Green Godess

We found a new recipe for Green Goddess Chicken in the New York Times. We were very surprised by the idea. It turns out it is a great recipe. We started with a Tomato Salad and then had the Chicken with Cous-Cous. I subsequently had chicken sandwiches for lunch and we made a great Chicken Cobb Salad. We will definitely make this new to us recipe again.

Green Goddess Roasted Chicken

New York Times

Green Goddess dressing — a creamy, piquant blend of herbs, garlic and anchovies — is good to eat on salad. And it’s wonderful as a dipping sauce for vegetables. But its best use may be as a marinade for roast chicken. The mild chicken absorbs all the zippy flavors of the dressing, to emerge from the oven fragrant and golden, flecked with green. To intensify the herbal flavor, some of the green goddess mixture is set aside to use as a sauce. You could even pour a little on a salad or some vegetables on the side, and enjoy the best of all the Green Goddess variations in one savory bite.

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cups         buttermilk or plain yogurt

1 cup                  packed basil leaves

¼ cup         packed chives

2 garlic         cloves, peeled

2 anchovy         fillets (optional)

1 scallion,         white and green parts

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime

2 tsp         coarse kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 (4- to 5-pound) chicken, halved through the breast and back bones, patted dry with paper towels

1 to 2 TBL         extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

PREPARATION

1.   In a blender, purée buttermilk, basil, chives, garlic, anchovies (if using), scallion, lime zest and juice, salt and pepper until smooth.

2.   Put chicken halves in a bowl or large heavy-duty resealable plastic bag and cover with three-quarters of the Green Goddess marinade. (Save the rest to serve as a sauce.) Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to overnight.

3.   Heat oven to 500 degrees. Remove chicken from the marinade, shaking off as much liquid as possible, and lay the halves on a rimmed baking sheet. (Discard the used marinade.) Pat chicken tops dry with paper towels and drizzle with oil. Roast until cooked through, about 30 to 45 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving, with some of the reserved sauce if you like.

Chicken and Figs

The melons are exceptional this year. Maybe it has something to do with the drought, who knows? Melons with a squeeze of Fresh Limes and then topped with Prosciutto, makes for a perfect starter on a warm summer night. There are two season’s for figs in the market, and this is one of them. CHICKEN BRAISED with FIGS, HONEY & VINEGAR is a great dish. It is definitely one of our go to dishes. You can find the recipe on our blog of: June 27, 2007. Click the date to get the recipe. We served the Chicken with Cous-Cous.

Salmon Rice Bowl

Prosciutto and Melon

Salmon Rice Bowl

One of our favorite uses for left over salmon is to make a salmon rice bowl. Rice, Salmon, Ginger, Seaweed and Furikake.

Scarpetta's Spaghetti With Tomato and Basil

Shumon joined us for dinner. It was a warm night and once again we ate outside on the deck. We made the Scarpetta’s Pasta we liked so much. We also made the Greek Salad again. These are two favorites that make for a wonderful dinner.

You can get the recipe for Scarpetta’s Pasta from our blog of: August 24, 2015. Click the date to get the recipe. The recipe for the Greek Salad is on our blog of: September 1, 2015. Click the date to get the recipe. They are both great!

Labor Day Salmon

Tom and Scott hosted a Labor Day dinner at their house. It was a pot luck. We Smoked a beautiful Salmon in the Egg. We purchased the salmon at McCall's Meat and Fish. You can get the recipe for Honey-Curred Smoked Salmon from our blog of: Jan. 15, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe. It makes for a perfect salmon.

Jar-B-Que

Tom and Scott joined us for dinner. We had cheese and wine before the main course.

I call these Hosin-Marinated Pork Chops which I call “Jar-B-Que”. The recipe is from Jar Restaurant. The chops are cooked in the oven, no need to cook on the grill. We usually marinate them for 3 or 4 days so the flavors get infused into the meat. Of course we purchased the beautiful chops at McCall’s Meat and Fish. You can get the recipe from our blog of: July 30, 2012. Click the date to get the recipe.

We started with a new salad, that has become a favorite for me. It is a Greek Salad from a recipe in the New York Times. It surprised me because it doesn’t have any vinegar. At the end the salad has dried Oregano sprinkled on top. We also used Malden Flaked Salt. It is substantially different from regular salt, and I will be using it a lot more in the future.

We served Corn with the chops.  For dessert we had Brownies and Ice Cream. It was a very tasty meal!

Greek Tomato Salad

New York Times

The Greek approach to a good tomato salad, whether it has cucumbers and lettuce or not (this one doesn’t), is all about keeping it simple. Sweet, ripe summer tomatoes, salt and olive oil are all you need. The flourishes here — green pepper, red onion, chopped mint and pinch of oregano — are optional, but they add brightness. Good Greek feta cheese takes it over the top.

TOTAL TIME

20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

                  3 to 4 pounds ripe tomatoes, preferably heirloom

                  1 small red onion, sliced thinly crosswise

                  1 or 2 small sweet peppers, such as bell or corno di toro, sliced into thin rings

                  Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

                  4 ounces Greek feta cheese

                  2 tablespoons roughly chopped mint

                  1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

                  Fruity extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

PREPARATION

1. Wash, core and slice tomatoes 1/2-inch thick. Arrange slices on a platter or in a shallow wide bowl.

2. Scatter onion and pepper slices over tomatoes and season everything with sea salt. Let sit 10 minutes to draw out juices.

3. Break feta into rough chunks and scatter over salad. Sprinkle mint and oregano over top, drizzle generously with olive oil and serve.

YIELD

4 to 6 servings

Lentil Pasta

In summer, when Tomatoes are the best we always make Lentil Pasta. To make this turn out properly you should use the best tomatoes in the market. However they don't have to look great because they get roasted in the oven. Our farmer's market sells them as softies at a discount.  This is the vegetarian pasta that tastes like it has a meat sauce. We have have made this many times, and love it. You can get the recipe from our blog of: July 22, 2008. Click the date to get the recipes for both the pasta and the tomatoes.

We started with a Tomatoes, Olives and Feta Salad. We ended with Apple Pie and Ice Cream. Perfect dinner, once again eaten outside. I mention when we eat outside, because Los Angeles often has cool nights, and it is a special time when we have warm night, allowing us to dine al fresco.

Lamb Salad

We had left over Grilled Lamb. We made a Lamb Salad with Olives, Feta Cheese and Corn that we removed from the ears. It was a delicious salad on a warm evening in Silverlake.

Scarpetta's Spaghetti With Tomato and Basil

It was a warm summer night and once again we ate outside on our deck.

We decided to make Scarpetta's Pasta again. This is a marvelous recipe. The pasta is only partially cooked and then added to the sauce. The sauce gets absorbed into the pasta to complete its cooking. The taste of the pasta is very intense. You can get the recipe from our blog of: August 6, 2015. Click the date to get the recipe. This is a pasta you should make.

We started with a Heirloom Tomato Salad with Burrata and Pesto. 

Grilled Lamb Chops with Pomegranate

I wanted to grill lamb chops. This is a great recipe for Grilled Lamb Chops with Pomegranate Molasses from Cooking with Café Pasqual’s by Katharine Kagel. You can find this recipe on our blog of: September 5, 2012. Click the date to get the recipe. We purchased the lamb at McCall’s Meat and Fish. We found the Pomegranate Molasses in a local Armenian grocery.  

Scott was out of town, so we invited Tom over. It was a warm evening and we ate on our deck. Global warming has definitely been a mixed bag for Southern California. The drought continues, but the nights are warmer than usual. It has allowed us to eat out many nights this summer. With the lamb chops we served Grilled Corn and Eggplant with Miso Sauce.

We started with a Tomato Salad, several types of tomatoes topped with burrata cheese.

  

Rishia Zimmern’s Chicken With Shallots

Chicken With Shallots is a great chicken recipe from the New York Times. I love the taste the mustard and vinegar add to the rich sauce. It is excellent you should make it! You can find the recipe on our blog of: April 2, 2014. Click the date to get the recipe. It is especially good in summer when Cherry Tomatoes are at their best!

Lobster Fried Rice

Nectarine Salad with Burrata and Hazelnuts

Lobster Fried Rice (Thai Style)

Nectarines are in season and we made a simple Salad with sliced Nectarines, Burrata Cheese and Hazelnuts. It was very refreshing. I like summer fruit salads.

We had dinner at Newport Seafood (our favorite Chinese restaurant). We always get their special Lobster. We ordered a lobster that was big enough that we knew we would have leftovers. We took the leftover lobster home along with the shells of the lobster that we ate. We then proceeded to make  Thai Lobster Fried Rice with the leftover Lobster. We use the recipe for: Fried Rice with Crab from Thai Street Food by David Thompson. We simply substituted the crab with Lobster. It was as good or better than any Fried Rice we get a restaurants. This is a recipe (with Crab or Pork or Shrimp, or lobster) that you should try. We used the lobster shells that we brought home, plus the lobster shells from the lobster that we used in the Fried Rice and made lobster stock by just covering the shells with water and boiling for about an hour or so. We then froze the stock for future use. The fried rice was unbelievably good!

You can get the recipe for fried rice from our blog of: April 4, 2013. Click the date to get the recipe.

Pasta with Zucchini Sauce

Pasta with Zucchini Sauce is one of those dishes that makes me think I could become a vegetarian! It is especially good in summer when zucchini's are at the freshest. This is absolutely wonderful and relatively easy. It helps if you have a food processor to quickly slice the zucchini, but you can also do it by hand. You can find the recipe for this great pasta on our blog of: July 19, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe.

We started with a Salad of Tomatoes Burrata and Pesto. A perfect summer meal!

Thai Pork Fried Rice

Thai Fried Rice can be made with many leftovers. We start with the recipe for Thai Crab Fried Rice that we like so much and substitute other ingredients for the crab. In this case we had amazingly good Barbecue Ribs at a local Silverlake Restaurant: Alimento. We didn't finish the ribs and brought them home. I had left over Suckling Pig from my birthday dinner at Barbrix. So we combined the two meats in this Thai Fried Rice. It was great as always. You can get the basic recipe for the Thai Fried Rice on our blog of: April 4, 2013. Click the date to get the recipe.

Shrimp Salad and Corn on the Cob

Shrimp Salad

Corn on the Cob with Parmesan Cheese

We had a delicious corn on the cob at Al’Acqua. It was covered with Butter and Parmesan Cheese then roasted in the wood burning oven. I don’t think I had ever had Corn and Cheese together (wait a minute is that like Doritos?). At any rate we made corn and grated Parmesan over it. It was wonderful.

Tomatoes were in season and I was looking for an excuse to make a Shrimp Louis with Thousand Island Dressing. The salad was just as I remembered. Lots of tasty Tomatoes and Avocado. We use Mark Peel’s recipe for both the Shrimp Louie and the Russian Dressing from New Classic Family Dinners. You can get the recipe from our blog of: July 4, 2010.

Scarpata's Pasta

We saw this recipe in The New York Times and decided to make. We loved it! We are going to make again very soon. This is a winner - try it!

Scarpetta's Spaghetti With Tomato and Basil

New York Times

3         ounces spaghetti, high-quality dried or fresh

Salt

6         ounces tomato sauce (recipe follows)

4         large leaves of basil

½         tablespoon butter, unsalted

2         tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

1         tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

8         ripe plum tomatoes

¼         of a can San Marzano tomatoes

2         tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Pinch of red chili flakes

Pinch of kosher salt

¼         cup extra virgin olive oil

6         cloves garlic, whole

2         stems of basil, leaves on

Pinch of red chili flakes

Note: Vary the ratio of canned to fresh tomatoes according to the season. If fresh, flavorful tomatoes are available, use all fresh; if tomatoes lack some flavor supplement with canned.

Procedures

1.          Place a large pot of water on the stove. Heavily season with salt, until it tastes as salty as a broth would. Bring to a boil.

2.          Roll basil leaves into a cylinder and thinly cut lengthwise into a chiffonade. Set aside.

3.          Cook the spaghetti in the water and remove when it is just shy of al dente—depending on the pasta, 3 minutes for fresh, 10 minutes for dried.

4.          While the pasta is cooking, place the sauce into a sauté pan and heat slowly. Allow the sauce to reduce slightly. Add the pasta to the sauté pan along with a bit of pasta water, to add starch and seasoning.

5.          Add the pasta to the sauce, and allow to finish cooking, over medium high heat. The sauce should coat the pasta and look cohesive. When you shake the pan, the sauce and pasta should move together.

6.          Remove from the heat and add the basil, cheese, butter, and extra virgin olive oil. Toss until well incorporated.

7.          Adjust the seasoning and serve immediately.

Tomato Sauce yields 2 cups

1.            Place a pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Prepare an ice bath by placing ice in a bowl and filling with cold water. Core tomatoes with a paring knife, and discard cores. Score the bottom of each tomato with an "X." When water has come to a boil, place tomatoes in water and leave for 15 seconds, until skin begins to split away. Transfer to ice bath. When cool, peel with paring knife.

2.            Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise. Remove seeds with your thumb, and set seeded tomatoes aside. Reserve seeds and excess juices. If using canned tomatoes, seed in the same way.

3.            In a new pot, place 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, carefully transfer tomatoes to the pot. Add a pinch of salt and chili flakes.

4.           Allow the tomatoes to cook for a few minutes until they begin to soften, then smash them with a potato masher. If the consistency is particularly thick, strain excess tomato juices for seeds and add to pot. Allow tomatoes to cook 30 to 45 minutes over medium heat, smashing and stirring occasionally.

5.           While the tomatoes are cooking, prepare the basil-garlic oil. Take a small saucepan and place the remaining 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil in the pan. Add garlic cloves, basil, and chili flakes. Slowly heat to allow the flavors to transfer to the oil. When the garlic is lightly browned, remove from the heat. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Strain the oil and combine with the tomato mixture.

6.            Remove the sauce from the heat and adjust the seasoning with additional salt, as needed.

Steak Salad

We had leftover steak from Grill in the Alley and decided to make a Steak Salad. We used a recipe from the food network by Giada Laurentiis. It was good! Great way to use left over steak!

Steak Salad

Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

½        head romaine lettuce, cut into bite-size pieces

1         large head Belgian endive, thinly sliced crosswise           (about 1 1/2 cups)

½        red onion, thinly sliced into rings

3         cups fresh baby arugula

12       cherry tomatoes, halved

4         ounces Gorgonzola, coarsely crumbled

Red Wine Vinaigrette, recipe follows

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1        pound steak (such as New York, rib-eye or filet mignon), pan-fried or grilled and chilled

Red Wine Vinaigrette:

½        cup red wine vinegar

3         tablespoons lemon juice

2         teaspoons honey

2         teaspoons salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1         cup olive oil

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, Belgian endive, red onion, baby arugula and cherry tomatoes, and half of the cheese.

Toss the salad with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the salad on a platter.

Cut the steaks crosswise into thin slices. Arrange the steak slices atop the salad and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Drizzle more

vinaigrette over the steak slices and serve.

Red Wine Vinaigrette:

Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender.

With the machine running, gradually blend in the oil.