Sunday Dinner - Weeds

Verdolagas con carne de puerco y chile

adapted from Doña Lupe’s Kitchen

This was a bigger hit than I was expecting. Verdolagas, also known as purslane are actually a common weed. I think I have them growing in my garden right now, but instead I paid a dollar for them at the Farmers' Market last Saturday. They actually tasted pretty good if you can believe it. Not a real strong flavor, especially after being boiled for ten minutes. The texture reminded me a lot of asparagus. They're supposed to be pretty good for you apparently. I think we'll definitely make it again, providing we can find more verdolagas. I just don't feel right about pulling my weeds out of my garden. I'd rather pay someone else for the weeds they pulled out of their garden. Wait a second...

1 bunch of well cleaned verdolagas, ends trimmed then chopped into about 1-inch sections
1 pound boneless pork chops, cubed (get pork with the fat NOT trimmed off)
1 small onion, sliced into rings
1 clover of garlic, minced
2 large tomatoes, diced
3-4 fresh jalapeno chiles, seeded, de-veined and minced
salt and pepper to taste
chopped cilantro, about 1/4 cup

Salsa verde
sour cream

Boil the verdolagas for about ten minutes. Drain and set aside.

Season pork with salt and pepper. Fry the pork until very crispy and browned. Scoop out and set aside.

In the frying pan you fried the pork in, add the onion and fry until caramelized. Add the tomatoes, chiles, garlic, and salsa verde and cook down until you have a soupy sauce. (I used about 1/2 cup of salsa verde and served some on the side as well.) Add salt and pepper to taste and chopped cilantro, then add the pork and verdolagas.

Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The recipe recommends serving with beans, rice, and tortillas. I served with tortillas and brown rice. I thought it tasted best served over brown rice with a little sour cream on top.

Peach Ice Cream
from use real butter

I loved this peach ice cream recipe!

3 large peaches, peeled, pitted, chopped
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon juice

Cook peaches and water in a covered saucepan on medium heat for about 10 minutes or until soft. Give it a stir a few times. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Let mixture cool to room temperature. Purée mixture in blender with remaining ingredients (leave some chunks if desired). Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator or over an ice bath then freeze in your ice cream maker.

Carson’s Corn Bread
from use real butter

4 tbsps unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg, room temperature
1 cup milk
1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Position oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F. Grease an 8×8-inch square pan with butter or cooking spray and dust with flour. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, milk, yogurt (or sour cream), and sugar. Add the remaining dry ingredients and stir together until just blended. Don’t overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-22 minutes or until the top begins to turn golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Just take care not to overbake or else the cornbread will be too dry. Cool on a wire rack and serve.

Texas Caesar Salad
adapted from Bon Appetit

I liked this salad. Not as much as the Mexican Caesar salad, but I still really liked it.

• 2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 jalapeno chili, seeded, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 8 cups bite-size pieces romaine lettuce (from 2 heads)
• croutons
• 1 tomato, diced
  
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 2 ears sweet white corn, kernels removed, sauteed in butter and seasoned with salt and pepper
• Feta cheese
  

• Puree first 9 ingredients in processor until smooth. Gradually add olive oil and process until blended. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Combine romaine lettuce and next 4 ingredients in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Garnish with additional grated Parmesan.

Best Roasted Chicken I've ever made with Root Beer Ice Cream

I've been making roast chicken for a long time. I always use Ina's recipe and I'm never fully satisfied. It always ends up tasting kind of greasy. I have an abundance of fresh thyme and oregano growing in pots on my deck and I thought a thyme-oregano roasted chicken recipe was in order. I combined Ina's with this other recipe I found online and here's what I came up with:

Lemon Roasted Chicken

• 1 5lb whole chicken, rinsed
  
• 2 lemons
• 1 bunch of fresh thyme
• 1 handful of fresh oregano
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
  
• Kosher salt
• Freshly cracked pepper
• 1 head of garlic
  

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Carefully rinse chicken with cold water. Take cloves of garlic from the head of garlic and mince. Chop half of the time and oregano (leave the rest to stuff inside the cavity.) Mix minced garlic with the juice from the lemons, chopped thyme, chopped oregano, and olive oil. Rub evenly over the entire bird. Carefully, lift the skin over the breasts and rub the mixture directly on the breast meat. Next, sprinkle the salt and pepper all over the entire bird. Salt and pepper the inside of the chicken as well. Place the lemon rinds, remaining thyme (including stems) and remaining oregano inside the cavity of the chicken along with the rest of the garlic head, sliced in half, cross-ways.

Place chicken on a rack inside dish. Truss the chicken. Place the meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, making sure not to touch bone. Roast uncovered for 1 1/2 hours or until thermometer reads 170 degrees. I start basting the bird after 2 hours and repeat every 1/2 an hour after that. If you want crispy skin, stop basting for the last hour of cooking time. Remove from the oven and let the bird "rest" for at least 10 minutes before carving. Enjoy!

The root beer ice cream wasn't available for photographs due to the fact that it was consumed much too quickly by the four of us. I got the idea from Natalie and Ray and I am forever in their debt because of it!

Root Beer Ice Cream

2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup half and half
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2-3/4 tsp root beer extract (taste as you add. You want it to be just right!)

Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Pour in the cream, half and half, milk and extracts and whisk to blend.

Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze following the manufacturer's directions.

A juxtaposition

I have really sad news. I'm just devastated. After 8 or more weeks of rigorous exercise- I've lost count- I'm not quite seeing the results I'd like, so I'm resorting to (gasp!) dieting for the next seven weeks until I leave for my cruise. So the following recipe is one last hoorah for a while as I'm giving up decadent desserts and focusing more on (ew, gross) healthy recipes. I feel like a traitor. I'm going to miss my butter, cream, and chocolate so much.

Profiteroles with White Chocolate Ice Cream and Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce

Choux Pastry Puffs Recipe adapted from Tartelette's Choux a la Creme with modifications from Baking with Julia

85g all-purpose flour
75ml water
75ml whole milk
65g unsalted butter
2 eggs + 1 egg white
1T sugar
pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 425F. Set up a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
Sift the flour and set aside. Heat the water, milk, butter, and salt to a full rolling boil. Stir the flour into the liquid with a heavy wooden spoon, adding it as fast as it can be absorbed, but not all at once or it will form clumps. Cook the paste, stirring constantly and breaking up lumps if necessary, until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Transfer the dough to the mixer bowl and stir at low speed to cool the paste slightly, so that the eggs will not cook when added. On medium-low, mix in the eggs one at a time, then the egg white. The dough should have the consistency of thick mayonnaise.
While the dough is still warm, place it in a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe quarter-sized puffs about 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat, then use a moistened spoon (or finger) to smooth out the tails at the top.
Bake at for 15 minutes at 425F without opening the oven door, then reduce heat to 350F and continue to bake until done, about 7 to 12 minutes.
To check for doneness, remove one puff from the sheet and tap the underside with your fingers; it should feel firm and hollow. (If you undercook the puffs, they may deflate as they cool, so err on the side of golden brown rather than pale). When baked through, remove the puffs from the oven and let cool.

White Chocolate Ice Cream

I'm so thrilled to finally find a white chocolate ice cream recipe that I just love. This was adapted from David Lebovitz's website.
About 1 quart (1 liter)

2/3 cup (130 g) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
1 cup plus 1 cup heavy cream (500 ml, total)
8 ounces (230 g) white chocolate, finely chopped
5 large egg yolks

1. Warm the sugar, the milk and 1 cup of heavy cream in a saucepan.

2. Put the chopped white chocolate in a large bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, then gradually add some of the cream mixture, whisking constantly as you pour in the warm cream. Pour the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

4. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heat-resistant spatula until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula. Strain the custard into the white chocolate, and stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Add the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream and chill thoroughly. You can set the bowl over an ice bath to speed it up.

5. Chill mixture thoroughly, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Easiest Chocolate Sauce Recipe

Confession time: I cheated and used a jar of Scharffen-Berger chocolate sauce I already had on hand. (It's delicious and locally made, so it's hard to feel too guilty.) But making your own chocolate sauce is dead simple with this recipe, which I've used in the past with great results.

6oz best-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3T water
1/4 cup heavy cream

Set a a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Melt all ingredients in the bowl, stirring until the mixture is smooth.

To assemble the profiteroles:
Cut each puff in half through the equator; it's easiest if you use a serrated knife. Place three bottom layers on each plate; top each with a small scoop of chartreuse ice cream. Place the tops on the puffs, and drizzle with chocolate sauce.


So out with the old and in with the new. Okay so maybe healthy recipes don't deserve that "ew, gross" I labeled them with before. I tried this one tonight for dinner and it was pretty good. A little on the spicy side. Since I'm serving this to little children, maybe next time I'll cut down the cayenne pepper a little more. But the point is, I think there definitely will be a next time.

Indian-Spiced Chicken Burgers

Serves 4.

• 1 1/2 pounds (4 to 5) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into rough chunks
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger (from a peeled 2-inch piece)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• Vegetable oil, for grates
• 4 (6-inch) whole-wheat pitas
• 1 cucumber (8 ounces), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs
• Cumin yogurt sauce (see recipe below)

Directions

1. Heat grill to medium-high. In a medium bowl, place chicken, scallions, ginger, lemon juice, paprika, cumin, cardamom, cayenne, 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; toss to combine. Set aside to marinate, at least 10 and up to 30 minutes.
2. Transfer chicken mixture to a food processor; pulse until roughly chopped, but not pasty, 10 to 12 times. Gently form mixture into sixteen 3/4-inch-thick patties (about 3 tablespoons each).
3. Moisten a folded paper towel with oil; grasp with tongs and rub over grates. Season patties with salt and pepper; grill until opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
4. For the Cumin Yogurt Sauce: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt with 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; season with coarse salt and ground pepper.
5. Halve pitas crosswise (toast on grill, if you like). Into each pocket, place 2 chicken patties, cucumber slices, and cilantro sprigs. Serve with Cumin Yogurt Sauce.

Blueberry Vanilla Swirl Ice Cream

I actually wasn't crazy about this recipe. What is different about the frozen custard I make at home and the frozen custard I buy at Culver's or Fritz's or Freddy's? My home version coats the inside of my mouth and tastes very egg-y and I really prefer the non-custard way. I do however think I would make this again and use a different recipe- old faithful- and add the blueberry marble to that instead.

Blueberry Vanilla Swirl Ice Cream
from Tartelette

4 egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean or 1 Tb vanilla paste
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup sugar

In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick. Run a knife through the center of the vanilla bean, not cutting all the way through, split it open and with the tip of a pairing knife, scrape the seeds. Place them in a saucepan over medium heat, add the milk and cream to boiling point but do not let it boil. Slowly pour the hot cream onto the egg yolks mixture and stir to combine (tempering). Pour the whole mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the cream coats the back of spoon. At this point you have a thick custard sauce. Remove from the heat and let cool completely, refrigerate until cold, or overnight.
In the meantime prepare the blueberries: in a small saucepan, combine the berries and the sugar and cook over medium low heat until the berries start to pop and release their natural juices. Let cool completely.
Process the custard according to your ice cream maker manufacturer's instructions and towards the last couple of minutes of churning time pour in the cooled blueberries and give it a couple of swirls. Pour the soft ice cream into a freezer safe container until it reaches your preferred consistency.
If you do not have an ice cream machine: take care of the vanilla ice cream first, during your last whipping, add the blueberries the same way and freeze.

Lemon Ice Cream

We've been absolutely crazy for this ice cream for some time now. I did a homemade ice-cream making demo at cooking club and this is one of the recipes I used. Actually Erin made this for us last summer at Benny's birthday party and I remembered liking it so I thought it would be a good one to use for the demo since it's so simple to put together. It was even better than I remembered!! Bobby loves it. The flavor of this lemon ice cream is subtle and sweet, not tart. I love the combination of the vanilla and lemon extracts. I've adapted the recipe to fit into my cuisinart and changed the amounts just a little bit. To tell you the truth, I really never make it the same way ever. I am always playing with the amounts, so here's how I made it the other night and I was really happy with it.

Erin's Lemon Ice Cream

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 T Mexican vanilla
1 tsp lemon extract (maybe a little more, but not much. I usually taste it before I put it in the machine to be sure I am happy with the flavor. The best thing about this recipe to me is the subtlety so you don't want to overdo it.)
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 cup half and half
1 1/2 cups milk (whole is best- I only had 1% and it was fine)
pinch of salt

Whisk eggs and gradually add sugar. Mix until thoroughly blended and then add creams, milk, salt, and flavorings. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions.

I love peanut butter

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Mmmmm....

I really like the recipe for peanut butter ice cream in the Ben and Jerry's cookbook. It's easy, it's fast, and DELICIOUS!!! Bobby is a huge fan and so am I. He bought me a pack of six Reese's peanut butter hearts for Valentine's day- oh yeah baby, you know what I like- and suggested we try using it in an ice cream. I thought it was brilliant.

2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup milk
(I've been using 1 cup whipping cream, 1/2 cup half and half, and 1 1/2 cups whole milk to cut out some of the fat.)
1/3 cup peanut butter
4 Reese's Peanut Butter Holiday shapes* (trees, hearts, easter eggs, pumpkins), chopped into small pieces

Whisk the eggs and then add the sugar, whisking it in a little at a time. Whisk in cream and milk until blended well. Remove 1 cup of cream mixture and whisk with peanut butter until blended. Add peanut butter cream mixture back into the rest of the cream mixture and freeze in ice cream maker. About two minutes before the ice cream is done, add the chopped Reese's.

*You could most certainly use the standard Reese's cups in place of these holiday shapes but I would warn against simply because the holiday versions are fresh and soft and much more peanut buttery than the cups.

Vanilla Ice Cream with Snickers Fudge Sauce

French Vanilla Ice Cream

2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk*
2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Pour in the cream, milk, and vanilla and whisk to blend.

2. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze following the manufacturer's instructions.

*I think I actually did one cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup half and half, and 1 1/2 cups whole milk instead of the 2 cups cream/1 cup milk like the recipe says.


And remember this little gem I found in Nigella's Feast cookbook from the library? It did not disappoint. It's a really cool recipe- just do what it says, even though at first you may wonder how is this going to ever start to look like a fudge sauce. Trust Nigella- she will never lead you astray.

Peanut Butter and Snickers Fudge Sauce for Ice Cream

1 cup heavy cream
1/2 jar smooth peanut butter (approx 1/3 cup)
3 Tbs dark brown sugar
1 king-size Snickers bar (approx. 3 oz.) broken into pieces
1 Tbs dark corn syrup

Place all of the ingredients in a saucepan and heat gently. When everything has melted, raise to a simmer, stirring and scraping the pan for about 3 minutes.

Raspberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

2 cups sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 large eggs
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups milk
2 cups whipping cream
4 teaspoons grated fresh lemon or orange zest (optional)

Beat the sugar and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Set aside. In a saucepan, bring milk to a simmer. Slowly beat the hot milk into the cream cheese mixture. Place back over medium heat and stir until it thickens slightly. Refrigerate until cold. Add in the whipping cream and the zest if desired. Freeze as directed.

For the raspberry swirl: Mix 3 cups frozen raspberries (thawed and drained) with powdered sugar (1 cup?) and mash together. Fold into ice cream while it's still soft before putting it in the freezer.

Bobby's birthday menu

After I made the Tzatziki this week, I couldn't stop thinking about gyros, so I asked Bobby how he felt about a Greek birthday dinner. He was all for it! I had a VERY small leg of lamb in the freezer, and a Barefoot Contessa recipe I've been wanting to try out. I was a little nervous about a yogurt marinade. I'd never done a marinade like that before. It was AMAZING. So succulent and tender and flavorful! Oh my goodness. I wished it was a bigger roast! There was just enough for us to each have a gyro.

2 lbs. plain yogurt (regular or low-fat)
1/2 cup good olive oil
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup fresh whole rosemary leaves
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 5 lb. butterflied leg of lamb

Combine the yogurt, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, rosemary, salt and pepper in a large, nonreactive bowl. Add the lamb, making sure it is covered with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight or up to 3 days.

Bring the lamb to room temperature. Scrape the marinade off the lamb, wipe the meat with paper towels, and season it generously with salt and pepper. Place on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 10 minutes at 450 and then bring the temperature down to 400 and roast until internal temperature is 145 degrees. Remove the lamb to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Then slice and serve.



And the ice cream... Mmmm- that was good. I've been holding onto that recipe for a long time and it did not disappoint.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

4 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 c milk
2 large eggs
1 c sugar
1 T vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1 cup heavy whipping cream

1. Melt the unsweetened chocolate in pan over low heat (or use a double-boiler.) Gradually whisk in the milk and heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool.
2. Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Add the cream, vanilla, and salt and whisk to blend.
3. Pour the chocolate mixture into the cream mixture and blend. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 1-3 hours, depending on your refrigerator.
4. Transfer the mixture to ice cream maker and freeze.
5. Just before transferring cream mixture to ice cream maker, remove 1 cup cream mixture and blend with 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter until smooth. Add blended mixture to the rest of the cream mixture and add to machine.

Chocolate Oreo Ice Cream

I got a new toy! Bobby got me a counter-top ice cream maker for Christmas. I love it! It's so simple- no rock salt, no ice, just a double insulated freezer bowl! (Cuisinart should be paying me for this.) As a thank you, I made one of Bobby's favorite flavors, Ben & Jerry's chocolate oreo. I was amazed that it tasted even better to me the next day. It scooped out beautifully.

My favorite things about my new ice cream maker:

• No extra trips to the grocery store for ice and salt! Keep the bowl in the freezer and you can make ice cream whenever you want.
• It only takes 20-30 minutes.
• You can watch the whole ice cream making process and add your toppings without having to stop the machine.

The only problem is that now all I want to do is make ice cream. Which is even worse when you consider that I'm also getting really into cheesecake-making. Yikes. Why couldn't I be passionate about flax seed or lentils or something.

Here's the recipe:

Ben's chocolate ice cream

4 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 c milk
2 large eggs
1 c sugar
1 T vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1 cup heavy whipping cream

1. Melt the unsweetened chocolate in pan over low heat (or use a double-boiler.) Gradually whisk in the milk and heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool.
2. Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Add the cream, vanilla, and salt and whisk to blend.
3. Pour the chocolate mixture into the cream mixture and blend. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 1-3 hours, depending on your refrigerator.
4. Transfer the mixture to ice cream maker and freeze.
5. Add 1 cup crushed oreos five minutes before ice cream is done. (This is also good if you add 1 tsp peppermint extract. Add that with the cream in step 2.)