Sass & Veracity

Sleek Party Food: Spicy Tuna and Avocado

Halloween officially launches the party season as far as I'm concerned.  It's not like we have a calendar full of swanky events scheduled...I'm counting zero right now..., but having any excuse to get together constitutes a party.  Why not?  Football, the holidays, and.....Election Night!  Whether it's a raucous group of good friends, or a more tame cocktail get together, the occasion is always better if the food is excellent.

And speaking of excellent, what could be better than a dish that can be a dip or a salad?  It's elegant, it's healthy, and oh my goodness, it's delicious.

The first time I made this, my brother dug in with a tortilla chip and popped it in his mouth, asking between chews and mmmming, "What is this?"

"Raw fish," I responded.  "Good, huh?"

And he thought he didn't like avocados or fish -- let alone raw fish.

Grape Foccacia: The Joy of Artisan Olive Oil Dough

I love bread.  It doesn't really matter which type of bread -- I love it.  There are some kinds I enjoy more than others, but when it comes to the hypnotic smell of yeast and the contrast of a chewy crumb encased in a crunchy dark golden crust, I'm hopeless.

Nothing compares to home made bread.  Most of my adult life has been so busy, that as much as I've always made time to cook, baking was pushed aside.  The time to knead and proof a lovely loaf never fit into my plans.  To be honest, it's also because I have no patience for much of anything, and what I do have, I've learned over years of practice.  When you spend hours each day in front of energetic middle school kids who'd rather be anywhere than sitting in an English class, having a window to gaze out and the will to slowly count until your class is focused builds one's abilities in the patience department.  Trust me.  Invariably, one of my students would shush the rest in high dramatic fashion and hiss, "She's counting..."  Calm would materialize and the lesson would resume.  Ahhh....some very good memories there.

So what does all of this have to do with today?  Well, considering that the Internet was effectively saturated with Peter Rinehart's pizza dough yesterday due to the very fine Daring Bakers, I thought I'd share what I've been working with lately.

                           

Daring Bakers: Deep Dish Greek Pizza

Pizza?  Did someone say pizza?  What pizza?

Pizza with Peter Reinhart's dough from The Bread Baker's Apprentice courtesy of this month's Daring Baker challenge host, Rosa of Rosa's Yummy Yums.  You'll be able to reference the challenge recipe at her site.

That's what pizza.

Oh.....

But I completely forgot.  I know.  The first time in 17 months. 

So it was after dinner last night when I started my dough and this morning, it's sitting on the counter, flat, and round.  Waiting.

My garlic is roasted.  It will get smashed, mixed with a bit of the roasted garlic oil and spread on the dough before everything else.

The sundried tomatoes are rehydrating.  They'll go in the pesto.

 

And I've still got time to decide what else is going on my pizza.  So far, it's a bit Greek to me:  kalamatas, pinenuts, artichoke hearts, feta....maybe some arugula.  Maybe.  Is that Greek?

Now why didn't I have this all figured out?  Because when we make pizza -- which we do quite a bit -- it's sort of anything goes.  That's the fun of it all.

So this post will be in stages today so I can punish myself for being such a complete dork.

And by all means, tune back in to see where I am on this.  It's not asking much considering you've only got, what?  About a thousand other Daring Bakers' pizzas to check out?

Now, where's my cast iron skillet?  I think we're going deep dish on this one....

Be back later.

10am PST -- UPDATE #1:  The Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto.

There are lots of pesto recipes out there...or so I thought.  Actually, there are lots of sun-dried tomato pesto recipes out there as long as you're interested in using oil-packed tomatoes.  But I improvised after looking at about 10 different recipes and used what I had on hand:

1 c. rehydrated sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 c. fresh parmesan, grated

1/2 c. fresh basil

2 T. pepitas, toasted

3 cloves fresh garlic, very large...

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

3 pinches kosher salt

Dash of dried red pepper flakes

Pour boiling water over the dried tomatoes and let soak for about 30 minutes.  Drain in a fine meshed strainer, reserving the liquid for another use, and press on the tomatoes to remove as much liquid as possible.

In a cast iron skillet over medium high heat, toast the pepitas until just beginning to brown.  Be careful not to burn.  Remove from pan.

In the bowl of a food processor or blender, pulse the tomatoes, parmesan, basil, and garlic until well blended.  With the motor running, then slowly add the olive oil in a steady thin stream.  Add the salt and pulse a few more times.  Check flavor to correct seasoning, then sprinkle in the red pepper flakes and stir.

Notes:

• The sun-dried tomatoes I purchase are usually found in bulk in large bins.  I keep them on hand because you just never know when you're going to need them for a Daring Baker's Challenge.  OR something.
• The flavor is more intense than those packed in oil in my opinion, and the cost is significantly less.  Plus, I usually find that when I purchase oil-packed tomatoes, I don't use them all, and they go to waste.  The plain dried tomatoes are much easier to store and use as I need them.
• The flavor of this pesto is quite pungent and would be amazing on pasta.  We'll see how it tastes on my pizza.

Okay, back to the kitchen for the next steps.

11:45am PST -- UPDATE #2:  The Roasted Garlic

1 head of garlic, peelings on

1/2 c. olive oil

salt and pepper

Tear off a couple of pieces of aluminum foil large enough to wrap around the head of garlic and provide space for the olive oil.

Slice the top quarter or so off the head of garlic and set the head in the foil.  Pour the olive oil over the head of garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Make a loose package of the foil and crimp the edges tightly.  Set in an oven proof dish and bake at 350 degrees F for about an hour.  Let cool in the package, then carefully open making sure not to spill the roasted garlic oil.  When the garlic is cool, you'll be able to "squirt" each of the cloves of roasted garlic into a dish separate from the oil.  Mash the roasted garlic and spread a small quantity onto the pizza dough.

Notes: 

• I do have a garlic roaster, and actually use it unless the head of garlic is too large to fit in it.  It's not necessary to have one -- the foil produces great results.
• Roasted garlic is much more mellow than raw.  To me, it's a completely different flavor.  The mashed roasted garlic is something I put out at parties for people to spread on bread or crostini.  It works well with tapenade or soft cheeses as well.  And if you haven't tried it in pasta or mashed potatoes, you're really missing something.
• Use the oil to brush on bread and toast, or for grilling meat or veggies.  Or use a bit of the oil to thin the roasted garlic.  

Okay, back later...Pizza Numero Uno is up next!

12:45pm PST -- UPDATE #3:  The Flat & Crispy Greek Pizza.

1 disk proofed pizza dough

1 T roasted garlic

2 T sun-dried tomato pesto

artichoke hearts (not marinated)

1/4 red onion, sliced

1/4 c. feta cheese, crumbled

1 T fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F and position a rack in the lower third of your oven.

Stretch the pizza dough over your extremely floured knuckles until the weight of it causes it to stretch and drape.  Place it on an inverted baking pan covered with parchment.

Thin the roasted garlic with a bit of the garlic oil and using a basting brush, brush it over the pizza dough.

Dot dollops of the tomato pesto over the garlic and spread with the back of a spoon.  It's not necessary to cover the entire surface.

Place artichokes here and there, then the onions, and sprinkle the feta over.  Then sprinkle on the rosemary.

Bake for 5-7 minutes or until crust is pleasantly brown.  Let cool briefly before digging in.

Notes:

• I decided to make a flat pizza first since the whole idea behind this challenge was to try and stretch (um, throw?) the dough, which is a bit sticky if there's not enough flour on it, but is quite nice to work with as long as you have more patience than I do.
• I chose an amoeba-shape because it's Halloween and I thought I'd be clever about it.  Actually, I barely got the dough on my knuckles and boy did it ever want to stretch.  So I slapped it on the baking sheet and proceeded with my toppings.
• I enjoyed the flavors on this pizza.  They worked nicely with the salty dough.  Usually when we have artichoke pizza, there's a ton of cheese on it and that's all I can taste. 
• Even without a "wet" sauce and a very thin crust, this crust wasn't crisp.  I actually prefer something with more substance than this.
• All in all -- not bad.

Okay, next up, Deep Dish Pizza.

1:37pm PST -- UPDATE #4:  The Deep Dish Greek Pizza

You need a cast iron skillet for this.

1 disk proofed pizza dough

1 T olive oil

3-4 San Marzano Whole Tomatoes, canned

2 T sun-dried tomato pesto

1 tsp. roasted garlic

1/4 red onion, sliced

1/2 c. artichoke hearts (non-marinated)

6 kalamatas, sliced

1/4 c. feta

1 T fresh rosemary

red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F and position a rack in the lower third of the oven.

Oil the bottom and sides of the cast iron skillet with olive oil and set aside.

In a small bowl, squish the tomatoes with your hands until they're small chunks and add the tomato pesto and roasted garlic.  Sprinkle in some dried red pepper flakes and stir well.  Taste for seasoning and correct if necessary.

Using well-floured hands, and a bench scraper if necessary, gently pry the proofed pizza disk off of your counter where it has been sitting for two hours. (See entire directions for making dough at Rosa's site linked above...)  Make sure the skillet is near by because the dough stretches quickly and you'll want to place it into the bottom of the skillet.

Once the dough is in the skillet, push it around to form a thick edge that just begins to rise up the sides.  Pour on the tomato sauce, place the artichokes and onions over the sauce, and sprinkle on the olives, feta, and rosemary.  Add another sprinkle of red pepper flakes if you like it spicy.

Bake for 10 minutes or until the sides are nicely browned.  Let cool a bit in the skillet before chowing down.

Notes:

• So, this is deep dish compared to the first pizza I made, but by no means deep dish.  I don't think this dough would hold up, but I have two more disks I can try out.
• The tomato sauce is excellent.  It's very rich in flavor and quite wonderful.  I love San Marzano tomatoes and could eat them right out of the can, so clearly I have a problem.  But adding the tomato pesto quickly turns a few canned tomatoes into a very nice sauce.
• I used my convection settings for this, so 10 minutes would most likely take longer using conventional settings.  At least 15 minutes depending on how thick your crust is.
• Comparatively, I liked the thick pizza better than the thin one.  The tomato sauce is very nice with the thicker crust and the olives a perfect addition.
• On the issue of the dough in general, I have a dough recipe I use and like that is very easy to work with and takes much less time.  The flavor of this dough is pleasant, but not for the wait time.  So many recipes, so little time, right?

So there you go!  Another Daring Baker challenge done.  Pizza anyone?  Anyone?

Chunky Chili with Squash and a Rant

If you'd asked me even at age 25, I'd have told you squash wasn't something I thought I'd enjoy eating at any point in my life.  I'd just begun to experiment with zucchini about then and that's only because I had a small garden and harvested a few that were more than a foot long and five inches in diameter.  I quickly became someone who could cook anything with zucchini.

It was the yellow and orange squash I continued to not like the idea of, and I think it may have had something to do with texture.  When I saw it prepared, it was always soft and mushy, and ironically, sweet.  It's always been a challenge for me to consider eating meat or vegetables that have been sweetened...well, as long as nobody counts Sweet & Sour Chicken, right? 

Thankfully, I've gotten past the few issues I've had with squash, so when I saw the copper pot full of glistening "Texas Beef Brisket Chili" on the cover of Bon Appetit last month and realized those orange chunks nestled up against the beef were nuggets of savory butternut squash, I knew what we were having for dinner and quick.

But there was just one thing...this dish was anything but quick.  In fact, it was the epitome of slow and low -- and just perfect for football watching on Sunday.

Carrot Raisin Thyme Muffin Tops

I've had a muffin pan in my cupboard for years that hasn't had much use.  The point of it from what I can remember was to create only muffin tops, and not an entire muffin.  I guess there are some individuals who prefer eating the puffy crispy top of a muffin and not the entire thing?

I can't imagine, because I don't hesitate for one second when I'm eating any part of a muffin.  But I bought the pan anyway. I'm incorrigible when I see something that is different.  Different as in -- that's the strangest thing I've seen -- and then toss it in my cart.

It's been used for tarts, mostly, because the cups are so shallow.  And it's been used for brownies because they pop right out and there's no cutting necessary.  It's also been used for a dessert I still haven't posted that keeps taunting me because I can sort of remember how I made it, but not exactly, so there the lovely photos of it sit, reminding me I should be more organized when I experiment.  Right.

But recently, I actually made muffins in the pan -- finally.  The recipe I used to make these Carrot Raisin Muffins caught my eye because it was staring at me from the back of a box of Sun-Maid California Golden Raisins one morning when I was trying to dig my cereal out of the mess that is my son's pantry area.  I'd had carrot cake on the brain for a while and had been looking for a recipe that wasn't drowning in oil.  Instead, this recipe uses some butter and buttermilk. 

Maybe if I used the shallow muffin pan, I'd have little carrot cakelets...okay, muffin tops.

 

Grass Fed Chuck Braised in Red Wine

You've more than likely heard by now, but the Foodbuzz Publisher Community was recently officially launched.  I've been with Foodbuzz for over a year now while they've been building their community, and in that time I can say that one of the nicest aspects of the community is the the number of great people I've met who also enjoy thinking about, planning for, and making food. There are other perks; surprizes come in the mail.  How did they know I was such a slob in the kitchen?  Thanks Foodbuzz!

A perfect example of the people who make the Foodbuzz community so worthwhile are Giff and Lisl who author The Constable's Larder.  Recently they sponsored a Low and Slow event where interested folks could submit as many recipes for braised food in a month's time as they wanted.  If you've tolerated my self-depricating sass long enough, then you know I'm constantly planning on thinking about considering the possibility of getting organized with my cooking.  Maybe.  Um, yes.  Since the Low and Slow event was fairly easy to plan for (only a link in the comment box was requested and how nice is that, I ask?) I thought I'd get an early start and submit several dishes.  Well. 

It's Fall everywhere but here, it seems, so I know people are looking for savory meals that languish on the stove and fill the house with tantallizing aromas while the cook cozies up with a flannel throw and a nice cuppa in the late afternoon.  I'm not sure what happened because I did make the food, I did take photos, but somehow I never wrote about any of them until the last minute and submitted one. Outside of feeling completely guilty (I've figured out it's my vocation...) I quickly submitted this recipe a few hours before the deadline and then slinked quietly back to my dark cave.

But guess what? I got an email from Giff buried in the eight-thousand junk emails I weeded through after returning from Las Vegas, and I WON!  I NEVER win anything.  Seriously.  That means I got to choose a cookbook which has already arrived and has already been lovingly oogled for all the savory braises I'll make.  Thanks very much, Giff and Lisl!  And because I honestly made this recipe for your event, I'll share it as well along with another.

There's nothing like a nice braise, is there?  How about a nice hunk o' grass fed beef with some root veggies and red wine?   Perfect for a pleasant weekend dinner and with nearly three hours of cooking time, definitely slow food.  

Chocolate Chipotle Cakes with Tomatillo Sauce and Cream

There's a chocolate company here in San Diego that keeps me quite happy -- Chuao Chocolatiers.  Actually, it's my husband who keeps me happy gifting me small boxes of their very unique chocolates several times during the year:  Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, my birthday, our anniversary...  I am thankfully rarely out of Chuao chocolate.  I think biting into one of their dark nuggets of wonderfulness is what helped me understand that dessert can be sweet and have a bite -- a spicy bite that is.

So when I saw this Boca Negra Chocolate Chipotle Cakes recipe a few years ago I knew I had to try it.  It reminded me of another Boca Negra I'd tried, but this one had so much more to offer.  Chocolate and chipotle?  With tomatillo sauce?  Oh my.  Sometimes, one has to suspend all thought about preconceived notions and just dive right in with the most open of minds.  It is only then that unexpectedly amazing flavors can be enjoyed.

Who knew?

And wonder of all wonders is that this happens to fit right in with this month's Sugar High Friday event, hosted by the talented Anita of Dessert First. The deadline isn't until Monday, the 27th and I'm so done.  Are you ready to spice up your life?

Vacation!

Just wanted to let you know we were headed out of town for the weekend -- Las Vegas!  There will definitely be excellent food in order while we're there. 

I thought I'd get a post done before we went, but it only half way happened.  I'll temp you in the mean time and have you wondering what in heck this is.  Suffice it to say...

...it's spicy!

Bon Appetit!

Brined Pork Roast with Mushroom Sage Polenta and Collards

Everyone's been waxing prolifically about the onset of Fall weather, and although I can say that maybe...but only a slight maybe...the air in the early morning has a slight chill, there's no way it's Fall here yet. 

Of course the calendar swears it's October.  And yes, magazines have arrived sporting all things orange, brown, and sage green.  Grocery stores have displays of apples in every size and color, and yes, oddly shaped squash and pumpkin are everywhere.

So I pretend, and I indulge myself by fixing a braised piece of meat and some vegetables knowing that the resident hunkster will smile when he sits down with his plate to yell at the television and one of his many fantasy football players' latest indiscretions on the field.

That's how I really know that Fall has arrived, and I wouldn't trade it for anything, whether the sun is shining and the palms are swaying in the breeze or not.

This is a lovely and satisfying meal that takes some time to prepare since the roast needs to be brined over night.  I'd say that qualifies it for being slow, wouldn't you?

 

The cooking time isn't all that long, however, so the pay off is big.  Plus, there's a Low and Slow event being held at The Constable's Larder I'd like to send this off to.  Today's the last day, and true to form, here I am late even though I prepared this meal well in advance and specifically for the event.  In fact I prepared two.  Funny how that works, isn't it?

Gordon Ramsay: Who wins a piece.

Okay, so I lied.  It's clearly no longer the weekend and I know I promised to get this post taken care of Sunday.  But somehow the weekend came and went.  Or got up and left.  Between enjoying the weather here -- no longer blistering hot, and lots of gorgeous clear, windy days -- and trying to get the house clean, I never quite ended up at my Mac.  Definitely not the norm.  So apologies are in order, but so are thanks to the following people who so kindly helped my comment box feel loved for the past month!

I completely appreciate the time you took to stop by and comment this past month!
THANKS VERY MUCH!
click away!

What's Cooking?
 A Duck in Her Pond
Andrea's Recipes
 Coco Cooks
 Culinary Concoctions by Peabody
 My Kitchen In Half Cups
Balance
Fearless Kitchen
Taste and Tell
A Southern Grace
more than flashing lights and sound
 appoggiatura
 Apple Pie, Patis, & Pate
Dishing Up Delights
~Foodie...Cook-ie~
   Equal Opportunity Kitchen
   Inn Cuisine
 Pink Bites
Zoe Bakes
The Knead for Bread
   Noble Pig
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 Everyday Cookin'
The Constables' Larder
Bake My Day
 Flagrante Delicia
Thyme for Cooking
 Under the Tamarind Trees
  Fun & Food Cafe
  Slice of Sueshe
    Tartelette
 ...angry asian creations...
 mamatouille
 Mrs Ergul in the Kitchen
Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy
Elle's New England Kitchen
I'll Eat You
My Sweet and Saucy
 Bleeding Espresso
Nik Snacks
 A Year From Oak Cottage
 Waterrose
Passionate About Baking
Eating Club Vancouver
  80 Breakfasts
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 Dog Hill Kitchen
Dhanggit's Kitchen
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Clumbsy Cookie
  Wild Yeast
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 Dinner & Dessert
Sugar Plum
Cakespy
Tasty Thoughts
 Rhyme & Raisin
Wish I Were Baking
 Vin de la Table
Cooking Books
  [No Recipes]
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Vanilla Sugar
 The Mental Pause Chronicles
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 3 B's...Baseball, Baking, & Books
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 In my Kitchen
 Cook Think
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Ambrosia
Diary of a Glad Housewife
 Sweets by Sarah
What's for Lunch, Honey?
My Diverse Kitchen
Eat4Fun
   All Things Edible
 No Fear Entertaining
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orangehennesey
Technicolor Kitchen
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 Living in the Kitchen with Puppies
 Half Baked
Wives with Knives
Amanda's Cookin'
     HomeMadeS
 Simple Daily Recipes
Okara Mountain
Mimi on the Move
Culinary Adventures of a New Wife
 Texas-to-Mexico
  Mama Mia, Mea Culpa
Caviarist
  Gild the (Voodoo) Lily
  La Mia Cucina
  John and Lisa Are Eating in South Jersey
Once in a Blue Moon
  Bread Baby
 Baking Like Betty
  Chocolate Shavings
Karina's Kitchen
  Baking and Books

You are all eligible for the consolation prize of a "San Diego Foodie Care Package."  For each comment you made, you got a ticket in the "bag," which of course, increased your chances to win, right?

And the winner is........ according to Randon Generator Blonde Duck of A Duck in Her Pond!  Yah-Hooo! 

Now for the party food!  There will be no yelling from Gordon tonight.  It's a perfect list for a perfect get together.  These individuals are eligible for Gordon Ramsay's Three Star Chef:

 Deeba of Passionate about Baking has bowled me over with a variety of Multi-grain Canapes that are amazing.  The flavors are tantalizing!



Ben of What's Cooking? couldn't resist serving up Bean Salsa in Mini Tortilla Cups knowing that there's no way Gordon Ramsay would f#$%^&* yell at him over them.  No way.

 

Steph of orangehennesey has graciously sent us some avodado bliss in the form of guacamole.  I'm still dreaming of the beer battered avocados, though....



 

Grace of A Southern Grace just had to distract me with her Cold Tomato Soup with Basil made from some "maters" a buddy at work shared with her.  Refreshingly simple.



Dhanggit of Dhanggit's Kitchen has created a Chocolate Almond & Grape Foccacia.  Ahhh...sweet mystery of life, at last I've found you...



 Esi of Dishing Up Delights is sharing an elegant Easy Butternut Squash Soup with cumin and pine nuts...and spiked with cayenne.  Just perfect!



Andrea of Andrea's Recipes got my tastebuds all worked up with Grilled Chinese Eggplant with Garlic and Ginger Sauce.   If only my mother had known how to make eggplant like this.



Becke, the Columbus Foodie is wowing us all with Grilled Rainbow Trout with Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette and Black Beluga Lentils.  Definitely luscious, but she lets us know that doesn't mean complex.



Mansi of Fun & Food Cafe is sharing Espresso Brownies -- a mouthful of chocolate, espresso, and wait...is that Kahlua?  Goodness.  I'd sneak a few of these out in my purse.

 

Haley of appoggiatura has delivered an elegant Key Lime Pie that will leave no one standing.  You already know what we think about Key Lime around here, right?  It's probably not appropriate to lick the pie pan, is it?



Michelle of ~ Foodie...Cook-ie ~ whipped up a Peanut Heaven cake to share.  Peanut butter Swiss buttercream?  Oh.  My.



And a very special thanks to Nicisme of Cherrapeno who sent in some lovely chocolate and pistachio wedges.  But alas, they ended up in the spam folder and I didn't see them until it was brought to my attention today.  *hangs head in shame*  I seriously owe you when I hold my 200,000th visitor celebration.  Yes, when.  Not if. 



And the grand winner of Gordon Ramsay's Three Star Cheff is.... Grace of A Southern Grace!  w00t!  I don't know but if Gordon even looked like he thought he might yell at Grace for anything, he'd be seriously sorry.  Right Grace?

Okay, everyone, clap!  Let's hear it for two lovely ladies who outdid themselves in sharing the blog love.  It does go to show you, however, that it does help statistically to have more than one chance in a drawing.  To figure out the winners, I assigned each comment a number (picture each commentor buying a raffle ticket for each of their comments), then told Random Generator to choose a number between 1 and 276 for the consolation prize, and 1 and 44 for the grand prize.  See?