Roasting a Chicken in a Bundt Pan - Bonus Bundt! :)

Roasting a Chicken in a Bundt Pan

In my search for Bundt cake recipes, I came across this hilarious article on The Kitchn:

The Naughty Way to Roast a Chicken by Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan.

You've got to read it! She talks about roasting a chicken by plunging onto the... well, you get the idea.

I started by lining a sheet tray with foil and placing the bundt pan on top. I threw in a mixture of small potatoes (love that my farmers market sells a nice trio of baby potatoes).

I'll be honest with you. In the Kitchn article, they used a nice Nordic Ware Bundt pan...but I wasn't going to do that. Sometimes kitchen items should just stay sweet and not get into the savory, chicken fat and possible burning side of life. Besides, I cranked up the heat in the oven with the convection roast setting and, just to be on the safe side, I used an old second-hand bundt pan.

I got this Bundt pan at a second-hand kitchenwares place in San Francisco called Cookin': Recycled Gourmet Appurtenances.  It's crazy stocked full of stuff. If you are ever in the area, go visit. The owner has been there since fire was invented, and she's kinda, well, interesting, but she's got tons of merchandise...and knows where everything is located!

This is a 3 1/4 pound chicken. I sprinkled on some salt and pepper. I hardly cook so I forgot that I should have buttered the thing until about 30 minutes into roasting...then I grabbed it and tried to put some on. Yes, I think I should stick to baking Bundts! Anyway, this is way easy to do...even I can do it! :)


Of course, you can add parsnips, carrots, onions and other veggies to round out the collection. And the best part? When they are done, they have the flavors from the chicken. Yes!

The bottom of the chicken doesn't get as brown as the top...but I was okay with that. And you might think that lots of juice ran down the center of the hole, but nothing ended up on the foil. I've seen beer can chicken set ups and this is like it...but better because it's in a Bundt pan. :)


Another Bundt pan idea: Frozen Christmas Wreath! My friend East Coast Mary made one in Connecticut a few years ago. Place "natural stuff" in a pan with some water and set outside overnight. I can't do this in Los Angeles, but those in Duluth with 28 inches of snow (Hi Sunshine!) might want to try it!

For the chicken, I roughly followed Sara Kate's humorous recipe. It's pretty much like other chicken roasting, but this time in a cool Bundt pan! Enjoy!

Recipe & more info: The Naughty Way to Roast a Chicken by Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan of the Kitchn.

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New Mexico Hatch Chile Pork Chili

New Mexico Hatch Green Chile Pork Chili

It's New Mexico Hatch Green Chile season! Whoo hoo! Hatch Green Chiles are grown in a certain part of New Mexico and they get trucked into California and other states only in August/September. They are great tasting chiles.

I've been to a Hatch Chile roasting in 2010 - see this post. It's a good time and the smell is freaking amazing. Recently, Frieda's Produce sent me a few fresh samples. (Frieda's sell produce to many stores - I'm sure you've purchased something from them in the past).

Hatch Green Chiles can be roasted then frozen to enjoy all year long. You can use them in salsas, chilis, egg dishes and so much more. Frieda's has some recipes here.

There is one more weekend of Hatch Chile Roasting! It is much easier to have them roasted for you in the parking lot. Then you can bring them home and repackage into small freezer bags so you can enjoy them all year. Find a roasting event in California, Texas and some midwest/northeast states here.

If you don't have a roasting event near you, find Hatch Chiles in your local grocery store (I've seen them at Ralphs, Sprouts and Whole Foods in Los Angeles) and roast them yourself at home. You can do this in the oven, but I prefer the gas stove method. Roast until charred, then...

...place the charred chiles in a plastic bag to sweat it out for 15-20 minutes. Then you can easily scrap off the skin. If you wish, you can also remove the seeds because that is where a lot of the heat is located.

Hatch chiles are produced in Mild, Medium and Hot varieties. I usually get the medium and that's plenty spicy for me...I also remove the seeds.

I made a Pork Chile recipe that's based on a dish my Auntie Joy brings each year to our annual Mochi Day.

It's really simply! Brown some pork (I found this package of "Lean Pork Stew Meat" at Sprouts for less than $3.00, but my cousin suggests using a fattier meat such as pork butt or shoulder) and add chopped tomatillos, tomatoes and Hatch Chiles. Cook until softened and enjoy! 

Serve anyway you want...
With tortillas (I love a rolled up corn tortilla)
In a tortilla (dude, it makes a great burrito filling)
Over rice (dude, I'm Asian and this works for all types of food)
With tortilla chips (yes, deep fried anything goes with chili, right?)

Recipe:
New Mexico Hatch Green Chile Pork Chili

Thanks Auntie Joy for the inspiration for this recipe

1/2 pound pork, cut into small pieces (suggestion: pork butt or shoulder)

1 pound tomatillos (about 10 pieces), chopped

1 large or 2 small tomatoes, chopped

2-3 Hatch New Mexico Chiles, charred with skin removed (optional: keep or remove seeds)

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

In a medium pot, heat olive oil and brown pork pieces over high heat.

Toss the tomatillos, tomatoes and chiles into the pot. Lower heat to a simmer.

Simmer for 45-60 minutes, until everything has broken down and it's a hot mess of yumminess.
Enjoy!

Note #1: Freezes very well.
Note #2: Do not add any liquid. The tomatillos and tomatoes express enough liquid for the dish.

What if you don't have Hatch Chiles at your disposal? You can use those canned green chiles but it won't be nearly as delicious. Really. Go out and get the Hatch Chiles, roast & freeze 'em!

Disclosure: Frieda's Produce sent me Hatch New Mexico Chiles to sample (less than 2 pounds). I was not compensated and opinions are my own.

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English Peas and Rice

English Peas and Rice

This blog started as a way for me to document my attempts at baking. Back in 2007 (can't believe the blog is that old), I was trying to go from cake-box baking to baking from scratch. Only my closest friends read this blog. Then, somehow, a few more people started reading it. I've been lucky to meet  people via the blog that I now consider some of my best friends. It's been an interesting journey. Sometimes, I go back and read  earlier posts...especially the ones where I'm traveling, eating out and visiting friends. This blog truly is an open online diary so I won't forget special people, places and times.

This post is simply about documenting the taste of English peas in summer. It's not about the recipe (toss in peas in rice), but about the fun of grabbing all the little peas...and eating half of them raw because they are fresh and delicious.

Ahhh. So pretty. I want to remember this.

If everyone had fresh peas, there might be peas on earth.

I bought these at the farmers market. They also have a big container of shelled peas. That seems like it takes away a bit of the fun so I always buy them whole.

Premium brown rice (purchased at the Japanese grocery store - Nijiya and Mitsuwa have great selections of premium California rice) and the Zojirushi rice cooker (pricey but it's just lovely to have perfectly cooked rice available for hours).

I just threw a handful of peas into the rice cooker and pressed start. They come out mushy (very English :)

Along with stone fruits, English peas are edible summer. Hope your summer is off to a great start! - mary

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Arugula Salad with Blood Oranges, Beets, Avocado and Almonds

Arugula Salad with Blood Oranges, Beets, Avocado and Almonds

I went to the Bay Area last weekend and had the most lovely time! The next few posts will be about the trip.

While there, my friend Sumi made the most delicious salad for lunch for me and my other UCLA roommate, Diane. I'm lucky to have such wonderful friends - you know the ones where you pick up just where you left off no matter how much time there is between visits? Sumi and Diane are those friends (although I promise to visit more frequently so the stretches aren't so long!)

Sumi went to the Ferry Building's Farmer's Market and found great citrus including blood oranges, and golden beets. She adapted a vinaigrette from a Martha Stewart cookbook.

We microwaved the beets to save some time. I love golden beets - they are sweeter than red beets, and they don't get all over your hands...an added bonus.

Sumi picked up some Asian pears...my favorite. Asian pears are perfect for a snack tray because they don't brown like regular apples.

The salad was a reflection of California agriculture! Everything was grown locally: arugula, avocado, blood orange, almonds, golden beets.


Because Sumi is just kinda awesome, she had some poached pears in the refrig. These are Harry & David pears too - awesome! Topped with caramel sauce, ice cream and/or herbs...lovely finish to our delicious lunch.

Friends.
Food.
That's all you really need.

After lunch, we went for a hike (Diane and I call it that) or walk (Sumi's description) in Golden Gate Park...passing the de Young museum, Stow Lake and getting to the top of Strawberry Hill for some fantastic views of the beautiful city and county of San Francisco.

Salad ingredients:
Arugula
Almonds
Avocado
Golden beets - peeled, cooked, and diced into bite-size pieces
Blood oranges
Shaves of parm cheese

Vinaigrette:
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil (depends on preference)
1 t grated orange zest and 1 t grated lemon zest
1 T - 2T orange juice (depends on preference)
1 t lemon juice
3 T red wine vinegar
1/2 small shallot, mince
Salt & pepper to taste

Whisk together. Taste and adjust seasoning. Dress salad. 

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Potatoes Anna - Everyday Food

Potatoes Anna

Need something pretty and easy to bring to a holiday gathering? This is the ticket.

I found this classic French dish in Everyday Food's Fresh Flavor Fast book. There are only two main ingredients: potatoes and melted butter. You probably have the fixings for this in your kitchen right now.

Mandolin the potatoes (the recipe calls for six potatoes, but I made mine with four potatoes so it was shorter than it is should be). I use this Japanese mandoline that is pretty inexpensive (from a Japanese store - it's more expensive on Amazon), and it works great. The lady on the box cover looks so happy to slice vegetables too... ;)

Using melted butter, butter the cast iron pan, and layer potatoes in a pretty pattern. Season with salt and pepper and brush with more butter. Top with another layer of potatoes. Cook the dish on the stove for 2-4 minutes...to get the butter to crisp the bottom layer of potatoes - since the dish is inverted, this will be the top later.

** Update: A librarian came up to me at a meeting and said she made this dish! Love when that happens! However, I wanted to update you...we both though you could easily trim some of the butter on this dish. I thought it was really buttery, but I'm not one to eat much butter on my potatoes. She also thought it was too buttery...and her husband thought it was perfect! So, if you want a less buttery dish, you can cut some of the butter...but if you are serving it to people who like the buttery flavor, then don't mess with it.

It's baked for about an hour in a hot oven until the potatoes are cooked through. When it comes out of the oven, the tops of the potatoes might be browned. Carefully flip it out onto a platter and enjoy the compliments from everyone! 

According to Everyday Food, you can bake this ahead up to eight hours (let it cool, cover and refrigerate and then reheat at 350 degrees before serving).

Recipe:
Potatoes Anna from Martha Stewart

6 medium russet potatoes (2 3/4 pounds total), peeled
6 tablespoons butter, melted
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Slice potatoes as thinly as possible, 1/4 inch thick or thinner. Do not place sliced potatoes in water; the starch is needed to bind the layers.

Brush bottom of a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with 1 1/2 tablespoons butter. Starting in center of pan, arrange potato slices, slightly overlapping, in circular pattern. Brush with another 1 1/2 tablespoons butter; season  with salt and pepper. Repeat for two more layers (I only had two layers total because I used four potatoes)

Place over high heat on the stove until butter in pan sizzles, 2 to 4 minutes.

Transfer to oven; bake until potatoes are fork-tender, about 1 hour. Remove from oven. Run a small spatula around edges of potatoes; slide large spatula underneath potatoes to loosen. Carefully invert onto a plate, and cut into wedges.

   

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Pasta with Goat Cheese, Spinach & Peas

Pasta with Goat Cheese, Spinach & Peas

Here is a simple recipe for a quick pasta dish. My friend Sunshine made a version of this (with roasted zucchini) when I visited her in Duluth several years ago. She only had one child then...and now she has her beautiful daughter, B and twin sons O & S. What makes this dish so easy is that you don't need to make a sauce...just melt some goat cheese with the pasta water!

For this dish, simply boil pasta. In the last minute of cooking, I threw in some fresh baby spinach. Pull out a cup of the pasta water and set aside. While it is cooking, nuke some frozen peas until hot (or throw them into the pasta water).

In a large bowl, whisk together the goat cheese (I used 2 1/2 ounces, but you can add the whole 5 ounce package depending on your taste preference) and about 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Add the drained pasta and spinach, and throw in the hot peas. Toss to combine and add more pasta water if needed.

This is adapted from Everyday Food's Pasta with Goat Cheese and Roasted Asparagus.

To those affected by Sandy, my thoughts are with you, your family and community. The photos are heartbreaking. I hope everyone donates to the Red Cross or assistance organization. - mary 

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Frozen Burritos

Lunch. Dinner. Lunch. Lunch. Dinner. 

I'm working a 4/10 schedule now (four days, ten hour days). I need to leave the house at 6 am and get home around 7 pm. After walking/jogging the dog, I don't have much time in the evening for cooking, baking, or much else. I keep meaning to make a menu plan...but often end up at Chipotle or zipping through the market for some to-go sushi.

Inspired by Tracy at Shutterbean, I made a batch of frozen burritos one Sunday afternoon. I often buy the Amy's Bean Burrito for $3 but they aren't spicy enough and are a little too big.

Wrapped in parchment paper, these are ready to bring to work and nuke for lunch. Do you use blue painters tape in the kitchen? I use it all the time. Blue tape, parchment and a Sharpie (mark the date made) are staples in my kitchen.

I made some brown rice and added salsa. I know, totally not authentic Spanish/Mexican rice with sauteed onions and tomatoes...but I was in a hurry.

I found this Frontera tomatillo sauce from Rick Bayless at my local Sprouts Market (it's very good). And I used these whole wheat flour tortilla. Tortillas come in a zillion shapes and sizes now...so you can make these burritos big or small.

I went to the Farmer's Market in the morning and picked up some fresh veggies. I roasted the zucchini, corn, and red pepper in the oven and let it cool off before making the burritos.

I softened the tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds-1 minute (wrapped in damp towel) or you can steam them - depends on the size and type of tortilla. I filled mine with rice, black beans, roasted veggies, salsa, fresh cilantro (I should have chopped that cilantro a bit), black olives (I just love olives and could put them on anything...I know they usually aren't in burritos but these are MY burritos so they get olives :), and topped it with tomatillo and sriracha sauce (I was out of Cholula sauce). Of course, you can add cheese, meat, and lots of other goodies...just don't overfill or it won't close!

Freeze solid and microwave for 3 minutes on high when you are too tired to make lunch or dinner.

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Spinach and Ham Quiche - French Fridays with Dorie

Spinach and Ham Quiche

This week, the French Fridays with Dorie group made Spinach and Bacon Quiche from Dorie Greenspan's cookbook Around my French Table.

I did make and eat this on Friday, but ran a little late in my posting.

I'm going to tell you something. In confidence. You know, between you and me.

I stepped on the bathroom scale the other day and there was a number (in big, bright blue digital characters) that is just not right with the world. I mean, the biggest number I've ever seen. Ever.

I'm afraid the state or feds are gonna come barging through the door, while I'm standing in front of an open refrigerator, and arrest me for perjury...for the weight shown my driver's license is, um, not close to the actual number. Oy vey. I need to move a lot more and eat a lot less.

So, I tried to lighten up my little quiche. I dropped the crust and the bacon. I replaced the bacon with small pieces of ham (way less in fat). But it didn't lose any flavor.

Finally, I know this probably isn't anywhere "around my French table", but I did eat my second half with some Salsa Lizano sauce from Costa Rica. It goes perfectly with egg dishes. :)

Be sure to check out my fellow French Fridays with Dorie members and see their creations!

Please note: French Fridays with Dorie will not be posting recipes. Please support Dorie and purchase the book or find it at your library.

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Fava Beans with Corn and Walnuts

Fava beans are in season! I've been seeing them in the Farmer's Market. When I saw the fava beans and the first-of-the-season white corn, I knew I had to make a summer side dish.

Shell the beans and then blanch or steam them for a few minutes.

After, the outer coating is removed, leaving a bright green fava bean.

I cut fresh white corn off the cob. Some olive oil is heated in a pan and the corn and fava beans are heated through. I threw in some walnuts at the last minute. Season to your liking!

Ingredients:
Fava beans
Fresh white corn
Walnuts
Olive oil, salt & pepper

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Quinoa, Fruit and Nut Salad - French Fridays with Dorie

This week, the French Fridays with Dorie group made Quinoa, Fruit and Nut Salad from Dorie Greenspan's cookbook Around my French Table. Sure, I'm a day late in posting, but I did make and eat it on Friday! :)

I've eaten quinoa in the past, but never cooked with the ancient super grain. To tell the truth, I'm having some issues with quinoa...because I feel I should buy one box and send one box back to Bolivia. Did you hear that in Bolivia, where they've been eating quinoa for a zillion years, locals are being priced out of the market? Because of the worldwide demand for quinoa, the price of quinoa has increased and many poor Bolivians cannot afford quinoa. And now they are eating cheap, less nutritious processed foods, rice and noodles. Oy vey. (Articles from: NYTimes "Quinoa’s Global Success Creates Quandary at Home" 3/19/2011, The Week, NPR)

This salad is very adaptable. I used dried cranberries, golden raisins, almonds, and sunflower seeds. My dressing included pink grapefruit, Meyer lemon juice, olive oil, and fresh ginger. I didn't have any fresh herbs around, so I chiffonade lettuce instead. I skipped the dollop of yogurt.


Be sure to check out my fellow French Fridays with Dorie members and see their creations!

Please note: French Fridays with Dorie will not be posting recipes. Please support Dorie and purchase the book or find it at your library.

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