tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214437972024-03-13T09:05:37.028-04:00Boston ChefWe are the Boston Chef - two amateur cooks who love experimenting with food, cooking food, delighting in food... and eating food.Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.comBlogger166125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-27255866740014491542012-02-27T11:05:00.000-05:002013-09-23T16:34:26.272-04:00Perfect Hard Boiled Egg<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The perfect hard-boiled egg. For me, having a cooked egg in the fridge is the start of a good day. It's a healthy and quick way to get some protein punch, and with only 70 calories, it really is a dieter's friend. If overcooked the egg can get a greenish yolk with a dry powdery texture - and that, my friends, is not good eats. Follow my lead and your yolks will be just cooked - golden and creamy, and well, perfect!</div>
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<li>Place eggs in a pot.</li>
<li>Cover with cold water.</li>
<li>Put on stove and bring to a rolling boil.</li>
<li>Immediately cover and take the pot off the burner.</li>
<li>Set timer for EXACTLY 12 minutes.</li>
<li>Rinse a few times with cold water to halt the cooking process.</li>
<li>EAT! Or store in the fridge for up to a week.</li>
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I like to crumble my egg up and put it on a slice of whole wheat bread with mayo, baby romaine and S&P. Delish!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wLzvn1K3fdw/T0un1G0m4fI/AAAAAAAADfE/3eNc3x-WMrY/s1600/Photo1+%2828%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wLzvn1K3fdw/T0un1G0m4fI/AAAAAAAADfE/3eNc3x-WMrY/s400/Photo1+%2828%29.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-15446117711047363482012-02-24T09:39:00.003-05:002012-02-24T10:28:24.257-05:00Pork Lo Mein<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So what to do with all that super tender <a href="http://bostonchef.blogspot.com/2012/02/boneless-pork-butt.html">pork butt</a> you made the other night? This time around I decided to go in an Asian direction. With no Chinese restaurants in my town, I often get that craving for some MSG (oops! I mean umami). Pork Lo mein to the rescue! This is a great recipe to use with chicken, beef or tofu as well. So get your woks out and let's begin!</div>
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<li>2 cups leftover pork butt (or leftover roast chicken, or tofu, or beef)</li>
<li>2 cups bok choy, sliced</li>
<li>1 onion, sliced</li>
<li>2/3 cup carrots, sliced</li>
<li>6oz sliced mushrooms</li>
<li>8oz sliced water chestnuts</li>
<li>low sodium soy sauce</li>
<li>chili garlic sauce</li>
<li>corn starch</li>
<li>sesame oil</li>
<li>1 tsp splenda</li>
<li>dry sherry (use rice wine (not rw vinegar) if you have it)</li>
<li>garlic clove, minced</li>
<li>half a box whole wheat spaghetti, cooked al dente</li>
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Lo mein recipes generally call for oyster sauce which I did not have, so I searched the internet for a substitute. A lot of people actually look for vegetarian "oyster" sauces, which incorporates mushrooms and soy sauce, so I used that concept as inspiration. I pulsed a couple ounces of sliced mushrooms with 1 tsp splenda and a couple tbsp low sodium soy sauce until it had the consistency of a very thin milkshake.</div>
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Before I started the stir-fry, I assembled my sauce:</div>
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<li>2 tbsp soy sauce</li>
<li>3 tbsp mock oyster sauce</li>
<li>1/2 tsp sesame oil</li>
<li>2 tsp ground ginger</li>
<li>1 tsp chili garlic sauce</li>
<li>minced garlic</li>
<li>1 tsp dry sherry</li>
<li>1 tbsp cornstarch</li>
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<li>Pre-heat your wok over medium to medium high heat. Wait until it's hot, and then add a light coating of olive oil.</li>
<li>Stir-fry the vegetables starting with the carrots and onions first. Sautee 3 minutes.</li>
<li>Add in the mushrooms, cook for 3 minutes</li>
<li>Add the bok choy, the water chestnuts and the pork and cook for 4 minutes.</li>
<li>Add your sauce, continue cooking for a couple more minutes and then add your cooked pasta.</li>
<li>Serve! I like to have soy sauce and the chili garlic on the table so everyone can add their own finishing touch!</li>
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Pork Butt, also called <a href="http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/beefporkothermeats/ss/cutsofpork_2.htm">Boston Butt</a>, is actually a somewhat tough (but full of fat and connective tissue) cut of meat from the upper shoulder area. It is the perfect braising cut! In the past, I've used the picnic, or the lower shoulder, but that usually comes with bone and skin (which is a pain to remove.) So having a ready to go, boneless cut of meat makes this a low maintenance dish which involves 3 steps: dry rub marinade, searing and braising.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a></div>
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Start in the morning so the pork has time to tenderize and get flavored from your dry rub. Rinse and pat the butt dry. Thinly slice a couple of garlic cloves, make slits all over the pork and insert the garlic -- this will perfume the pork on the inside. The butt pictured here is roughly 3.5lbs.</div>
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Prepare your favorite spice rub. You really can't go wrong here. A basic one is as follows:</div>
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<li>2 tbsp kosher salt</li>
<li>1 tbsp cracked black pepper</li>
<li>1 tbsp smoked paprika</li>
<li>1 tbsp oregano</li>
<li>1 tsp onion powder</li>
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<i>That's a basic rub. Sometimes I add cayenne, cinnamon, ginger, cloves -- whatever one fancies.</i></div>
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Cover with plastic wrap and set in the fridge for at least 6 hours.</div>
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<li>After 6 hrs, remove the pork butt from the fridge.</li>
<li>Preheat oven to 300F on the convection setting (or 325F if you don't have a convection oven.)</li>
<li>Start heating your Dutch Oven on medium heat with a couple tbsp olive oil.</li>
<li>Slice one onion (I only had a red onion, but I've used yellow ones in the past)</li>
<li>Have a couple of bay leaves, some low sodium chicken broth and some apple cider vinegar on hand.</li>
<li>Sear the pork on one side for ~5 minutes until a nice flavorful crust forms.</li>
<li>Flip the meat and add the onions to the pot so they begin to cook.</li>
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8. After 5 minutes, add your bay leaves and enough broth so that only the top third of the pork is showing. At this point I also added 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar.</div>
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9. Cover, and place in the oven for 1.5hrs.</div>
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10. After the first 1.5 hrs, flip and add more broth if necessary. Back in the oven for another 1.5 hrs.</div>
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That's it! The first night, we usually shred a bit of the pork and serve with some potatoes and a salad. However, the best part about this is what you can do later on in the week. Think green pork stew with green chilis, tomatillos and chickpeas. Or how about pork lo mein? <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pork-and-Hominy-Stew-with-Red-Chiles-Pozole-Rojo-101285">Pozole rojo</a>? I've made 'em all, and I'll be sure to post them soon!</div>
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<br />Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-32797350210722556182012-02-10T15:22:00.001-05:002012-02-10T15:23:09.332-05:00Apple Chicken Sausage with Roasted Butternut Squash and couscous<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When chicken sausage goes on sale, I scoop it up. You've seen the spicy, Italian and garlic options, but have you ever seen <a href="http://www.alfrescoallnatural.com/FlavorDetails.aspx?ID=9783">Al Fresco's Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage</a> and thought to yourself, "what on earth would I do with that?!" Cooking with apples always makes me think of fall and all its wonderful flavors -- so why not put them all into one dish? I also had apples and a butternut squash on hand, so I took it from there.</div>
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A lot of times, when I'm roasting squash for a soup or sauce, I usually just cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, rub the cut side with olive oil, salt & pepper and then put in a baking dish cut side down. I roast it until I can pierce it easily with a fork. (400F, 35-45 minutes). </div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">However, with this dish, I wanted the squash in cubes. So I peeled the squash, removed the seeds, cubed it and tossed it withe olive oil, salt & pepper and roasted it at 400F convection for 35 minutes, tossing once.</span>
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While the squash is roasting, I cook up 1 cup of <a href="http://www.bobsredmill.com/whole-wheat-pearl-couscous.html">Bob's Red Mill whole wheat pearl couscous</a> as per the directions.<br />
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<li>1 onion, diced</li>
<li>1 rib of celery, diced</li>
<li>4 links of chicken apple sausage, sliced</li>
<li>2 apples, diced (I used Gala)</li>
<li>1/4 cup dried cranberries</li>
<li>~1 cup thawed frozen spinach</li>
<li>1 tbsp. dried rubbed Sage</li>
<li>1/2 tsp. nutmeg</li>
<li>1/4 grated Parmesan</li>
<li>reduced sodium chicken broth</li>
<li>salt & pepper</li>
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<li>Sautee the sausage (already fully cooked according to the package), onion and celery in some olive oil over medium heat for ~5 minutes.</li>
<li>Add the apple, sage and nutmeg and sautee for another 5-8 minutes until the veggies soften. </li>
<li>Add ~1 cup chicken broth and scrape up all the yummy bits on the bottom of the pan. Season with salt & pepper.</li>
<li>Add the cranberries and squash and simmer for 5 minutes.</li>
<li>Add the spinach and cooked couscous to the pan. </li>
<li>Add the parmesan cheese and add more stock if necessary -- I usually add another 1/4 cup at this point since I want the cheese to disperse evenly instead of becoming clumpy. In the end, there should be hardly any liquid. Season again with salt & pepper to taste.</li>
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<i>Bon appetit! It's autumn in a bowl!</i></div>
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</div>Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-38663827574534108532012-02-05T12:22:00.000-05:002012-02-05T12:22:41.048-05:00Eggplant Dahl with yellow split peas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dal">Dahl</a> (dal) is a thick stew-like dish made from dried lentils, peas or beans and provides a protein punch for people on a mostly vegetarian diet. For people on a budget, this is a winner! A pound of yellow split peas for a dollar along with an eggplant and some crisper staples will provide you with at least 6-8 servings! Instead of using a ton of individual spices to liven it up, I choose to use <a href="http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/shophome.html">Penzey's</a> Garam Masala. It's a lovely mix of coriander, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/08/spice-hunting-charnushka-nigella-onion-seed.html">charnushka</a>, caraway, cloves, ginger and nutmeg.</div>
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<ul>
<li>1 c. yellow split peas, rinsed</li>
<li>2 carrots, peeled and diced</li>
<li>1 yellow onion, diced</li>
<li>1 small eggplant, peeled and diced</li>
<li>chicken stock (or vegetable stock)</li>
<li>~1 tbsp Garam Masala</li>
<li>pinch of cayenne </li>
<li>salt & pepper to taste</li>
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<li>Bring 2.5 cups of stock to a boil and then add the split peas and garam masala. Reduce heat to a simmer.</li>
<li>While the peas start to cook, add some olive oil to your sautee pan and start sweating the onions and carrots on medium to medium low.</li>
<li>After the veggies have sweated for ~8 minutes, add the eggplant, a pinch of salt & pepper. At this time, you'll probably need to add a bit more olive oil as the eggplant tends to soak it right up. Sautee for about 8-10 minutes until the eggplant softens.</li>
<li>Add the eggplant mixture to the split peas. Bring up the liquid level with more stock to just above the veggies. It took me another cup.</li>
<li>Bring back up to a low boil, reduce to low and place the cover on the pot slightly askew. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.</li>
<li>Remove cover, taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. I added a pinch more garam masala, a pinch of cayenne and some S&P.</li>
<li>Continue cooking with lid off for about 10-15 minutes more until the eggplant has "dissolved" and the peas are adequately mushy.</li>
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<br />Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-22425718905681947262012-02-02T09:36:00.000-05:002012-02-02T16:27:39.762-05:00Broccoli Rabe - Rapini<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: x-small;"><b>Broccoli Rabe with quinoa, brown rice and cranberries</b></span></i></div>
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Broccoli rabe, aka rapini, is a member of the turnip family and is a common Italian sidedish. It has a slightly bitter quality and it reminds me of a mix of spinach, broccoli and kale. A bunch of Andy Boy brand rabe ($2.39) from the market is enough for 4 servings. It packs a good dose of Vitamins A & C as well as calcium and iron. Cooking it in the correct manner (blanching it before sauteing) will eliminate a majority of its bitterness. </div>
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What you need:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Broccoli Rabe</li>
<li>1 shallot, minced</li>
<li>1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flake</li>
<li>1 tbsp olive oil</li>
<li>salt and pepper</li>
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<ol>
<li>Trim the ends and rinse the rabe to remove any dirt.</li>
<li>Blanch in boiling water for 3-4 minutes.</li>
<li>Rinse under cold water or use an ice bath to stop the cooking.</li>
<li>Sautee shallot and red pepper flakes in olive oil for 1 minute.</li>
<li>Add rabe and continue sauteeing for about 8 minutes until to stalks are just tender.</li>
<li>Season with salt and pepper.</li>
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Serve as a sidedish or mix it up with some quinoa and cranberries for a little salad! A super healthy dish!</div>
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<br />Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-32325126745030419602012-01-31T10:24:00.000-05:002012-01-31T10:51:32.690-05:00Olive Oil Pumpkin Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was recently lent an issue of Fine Cooking magazine - and immediately decided that I had to make every single recipe in it. I haven't made them all yet, but I started out with this one that really spoke to me. <a href="http://www.elliekrieger.com/about">Ellie Krieger</a> is a nutritionist who hosts a show on the Food Network. I've always loved her healthier recipes, so this one for <a href="http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/olive-oil-pumkin-bread.aspx">olive oil pumpkin bread</a> made my mouth water!<br /><br />
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I'm not a baker, but this recipe was simple and easy. I'm also watching my carbs, so the addition of whole wheat flour was particularly enticing.
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span rel="v:ingredient"><span typeof="v:Ingredient"><span property="v:amount">Cooking spray</span> </span></span><br /><span rel="v:ingredient"><span typeof="v:Ingredient"><span property="v:amount">3-1/4 oz. (3/4 cup) whole wheat flour</span> </span></span><br /><span rel="v:ingredient"><span typeof="v:Ingredient"><span property="v:amount">3 oz. (2/3 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour</span> </span></span><br /><span rel="v:ingredient"><span typeof="v:Ingredient"><span property="v:amount">1 tsp. ground cinnamon</span> </span></span><br /><span rel="v:ingredient"><span typeof="v:Ingredient"><span property="v:amount">1 tsp. baking soda</span> </span></span><br /><span rel="v:ingredient"><span typeof="v:Ingredient"><span property="v:amount">1/2 tsp. baking powder</span> </span></span><br /><span rel="v:ingredient"><span typeof="v:Ingredient"><span property="v:amount">1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg</span> </span></span><br /><span rel="v:ingredient"><span typeof="v:Ingredient"><span property="v:amount">1/4 tsp. table salt</span> </span></span><br /><span rel="v:ingredient"><span typeof="v:Ingredient"><span property="v:amount">2 large eggs</span> </span></span><br /><span rel="v:ingredient"><span typeof="v:Ingredient"><span property="v:amount">1 cup canned pumpkin purée</span> </span></span><br /><span rel="v:ingredient"><span typeof="v:Ingredient"><span property="v:amount">1/2 cup packed light brown sugar</span> </span></span><br /><span rel="v:ingredient"><span typeof="v:Ingredient"><span property="v:amount">1/3 cup olive oil</span> </span></span><br /><span rel="v:ingredient"><span typeof="v:Ingredient"><span property="v:amount">1/3 cup honey</span> </span></span><br /><span rel="v:ingredient"><span typeof="v:Ingredient"><span property="v:amount">2 Tbs. unsalted pumpkin seeds (also called pepitas; optional)</span> -- I didn't have any!</span></span></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Put a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. <br /> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.<br /></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">In a medium bowl, whisk both flours, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, pumpkin, sugar, oil, and honey until well combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir with a large spoon just until evenly incorporated.<br /></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to settle the batter. Sprinkle the top with the pumpkin seeds (if using), pressing them down lightly. Bake until the top is browned and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. (If the bread begins to brown too much before it’s fully baked, lay a piece of aluminum foil on top.) <br /></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then transfer the bread to a rack to cool completely before slicing.<br /></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Enjoy cool or re-warmed for 10 seconds in the microwave! </span></li>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xrzhTQnJEZo/TygDeqhaVmI/AAAAAAAADbI/Fqz1L3jQmM0/s1600/168.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xrzhTQnJEZo/TygDeqhaVmI/AAAAAAAADbI/Fqz1L3jQmM0/s400/168.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-79895591309338130852011-07-09T08:51:00.008-04:002012-02-01T09:42:28.862-05:00Garlic Scapes<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3syEuWlEkgE/ThhPkYrTJWI/AAAAAAAADAo/s80pbQkvYLk/s1600/IMG_9351.JPG"><img alt="Garlic Scapes" border="0" height="299" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627335220917380450" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3syEuWlEkgE/ThhPkYrTJWI/AAAAAAAADAo/s80pbQkvYLk/s400/IMG_9351.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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Garlic scapes? You're probably asking yourself, like I did... "what on earth?!?" On Saturday mornings at Klem's in Spencer, there is a cute little farmer's market - don't you just love buying local in season produce?! Makes me feel, well, healthy.<br />
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So back to the scapes... They are a new discovery for me and now I can't even fathom that I ever threw them away!! They are the green flower stalks that grow up from the garlic bulb and are cut off in the spring so that the plant can focus on the garlic bulb itself. They have a very mild garlic flavor and have a good green bean crunch. Cut it up for a salad or make some pesto with it! I opted to make a quick pasta dish with some rainbow chard that I also got at the farmer's market.<br />
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Real simple:<br />
1. Boil some whole grain pasta and reserve a cup or so of the pasta water when it's almost done.<br />
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2. While the pasta is cooking separate the stems from the chard leaves, chop 'em and start sauteing in some olive oil. After 4 minutes, add your 1 inch chopped scapes (you will have snapped the bulbous top off them as this is not good eats.) At this point I also add some red pepper flakes.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f24KWwcDb8I/ThhPlSScJAI/AAAAAAAADA4/I9YuooptrN4/s1600/IMG_9354.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627335236382368770" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f24KWwcDb8I/ThhPlSScJAI/AAAAAAAADA4/I9YuooptrN4/s400/IMG_9354.JPG" style="height: 240px; width: 320px;" width="400" /></a><br />
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3. Throw in your already grilled and sliced up turkey kielbasa...oh did I forget to mention the MEAT? Well, this was an afterthought and not essential to a light early summer pasta dish, but hubster wanted meat, so VOILA.<br />
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4. Then add your chard leaves and continue cooking until just wilted...add some pasta water and some freshly grated parmesan cheese and cook until thickened. <br />
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5. Add pasta and toss -- check for salt and pepper and that's it!!!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vn7r7WSghIY/ThhPlX3clpI/AAAAAAAADBA/thgafyxCKXo/s1600/IMG_9356.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627335237879764626" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vn7r7WSghIY/ThhPlX3clpI/AAAAAAAADBA/thgafyxCKXo/s400/IMG_9356.JPG" style="height: 240px; width: 320px;" width="400" /></a>Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-64449275593956114292011-02-06T10:42:00.005-05:002012-02-01T09:42:51.382-05:00Devilish Eggs<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/TU7E9F0J2II/AAAAAAAAC3I/6i1aqd0NLxM/s1600/eggs.JPG"><img alt="Deviled Eggs" border="0" height="299" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570606342915872898" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/TU7E9F0J2II/AAAAAAAAC3I/6i1aqd0NLxM/s400/eggs.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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I hard cook my eggs by covering them with cold water, bringing them up to a boil and then covering them and taking them off the heat. I let them sit like that for 12 minutes and then rinse with cold water.<br />
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After they are cool, slice them lengthwise and scoop out the yolks. Mash them with a splash of rice wine vinegar, a splash of w'shire, and a 2:1 ratio of mayo to dijon. Season with salt and pepper. Place the yolk mixture into a plastic baggie and cut the bottom corner to use it like a pastry bag to fill the eggs that are waiting to be deviled! Top them off with a sprinkle of smoked Spanish paprika and you have a classic appetizer that will be gone before the Superbowl even begins! Tastes better chilled in the fridge for a coupla hours!Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-88185477345364207092010-08-16T15:12:00.006-04:002012-02-01T09:42:59.955-05:00Shoyu Chicken<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/THP-b5uakSI/AAAAAAAACnI/2mv9WHIfygE/s1600/shoyu.jpg"><img alt="Shoyu Chicken" border="0" height="299" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509026524509671714" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/THP-b5uakSI/AAAAAAAACnI/2mv9WHIfygE/s400/shoyu.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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In the fleeting moments I get to myself while the twins are delving into MegaBloks, stickers, or spinning around and falling down, I sometimes spy a recipe on TV that inspires me. I was flipping around the food and decor channels, and saw a sticky Asian chicken dish on Ask Aida. (I don't really get the concept of this show...why do people email or call her, only to wait for weeks or months to have their food-related question answered. Can't they just Google it and get their response instantaneously? Is this their 15 seconds of fame?)<br />
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Anyways, I missed what all the ingredients were, so I just looked up her <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aida-mollenkamp/shoyu-chicken-recipe/index.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">recipe</span></a> online. I didn't have any mirin, but I didn't sweat it. I just added a few dashes of w'shire sauce as well as some dry sherry and that was that. My one misstep was not slowly whisking in the cornstarch slurry. I ended up with a very sticky and yummy, yet clumpy sauce. <br />
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One other trick I learned...you can freeze ginger! Always nice to have some on hand!Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-16026682197718942612010-08-03T12:57:00.012-04:002012-01-31T12:29:48.234-05:00Kiss my Quiche<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/TFhW8wElKZI/AAAAAAAACj4/tNTw6A9e7vw/s1600/full+quiche+2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501242546529315218" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/TFhW8wElKZI/AAAAAAAACj4/tNTw6A9e7vw/s320/full+quiche+2.jpg" width="350" /></a><br />
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We're trying to ramp up our food blogging once again after our year-long absence, due to our now 20-month old <b><a href="http://www.bostontwins.com/">BostonTwins</a></b>. <br />
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Juggling childcare between both parents and a part-time nanny proved to be detrimental to our foodie blog - but since our move the Mom is now staying at home. This does not mean that I have more time for food-blogging - caring for these 2 buggers is hard work...most times harder than going to work believe it or not. But, here and there, I'll find some time in between naps and diaper changes to post some new recipes!<br />
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I had never made a quiche before, but I thought, hey, I'm a happy little homemaker now! I just put on my apron and got to work! <br />
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<li> Bring 1 refrigerated pie crust to room temp and preheat oven to 350F. Sautee one small onion (diced) in some olive oil for 6-8 minutes until translucent. Set aside to cool.</li>
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<li>Beat 8 eggs in a large bowl until frothy.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/TFhW7S4fbwI/AAAAAAAACjg/kpw1fY90ESE/s1600/beaten+eggs.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501242521514110722" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/TFhW7S4fbwI/AAAAAAAACjg/kpw1fY90ESE/s320/beaten+eggs.jpg" width="350" /></a></li>
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<li>Fold in the following: 1 tsp fresh thyme, 1 tsp fresh chiffonade of basil, 6oz of well drained thawed frozen spinach, 6oz. shredded mozzarella, 1/4 cup grated parmesan, and your cooled onions. I got to use fresh herbs that I have growing outside in containers...we were too late moving into our new house to start a garden -- next year!<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/TFhW8fZisiI/AAAAAAAACjw/lV5Oisi5rZ0/s1600/thyme.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501242542053831202" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/TFhW8fZisiI/AAAAAAAACjw/lV5Oisi5rZ0/s320/thyme.jpg" width="350" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/TFhW7wK9h3I/AAAAAAAACjo/j1fEt5YVXp8/s1600/basil.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501242529376208754" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/TFhW7wK9h3I/AAAAAAAACjo/j1fEt5YVXp8/s320/basil.jpg" width="350" /></a></li>
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<li>Season with 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper and just a pinch of salt.</li>
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<li>Place crust into 9" pie plate, trim edges and pour in egg mixture.</li>
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<li>Bake for 50-55 minutes until top is just starting to brown and a toothpick comes out clean in the center.</li>
</ol>
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This quiche was fabulous. Or at least I think it was! I really haven't eaten tons of quiche, so I'm unsure as to how it was supposed to taste -- but it was certainly a new favorite of mine. One thing that did happen was all the green stuff floated into the top 2/3...not sure why...if you know, leave a comment! Serve with a field green salad or some fruit!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/TFhW9EgV9BI/AAAAAAAACkA/6XStARoRCS8/s1600/slice.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501242552014468114" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/TFhW9EgV9BI/AAAAAAAACkA/6XStARoRCS8/s320/slice.jpg" width="350" /></a>Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-66409926028212693812010-07-26T08:26:00.004-04:002012-01-31T12:26:54.220-05:00Oh hello...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/TE1_CY6EIHI/AAAAAAAACgQ/gssGw_cLTVY/s1600/chickensalsa.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/TE1_CY6EIHI/AAAAAAAACgQ/gssGw_cLTVY/s320/chickensalsa.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498190399111700594" /></a><br /><br /><p>We're still here. Cooking again - but in a new location. Got some new tricks and recipes. Hoping to start posting here with some regularity again...<br /><br />Grilled/smoked chicken leg quarters with couscous and an avocado/cuke/tomato/corn/red onion/lime salsa.<br /><br />Hope you're all well and cooking!Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-34282353707512756372009-08-25T17:22:00.005-04:002012-01-31T12:27:04.764-05:00Lobster<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SpRWP8EVEmI/AAAAAAAABxg/O5saCNQ7ntw/s1600-h/lobster.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SpRWP8EVEmI/AAAAAAAABxg/O5saCNQ7ntw/s320/lobster.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374015087182156386" /></a><br /><br /><p>We boiled him (her?) for 6 minutes. <br /><br />Had the lobster with clarified butter (simmer butter until foam bubbles up to the top and fat particles drop to the bottom - you want the clear stuff in the middle so skim the foam and pour off the clear stuff... that's clarified butter) and a chardonnay.<br /><br />Miss blogging about food! When we <strong><a href="http://bostontwins.blogspot.com">get our lives back in order</a></strong> we'll be back! Promise!Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-61890262650602563132009-03-17T09:12:00.004-04:002012-01-31T12:38:53.938-05:00Corned Beef and Cabbage<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/Sb-iblKEUUI/AAAAAAAABYc/T0yR573K3LU/s1600-h/cornedbeef09.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314144680034980162" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/Sb-iblKEUUI/AAAAAAAABYc/T0yR573K3LU/s400/cornedbeef09.jpg" style="height: 240px; width: 320px;" width="400" /></a><br />
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Hey we're here! Hope you've been checking out <b><a href="http://bostontwins.blogspot.com/">Boston Twins</a></b>... That kinda explains what we've been up to. But we're still here! We're still cooking when we can! And we look forward to being able to return to the cooking we love (and posting on here) in the coming months now that Ava and Colin are sleeping more (10 hours at a time!).<br /><br /><b><a href="http://bostonchef.blogspot.com/2008/03/corned-beef-and-cabbage-and-turnip-and.html">Corned beef and cabbage</a></b> - we look forward to it every year. We got a nice, lean-looking 4lb flat cut corned beef and sliced off the layer of fat on the one side. That was key, in the past we've had corned beef that was too fatty, or the results too greasy from the fat. This one came out nice and lean. <br /><br />We put the trimmed beef into our dutch oven with some halved boiling onions, a few garlic cloves, a bunch of tellicherry peppercorns, some mustard seeds, and three big bay leaves. We topped that with a can of Guinness and then filled in to above the beef with cold water. Heated that to a low boil, then covered and simmered for 3.5 hours.<br /><br />Towards the end we started our veggies - first turnips, then carrots, then potatoes, and finally cabbage into a boiling pot that we had augmented with a couple scoops from that cooking liquid in the corned beef pot. When the veggies are ready, cut the beef against the grain, scoop out some veggies and apply some salt and margarine, dollop a dollop of dijon mustard next to the corned beef, and enjoy!<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/Sb-icErtTdI/AAAAAAAABYk/7JEUlyAr1jI/s1600-h/cornedbeef092.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314144688497577426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/Sb-icErtTdI/AAAAAAAABYk/7JEUlyAr1jI/s400/cornedbeef092.jpg" style="height: 240px; width: 320px;" width="400" /></a><br /><br />We loved how this lean version came out - VERY flavorful with little of that grease. PERFECT for leftover sandwiches!<br /><br /><span style="color: green; font-size: medium;">Happy St. Patrick's Day! Slàinte!</span><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/Sb-kjcWH3NI/AAAAAAAABY0/ariJ6yLFTj0/s1600-h/avaStPats1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314147014131834066" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/Sb-kjcWH3NI/AAAAAAAABY0/ariJ6yLFTj0/s400/avaStPats1.jpg" style="height: 240px; width: 320px;" width="400" /></a>Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-91130355609466364592008-11-11T16:36:00.008-05:002012-01-31T12:39:18.247-05:00Pan Roasted Herb Chicken<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SRn9wikkDMI/AAAAAAAABFQ/hkyNyjhRGY0/s1600-h/chickdonetop.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267520249542216898" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SRn9wikkDMI/AAAAAAAABFQ/hkyNyjhRGY0/s400/chickdonetop.jpg" style="float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 311px;" width="388" /></a><br />
Chicken is our thing. We love cooking fish, and pork, and beef roasts, and steaks. But chicken is our go-to dish, the meat we do the most, and the one at which we are probably the best. And roasted chicken is our proverbial bread and butter. <br /><br />We keep fine-tuning our methods - we tried this <b><a href="http://bostonchef.blogspot.com/2008/03/catching-up.html">Julia Childs-sourced version</a></b>, which came out fantastic. We've done <b><a href="http://bostonchef.blogspot.com/2007/10/beer-can-chicken.html">Beer Can Chicken</a></b> a <b><a href="http://bostonchef.blogspot.com/2006/06/what-weve-eaten.html">few different times</a></b> - comes out nice and juicy. We've done <b><a href="http://bostonchef.blogspot.com/2007/06/twin-grilled-whole-chickens.html">Grilled Whole Chicken</a></b> - can't go wrong. All of these are great, but when we saw the method Cook's Illustrated used for their chicken (we were suckered into a subscription) - it made perfect sense.<br /><br />The key to this one - remove the backbone so the chicken lays flat, stuff herb-butter-garlic mixture under the breast skin, and sear it first before moving it to the oven. Brilliant.<br /><br />So that's what we did. Cut out the backbone on either side of a small broiler chicken (4lbs or less if you can get it) and lay it down, pressing it as flat as possible. For down the road: get some butter (1/2 stick) softening, preheat your oven to 450, and put a big skillet on the stovetop.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SRn9Z2ZuiUI/AAAAAAAABFA/N6Tb0KDwoa0/s1600-h/chixraw1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267519859728484674" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SRn9Z2ZuiUI/AAAAAAAABFA/N6Tb0KDwoa0/s400/chixraw1.jpg" style="height: 240px; width: 320px;" width="400" /></a><br /><br />While that gets acquainted with room temperature for a few minutes - make the herb-butter-garlic by slicing and dicing up 2 garlic cloves, then dicing some fresh herbs - we used tarragon, oregano, and flat leaf parsley... a nice handful of all those. Then dice up some scallions (green parts) real thin and pile that all up on the cutting board. Sprinkle some kosher salt over that pile and a few grinds of pepper - and dice, dice, dice it all together. You'll know you have something good when you smell the results of your knifework. <br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SRn9acDhMxI/AAAAAAAABFI/GtXQqaMfEQ8/s1600-h/herbs.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267519869835883282" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SRn9acDhMxI/AAAAAAAABFI/GtXQqaMfEQ8/s320/herbs.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 240px; width: 320px;" /></a><br /><br />Get that wonderful mixture into a bowl and add about 4 tablespoons of softened butter - and combine all of that into a paste with a fork. After combined, remove HALF of that mixture and throw that in a small bowl and leave it in the fridge until later.<br /><br />Now, back to that chicken. Loosen the skin covering the breast from the "bottom" of the chicken with your fingers, and run your finger under the skin to separate from the meat. Then, take a nice sized dab (1tbls) of that herb butter and shove it under the skin on one side, pressing it down so it is spread evenly. Repeat on the other side. <br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SRn9Y1mEbzI/AAAAAAAABEo/TrWvJ2I3Ne0/s1600-h/chickbreast.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267519842331946802" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SRn9Y1mEbzI/AAAAAAAABEo/TrWvJ2I3Ne0/s320/chickbreast.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 240px; width: 320px;" /></a><br /><br />After that, give the outside of the bird a salt-and-peppering, and then breast side down into your best, biggest, pre-heated-with-olive-oil skillet for a 6-minute sear.<br /><br />After that, into your preheated oven as-is for 15 minutes, then take it out and turn that chicken over. Get that reserved herb butter out of the fridge, and rub it all into the seared up-side, including into those thigh and leg slices. Get it good and coated and then back into the oven breast side up for probably 20 minutes, but check your temp (looking for breast 165, thigh/leg 175).<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SRn9ZeqMnsI/AAAAAAAABEw/TLzswpT72gQ/s1600-h/chickdone.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267519853355114178" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SRn9ZeqMnsI/AAAAAAAABEw/TLzswpT72gQ/s320/chickdone.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 240px; width: 320px;" /></a><br /><br />And that's it... crispy, seared skin, really flavorful meat - buttery and herby! We made a pan gravy (we are big into perfecting gravy right now) and had it with some mashed potatoes.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SRn9Z-BKT-I/AAAAAAAABE4/E6RO8WPo_74/s1600-h/chickplate.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267519861772931042" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SRn9Z-BKT-I/AAAAAAAABE4/E6RO8WPo_74/s320/chickplate.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 240px; width: 320px;" /></a>Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-57584624706716473642008-10-02T09:23:00.004-04:002008-10-29T10:22:11.125-04:00Chicken Tortilla Soup<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SOTMR5SLwEI/AAAAAAAABCw/IOp6_d90yZc/s1600-h/soup1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SOTMR5SLwEI/AAAAAAAABCw/IOp6_d90yZc/s320/soup1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252547673227771970" /></a><br /><p>Ever wonder what to do with leftover chicken? Need a meal that gives you some warmth in these cooler autumn evenings? Chicken Tortilla Soup to the rescue! In the past, we’ve made good use of leftover chicken by making burritos or pot pies or chicken salad sandwiches. We’ve also made some soups before - but never this south of the border spicy soup!<br /><br />Again, most of our recipes are to taste, so taste as you go and add spices when necessary. If you don't have all the spices, so be it... substitute something else or just leave it out. <br /><br />Sweat 1 medium chopped onion in some olive oil over med low heat for about 10 minutes until translucent – no browning! Add 4 cloves of minced garlic and cook a couple minutes more. Add 8 cups of chicken broth along with at least 2 cups shredded cooked chicken and a 28oz can diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. <br /><br />Add the following spices: 1 tbsp dried cilantro (not coriander – and if you have fresh cilantro add a handful at the end of cooking), 1 tbsp cumin, 2 tsp chili powder, 1/8 tsp cayenne, 1 tsp Mexican oregano, 1/4 tsp ground chipotle, the juice of 2-3 limes and some salt and pepper of course! Let that simmer for 20 minutes to get the chicken infused with all the flavors.... then add about 16oz of corn and 32 oz of rinsed canned black beans. Let that come back up to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SOTMSOkKfLI/AAAAAAAABC4/jSqKIGlSos4/s1600-h/soup2.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SOTMSOkKfLI/AAAAAAAABC4/jSqKIGlSos4/s320/soup2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252547678940331186" /></a><br /><br />To serve, place some tortilla chips in the bottom of your bowl and ladle the soup on top. Garnish with some fresh cilantro, sour cream, cheese or avocado. The chips will get soggy and starch (and salt) up the soup nicely... Reserve some chips for crisp dipping too! If you have the time, instead of chips, you can slice up some soft corn tortillas and fry up some strips in canola oil for a fresh and crunchy garnish. Cheers to a new life for leftover chicken!<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SOTMSXGcCGI/AAAAAAAABDA/GqG2__cjIYI/s1600-h/soup3.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SOTMSXGcCGI/AAAAAAAABDA/GqG2__cjIYI/s320/soup3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252547681231571042" /></a>Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-49240395544259881342008-09-18T11:35:00.010-04:002012-01-31T15:02:30.879-05:00New England Clam Chowder<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SNJ_AIB8r7I/AAAAAAAABCA/iY7iY1x9tbo/s1600-h/chowder2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247396155972431794" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SNJ_AIB8r7I/AAAAAAAABCA/iY7iY1x9tbo/s400/chowder2.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Why did we wait so long to make this chowder? No idea, but we're glad we finally went through with it. This New England Clam Chowder was easy to make and absolutely delicious!<br />
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We researched many recipes online before settling on a version of this one for <b><a href="http://gonewengland.about.com/od/morerecipes/r/recclfhschowder.htm">The Cliff House Clam Chowder from The Cliff House in Ogunquit, Maine</a></b>. How could we go wrong with that one, right? It had all the elements we saw on the other recipes - smokey bacon and sweet onions, cubed potatoes, clam juice and cream, and chopped clams, of course!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SNJ-UrAioeI/AAAAAAAABBY/21KSfmrkUxY/s1600-h/baconandclam.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247395409447526882" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SNJ-UrAioeI/AAAAAAAABBY/21KSfmrkUxY/s400/baconandclam.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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We altered the recipe only slightly by adding a couple stalks of minced celery and increasing the recipe by half - so 1.5 of the measurements in that recipe - but not exactly 1.5 of each ingredient... <br />
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And yes, we made the full-on "Cliff House Spice Blend" with these measurements: 2 tsps oregano, 2 tsps dried parsley, 1 tsps marjoram (we didn't have marjoram, so we added some Turkish Oregano instead), 1 tsps dill, 2 tsps thyme, 2 tsps basil, 1/2 tsp sage, 2 tsps rosemary, 1 tsps tarragon, 1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour, crushed in a makeshift mortar. Stored in a resealable plastic bag to refrigerate, there is WAY more than you'd need for the clam chowder, but this makes a nice spice blend for anything savory you're making...<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SNJ-U6UHUKI/AAAAAAAABBo/sM5eUsT48Ew/s1600-h/boilingtaters.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247395413556154530" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SNJ-U6UHUKI/AAAAAAAABBo/sM5eUsT48Ew/s400/boilingtaters.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Boil the potatoes before hand... We diced the potatoes to 1/2-inch cubes and added those and the minced celery to COLD water, covered, and brought it up to a boil, then uncovered and they're ready in 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.<br />
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For the chowder, our updated ingredient list looked like this:<br />
<ul>
<li>3 slice hickory-smoked bacon, minced</li>
<li>1 teaspoon butter</li>
<li>2 cups onion (one really nice-sized onion), minced</li>
<li>2 medium garlic clove, minced </li>
<li>1.5 teaspoon The Cliff House Spice Blend (see below)</li>
<li>1.5 tablespoon all-purpose flour</li>
<li>2 can clams (6-1/2 ounces) - WITH the juice reserved!</li>
<li>1 cup bottled clam juice </li>
<li>2.5 cups Half and Half</li>
<li>1 teaspoon white pepper</li>
<li>3 medium potatoes AND two stalks of celery, peeled, diced, and boiled.</li>
</ul>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SNJ-VKLxLLI/AAAAAAAABB4/WcHVRgkLMYM/s1600-h/tatersandonions.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247395417816116402" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SNJ-VKLxLLI/AAAAAAAABB4/WcHVRgkLMYM/s400/tatersandonions.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
This candle did nothing to stop the tears caused by that onion...<br />
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Then, we just followed their directions, our comments in <b>bold</b>: <br />
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<i>In a heavy-bottomed <b>dutch oven</b> sauté bacon, butter, onion, garlic and The Cliff House Spice Blend over low heat. Do not allow to brown - <b>very important! Even if it does brown a little, don't scrape those brown bits up like you would in other deglazed sauces!</b>. <br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SNJ-UwkAyJI/AAAAAAAABBg/bHOJjVyBO1c/s1600-h/baconbase.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247395410938480786" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SNJ-UwkAyJI/AAAAAAAABBg/bHOJjVyBO1c/s400/baconbase.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Drain clams and set aside, reserving the juice. Slowly stir the flour and clam juices in the sauté mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Add Half and Half and simmer 20 minutes. <b>Carefully watch the temp during this time - getting just the right simmer is tough with the 1/2-n-1/2.</b> Add white pepper, potatoes and clams. <b>Add the potatoes first, wait a couple minutes, then finally add the clams!</b> Heat to serving temperature. Do not allow to boil, as this toughens the clams. Serve at once.</i><br />
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Absolutely delicious - the sweet, sweated onions and the salty clams with the smokey bacon is perfect. The creamy texture with the soft potatoes is great with a piece of crusty bread - or oyster crackers! Best part is that it's even better the next day... but what soup isn't?<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SNJ-UxhycMI/AAAAAAAABBw/oNbCq5ZG58A/s1600-h/chowder1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247395411197587650" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SNJ-UxhycMI/AAAAAAAABBw/oNbCq5ZG58A/s400/chowder1.jpg" width="400" /></a>Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-9298927548044140972008-08-27T18:59:00.009-04:002008-10-29T10:22:39.135-04:00Chicken Pad Thai<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SLXiIsP4VoI/AAAAAAAAA_I/WfbNXNFdMt0/s1600-h/20080826_999_4.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SLXiIsP4VoI/AAAAAAAAA_I/WfbNXNFdMt0/s320/20080826_999_4.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239342380460037762" /></a><p>Ever been intimidated by all the ingredients that go into making Pad Thai? Yeah, so was I. Finally I gave it a shot this week; and even though I couldn't find one key ingredient at the store (tamarind paste), I did not give up on the dish. I found that tamarind paste provides the dish with a sour tang that can be mimicked with some lime juice, white vinegar and a bit more brown sugar than was planned. Crisis averted!<br /><br />My recipe is not precise as far as the sauce goes, but taste as you go and remember that the sauce needs to be a bit strong since it will coat a ton of rice noodles. I added roughly 1/2 cup lite soy sauce, 1/2 cup H2O, juice of about 3 limes, a splash of white vinegar, 1 tsp or 2 of Sriracha chili sauce, 1/2 tsp garlic powder (too lazy to chop fresh stuff), 1/2 tsp of low sodium chicken bouillion, and about 1/2 cup light brown sugar. <br /><br />Whisk those ingredients together and set aside while, in another bowl, covering the rice noodles with very hot tap water and let sit for 15 minutes - according to my noodle package's directions. They will still be al dente and ready to finish cooking later...<br /><br />Coat a hot wok (or large pan) with oil and then add some raw thinly sliced chicken breast that you marinated in about 2 tsp cornstarch and some soy sauce. Brown for about 6-8 minutes until done. Remove from wok and add some more oil. To this add about 8oz shredded carrots and 1 bunch of sliced scallions. Throw in 2 scarmbled eggs as well. After 2 minutes, add your SAUCE! Let this cook down for about 3 more minutes and then add your al dente rice noodles. Allow this entire mixture to absorb some of the sauce for 3 minutes, add the chicken back, and then throw in some bean sprouts. Traditionally, uncooked sprouts are put on top of the dish during plating, but apparently this poses a slight risk for pregnant women so we heated ours through.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SLXiPF44rpI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/9LI14L8XvN0/s1600-h/20080826_999_1.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SLXiPF44rpI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/9LI14L8XvN0/s320/20080826_999_1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239342490422128274" /></a><br /><br />Serve up the Pad Thai with another lime wedge, some cilantro and some peanuts, and more hot Sriracha if you are like Michael! Honestly, I was amazed at how much this tasted like Pad Thai from a resto and I didn't need to buy that $5 jar of pre-made sauce from the market!Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-6080220985902524432008-08-06T19:10:00.008-04:002008-08-07T08:09:52.474-04:00Aroostook County Bounty<p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SJovwDOStRI/AAAAAAAAAuM/61xXNU29-8E/s1600-h/20080804_999_6.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231546419689731346" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SJovwDOStRI/AAAAAAAAAuM/61xXNU29-8E/s320/20080804_999_6.JPG" border="0" /></a><p>We were up in northern Maine last weekend and we quickly discovered that the abundance of rain they'd received in June had flooded the riverbanks and allowed the reeds to grow up to forest-like proportions. This meant that even with waders, we just couldn't get past the reeds in order to cast even with just a spinner rod. Walking around these reed forests in the mud in waders is no fun when you're over 18 weeks pregnant with twins!! Alas, this meant that no fishing was to be had unless we had a boat, which we didn't even think to bring.<br /><br />As sad as Michael, the fishing addict, was - I knew that all the rain also meant that as long as the farmers wore their mudding boots, they'd be able to pull out some mid-summer crops. Specifically I was on the hunt for new white potatoes and string beans. New potatoes just taste so darn good, and since I'm biased coming from a potato-farming family from Aroostook County, I think new MAINE potatoes are the best around.<br /><br />Simply wash off the dirt from the potatoes and place them in a pot with the trimmed string beans. If some potatoes are a bit larger, just halve them. No need to peel the tender peels off, they are quite edible and rather tasty! Cover the veggies with water, bring to a boil with the lid on (it's faster that way!!), and keep a close watch on them though because once at a boil it'll froth up and over due to the starch in the spuds. Boil for about 20 minutes until fork tender.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SJoyb69JW8I/AAAAAAAAAuc/cc0Nneo68Pc/s1600-h/20080804_999_7.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231549372407831490" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SJoyb69JW8I/AAAAAAAAAuc/cc0Nneo68Pc/s320/20080804_999_7.JPG" border="0" /></a> I know that the beans will look way overcooked, more so than we usually like, but for this dish, that's what I intend! Serve up with a smidgeon of margarine or butter on the spuds and some salt and pepper and you're good to go. I like my served up with a simple steak with a dollop of A1 sauce on the side, but clearly the stars of the show come from the Crown of Maine.</p>Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-90949446769878498602008-08-05T11:42:00.003-04:002008-08-05T11:47:48.237-04:00In Memory<a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SJh1FdAGx5I/AAAAAAAAAuE/5o73Dn3s7Os/s1600-h/sher.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SJh1FdAGx5I/AAAAAAAAAuE/5o73Dn3s7Os/s320/sher.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231059703735699346" /></a><br /><p>We are very sad to learn that one of our favorite food bloggers, Sher at <strong><a href="http://whatdidyoueat.typepad.com/">What Did You Eat?</a></strong>, has passed away.<br /><br />Sher had a great blog and we loved to read about her adventures with food and small animals - two things we also love. We would regularily visit her blog to read her updates and find out what she was up to...<br /><br />Sher would leave many encouraging comments on our posts that we always looked forward to and enjoyed receiving.<br /><br />Our thoughts are with her family and we hope she rests in peace.Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-29203911317366020332008-07-29T14:17:00.011-04:002012-02-01T10:07:18.559-05:00Fluke Florentine<a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SI9hBTjVwRI/AAAAAAAAAtU/5JKuQJfGpJw/s1600-h/fluke3.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228504367456698642" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SI9hBTjVwRI/AAAAAAAAAtU/5JKuQJfGpJw/s400/fluke3.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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I had an opportunity to go offshore fishing from Newport, Rhode Island with some old high school friends. We caught a few bluefish and a bunch of fluke - aka Summer Flounder. This fish is delicious simply pan-fried with a little salt and pepper, which we had the night I returned from the trip. The next night, we decided to do something a little more elaborate with these sweet whitefish fillets...<br /><br /><a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SI9hAiJee_I/AAAAAAAAAs8/GBkXvL6MVZE/s1600-h/mikeFluke.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228504354194881522" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SI9hAiJee_I/AAAAAAAAAs8/GBkXvL6MVZE/s400/mikeFluke.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />The victim.<br /><br />This Florentine is very simple - sautee one small diced onion, then add a can of petite diced tomatoes, a little white wine, and a little salt and pepper. Add that to a bowl of de-thawed frozen spinach and mix togther. Pour it over the fillets, cover with aluminum, and bake at 350 for 25 minutes. That's it!<br /><br /><a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SI9hAzZ-deI/AAAAAAAAAtE/5oYcckVNdJM/s1600-h/fluke1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228504358827488738" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SI9hAzZ-deI/AAAAAAAAAtE/5oYcckVNdJM/s400/fluke1.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SI9hBOLanNI/AAAAAAAAAtM/NeOx3-OIlCo/s1600-h/fluke2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228504366014176466" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SI9hBOLanNI/AAAAAAAAAtM/NeOx3-OIlCo/s400/fluke2.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><br />This came out wonderfully, the fluke is a great, versatile ocean fish. We also made some bluefish cakes with those fillets... we'll post that later! Here's one of the Blues we caught!<br /><br /><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SI9jNlFwp-I/AAAAAAAAAtc/nQFLAMw5CS0/s1600-h/mikeBlue.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228506777346156514" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SI9jNlFwp-I/AAAAAAAAAtc/nQFLAMw5CS0/s400/mikeBlue.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Don't forget to check out <b><a href="http://bostontwins.blogspot.com/">Boston Twins</a></b>!Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-74943820050634537412008-06-25T11:04:00.003-04:002008-06-29T08:43:45.109-04:00Big Messy Salad<a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SGJQea0BQMI/AAAAAAAAApk/_zE507RxChI/s1600-h/bigsalad.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SGJQea0BQMI/AAAAAAAAApk/_zE507RxChI/s320/bigsalad.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215819801972261058" /></a><p>Head over to <a href="http://bostontwins.blogspot.com">Boston Twins</a> to read about an old favorite of ours - the <strong><a href="http://bostontwins.blogspot.com/2008/06/big-messy-salad-to-rescue.html">Big Messy Salad</a></strong>.Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-2716569120746599262008-06-20T11:41:00.002-04:002008-06-20T11:41:34.677-04:00Welcome to Boston Twins!<a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SFu1EYAiDhI/AAAAAAAAAns/AJBMwo0NFuk/s1600-h/11weeksweb2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SFu1EYAiDhI/AAAAAAAAAns/AJBMwo0NFuk/s320/11weeksweb2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213960080380268050" /></a><p>We have a pretty good reason why our posts have been so few and far between these days – morning sickness! Or should I say all-day sickness..? Yes, we at <strong><a href="http://bostonchef.blogspot.com">Boston Chef</a></strong> are pleased to announce that we are now also <strong><a href="http://bostontwins.blogspot.com">Boston Twins</a></strong>! <br /><br />That’s right, our little comfy twosome will be doubling by year’s end, and we couldn’t be more thrilled. Aside from ravioli, nothing was appetizing to me for the first few weeks, but I’ve hopefully crossed into at state of just being hungry all the time. M still needs to prepare the raw meats for me, because raw meat is pretty gross.<br /><br />For anyone going through morning sickness, some of the things that helped alleviate the nausea for me were saltines, ginger ale, carbonated water and ginger snaps. I keep crackers on my nightstand due to the fact that I will wake up in the middle of the night with a pit of hunger in my stomach! I'll post some more morning sickness remedies in the near future.<br /><br />I am already putting on some weight but hopefully I won’t get too Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man-y, and instead I’ll have nice thick long hair, perfect nails, a healthy glow and will look super-cute in a sundress. I’m already measuring 16 weeks plus even though I’m just 12 weeks, hence none of my clothes fit. It’s a shopaholic’s dream to have to buy a whole new wardrobe, yet remain on a budget! Also more on maternity clothes - and shopping - soon...<br /><br />And for the important part, here’s a picture of our last ultrasound taken at 11 weeks!<br /><br /><a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SFu0mEz3AoI/AAAAAAAAAnk/HCLPmmNF_Yc/s1600-h/11weeksweb.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SFu0mEz3AoI/AAAAAAAAAnk/HCLPmmNF_Yc/s320/11weeksweb.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213959559830766210" /></a>Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-7903726875549359612008-05-28T11:41:00.011-04:002012-01-31T12:49:07.646-05:00Poached Brook Trout and Fiddleheads - Caribou, Maine<a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SD2LLPh7YCI/AAAAAAAAAmM/tkEW5hl781I/s1600-h/fiddleheads.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205469769573818402" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SD2LLPh7YCI/AAAAAAAAAmM/tkEW5hl781I/s400/fiddleheads.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
We headed North for our yearly <b><a href="http://bostonchef.blogspot.com/2007/05/fiddleheads-and-fishing.html">Memorial Day trip to Caribou, Maine</a></b> to visit with family, help around the house, and do some Aroostook River trout fishing.<br />
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After a cool and rainy Saturday of fishing, the weather cleared and was absolutely beautiful on Sunday. We spent the morning and again later in the evening on the riverside; walking around in our waders in the water, hunting fiddleheads for photos, seeing otters jump in the water beside us, and fishing for trout around the currents and inlets feeding the vast, swollen river.<br />
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<a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SD2LG_h7YBI/AAAAAAAAAmE/kmi5f_heYEM/s1600-h/staceyWadingBlog.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205469696559374354" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SD2LG_h7YBI/AAAAAAAAAmE/kmi5f_heYEM/s400/staceyWadingBlog.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SD2LGvh7YAI/AAAAAAAAAl8/Av_-1Gs-ADw/s1600-h/staceyTroutcaptureBlog.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="306" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205469692264407042" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SD2LGvh7YAI/AAAAAAAAAl8/Av_-1Gs-ADw/s400/staceyTroutcaptureBlog.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SD2K3_h7X7I/AAAAAAAAAlU/OmLGThVTE5I/s1600-h/MikeTroutBlog.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205469438861336498" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SD2K3_h7X7I/AAAAAAAAAlU/OmLGThVTE5I/s400/MikeTroutBlog.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
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All fish were safely released, save for this 16-inch, 1.75-pound, absolute beauty of a Brook Trout - which we kept for dinner.<br />
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<a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SD2K4Ph7X8I/AAAAAAAAAlc/r5s6LLuf-IE/s1600-h/MikeTroutScaleBlog.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205469443156303810" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SD2K4Ph7X8I/AAAAAAAAAlc/r5s6LLuf-IE/s400/MikeTroutScaleBlog.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
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We cleaned the trout by removing the head, making a slit up it's belly and removing the guts, scoring and scraping out the blood vessel on the underside of the spine, and rinsing inside and out really well. <br />
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<a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SD2K3vh7X6I/AAAAAAAAAlM/FQQ-ZlPSbfc/s1600-h/troutCleanedBlog.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205469434566369186" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SD2K3vh7X6I/AAAAAAAAAlM/FQQ-ZlPSbfc/s400/troutCleanedBlog.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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After drying with a paper towel, we rubbed a thin layer of olive oil inside and out, followed by a Lemon Pepper seasoning mix. A few lemon slices and chopped chives in the cavity, and we folded it all up in an aluminum foil pouch, leaving one end open. Into that open end we poured about a 1/3-cup of white wine, then we sealed it up tightly.<br />
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<a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SD2LGfh7X_I/AAAAAAAAAl0/ux2r8ZeViU4/s1600-h/troutStuffedBlog.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205469687969439730" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SD2LGfh7X_I/AAAAAAAAAl0/ux2r8ZeViU4/s400/troutStuffedBlog.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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That beautiful trout poached on a medium-high grill for what should have been 10-12 minutes (we went too long by accident, 10-12 minutes is the right time). Then, remove carefully and slide that fresh trout meat right off the little bones. So fresh and delicious - on the table just an hour after it was caught.<br />
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<a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SD2K4fh7X9I/AAAAAAAAAlk/X9fu3H5lWh4/s1600-h/troutCookedBlog.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205469447451271122" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SD2K4fh7X9I/AAAAAAAAAlk/X9fu3H5lWh4/s400/troutCookedBlog.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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With our wonderful local Brook Trout, we had locally harvested, riverbed-grown Fiddleheads - par-boiled for 10 minutes and then sauteed with butter until soft and delicious. A very local meal, thanks to the Aroostook.<br />
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<a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SD2L9fh7YDI/AAAAAAAAAmU/gODNCmE21QM/s1600-h/fiddleheadsCookedBlog.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205470632862244914" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SD2L9fh7YDI/AAAAAAAAAmU/gODNCmE21QM/s400/fiddleheadsCookedBlog.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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We had a great trip and can't wait to head up again in September for some end-of-the-season trout fishing.<br />
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<a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SD2LGfh7X-I/AAAAAAAAAls/4j-a_W-eY-M/s1600-h/troutDoneBlog.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205469687969439714" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SD2LGfh7X-I/AAAAAAAAAls/4j-a_W-eY-M/s400/troutDoneBlog.jpg" width="400" /></a>Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21443797.post-84674028602553706512008-05-08T15:10:00.007-04:002008-06-11T09:22:16.885-04:00Sweet Potato Chips<a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SCNUma2zJTI/AAAAAAAAAks/phh9-G7-iYI/s1600-h/sweetpotatoes1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SCNUma2zJTI/AAAAAAAAAks/phh9-G7-iYI/s320/sweetpotatoes1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198091413936612658" /></a><p>We sure do love our <strong><a href="http://bostonchef.blogspot.com/search/label/sweet%20potatoes">Sweet Potatoes</a></strong>! <br /><br />We've <strong><a href="http://bostonchef.blogspot.com/2007/09/oregano-steak-with-grilled-sweet.html">grilled them</a></strong>, we've <strong><a href="http://bostonchef.blogspot.com/2007/03/roasted-fennel-sweet-potato.html">roasted them</a></strong>, we've <strong><a href="http://bostonchef.blogspot.com/2006/12/what-weve-eaten-ii.html">mashed them</a></strong>, and we've <strong><a href="http://bostonchef.blogspot.com/2007/03/good-shephard.html">baked them</a></strong>. But up until now, we haven't "fried" them!<br /><br />Well, we hadn't in a long time, at least. We decided to revisit this old favorite when the oven was occupied (at too low a temp) and the grill was covered in the rain. How could we cook our sweet potatoes? Thinly sliced and fried in canola oil!<br /><br />So we brought a thin layer - about 1/3 of an inch - of canola oil up to about 350 degrees in a big pan and we peeled a nice-sized sweet potato. Then we sliced it up as thinly as possible. The thinner the better - thin slices crisp up nice and evenly when frying, while thicker slices will still be a little mushy in the middle (which isn't bad, either!). Using a mandolin might help here...<br /><br /><a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SCNUrK2zJVI/AAAAAAAAAk8/2vkxl3CI3qI/s1600-h/sweetpotatoescut.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SCNUrK2zJVI/AAAAAAAAAk8/2vkxl3CI3qI/s320/sweetpotatoescut.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198091495540991314" /></a><br /><br />Into the oil they go in batches - leave plenty of room! Depending on their thickness they'll go 5-7 minutes total, turning once or twice, or until they are just getting a nice tan color and begin to stiffen up. Don't go TOO long, they'll crisp up as they dry. Use your first batch as a test batch (trust us, they'll be eaten well before dinner, anyway).<br /><br /><object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xIe_VoQMAu8"> </param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xIe_VoQMAu8" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"> </embed> </object><br /><br />When the batch is ready to come out, lay them down on some paper towels and dab dry the top with some more towels, then immediately season. We went with some kosher salt and cajun seasoning - but you could go any direction here: parsley and herbs, salt and pepper, garlic and onion, parmesan, or even go sweet with some cinnamon. <br /><br />These came out great! At least 1/2 of them didn't even make it til dinner time - you have to test for doneness, yaknow! <br /><br /><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SCNUq62zJUI/AAAAAAAAAk0/hTy0cu0YKtk/s1600-h/sweetpotatoes2.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_ptuWDHuX6vQ/SCNUq62zJUI/AAAAAAAAAk0/hTy0cu0YKtk/s320/sweetpotatoes2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198091491246024002" /></a>Boston Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380993101934619447noreply@blogger.com1