Orzo with Chicken, Corn, and Green Beans

This meal might not look like much, but it was soooooo yummy. And amusing. Why? Because it says it serves 4. Make it as made, and you'll end up with a large bucket of the stuff... so... while it may feed four, it serves them more than once. Dave and I had tons of it, and then we each had it for lunch the next day, and then I think we had it again for dinner...

I almost think of it as being akin lemonade... we could make a batch of this, and then set up a stand on the side of the road... Pasta with Chicken and Veg, $1!!! We'd be rich. RICH!

Psst! Head on over to Ruth's Once Upon a Feast for more tasty pasta dishes!! She has a terrific weekly roundup of everything pasta - which is just what you need in this cold cold weather!


Orzo with Chicken, Corn and Green Beans
Everyday Food Magazine, May 2005
http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=ce9ecf06cd80f010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&autonomy_kw=orzo%20with%20chicken%20corn%20and%20green%20beans&rsc=ns2006_m1

Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 pound orzo
8 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 whole roasted chicken, (3 pounds), skin discarded, shredded (about 3 1/2 cups)

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook orzo until al dente, according to package instructions; add green beans during last 6 minutes of cooking. Drain; rinse under cold water until cooled.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add corn and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Toss pasta and green beans with corn mixture and chicken. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Serves 4.

See the recipe...

It's a Great Day to be Alive

Those words were spoken to me a week ago today by a woman in my apartment building. Her admission echoed the exact thing I'd been thinking at that very same time. I had just been to the farmer's market and to the bookstore, the weather was cool, crisp and sunny, the sky a blue you could get lost in... I was absolutely in love with life. And for that woman, a woman I didn't know, to utter those words at that time... it was cosmic.

I've also decided that if I were to ever run away from home, it would happen on a Sunday morning. There is something so soul satisfying about the farmer's market... I feel on top of the world and capable of anything. And it isn't limited to the market itself. The drive itself to market excites me. If my car could skip, we'd be skipping to market. The vibrant colors of the fruits and vegetables, their scents... their potential... I love it! My husband will come along on the odd weekend, but only for the ham-and-cheese croissants! I make sure to bring some home with me if I go alone, though. Win-win. :)

If you're thinking, "Yah, thats great, but what about dinner???" then this is where it gets good. Last Sunday, my wonderful girlfriend Liane came over for the afternoon and we put this together for our families! Sure, she may have questioned everything I did, but I'll keep her! ;)

I'd picked up the lovely leg of lamb from my favorite butcher a few weeks ago and I'd been itching to make it. I'd picked out this recipe from my 86 Recipes New York box, and we got started!

The lamb was easy-peasy... just a matter of mixing the herbs and letting them soak for a while and then grilling.

The salsa was the same way... roast and blend. Ta-daa! It was spicy but not in a mean way. Even Liane liked it (and she doesn't like hot-hot)!

The polenta had a few extra steps, but they were well worth it. WELL worth it. I plan on making it again this week (just the polenta) and maybe even double the recipe! Liane and I decided that next time, we need to let the polenta cool in a thicker layer... the wee skinny little triangles were impossible to flip in one piece (which is why they are so mangled in the photo). Delicious, yes, pretty, no. :)

And lastly, the salad... this recipe makes a lot of salad. A lot. Seriously a lot. Only make the full batch if you're feeding more than 10 people. Honest. The salad itself was fresh and dainty - a nice foil for the spicy salsa and polenta.

This was one of those meals that melds beautifully together, and you're going to want to get a little of everything onto your fork for each bite. Everyone seemed to like it, and I definitely want to try it all again. And again.

Grilled Leg of Lamb with Ancho-Tomato-Tamarind Salsa
From: Village Restaurant
c/o 86 Recipes, New York

Lamb:
¼ cup olive oil
3 Tbsp dried oregano
3 large garlic cloves, finely minced
1 ½ Tbsp whole cumin seed
Ground black pepper
1 (4- to 5-lb) leg of lamb, boned, butterflied, trimmed of almost all fat

Salsa:
4 large beefsteak tomatoes, whole with stem removed
1 large white onion, peeled and cut into thick slices
6 cloves garlic, peeled
¼ cup olive oil
1-2 dried ancho chilies, soaked till soft in hot water, seeded
3 Tbsp tamarind paste
2 Tbsp smoked sweet paprika
Salt to taste
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar, or more to taste

Fresh Corn-Basil Polenta, recipe follows
Jicama-Orange Salad, recipe follows

For lamb:
Blend together ingredients of marinade and rub over lamb, especially on the inside. Cover, chill at least 8 hours or overnight.

Heat grill (medium-high). Remove lamb from marinade. Sprinkle both sides of lamb generously with salt and more pepper. Grill lamb until brown and crusty on outside and thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 125°F for medium-rare, turning occasionally, about 20-30 minutes.

Transfer to platter and tent with foil. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut on diagonal, across grain, into thin slices.

Salsa:
Roast first 3 ingredients dressed with olive oil on baking tray in 425F oven till soft (approx. 20 minutes). (Can also be cooked in a roasting pan over the charcoal, with grill lid on).

Add the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth in food processor.

To serve, reheat gently, add a little water if too thick. Adjust seasoning.

Serve with Fresh Corn-Basil Polenta and Jicama-Orange Salad.

Fresh Corn-Basil Polenta
From: Village Restaurant
c/o 86 Recipes, New York

2 cups milk
1 Tbsp chopped garlic, sautéed in a little olive oil
3 ½ cups fresh raw corn kernels
2 sprigs basil
1 scant cup cornmeal
1 roasted poblano pepper, finely chopped
¼ cup butter
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and ground black pepper

Boil milk, with garlic, 2 cups corn and basil. Remove basil and blend.

Strain through a coarse chinoise. Bring to a boil and whisk in cornmeal, pouring it in a shower.

Return to heat till mixture thickens and continue cooking for 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and add extra kernels, poblano peppers, butter, cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Place onto foil-lined tray, 1 inch thick. Refrigerate.

To serve, slice into triangles and remove with flexible spatula. Dredge in cornmeal and brown in nonstick pan on both sides (can be fragile).


Jicama-Orange Salad
From: Village Restaurant
c/o 86 Recipes, New York

4 small jicamas, peeled and cut into a large julienne
3 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and sliced not too thin
5 oranges, peeled and cut into segments
½ small red onion, sliced thinly

Dressing:
¼ cup lime juice
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
½ cup each tightly packed mint and cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Toss the salad ingredients together and top with the dressing.

See the recipe...

Happy 4th of July!! (a week late!)

If you know me, you know its been a bit weird around here lately. I had this post ready to go last week, but then I had surgery (small, I'm fine) and everything went to pot (not pot pot, just ya know, how the saying goes). Anyway, better late than never, right?

For the 4th of July, we revisited Michel Richard's lamburgers. Rather than go with frozen organic fries, we had roasted asparagus with parmesan and these lovely corn and mushroom fritters.

I continued my love affair with roasted asparagus. I think I could eat them everyday. Certainly not with my morning cereal or anything, but if you've had them, I'm sure you understand where I'm coming from.

As far as the fritters, I thought they were a lovely way to use some farmers market corn and some fresh mushrooms. I might have thought them a little too... mushroomy... but Dave thought they rocked, so I must have been off that day. They reheated nicely, as we had them again the next night, so I imagine they might be a good dish to bring along to a BBQ party or picnic, reheating without any trouble.

Again, sorry for the lateness. :)

Corn and Shiitake Fritters
Food & Wine Magazine, July 2007
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/corn-and-shiitake-fritters

3 ears of corn, shucked
1 large egg
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 large shiitake mushrooms (2 ounces), stems discarded and caps cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/4 cup diced sweet onion
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Cut the corn kernels from the cobs and transfer half of them to a blender. Using the dull side of a knife, scrape the pulp from the cobs into the blender. Add the egg and milk; puree until smooth.

In a very large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the shiitake and onion and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining corn and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Scrape the mixture onto a plate and freeze just until no longer hot, about 5 minutes.

In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Stir in the puree, then fold in the corn kernels, shiitake and onion.

Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining 1/2 cup of oil. When it is hot, add eight level 1/4-cup mounds of batter to the skillet and spread them to a 1/2-inch thickness. Fry over moderately high heat, turning once, until the fritters are golden and crusty, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.

AND!!

Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan
Everyday Food Magazine, issue unknown

2 bunches (1 ½ lbs) asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450°F. Trim tough ends from the asparagus.

On a rimmed baking sheet, toss asparagus with olive oil, season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Spread in an even layer. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Roast until asparagus is tender and cheese is melted, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Per serving: 91 calories, 5.4 g fat, 6.2 g carbs, 2.5 g fiber

See the recipe...

Succotash with Shrimp

I love the color in this dish - the greens of the zucchini and edamame, the yellow of the corn, the red of the tomatoes, and the orange of the shrimp - I really feel like this healthy dinner is something you can feel happy about eating and serving. I'd say that it could serve four if you had some bread to go with it (which is what we did).

This recipe is from Fitness Magazine. I decided recently that I get way too many magazines, and of all of them, I'd keep the cooking mags over the fitness ones, but with recipes like this, they aren't going anywhere!!

I sub out edamame for lima beans, and I swapped out shrimp for the scallops. Go with what you like, and you can't go wrong.


Succotash with Shrimp
Adapted from recipe in Fitness Magazine
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/fitness/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/fitness/story/data/1169224538664.xml&catref=ftn20&page=3

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, defrosted
10-ounce package frozen edamame
1 medium zucchini (about 1/2 pound), quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 pound shrimp
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

To make succotash, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and let cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in corn, edamame, zucchini, and tomatoes; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes.

In the meantime, pat the shrimp dry and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spray a large nonstick skillet or grill pan with cooking spray and preheat over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook until opaque, 5 to 6 minutes, turning once.

Stir vinegar and basil into the succotash, season with salt and pepper, and serve topped with grilled shrimp.

Per serving: 362 calories, 34g protein, 49g carbohydrate, 5g fat (1g saturated), 9g fiber

See the recipe...

Parmesan and Polenta Chicken

Chicken dinner number three did not disappoint. The combination of the spinach, basil, corn, and dressing... it was like healthy freshness in your mouth. I'm a big fan of slicing the chicken breasts in half horizontally, cuts the cooking time in half and it makes it easier to control my portions.

The polenta gave the chicken a really nice crunch. As I was prepping, I realized I was out of lemons, so I substituted limes.

I don't really know what else to say, other than, go out and make this dinner. Its perfect for springtime, and you can feel good about eating it. Brooke loved the recipe too, and she totally beat me to it. If two brand-new food bloggers accidentally make it in the same week and both love it, its got to mean something. :)

Parmesan and Polenta Chicken
Donna Hay Magazine, Issue 31

2 cobs corn, husks and silks removed
olive oil for brushing
2 chicken breasts (7 oz each)
flour for dusting
2 eggs, lightly whisked
½ cup polenta
1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 ½ oz baby spinach leaves
½ basil leaves
grated parmesan cheese, extra to serve
dressing
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
sea salt and cracked black pepper

To make the dressing, place the mustard, lemon juice, garlic, oil, honey, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Brush the corn with oil, place in a baking dish and roast for 25 minutes or until golden. Slice the kernels from the corn and set aside.

Slice the chicken in half horizontally, dust with the flour, dip into the egg and press into the combined polenta and parmesan to coat. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Arrange the chicken, corn spinach and basil on plates and spoon over the dressing and grated parmesan to serve.

Serves 4.

See the recipe...