Juicy roasted Cornish hens

Aren’t these birds darling??! (I had to use a thin rope to truss the hens, thinking outside the box.)

Fresh, cage- free Cornish hens over a bed of red potatoes waiting patiently for the roast. It was a smash hit at the table and even though these hens were just one pound each, consuming our own personal bird made this meal feel like a button- poppin’ holiday feast!

The recipe for this dish was simple: tons of love and fresh flavor! This sumptuous meal boasts of fun, home and most especially, comfort. With ingredients found readily available in your kitchen and just about any market; a cook of any level can successfully execute this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1lb fresh cage- free hens
• 4 cloves of minced garlic
• 4 tbsp. of olive oil (for basting and potatoes)
• 1 cup of dry white wine
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp of crushed red pepper
• 2 tbsp of fresh minced thyme (for hens and pototoes)
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges (one wedge for the cavity of each bird) Use the rest to squeeze over entire baking pan before being inserted into the oven.
• 4 medium sized red potatoes, cubed

Prep:

Pre- heat the oven to 425 degrees. Meanwhile, prepare the birds by rinsing them in cool water and then patting dry. Add salt & pepper to taste on the entire inside of each cavity. Take the minced garlic and massage evenly just underneath the skin. Baste with olive oil, add salt & pepper, crushed red pepper, and fresh or dried thyme. In a searing hot skillet, gently brown the hen on all sides, about one minute per side. Remove from heat. Cut one lemon into wedges and place a wedge inside the cavity of each hen. Cube the red potatoes, add olive oil, salt, pepper, cup of white wine, combine ingredients and spread them out on the bottom of baking tray, then place hens on top of the potatoes. Roast uncovered for 5 minutes, then tent with aluminum foil and lower the temperature to 350 degrees. Roast for 25 minutes. Baste hens with pan juices every 10 minutes. Allow hens 10 minutes of rest time before serving

My eyes would close with each bite, and it was heavenly. This was a truly happy meal.

Roasted Cornish hens over red potatoes with side of red wine mushrooms and carrots soaked in honey butter.

Egg Drop soup, a la Mel….

Egg drop soup from Mr. K's in midtown Manhattan.

Egg drop soup definitely brings me a sense of nostalgia. It takes me back to the flavors of my childhood. It’s one of those dishes that developed my taste buds for all the yummy dishes that were yet to come. This soup reminds me of the corner Chinese take out restaurant I fondly remember as “The Best Chinese Kitchen.” (actual name) down the street from where I used to live as a child. It’s something we always ordered alongside our usual order of chicken with broccoli, pork fried rice, a couple of egg rolls and few cans of soda like ginger ale and Coca- Cola.

Origins of this famed soup:

Egg drop soup, aka,  蛋花汤 dan hua tang, meaning egg flower soup, is mainly Chinese- American, with less thick variations found in China. The “egg flowers” are the effect created by the gradual addition of the eggs, stirring them into a simmering broth with a fork or a set of chopsticks, while forming a delicate stream that closely resembles a bed of flowers.

It was already being served in NYC’s Chinatown by the early 1900’s, when Chinese cuisine was modified to suit the more western palate. Additions such as corn, white pepper, tofu and/ or scallions are included for depth of flavor.

The other day, while sipping on a steamy cup of egg drop soup, I suddenly became inspired. I wanted to see if I could replicate a similar brew of my own. So, the next day I did a little research and I gave it a whirl, literally.

You create the delicate egg flower effect by slowly stirring the eggs into the soup (the whirl) with a pair of chop sticks or a fork.

The beauty of this soup lies in it’s simplicity. With common ingredients usually  found in your kitchen, you can’t go wrong. It’s quick, nutritious and with a large enough bowl, quite satisfying. (if you’re concerned about cholesterol, omit yolks and use only the whites) Here’s my version:

Ingredients

4 cups of  chicken broth

1 tsp fresh minced ginger

2 tbsp chopped scallion (cut on the bias, or diagonally)

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp of cornstarch

2 large eggs

1 egg yolk

white or black pepper to taste

Instructions

Add 4 cups of chicken broth to a large saucepan over low heat, add the salt and the chopped scallions, bring to a gentle simmer. Meanwhile, lightly beat the eggs and slowly stir the eggs into the bubbling broth with a fork or set of chopsticks. Turn off heat. Don’t worry about under cooking the eggs. By the time you’re ready to serve the soup, they will be just right.

Yes indeed, my egg drop concoction was very similar to the soup I have come to know after all these years.

Spicy Latina Chili

"chili a la Melissa"

Tis the season of chili, when the frigid air brings one to yearn for comfort and warmth. What better way to satisfy that desire than with a nurturing, spicy bowl of “chili con carne?” Through the years, I ‘ve sampled my fair share of chili dishes, including the canned (bleh!) version, uh, where’s the love in that?! I try to steer clear of anything canned whenever possible.

Some chili folklore:

• Chili had its humble beginnings as a peasant dish, dating back to the 17th century.
• Spanish priests referred to it as “the devil’s soup.”
• They believed that the chiles had aphrodisiac effects thought to be the devil’s work.
• Fiery hot chiles were too closely related to hell’s fiery depths, therefore sinful.
• Chili has Native American, Incan, Aztec, Mayan and Spanish influences.
• First recipe ever written (supposedly) was by a beautiful Spanish nun known as ” La Dama de Azul.”

For more detailed chili history, check this site: http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/Chili/ChiliHistory.htm

Anyway, the amount of chili recipes in existence are staggering. Ranging from Texas Red chili to vegetarian, vegan, turkey, wild game, pork, chicken, with beans, without beans, and even to the oddball seafood variety (which doesn’t seem like chili at all). Each concoction proclaims to be the best. Texas named chili as the state’s official “dish.” They are no joke when it comes to their chili.

dried chiles

Well, I am pretty darn serious about my chili too and I need it made from scratch with lots of love. Cooked low and slow for three hours. It tastes so much better that way. Special attention must be paid to every ingredient. Each spice must have enough time to marry the other for a bright harmony of flavor. It should soothe yet awaken each sense with every spoonful. I am no expert, but based on my chili experiences and after whipping up a few batches of my own, I can confidently say that I’ve come up with something very magical. I will call it “Spicy Latina Chili.”

Spicy Latina Chili

Ingredients

• 1lb ground turkey
• 1lb ground sirloin
• 1 cup of chick peas
• 1 cup of water
• 4 oz of thick smoked bacon (cut into 1″ thickness)
• 1/2 cup of semi- sweet chocolate
• 1 tbsp of sofrito
• 1 package of Sazon with achiote
• 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
• 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1 medium shallot (chopped)
• 1/2 large red onion (chopped)
• 6 medium white mushrooms (coarsely chopped)
• 1 fresh jalepeno sliced (remove seeds for less heat)
• 3 whole dried chiles (Ancho)
• 1 package of ripe grape tomatoes or a large can of crushed tomatoes if you must. ; /
• 2 tbsp of red wine vinegar
• 1/2  cup of dry red wine
• 1 tsp of all spice
• 2 tbsp of chili powder
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp of cumin
• 1 tbsp of pepper
•  salt to taste
• 1 tsp of brown sugar
• 1 bay leaf

Instructions

In a large stock pot over medium heat, add the protein (ground meat, bacon, and chick peas) top with the dried spices and sofrito. Then add a cup of water, red wine, wine vinegar and chocolate, followed by the tomatoes and fresh chopped veggies. Mix well, incorporating all the ingredients. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for about 3 hours, while stirring often. Adjust the recipe if necessary to suit your taste buds. (chili is personal!)

Serves  about 8 people

Serve with some crusty bread and a mixed green salad. Pair it up with a deep red glass of cabernet or an iced cold lager!

P.S, Your home will smell like heaven.

Steakalicious!

Click on image for a detailed view: Steak cuts from a cow. Image courtesy of http://students.calu.edu/tok6518/history.html

Occasionally, maybe once or twice per month, I crave a juicy, succulent steak, and I need it to be bloody, a.k.a. medium rare. I feel like such a ravenous vampire! Sorry, I tend to get a little carried away every so often ;). Not to get off the subject or anything, once upon a time, I attempted going vegetarian, or rather, I’ve flirted with the idea, but my weakness caused me a relapse. What can I say?  Sometimes, you just need a juicy steak!

Anyways! I was expecting company over for dinner the other evening and had steak on my mind as the main star of the dish. My imagination was set to work and I remember thinking to myself  “how can make this dinner an unforgettable experience?”  Though steak is steak and has star qualities of it’s own, I somehow wanted it to be more than just a steak. I wanted to add some flair to my protein of choice.

As I researched ideas on the internet, eventually I was inspired by the adorably quirky Paula Deen, who had a perfect recipe for steak covered in a red wine berry reduction topped with crumbled blue cheese. I couldn’t wait to try my own rendition!

Paula’s recipe calls for filet mignon, but I chose T-bone steak. Any cut of meat would suffice (especially for the budget conscious). Her recipe also uses a combination of  fresh strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and standard white sugar. I opted for confectioner’s sugar and raspberries instead because that’s what I had readily available in my kitchen. Nevertheless, my version turned out to be delicious, and was a true success, because my guests loved it! Though, I will surely make it a point to try Paula’s recipe to the “T” next time.

The tangy, yet pungent essence of blue cheese is a perfect marriage with the sweetness of the wine berry reduction and the meatiness of the steak. A perfect treat for all lovers of meat! Thanks for the inspiration, Paula! 😀

Ingredients

• 10 oz. T- bone steak
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp of unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion sliced onion ring style (if desired).
• Crumbled Maytag blue cheese (or any style blue)

Method

Sprinkle salt & pepper on both sides and place onto a searing hot pan with 1 tbsp of unsalted butter. I enjoy my steak (1 inch thick) medium rare, so I cooked it 3-4 minutes per side. If you’re in the mood, add yellow onions to the pan with  drippings and saute to add more dimension. Allow meat to sit for about 5 minutes so the juices can redistribute.

Red wine berry reduction (make 50 minutes prior to cooking the steak)

• 2 cups of confectioner’s sugar
• 2 packages of fresh ripened raspberries
• 1 1/2 cups of red wine

Method

In a medium saucepan, I added sugar and raspberries, as the sugar began to melt, I gently crushed the berries into the mix with a wooden spoon. I then added red wine, and brought to a boil. I turned down the heat and allowed it to simmer while stirring often, for about an hour. At the end, it should have a consistency compared to berry preserves.

Instructions

Spoon 2 tbsp of berry reduction (or more if you prefer) onto the steak and top with blue cheese. My dish was served with a side of steamed fresh green beans and a baked potato from Idaho (recipes and method to be discussed in another blog post) smothered in sour cream and unsalted butter. Accompanied with a deep red glass of cabernet sauvignon, soft jazz tunes in the background, dimmed lighting, a positive spirit and great conversation, this meal won’t go wrong! However, feel free to pair it with whatever side dish or beverage your heart desire’s. As I’ve mentioned earlier, the steak is the star of the show!