Stupid Easy

June 13, 2010 • Recipes • by
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It’s true, this recipe is Stupid Easy…like France’s first world cup game stupid (Boom!). Were they even trying? Anyways…the only thing you’ll probably have to grab at the store is the seafood, and even that is open ended. This preparation would be great for head-on shrimp, lobster tails, trout filets, even some really small fish like red mullet or fresh sardines. Besides the fish, the rest of the ingredients (all 5 of them!) are basic pantry ingredients. For further remixing try replacing the lemon juice with other acids like red wine vinegar, white wine, or other citrus. The herbs? Don’t even get me started. Just have fun with this one. I sat in the backyard, sprinkling a little of this, squeezing a little of that, and tearing up whatever herbs were in arm shot. Most Important Note: Have a jet-cold beverage in hand, the cooking is so fast you’ll barely close the grill lid, and a frosty brew will keep you from roasting yourself.

Quick Scallop and Sole Grill

1 Sole or Flounder Filet

4-5 Dry Packed Scallops (always ask for dry packed, that means they have not been frozen and are exceptionally fresh)

1 Lemon

2 Garlic Cloves (chopped)

Handful of chopped herbs (in this case oregano and mint)

Salt, Chile Flakes, Olive Oil

Start by revving up the grill. I used my piastra for this, but you could just as easily grill the scallops on the grates, just be careful they don’t stick.

Season your fish and scallops with oil and salt. Place the scallops on the hot piastra and the sole filet on the grate. Top the fish with half of the chopped garlic and herbs and plenty of chile flakes. Add the remaining garlic and herbs to the top of each scallop.

After 2-3 minutes flip the scallops and allow the garlic and herbs to cook on the piastra a bit (you barely have to do anything, just let them fall all over the place). Squeeze half a lemon over the scallops and the other half over the fish filet (one handed action shot!).

The fish will be flakey and ready to nosh in about 8 minutes, but don’t flip it. Flounder skin is not the most delicious, so allowing it to cook solely (get it?) on one side and charring the skin is no problem since it will peel off. The scallops only need another minute on the second side so they’re almost mid-rare in the middle. Make sure to gather up all of the crunchy, garlicky bits off the piastra and top everything with another generous squeeze of lemon juice and drizzle of good olive oil. DONE!

Start to finish this dish takes 10 minutes (scallops 3-4 mins, fish 6-8 mins). It’s even more relaxing if everything is chopped up and prepped, ready to go, so I can just throw the fish on, top with the garlic and herbs, and keep sipping my beer whilst I enjoy the who-ville trees in my backyard (top pick). Let me know what kind of seafood you guys try this with, the crazier the better!

A’Bizz’

June 9, 2010 • Product, Recipes • by
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Following my recent review of a local Neapolitan-style pizza joint in Raleigh named Cafe Caturra I thought I would delve back into the world of A’bizz’ or Pizza for those unfamiliar with the Napolidan’ dialect. Pizza can take so many different forms, from the ubiquitous thin offerings of New York to the pie-like examples in Chicago to the ludicrous ensembles they call pizza in California. Whether thick, thin, light, heavy, crunchy or soft pizza is a million different things to a million different people, for better or for worse.

Although pizzerias seem to abound in the RDU area I’ll admit it’s hard to find a slice unadulterated by too many toppings, covered in bright-orange grease, or more dough than anything else. Time to take matters into your own hands, folks. The toppings are up to you, just remember that like everything in true Italian cooking, simple is better and balance is key. Too much topping and you won’t taste the quality of the dough. Too little topping (or crust that’s too thick) will result in something resembling focaccia rather than pizza. Here’s my answer to recreating a pizza even a Pizzaiolo from Napoli would be proud of (I hope…):

1 Large Pizza Dough (home made or bought from your favorite pizza shop)

1/2 lb Ricotta

1 Large Fresh Mozzarella (best quality you can find)

1 Zucchini (sliced very thin)

Olive Oil, Chile Flakes

NOTE: The best pizzas are baked in a wood-fire oven made of clay and ceramic or volcanic tiles. Seeing as I don’t have one of these (yet!) I prefer to use the grill or the oven cranked up to 475, but the grill is best. Use a pizza stone if you prefer but I really enjoy the deep char the grates give to a paper thin crust.

Start by turning your grill on high. Slice your zucchini very thin, dress with a little olive oil, and grill until just barely cooked thru. Remove the zucchini once cooked and set aside.

Cut your dough in half and stretch into two large, thin rectangles. Feel free to shape your dough into any shape you like, but the two rectangles allow for both to cook on the grill simultaneously. Oil down one side of the doughs and place on the grill, allow to cook for 3-5 minutes or until the dough has turned golden brown and delicious on the one side.

Flip, smother in more olive oil and top with a thin layer of ricotta, a layer of the zucchini, maybe 8 or 10 small pieces of Mozzarella and plenty of chile flakes and fresh herbs (I chose some pineapple sage and oregano). Allow to cook on high until the bottom of the pizza is beautifully charred and sounds like crusty bread when flicked (the Napolitani trick). One last thin drizzle of olive oil and you’re Papa John days are over!

Look at it, LOOK AT IT! It’s Glooooooorious! So thin and light, the creamy ricotta, spicy chile flakes, sweet zucchini and milky mozzarella. I think I may have soiled my pantaloons…If only you could find pizza this good that delivers, you’d never have to leave the house. And the price?  A large pizza usually runs about $10-14 depending on the establishment, but a large dough (capable of churning out two monsters like the ones above) costs a mere $4! OUTRAGEOUS! Even more exciting are the endless possibilities of toppings, cooking methods, dough mixtures, etc…It’s like the most delicious canvas ever. Trust me, after you sink your teeth into one of these classic a’pizza pies’a you’ll finally understand why Louis Prima, Sinatra, Deano, and the rest of the crooners sang about them so much.

Another Vesta Summer

June 7, 2010 • Locations, Uncategorized • by
3 Comments

Ciao tutti. The heat was on this weekend, with temperatures blaring up into the mid 90′s as I strolled around the Vesta Farm (aka some farm land behind our house the owners allow us to grow on) to document the crops progress. Below is a sneak peak of delicious, and fiery, things to come as our peppers and other plants alike grow sky-bound.

On my way in I noticed that the trees lining the entrance to the farm are very similar to two trees I’ve seen elsewhere. Where, you ask? On the moon-lit engraving on the door to Moria, that’s where! I didn’t have to ramble on in Elvish to pass thru, but I may have thrown in a Gandalf quote or two…a Tolkien nerd can dream, can’t he?

Our friends who own the land seemed to have planted some new fruit trees including these jam-packed mini plum trees. They look more like crab apples than plums and I expected to bite into a hard, bitter orb. “Wow” I said aloud as my bite gave way to tender, bright red flesh full of beautiful plum goodness. Maybe one more…or five…

The farm may not look like much from afar, row after row of what appear to be only weeds. On closer inspection, however, you can see the efforts of my dad, the Vesta Farmer-in-the-Dell, giving each plant it’s due space and attention.

I bought some seeds off ebay like this Tuscan Finocchio (fennel) which is beginning to shoot towards the heaven in anise glory. Only about 5 made it to this level of maturity but I am more excited about these 5 than anything else on the farm.

The first tomatoes are beginning to pop up as well. The trouble now is trying to consume as many as we can to keep up with the row of plants.

Bhut Jolokia, or Ghost Chile, are the hottest peppers in the world…and we’ve got an entire row! They won’t be ready to harvest for another couple of months but when they do we’ll host a ceremony in their honor.

Squash and Cantelope plants are thriving in the soaring heat of the day. They spread across the ground like wild fire.

First summer squash, including the flowers. We love to fill the flowers with ricotta, batter lightly, and fry for a surreal summer antipasto.

Vine after vine of Mullberries (not blackberries as I’ve learned since last weeks post) led me to what I can only imagine is a door to Narnia. The fantasy metaphors are everywhere!

Tiny pears weighed down the branches of these recently added pear trees. These tasted like they looked, unripe and very bitter. My hunger was getting the best of the rest of my senses.

It’s going to be a homegrown summer as we try our best to keep up with the farms harvest. I can’t wait!

Honey-Lime Chicken

June 2, 2010 • Product, Recipes • by
6 Comments

With all of these Kamikaze bees buzzing around my head, making me look like some crazed lunatic to my neighbors, I thought using Honey would put them in their place.   There’s been a score of killer honeys on sale at the State Farmers Market . Varieties like Sourwood, Gallberry, Wildflower, or the jug of Clover we found a few weeks ago are just begging to be drizzled over grilled figs, cool ricotta, or as a quick marinade for some chicken legs. Here’s something I whipped up the other night that bares repeating:

Honey-Lime Chicken

4-6 Chicken Legs (all natural. yes it makes a difference)

1 Large Lime

2 tbs Honey

1 tsp Ground Cumin

Salt, Pepper

Start first by cranking your grill up while you compile the chicken. Place the honey, juice from the lime, cumin, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk to combine. Then toss in your Chicken legs, coating thoroughly, and allow to marinate for 5-10 minutes while the grill comes up to heat.

Place the chicken legs onto the grill and then turn the heat down to medium. I found it’s nice to have the heat blaring at first to get a great crust on the chicken and really caramelize the honey, then lowering the heat to finish cooking the chicken and not over-scorch the skin. Depending on how bootylicious your chicken legs are they should be done between 12-15 minutes. The legs are so moist you can afford to cut into one to be sure without running the risk of it drying out.

I served these juicy stems up with a cool black bean, corn and pineapple salad as well as with some grilled summer squash drizzled with good Balsamic Vinegar once off the heat. Most importantly, an icy glass of Albarino with a slice of orange (below) makes all the sense in the world to accompanying such a dish.

This takes all of 20 minutes to complete, costs about $4 given you have some honey, and tastes so incredible you’ll wish you had your own…bee garden?…I mean hive, in the backyard. Actually, F-ck that, I’ve got enough of these erratic dive-bombers flying around my head as it is, I’ll let the pros handle it.

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