Loaded Potato - Healthy Style

I know you might find this hard to believe but I had a left over baked potato.  How is that possible, you say?  Well, my sister didn't join us for dinner one night and we had already eaten our fill of the fluffy spud. So the next day I decided to have a healthier version of a loaded baked potato.  

First, in case you missed how I cut the potatoes, you simply make slices not cutting all the way through.  Drizzle with the Magic 3 (oil, salt, pepper) and bake for 40-60 minutes. (Again, I can't take credit for this style of cutting. I saw it somewhere and liked it).   

Instead of using sour cream, I took out the Greek yogurt, every variety of the onion family I had (chives, scallions, red onion) and chopped them up.  Stirred them all together with a dash of salt and squeeze of lemon for brightness.

Chives, Red Onion & Scallions ready to be slathered in creamy Greekness.

I also had some left over roasted broccoli and it reminded me of another topping that you often find in loaded potatoes.   But the roasted version is definitely a cleaner alternative to that traditional topping that is usually swimming in cheese sauce. I love texture, and these provided that crispy element, so I added it to my potato.

I suppose if you wanted more crispiness and the bacon factor but still wanted to keep it 'leaner', you could take some proscuitto or serrano ham, and crisp them up in the oven. This would make a less fatty version for sure.  I kept mine lean and mean with just broccoli and yogurt.  Add a small salad and you have a great lunch. A filling, healthier version of the traditional.  

Mums... the Word

I love working with flowers and listening to each stem tell me how it wants to be displayed. Living in Westchester NY, I go into Grand Central Station when I travel into the NYC.  There are tons of great shops in Grand Central, but one of my favorites is Dahlia Florist. They have a wonderful selection of flowers that at reasonable prices and that last long.  And as with shopping for food, I don't usually go there wanting to buy a particular flower. Instead, I see which ones look the best and have a common theme.  I try to go in the morning because Simone is there and she knows what is the freshest or will tell me if I can or can't combine particular flowers together in one vase. 

I can tell you that I am more of a purist when it comes to floral arrangement.  I like to keep the colors simple, sometimes even all one color but using different flowers.  I find this style can create a powerful impact.  I have also found that this monochromatic or zen approach can elevate the elegance factor even for the most common, inexpensive flowers, like carnations or mums.

My purchase this past week waiting to arranged

Hence the title of this post, Mums the Word. But in this case, I am not keeping quiet about the beauty of Mums but instead declaring that indeed they are The Word.  When using several variations of Mums of the same color and displaying them simply and abundantly they can create drama.  I also picked up some Alstroemeria because I thought their purple hue and subtle green tones would play well off the white Mums.

When I chose these flowers I knew that I wanted to make one big arrangement, as opposed to many small ones, which I have done in the past for party tables.  This one was intended to bring spring cheer to our dining room, so one statement piece was in order.  Picking out a large glass vase that had a wide opening meant that I would probably need a flower frog at the bottom. With such a wide mouth it's a bit more difficult to arrange without having some stability. The frog holds the first batch of stems exactly where I want them to be so they establish the center.  

Wide mouthed vase

Flower frog helps to hold the stems in place

I started by cutting the stems to the length I wanted.For this arrangement I knew that I wanted to create a ball of white in the middle.  To do that effectively, the stems need to be cut at relatively the same length and slightly higher than the lip of the vase. The challenge sometimes with Mums is that they have flower stems that shoot off at different levels of the main stem. Often times you have to be creative with the cuts to get the height you want trimming those bottom stems and leaving the main bunch as one stem.

I started building the center using all of the same kind of Mum.  Once I had a good amount, I began placing the next type of mum all around the perimeter and continued the same method with the last type filling in all the spaces.

Using the frog to establish the center from which the ball can build

The final layer was placing the Alstroemeria on a severe angle at the very edge of the vase.  The angle allowed them to sit out as opposed to straight up which helped shape a wide circle around the burst of white mums.

 Once I had a complete ball, I kept filling in any empty spaces.  I really love the strong statement that the Alstroemeria make as they corral the mums in a purple lasso.

The finished main arrangement, a ball of white cheer

Since there were leftover mums, and plenty of vases, I composed small white bunches that would accompany the main arrangement.

Heres' an overhead angle of the finished centerpiece with the smaller vases flanking it. It delivered on the promise of bringing spring cheer to our dining room.  Cheerio!

Sometimes a few buds break off.  I don't like throwing those away.  Each flower has it's purpose and beauty.  So I always try to find a way to show it off.  Here's a zen way of letting the buds shine.  I used a wooden sake cup, filled it with small pebbles and water, and began placing the buds to float together.

I hope this demonstrated just how beautiful an inexpensive flower can blossom into a magnificent centerpiece, or even a little bud garden. Spread the Mum word!

Also, I am repeating this little message about posting a comment since there might be some questions on how to do so.   Please note that you do NOT have to subscribe to Squarespace. After you write a comment, a black window pops up with several icons.  If you click on the one to left that resembles an outline of a person that will allow you to submit the comment without a sign up. You will only need to put your name, as leaving your email is optional. I would love to hear your comments and feedback, so please comment away!  

Skillet Roasted Salmon lifted up by Carrots & Potatoes

We eat a lot of Salmon.  It's good for you. It tastes good and you can make it a thousand ways. (Believe me, I have a few more ways coming shortly.)  I got this idea to roast salmon in a skillet for a couple of reasons.  

One: I didn't want to splatter the stove because it was all spanking clean. 
Two: I didn't want to have to wash a lot of separate pots and pans.
Three: I thought it would look nice served in the pan and make an easy one pot wonder.

Ok, enough with the reasons.  The good news is that it checked off all the above concerns and delivered a nice meal.

Ingredients

Wild Caught Salmon (I used about 1.5 lb piece.  Use whatever size fits your needs)
2-3* carrots, chunk into long diagonal cubes
6-8* fingerling potatoes, cut in half lengthwise
1* yellow onion, cut in 8 pieces
Magic 3 (olive oil, salt, pepper)

Instructions

Place the cut vegetables in a cast iron, add the Magic 3.  Roast at 400 degrees until 3/4 cooked.  

Vegetables cut and ready for the Magic 3 waiting in the background to perform their duties.

After the vegetables are 3/4 cooked, place the seasoned salmon atop the vegetables and cook for 8-12 minutes depending on the size of fish.  I like my salmon medium rare so this took about  10 minutes.

Roasted to perfection

Serve yourself a plateful with a nice glass of crisp white wine.  Have two glasses, you only have one pan to clean.

* If you have more, or want more vegetables, you can certainly make more, just cook them first., as the salmon doesn't take long.

Harry's Pizzeria - Serving Up So Much More

A funny thing happened on our way to Chile. Our flight from NY to Miami had equipment issues. After much debate, delay, and finally a change of planes, our stop-over arrival was well past take off of our connecting flight.  So, we got sidelined with a pit stop in our old stomping grounds - Miami.  Perfect, since my hubby, Juan Carlos, and I have an apartment in the steamy, sunny city.  

Without a car and in the pouring rain, we "Uber-ed" ourselves out for a bite to eat at Harry's Pizzeria in the Design District, one of several successful eating establishments from chef, Michael Schwartz.  (There is a second Harry's location in Coconut Grove which we also visited)

The best way to cook almost anything, and Chef Michael does just that!

Harry's Design District location

With its wood burning oven, Harry's is a quaint little spot for the obvious main item; PIZZA.  

As much as I love pizza, I don't eat it due to having both a wheat and yeast sensitivity. You might ask, "why would you torture yourself with the yummy, yeasty aromas and sights of others enjoying crisp, artisanal pizza?"  The answer; Harry's also offers daily menu specials that are equally amazing.  And on this day, one of the specials was Wood Oven Roasted Tile Fish with Fall Grain Salad.  Voilá, perfect for this rainy day in So. Fla.  Since we were going to take an overnight flight later on we wanted to fill our bellies with good food, real food... Real good food.  Here's what we ordered... And loved every bite.

Polenta Fries with spicy ketchup

Abundant and crunchy.  Soft inside with a serious outer crust. Sprinkled with sea salt enough to enhance the flavor but not too much to be salty. Really the perfect touch.  These fries are hefty but somehow don't overstuff you. The spicy ketchup was just spicy enough.  What a lovely detour from the usual potato version.

(I love making polenta in a variety of ways.  I will definitely be posting on those in the near future. However, I have never tried to make such a hefty polenta chunk.  After partaking of these crunchy fries, I will certainly try to replicate.)  

If you want to try making these, Chef Michael's cookbook shows you how. I have the book and have tried a few other recipes. I think you might enjoy it as well. You can also order an autographed copy.

 

Kale salad with goat cheese

 

 

 

 

Kale Salad

Hearty kale is mellowed by a sunflower dill dressing. Earthy flavor makes an appearance by the way of roasted beets and goat cheese.  Extra sunflower seeds provide a nice textural crunch. (By the way, we took some of this salad home.  The longer is sits the better it gets!)

Oven Roasted Tile Fish with Fall Grain Salad

Oven Roasted Tile Fish with Fall Grain Salad

This fish was outstanding.  Perfectly cooked and seasoned.  Roasted, in a brick wood oven, to a crisp exterior while preserving the delicate white fish interior.  The fall grain salad of rice, farro and bulgar wheat was a nice combo.  It was served with a garlic alioli.  However, both JC and I felt the dish didn't need it.  The fish and salad were perfect as is.

Oven Roasted Tile Fish with replacement Orange & Radish Salad

As I mentioned I avoid wheat, so I asked to replace the fall grain salad with the Orange & Radish Salad.  Since I make salads with ingredients like this all the time,  I'm usually a big fan of strong flavors and this one had that.  For the most part, I enjoyed it but must admit that, for me, it could have had one less ingredient.  That said, I ate it all.

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In March, Juan Carlos and I were in Miami again, and again we wandered over to Harry's. First, we stopped into the one in Coconut Grove on a Sunday night. The place was hopping with people, families... and us!

Harry's Coconut Grove exterior on a Sunday night

Braised Fennel Pizza

JC couldn't resist ordering this earthy pizza.  I tried the topping and must say that braising the fennel brought out the anise flavor and soften the fennel creating a winning complement to the saltiness of the green olive.  

Fennel & Green Olive Pizza coming out of the wood oven

The very next day we went back to Harry's in the Design District for lunch.  This outing offered up:

Yes, that's right we ordered the Kale Salad and Polenta Fries... again to share.  I had the special of the day, Wood Oven Roasted Eggplant.

Kale Salad with Polenta Fries making an encore appearance

Wood Oven Roasted Eggplant

Big, thick slices of eggplant are deeply roasted to deliver a soft inside, almost creamy inside. Served over farro, smothered with stewed tomatoes and crumbles of feta cheese, I loved how comforting this dish felt.

JC and his business associate each had a bowl of the Yellow Jacket Soup special.  A medley of vegetables in a light tomato and fish broth with chunks of Yellow Jacket, a mild white fish.

They shared the Wood Oven Roasted Chicken Wings which were tender and tasty when dunked into the agrodolce & rosemary crema, the hot & cool balancing act of sauces. They finished them all up and moved on to...

Wood Oven Roasted Chicken Wings

Meatball Pizza

The Meatball Pizza with it's perfectly thin, crispy crust covered in caramelized onions, peppers, escarole, cheese and of course, meatballs.  The sweetness of the onions and peppers played nicely off the savory notes of the meatballs and escarole.  

Another delightful, belly filled visit to Harry's. If you ever find yourself "stranded" in Miami on a layover, or just vacationing in the fun, sun city, do yourself a favor and frequent any one of the restaurants from Chef Michael Schwartz.  He and his teams are spot on with their food and flavors.  I highly recommend any of his  eateries.  His approach to food, atmosphere and service are exactly what he professes: Michael's Genuine. 

Although we know Chef Michael, this review was unsolicited.

Lunch 3 Ways, as performed by Roasted Vegetables

The Stars

Yeah, yeah, I know that you know that I LOVE roasting vegetables.  Honestly, it's one of the easiest, most efficient and delicious ways to cook them.  All the work is done for you.  Place 'em on a pan with the magic 3 (oil, salt & pepper), slide into a 400 degree oven and done and done.   

Knowing this, you won't be surprised that I've come up with 3 more ways to serve up roasted vegetables. This was yet another time when we had a handful of unused items from a party that needed to be cooked up. As usual when I looked at these, I wasn't sure what their final use would be, but before they went bad they needed one last curtain call.  

The stars of this day's performance: Introducing the Carrot, The Vine Tomato, The Beet,  The Yellow Pepper and of course, Miss Fennel.

Destined for sweetness by way of roasting.

Adding the Magic 3, Olive Oil, Salt & Pepper

I added potatoes because JC loves these roasted

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Lunch Performance #1 - The Stack 'em Up Sandwich

Place a few of the roasted tomatoes in a small food processor along with crushed garlic, pinch of salt and 2-3 T olive oil. Pulse until you get a chunky paste.

Place a few slices of your favorite cheese on one side of the bread and broil it until the cheese is melted. (I used Ojeva Negra, an earthy Spanish sheep's milk cheese.)

Add a smattering of the tomato-garlic 'jam' and begin stacking the veggies onto your sandwich. From here you can begin diving in or take it the next step and panini it.  This earthy, crunchy lunch was for JC since I don't eat bread.  Sucks for me.

The Full Stack

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Lunch Performance #2 - Quinoa Bowl

Cook up your favorite quinoa.  I used an organic multi grain one.  Ready up your roasted veggies and cut into bite sized pieces.

Once quinoa is cooked, arrange in a the bowl, top the quinoa with the tomato 'jam' and dig in.

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Lunch Performance  #3 - Pasta Toss

I don't need to tell you that this was my favorite.  I'm such a pasta monster.  You can use whatever type of pasta floats your boat.  Semolina is still my favorite but I can't eat wheat anymore so I cooked up some brown rice elbow macaroni.  

While the pasta was cooking, I sautéed 1/4 c chopped shallots, 2 cloves chopped garlic and some left over grape tomatoes equally about 2/3 cup. (Again, any amount that you have will work, so don't worry so much about amount here.)  Once those were soft, I added all the other roasted vegetables that I chopped into bite sized pieces.

To add a bit more heartiness as well as creaminess, I added a can of baby cannellini beans with their liquid, and a touch more salt & good amount of crushed red pepper.

Then came the star of this show. Can you tell I like pasta?  In went the cooked elbow macaroni. Add whatever shape you like  and gently stir together.  

Plate it up in a nice serving bowl and grate some Locatelli cheese on top.  This was satisfyingly yummy.  Add a glass of red wine, and you'll have a Joie de Vivre lunch, for sure.

I hope you love roasting vegetables as much as I do.  They are so adaptable to so many dishes. Be forewarned, roasted and grilled vegetables will make encore presentations in the future... and often.  Why not, their versatility is not to be reckoned with.  Get your veggie on!

P.S. The roasted potatoes were not called upon for lunches, but did make their appearance as a side dish for dinner.  Plus a few were eaten right out of the oven while making the lunches.  Seriously, who could resist those crunchy bites.