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Monday's Leftovers: Thai Beef With Coconut Rice

YumSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:15:44 -0800

Last night I made an Eastern European-inspired ground sirloin stew with egg noodles, and tonight I'm going to use the leftover beef to make something on the opposite end of the spectrum! I'm craving takeout, but - inspired by my recent successes - I'm going to continue my pattern of preparing Asian foods at home.

Spice up the sirloin with the help of minced garlic, lime, and Asian fish sauce, and wake up your senses with freshly-torn basil and julienned chiles. Complement the fiery protein with a soothing side of milky coconut rice. The result, which is healthier and cheaper than takeout, after the break.

Pesto: Love It or Hate It?

partysugar — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 04:00:16 -0700

One of the things I'm going to miss most about Summer is homemade fresh pesto. I just can't get enough of it: I love it on everything from pasta to seafood to sandwiches. However, with its green color and pungent raw garlic, pesto is not enjoyed by everyone. Take my mother, for example; she's crazy about basil but hates pesto. Even though I say, "Mom, pesto is basically liquid basil," she still doesn't like the classic Italian sauce. How about you?

Source: Flickr User foodistablog

Happy Hour: Basil Sangria

partysugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:00:50 -0700

From wine spritzers to cabernet caipirinhas, this Summer, I've been all about sipping wine-based cocktails. The one I'm most infatuated with is sangria. I've experimented with tropical fruit sangria and floral liquor sangria. However, before I made this version, I had never enjoyed a sangria with fresh herbs. The star of this sangria is basil. It infuses the wine with an aromatic earthiness. Fresh-squeezed orange juice further flavors the sangria and club soda provides a subtle effervescence. To enjoy this refreshing drink, that's perfect for sipping on the deck, get the recipe and read more.

Basil Sangria
From Food & Wine

I was unable to find Thai-basil at my grocery store, so I simply used regular basil.

Ingredients

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
8 Thai basil sprigs
Zest of 1 lemon, peeled in 3-inch strips
Zest of 1 orange, peeled in 3-inch strips
2 bottles chilled Pinot Grigio
3/4 cup brandy
1/2 cup fresh orange juice, strained
Ice
Chilled club soda
12 thin orange slices, for garnish

Directions

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the basil sprigs and lemon and orange zests. Let the syrup stand, stirring often, until cooled to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Discard the basil sprigs and zest strips.
In a large pitcher, combine the basil syrup with the wine, brandy and orange juice.
Pour the sangria into ice-filled glasses, top with club soda and garnish each drink with an orange slice.

Serves 12.

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Say Cheese! Grilled Fontina and Prosciutto Pizza

partysugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:15:24 -0700

Fontina is a creamy Italian cow's milk cheese with a texture that varies depending on the age. Typically young fontina is soft and extremely good for melting, while mature fontina is hard. Originally native to Italy's Aosta Valley, fontina is now produced in Denmark, France, and the United States. However, Italian fontina has a stronger, richer, more pungent flavor than those created in other areas. Fontina has a pale-yellow color and mild, nutty flavor that's wonderful for almost any use, whether it's eating out of hand or smashed in a sandwich. To find out how fontina made these grilled pizza bites incredibly delectable, read more.

This recipe takes advantage of fontina's wonderful melting qualities. It combines the gooey cheese with other Italian ingredients - prosciutto, pecorino romano, and basil - to make a pie that is wildly delicious and insanely addictive. I sliced the pizza into small pieces and served it as an appetizer at a recent party. It was so good, I hope to make it again soon.

Grilled Fontina and Prosciutto Pizza
From Food & Wine

When I made this pizza, I charred both sides of the dough on the grill until it was cooked and slightly puffy. Then I topped it with the garlic and cheese and finished cooking it in a 450°F oven.

Ingredients

1/2 pound fontina cheese, shredded (about 2 cups loosely packed)
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese (about 1 1/2 ounces)
1 1/2 pounds store bought or homemade pizza dough
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing and drizzling
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Two 14-ounce cans chopped Italian tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons
12 paper-thin slices prosciutto di Parma, torn into large pieces

Directions

Light a grill, preferably using hardwood charcoal. Set the grill grate 3 to 4 inches above the coals.
In a medium bowl, toss the Fontina with the Pecorino Romano cheese.
Divide the Pizza Dough into 6 equal pieces; work with 1 piece at a time and keep the rest covered with a towel.
On 3 lightly oiled baking sheets, flatten and stretch the dough with your hands to form six 8-inch rounds about 1/16 inch thick; do not make a lip and don't stretch the dough so thinly that it tears. Brush the rounds with olive oil.
When the grill is hot, working in batches if necessary, gently drape the pizza dough over the hot grate and cook until it puffs slightly, the underside firms up and grill marks appear, about 1 minute. Rotate the dough once and cook for 30 seconds.
Brush the top of the pizza rounds with oil and flip them over using tongs.
Scatter one-sixth of the garlic and cheese over each pizza, followed by 3 heaping tablespoons of chopped tomatoes. Then drizzle each pizza with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil.
Slide the pizzas near the hot coals but not directly over them. Using tongs, rotate the pizzas frequently, checking often to make sure that the undersides are not charring. The pizzas are done when the cheese is melted and the tomatoes are hot, 3 to 4 minutes.
Scatter one-sixth of the basil and prosciutto over each pizza and serve hot off the grill.

Serves 12.

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Summer of Salads: Caprese Salad

YumSugar — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:00:58 -0700

Here on the West Coast, we haven't been hard-hit by the year's devastating tomato blight, so I've been taking advantage of my good fortune by supporting growers of heirloom tomatoes (perhaps a little too much; the other day I bought $21 worth of them!). As a salad fanatic, I had to make my favorite type of tomato salad.

The insalata Caprese, which literally translates to "salad from Capri," is composed of three main ingredients: fresh mozzarella, vine-ripened tomatoes, and basil leaves. It's a no-brainer to prepare, and takes five seconds to make, so the key is to use top-notch components.

In addition to enjoying the basic Caprese, it's also fun to play around with the recipe. On this day, I chopped up an extra pound of heirlooms, let them sit in a fine sieve until the juice strained through, and whisked the juice with olive oil and seasonings to make a punchy vinaigrette that brought out the savory herbaceousness of tomatoes. Start experimenting when you read more

The Basics: Pesto

partysugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 10:15:17 -0700

When basil is in season, I can't make enough pesto. The classic Italian sauce native to Genoa tastes delicious on everything from pasta to pizza to grilled fish. It's excellent stirred into salads or slathered on sandwich bread. Although store-made pesto is widely available, it's easy to make. Pesto is simply an uncooked paste consisting of fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. It can be made with a mortar and pestle or in a food processor. Once you have mastered the basic recipe, you can get creative with other herb, nut, and cheese combinations. To learn the basic technique, read more.

Pesto
From Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1/2 to 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

In a blender or food processor, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until finely chopped.
With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until the mixture forms a smooth and thick consistency. Add the Parmesan and pulse until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Makes 1-1 1/2 cups.

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Say Cheese! Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts

partysugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:55:37 -0700

Earlier today I teased your tastebuds with a goat cheese quiz, so it's only fair to share my current favorite goat cheese recipe: tomato and goat cheese tarts. Goat's milk has a high amount of fatty acids (much more than cow's milk) that provide the cheese with its characteristic tart flavor.

Goat cheese most commonly comes in a soft, spreadable, crumbly form, although there are hard aged varieties that have a consistency more like feta. Since goats are hardy animals that can survive in areas where cows cannot - parts of the Middle East, Africa, and the Mediterranean - goat cheese is the world's most widely consumed cheese.

I love the salty and creamy flavor of goat cheese and almost always have it in my refrigerator. To see how I paired the tangy cheese with ripe tomatoes to make this easy tart, read more.

I'm a huge fan of Barefoot Contessa's recipes, and this is another winner! The tart dough is simply puff pastry, but she adds layers of flavor with caramelized onions, Parmesan cheese, and chopped basil. I've served this tart many times, both as a main course and a side dish, in individual portions and as a slab. Sliced into smaller pieces it could even work as an appetizer.

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts
From Ina Garten

Ingredients

1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) puff pastry, defrosted
Good olive oil
4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (2 large onions)
3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus 2 ounces shaved with a vegetable peeler
4 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese (recommended: Montrachet)
1 large tomato, cut into 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices
3 tablespoons julienned basil leaves

Directions

Unfold a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it lightly to an 11 by 11-inch square. Using a 6-inch wide saucer or other round object as a guide, cut 2 circles from the sheet of puff pastry, discarding the scraps. Repeat with the second pastry sheet to make 4 circles in all. Place the pastry circles on 2 sheet pans lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet.
Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the wine, and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.
Using a sharp paring knife, score a 1/4-inch-wide border around each pastry circle. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork and sprinkle a tablespoon of grated Parmesan on each round, staying inside the scored border.
Place 1/4 of the onion mixture on each circle, again staying within the scored edge.
Crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese on top of the onions.
Place a slice of tomato in the center of each tart. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, scatter 4 or 5 shards of Parmesan on each tart.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. The bottom sheet pan may need an extra few minutes in the oven. Serve hot or warm.

Makes 4 individual tarts.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

partysugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 07:50:35 -0700

I've had bruschetta on the brain lately, as I take advantage of tomato season while it lasts. So rather than limit my tomato and basil toppings to crusty bread, I'm adding this marinated chicken recipe to my dinner repertoire - it's perfect for a warm evening when you're short on time. This dish is cooked on the grill, then topped with caprese-inspired ingredients for a delicious, melty meal. Make this seasonal specialty.

Come Party With Me: Bastille Day Lunch - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:50:53 -0700

Nothing gets the conversation rolling at a party like flowing drinks. For a Bastille Day lunch, serve a refreshingly light apéritif-based cocktail, such as the Lillet-basil concoction seen here. Lillet is a French alcoholic drink made from a blend of wine, brandy, fruits, and herbs.

Traditionally it's served over ice, but this recipe makes it more festive by combining it with fresh orange juice, basil, and cucumber spears. When you sit down to eat the Niçoise salad, pour a crisp classic French white. To check out the Lillet cocktail recipe, please read more.

Lillet-Basil Cocktail
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

1 cup ice, plus more for serving
1/2 cup Lillet Blanc
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) gin
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
Splash of tonic water
1 cucumber spear, for garnish
1 cinnamon stick, for garnish

Directions

Put ice, Lillet, gin, orange juice, and basil in a cocktail shaker; shake well.
Fill a glass with ice; strain mixture into glass. Add tonic water. Garnish with cucumber spear, cinnamon stick, and basil sprigs.

Makes 1 drink.

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'Wich of the Week: Heirloom Tomato Caprese Sandwich

YumSugar — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:00:36 -0700

You can do pretty much anything with the succulent, summery caprese salad concept, from caprese skewers to caprese nachos. So when heirloom tomatoes started showing up at my farmers market, I whipped up a sandwich featuring the classic combination of fresh basil and mozzarella cheese.

I'm almost embarrassed by how easy it is to make, but that's why this sandwich is perfect for the season. At just five minutes in the oven, it doesn't require slaving over a hot stove. Be sure the tomatoes are perfectly ripe; if you really love them, add an extra layer of tomatoes and cheese. Find out how to make it.