Warm French Lentils - Ina Garten

There's a little Mediterranean market here in town that I love to shop at when I'm in the area.  It's called Nabeel's International Market, and I love perusing their shelves for little treasures to experiment with in the kitchen.  As you enter the front doors, your senses are greeted by an array of fresh cheeses and olives that will immediately make you hungry and the store shelves are packed with things like Chinese pine nuts, assorted olive and grapeseed oils, Greek dried figs, Turkish pistachio nuts, fresh Phyllo dough and mountains of spices.

On my last visit, I turned the corner to browse the last shelf in the back of the store, and what did I find?  Clear bags bursting at the seams with gorgeous French green Le Puy lentils.  For some reason, these little beauties are hard to find around here, so I excitedly snatched up 2 big bags and added them to my basket.

Who knew I'd EVER get so darn excited about LENTILS.  I guess it's the small things in life, folks.  ;-)

A recipe by Ina Garten immediately sprang to mind as I continued to browse the shelves filled with gourmet goodies - A warm plate of French lentils with a Dijon vinaigrette.  It's a classic dish that sounded heavenly, and I couldn't wait to cook with these perfect little green legumes that I had read so much about.

That night, I got to work in the kitchen.  I added a little bacon and celery to Ina's original recipe (which you can see HERE), and the final result was just as delightful as I had hoped.  This dish will most certainly be making another appearance at our kitchen table!

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Warm French Lentils
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That? by Ina Garten

Ingredients:
2 slices bacon, cut into lardons
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, scrubbed and 1/2-inch-diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup French green Le Puy lentils
1 white turnip, cut in half
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

In a medium skillet, fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp.  Remove from the pan and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain. 

Pour off all but 2 tbsp of the bacon fat.  Add the onion, carrots, and celery.  Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute and set aside. 

Meanwhile, place the lentils, 4 cups of water, and the turnip in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are almost tender. Remove and discard the turnip and drain the lentils. Place them in a medium bowl with the onion, carrots, and celery, and add the bacon and butter. 


Meanwhile, whisk together the 1/4 cup of olive oil, the mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add to the lentils, stir well, and allow the lentils to cool until just warm, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve. The longer the lentils sit, the more salt and pepper you'll want to add.

Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza with Pesto, Bacon, Goat Cheese & Balsamic Red Onions...Plus Butternut Squash Seed Oil!

If you're anything like me, a little grapeseed or olive oil paired with a fabulous mix of spices and freshly baked bread is the perfect appetizer to almost any meal.  Great quality oils can be so incredibly versatile, making the perfect addition to salad dressings, sauteed veggies and of course, dipping spices.  So, when I heard of a contest that Marx Foods was hosting to promote their new seed oils, I excitedly sent them an email right away.  They were looking to select 6 food bloggers to develop a recipe using the oil, and then write a candid review for the product.

Fast forward a week or so, and I came home to find a package on my front doorstep.  Yay!  I had been selected!  I opened the box right away and was excited to find a bottle of Butternut Squash Seed Oil inside.  Butternut Squash Seed Oil?!?  That sounded amazing.  I didn't even know such a thing existed.  Once I made it to my kitchen, I opened up the bottle and a beautiful, nutty aroma found it's way to my nose.  I knew right away that I was holding something pretty special.  The next thing I did was taste a tiny bit.  After all, I wanted to get a good handle on the flavor profile before deciding how to use it.  The nuttiness was strong yet not overwhelming...In fact, it was just right.  There was even a hint of sweetness.

The wheels started turning and I began brainstorming about how I wanted to use the oil.  I wanted a recipe where the oil could stand out and maybe be utilized in several different ways, so that it could really be appreciated.  I finally decided that a homemade pizza from scratch would be the absolute perfect way to showcase this delicious oil.  

In this recipe, the butternut squash seed oil is used 3 different ways.  First, I added 1/4 cup of the oil right to the pizza dough itself.  This gave the dough a wonderful depth of flavor which I had never tasted in a pizza dough before.  Next, the oil has a high smoke point, which makes it perfect for sauteing vegetables.  So, I sauteed a red onion in the oil, and then added a splash of balsamic vinegar near the end, along with several cups of baby arugula.  This combination was magical and made the perfect topping for the pizza.  And lastly, I drizzled the oil along the crust of the pizza, right before popping it into the piping hot oven.  This resulted in a beautifully browned crust.

The final result?  I can honestly say that I was blown away by this pizza, and the butternut squash seed oil is quite delish...I'm hooked!  Somewhere between the balsamic red onions, bacon pieces, roasted butternut squash, squash seed oil and pesto, pizza magic is created.  The flavors meld together so beautifully, and Brad and I both said that it was actually some of the very best pizza we've EVER had.  It rivals the pizzas that we ate in Italy, where I really learned to appreciate pizzas made with thinner crusts and the best quality ingredients available.

This is definitely a keeper.

My only complaint about the butternut squash seed oil?  I'm going to run out too quickly!

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Note:  While I did receive a complimentary bottle of the Butternut Squash Seed Oil, all opinions and comments in this post are completely my own.  When reviewing a product on this blog, I will always be honest and tell you exactly what I think...the good, the bad and the ugly!

Baby Arugula

Balsamic Vinegar, Goat Cheese, Baby Arugula, Red Onion, Pesto and Butternut Squash Seed Oil

Balsamic Red Onions with Wilted Arugula...Yum!

Right before going into the oven...

Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza with Pesto, Bacon, Goat Cheese & Balsamic Red Onions

Yields:  3 medium pizzas

Ingredients:

9 slices thick cut bacon

3 tbsp. Butternut Squash Seed Oil

1 red onion, thinly sliced

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

4 oz. bag baby arugula

3 cups butternut squash, diced into 1-inch cubes

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 recipe Basic Pizza Dough (recipe below)

3.5 oz jar pesto

4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cook bacon until crispy.  Break into small pieces and set to the side.

While the bacon is frying, drizzle 2 tablespoons butternut squash seed oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until tender and golden, about 10-15 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until liquid cooks away and onion is very tender, about 5-10 minutes more; season onion with salt and pepper. Add baby arugula and continue to saute just until the arugula has wilted.  Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, place the butternut squash on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned, and stirring halfway through.

Once the butternut squash is finished roasting, remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees F.

To assemble the pizza:

Take one of the pizza dough balls and roll or toss into the desired size.  Spread 1/3 of the pesto onto the dough, leaving a 1 inch border.  Next, take 1/3 of the balsamic onion and arugula mixture and spread over the pesto.  Next, do the same with 1/3 of the roasted butternut squash, then the goat cheese, and finally 1/3 of the bacon pieces.  Drizzle a small amount of butternut squash seed oil around the crust of the pizza, spreading it evenly over the crust with you finger.  Season the entire pizza with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Bake in the preheated 500 F oven for 12 - 14 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

Enjoy!

Basic Pizza Dough

Adapted From: Frank Stitt's Bottega Favorita: A Southern Chef's Love Affair with Italian Food

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups warm water (105 F to 115 F)
1 tbsp honey (I used Wildflower Honey from Helen, GA)

1 tbsp active dry yeast

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup Butternut Squash Seed Oil

Cornmeal for dusting (optional)

Directions:

Pour the warm water into a small bowl, stir in the honey, and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Set aside to proof until foamy, about 10 minutes.

Combine the flours and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a large bowl and a sturdy hand mixer). Add the yeast mixture and butternut squash seed oil and mix on low speed until the dough forms a mass on the paddle and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 4 to 5 minutes. (Note: I sometimes have to add a little extra flour near the end of mixing, if the dough is still too wet. Add a little at a time, if needed....in 1 tbsp. increments, until the dough comes together)

Remove the dough and divide it into 3 equal portions. Put on a flour-dusted baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until almost doubled. (You can make the dough ahead and refrigerate it overnight if necessary; allow it to come to room temperature before continuing).

The dough is ready to be rolled and baked. You can hold the rolled dough at room temperature for a short while on a sheet of parchment paper that has been dusted with a little cornmeal.

The International Boston Seafood Show is Right Around the Corner

There are some pretty exciting  food-related conferences and festivals happening within the next few months.  The Charleston Food + Wine Festival was this weekend, and the Atlanta Food + Wine Festival is in May.  The International Biscuit Festival and corresponding Southern Food Writing Conference are also to be held in Knoxville, TN in May 2012.  And I'm already looking forward to Food Blog South 2013!

One conference I was excited to hear about recently is the International Boston Seafood Show, which is right around the corner...on March 11 - 13th.  It's the largest seafood event in North America and is a very important conference for those involved in the seafood industry.  Plus, rows upon rows of seafood vendors sampling their delicious wares sounds like my sort of event!  If only I lived closer to Boston.  The Passionate Foodie wrote an excellent post about the 2011 show, which you can see HERE.

Photo courtesy of PR Newswire

 Photo courtesy of Eating the Week

The following is brought to you by Emerse Ltd.: 

Showcasing more than 900 suppliers from 120 countries offering a wide variety of seafood products, services, and equipment, International Boston Seafood Show/Seafood Processing America is North America’s largest must attend seafood event.

Here you will find the newest products, solutions and industry connections that will keep your business growing. This, along with an extensive education program will leave you more knowledgeable, connected and prepared to meet your customer needs.

International Boston Seafood Show & Seafood Processing America has been connecting qualified buyers with leading suppliers for more than 30 years. Take advantage of this experience and expertise and join us this year in Boston – March 11th - 13th!

International Boston Seafood Show

Coq Au Vin - Julia Child

With a little imagination, "Mademoiselle de Paris" softly playing on the radio, and a glass of red wine in hand, my kitchen can be transformed into a Parisian  pied-à-terre near the Champs-Élysées any day of the week...

Okay, maybe with A LOT of imagination!

No, seriously...I love to get into the kitchen, put a little Juliette Greco or Edith Piaf on the radio and cook a classically delicious French meal.  There's something amazing about all those layers of flavor that go into a meal cooked slowly with red wine like Coq Au Vin or Boeuf Bourguignon.  And, if you've never made one of these, you are missing out on two of the best dishes you'll ever eat.  I blogged about Julia's Boeuf Bourguignon HERE, and her recipe below for Coq Au Vin is equally as life-changing. 

When I'm in the mood for classic French cuisine, I undoubtedly always turn to Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  I only made a few minor adjustments:  I did not use the cognac.  The idea of lighting it on fire with a match makes me incredibly nervous!  I'll get over that one day, but not just yet.  Also, I couldn't find fresh pearl onions, so I left those out.  However, I partially made up for that by using regular onions in the following marinade technique:

Some recipes for Coq Au Vin, like THIS ONE, call for marinating the chicken pieces in the red wine overnight, along with carrots, onions and celery.  I really loved that idea, so I added this extra step to Julia's version, using the quantities in the recipe from Epicurious included above.  I simply removed the chicken from the marinade (reserving the marinade!) and dried it well with paper towels before browning it in the bacon fat.  I also left the vegetables in the marinade while it simmered with the chicken, but strained the veggies out after the chicken was removed (see notes below).  


This dish was amazing, and Brad gave it 2 BIG thumbs up as well.


Bon Appetit, my friends!

Ingredients:

• See my notes above about marinating the chicken overnight!  If you do this, extra ingredients will be needed.
• 3 to 4-ounce chunk lean bacon
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 to 3 pounds frying chicken, cut into pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus additional for seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper, plus additional for seasoning
• 1/4 cup cognac
• 3 cups young, full-bodied red wine, such as Burgundy, Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone, or Chianti
• 1 to 2 cups brown chicken stock, brown stock or canned beef bouillon
• 1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cloves mashed garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 12 to 24 Brown-Braised Onions, recipe follows
• 1/2 pound Sauteed Mushrooms, recipe follows
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons softened butter
• Fresh parsley leaves

Directions:

Remove the rind and cut the bacon into lardons (rectangles 1/4-inch across and 1-inch long). Simmer for 10 minutes in 2 quarts of water. Rinse in cold water. Dry.

In a heavy large heavy bottomed casserole or Dutch oven, saute the bacon slowly in hot butter until it is very lightly browned (temperature of 260 degrees F for an electric skillet). Remove to a side dish.

Dry the chicken thoroughly. Brown it in the hot fat in the casserole. (360 degrees F for the electric skillet.)

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Return the bacon to the casserole with the chicken. Cover and cook slowly (300 degrees F) for 10 minutes, turning the chicken once.

Uncover, and pour in the cognac. Averting your face, ignite the cognac with a lighted match. Shake the casserole back and forth for several seconds until the flames subside.

Pour the wine (or reserved marinade in my case) into the casserole. Add just enough stock or bouillon to cover the chicken. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic and herbs. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer slowly for 20 to 25 minutes (I simmered mine for closer to 45 minutes), or until the chicken is tender and its juices run a clear yellow when the meat is pricked with a fork. Remove the chicken to a side dish.

(Note:  This is where I strained the extra veggies out of the cooking liquid.  See my notes in the headnote above.)

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.

Simmer the chicken cooking liquid in the casserole for 1 to 2 minutes, skimming off fat. Then raise the heat and boil rapidly, reducing the liquid to about 2 1/4 cups. Correct seasoning. Remove from heat, and discard bay leaf.

Blend the butter and flour together into a smooth paste (beurre manie). Beat the paste into the hot liquid with a wire whip. Bring to the simmer, stirring and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.

Arrange the chicken in a casserole, place the mushrooms and onions around it and baste with the sauce. If the dish is not to be served immediately, film the top of the sauce with stock or dot with small pieces of butter. Set aside uncovered for no longer than 1 hour or cool, cover and refrigerate until needed.

Shortly before serving, bring the casserole to a simmer, basting the chicken with the sauce. Cover and simmer slowly for 4 to 5 minutes, until the chicken is heated through.

Serve from the casserole, or arrange on a hot platter. Decorate with sprigs of parsley. 

Brown-Braised Onions:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons oil
• 18 to 24 peeled white onions, about 1-inch in diameter
• 1/2 cup brown stock, canned beef bouillon, dry white wine, red wine, or water
• Salt and pepper
• Medium herb bouquet: 4 parsley sprigs, 1/2 bay leaf and 1/4 teaspoon thyme tied in cheesecloth

When the butter and oil are bubbling in the skillet, add the onions and saute over moderate heat for 10 minutes, rolling the onions about so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect to brown them uniformly.

Braise them as follows: Pour in the stock, season to taste, and add the herb bouquet. Cover and simmer slowly for 15 to 20 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet. Serve them as they are.

Bake them as follows: Transfer the onions and their sauteing fat to a shallow baking dish or casserole just large enough to hold them in 1 layer. Set uncovered in upper third of a preheated 350 degree F oven for 40 to 50 minutes, turning them over once or twice. They should be very tender, retain their shape and be a nice golden brown. Remove herb bouquet. Serve them as they are.

Sauteed Mushrooms:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, washed, well dried, left whole if small, sliced or quartered if large
• 1 to 2 tablespoons minced shallots or green onions, optional
• Salt and pepper

Place the skillet over high heat with the butter and oil. As soon as you see that the butter foam has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add the mushrooms. Toss and shake the pan for 4 to 5 minutes. During their saute the mushrooms will at first absorb the fat. In 2 to 3 minutes the fat will reappear on their surface, and the mushrooms will begin to brown. As soon as they have browned lightly, remove from heat.

Toss the shallots or green onions, if using, with the mushrooms. Saute over moderate heat for 2 minutes. Sauteed mushrooms may be cooked in advance, set aside, then reheated when needed. Season to taste just before serving. 

A Delicious Adventure in Helen, GA

This past weekend, Brad and I took a quick vacation getaway to one of our favorite little mountain towns - Helen, GA.  We fell in love with the German charm and easy-going atmosphere of this quaint community during our first visit there last year (see my post HERE) and have been wanting to go back ever since.  Sometimes, all you need is a few days of rest, relaxation and a tad bit of mountain adventure to recharge your batteries!  We had a TON of fun!

And you know what?  As it turns out, Helen, GA is a great place for a foodie to explore.  I love traveling to different places and checking out the local specialties, and there's no shortage in Helen.  Between the old-time general stores (the Old Sautee Store was my favorite!), farmers markets, fudge shoppes, Hofer's German Bakery, Jumpin' Goat Coffee Roasters, Nacoochee Grill, Nacoochee Village Tavern, and the Nora Mill Granary, there's delicious food around every turn...literally.

It's funny how my idea of a perfect souvenir has changed over the years.  Practically every souvenir we bought was somehow food-related, of course!  While there, we picked up:

• White Speckled Grits from Nora Mill Granary
• Yellow Cornmeal from Nora Mill Granary
• Local Wildflower Honey
• Tupelo Honey
• Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans from Jumpin' Goat
• A really cool Burlap Coffee Sack from Jumpin' Goat
• Wine from Habersham Winery
• Fresh Mississippi Mud & Almond Joy Fudge
• Assorted pastries from Hofer's Bakery (Two Words:  Apple Fritters!)
• "Farmer's Cheese" from the Old Sautee Store

Here are some more pics from the weekend (all taken with my trusty little iPhone):

Boiled peanuts in the making at a rustic farmers market

Fresh honey

An old barn we discovered on a walk through the woods with our dog, Hannah...

 

A little comic relief on that same walk through the woods.  It's hard to get Brad to pose for a picture without being silly in at LEAST one!

Antlers in a window

Goodies at Hofer's Bakery...If you ever go, you absolutely MUST try their Apple Fritters.  They alone are worth the drive to Helen...no kidding, folks.

That night back at the cabin, we built a cozy fire.  And, no fire would be complete without s'mores!  :)

While there, we hiked around a lake, which was beautiful.  I think Hannah had even more fun on this vacation than Brad and me!

Hiking around the lake...

 

Jumpin' Goat Coffee Roasters is a great coffee shop, with lots of fun things to browse through.  I found a really cool burlap coffee sack, and their chocolate covered coffee beans are quite addictive.  This is where I found the Tupelo honey...aka "liquid gold."

This must be the jumping goat!

Next door to Jumpin' Goat, the Nora Mill Granary offers so many wonderful products...White and yellow grits, cornmeal, whole wheat bread flour, poppy seeds, flax seeds, biscuit mixes, assorted preserves, honey, buckwheat flour, rye flour, porridge, kitchen toys, cookware, the list goes on and on...

Inside the granary...

Oak barrels inside Habersham Winery...

The Nacoochee Grill and Nacoochee Village Tavern both offer delicious food.  The Nacoochee Grill was our favorite restaurant on our trip last year, so we were excited to visit again this time around.  While the food was still great, the service was painfully slow when we ate there for lunch.  It took close to an hour to get our food!  However, we decided to give them one last shot and ate there again the next night for dinner.  This second visit was MUCH better.  Our food arrived quickly and the service was excellent.  Perhaps they were just having an off-day?  I had the Chicken Pot Pie and Brad chose the Shrimp and Grits. Yum!

The Nacoochee Village Tavern was wonderful!  This was our first visit to the Tavern, and they served up a DELISH pizza piled high with all the trimmings. 

The staff at Nacoochee Village Tavern was also wonderful.  Sean (on the left) and Chase (on the right) even posed for a quick picture in between all that pizza-making.

In conclusion, if you ever have the chance to visit Helen, GA, I highly recommend it.  I'm sure that Brad and I will return...hopefully sooner rather than later!

Bon Appetit, my friends!