I murdered a lobster in class this week. If it sounds dramatic, it was.

Most people take the easy way out when it comes to crustaceans — submerge them while they’re still alive in boiling water, and they die instantly. But according to my culinary instructor, there’s actually a more humane way to go about it, and it’s not pretty: Stab the lobster with a chef’s knife in the back of the “neck,” and they die instantly.

Unfortunately, that does not mean their body parts stop moving instantly.

After the dirty work was over, the lobster cooking was actually a joy. We made two dishes out of just one lobster, in the resourceful fashion of French housewives of the ages. Since traditionally Lobster Bisque is served without the meat and just flavored with the shells, we were able to cook an additional Lobster Citrus Salad with the meat.

Hilariously, this is how you present it:

Creepy, no?

The bisque took just over half an hour to cook, and if you don’t mind smelling like seafood all day (clearly, I don’t) it was a cinch.

I tend to think of Lobster Bisque as being thick and heavy, but this one is mostly broth finished with just a splash of heavy cream and a pinch of cayenne. A much more delicate experience than the flour-y ones you order at bad seafood restaurants.

And really, is there anything sweeter and more delicious than lobster meat? Please make a lobster salad with orange or grapefruit segments soon. If you decide to forgo the initial stabbing, I won’t tell.

When it comes to food, my assistant and I agree on most things. He’s turned me on to his loves like olives and peppers, and I introduced him to the wonderful world of Greek yogurt. But there is nothing he loves more than meat — especially sausage. It constantly impresses me how he can sneak sausage into almost any meal I’m making (on his plate, not mine). And when we’re eating meals separately, I can safely assume grilled sausages were on his plate.

Needless to say, he was beyond excited when I came over to his apartment last week with a bag of school-made Garlic Sausages.

I had no idea what to expect from our workshop in sausage-making, but here were the major takeaways:

• Sausage-making is very messy. I don’t know if I’ll ever look at raw pork — or yes, raw pork back fat — the same way.
• It’s an ordeal. If you’re going to go for it, go ahead and make pounds upon pounds of sausage, because you can always freeze them.
• You will smell like pork all day. Two showers are better than one.
• It’s really, really fun!

My father very generously surprised me with a KitchenAid stand mixer as a Christmas gift (thank you!), so imagine my shock to see that we were using the very same machines in class, with a special attachment, to make our sausages. In other words, for the nominal price of around $50, I could be making my own sausage at home.

Visions of a sausage-making party — not for the faint of heart — have begun floating around in my mind.

I was saddened to see that I didn’t snap any pictures of the raw sausages, but you’ve seen them all before. We used them to make a couple of different dishes, including:

Sausage Bruschetta with Roasted Peppers and Herbs

And a Warm Sausage Potato Salad with Wilted Arugula

In cooking school we always take the long way when making everything, and I’ve come to realize that not everything is worth it. Making your own sausages definitely is. Not only do you not have to worry about additives and nitrates and such, you also control the quality of the meat that goes in, as well as the seasonings. So take my advice and throw in another clove of garlic.

We’ve been cutting up chickens on a daily basis at Tante Marie’s over the past couple of weeks, so dinner this week was more practice: Roasted Chicken and an Arugula and Butternut Squash Salad with Pomegranate Seeds.

The recipe for that is still in the works, but even more interesting was what I decided to do with all the chicken my assistant and I didn’t eat. Shredding the meat off the bone to make chicken salad was an obvious choice, but I wanted to give this dish a seasonal, holiday twist (I’m in pumpkin, gingerbread and hot chocolate mode already, clearly).

Using my leftover pomegranate seeds and arugula gave the salad a beautiful color scheme, and I added some chopped walnuts for crunch. Spiced with a hint of cinnamon and maple syrup, the sweet and tangy flavors balance each other out very well.

And those of you cooking the bigger bird this Thanksgiving, take note: This salad would be an elegant way to make use of those leftovers, too. Though my mother’s turkey and cheddar melt — a foolproof hangover cure, according to my sister — is hard to top.

Roasted Chicken Salad with Arugula, Pomegranate Seeds and Walnuts

Ingredients (Makes about 5 cups):

2 pounds roasted chicken, on the bone (I used thighs, breasts and drumsticks)

2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. white wine vinegar

2 tbsp. mayonnaise

2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp. maple syrup

Pinch of cinnamon

2/3 cup pomegranate seeds

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2/3 cup packed arugula

Salt and pepper

Shred the chicken off the bone into bite-sized pieces in a large bowl. In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mayonnaise, mustard, maple syrup and cinnamon.

Add the vinegar mixture to the shredded chicken and stir well so that the chicken pieces are completely and evenly coated. Stir in the pomegranate seeds, walnuts, and arugula. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Gazpacho has been calling my name this season. First it was the Late Summer Tomato Soup in my Frank Stitt cookbook, Frank Stitt’s Southern Table. Then it was reading other bloggers’ chilled soup experiments, like this one at EatLiveRun. The last straw was the latest issue of Cook’s Illustrated, featuring their Creamy Gazpacho Andaluz, which finally made me give in and try it myself.

Even though no cooking is actually involved in the recipe, don’t be fooled: It still takes over an hour to prepare and has to chill overnight for the flavors to mesh. If you’re interested in making it, decide the day before you actually want to eat it. Other than that, the process was largely hassle-free and very rewarding, because this soup has been sitting in my fridge for 2 days now, tasting better and better each time.

I used Early Girl tomatoes for this recipe, because they were the ones that looked best at the farmer’s market. Any red, plump tomatoes would work, though, as long as they’re ripe and sweet. Even “juicy” is an appropriate word here, because you’re literally relying on the juice for the soup base.

I like to serve this gazpacho garnished with a little basil and with a hunk of French baguette on the side. In fact, I have a confession to make: I haven’t shared any of it. Almost a full week’s worth of lunch just for me — and I’m not the least bit sorry.

Early Girl Gazpacho

Adapted from the Creamy Gazpacho Andaluz in Cook’s Illustrated, July & August 2010

Ingredients (Serves 4):

10 medium Early Girl tomatoes

1 cucumber, peeled

1 bell pepper (any color you like — I chose orange)

1 red onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small green chili pepper

2 tsp. salt, divided

1 hunk French baguette (about 6 inches long), crust removed and torn into small pieces

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp. red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

Fresh basil for garnish

Chop 7 tomatoes, half of the cucumber (seeds removed), half the bell pepper, half the onion and half the chili pepper into a small dice. Add the minced garlic. Place in a large bowl and add 1 tsp. salt. Toss well to combine. Transfer chopped vegetables to a strainer set over a large bowl, and set aside for one hour.

Chop the rest of the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion and chili pepper into a small dice. Add 2 tsp. of salt, toss to distribute, and set aside.

Transfer the drained diced vegetables to a large bowl and set aside. Submerge the bread chunks into the exuded liquid from the vegetables and soak for 1 minute. Add soaked bread and remaining liquid to chopped vegetables. Transfer half of the mixture to a blender or food processor (as I used) and process for 30 seconds. With the processor running, drizzle in 1/4 cup of the olive oil and blend until smooth (1 to 2 minutes).

Add the rest of the vegetable and bread mixture to the processor and repeat: blend for 30 seconds, then keep blending as you drizzle in the remaining olive oil. Strain soup through a strainer into a large bowl, using a spoon or your fingers to work the mixture through the strainer.

Stir in vinegar and the rest of the diced vegetables with the soup, and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate overnight. Serve garnished with chopped basil.

Cooking them, however, isn’t exactly intuitive. I’ve been trying to figure out where to buy them in San Francisco for almost a year (literally) before I discovered the bulk foods oasis at the Whole Foods on 4th St. in SoMa. I enthusiastically poured several very large scoops into my plastic bag — after all, they’ll keep pretty much forever!

The first experiment was a complete disaster. I boiled the couscous in some water, roasted some veggies, and mixed it all together, but the result was a congealed, unappetizing couscous brick. Here’s the trick: You MUST rinse the couscous after you boil it. This may be obvious to most of you, but I’ve read about how Mario Batali is horrified at the idea of rinsing pasta, and I figured the post-boil rinse was an absolute no-no.

Not so. A quick rinse separates each of the grains so you end up with the lovely loose beads instead of a sticky mess.

For the mix-ins this time, I was inspired by a Barefoot Contessa salad my assistant’s stepmother made over the weekend. It’s a fall dish with butternut squash and dried cranberries, but I tweaked it so I could use some farmer’s market finds: sweet potato and dried sour cherries. It’s safe to say I’m a sweet potato addict, and I’ve stopped fighting it.

Ina Garten’s salad is flavored with seasonal goodies like maple syrup and apple cider, but since the potatoes and cherries were already so sweet, I just drizzled a reduced balsamic syrup on top for some extra flavor.

I need a couple more months before I start buying pumpkin and allspice, but I can already feel the urge coming on.

Middle Eastern Couscous with Sweet Potatoes and Sour Cherries

Ingredients (Serves 4):

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes

2 tbsp. olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp. butter

2 cups Middle Eastern couscous

4 cups water

2/3 cup dried sour cherries

1 cup packed arugula

2 tbsp. reduced balsamic vinegar

4 oz. goat cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat potato cubes with oil, salt and pepper to taste, and spread out on a baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes until the potatoes begin to brown. (Note: You could also boil the potatoes for this recipe, then cube them. I just like the nutty taste of roasted ones.)

Melt butter in medium pot, and add couscous. Stir to coat grains well, then add water. Bring to boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until all of the water has been absorbed. Transfer couscous to a colander and rinse well with lukewarm water, tossing to distribute the water.

Pour couscous back into the pot, and stir in potatoes, cherries and arugula. Drizzle with balsamic, and top with goat cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.

*If you don’t have any syrup-y balsamic on hand, try this: Pour 1/2 cup regular balsamic vinegar into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and let it cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until much of the liquid has reduced and the resulting vinegar is thicker and sweeter.

Remember when I described my lunches comprised of quinoa and veggies and bragged that I never get tired of them? Well, I finally did, so I made some hummus.

I rarely eat hummus anymore because my assistant is allergic to legumes, but making it myself reminded me how much I adore it. In fact, before I started cooking adult meals, I was definitely not above munching on Wheat Thins and Sabra while watching Seinfeld re-runs and calling it “dinner.” And I may or may not still do that when no one’s around.

Considering I’ve had my favorite secret weapon, my food processor, for over a year now, it’s amazing this was my first venture into hummus making. It’s simple — just throw everything in and let the machine do the work! But I assure you it will not be my last — especially since I bought a 12-pack of garbanzo beans during my last Costco run. A sundried tomato variety is already next on my agenda.

Lemon and Thyme Hummus

Ingredients (Makes about 1.5 to 2 cups):

2 small cloves garlic

1 can garbanzo beans, drained

1 tbsp. tahini

3 tbsp. olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

Water

1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. cumin

2 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped

Salt and pepper

Peel garlic cloves and chop in food processor for about 10 seconds, or until minced. Add beans, tahini, olive oil and lemon juice, and process until well-combined and smooth. Add between 2 and 4 tbsp. of water until you achieve your desired consistency; I like it chunky but others prefer it creamier.

Add in paprika, cumin and thyme (you may either mix it in the food processor or stir by hand). Add salt and pepper to taste.

I was flipping through my new Southern Living the other morning before work, and my coffee cup stopped en route to my lips when I saw their featured seasonal ingredient. I love fresh figs, and it seems like they are one of those tricky fruits that’s only good for about a second out of the year. I knew time was running out, so I threw together this salad in an enthusiastic frenzy.

I’m a sucker for an antipasto plate, so the salad is inspired by the major components: Thinly-sliced prosciutto from my favorite neighborhood market and a mild but musky, creamy blue cheese. For some variety I made the base of the salad arugula (adds tons of peppery flavor to a fruity salad) and red and white endives, because they always feel like a treat. Bright chopped fennel finished out the salad, because I love how nicely it cuts the sweetness of fruits (see also: Apple and Fennel Slaw. Mm.)

I made this for dinner, but it really feels more appropriate for a summery lunch with friends. As soon as I land an apartment with a luxurious backdoor patio…

Arugula and Endive Salad with Fresh Figs and Prosciutto

Ingredients (Serves 4):

6 cups packed arugula

6 red and white endive bulbs

1 large fennel bulb

2 cups quartered fresh figs

3 oz. blue cheese

4 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. dijon mustard

1/2 lb. thinly sliced prosciutto

Salt and pepper

Place arugula in a large salad bowl. Tear off endive leaves from bowl, then add them to the salad bowl.

Trim the stalk off the fennel, then thinly slice it and give it a rough chop. Cut figs into quarters, then add fennel and figs to salad bowl. Add in cheese, as well.

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil and mustard. Pour dressing over salad and toss to distribute evenly.

Serve prosciutto on top or to the side of salad.

Although most people imagine Mississippi as a hub for consuming grits, my mom only makes them once a year, at Christmas brunch. Along with about a hundred other side and main dishes, she whips up her version of gruyère grits that I adore, topped with mouth-watering grillades that take her all day to make (it’s worth it, trust me).

So my grits experience may be more limited than you’d guess, but they’re still close to my heart. I’ve been wanting to personalize them and make them my own, so I decided to try a simple shrimp and grits meal for dinner this week. Grits for dinner was a welcome change of pace from the usual grains (pasta, risotto, etc.), but keep in mind it’s a perfect brunch and lunch meal, too.

There’s no wrong way to make shrimp and grits. In fact, I read several recipes for it while looking for inspiration, and no two were quite the same — so you have plenty of freedom to experiment with different vegetables in the mix, and even different proteins (andouille sausage sounds awesome in here).

Oh, and I did cheat a little. I used polenta from the bulk foods aisle, because it’s just a little tricky to find grits in Northern California. I know they’re not quite the same, but it was the best I could do. Don’t hate.

Shrimp & Grits

Ingredients (Serves 4):

2.5 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2.5 cups water

1 cup stone-ground grits or polenta

1 cup white cheddar cheese, grated

1 tbsp. honey

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 lb. bacon, chopped into bite-size pieces

2 tbsp. sugar

4 small cloves garlic, minced

2 bunches collard greens (about 20 stems), torn or chopped

2 yellow peppers, chopped

2 small yellow onions, chopped

About 2 cups chopped okra

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Juice of 4 lemons

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

For the grits:

Bring chicken broth and water to boil in large pot. Slowly whisk in grits or polenta, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, whisking occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in cheese, mixing well. Then stir in honey and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the shrimp:

Cook bacon and sugar in large pan on high heat for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until the bacon is cooked through and caramelized. Remove bacon from pan and set aside, keeping the drippings. Pour out about half of drippings, and reserve the rest in the pan.

Reheat drippings in pan and add garlic and collard greens. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until greens begin to soften and wilt. Add peppers, onions and okra, and sauté for another 7 to 10 minutes, until vegetables start to brown slightly. Add broth and lemon juice and let simmer, stirring, for 5 more minutes.

Once most of the liquid has evaporated from the pan, add in shrimp and sauté, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, until shrimp is pink and cooked through.

Serve shrimp and vegetable mixture over grits.

Served with a Golden Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

]]> http://livbites.com/2010/07/25/southern-style-shrimp-grits/feed/ 0 http://livbites.com/2010/07/20/farmers-market-lunch/ http://livbites.com/2010/07/20/farmers-market-lunch/#comments Wed, 21 Jul 2010 04:59:13 +0000 Liv http://livbites.com/?p=489

I tend to blog about my farmer’s market creations more than my grocery store ones, probably because I’m just more excited about the former. Aisles of flour and dishwashing detergent don’t do too much for me. But on Saturday my assistant and I built a lunch entirely based on our findings at the market, a challenge that I’m sure we’ll replicate next weekend if we have the time. What’s more fun than scoping out all the produce, buying the best stuff and going home to make a huge mid-day meal? I feel like a kid in a candy store.

Since it was sunny and relatively warm (for San Francisco, at least) I knew we had to fire up the grill. It’s only appropriate in the summertime to take advantage of these days, I feel. There’s a little market near my house that I visit literally every day, and they make a mean grilled eggplant sandwich that I’ve been dying to try myself. I have to say, I think we did it justice.

They layer grilled eggplant, fontina cheese and tomato chutney on a soft roll, which is every bit as scrumptious, hearty and tangy as it sounds. But since I had no intention of making tomato chutney from scratch (today, anyway), we grilled some zucchini to go along with it and topped the veggies with goat cheese, which added an extra punch of flavor.

For a side — since every good sandwich needs a side — I made a very simple crab and avocado salad. My assistant impulsively bought some lump crabmeat at the farmer’s market, and I shamelessly egged him on, knowing it would be worth every penny. Especially with avocado in the mix, since I’m convinced those two ingredients were made for each other.

Just like Saturday lunch and a glass of dry rosé. I feel spoiled.

Grilled Eggplant and Zucchini Sandwich

Ingredients (Makes 2 sandwiches):

1 medium eggplant

2 zucchini

3 tbsp. olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

2 loaves Ciabatta bread

About 4 tbsp. goat cheese

Slice eggplant into disks about 1/2-inch thick, and zucchini into 1/3-inch strips. Coat evenly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, tossing to make sure the seasoning is evenly distributed. Grill on high heat for 5 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned with nice grill marks.

Slice bread loaves in half and place each on the top rack of your grill, if you have one (these cook quickly!) Grill for about 2 minutes, until the bun is just lightly toasted.

Layer grilled vegetables on the bottom half of the Ciabatta loaves, top with goat cheese, and cover with the other half of the loaves.

Simple Crab and Avocado Salad

Ingredients (Makes about 1.5 cups):

8 oz. lump crab meat

1/2 avocado, cubed

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp. mayonnaise

3 green onions, chopped finely

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl and serve.

]]> http://livbites.com/2010/07/20/farmers-market-lunch/feed/ 2 http://livbites.com/2010/07/03/in-my-lunchbox/ http://livbites.com/2010/07/03/in-my-lunchbox/#comments Sun, 04 Jul 2010 05:12:30 +0000 Liv http://livbites.com/?p=437

I realized recently that I’ve written about a million posts on my dinner experiments, but almost none on my lunches. That’s, of course, because I’m always eating lunch at work — and meals just aren’t as much of a to-do when you’re enjoying them in front of a computer.

Still, I actually put a decent amount of thought and effort into the lunches I pack during the week. Nothing is more depressing than eating a PB&J when co-workers bring Indian food back into the office, and the smell of delicious curry wafts through the whole building. Also, I have a secret weapon when it comes to lunch-packing that’s been working for me for months.

It’s not rocket science. You start with a grain, add in a ton of veggies, and toss it in some cheese and dressing. But the trick is to make a big batch at the beginning of the week, and you can eat it everyday without much effort. I cook mine on Monday nights since my work provides lunch on Mondays, so I’m set for the rest of the week.

You’re probably wondering whether I get tired of these meals by the end of the week, and my honest answer is no. Sure, I’ve made a few sub-par batches that I had to suffer through on Friday, but for the most part, I look forward to every lunch. As long as you mix up the ingredients you’re using every week, this method is basically no-fail.

The example posted below is for a Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, but there are plenty of ways to mix it up. For grains, I like to alternate between quinoa, couscous and millet, and the veggies are a complete matter of preference. I usually have olives, capers and sundried tomatoes on hand, so those are easy to throw in. Then I’ll buy zucchini, asparagus, spinach or squash to add as well. The vinaigrette is almost always a mixture of oil, lemon juice/vinegar, honey and spices, and goat and feta cheese are my picks for extra flavor.

Pine nuts and almond slivers also make great additions, and they’ll help keep you full ’til dinner.

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Ingredients (Makes 3 to 4 servings):

1.5 cups quinoa

1 medium cucumber, sliced

1 yellow pepper, sliced

1/2 cup sliced kalamata olives

1/2 cup canned artichoke hearts

1 can chickpeas

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1 tbsp. olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. honey

Pepper to taste

Rinse and drain quinoa, then combine quinoa and 3 cups water in a pot. Bring to boil for 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Turn off the stove and cover the pot for 5 minutes, then fluff quinoa with a fork.

In a large bowl or tupperware, mix cooked quinoa, veggies (cucumber, pepper, olives, artichokes, chickpeas and sundried tomatoes) and feta.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, cumin, honey and pepper. Drizzle dressing on the quinoa mixture and combine well. Tip: I like to put the lid on the tupperware and shake it all up!