Herbed Rice Pilaf

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I fall back on this recipe whenever I need rice to feed a gang. It is simple to make and it's as easy on the cook as it is on the pocketbook. One of the groups I belong to has a monthly luncheon that is a potluck of sorts. While the hostess is responsible for the main course, the rest of us bring dishes that will compliment her choice and complete the meal. Our hostess today prepared grilled lamb kabobs for 12 of us. I'll wager that those of you not living in the Southern Hemisphere, are looking out your windows at scenes more conducive to ice fishing than barbecuing, and are wondering why anyone in their right mind would fire up a grill in the depths of a winter downpour. While "nuts" is no longer politically correct, those of who live in the Pacific Northwest will admit to occasionally being a few peas short of a pod. The rain does it to us. Rain, if you deal with enough of it, steels the spirit and becomes nothing more than an inconvenience to a hardened Oregonian. You can't let it stop you, so, yes, we grill in the middle of a deluge, and while most of us have decks that make that possible, you'll occasionally see someone in a yellow "sou'wester" standing over a grill with a red umbrella in hand to protect the sacred flame. Back to the rice. This recipe can be halved or doubled and it can be made ahead of time and rewarmed when needed. It is delicious and I think your family will enjoy it as much as mine does. It is perfect to share with any grilled meat, but it is especially nice with lamb. Here is how it is made.

Orzo Salad

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This lovely salad tastes as good as it looks. I found the recipe for it on Gourmet Live while searching for inspiration and an interesting new summer side. I wanted to share it with you before apples start dropping from trees. The recipe is simple and straightforward and the salad is a perfect accompaniment to serve with almost anything that comes off the grill. I especially like to serve it with lamb, but I've also found the salad is substantial enough to serve as a standalone lunch or a light supper. Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta that cooks very quickly. Orzo is also the Italian word for barley and that sometimes causes confusion. While barley could be substituted here, cooking times would vary and the salad would have a completely different taste. I prefer the salad made with pasta. It takes about 15 minutes to put this together, but you'll have to wait for the orzo to come to room temperature before it can be served. Unfortunately, the salad does not keep well. The appearance of arugula and radicchio does not improve with age, so if looks are important to you, make no more of this than can be consumed in one sitting. I know those of you who try this salad will love it. It has texture and balanced flavors, and when freshly made it, it is a feast for the eyes. Here's the recipe.

Orzo Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez and Gourmet.live

Ingredients:
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 pound orzo
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely minced
3/4 cup (6-oz.) jar marinated roasted bell peppers, drained and chopped
1/4 pound mozzarella, preferably fresh, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups chopped baby arugula leaves (2-1/2 ounces)
1 cup chopped radicchio (2 1/2 ounces)

Directions:
1) Position a rack in middle of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Roast pine nuts in a rimmed sheet pan until golden, about 8 minutes.
3) Cook orzo in a 6 to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until tender, then drain well in a colander.
4) Meanwhile, whisk together lemon juice, oil, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.
5) Add hot orzo to dressing and toss. Let orzo come to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
6) Add pine nuts, peppers, mozzarella, arugula, and radicchio and toss well. Season salad with salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice, if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Scandinavian Shrimp Salad

Two Years Ago Today: Black Bean Burritos

Three Years Ago Today: Blue Cheese Steak Sandwich

Ottolenghi's Stuffed Eggplant with Lamb and Pine Nuts

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...They are both chefs and partners in Ottolenghi, the renowned London restaurant and deli. While they met in London, both hail from Jerusalem and they have recently collaborated on a cookbook, called Jerusalem, that has been described as a love letter to their childhood home and its culinary traditions. Ottolenghi is from the Jewish part of the old city and Tamimi is from the Arab sector. Together they are trying to bridge the gap between the two cultures with their food. Their food, which features Mediterranean ingredients, is boldly flavored, vegetable based and wildly colorful. I found the recipe I'm featuring tonight in Food and Wine magazine and it meets all the criteria the pair is famous for. I am going to pull you all aside for just a moment, however. The quantities in the recipe didn't compute for me. I was concerned that there would be more eggplant than lamb with which to fill it. The eggplants that I am able to buy here are short and squat and have more surface area to cover than the more slender varieties I suspect were used to test the recipe. So, while I made no other changes to the dish, I used only two halved eggplants for our meal. It work out well, though I suspect we had slightly more meat on each portion than was intended. This is a delicious dish, and if you enjoy well-flavored Mediterranean food, you will really like this. Here's the original recipe.

Stuffed Eggplant with Lamb and Pine Nuts...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Food and Wine Magazine and Chefs Ottolenghi and Tamimi

Ingredients:
Four 1-pound eggplants, halved lengthwise (I used two 1-pound eggplants)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 pound ground lamb
3 tablespoons pine nuts
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate *(see cook's note below)*
One 1-1/2-inch cinnamon stick

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Arrange eggplants in a large baking dish, cut sides up. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in upper third of the oven for about 20 minutes, until browned.
2) Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix cinnamon, cumin and paprika. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add onion and half of spice mixture, cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring a few times, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add lamb and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until no pink remains, about 4 minutes. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat in skillet. Stir in pine nuts, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Season lamb with salt and pepper.
3) Spoon filling onto eggplants. Add 1/2 cup of water, lemon juice, tamarind concentrate, remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar and a pinch each of salt and pepper to remaining spices. Mix well and pour into baking dish. Add cinnamon stick and cover dish with foil. Bake for about 50 minutes, basting twice with pan juices, until very tender.
4) Transfer  eggplants to plates or a platter and discard cinnamon stick. Pour pan juices over eggplants, sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve.

***Cook's Note: Tamarind concentrate, also called tamarind paste, is a pure concentrate of tamarind. Tamarind is the pod of a tree native to Africa, but now mostly cultivated in India. Although tamarind contains natural sugar, it also contains 12% tartaric acid, which makes it extremely tart. It is a souring agent commonly used in Indian curries and chutneys, and is also popular in Thai, Mexican and Mediterranean cooking. It is the ingredient that gives Worcestershire Sauce its unique flavor. It can be found in ethnic market, large markets and on-line.

One Year Ago Today: Baked Mustaccioli

Two Years Ago Today: Lamb Chops Sizzled with Garlic

Asparagus with Lemon, Pine Nuts and Parmesan

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Asparagus in the Pacific Northwest is coming to market with a vengeance and is available, at least at farm stands, for prices that are a gift to consumers. I paid $1.29 for a pound for asparagus today and my problem for the next few weeks will be serving it in ways that prevent it from becoming boring. It is really difficult to determine who to credit for today's recipe. I originally saw a version of it on Real Simple, but some backtracking leads me to believe the recipe first appeared in the cookbook, As Fresh As It Gets. While the recipe I'm featuring today is actually a stir-fry, it is more Italian than Chinese, and, save for technique, it has no ties to Asia. While I trim asparagus, I no longer shave it, so the dish came together quickly and I had it on the table within 30 minutes. This is a nice side to serve with plain grilled meats or poultry, and, if tossed with a lemon dressing, it has the potential to become a great salad. This is a very straightforward recipe and the only potential problem would be overcooking the asparagus. So, for heaven's sake, please don't do that. Here's the recipe I used to make this simple, yet delicious, side dish. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Asparagus with Lemon, Pine Nuts and Parmesan...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Real Simple and the book As Fresh As It Gets by Christian Gaudreault and Star Spilos

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds asparagus (2 bunches), trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
kosher salt and black pepper
1 teaspoon thinly sliced lemon zest
1 ounce Parmesan, shaved

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, tossing once, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes.
2) Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add asparagus and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, tossing occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add pine nuts and toss to combine. Sprinkle with lemon zest and Parmesan. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

Cook's Note: You can also grill the asparagus in this recipe. Toss the whole asparagus with the oil, salt, and pepper. Grill over medium heat until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Cut into 2-inch lengths and top with the lemon zest and Parmesan.

One Year Ago Today: Chocolate-Ricotta Ice Box Cake

Two Years Ago Today: Portobello Mushroom Burgers with Caramelized Onions and Roasted Garlic Aioli

Three Years Ago Today: Strawberry Glace Tart

50 Women Game Changers in Food - #32 Tracey Ryder and Carole Topalian - Roasted Cauliflower with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Tracey Ryder and Carole Topalian are the founders of Edible Communities, the nation's largest publishing company dedicated to the local food movement. They publish 70 magazines across North America and the content of each is region specific, focusing on the farmers, fishermen, chefs and food artisans of the area. The women founded the company to help the public access healthful foods. They met in graduate school where both women earned degrees in Jungian psychology. Following graduation, they moved to Ojai, California where they formed a graphic design and marketing firm called Elements. Their first publication was Edible Ojai and that set the standard for other magazines whose intent was to make better eating accessible. The companies first cookbook, Edible: A Celebration of Local Foods, was published in 2010 and there are four more cookbooks to come. The women are adding magazines to their publishing empire at the rate of 10 per year and their media presence is also growing. Programming of podcasts on Edible Radio is expanding and they hope to be on television, so the stories they wish to tell can be heard by a larger audience. Tracey is a trained chef and did much of the writing for their cookbook. Carole's photographs bring their mission to life. Together they share position 32 on the Gourmet Live list of 50 Women Game Changers in Food.

I've chosen a simple, though classic, dish to highlight the type of food they champion. It is a lovely recipe for roasted cauliflower and its nutty flavor is further improved by the sweetness of raisins and the texture of pine nuts. The recipe is straight forward and really needs no additional explanation. I do, however, have one caution. I found the recipe to be a bit salty and I will reduce the amount of salt by one third when I make it again. You can always add more should you find it necessary. Here's their recipe.

Roasted Cauliflower with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts...from the kitchenof One Perfect Bite courtesy of Tracey Ryder and Carole Topalian from Edible: A Celebration of Local Food

Ingredients:
1 (2-3 pound) medium head cauliflower, cored and cut into small florets
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more if needed, divided
1/3 cup pine nuts
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and thin sliced crosswise
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg or ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne, optional
1/2 cup golden raisins, dried currants or Thompson raisins

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment paper.
2) Spread the cauliflower onto the baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons of the oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Bake for 15 minutes. Stir the cauliflower and bake until it is lightly browned and tender, 10 to 20 minutes.
3) In a large skillet or saute pan, cook the pine nuts over medium heat, stirring frequently, until very lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove the pine nuts to a dish; set aside. In the same skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat and add the leeks and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the pepper, nutmeg, cayenne, if using, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Remove from the heat.
4) In a large bowl, toss the roasted cauliflower with the leek mixture, pine nuts and raisins. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot or at room temperature. Yield: 6 servings.

The following bloggers are also featuring the recipes of Tracey Ryder and Carole Topalian today. I hope you'll pay them all a visit. They are great cooks who have wonderful blogs.

Val - More Than Burnt Toast, Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed, Susan - The Spice Garden, Heather - girlichef, Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette - Healthy Living
Mary - One Perfect Bite, Kathleen - Bake Away with Me, Sue - The View from Great Island Barbara - Movable Feasts , Linda A - There and Back Again, Nancy - Picadillo
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits, Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen
Annie - Most Lovely Things, Claudia - Journey of an Italian Cook, Alyce - More Time at the Table, Amrita - Beetles Kitchen Escapades

Next week we will highlight the career and recipes of Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton. It will be really interesting to see what everyone comes up with. If you'd like to join us please email me for additional information no later than Monday, January 30th.

Asparagus Pesto

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Here, as promised, is the asparagus pesto I spoke of yesterday. It's made with the odd bits and trimmings left from yesterday's pickling marathon. The pesto can, of course, be made with perfect spears, but because all the ingredients used here are pureed, that would be a waste of lovely vernal green. I love the mild flavor of this sauce and serve it with pasta, fish or chicken. I am aware of how limiting its color is. The Silver Fox has dubbed this Shrek Sauce and, of course, our older grandsons have picked up on it. It's best we keep that our little secret. I'd rather Mark Bittman, who develop the recipe, not know how my family has defamed his lovely pesto. You will need a food processor or blender to make this. The recipe is a study in simplicity. Everything goes into the bowl of a blender or food processor and is pulsed until you have the texture of you are looking for. I've taken mine to a sauce-like consistency. That's all there is to it. While the pesto can be refrigerated for up to a day, its color does not improve with age. If you want a lovely vibrant sauce make it just before it is to be served. Here's the recipe.

Asparagus Pesto...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Mark Bittman

Ingredients:
Salt
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch segments
1 clove garlic, or more to taste
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup olive oil, or more as desired
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste

Directions:
1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Add asparagus and cook until fully tender but not mushy, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well, reserving some cooking liquid, and let asparagus cool slightly.
2) Transfer asparagus to a food processor and add garlic, pine nuts, 2 tablespoons of oil, Parmesan, a pinch of salt and, if needed, a couple of tablespoons of the cooking liquid. Process mixture, stopping to scrape down sides of container as necessary, and gradually add remaining oil and a bit more of reserved cooking liquid to moisten if it is needed. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste, pulse one last time, and serve over pasta, fish or chicken. The pesto can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.








One Year Ago Today: Asparagus Soup















Two Years Ago Today: Fresh Mint Ice Cream







You might also enjoy these recipes:
Artichoke Lemon Pesto - Ciao Chow Linda
Broccoli Pesto - A Thought for Food
Basil Mint Pesto with Walnut Sauce - Pinch My Salt
Wild Garlic Pesto - Nami Nami
Lemon Arugula Pesto - Dixie Chik Cooks
Mom's Pesto Genovese - Chef Tom's Blog
Basil-Walnut Pesto - Smitha's Spicy Flavors
Cilantro Walnut Pesto - Little Corner of Mine
Dandelion Pesto - David Lebovitz
Roasted Zucchini Pesto - Angie's Recipes

Peas Please Pasta

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's time to bring the glorious blues and greens and yellows of spring to the kitchen. Meals are getting lighter, and salads and quick entrees are beginning to replace slow-cooking winter fare. Today's recipe is a response to spring, and it's lovely shades of green leave no doubt that winter has passed. This pasta is quick, easy and delicious and it makes a perfect meatless meal. Any macaroni can be used to make it, but I love the way the long strands of spaghetti looked when napped with this luscious sauce of cream and a flavored pea puree. While peas are not everyone's favorite vegetable, I hope you'll give this a try. I like it well enough to keep it in my permanent recipe rotation. If served when just sauced and piping hot, any aversion to peas will be forgotten and the pasta will be eaten with gusto. It is also a wonderful way to get vegetables into younger children, especially if you omit the whole pea and pine nut garnish. This dish is table ready in 30 minutes. It's best to make no more of this than can be eaten in a single meal because it can get goopy once it's refrigerated. Enough said. Here's the recipe.

Peas Please Pasta ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Michele Humes

Ingredients:
12 ounces of spaghetti
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2-1/2 cups frozen peas, divided use
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
Optional: Finely grated Parmesan cheese to pass at table

Directions:
1) Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook spaghetti until tender but still firm to bite, using times suggested on package instructions.
2) Meanwhile, place oil and butter in a large skillet. When butter melts add onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 2 cups of frozen peas and cook until softened and bright green in color, about 2 minutes. Transfer contents of pan to a blender. Add cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg and puree until smooth.
3) Strain puree through a sieve back into skillet. Discard solids. Heat sauce to warm through.
4) Run reserved 1/2 cup peas under hot water to thaw. Drain pasta, reserving about 1 cup of water. Turn spaghetti into sauce and toss to coat each strand with puree. If too thick, add pasta water a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Transfer to a serving platter and top with reserved peas and pine nuts. Pass cheese at table. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Tagliatelle with Peas and Canadian Bacon - Guvi's
Chilled Spring Pea Soup with Garlic Cream and Bacon - One Perfect Bite
Peas and Thank You - Bitter Sweet
Baby Bow Ties with Peas and Ham - Noble Pig
Minted Pea Puree (topper for bruschetta) - Talk of Tomatoes
Peas with Onions and Mint - One Perfect Bite
Meatballs with Peas - Jaana's Kitchen
Salmon and Pea Risotto - Coconut and Lime
Peas with Lettuce - Never Enough Thyme
Risotto with Smoked Salmon, Spinach and Peas - One Perfect Bite
Lemon Mint Snap Peas with Lima Beans or Edamame - One Perfect Bite
Spaghetti in Creamy Peas Sauce with Crisped Prosciutto - Serious Eats

Turkey Meatballs with Lemon-Garlic Yogurt Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I am prone to wanderlust. When the siren calls, I seek one of two things. It's occasionally the lure of brighter lights or a bigger city, but more often than not, especially these days, solitude better meets my need to cast away. Silence paves the way for reflection. Insight and serenity follow and they are my fresh air, my cosmic oxygen. My Valentine, bless him, has brought me to Loon Lake for the weekend. At this time of year, our only neighbors are the loons and save for their keening wails, silence and solitude reign supreme. The weather today was glorious and though a front has just moved in, we are warm and dry and very well-fed as we sit in this tiny cabin that teeters on the edge of the world. Bob has the fire blazing and the wind and rain are beating a steady tattoo that will have me sleepy well before my bedtime. I'm mesmerized by the artillery-like barrage that pine cones, loosed by the wind and pelting rain, are making as they bounce off the metal roof. There will be a mess for someone to clean up tomorrow, but for tonight all's right with my world. I have a lemon pie, and a special one at that, waiting to set, but it won't be ready in time for tonight's post. Fortunately, I can share tonight's dinner with you. I suspect many of you have read, or are at least familiar with, Molly Wizenberg's cookbook "A Homemade Life". While her recipes are wonderful, I'm always struck by her facility with language and the restrained power of her words. I have come to love her writing and her blog, Orangette. Hers, is one of the few books that has made from the library stacks to my personal collection. The meatballs we had for supper came from her book. While they are delicious, they are hard to categorize. They are vaguely Greek and definitely have their roots in Mediterranean kitchens. The ingredient list will be surprising to many. While the meatballs are made with pine nuts and raisins, they serve to make the recipe unique and add a texture and sweetness that makes an otherwise ordinary dish special. I mixed and formed the meatballs yesterday and brought them with us to be cooked. That gave all the flavors time to develop and made for a very tasty supper. While I served the meatballs on pita bread, it is not necessary and they do quite well on their own. The meatballs can be baked if you are watching your diet. I prefer them fried, but to each his own. These are very easy to make and can be assembled in less than 30 minutes. I promise you the flavor is unique and the meatballs are delicious. Here's the recipe.

Turkey Meatballs with Lemon-Garlic Yogurt Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Molly Wizenberg

Ingredients:
Meatballs
1-1/4 pound ground turkey thigh meat
1/2 cup finely minced onion
1 large egg
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup cup golden raisins (chopped if large)
1/3 cup fine bread crumbs
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
Lemon-Garlic Sauce
1 cup plain yogurt (Greek-style if possible)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1) To make meatballs: Combine turkey, onion, egg, cilantro, nuts, raisins, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and cumin in a large bowl. Mix just until ingredients are combined and evenly mixed. With wet hands form the mixture into 1 to 1-1/2-inch balls. Set on a tray. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and chill until ready to sauté.
2) To make sauce: Combine yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and salt in a small bowl. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate.
3) To cook: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy skillet over moderate heat, and sauté meatballs in batches, so as not to crowd them. As they begin to color, turn them regularly so that they are golden on all sides. They should be done when they are evenly browned and feel medium firm, but not hard when touched. Place on a paper towel to catch excess oil. Serve hot, warm, or cold with yogurt sauce. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Italian-Style Turkey Meatballs - My Kitchen Adventures
Cheese Stuffed Turkey Meatballs - Sydney's Kitchen
Mario Batali Meatballs - Made Famous By
Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs - Being Suzy Homemaker
Spicy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Blue Cheese Dip - My Kitchen Adventures
Swedish Meatballs - The Galley Gourmet
Porcupine Meatballs - The Daily Dish