End of Summer Gazpacho

I've been trying to make all my favorite summer dishes before I head into hearty fares that come with the fall season.  One of my all-time favorites is Gazpacho, a traditional Spanish cold vegetable soup.  Although there are several different recipes in Spain, some ingredients remain constant - tomato and cucumber.  This makes Gazpacho fresh, healthy, and fast.  This recipe serves 2-3 people.

Ingredients:

1 can of Hunts diced tomatoes

1 large cucumber

2 cloves of garlic

1 lemon's juice

1 red pepper

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Optional: small white onion

Optional: sprig of basil for garnish and aroma

Assemble your ingredients.  Peel the cucumber, and have your blender nearby to start adding ingredients.

In no particular order, add your canned tomatoes and olive oil.

The centerpiece of the soup is the cucumber, so make sure you get a big one or two small ones to get the proper flavor proportions. Cube the cucumber to make for easier blending.

Dice the red pepper. I use red pepper in this case because it is sweeter, lends a good color, and it just more traditional. Yellow and green peppers have their strengths in other dishes.

Give a quick mince to the garlic, the blender will do the rest.

Put the lemon in the microwave for 30 seconds on high.  It will help break down the inside of the fruit to release maximum juice.  I squeeze the lemon half facing up so that I can catch the seeds as they pop out while the juice trickles between my fingers into the blender.

Surprise! Your gazpacho is orange.  But it doesn't matter.  It will be delicious and taste straight from the garden even if you went to the supermarket.  In Spain, it is often enjoyed in a glass with ice, but it is equally acceptable to have it in a bowl. Garnish with basil or diced white onions if desired.  Bon appétit!

Delicious Simple Spaghetti with Red Sauce

This dish is, by far, my favorite dish not only to eat, but to make. It reminds me of, well, essentially my entire childhood. As with many families, spaghetti was and always will be a major staple on the dinner table.  My family's red sauce has always been a "family secret" until now. I hope it can bring as much joy and comfort to you as it has to me on countless nights.  This recipe will make enough for two or three people.

Ingredients:

1 can Hunt's brand tomato sauce (I can't emphasize enough that it must be SAUCE not chunks or paste)

2 large cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons of Italian herbs

1 tablespoon of paprika

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

1/2 pound of spaghetti pasta

small block of your favorite hard cheese

Optional ingredients:

Teaspoon balsamic/sherry vinegar

Heaping spoonful of cream cheese

Teaspoon of sugar

 

My ingredients aren't usually pre-measured, but I just got these fantastic stainless portion cups. The first step is to peel your garlic. (I usually use the smash and separate method)

My apologies. I just think they're so cool! Sam's Club had them at a great deal too.  I recommend to every student to shop at Sam's you save so much money by buying in bulk.

I have a garlic press, but a fine mince using salt as an abrasive to mash with on the cutting board works just as well. Add the olive oil, turn the burner on medium, and scrape in your  fresh garlic.  

Wait until the oil starts to simmer and add the paprika, salt, pepper and Italian spices to give them time to infuse the oil for a couple minutes. Careful not to burn anything at this stage! Garlic can burn easily. Stir occasionally. Optional: add the balsamic and allow to reduce for a more tangy sauce.

Give it approximately two minutes and then add your can of sauce. Stir occasionally on low heat.  This would be the time to add your sugar if you like a sweeter sauce. Similarly, if you want a creamier, richer and more subtle sauce, stir in a spoon of cream cheese until fully incorporated. I like mine very savory and light so no additions for me. 

Your sauce is done, but the longer it simmers, the better it will taste so leave it be for a while. Start your pot of water to help you pass the time. When it boils add the pasta.  You should test your pasta rather than just timing it. It provides better results and is WAY more fun, or am I the only one who gets a kick out of testing spaghetti for the perfect al dente consistancy?

Strain the pasta but don't rinse. You want the sauce to stick.  Grate your favorite hard cheese over the sauce and pasta. I have an old grater but no matter, and I use Pecorino Romano cheese (also much cheaper to buy at Sam's) which I find superior to Parmesan for many dishes, although parmesan and Asiago would work just as well.

I LOVE cheese. As a result, it doesn't make for a very photogenic plate. I'll sacrifice beauty for taste any day though.

Finally, dig in.  Some argue that onions and meats belong in spaghetti sauces. The answer is yes, they do, but I would contend that makes them into meat sauces or marinaras, whereas a red sauce is named just that because of its inherent simplicity. Bon appetit!  

Thai Spicy Peanut Sauce

This sauce is amazing because it works with many different mediums.  I prefer it on pasta. Also, it tastes exotic and familiar at the same time. Lastly, it tastes amazing fresh and best of all...reheated for those times you have no interest in cooking or doing dishes.  I will also include an alternate (and easier) recipe at the end for those without a Cuisinart food processor or blender at their disposal. Makes 4-5 servings.

Ingredients:

1 cup roasted peanuts

1 sprig of cilantro (optional)

3 tablespoons of soy sauce

1 tablespoon of hot sauce (preferably Asian origin, but avoid Sriracha if you can because it comes with a lot of spices already added to it)

2 cloves of garlic

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 tablespoon ginger (fresh grated preferred but powdered or jarred will do)

Put the peanuts in the food processor. Easy.

Peel and add the garlic cloves. Rinse, dry, and add the cilantro (no stems). Again, cilantro is optional.  Some say that you can have a genetic aversion to its taste.  I say it's just an acquired love.

Add the ginger, bouillon cubes, and hot sauce.  I really like Sambal Oelek Chili Paste. It has a true chili taste that you can't find anywhere else. It goes beyond just being hot for the sake of spiciness. 

Also, take this opportunity to put three cups of water on the stove and bring it to a boil.

Pulse the food processor a few times before turning it on high. Wait for the mixture to start to cake up slightly before adding your soy sauce.  Then blend until it becomes close to a paste.  This is also a good time to put on water for any pasta or rice you plan on making.

Add your peanut paste to the boiling water and bring the stove down to medium heat.  Sit there and occasionally stir until sauce boils down a bit.  It should thicken within ten to fifteen minutes.  The sauce thickens because the starches from the peanuts breakdown from the heat.  Don't forget to enjoy the smells wafting up from the pan.

This is your finished product. I had leftover rotisserie chicken than I added for extra substance.  Feel free to improvise in that area.  Set out the soy sauce and hot sauce on the table for anyone who wants more saltiness or spiciness.  The alternate recipe is included below.

To make the recipe a little easier on yourself do this:

Replace and the peanuts with peanut butter, and replace the bouillon cubes and water with chicken broth (or just make the broth with the bouillon cubes).  Bring the broth to a simmer in a sauce pan and add the peanut butter, then turn the burner to low heat. Finely mince or mash your garlic cloves and cilantro, and then add all the ingredients one by one and stir until all combined.  Leave the sauce to simmer for a five to ten minutes and serve on pasta, rice, etc.  Bon appétit!

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are a comfort food favorite, and I've always had delicious memories of them.  They are plain, simple, and taste amazing. None of that nonsense on top, and nothing that came out of the box as a powder.  
This recipe is good for serving 4-5 people.

Ingredients:

6 small russet potatoes (less if bigger potatoes)

1 cup sour cream

1.5 sticks of butter (2 sticks if you want extra deliciousness)

Salt and pepper

1 bulb of garlic

1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

To simulate roasted garlic without having to wait for the entire bulb to fully roast, do this:

Cut the top fourth off the bulb so that each clove is exposed and opened.

Put the bulb on a napkin in a bowl and cover with the olive oil so that each clove is fully bathed in oil.

Lift the napkin into the microwave and heat on high for one minute.  Then flip the garlic over and heat for another minute.  Let the garlic sit for ten minutes to cool. It's not exact but it does the job.

Don't forget, garlic is full of sugars so clean the juices off your knife and boards immediately, or be prepared to deal with the super-glue-like nature of dried garlic. Now for the potatoes:

Peel your potatoes. This is also a good time to put on your steamer so it will be ready when you're done prepping.

Make sure to put your potatoes in water after they're peeled to prevent oxidization.  

Cut the potatoes into quarters and drop them in your steamer. Leave them for fifteen minutes or until a skewer passes through them easily.

While you wait, mince the garlic and melt the butter in a frying pan.  Make sure the garlic gets nice and golden brown. But not too brown, we're only looking for a slight color difference.

Add the garlic, butter, and sour cream to a bowl with the cooked potatoes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

And then, MASH!!!

Finish mixing with a big spoon and serve. Bon appetit!

So I've found my spin. It is definitely subject to change though.  Since I'm just a college student who likes to cook, I've decided to blog about my cooking adventures, and failures.  Today I tried fried pickles like I love to eat at so many southern dining institutions.

Ingredients:

2 Eggs

1 cup buttermilk (or regular milk)

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons salt

3 tablespoons cornstarch

As many pickles chips as you will want to eat, I recommend against using spears.

The first thing you need is the pickle chips. I made mine with a mandolin (as you can see) out of full sized pickles. But buying a jar of sliced pickles will do just as well.

Next, prepare your egg wash and dry ingredients.  Whisk two eggs together in a bowl and stir in the the cup of milk, in my case buttermilk. A fork will work just as well as a whisk if need be. 


At this point, turn on your fryer so it will be hot in time (375 degrees).  Add all your dry ingredients too a bowl and sift them together with anything you may have, fork, sifter, even your fingers.

Now dip all your pickle chips in the eggs wash.

As soon as each chip is coated, drop them in the bowl of dry ingredients.  Make sure each chip is coated on both sides.

As each chip is fully coated move it to a separate dish.

When your fryer is hot, drop all your pickle slices into the basket and lower it slowly into the vegetable oil, canola works too.

Wait a minute and a half or until the golden rule of cooking kicks in: they're done when they're 'nice and golden-brown'.

After they cook sufficiently, let them drip outside the oil and then move them to a plate with something to absorb the excess oil like. I used a cloth towel to save on paper towels.  

Find a kind of dipping sauce you like, I like peppercorn ranch.  Bon appétit!

First blog

Not sure how to begin.  Maybe a different font? Bright colors? Hard to pick.  Maybe my problem is that I don't have much to pick from. I'm struggling for content. I don't know what I could possibly be passionate about that people would want to read about.  I certainly don't want this to be drop box for my complaints about life, a diary of sorts if you will.  I like soccer, but that still has a fledgling fan base in the states, even with the World Cup starting tomorrow in South Africa. What connects people best? What does everyone need in life? Food.  But there are so many food blogs... I'll have to think of a spin on the traditional concept.  Time will tell.