Asparagus-Kohlrabi Fry

Here is another foray into my obsession with dill. The recipe was a combination of cravings (bacon, dill and capers) and what I had in my house (asparagus, garlic ramps, and kohlrabi). This is one of those dishes that was completely random and ended up a huge success. The combination of ingredients may not be common, but let me tell you that it goes very well together.

Asparagus-Kohlrabi Fry

1 tbsp olive oil
15 3 inch strips of thick cut, peppered bacon
1 c garlic ramps cut into 1 inch pieces
1 kohlrabi, peeled, cut into quarters lengthwise and then sliced thin
1 large bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-3 inch pieces
1 tbsp dill
2 tbsp capers
salt and pepper to taste

Spread olive oil in the bottom of a cold cast iron pan. Add the bacon and then turn the heat to medium to medium-low.
Cook until the bacon is crispy, turning frequently. Remove the bacon from the pan.
Add the garlic ramps and cook until fragrant.
Add the kohlrabi and cook, stirring occasionally, until kohlrabi is soft and starts to brown.
Add the asparagus and dill and cook until the asparagus is almost done.
Add the capers, cooked bacon, salt and pepper and cook for another minute.
Remove from heat and serve hot.

Beet and Mushroom Fry

Looking in my refrigerator tonight, I realized that there were a few items I needed to use up before I go shopping again. Sometimes those random foods can be combined to make a delicious meal (and sometimes not... that has happened to me before). Tonight my random ingredients consisted of some mushrooms, kale, beets and asparagus. I also noticed some bacon grease I needed to use. I would not replace the bacon grease, as it adds a lot of flavor to the meal. If you don't have any on hand, just fry up some bacon (maybe put some in the dish) and store the rest to be used in your eggs in the morning. The last ingredient was thanks to Tendercrop Farm. I just made a trip to their awesome market down in Massachusetts this weekend, where I picked up some kielbasa they make there. It is the perfect kielbasa because it is smoky and flavorful without being an odd shade of red (hello food coloring to standardize the appearance of mass produced foods). Also, it isn't greasy like so many kielbasas on the market right now. It's pretty much perfect and I know people who have never liked kielbasa who love Tendercrop Farm's kielbasa. It's perfectly matched with the ingredients I had on hand. I served the fry over some leftover Potatoes-on-the-Grill, but you could just boil a few potatoes instead or maybe grate them and throw them into the pan with the beets. In the end, this was a fast meal and quite satisfying.

Beet and Mushroom Fry

4 tbsp bacon grease
8 inches kielbasa, quartered lengthwise and then sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
3 portabella mushrooms, chopped
2 beets, grated
2 c shredded kale, washed
8 spears asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the bacon grease in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add kielbasa and cook until it starts to brown.
Add garlic and cook briefly.
Add mushrooms and cook until water is released and starts to cook off.
Add grated beets and cook until ingredients are sizzling in the pan and not simmering in their own water.
Add kale and asparagus and cook, stirring constantly, until asparagus is tender but not overcooked.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve over potatoes.

Summer Inspiration

Summer is coming. I suppose I could say that spring is here, but thinking that summer is coming makes me even happier. Especially since I live in Maine, and spring is quite the roller coaster. A couple weekends ago it was so warm I braved a 45 degree lake to help friends put in their dock. At least, I think it was 45 degrees. It was quite cold, but sitting on the dock in the warm afternoon sun made it all worthwhile. This past weekend was... maybe in the 40s and rainy. I'm not exactly sure because I avoided going outside as much as possible, especially after I saw snow on people's cars. Snow! So, spring is here in Maine, but summer is what I look forward to.

One of my favorite summer activities is grilling. I mean real grilling, the kind with charcoal. I'm amazed at the number of people who feel that a gas grill counts; it doesn't. Gas grills are just outdoor broilers. Charcoal is real fire and imparts a flavor that gas grills will never match. I love slow grilling the most. Circle of coals, chicken split in half, basting, turning, adding coals to keep the heat going, basting, turning, repeat as necessary. This is best achieved while sipping a beer or a glass of wine and soaking up sun in a lawn chair. And now my deep secret... I don't own a grill. I've lived here coming on three years and this will be my fourth summer in this apartment. It's time to get that grill, don't you think? And a lawn chair. I don't own one of those either. Once I have those and Maine makes up its mind to be warm, I will start grilling.

In the meantime, I have found a decent substitute that gives me a charred flavor - my broiler. It's electric, so it has one up on those gas grills. No gas flavor, take that gas grills! I've also stuck with vegetable dishes. Not sure why, exactly. I love meat, but just haven't been buying it as of late. I have, however, been buying asparagus like it's going out of style. The first dish below was made for a potluck. As a friend once pointed out, vegetable dishes seem to get overlooked in the world of potlucks. The second was because I had those vegetables in my house and some soba noodles. Two different flavors from one great cooking method, the broiler.

Asparagus, Green Bean and Roasted Red Pepper

3 red bell peppers
1 bunch asparagus, ends snapped off and chopped into 1 1/2 inch pieces
3 cups green beans, trimmed and chopped into pieces
6 large shallots, peeled and sliced thick
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Move one oven rack to the top position and the second to the position just below that and set your oven to broil.
Place the red bell peppers, whole on the top rack, leaving the door open a crack.
As the top side of the bell peppers turn black, turn; continue turning until all sides are blackened.
While peppers are roasting, mix the asparagus, green beans, shallots, oil, salt and pepper on a cookie sheet; make sure to coat everything well with the oil.
When you turn the peppers to the last side for roasting, place the other vegetables on the rack below the peppers. (It's good if the peppers drip onto the other vegetables.)
When peppers are done roasting, remove from oven and place in a bowl of cold water; move the other vegetables up to the top rack and leave the door open a crack. Stir occasionally.
Peel skin off peppers, seed and chop. Be careful because the air inside the peppers will be very hot and steamy!
Place peppers in a bowl.
When other vegetables are done and slightly browned, add to the bowl with the peppers and stir.
This really good served over quinoa.

Asparagus, Snap Peas, and Leek

2 large bunches asparagus, ends snapped off and chopped into 4 pieces lengthwise
4 cups snap peas, de-stringed and rinsed
2 leeks, dark green tops and root trimmed off, sliced in half lengthwise and then sliced into 1/2 inch pieces - rinse
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 package soba noodles (enough for 4 servings)
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp soy sauce

Set oven rack to the top position and turn your oven to broil setting.
Mix asparagus, snap peas, leeks, olive oil, salt and pepper and then divide between two 9x13 inch cake pans.
Place pans in the oven on the top rack, leaving the door open a crack.
Stir occasionally.
Remove vegetables when tender and slightly brown.
Drizzle with soy sauce and mix.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add soba noodles.
Cook for 4 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water.
Place noodles back in pot, drizzle with sesame oil and toss.
To serve, place 1/2 serving of soba noodles in a bowl and spoon vegetables over the top.

Signs of Spring

The sun has been deceptively bright and warm lately, but I live in a city with amazing and chilly winds. I can't even imagine the force of them should they be forced between skyscrapers. Despite the continuing biting cold, we can feel spring creeping up on us.

My suspicions that spring is coming, even to the northern frozen tundra, were confirmed when I found some asparagus at the store. It is most likely not from around here yet, but it was still appealing: bundles of slim, lively green spears properly stored cut side down in a tray of water.

A close friend has been having a tough time lately, so we picked up some wine and bread one night and I made her some dinner. Apparently Creamed Asparagus is not made in this part of the world, because when I told people about it, I received some dubious looks. If you haven't tried this before, try it now. It's both warming for the cool days and full of fresh spring flavors.

Creamed Asparagus

1 lb bunch of asparagus, woody ends snapped off (tops should be about 2 inches long and the remaining length of the spears should be about 1 inch pieces)
1/4 to 1/2 lb bacon
2 tbsp flour
salt and pepper to taste
2 c milk
2 slices of bread per person, toasted

Place asparagus in a pan and cover with water.
Bring to a boil, cook until still slightly crisp (about 1 minute).
Drain and rinse in cool water to stop the cooking.
Place as many bacon slices as will fit into a cold skillet.
Turn skillet up to high, then reduce to medium heat once bacon starts sizzling.
Frequently turn bacon, removing slices when cooked to desired crispiness and adding slices when space is made.
Once all bacon is cooked, set aside to cool.
Pour about 2 tbsp of the bacon grease into a sauce pan and turn heat to medium-high.
Add flour, salt and pepper, stir until lumps are gone.
Cook flour mixture about 1 minute.
Remove from heat and slowly stir in the milk.
Once all milk is incorporated, return to burner turned to medium to medium-high heat.
Cook until sauce is thickened.
Chop bacon.
Stir bacon and asparagus into sauce and heat until asparagus is warm.
Ladle creamed asparagus over toast and serve.

Makes two large portions.

Never tease a starving person

The other night I went to the gym for an intense aerobic workout (heavy bag, 3 1/5 mile run and 20 minutes on the stationary bike). I would have done some stair climber as well, but my ride had arrived. On the the way home, hunger pangs stabbing, I inquired as to what we were having for dinner. The response? "Leftover pea soup." I love pea soup, but like anything, I don't like eating it repeatedly within a short period of time. The excuse was that mom didn't feel like cooking and he was "lazy." I was angry. I admit it. The result was a less than enthusiastic response when I found out he HAD cooked. I snapped. I'm ashamed. I blame hunger and a not-so-hot day. A sorry excuse I guess.
Now, the family joke is, when dad cooks dinner is one of the following:
Frozen pizza
Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup
Chicken cacciatore
(and more recently:)
meatloaf
spaghetti

That evening, though, dad had gotten creative. A pork dish reminiscent of Caribbean dishes, asparagus, and (sweet) cornbread. It was delicious. I ate a bit before taking a picture. *sheepish grin* This is how he described making this dish.
He found a recipe for stuffed pork and sort of followed it, but not really. He chopped half of a large onion, an apple and some walnuts. He cooked the pork loin, which he had sliced, in a pan with water. He sauteed the onion, apple and walnuts together and added undefined amounts of sage, marjoram, cinnamon, salt, pepper and honey. The result was a slightly sweet pork dish. It was so good. The asparagus was boiled. The cornbread (from a Land o' Lakes cookbook) was baked. My angry stomach monster was assuaged. Thanks Dad!