Salad | onedadskitchen

Breaking Through on Bagels and Cole Slaw

A suggestion had been made to me a while back about making my own bagels. I had thought about it before and it always seemed like there was a lot of work involved in doing it so I never really gave it much thought until recently. I did some looking around for bagel recipes, trying to find one that would not be difficult to make and could be done in my small kitchen without a lot of fuss. After doing some searching, I came upon this recipe from The Sophisticated Gourmet and it seemed basic enough and easy enough that it would be worth my first shot, even if it is 95 degrees outside. Who doesn’t love a nice bagel for breakfast or as a substitute for your bread on a sandwich?

New York-Style Bagels

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 1/4 cups warm water (you may need 1/4 cup more, I used a little more than this)

3 1/2 cups bread flour, plus extra for kneading

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

In 1/2 cup of warm water, pour in the yeast and the sugar. Do not stir. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, and then stir the yeast and sugar mixture until it all dissolves in the water.

Mix the flour and the salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast and sugar mixture.

Pour half of the remaining warm water into the well. Mix and stir in the rest of the warm water as needed. Depending on where you live, you may need to add anywhere from a couple of tablespoons to 1/4 cup of water. You want your final results to be a moist and firm dough after you have mixed it.

On a floured countertop, knead the dough for 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Try working in as much flour as possible to form a firm and stiff dough. Lightly brush a large bowl with oil and turn the dough to coat. Cover the bowl with a damp dish towel. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in size. Punch the dough down and let it rest for another 10 minutes.

Carefully divide the dough into 8 pieces (you can use a scale for this if you have one and want to be exact; I just eyeballed it to try to get equal portions). Shape each piece into a round. Take a dough ball and press it gently against the countertop or other flat surface you are working on, moving your hand and the ball of dough in a circular motion, pulling the dough into itself while reducing the pressure on top of the dough slightly until you form a perfect dough ball. Repeat the process with the other 7 dough rounds.

Coat a finger in flour, and gently press your finger into the center of each dough ball to form a ring. Stretch the ring to about 1/3 the diameter of the bagel and place the bagel on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.

After shaping the dough rounds and placing them on the cookie sheet, cover them with a damp kitchen towel and allow them to rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Reduce the heat. Use a slotted spoon or spider skimmer to lower the bagels into the water. Boil as many as you are comfortable with at first without overcrowding. Once the bagels are in, they will begin to float to the top within seconds. Let the bagels sit in the water undisturbed for 1 minute, then flip them over to boil for another minute. Extend the boiling time to 2 minutes per side if you would prefer a chewier, more New York-style bagel.

Once all the bagels have boiled, transfer them to a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

I only made plain bagels this time out since it was the first time I was trying them, but you could certainly add a wide variety of toppings to the bagels. Things like sesame seeds, poppy seeds, caraway seeds, minced onion, minced garlic or anything else can be used. You want to add your toppings after you remove the bagels from the boiling water and apply an egg wash to the bagels before you put the toppings on and then put them in the oven. The work time wasn’t bad even though it involved kneading dough in the summer heat for me, which wasn’t a lot of fun, but it was certainly worth it. I was very happy with the final results and the bagels tasted delicious. All said, I think it was pretty easy to do for a great result and a lot cheaper than buying a bagel from the bagel store or deli.

We used the bagels with dinner last night to make chicken salad sandwiches and they were delicious. I also tried Alton Brown’s coleslaw recipe to go along with dinner last night. There are a few nice ingredients in this one that give some great extra flavor.

Alton Brown’s Coleslaw

1/2 head green cabbage, thinly sliced

1/2 head red cabbage, thinly sliced

1 carrot, thinly sliced

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 ounces plain yogurt

2 ounces mayonnaise

1 tablespoon pickle juice

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon chives, chopped

Kosher salt, as needed

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Generously salt the cabbage and drain in a colander for 3 hours. Rinse thoroughly and dry. In a separate bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the cabbage and carrot. Whisk to combine evenly. Toss the cabbage and carrot with the dressing.

Salting the cabbage first helps to pull out a lot of the moisture from the cabbage. You could just as easily use a bag of coleslaw mix if you have one hand and get the same results. I love the added flavor that the yogurt, buttermilk, pickle juice and mustard give to the slaw. It has a nice, tangy flavor and a little bite to it that is very enjoyable.

That’s all there is for today. Check back next time to see some other new recipes I will be trying in the next few days. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on July 10, 2013 in Breads, Salad, Side Dishes

Tags: Alton Brown, Alton Brown's coleslaw, bagel recipe, bagel recipes, bagels, coleslaw, New York style bagels

Party or Picnic Panzanella Salad

28 Jun

Quite often in the summertime I find myself invited to a barbecue or a party and looking for something to make to bring over. A lot of the time it may be a last-minute get-together and I will not have a lot of time to put something together or not have all the ingredients needed to make something like a pie or fruit salad. If you want to make something that will hold up well in any type of weather then a good alternative for you is to try this recipe for an Italian bread salad, or Panzanella Salad. You can find all kinds of recipes for this, but I used this very simple one from the Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook and it worked out great.

Panzanella Salad (Italian Bread Salad)

1 (1-pound) loaf Italian or French bread, cut or torn into 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced thin

1 shallot, sliced thin

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the bread pieces with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt; arrange the bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast the bread pieces until they are just starting to turn a light golden color, about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring the bread halfway through the baking process. Set the bread aside and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Gently toss the tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a large bowl. Transfer the tomatoes to a colander set over a bowl; set it aside to drain for 15 minutes, tossing the tomatoes occasionally.

Whisk the remaining 6 tablespoons of olive oil, the red wine vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper into the reserved tomato juices. Add the bread pieces, toss to coat and let stand for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Add the tomatoes, cucumber, shallot and basil to the bowl with the bread pieces and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

There are a couple of things that can really make this easy recipe great. Since this is the time of year you will start to see some really good, fresh local tomatoes, use the best that you have or can find for a recipe like this. The flavor of the tomatoes makes all the difference. Even if you don’t have whole tomatoes on hand, if you have some great, fresh cherry tomatoes, simply halve those and use them and it will turn out fine. Using a really good olive oil here can make a big difference too. I keep a good extra-virgin olive oil on hand for flavoring things like this and the fruity flavor it adds really helps this dish. Also, use only fresh basil here, not the jarred spices. There’s nothing like some fresh basil with tomatoes. Just the smell alone is usually good enough for me, but it adds great flavor too. If you have a really dense loaf of bread, you may find that you do not need to use all of it for this recipe. Adjust the amount of bread you use based on that.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for some other recipes I have done or am working on. I have a great bay scallop recipe I just tried the another night to put up here and I have lots of good things to choose from in the freezer right now to make some great meals, so keep checking back. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on June 28, 2013 in Cookbooks, Picnic Fare, Salad, Side Dishes

Tags: Cook's Illustrated Cookbook, Italian bread salad, panzanella, panzanella salad

Alton Brown’s Cold-Fashioned Potato Salad

14 Jun

I’ve been making potato salad recipes for years and years now. All along, I’ve really just been using the same recipe. I have these standard Hellmann’s potato salad recipe that you used to find on the back of the jar that I’ve been using all this time and it is always worked well. This last time, when I decided to make some potato salad as a side dish for dinner, I wanted to try something a little bit different. I went searching for recipes and came across this one from Alton Brown on the Food Network’s website. I don’t think I’ve ever tried a recipe of his that I haven’t liked, so I thought I would give it a try.

Cold-Fashioned Potato Salad

2 1/2 pounds red potatoes, large diced
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 tablespoon very thinly sliced garlic
3 tablespoons finely chopped cornichons
1/2 cup small dice red onion
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the potatoes into a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Cover the potatoes with cold water and place the pot over medium heat. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat and remove the lid. Gently simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain the potatoes and place them in an ice bath to cool. Remove the skins from the potatoes. Slice the potatoes into rounds and place them into a zip top bag. Add the vinegar and toss to coat all of the potatoes. Place the bag into the refrigerator overnight.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, parsley, tarragon, garlic, cornichons, onions, and celery. Once everything is evenly combined, add the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Allow the salad to chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving.

If you have never used cornichons before, they are those little tiny pickles that you can find in many of your local supermarkets. I did not have any red potatoes on hand, so I did use some russet potatoes instead and I think everything turned out just fine. Adding the vinegar ahead of time and allowing the potatoes to marinate overnight does seem to make a good difference in the taste. There were also a few things in this salad that I never added before, including the cornichons, garlic and mustard powder. You can really taste the mustard powder and it does come through quite nicely. I would certainly recommend this recipe and I’ll be using it again. The salad tasted even better the next day once it had time to sit and the flavors were allowed to meld.

That’s all I have for today. Check back again next time to see some of the recipes that I’ve tried out this week, including a pork chop with cherries, a crispy high roasted chicken and potatoes recipe and some others that I have been working on. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day, and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on June 14, 2013 in Cooking, Cooking Websites, Potatoes, Salad, Side Dishes

Tags: Alton Brown, cold-fashioned potato salad, food network, potato salad recipe, potato salad recipes

Potato & Pasta Salad Recipes for the Summer : Cooking Channel

01 Jun

Potato & Pasta Salad Recipes for the Summer : Cooking Channel.

If you are looking for lots of options for sides and salads to make this summer, the Cooking Channel has posted this long list of recipes for many different potato salads, bean salads, cole slaw, pasta salads and more that you can try. Some use mayonnaise and some do not so you can find one that suits your wants and needs best. Check it out!

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Posted by MikeG on June 1, 2013 in Cooking, Cooking Websites, Pasta, Potatoes, Salad, Side Dishes

Tags: bean salad, cole slaw, Cooking Channel, pasta salad, potato and pasta salad recipes, potato salad

Mother’s Day Dinner Part 4 – Wilted Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

18 May

Okay, this is the finale of the recipes that I used for Mother’s Day dinner last week. It includes our vegetable course, which was a wilted spinach salad with a warm bacon vinaigrette and a simple tomato and mozzarella appetizer to start off the meal. Let’s start with the tomato appetizer, which is quick and simple and great for any time when you have a couple of fresh tomatoes around and are looking for something to do with them.

Tomato and Mozzarella Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced

3 ripe tomatoes, sliced

2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Mix the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper together in a small bowl.Gradually add the olive oil while whisking until well blended.Spread the tomato slices on a large plate or platter and lightly salt the tomatoes. Cover the tomatoes with the mozzarella slices. Drizzle the dressing over the tomatoes and mozzarella. Sprinkle the chopped basil on top and serve.

It is super quick and easy to make anytime. You could even add some salad greens into the mix and make it as a salad course if you choose to go that way.

Now for the spinach salad. This really only works well with fresh spinach, but everyone loved the combination here, so I think this one is a keeper. I got the recipe from the Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook, so you can find it in there if you want to take a look.

Wilted Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

6 ounces baby spinach

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Pinch salt

8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 red onion, chopped medium

1 small garlic clove, minced

3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered (optional)

Place the spinach on a large bowl. Stir the vinegar, sugar, pepper and salt together in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour the fat into a heatproof bowl and the return 3 tablespoons of the fat to the skillet. Add the onion to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes; stir in the garlic until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the vinegar mixture, then remove the skillet from the heat; working quickly, scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to loosen and remove any browned bits. Pour the hot dressing over the spinach, add the bacon and toss gently with tongs until the spinach is slightly wilted. Arrange the egg quarters, if using, over the top of the salad and serve.

Again, you could easily use this as a salad course or as a side dish. I chose not to use the eggs and used this as our vegetable side for the meal. One thing to keep in mind when you add the vinegar to your skillet – move your face away from it as you pour the vinegar into a hot pan. It releases a very potent vapor that can be unpleasant to get right in your face. It will surely clear out your sinuses if that is what you are looking for, otherwise, take some caution and move away. Bacon and spinach go really well together and with the spinach barely wilted you still get the nice texture of the spinach with the crisp bacon.

So that finally wraps up Mother’s Day. I have a number of other recipes to come here in the next few days and this week, including a very garlicky shrimp scampi, making spaghetti and meatballs for a crowd, some fried chicken and cornbread, the Ethiopian beef stir fry, a great new scallops recipe and more. Keep checking back to see what comes next I promise to be better about taking the pictures from now on :). Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on May 18, 2013 in Appetizers, Cooking, Dressings, Holidays, Salad, Vegetables

Tags: Cook's Illustrated Cookbook, tomato and mozzarella appetizer, tomato and mozzarella salad, wilted spinach salad, wilted spinach with warm bacon vinaigrette

Friday Fried Chicken Sandwiches with Slaw and Spicy Mayo

28 Apr

It was hard to resist trying the recipe of the picture on the front cover of the April issue of Bon Appétit magazine. The picture of the fried chicken sandwich that they had on the front looked too good to pass up, so I thought I would give it a try. The recipe itself for the sandwich, the spicy mayonnaise and the Slavic goes with the sandwich were all very easy to prepare.

Fried Chicken Sandwiches with Slaw and Spicy Mayo

1 garlic clove, finely grated
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Louisiana-style hot pepper sauce
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
4 cups thinly sliced cabbage
1/2 cup bread-and-butter pickles slices, plus 1/4 cup pickle juice
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more if needed
1 cup buttermilk
2 8-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved crosswise
Vegetable oil (for frying)
4 white sandwich rolls
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature

To make the spicy mayonnaise and slaw, mix the garlic, mayonnaise, and hot pepper sauce in a small bowl; cover and chill. Toss the onion, jalapeno, cabbage, pickles, and pickle juice in a large bowl to combine; cover and chill.

For the chicken, whisk the flour, pepper, and half teaspoon of salt in a shallow bowl. Pour the buttermilk into another shallow bowl. Working with one piece at a time, dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off excess. Dip the chicken in the buttermilk, allowing the access to drip back into the bowl. Dredge the chicken again in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.

Pour the oil into a large, heavy skillet to a depth of half-inch. Using a deep-fry thermometer, heat the oil over medium heat until the thermometer registers 350°. Fry the chicken until Golden Brown and cooked through, about three minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack set inside a baking sheet; season with salt.

Spread the cut sides of the roles with butter. Heat and another large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, cook the roles buttered side down until browned and crisp, about one minute. Spread each role with spicy mayonnaise. Build the sandwiches with the roles, the chicken, and the cabbage slaw.

The sandwich itself was awesome. The crispy chicken with the spice from the mayonnaise and the tang of the slaw was a perfect combination. I think if you wanted to cut some fat out you could either use less oil for frying or even try oven-frying the chicken, though it may not come out quite as crispy. For the slaw, I used a bag mix of cole slaw cabbage instead of slicing the cabbage itself. I really liked the way the pickles and jalapeno added great flavor to the slaw and the sandwich. I think you could easily change the recipe around some and not use the mayo if that is what you wanted and go with some mustard or just have the slaw with it instead. I served the sandwiches with some potato salad as a simple side, although Sean opted to have tater tots instead.

That’s it for this recipe. I do have another post to put up about a restaurant we ate at this weekend so that one will follow shortly. I also have a few recipes to try this week, including crab cakes with oven fries, a sweet and sour pork stir fry, and another from Bon Appetit that was on the cover of the most recent issue for griddle cakes. Check back this week and see if you like any of them. Until next time, enjoy your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on April 28, 2013 in Cooking, Poultry, Salad, Sandwiches, Sauce

Tags: bon appetit, boneless chicken breasts, bread and butter pickles, cole slaw, fried chicken sandwiches, potato salad, spicy mayo and slaw

A Star’s Brownies with a Side of Cole Slaw

13 Apr

I thought I would just post a few simple recipes that I’ve made in the past week for today. The first is one that I came across in The New York Times and it is a recipe that I’ve seen in other places on the Internet. I am sure many people are familiar with Katherine Hepburn’s brownie recipe and may have seen it in other places. I thought it would be a nice simple dessert to make for one evening so we gave it a try.

Katherine Hepburn’s Brownies

1/2 cup cocoa
1 stick butter
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 325°. Melt the butter in a saucepan with the cocoa and stir until smooth. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow it to cool for a few minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time. Add the sugar, flour, nuts (if using), vanilla and salt. Pour the mixture into a greased 8 x 8 square pan. Bake for forty minutes. Do not overbake as the brownies should be gooey on the inside. Let the brownies cool completely and cut into bars.

It was a very simple recipe that took no time at all to prepare. This makes it great as an option to make for a quick dessert as you may have the items around the house had any time. I am not a big brownie fan myself, but I have to admit that they came out quite nice. They were nice and crisp on the top and soft and chewy on the inside. You could serve them with a bit of vanilla ice cream on the side or just some simple homemade whipped cream and you have a complete dessert in no time at all.

The second recipe I have for today is one I am made when I had made Sloppy Joes was earlier in the week. I wanted to make a side dish to go along with them and I felt like having some coleslaw, but I wanted to try a little bit of a different recipe. I found this one through Williams – Sonoma on their website and it sounded pretty good to me. I try not to make a lot of coleslaw recipes that use mayonnaise, only because it seems to me that they tend to use a lot of it and it waters down the side dish. This one doesn’t used to much, and I actually cut down the amount in the recipe itself anyway.

Williams – Sonoma Coleslaw

1 head green cabbage, cored, quartered and thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more, to taste
half cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon celery seed
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 carrots, peeled and julienned

Place the cabbage in a large bowl, sprinkle with the 1 1/2 tablespoons of kosher salt and toss well. Transfer the cabbage to a colander and let drain for thirty minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, granulated sugar, lemon juice, celery seed and vinegar, and season with the salt and black pepper. Add the drained cabbage and carrots and toss to coat them evenly with the dressing. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours before serving.

As I said, I have made a few adjustments to this recipe. First, I used a bag of coleslaw mix that included the green cabbage, red cabbage and julienned carrots already done so I did not have to deal with the slicing. However, I did salt the cabbage ahead of time to help draw out some of the moisture. Instead of using the half cup of mayonnaise, I only used a quarter cup and I think the recipe turned out just fine. I liked it a lot better without all the mayonnaise and it does cut down on some of the fat involved in the recipe itself. It makes great side dish for nearly anything, such as hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecued spare ribs, chicken, pulled pork or any type of sandwich that you may be making.

That’s all there is to the recipes I have for today. I do plan to go shopping this weekend to get some things in for some new recipes I would like to try this week. I have picked up some recipes from The New York Times, Williams – Sonoma, Cook’s Illustrated, America’s Test Kitchen, The Food Network and some others sources, so I have a lot to draw from right now of meals that we can choose. I do hope to get some new things up but more blog within the coming days. Check back and see what’s going on and see if there’s anything that you like. As always, if there is anything you would like to see, or have any requests of recipes, just drop me a note in the comments section or you can send me an email and I’ll be happy to get back to you. Until then, enjoy the rest of your spring weekend and enjoy your meal!

3 Comments

Posted by MikeG on April 13, 2013 in Cooking, Dessert, Salad, Side Dishes

Tags: americas test kitchen, brownies, cole slaw, coleslaw, coleslaw recipes, cook's illustrated, Katherine Hepburn brownies, The Food Network, The NewYork Times, williams-sonoma

Cooking a Valentine’s Day Meal at Home – NYTimes.com

08 Feb

Cooking a Valentine’s Day Meal at Home – NYTimes.com.

With Valentine’s Day coming next week, many people are looking to make a nice romantic meal at home. The New York Times put out this quick and easy menu as a suggestion of a nice steak, potatoes, salad and a one ingredient chocolate mousse. Check it out and see if it is something you might like to try!

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Posted by MikeG on February 8, 2013 in Beef, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Dessert, Dinner, Holidays, Potatoes, Salad

Tags: new york times, one ingredient chocolate mousse, Valentine's Day meal, Valentine's Day menu

Back from Dublin for Some Home Cooked Pork Loin

01 Oct

After spending a wonderful week in Dublin last week, it’s time to get back to the real world of work, school and chores around here. That means back to cooking dinner, and yesterday I decided to make some pork loin. I had gotten the recipe from a Williams-Sonoma link I posted here on the blog a while back but I hadn’t had the chance to cook it yet. Last night I gave it a shot, and I can tell you it turned out great and the lentil salad was out of this world.

Roasted Loin with Lentil Salad

1 cup lentils

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 bay leaf

6 cups chicken stock

Salt and ground pepper

1 pork tenderloin, about 1 pound, trimmed of excess fat

1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

In a saucepan, combine the lentils, half of the garlic, bay leaf and stock. Season well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer the lentils until tender, about 45 minutes. Let the lentils cool in stock.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the pork well with salt and pepper. In a ovenproof saute pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sear the pork, turning occasionally, until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes total. Add the remaining garlic and rosemary. Place the pork in the oven and roast until the juices run clear when the pork is pierced with a knife, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, drain the lentils and put them in a bowl. Add 1/4 cup olive oil, mustard, vinegar, onion and parsley. Season and toss to combine. Spread on a serving platter. Slice pork thinly, arrange on lentils and serve.

The lentils tasted great. The combination of the mustard, red onion and red wine vinegar add just the right tang and bite to the lentil salad. We also had enough left over that we can use it as a side dish again later this week with one of our other meals. I also served this with some brown rice and steamed green beans.

For the rest of this week, I plan to post some recipes of things we ate while in Ireland. I will also give some of my observations about the food and pubs and the style of cooking that we observed while we there. It was a great experience on many levels for me, with the food aspect being just one of them. You can check my other blog at The Office of Iguana Flats this week for some of my more personal outlooks on the trip.

I also have some recipes planned for this week that we’ll be using in the coming days that I hope to get up on the blog soon as well. Check back and see what we had in Ireland and what I’ll be making in the coming days. Fall is coming, so we are planning lots of soups, stews, and slow cooker meals. I also recently subscribed to Cook’s Illustrated and got a few great recipes from there this month that I plan to cook soon. Boy, we have a lot to cover! Until next time, enjoy your evening and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on October 1, 2012 in Cooking, Cooking Websites, Dinner, Pork, Salad, Side Dishes

Tags: brown rice, cook's illustrated, lentil salad, pork loin, pork tenderloin, the office of iguana flats, williams-sonoma

It’s Too Hot Out to Cook, Let’s Make Some Chicken Salad

10 Aug

Holy Moley it’s been pretty humid here. Today especially seems too humid and sticky out to bother with the oven. Luckily, we have lots of chicken available of all different types, so it makes it ideal to make some chicken salad sandwiches for dinner tonight. Personally, I love a good sandwich. I don’t eat cold cuts or deli meat, except for the occasional pastrami sandwich. I would much rather have a sandwich using fresh meat, like turkey, chicken or tuna, or even shrimp or lobster. There are a lot of things you can do to make any of these things into a great sandwich. Even just making a nice vegetable sandwich can be awesome, using fresh tomatoes, lettuce, maybe some grilled eggplant, mushrooms, the combinations can be endless. For tonight, we’ll keep it simple with basic chicken salad.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

1 3/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 ribs of celery, chopped fine

3/4 cup mayonnaise

2 scallions, minced

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

6 hard rolls (or any bread you might like, enough for 6 sandwiches)

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully add the chicken and cook until lightly golden brown on the first side, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken over, cover and continue to cook until it is no longer pink the center, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a plate and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes. Cut the chilled chicken into 3/4-inch pieces and toss with the remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread on the rolls and serve.

If you’re like me, we almost always have leftover chicken that can be used instead of making chicken just to make the salad. Use what you have or make it this way. You could also just bake the chicken in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until it is cooked through. Once it is time to make the sandwiches, you can build it anyway you like. Add some fresh sliced tomato, leaves of lettuce or spinach, some sliced red onion, a slice or two of bacon, some sliced avocado, or whatever else you might like to have on the sandwich. That’s the great thing about sandwiches – you can do whatever you want with them.

For sides, you can make potato salad, serve it with some chips or some pickle. You could also make some coleslaw to go along side of it. I like this coleslaw recipe since it doesn’t use mayonnaise. I do like the creamy slaw, but using this simple recipe can save you some fat and calories and it tastes great.

Spicy No-Mayo Coleslaw

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, red wine vinegar, or freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh chile, like jalapeno (optional)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

6 cups core shredded green and/or red cabbage

1 large red or yellow pepper, cored, seeded and diced

1/3 cup chopped scallion

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

To make the dressing, whisk together the mustard and vinegar in a small bowl, along with the garlic and chile, if using. Add the oil, a little at a time, whisking all the while.

Combine the cabbage, bell pepper and scallion and toss with the dressing. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, toss with the parsley.

I normally let it sit in the fridge for an hour or two so the flavors can meld together nicely, but you could let it go even longer if you wanted to. Also, sometimes I add a little shredded carrot to the mix. You could also just buy one of those bags of coleslaw mix and use what is in the bag and just make this dressing.

That’s all for tonight. We do have a few things we are hoping to make for dinner in the next few days, so I hope to post some other recipes this weekend as well. Until then, enjoy your evening and enjoy your meal!