Blue Cheese and Apple Coleslaw

I can understand if you don’t think that blue cheese, apples, and coleslaw go together.  At first, I really didn’t think it would, either.  But, being the eclectic person that I am (my wife can tell you the story about the time I served her a breakfast sandwich on a blueberry bagel with chipotle mustard), I like to combine ingredients that you normally wouldn’t see together and see if they work.  This combination definitely works!

I’m not a coleslaw lover.  In fact, I spent most of my adult life trying to avoid the overly sweetened versions, with twice as much mayonnaise as they should have, typically found in both fast food restaurants and supermarkets alike.  The inspiration for this particular recipe came to me after trying to improve on some coleslaw that I tasted at a local BBQ restaurant (slaws are a typical NC side with BBQ).  The chef used apple cider vinegar and that gave me the idea of not only using it, but apples as well (apples and apple cider vinegar go well together, go figure).  The acid in the vinegar will prevent your apples from turning brown and will add a hint of sweetness without adding sugar or calories.  The slight acidity will also add a great bite and help to keep the cabbage and apples crisp for a few days.  Now, how’s that for a great ingredient.

The blue cheese, well, that just came to me.  My wife doesn’t like blue cheese (it’s a migraine trigger for her) so I didn’t have anyone unbiased to give me their opinion until I took some with me to a cook out.  At the end of the day, the regular slaw (made without the blue cheese and only using mayonnaise) was almost untouched while the blue cheese version had people coming up for thirds.  If you’re even a moderate fan of blue cheese, this recipe is definitely for you.

I know there must be some people reading this recipe that think as I once did: that coleslaw is not for them.  If you are one of these people, I suggest you try my version (with or without the blue cheese) and report back.  The beauty of this recipe is it’s simplicity.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: None
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: You can make a regular version of this by using only  mayonnaise (3 tbsp) and leaving out the blue cheese and the salad dressing.  You also might have to add a pinch of salt, as the blue cheese brings that element to the original dish (don’t add more than 1/8 tsp).  Feel free to chop your own cabbage if you’d like, but it’s easier to buy the coleslaw mixture (without the dressing) and it costs about the same.

Ingredients:

7 oz pre-chopped coleslaw vegetable mix (about half a bag)
1/2 Granny Smith apple
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 oz crumbled blue cheese (Gorgonzola, if you can find it)
2 tbsp light mayonnaise
1 tbsp blue cheese dressing

Preparation:

The first thing you’re going to want to do is peel and dice the apple.  The easiest way I found to do this is to slice it thin until you reach the seeds.  Discard the outermost slice, place the slices in a pile, then run your knife down the exterior of the pile to remove the skin.  Now you can just chop the apple and place it in a large bowl.  Pour 1 tbsp of vinegar over the apples and stir to coat.

In another bowl, whisk together the blue cheese dressing, mayonnaise, and 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (this will help it incorporate better).  Place the coleslaw vegetables in the bowl with the apples and toss to combine.  Pour the mayonnaise mixture over the coleslaw and toss to combine.  After it’s been mixed well, add the blue cheese crumbles and fold them in (be gentle, you don’t want to break them up too much).  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to marry.

And, there you have it.  A simple side dish that brings tons of flavor but won’t hurt your waste line.  This recipe will serve 4 people at roughly 115 calories a serving, thanks mostly to the light mayonnaise (trust me, you won’t be able to taste the difference).

Buen Provecho!

Lasagna Cupcakes

I was looking for a way to make lasagna into a snack without having to either pig out or make a whole lasagna that would eventually end up in my fridge for longer than it takes me to eat it. Since I was on my own this past weekend (Mrs. Belly Full was out of town), I decided that this weekend was perfect for me to make my “snackable” lasagna (I had a craving for it, anyway).

I cooked the beef and refrigerated it overnight because I believe that it tastes better the second day. I also used store-bought wonton wrappers and my favorite tomato/pasta sauce (nothing fancy), but feel free to use your own homemade tomato sauce if you have some lying around. As far as cutting the wonton wrappers into perfect circles, I used a lid off a jar that just happened to be the right size. Place it on the wrapper and trace around it with a paring knife (or push it through the dough).

If I can make a small suggestion, try and use a silicone muffin pan, if you can. I found that it was extremely easy to get them out as I could just push the bottom and have them pop out. I also cut out a small piece of parchment paper that I used to line the bottom to ensure they would come up easily.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: None

Ingredients:

1/4 Medium yellow onion, finely diced
1/4 Stalk celery, finely diced
1/4 Carrot, finely diced
1/2 clove Garlic, minced
8 oz Ground beef
1/2 tsp each Salt and dried oregano
1/4 tsp Pepper
2 tsp Flour
2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp Tomato paste
1/4 cup Chicken stock
1/3 cup Basic tomato sauce (you can use your favorite store bought brand)

8 oz Mozzarella cheese, grated
4 oz Ricotta cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan or Pecorino Roman Cheese
Wonton Wrappers

Procedure:

Heat the olive oil in a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrot and sauté until the onion becomes translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Next add the ground beef and allow it to brown up nicely, stirring only occasionally. Once the beef is almost cooked through, add the garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, and flour and stir to combine. Lower the heat to medium and let the flour cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and chicken stock, stirring to combine. Once the pot comes to a simmer, lower the heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot, and let it cook for 35-40 minutes, stirring every 5-7 minutes. You will know it’s done when most of the liquid has evaporated and the bottom of the pot is dry when you move the beef around. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature (or refrigerate overnight).

When the bolognese is ready to be used, build the lasagna cupcakes by layering one sheet of wonton wrapper, a teaspoon of beef, and a bit of all three cheeses. Repeat and then top with one wrapper and some mozzarella and some parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a pre-heated 375-degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 7-10 mintues, until the cheese on top is melted and bubbling.

Allow them to cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from the pan. Enjoy!

Buen Provecho!

Bacon-Wrapped Fingerling Potatoes

I’m a meat-and-potato type of guy, and I think that there are very few toppings that go better with a baked potato than bacon.  I was thinking of making a baked potato as a side one day this week but I changed my mind when I walked by the fingerling potatoes in the grocery store.  The minute I saw them I pictured them wrapped in bacon and I just had to bring some home and try it out.

I made sure to pick the smallest ones I could find, and tried to ensure that they were all about the same size; to ensure even cooking, I picked potatoes that were between the size of a nickel and a quarter, and they worked out great.  They just needed to boil for 10 minutes and spend about 20 minutes in the oven to ensure a crispy exterior and a nice, fluffy interior.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: You could use regular potatoes, cut up into small cubes (about 3/4″ squares) if you can’t find small fingerlings. Also, don’t use colored toothpicks as the food dye will bleed into the potato as it cooks (definitely not pretty).

Ingredients:

12 small fingerling potatoes
4 strips of bacon
1 quart water
1 tbsp white vinegar
1.5 tsp salt

Procedure:

Place 12 toothpicks in a bowl and pour some water over them. Let them soak until the potatoes are ready to be wrapped in the bacon (this will prevent them from burning in the oven).

Wash the potatoes and place them in a medium pot and add one quart of room-temperature water, one tablespoon vinegar and one and a half teaspoons of salt. Make sure that the water covers the potatoes by at least one inch. If you don’t have enough water to cover them by that amount, add more water/salt/vinegar until they are covered by an inch. Cover the pot and place it over high heat until it comes to a boil, then set your timer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain, and place the potatoes on a plate or cutting board to cool for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut four strips of bacon in thirds. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, wrap each one with a strip of bacon and secure the seams with a toothpick. Set on a sheet pan and place in a cool toaster oven, then heat it to 400 degrees. Wait about 12 minutes and then turn the potatoes so that both sides have a chance to crisp up. They should be ready 5-6 minutes after flipping, but you can leave them in a little longer if you like your bacon a bit crispier.

Note: I used a toaster oven, which heats faster than a regular oven. A big oven will take a bit longer to heat up so you might have to add 5-7 minutes to the initial timer, before turning the potatoes over.

Buen Provecho!

Codfish Stew (Bacalao Guisado)

Codfish stew is a very typical Puerto Rican dish and can be found in almost any Puerto Rican cookbook.  As with the Italian immigrants (known as baccalá in Italian), the dish became popular in Puerto Rico due to the main ingredient being very inexpensive.  Typically, these recipes called for salt cod to be soaked for a long time in order for the fish to be edible.  To simplify my recipe, and to save time, I opted to start with fresh cod fillets that had not been previously salted (feel free to use salt cod if that’s what you can find).

I also opted to quick-poach my fish in order to get it to flake easier.  It also helps to identify the “tough” parts of the fish, that is, the flesh that is closest to the skin.  Sometimes, this part of the fish can get too tough when cooked and so if you poach it before flaking it you won’t end up with those pieces in your finished stew.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45-60 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: Feel free to use any root vegetable you’d like. I chose potatoes because of they are easy to find, but my grandmother would typically use yucca or cassava instead.

Ingredients:

1-1.5 lb fresh codfish fillets
1 medium potato, peeled and diced in 1/2″ cubes
1 medium Spanish onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 each green and red pepper, diced
2 tbsp sofrito or recaito
6 oz tomato sauce
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp each salt and ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
10-12 pimento-stuffed olives
15-20 capers
1/4 cup water

Procedure:

1. Quick-poach the fish by placing it in a pot and covering with tap water. Place the pot over high heat and bring it to a boil. As soon as it boils, turn off the burner, remove the fish from the pot, and let it stand for 5 minutes. Flake the cod with a fork and set aside.

2. Place the potatoes in a pot and cover them with water. Place over high heat until it comes to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Add the onion, peppers, olive oil, and 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to a large pot and place over medium-high heat. Sautee them for 3-4 minutes, until the onions become translucent. Stir in the garlic and the sofrito to the pot and sautee for 1-2 minutes longer. Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, olives, capers, and water to the pot until wait until it comes back to a boil.

3. Add the rest of the salt, pepper, potatoes, and the codfish, lower the temperature to between medium-low and medium, and simmer, partially covered, for 30-35 minutes or until it has thickened up and the potatoes are completely cooked through. Serve with white rice.

Buen Provecho!

Grilled Lamb Burger with Mint Aioli

I’m a burger kind of guy.  Whenever I’m asked what I want to eat, I’ll default to some sort of hand-held food – sandwich, burger, taco, etc.  There is just something primeval and instinctual about eating with my hands that makes any meal much more satisfying and enjoyable; it really soothes my inner ape.  And, if I’m going to choose a burger, I want a flavorful cut of meat, coarsely ground, loosely packed and smothered in cheese.

I found some lamb shoulder chops on sale this week so I decided to grind them up and make burgers out of them.  Shoulder meat is one of the more flavorful parts of an animal, even if the meat tends to be a bit tough if not cooked properly.  Toughness in’t a problem when you’re grinding it into burgers, though.  I trimmed the meat, discarded the bones, ground them up, and formed a couple of 6oz patties to be grilled on my trusty Weber (charcoal, of course!).

There are a few things that automatically come to mind when I think of lamb: mint, garlic, tzatziki, and red onion.  I chose to not use tzatziki and instead mixed mint and garlic with mayonnaise to make an aioli. I used pickled red onions instead of raw red onions because I wanted to add a bit of acidity and brightness to the burger. Since lamb’s flavor profile lends itself so well to Greek flavors, I decided to use feta cheese instead of a cheese that might not go so well with lamb (like cheddar, swiss or American). I found the feta cheese in a block and sliced it thin (about the width of a normal slice of cheese) but feel free to use crumbled feta if that’s what you can find.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: You can use pre-ground lamb for this recipe if you don’t own a meat grinder.  If you’re going to cook them indoors, I suggest using a cast iron skillet heated to medium high heat and cooking each burger for 3-4 minutes a side, depending on how you like your lamb done (I like mine medium-rare).

Ingredients:

24 oz (1.5 lbs) ground lamb formed into 4 6oz patties
4 hamburger rolls (brioche if you can find it, kaiser will work, too)
Thinly sliced red onions (or pickled red onions)
8 slices feta cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Aioli:

3 tbsp light mayonnaise
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
1/4 clove of garlic, grated with microplane
Pinch of salt

Procedure:

Combine all the aioli ingredients in a bowl and mix together, set aside. Ensure your grill is hot but not excessively hot (you should be able to hold your hand 3 inches above the grate for 5-6 seconds, but no more). Season the lamb burgers with salt and pepper and place them on the grill for 5 minutes, rotating them 90 degrees half way through. Flip the burgers and cook for another 2 minutes, then rotate them 90 degrees. Place two cheese slices on the burgers and close the lid on the grill to help melt the cheese (feta doesn’t really melt all that well but it will melt some), cook another 3 minutes. Remove the burgers to a plate, cover with foil to keep warm, and set aside.

Brush the buns with olive oil and place them on the grill for 1-2 minutes to toast them. Remove the buns to a plate. Smear some aioli on the top bun, place the patties on the bottom buns and top them with the red onions. Enjoy!

Buen Provecho!

Mushroom Risotto

The weather is changing and fall is upon us so I decided to make a hearty, yet comforting autumn meal that, while not low calorie, at least makes me feel better about what I’m eating. Risotto falls into this category for me. It’s creamy, hearty, definitely comforting, and can be made vegetarian (or vegan) if you truly wanted to (not that I’d ever want to do that, but I could). Just substitute olive oil for the bacon and vegetable broth for the chicken stock and you’ll be on your way to a vegan meal worthy or praise.

Making risotto takes time, patience, and a lot of stirring, so don’t plan on making it if you can’t dedicate 35-40 minutes to standing by the stove. Your time and effort will definitely be rewarded.  This dish is difficult to mess up; as long as you keep the heat between medium and medium low (about a 4 if you have markings of 1 through 10 on your stove’s knob) and stir it every 3-4 minutes, you will have a great pot of risotto to enjoy.  The most important thing is to not let the rice dry out too much and remember to keep stirring!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: None

Ingredients:

6 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 cup white wine
1 cup boiling water
2 cups Arborio rice
3 slices of thick bacon or 4 oz of pancetta, cut into cubes
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
8 shitake mushrooms caps, sliced (save the stems for stock)
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 cup shredded Pecorino Romano cheese

Procedure:

Place the dried mushrooms in a large bowl and place the one cup of boiling water over them. Allow the mushrooms to steep in the water for at least 15 minutes, 30 minutes would be desirable. Remove the mushrooms and strain the liquid through cheese cloth, reserving the liquid for use in the risotto (make sure you strain it well or you will have grit in your risotto).

Pour the chicken stock in a pan and place over medium heat, let it come to temperature and leave it at a slow simmer. Place the bacon or pancetta in a large pot and heat to a temperature of between medium and medium-low. Once the bacon has rendered some of it’s fat, but has not yet become crispy, add the onions and 1/2 tsp of salt, stirring to combine. Allow the onions to sweat for 4-5 minutes, then stir in the garlic, thyme, the remaining salt, and the black pepper, cook for another 2 minutes. Add the rice and allow it to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the two types of mushrooms and stir to combine.

Once all the ingredients are incorporated, pour in the white wine, stir, and allow it to evaporate (about 4-5 minutes). Once the pot begins to dry out, add the reserved mushroom stock, stirring to combine, and allow it to evaporate as well. Once the pot begins to dry out, start adding the chicken stock 1/2-2/3 of a cup at a time, stirring occasionally, and allowing the stock to be absorbed and evaporate before adding more liquid.

Make sure and taste the risotto before adding the final batch of chicken stock for seasoning and add salt, one pinch at a time, until it is well seasoned. Serve immediately.

Buen Provecho!

Cuban Fried Wontons

Have you noticed a trend? I am a pork and cheese addict so it’s only natural that the Cuban sandwich serve as my inspiration for a few dishes. I’ve seen other chino-latino fusions as appetizers, most recently the pork and ripe plantain dumplings at Dragonfly in Puerto Rico, so I tried to come up with a recipe all my own. I was also unsure as to the cooking method, but I decided to fry them instead of steam or boil them. Feel free to cook them either way.

As with any Cuban sandwich, the ingredients are slowly-braised pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard. I didn’t want to put the mustard inside the wonton wrapper, so I ended up making a dipping sauce instead (you can get the recipe in my previous post, here). Serve them as you would any other appetizer.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: None

Ingredients:

10-12 wonton wrappers
1 oz slowly braised pork, chopped fine
1 oz ham, chopped fine
1 slice Swiss cheese, chopped fine
5 pickle slices, chopped fine
2 tbsp mustard dipping sauce from link above

Procedure:

Heat 3 cups of peanut oil to 375 degrees (make sure that there is enough oil to completely cover the wontons when they’re fried). Combine the chopped pork, ham, cheese, and pickles in a bowl and mix well. Fill a wonton wrapper with one teaspoon of the mixture, placing it in the middle of the square.

Wet your finger with some water and moisten the top and right corners of the wonton wrapper to ensure that the sides will stick to each other. Fold the wonton to form a triangle and make sure you press all the air out before you seal it. Moisten the left corner with some water, then grab the top of the triangle and fold the two sides in on each other (make sure the right side is on top so it sticks to the moistened left side). Now fold the point towards the back of the wonton (the opposite side of where the corners met). Set aside and repeat until you are out of filling.

Fry in the oil for 1.5-2 minutes, until desired crispiness is achieved. Make sure to turn them over half-way through as they will float to the surface. Serve with the mustard sauce either on the side for dipping or drizzle it on the fried wontons.

Buen Provecho!

Buffalo Chicken and Spinach Dip

It’s football season, which in my house means that there must be snacks available on Sunday afternoons. Buffalo wings are delicious and popular, but they do tend to get messy. I was looking for a way to keep the buffalo flavor in some sort of finger food but eliminate the need for a whole roll of paper towels. I also wanted to make it a bit healthier by adding some green, leafy vegetables (i.e. spinach) to the mix. Think of it as a combination of two very popular appetizers: buffalo wings and spinach dip.

I chose to poach my chicken breasts because I wanted a clean chicken flavor to come through. Feel free to cook your chicken however you like it most. You can even buy a pre-cooked chicken (a rotisserie chicken works well here) if you want to save time. Just remember that the flavor of the chicken, and how it’s cooked, will come through in the dip.

You may be tempted to serve this with chips or even some sort of cracker. Don’t! This dip needs the bulk and crunch provided by Melba Toast or some other form of crostini. If you try to scoop it up something that isn’t hard or sturdy, it will just end up breaking in the dip and creating a mess. Trust me.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes or less
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: You can dice the chicken if you’d like, but I think it works better if you shred it.

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 8 ounces), cooked and shredded
6 oz light cream cheese
4 oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of all excess water
4 oz Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup each Franks Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce and Blue Cheese Dressing

Procedure:

The recipe calls for cooked chicken but I want to give instructions on how to poach the chicken because I think it adds a cleaner flavor to the dip. Place the chicken in a pot that has a tight-fitting lid. Fill with water until the breasts are covered by about 1/2 inch of water. Add 1 tsp salt, 12-15 whole pepper corns, 2 bay leafs, and 1 tbsp dry thyme. Place the pot over hi heat until the water comes to a boil. Reduce heat to a medium low and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn the breasts over, remove from the heat, and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Let them stand for 20 minutes, then remove to a plate and let them cool enough to handle. Shred with two forks.

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. In an oven-safe bowl, combine all the ingredients except the blue cheese crumbles and mix until everything is well incorporated. Add the blue cheese crumbles and fold them in carefully so that they don’t break too much. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil and place it in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until everything is heated through. Remove and serve while still warm.

Buen Provecho!