Romanian Mititei (Mici)

Lately I've been on an Anthony Bourdain No Reservations kick.  I've been DVRing every episode that comes on and watching them in spare time.  Recently I watched him travel to Romania.  It didn't go exactly as planned...they couldn't film at a Dracula site and Tony clearly wasn't loving the Dracula Halloween party he attended.  He did love the mititei (mici) though.  If you're having trouble with the pronunciation, it's like "meet-e-tay" or "meach."

No Reservations: Romania

What's mititei?  It's Romanian sausage, sans casing.  Evidently it's street food--best with mustard, pickles, and beer.  Snacks for everyone by day.  Meatballs for drunk Romanians by night.  A mix of meats and spices.  Everyone does it a little differently--some use more traditional seasonings like garlic and thyme, others get more adventurous with caraway and anise.  I'm not a big fan of anise, so we'll keep it simple.

I decided to make my own mititei.  I made mine a bit bigger than the traditional Romanian ones, but with the same flavors.  They turned out deliciously fatty and flavorful.

Ready to try some Romanian food?  While not the perfectly authentic ingredients, these are things you can find readily available and will evoke everything you need to hit that Eastern European note.  The hardest thing to find will be the ground lamb.  I called ahead to the Marsh closest to my house on Mass Ave. in Indy and they didn't have any.  I also tried the downtown Marsh, who said they have it from time to time, but not that day.  Claus' German Sausage and Meat Market in Indy also didn't have any--you have to call one to two days in advance because they thaw a piece of lamb shoulder for you and grind it to order.  But, Goose the Market to the rescue on Delaware Street!  I was able to pick up half a pound within thirty minutes of calling.

You'll need:
1 lb. ground beef (I used 80% chuck)
1 lb. ground pork Italian sausage (I use Bob Evans brand--has fennel seed in it)
1/2 lb. ground lamb
1 packet of beefy onion soup mix
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 c. club soda
skewers

Ingredients assembled.

Mix everything but the baking soda and the club soda in a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.  Don't press too hard or compress the mixed ingredients--just loosely form a ball.  While refrigerating, soak wooden skewers so they don't burn.  No need to soak if you're using metal skewers.

Mixed and ready to be covered and refrigerated.

When you're ready to cook them, preheat your oven to broil or heat your grill.  Add the baking soda and club soda.  Separate the meat into balls for however many skewers you're preparing (no fewer than six--six will make entree size mititei).  About twelve will make more expected snack sized size mititei.  Don't pack the meat down into the balls hard or you'll get what evidently they call "pucks" on the street.  The balls are just so the skewers are uniform size.

Take each of the balls and smooth the meat over the skewer into more of an oval or traditional sausage shape and size.  Again, don't push the meat down too hard or it will be too dense--a puck.

After the skewers are prepared, place them across a foil lined pan (not in the pan where they will sit in the fat that renders) or directly on the grill.  Don't move them until you have a nice char on the side.  Then rotate.

Once all sides have a nice char, remove and serve with homemade chips, mustard, pickles, and if you're included, a beer or three.

The final product--when six skewers are made--an entree-sized mititei (mici) skewer.

Poftă bună!

Easy Tilapia or Cod Fresca

This recipe was the result of fatigue.  I wanted something healthy but fast.  This recipe generates a full dinner in less than twenty minutes!  I've used both tilapia and cod, and the tilapia is preferable.  The cod is less firm, which I find less satisfying.

You'll need:

butter
Cajun seasoning blend (such as Tony Chachere's)
two tilapia or cod fillets
pico de gallo
avocado
non-stick spray
haricot verts

Yield: two servings


Pre-heat your oven to broil.  Melt two tablespoons of butter in microwave.  Stir in one teaspoon of Cajun seasoning blend.  Coat pan with non-stick spray then put fish fillets in pan.  Spoon the melted butter and seasoning blend over the fish, reserving about one to two teaspoons of the mix.

Place haricot verts in microwave safe dish and cover with water.  Microwave for four minutes.  Drain in colander.

Peel avocado and slice thinly.  Season with salt and pepper.

Broil the fish for about five minutes, adjusting for the thickness of the fillet.  Remove from oven.

Return haricot verts to dish they cooked in.  Top with the remaining butter and Cajun seasonings and stir (or cover and shake to coat).

Add fish to plate, top with avocado slices and spoon pico de gallo over the top liberally.  Add the haricot verts and serve.

I added a fast dessert, too.  While the fish was cooking, I washed a few handfuls of raspberries, blueberries, and a few mint leaves.  I layered the berries in a glass with Lite Cool Whip (I'm still minimizing my dairy consumption, and while not 100% non-dairy, Lite Cool Whip is very close!)  I chiffonaded the mint and added a touch of mint throughout, then garnished the top with two whole leaves and berries.

The final product...less than 20 minutes later!  Easy tilapia fresca--tilapia topped with cajun seasoning, avocado, and pico de gallo.

Easy Asian-Inspired Lettuce Wraps

With the weather warming, it's a great time to start lightening up your menu selections.  The hotter it is outside, the more I crave fresh dishes that don't weigh heavily on my stomach.  I want to eat dinner then be able to ride my bike or go for a walk.

This recipe is a great way to lighten things up.  It isn't a fussy recipe, either.  You can prep all the ingredients ahead of time so all you have to do is cook them.

You'll need:

3 skinless chicken breasts
1 red pepper
1 package of mushrooms
1/3 c. peanuts
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. Thai sweet chili sauce (such as Mae Ploy)
1 head of baby Romaine lettuce
2 scallions
optional: thinly sliced jalapeno peppers or cilantro

Yield: four to five servings


To prep ahead of time, use kitchen shears to quickly cut the chicken into small pieces.  To expedite the process, I cut the chicken into long strips, then cut the strips across to make small, chopped pieces.  Dice the red pepper and mushrooms.  Place the peanuts in a Ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin or heavy serving spoon.  Cut the scallions crosswise on the diagonal into diamond-shaped slices.

Prepped ingredients ready to cook.

Be sure to wash each leaf of baby Romaine lettuce.  My favorite is the Costco baby Romaine.  It is always very fresh and keeps a long time.  Each petite leaf is perfect.  Pat dry.

If everything is washed and chopped ahead of time, you can have this dinner ready in less than 20 minutes.  To prepare the wraps, place a wok or heavy skillet on the stove and heat to medium high.  Wait for the pan to be hot before adding the chicken.  When you add a hot droplet of water to the pan, it should sizzle.  Once pan is hot, spray pan with non-stick spray and add the chicken.  Keep the chicken moving in the pan so it doesn't stick.  Once the chicken is no longer translucent, reduce the heat to medium and add the soy sauce, pepper, and mushrooms.  Cook for two minutes before adding the Thai sweet chili sauce and peanuts. Cook an additional minute and taste to adjust seasonings and moisture level.  For more sauce, add more Thai sweet chili.  If you prefer less crunch to your vegetables (I like mine lively!), cook to desired softness.

If someone in your household isn't a fan of soy sauce or has a reduced sodium diet, mix the soy sauce and sweet chili sauce in a small bowl and reserve.  Serve on the side of the wraps so sauce can be added to individual wraps.

To serve, spoon chicken mixture into a bowl and top with sliced scallions.  Place bowl on a larger plate and arrange lettuce leaves around the bowl.  Be sure to include a spoon for adding the chicken to the lettuce.  I like to make a plate for each person, but you can also make a large serving platter size presentation to share.

If you like more heat, add thinly sliced jalapeno or Serrano peppers before serving.  If you like more herbaceous freshness, include fresh cilantro leaves for garnishing.

The finished Asian-inspired Lettuce Wraps.

Food.com Recipe Test: Sliced Baked Potatoes

I keep calling these "Pinterest Potatoes" because I keep seeing them pinned.  They're not difficult to make--just baked potatoes with thin slices about three-quarters of the way through.  But they're so good.

I had a few extra Yukon gold potatoes that I wanted to use up, so I decided to take the Pinterest plunge.  The last time I made something from Pinterest, I hated it.  Cheeseburger Soup is never a good idea.

I Googled a quick sliced baked potato recipe and the top one was written by Karen Anne Newton and posted to Food.com.  I followed it relatively closely--slicing the potatoes, drizzling with butter, and baking at 425 degrees.  Here is Karen's recipe:

http://www.food.com/recipe/sliced-baked-potatoes-286965

The two differences--before I sliced the potatoes, I sprayed them on all sides with non-stick canola oil spray then sprinkled them with salt and pepper on all sides.  This really gives the skin extra flavor.  Next change: I really like crispy potato skin.  So I broiled for the final 10 minutes.  I also omitted the cheese from my potato (still minimizing the amount of dairy I consume, so the butter was enough!)

Fresh out of the oven, the potatoes had that perfectly crispy skin.

The final product--bacon on both, and sour cream and cheese added to my husband's potato.

Insider tips: 
-Definitely sprinkle the skin with salt and pepper beforehand.  I prefer sprinkling it to rolling the potato so it isn't too salty.

-Use an old pan.  The non-stick spray in the bottom of the pan, as well as the salt-pepper blend that falls off the potato tend to burn and blacken.  I keep a few old pans for tasks like this that I know won't be pretty.

-Don't sweat when you slice the potato and there isn't noticeable space between the cuts.  As the potato bakes, it will open up a little bit.

-And definitely broil the potatoes at the end.

This technique just upgraded the boring baked potato to something fun looking and better tasting!

Cooking Light recipe test: Pork Chops with Balsamic Roasted Vegetables and Gorgonzola

I'll save you the suspense: this recipe is definitely a keeper.

I love pork chop recipes, but after the Chef John Smothered Pork Chops, I was a little gun shy.  I have my own way of making pork chops learned while working at Gourmet Grazing for a summer in Prospect, Kentucky.  They're impossible to beat.  Interestingly enough, the Chef John chops were just named the top pork chop recipe by Allrecipies.  For this reason, I feel compelled to unsubscribe from Allrecipes.com emails.  Allrecipes is for people with really basic palates and poor cooking skills.  Their top recipes are basic recipes that lack interesting ingredients, a deft hand, and artistic presentation.  I picture them as nursing home food.  I'm routinely disappointed by the recipes I find there.

Anyway, so I saw this recipe on Cooking Light.  After a lot of winter hibernation, I could use some lightening up.  It didn't disappoint.  The veggies came out delightfully sweet in that balsamic way with just a little of the tasty char from modification of the cooking instructions.  The Gorgonzola was the perfect amount of tangy creaminess.

Here's the original recipe:
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pork-chops-balsamic-roasted-vegetables

I followed the original recipe for all the ingredients and quantities.  To marinate the veggies, after all the slicing I put them in plasticware, drizzled with the balsamic mixture, then shook the container vigorously.  The veggies were evenly coated quickly and efficiently.  Then I left them in the fridge for a few hours this way to let the flavors meld.

Place veggies in plasticware.  Drizzle with balsamic mixture.

Now seal.  Check for a tight seal twice.  Then shake vigorously.  You'll end up with evenly coated veggies like this.

Potatoes browned, veggies in.  I recommend hitting broil instead of baking at 425.  After about 10 minutes, the veggies had perfectly charred edges.  I think those are the key to tasty roasted veggies.

After the 10 minutes on broil, I added the pork chops and left the oven at broil.  This gave the pork chops some nice charred edges, too.  I watched the chops and removed them once the golden broiling marks appeared.

The final product was a hit at my house.  I went light on the Gorgonzola for my portion since I try to minimize the dairy I consume.  You can sprinkle more generously like my husband's portion if you crave cheesy creaminess.

Pork Chops with Balsamic Roasted Vegetables and Gorgonzola

Bottom line: make this recipe as soon as possible.  You won't regret it.

Insider tip: broil to yield more crispy edge, charred veggies.  That's the good stuff.

Cooking Light Recipe Test: Nor-Cal Veggie Sandwich with Hazelnut Butter

Here's another food I saw on Instagram and instantly wanted.  It's a vegetarian sandwich.  While I'm not vegetarian, I appreciate a meatless meal.  I usually feel less weighed down and in need of a nap without the meat.

How amazingly fresh does this look?  I was suckered in by the pretty picture.

As it turns out, this should be called the $30.00 PITA sandwich.  Whether it was worth it is certainly debatable for me.  The ingredients sent me on a scavenger hunt around Indianapolis.  The sandwich was a considerable amount of work and it was very expensive to make.  I may be a foodie at heart, but by the time I finished all this, I think I just wanted a meatball sandwich from Subway.

Nevertheless, here's the original recipe:
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/nor-cal-veggie-sandwich

And here's the journey it took to get to the finished sandwich.

It all started with finding hazelnut butter.  While I was in the grocery section at Target, I checked just in case.  They had almond and peanut butter, but no hazelnut butter.  I wasn't surprised though, so I called Fresh Market (no, and was hung up on in the process) and Whole Foods (also no).  I could order it on Amazon for about $14.00, but then I'd have to pay that much and wait for it to be shipped.  I decided to follow the instructions in the recipe to make my own.

The next time I was at Marsh, I tried to buy hazelnuts.  They didn't have them.  So off to Fresh Market.  I purchased .7 lbs of pre-packed hazelnuts and artichokes for about $14.00.  But Fresh Market didn't have sprouts.  So off to Whole Foods for the rest of the ingredients--another $15.00.  And a fun adventure through pillaged aisles since there was snow coming that night.

Evidently the first thing they run out of at Whole Foods before a blizzard isn't milk, bread, or eggs...it's bagged salad!

I also ended up swapping sweet pea shoots for the radish sprouts since my husband isn't a big fan of sprouts--he thinks they feel like hair in his food.  The stems are slightly wider than radish sprouts.

Four stores later, I had the ingredients (finally), it was time to begin.  A little online reading turned up a useful nugget of info: if you're not used to natural nut butters, leaving the skins on hazelnuts can make the final butter too bitter for your palate.  And toasting the hazelnuts imparts a nice flavor.  With that info, I started to peel the hazelnuts.  It was impossible.  The skins refused to move.  More online reading turned up this tip: boil the hazelnuts for a few minutes with a few tablespoons of baking soda.  This worked well.  The skins released easily afterwards.

If you use the boiling water with baking soda method to remove your hazelnut skins, don't be concerned when the water, your pot, and your utensils turn black.  It left ashy residue on everything.  Here are some of my hazelnuts taking a bath in boiling baking soda water so I could peel them.

After peeling the hazelnuts, I toasted them for about 15 minutes at 350.  They had a nice golden color.

After they cooled, I added them to my blender and proceeded.  The final product using a blender was not as smooth of a butter as I prefer.  It wasn't a terrible texture, but it wasn't creamy.  It definitely tasted more "natural."  The flavor itself was fine.  If I do this again, I'll use less mayo,  I'll either use a tiny bit, or perhaps just a drizzle of oil.  I noticed the mayo too much for my taste.  Definitely don't forget to salt the butter.  I tasted before and after, and liked it much better after some salt.

The final product using .7 lbs. of hazelnuts was a softball-sized glob of hazelnut butter.

I let the hazelnut butter sit overnight--at that point I'd done enough work!  I also used the artichokes for double duty--made Moroccan chicken with charmoula that night and served the artichoke as the vegetable.  My husband had never eaten artichoke petals before, so it was an adventure for him.  I kept the hearts for the next day.

Double duty artichokes: dinner the night before included the petals.

The next day was sandwich day.  I began by pan frying slices of the artichoke hearts in the olive oil as instructed.  I ate one slice and really liked it--I never realized how yummy artichoke hearts become with some crispy, golden brown edges!  Then I assembled the sandwiches--the hazelnut butter, golden artichoke heart, dressed arugula, avocado, and pea shoots subbed for the sprouts--on Silver Farms Squirrelly sprouted bread.  I served with a side of veggie chips since sandwiches and chips just go together.

My sandwich, served with veggie chips.

Close up of the side of the sandwich.

The final product was alright.  I would've liked this sandwich a lot more open faced.  The delicate veggies got a little lost with that much bread.  I figured this out halfway in.  Beyond this too much bread issue, the sandwich was nutty and fresh but nothing special.  I think I probably enjoy a sandwich or wrap with cucumbers, sprouts, some bell peppers, olives, and some pesto or chipotle mayo more because there's more crunch and moisture.  I'm glad I tried this...and now I have leftover hazelnut butter for breakfast, sprouted bread for toast, arugula for salad, and pea shoots for something yet to be determined.  But overall, it was a lot of work for a sandwich that was just okay.

If I make it again and do some modifications, I'll update this review.  But for now, I think my next sandwich will be something more straightforward.

Insider tip: buy the hazelnut butter.  And call your grocery to make sure it has all the ingredients, or you'll be on a grocery scavenger hunt for awhile.

Food and Wine Magazine Recipe Test: Grilled Skirt Steak with Fruit-and-Green-Tomato Salsa

I'm still enjoying the Food and Wine magazine subscription my husband gifted to me.  Although I'm starting to think it wasn't a gift for me, it was a gift for him.  I've been working my way through the recipes, and he gets to be the taste tester.  Definitely a gift for him.

Next in the queue, a recipe that caught my eye because it's by Stephanie Izard.  Izard is the chef of Girl and the Goat, where I dined last summer on a trip to Chicago with friends.  My favorite girlfriend's husband had a job interview, so I tagged along for a day of shopping and gastronomy.  Dinner at Girl and the Goat was great, minus having to take her husband outside and babysit him on the sidewalk after he drank too much.  Our group of friends took turns sitting with him so no one would have to miss the meal.  It ended up being funny fodder for a wedding toast!  Anyway, it was the first time I ate goat or pig face.  I can't wait to go back.  By the way, if you're from the Girl and the Goat and reading this, my friend is still apologetic about the glass he broke, and the nap he took at the table until we shepherded him to the sidewalk so you wouldn't kick us out.  A bad job interview and double-fisting Manhattans will do that, I guess.  His loss since he's the first of us to go foodie, and he missed the meal!

Back to Stephanie Izard.  I have endless respect for women who brave traditionally men's jobs, and a woman like Stephanie who schooled the boys on Top Chef.  Sometimes I feel the challenge of being an attorney working in the tech sector--it's not always easy making your way in the boys' club.  Good for Stephanie for being a strong woman and a Midwestern culinary superstar.

Izard's recipe in the August 2014 recipe is for Grilled Skirt Steak with Fruit-and-Green-Tomato Salsa.

Here's the link to the recipe: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/grilled-skirt-steak-with-fruit-and-green-tomato-salsa

The recipe calls for:

2 lbs. skirt steak
olive oil
red wine vinegar
soy sauce
sambal oelek
scallions
green tomato
plum
sweet cherries
nicoise olives
basil
cilantro
parsley
sorrel
salt and pepper

Like the Piment d'Espelette of a few entries ago, I had to read up on some of these ingredients.  Sambal oelek is a staple of Thai, Malaysian, and Indonesian cooking.  It's chili pepper paste without seasonings like garlic.  Read more here.  Sorrel is a leafy herb used in cooking around the world.  It is rich in Vitamin C and has an acidic, even bitter taste due to the oxalic acid content.  According to Gourmet Sleuth, some spinach or arugula and lemon juice are an adequate substitute.

I went to three grocery stores and couldn't find the sambal oelek or sorrel, so I substituted Dynasty brand Thai Chili Garlic Paste for the sambal oelek, and arugula and lemon juice for the sorrel.  Since I love arugula, I used this is an opportunity to turn the salsa into more of a salad.  I used a handful instead of two tablespoons.  This gave the meal more bulk without having to prep a separate side dish.

I could not find sambal oelek at Kroger or Marsh, so I substituted Dynasty brand Thai Chili Garlic Paste.

Next up, I had to substitute for the cherries.  Cherries are in season in May, June, and July.  I went to two Marsh stores, one Fresh Market, and one Kroger hoping they had some anyway.  No dice.  I called Trader Joe's and Fresh Thyme, they said they didn't have any.  I even enlisted the help of the local police department to see if an officer friend had seen cherries anywhere!  I ended up buying a can of cherries in water.  I opened the can, and they were really mushy, so they couldn't work as a substitute.  They were not firm enough to cut.  I ended up substituting black grapes.

Of note, I also used some manzanilla olives I already had.  These olives are firmer and milder than nicoise olives, but still brought a briny flavor.  I'm not an olive snob.  I love olives in all forms.

Unfortunately, by the time I had made all these substitutions, this preparation was more "inspired by" Izard's recipe than an actual test of it.

I started this recipe on Sunday afternoon.  I chopped all the ingredients and stored them separately in cups since I knew I'd be home late on Monday (and Dallas would be on, so I didn't want to spend a long time prepping!)  It took between 20 and 30 minutes to wash and chop all the ingredients, then mix the vinaigrette.  I tasted the vinaigrette to see if the garlic would be noticeable--the sambal oelek would not have added garlic to the mix.  I didn't notice the flavor of the garlic, but the vinaigrette was heavy on the soy sauce flavor.  This ended up working out well--the salsa needed the salt.  This is why Stephanie Izard is a chef and I'm a wannabe food blogger.

Since everything was chopped and the green onions had already been sauteed and cooled, all I had to do was hit the steak with a little salt and pepper.  While it cooked, I mixed the vinaigrette and all the prepped ingredients.  As mentioned above, instead of two tablespoons of sorrel/arugula, I used a handful to make more of a salad.

The fresh ingredients about to be combined to top the steak.  In this moment, as I looked at the black grapes, plums, basil, green tomato, and a soy and pepper paste vinaigrette, I thought to myself that there was no way this would work together!

The steak was to medium-rare in about six minutes.  I let it rest to get the thickest parts a little more done--one placed looked a little raw, which unfortunately caused the ends to go to medium.  Select a piece of steak that it as uniform in thickness as possible to prevent this from happening.

The final product.

A closer look.

Admittedly, I was nervous when I presented the plate to my husband.  I thought this was going to taste bizarre.  Instead, it was surprisingly fantastic!  The basil and the sweet notes from the grapes and plums really harmonized with the cilantro and spicy zing of the vinaigrette.  This was so fresh and unlike anything else I'd tasted.  The basil was the superstar ingredient for me since it enlivened the sweet plum and grape elements while melding with the spicy pepper for something exotic.  I think he loves this dish more than he loves me.  He was that impressed.

I realize that Izard's recipe would taste differently because of all the substitutions I made due to product availability, and wanting to use up manzanilla olives I already had.  Nevertheless, I'd make this again just how I did it this time because it was so tasty.  This was by far the best recipe I've tested from Bon Appetit and Food and Wine.  It's also a steak recipe that won't leave you feeling weighed down.  Instead, you'll feel revitalized by all the fresh ingredients.

You. Must. Make. This.

Enjoy!

Bon Appetit Recipe Test: Thai Chicken Soup

I'm kicking the tires on another recipe for you today.  I found this one in a Bon Appetit magazine Tweet--27 ways to make boneless chicken not boring.  This recipe is a hit!

My husband doesn't do ethnic food.  He has the stomach of a child sometimes--after a trip to an Indian restaurant, he ate something spicy and laid on the sofa for hours moaning and rubbing his tummy.  When I'm craving Vietnamese or Thai food, I call up girlfriends and have a girls' night out.  I didn't tell him this was Thai-inspired until afterwards.  He ate it up, proclaimed how fantastic the broth was, and didn't have a stomachache at all.  Then I told him it was Thai and he looked surprised.

By the way, I fully believe in "Jewish Penicillin"--chicken noodle soup--when you're feeling unwell.  This soup might replace the simple chicken noodle or matzo ball soup though.  It's that good.

I followed the original recipe closely, but not exactly.  The original recipe can be found here:
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/thai-chicken-soup

My changes were mostly out of convenience and to cut down on miscellaneous leftover produce in my fridge.  For example, instead of measuring out the mushrooms or sugar snap peas, I tossed in a whole package.  The more veggies, the merrier, right?

Here's my rendition:

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 chive pieces (five bulbs, each with about four stalks of green onion on it)
4 teaspoons minced garlic
4 in. piece of fresh ginger (consider using more if you like more zing)
handful of baby carrots
1 jalapeno (consider using two if you like heat)
1 package of sliced white mushrooms (about 8 oz.)
1 package of organic, boneless chicken tenderloins (there were no 1 lb. packages so I used 1.3 lbs.)
1 can coconut milk (this can was 13.5 oz.)
1 quart organic chicken broth
1 package of sugar snap peas (I think it was about 8 oz.)
Fish sauce to taste (I used about 2-3 tablespoons)
2-3 oz. lime juice
2 handfuls of cilantro

Outside of all the washing and chopping, this is very easy to make and has minimal clean up.

Wash all produce.

Put large soup pot on stove on medium heat.  Add the oil and the garlic.  As garlic becomes golden, chop up the scallions and carrots, add to pot.  I used one handful of baby carrots, next time, I'll consider using two since I really like carrots.

Use carrot peeler to scrape the skin off the ginger, then grate into the pot.  I couldn't find out grater, so I was using a serrated knife.  My patience wore off at four inches of the ginger.  I wish I'd used more, so if you like zing, keep grating away.  The original Bon Appetit recipe calls for 1 inch.

Next, I added the a tablespoon of fish sauce, chicken broth, and coconut milk, then all the chicken tenderloins.  Just toss the chicken pieces into the soup pot whole.  Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to simmer, and set timer for 20 minutes.

While the chicken is simmering, slice the jalapeno thinly.  I de-seeded it to keep the spicy level lower for my husband, but next time, I'll use two jalapenos.  Chop the sugar snap peas into small pieces--they'll look like over-sized rings of green onion.  I always chop mine across or slightly diagonally to make sure I cut across where strings could be.  I tend to find strings, even if the bag says the peas are string-less.

At the 20 minute mark, remove the chicken tenderloins and place on large plate.  Add the pea and jalapeno to the soup pot.  Using a fork and knife (it's hot!), pull the chicken into pieces that will fit on a spoon.  The chicken was really tender and came apart very easily.  Return the pulled chicken to the pot.  Add 2-3oz. of lime juice (I used half of a little green plastic reconstituted lime juice container).  Stir and taste.  At this point, I wanted more salt.  Instead of adding salt, I added another tablespoon or two of fish sauce to get that salty/umami taste I needed.

Taste it to check for the right balance.  Need saltiness or umami?  Add fish sauce.  Need zing?  Add lime juice and or grated ginger.

Remove the cilantro leaves from the stems.  Now you're ready to serve.

For best presentation, use a slotted spoon to scoop up the right balance of chicken and veggies.  Then ladle the broth around the chicken and veggies so you can see them peaking through the surface.  Top with fresh cilantro and serve immediately.

The delicious finished product--Tom Kha Gai inspired Thai Chicken Soup.

Don't add the rest of the fresh cilantro to the leftovers.  It will wilt when sitting in the liquid then during reheating.  Top each reheated bowl with fresh cilantro.

Teriyaki Tilapia with Grapefruit and Fennel

While waiting for my hair color to process at Todd Shrider's Broad Ripple salon, He Does Hair, I picked up the January 13, 2014 copy of People magazine and flipped through.  It was obviously New Year-oriented, with success stories about weight loss and a 200-calorie fish recipe from celebrity chef Rocco Dispirito.

The January 13, 2014 issue of People magazine was all about weight loss.  At the back, look for the Salmon Teriyaki with Grapefruit and Fennel recipe.

I love light, fresh fish recipes, so this one looked perfect for a road test.  Since it was snowing outside, it made for an excuse to create a make-believe summer oasis indoors.  It was also time for a reunion with fennel.  I've avoided fennel since about six years ago.  I was on a weekend date to St. Louis that included dinner at Top of the Riverfront, the city's only revolving restaurant that's been around since 1969.  I had never been to a revolving restaurant, and it was not a pleasant experience.  I ordered a fish dish that included broth that was heavy-handed with the fennel.  Not only did I dislike all the fennel, either the movement of the restaurant, the food, or the combination of the two left me dizzy, nauseous, and sick in the restaurant's washroom.  No fun, no romance that night!

After reading the recipe, and thinking about fennel (an anise-flavored plant that looks like an onion with dill sprouting out the top), I thought it best to swap the salmon for a firm, flaky white fish.  Fresh Market had tilapia for $10.99 per pound, cheaper than salmon and much more affordable than the pretty but pricey grouper for $21.99 per pound.  Since this was going to be dinner, I also purchased radishes to add to the fennel and grapefruit salad so it would be slightly more filling and colorful.  I wanted to use jicama, but the four jicama left at the Broad Ripple Fresh Market were all moldy.  Rick Bayless' Mexican Kitchen cookbook says that's okay, just cut it off, but I can't justify paying the Fresh Market price for something that's already molding.

I prepped the salad according to the recipe's proportions (combine 2c grapefruit segments and juices, 3c fennel bulb, 1 teaspoon dry wasabi mix), except for the addition of seven thinly sliced radishes.  I didn't have a full 3c of fennel, so I scaled down accordingly.  I prepped the fish according to the recipe (season fish with salt and pepper, cook about one minute each side in hot pan with olive oil spray, finish with teriyaki sauce), except I added a teaspoonful of butter to the hot pan to get a nice crust on the fish.  I also segmented a fresh grapefruit instead of purchasing canned, prepped grapefruit.  The overall result was a refreshing, light dinner with all organic fruits and vegetables.  If I could have changed any of the preparation, I would have used slightly less dry wasabi.  If you don't love wasabi, it's too much.

Sliced fennel, radishes, grapefruit, and dry wasabi in a mixing bowl, waiting to be combined.  

As for my relationship with fennel...we're doing better.  With the grapefruit and wasabi, it was a subtle flavor and nice crunch.  While I was chopping, I ate a slice and was a little unsure.  It's a pronounced taste, and given my dislike of licorice, not my favorite flavor.  Without the grapefruit and wasabi, I may not have enjoyed the dish.

The finished teriyaki tilapia with grapefruit and fennel (plus radish) salad.  This was a dish I enjoyed preparing because it took less than twenty minutes, and enjoyed eating because it was refreshing and light.

I served the entree with a glass of Espiral Vinho Verde, an almost semi-sparkling budget-friendly wine from Trader Joe's, retailing for just $4.49.  The effervesce comes in just under one bar of pressure, so technically this wine can't be classified as semi-sparkling.  This wine comes from the Minho region of northwest Portugal.  The "verde" in the name means green, but not like "green bottle"; it means "young."  The wine is on the shelf when it is less than one year old, and it is meant to be consumed immediately.  This isn't one to put in your closet for a few years to make it vintage.  The first sip is yeasty, but if you stick with it, it'll give way to tart apple, subtle pear, heavy-handed acid, and a hint of citrus.  The citrus develops with the first taste of the grapefruit fennel radish salad, creating a pleasant pairing with this dish.

Espiral Vinho Verde, $4.49 at Trader Joe's.

This isn't a wine where you'll be observing any perlage.  You'll see big bubbles, but they aren't rising.  They'll cling to the glass until you drink about half, and then some will release.  But c'mon, it's $4 and it's not champagne.  It's an acceptable accompaniment that brings freshness and citrus that blossoms with this particular dish.  If you're a wine snob who can't handle the simplicity and that it's from Trader Joe's, that's okay.  I've found considerable happiness in my life enjoying both the expensive and indulgent, and the everyday unexpected small treasures!

Bubbles clinging to the side of this glass of Espiral Vinho Verde.

The cost of the radishes, 1.06 lbs. (three filets) of tilapia, fennel, grapefruit, wasabi powder, and teriyaki sauce at Fresh Market was about $28, dividing out to $9.33 per serving.  However, by pairing it with a budget-friendly wine, dinner for two comes to a much more sensible $11.58 each, with a serving remaining for lunch the next day.

Overall, I recommend this recipe with the addition of radish or jicama and substitution of white fish.  It is refreshing, full of satisfying crunch, and low calorie.

Insider tip: buy fresh tilapia filets at Kroger for about $5 per pound or your local ethnic market for as little as $2 per pound (ask the butcher to slice the filet off the fish for you--this price will probably be whole fish).  Fresh Market is close to my work, and during the subzero windchill and snow, I was happy to make only one driving stop between the office and home.  If the weather had been better, I'd have driven farther to find a better price.