inch matchsticks
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Peelings of pecorino romano or parmesan cheese, to taste (optional)

Heat a large skillet over medium-high and add enough oil to coat the pan well. Heat the oil until hot but not smoking, then add the almonds to the pan. Cook them, stirring, until the almonds are golden-brown, approximately a minute or two. Don’t skimp on this step; they provide a depth of flavor that carries the whole dish. Add the zucchini to the pan, tossing it with the oil and almonds until it just begins to glisten, about one minute. The idea is not to cook the zucchini so much as warm it so it begins to soften. Season well with salt and pepper, slide onto a plate, top with cheese (if using) and immediately dig in.

My Notes:

The first time I made the recipe I used 2 tablespoons of oil and thought the zucchini was a bit too greasy. 1 tablespoon of oil is plenty.

Be very careful when browning the almonds. You don't want them to burn!

Don't skip the cheese.

I haven't tried it yet, but I'll bet this would be delicious topped with a fried egg.

A spritz of fresh lemon juice or zest would also be good.

If you don't have romano or parmesan on hand, feta or goat cheese would work, too.

Click here to read more about this recipe (including step-by-step photos on the zucchini prep) on Smitten Kitchen.

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June 20, 2020

Marie-Helene's Apple Cake

Epicurious

One of my cousins posted a photo on Instagram of this apple cake not once, but twice last month. It looked delicious, and she said it was very easy, so I did a quick Google search and found it on Epicurious. I made it a few days ago and my family LOVED it. They were practically begging me to make it again--the next day! It's the sort of recipe you can whip up pretty quickly, so I'm sure it won't be long before we get to enjoy again. I'm tempted to try it with fresh peaches, as well.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 large apples, peeled (if you can, choose 4 different kinds)
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons dark rum (optional)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Preparation:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter an 8-inch springform pan and put it on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and put the springform on it.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in small bowl.

Peel the apples, cut them in half and remove the cores. Cut the apples into 1- to 2-inch chunks.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until they're foamy. Pour in the sugar and whisk for a minute or so to blend. Whisk in the rum and vanilla. Whisk in half the flour and when it is incorporated, add half the melted butter, followed by the rest of the flour and the remaining butter, mixing gently after each addition so that you have a smooth, rather thick batter. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the apples, turning the fruit so that it's coated with batter. Scrape the mix into the pan and poke it around a little with the spatula so that it's even.

Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean; the cake may pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 5 minutes.

Carefully run a blunt knife around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the springform pan. (Open the springform slowly, and before it's fully opened, make sure there aren't any apples stuck to it.) Allow the cake to cool until it is just slightly warm or at room temperature. If you want to remove the cake from the bottom of the springform pan, wait until the cake is almost cooled, then run a long spatula between the cake and the pan, cover the top of the cake with a piece of parchment or wax paper, and invert it onto a rack. Carefully remove the bottom of the pan and turn the cake over onto a serving dish.

The cake can be served warm or at room temperature, with or without a little softly whipped, barely sweetened heavy cream or a spoonful of ice cream. Marie-Hélène's served her cake with cinnamon ice cream and it was a terrific combination.

The cake will keep for about 2 days at room temperature and, according to my husband, gets more comforting with each passing day. However long you keep the cake, it's best not to cover it - it's too moist. Leave the cake on its plate and just press a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper against the cut surfaces.

Serves: 6-8

My Notes:

I used Fuji, Honeycrisp, Gala and Opal Sweet apples. It's good to have a variety so you get both sweet and tart flavors.

I didn't have any rum and didn't notice its absence. I served it with vanilla ice cream and think a small drizzle of caramel sauce would be a good addition.

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June 14, 2020

Welsh Rarebit

Welsh Rarebit

Photo Credit: Epicurious

It's been at least 40 years since I first tasted Welsh Rarebit, but something triggered that childhood memory and I decided to scour the Internet, in search of an authentic recipe that didn't resemble an open-faced toasted cheese sandwich. This recipe from Epicurious comes as close to what I remember my mom making for us, although we always ate it with toasted English muffins and crispy bacon. I also like to add a thick slice of tomato (placed on top of the muffin, followed by the bacon and cheese), but I draw the line at poached eggs or avocado.

Ingredients:

16 (1/3-inch-thick) diagonal baguette slices (See my notes)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup porter or ale
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon dry mustard (Coleman's)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
6 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, coarsely grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 large egg yolk

My Additions:

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Crispy bacon
Sliced tomato
Dash of Tabasco

Preheat broiler.

Spread one side of bread slices with 2 tablespoons butter (total), then arrange slices, buttered sides up, on a baking sheet. Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat until golden brown, 1 to 4 minutes. (See my notes)

Melt remaining tablespoon butter in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, then add flour and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Add beer and milk in a stream, whisking, then whisk in mustard, pepper, Worcestershire, and cheese. Bring to a simmer over moderately low heat, whisking, then simmer, whisking, until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and immediately whisk in yolk. Serve cheese sauce on toast.

My Notes:

I use one whole English muffin (toasted but not buttered) per serving.

I include Worcestershire sauce and a dash of Tabasco to add a little bite to the sauce.

In a pinch, I have used Negro Modelo instead of a porter or ale. I think any dark beer will work just fine, but nothing hoppy like an IPA.

Yield: 4 servings

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April 5, 2020

Shrimp Scampi with Orzo

Photo Credit: The New York Times

I don't remember if I spotted this recipe on The New York Times website or if another blogger shared it, but either way, it's a winner! It's so quick and easy and has become a family favorite. I serve it with crusty French bread and a Caesar salad, usually twice a month.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon juice (from 1 lemon)
½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup orzo
⅓ cup dry white wine
2 cups boiling water, seafood stock or chicken stock (I use 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth)
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

PREPARATION

In a medium bowl, stir together shrimp, 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon zest, red-pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and half the garlic. Set aside to marinate. (This step can be done up to 1 hour in advance.)

Add butter, remaining olive oil and remaining garlic to a medium skillet set over medium heat. When the butter starts to bubble, add the orzo and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until the orzo is toasted, about 2 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent the garlic from burning. Carefully add the wine — it will bubble — and stir until absorbed, about 1 minute. Stir in water/broth, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until orzo is al dente, about 12 minutes.

Add the shrimp in a snug, even layer on top of the orzo, cover, and cook until all the shrimp is pink and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 2 minutes.

Sprinkle with parsley and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

Serves 4

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March 21, 2020

Mary's Herb Bread

I was a little girl when I first tasted my Great-Aunt Mary Kristofferson's herb bread. If I remember correctly, we had gone to her home for a family Easter brunch. I don't remember who was there, but I do remember she served poached salmon (which, at the time, I did not like!) and this delicious bread (which I devoured!). I've had the recipe for many years, but not being an avid bread baker, have only made it a couple of times. I think my husband is now convinced that in spite of having "plants" in the dough, it's pretty darned good, so it will now be added to my "tried and true" rotation of favorites.

As far as the origination of the recipe, that's up for debate. My mom has it on a recipe card in her mother's (Mary's sister, Mardie) handwriting, so it may well be Mardie's Herb Bread and not Mary's. I'm sure if I Google "herb bread," I'll discover that it's neither sister's, but that would only spoil the family history, so please don't correct me.

Mary's Herb Bread

3 cups water, lukewarm
2 Tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. salt
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. marjoram
8 cups flour

In a large mixing bowl, combine water, sugar, yeast and salt.
Let stand for 5 minutes.
Add oregano, basil and marjoram.
Gradually add flour.
Knead 8-10 minutes until smooth.
Cover with dishtowel and place in warm place to rise for about 1 1/2 hours or until doubled.
Knead lightly for 1 minute.
Divide into three portions. Shape into loaves.
Place in greased and cornmeal-sprinkled bread pans.
Cover and allow to rise until doubled in size.
Bake at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes.
When cool, slice.
Mix some herb seasonings into soft butter and spread on slices. (Optional)
Ready to heat and serve.
Can be frozen in foil and heated for large party.

My Notes:

I measure out the flour into a separate bowl, so I don't lose track of how many cups I've used. I also add the herbs to the flour mixture before gradually adding it to the yeast mixture.

I use a Kitchen Aid stand mixer with a bread hook and don't pay attention to the time it takes to "knead" the dough. I simply add the flour one cup at a time until well mixed.

I transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl that has a little bit of vegetable oil brushed on the surface so the dough won't stick.

I grease the bread pans with a little vegetable oil (as I did for the large mixing bowl), but skipped the cornmeal step.

I removed the finished loaves from the bread pans, brushed the tops with a little bit of butter, and allowed the loaves to cool on baking racks.

I don't bother with an herb flavored butter, but the herbs in the bread are very subtle, so I may increase those amounts next time around.

Please visit Beth Fish Reads for Weekend Cooking.