Portland Foodie

Seafood Frittata and Savory Bread Pudding

Recently, I spent a couple of days at the Oregon coast with some of my best friends. In addition to lots of laughter, a little crying and some fantastic wines, we had unbelievably yummy food. OK, yes, I made the food, but hey, it was great...if I do say so myself...

What I loved about cooking this particular weekend was the spontaneity of it. My BFF Maryellen of Yoga Cowgirls, was there a day early and bought fresh crab, shrimp, smoked salmon, and clams. My other friends,  Suzanne (an unbelievable energy healer from NM) and Liz (you might know her from Elizabeth Leach Galleries), and I drove up together, stopping at my favorite farm stand on HWY 101, just outside of Tillamook. We snatched up peaches, nectarines, berries, tomatoes, peppers, squash, onions and all manner of baked goods. It was hard to resist buying the big, beautiful pumpkins that were out back in the patch.

I whipped up an awesome dinner...but really, anyone could have with that bounty. As usual, we had way more than we could eat, so I transformed the ingredients into brunch the next day. In addition to a yummy fruit crumble (where I used granola instead of plain rolled oats for the topping), I whipped up a seafood frittata and savory bread pudding. Both are super easy to make and completely delicious...so I thought I would share the recipes.

Seafood Frittata

olive oil

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 medium sweet onion

1 heirloom tomato

1 jalepeno

12 eggs

1/2 cup cooked pasta

1/4 lb cleaned crab meat, roughly chopped

1/4 cup smoke salmon, flaked

1/2 cup white cheddar cheese

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In an oven proof skillet, saute onion and garlic until translucent. In a bowl, break eggs and add just a bit of water. Whisk until yolks are broken and mixture is combined. Add tomato, jalepeno, salt and pepper, stir and pour into skillet. (I had actually made fresh salsa the night before and just used some of that, which you could certainly do, too). Sprinkle in pasta, crab and salmon, use a spatula to gently move the eggs a bit, but don't scramble. When the eggs have started to cook on the bottom, sprinkle cheese across the top of the eggs and place in the oven. Cook until the center is set, 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand a couple of minutes, cut and serve.

Savory Bread Pudding

1 loaf of day old bread (we had Italian)

3-4 eggs

2-3 cups of milk

1/4 shredded Parmesan

diced roasted vegetables (grilled the night before...we used two kinds of summer squash and red onion)

3-4 tbsp butter, diced

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop bread into cubes and place in a roasting pan. In a bowl, combine milk, cheese and eggs...the amount will vary dependent upon how much bread you have. It should be enough to cover the bread when pushed down with a weighted pan. Add garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper, whisk to combine. Add roasted veggies, stir and pour over bread. Place a pan on top of the mixture and weight it with a couple of cans of tomatoes. Let stand for 15 minutes or so...remove the pan, and top with butter pieces. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the mixture is set in the center.

Both of these dishes are incredibly easy to make...and a great use of leftovers! I hope you give it a try and let me know how it turns out in your kitchen.

Asparagus and Spinach Pasta

I have to admit that I make a lot of pasta dishes. I use all kinds of pasta shapes and sizes, as well as those made from different flours. In the summer, it is a great way to use multiple vegetables and trick your kids into eating food that is actually good for them. And I am all for food subterfuge...

This dish is something I whipped up when I realized the spinach was about to bolt. Combining that with a handful of asparagus and a big can of chopped tomatoes makes it absolutely full of nutrition.

Here's the scoop:

1 lb ground hamburger 

1 12 oz can of diced tomatoes

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1/2 cup grated Parm

Splash of half and half (optional)

1 tbs fennel seeds

1 tbsp oregano

1 tbsp basil

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp thyme

2 bay leaves

pinch of red pepper flakes

generous amounts of flaky salt and freshly ground pepper

1 package of conchiglie pasta

Brown hamburger and onions in skillet. Drain some of the excess fat, leave enough to prevent burning, omit draining if meat is lean. Add spices and herbs, salt and pepper, saute for a few minutes. Add tomatoes and garlic. Let simmer to combine flavors and reduce liquid from tomatoes.

Start a pot of water to boil. Add conchiglie pasta and cook according to directions on package. Conchiglie is also known as shell pasta and is great for this recipe. Since this isn't a really sauce-y pasta dish, the cupped shape of the pasta will grab up the bits of veggies and meat really well.

In the last couple of minutes of cooking, add half and half and cheese. I used fat free half and half. The parm and half and half create a pink sauce...but you can omit it if you like.

Drain pasta and add to sauce. Toss to combine and let stand for a minute or two to allow the pasta to soak up the fantastic flavors. Serve.

Ragu and Stuffed Cabbage: Twice the Dinner for Half the Work

I had a moment of brilliance tonight...it doesn't happen often, but when it does, it's a doozy! While whipping up yet another variation of a pasta meal (my favorite), I was inspired to create a new ragout sauce, while simultaneously creating the base for the following night's dinner, stuffed cabbage. I know. You're shocked. I was too...the brilliance is in the reduction of work...which follows directly after flavor in my list of foodie prep priorities.

In the event that you aren't familiar with an Italian ragu sauce (no, I don't mean the bottled version), here's the scoop: There are more versions of this classic recipe than you can shake a stick at...everyone's grandma has one. Chances are good that your family had one, too, even if you didn't call it a ragu.

I have chosen to interpret ragu as more of a textural statement than an exact list of ingredients. For me, the feel of a ragu must be thick and full of melded ingredients that creates a similar consistency to a marriage of applesauce and oatmeal...which would be incredibly gross on pasta...but I digress...

In this recipe, I used ground beef, onions, garlic and grated carrots to create the texture and flavor I was seeking. The addition of carrots gives a boost to the flavor and enhances the "flow" of the final sauce. And if you stop just short of the tomato sauce, it makes a great base for stuffing cabbage.

Before I give you the recipe, I want to share one of my favorite new foodie finds. I have used Victoria Taylor's seasonings before, but recently, I discovered the Mediterranean Seasoning and the Chipotle flakes...and I am in love. If you haven't ever used her spice blends before, you must give it a try...(and no, they aren't paying me to write that...though I am open to offers!).

Now, on to the first recipe:

You will need:
1.5 lbs of ground beef
1 medium yellow onion
2 medium carrots, finely grated
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
8 oz mushrooms, chopped
2 T tomato paste
2 T anchovy paste
12-16 ounces of prepared sauce*
1 T fennel seeds
2 T Mediterranean Seasoning blend (or sub. oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme)
1 tsp Chipotle Flakes (or sub. red pepper flakes)
2 bay leaves
1 tsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Pasta
*I have jars of sauce that I made this summer from tomatoes in my garden...there are many prepared versions that are tasty, if you don't want to make it from scratch.

Start sauteing the onion garlic and carrots, cook until a bit softened, then add the beef, mushrooms, fennel, Mediterranean blend, chipotle flakes, salt and pepper. Cook until meat is browned. Add tomato paste and cook for a couple of minutes. Now, remove half of the mixture and set aside to let it cool just a bit before storing in the fridge for stuffed cabbage recipe.

Add bay leaves, anchovy paste, and sauce to the pan. The anchovies add a bit of depth to the sauce, but if you fear the fish, feel free to skip. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Let it meld and reduce for half an hour or so. Prepare the pasta of your choice and add to the pan containing the sauce.

I used to skip that last step, but realized how much of the sauce the pasta absorbs in the pan. This absorption really brings the pasta to life...so please don't skip it!

Tomorrow, I will finish with a post on stuffed cabbage...what a wonderful way to bring in the new year!

Pesto, Meatballs and Pasta

Tonight I made one of my new favorites...Pesto, Meatballs and Pasta. So easy to do...my meatballs were pork, a slight twist on tradition...here's what I did:

Meatballs
1 lb ground pork
1 to 1 1/2 cups panko
1/3 cup shredded parmesan
1 egg
1 tbsp dried basil
1 tbsp dried italian herbs
salt
pepper

Add all ingredients to a medium size bowl, squish together with your little hands until just combined. Divide and roll into balls according to your preference. I usually make them around the size of a half dollar. I like to use dried herbs since I will be browning and I think it takes the heat better.

I brown the meatballs all over in a heavy enamel coated cast iron pan. Cover the bottom of the pan with olive oil, make sure the pan is hot before adding meat. Remove when done. Drain excess grease from pan and deglaze with small amount of stock or white wine. Reduce to minimal liquid.

Pesto:

2 cups basil

1 cup shredded parmesan

1/2 cups toasted almond slivers

4 garlic cloves

1/3 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

In a food processor, combine basil, shredded parmesan, almonds, and garlic, pulse to create a paste. Continue processing while streaming in extra virgin olive oil until desired consistency is reached. I prefer mine to be a bit on the pasty side, not too much oil.

Add meatballs back into pan with deglazing liquid, add cooked pasta and pesto, stir to combine. Serve immediately, do not allow pesto to cook.

Hope you enjoy it!