Feastival 2017

Cystic Fibrosis is a progressive genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time. Back in the day, kids diagnosed with CF were not expected to reach elementary school age, but over the past few decades, treatment breakthroughs have increased the life expectancy of a person with CF to about 40. That's still far too young.

You can make a difference to these folks by donating to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the world's leader in the search for a cure. Donate the normal way, by sending funds directly to the CFF, or attend Baltimore's second annual Feastival event and enjoy fine food and drink at the same time. Win/win.

The event will take place on Saturday afternoon, June 17th, at Harbor East’s waterfront promenade. Feastival unites some of Baltimore’s hottest culinary talent, with chefs from Azumi, Blue Pit BBQ, Cask & Grain, Clavel, Colette, Gnocco, Gunther & Co., Loch Bar, Wit & Wisdom participating. Guests will feast on delectable bites while sipping stylish cocktails and local craft brews while the enjoy the views along Baltimore’s harbor.

Proceeds from Feastival directly benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the world’s leader in the search for a cure for cystic fibrosis. The Foundation funds more CF research than any other organization and nearly every CF drug available today was made possible because of Foundation support. This is a historic time in the fight against cystic fibrosis. Promising therapies that treat the underlying cause of CF, rather than just the symptoms, are in late-stage clinical trials. If successful, these drugs could change the face of the disease and the prognosis of those who suffer from CF.

Feastival
June 17, 2017
12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Harbor East’s Waterfront Promenade (Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore)
200 International Drive, Baltimore, MD 21202
Tickets: $125 or Two for $200 bit.ly/CF4Feastival



Posted on Minxeats.com.

La Cuchara

It took us a while to get to La Cuchara. I can't explain exactly why, it just did. And now that we've gone, we want to go back again and again (and we have, several times).

La Cuchara features cuisine inspired by the Basque people living in northern France and southern Spain. Not French food, and not Spanish food (although maybe a bit closer to the latter), Basque food is its own thing. And why don't we have more of it in our area? Beats me. In any case, it's just the kind of stuff I like to eat - lots of small plates, lots of wine, terrific bread.

The menu changes constantly, so what you see here is pretty much guaranteed not to be available when you go. Sorry about that. The photos are mostly to show that the food is as gorgeous as it is delicious, like the Charred Octopus, Sweet Corn, Refrito de Chorizo shown above. The octopus had a nice charred flavor, tender, with a pleasant chew, and corn kernels added a nice pop of texture. There were also some of the succulents known as sea beans (or salicornia, or sea asparagus) on the plate to add a saline crunch. And see how gorgeous?

The poached oysters on a raft of pumpernickel toast (I adore their pumpernickel bread) in a sea of bright red tomato sofrito were perfect. The shellfish just barely cooked and still quite tender. We've also had two very different spins on the now ubiquitous kale salad, one massaged with a pistachio vinaigrette and served with sweet corn and cucumber, the other with bacon and bleu cheese.

We like to sit at the bar, even when it's not Happy Hour. Happy Hour is ridiculous. Pintxos, or small one or two bite dishes, which normally cost a huge $2 are half price, as are all the "primeros," or appetizer-sized plates. The spread of pintxos above cost a whopping $7 at Happy Hour and included sardines, smoked oysters with celery root puree, a jamon croquette, half an amazing veal tongue sandwich, a gilda (anchovy/olive/pepper skewer), charred cabbage Salvitxada, and marinated eggplant.

A gilda.

Here's a closeup of that lamb tongue bocadillo. It was like the most tender pastrami ever. Insane at $2 ($1 at HH!)

Another bocadillo, this one made with meltingly tender pork.

Here are some fried oysters with artichoke veloute. Mr Minx thought they were the most perfect fried oysters he's ever eaten.

We also tried some patatas bravas, a pretty typical tapas dish.

We also sampled some brunch items, like the crispy chicken torta with preserved lemon mayo. You'll never want a tiny fast food biscuit with a chicken nugget in it ever again once you taste these.

The only thing we haven't experienced at La Cuchara is an entree. I'm sure they're delicious, but they are not as budget-friendly as everything else on the menu. In any case, the older I get, the less-interested I am in entree-sized portions of anything. Suffice it to say that we've loved everything we've eaten at La Cuchara and regret not getting there sooner.

La Cuchara
3600 Clipper Mill Rd
Baltimore, MD 21211
(443) 708-3838



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Flashback Friday - Crab cakes

This post originally appeared on Minxeats.com on July 14, 2014.

Sometimes dinner time is like an episode of Chopped. I look in the fridge and find a celery root, and on the counter are a pint of grape tomatoes and two ripe avocados. There's meat from 7 nicely-sized crabs as well, a leftover bonus after the crab feast we had the day before. Now how do I incorporate these things into something delicious?

I suppose it wasn't all that difficult. Not like I also had to use Chopped-style speed bumps like pop rocks or canned peaches (although we do have those in the house). I briefly thought I could stuff the avocado with crab salad, but I really felt like crab cakes. (:::feeling self::: yup - definitely crab cakes.) And don't get me wrong, I love Old Bay, but I think I might like Phillip's seafood seasoning even more. It's less, um, distinctive than Old Bay, and therefore allows the sweet flavor of crab to shine through while still tasting like seafood seasoning.

The celery root became celeri remoulade. Here's the recipe I usually use, adapted from Joel Robuchon. Because classic French is how I roll. (So untrue.) Unfortunately, I didn't have cornichons on hand, but since I was using the remoulade as a substitute for cole slaw to go with crab cakes, I squirted in a little Dijon. Hey, it worked great. Didn't even miss the wee sour pickles. The avocado was mashed with a bit of lemon juice and salt, and the tomatoes were quartered and lightly pickled in a bit of rice wine vinegar, green Tabasco, and pinches of sugar and salt.

The combination was nice. The avocado was rich, the tomatoes bright, the crab cakes luscious, and the celeri remoulade added a lot of texture. Would have made a nice sandwich, too.

Crab Cakes, a la Phillips, by way of theminx

1 teaspoon Phillips Seafood Seasoning
1 egg
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
½ teaspoon lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoon prepared mustard
12 ounces blue crab meat, picked over for shells
Panko breadcrumbs
Oil

Combine all ingredients except crab and panko in a large bowl. Fold in the crab meat, then add enough panko to hold the mixture together (1/4 cup or so). Refrigerate the mixture for at least one hour to firm it up.

When ready to cook, form the mixture into 4 cakes. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil (I used extra virgin olive oil) in a large frying pan over high heat. Gently add the cakes and turn the temperature down a bit. Cook on both sides until nicely golden brown.

Serve with your favorite accompaniments.



Posted on Minxeats.com.

Cracker Toffee Ice Cream

Earlier in the year, I made a cake using flavored tea that I bought on sale from David's Tea. I still have several varieties left from the cute star-shaped gift set and I've decided I'll probably use a few of them to make ice cream this spring and summer. Yes, ice cream. Tea infused milk or cream makes a lovely ice cream with barely any effort--I normally have to heat the cream anyway, so why not let some tea leaves hang around in it for an hour or so before I proceed?

And so it went this particular weekend that after I selected English Toffee flavored tea to make my ice cream base, I decided I also wanted to make some cracker toffee. For completely unrelated reasons. A friend had sent me a video for a matzo toffee sometime before Passover, which put it in my mind. This matzo toffee was left unbaked, instead the caramel was cooked for a longer time. I suppose it was tasty enough, but I prefer a baked version. Not only do the saltines (or matzo, if you prefer) get toasted in the oven, but also the caramel gets a chance to ooze around to the bottom of the crackers and coat that side, too. So the toffee is tasty on both sides. You can choose your method; I've included the one I prefer within the recipe below.

So...toffee ice cream. Cracker toffee. Seemed to me they needed to become one. So I broke up some of the toffee and layered it in the finished ice cream. It's maybe a bit more difficult to scoop, but the end result is very good. The crackers don't get soft in the ice cream, so there's plenty of great texture between them and the nuts and the thin layer of chocolate. I think this ice cream is a winner, and I hope you do, too.

If you can't find English Toffee flavored tea (though several companies, including Celestial Seasonings, do produce it), use a chocolate or caramel flavor instead.

Cracker Toffee Ice Cream

For the toffee:
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
40 saltines (1 sleeve)
6 ounces chocolate chips
Walnuts or nuts of your choice, chopped

For the ice cream:
2 cups whole milk
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons loose English toffee-flavored tea, preferable David's Tea
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon corn starch
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cream cheese

To make the toffee. Preheat oven to 400°.

Cover a large rimmed cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Lay out the crackers in one layer, making sure they are touching.

Combine the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and pour over the crackers. Use an offset spatula to spread the caramel evenly. Place pan into the oven and bake for 5 minutes.

Remove pan to a rack. Sprinkle on the chocolate chips. Wait a minute or so to allow the chocolate to melt, the use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate evenly over the crackers. Sprinkle with nuts.

Allow the chocolate to dry completely before breaking up into pieces.

To make the ice cream: Put the milk, cream, sugar, corn syrup, and tea in a large sauce pot and cook over medium high heat until tiny bubbles start to form around the edges but the milk does not boil. Turn off the heat and cover the pot. Allow to steep for 30 minutes to an hour.

Strain out the tea. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the milk mixture and return the rest to the pot. Mix the 2 tablespoons of milk with the cornstarch to make a slurry. In a separate bowl, whisk the cream cheese and salt together until smooth. Prepare a shallow ice bath: in a large bowl or baking pan, place an inch or two of cold water and several ice cubes. Set aside.

Bring the milk tea mixture to a boil and boil for 4 minutes, watching carefully so it doesn't boil over (stir when it starts to expand), remove from heat, and slowly whisk in the slurry. Bring back to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Blend a few tablespoons of hot milk mixture into the cream cheese to loosen it, then pour the cream cheese mixture into the pan of milk. Whisk well until smooth. Pour into a container with a tight-fitting lid and place the container into the ice bath until cool, ensuring that the water level doesn't come up as far as the lid. When the mixture seems mostly cool, refrigerate until completely cold.

Place ice cream mixture into an ice cream machine and proceed according to manufacturers instructions.

Scoop some of the ice cream into a freezer container. Sprinkle with a layer of the toffee, adding additional nuts if desired. Repeat ice cream and toffee layers twice more. Put a layer of waxed paper over the top of the ice cream and put on the lid. Freeze until desired texture.



Posted on Minxeats.com.

A New Tide Rolls in for By The Docks

We took my mom to By the Docks in Middle River for her birthday in 2006. It was our first time there and, after re-reading the Minx's blog post about the restaurant, I see we weren't blown away by the place. Except for the crab cakes, that is. Three of us ordered them and were stunned by the softball-sized mounds sitting on our plates. The Minx and I always planned to go back, but with all the new restaurants that popped up over the last 11 years, we just never got around to it.

As it turned out, By the Docks has gone through some changes over the years, with the original owners selling in 2010 and then buying the place back in 2015. They've recently remodeled the 19th century building and revamped the menu. We were invited to come by and check out the changes, and we were more than happy to comply.

Our group started with a couple of appetizers for the table. The oysters Rockefeller uses three kinds of cheese which are folded into the spinach before being placed atop the oysters. Their own imperial sauce is also dolloped on top, making for a very rich bite that is almost a meal unto itself.

We've talked about calamari a great deal on this blog, and it's heartening to find that the quality of the preparation has been steadily improving over the years. Even with that said, I think this might be the best fried calamari I've ever eaten. The fresh calamari is first marinated in Greek olive oil for 24 hours, then hand cut into rings slightly larger than what I've typically seen, They're lightly coated and flash fried so the calamari is incredibly tender. The crunchy coating is nicely seasoned so you don't need marinara sauce, but it is provided on the side. (Diners can also choose to have their calamari tossed in an Asian-style sweet and spicy sauce.)

For her entree, the Minx ordered the Jewels of the Sea: the colossal jumbo lump crab cake they are so well known for along with a 4-ounce lobster tail, jumbo shrimp, and broiled scallops. The crab cakes have little filler and are very light on the Old Bay, so the sweet crab flavor comes through. As if this wasn't enough food, each entree comes with two sides, in our case, baked potatoes and creamed spinach.

I went for the Rockfish a la Vasca: pan-seared rockfish sauteed with shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, calamari, and Jonah crab claws in a traditional Spanish green sauce of fresh parsley, garlic, and wine. The chef is originally from Spain and he sees this as sort of a paella of seafood without the rice. The green sauce is something I'd never had before, and the sheer quantity of seafood is overwhelming. When I read the description of the dish, I expected a couple of shrimp, one scallop, a couple clams, etc. As you can see from the picture, it's an orgy of shellfish piled so bounteously that you can't even see the rockfish underneath (which was delicious, by the way).

Other diners during this media event tried the stuffed lobster tail and were presented with a mountain of broiled crab meat, like the crab cake but even bigger, with a 9-ounce lobster tail hiding underneath. Portions are truly incredible here.

Of course, it's not all seafood. While it's the star, there are also plenty of chicken, steak, and pasta entrees, and sandwiches like oyster po' boys, Reubens, and burgers.

Even though we had to get boxes for our leftovers, we couldn't leave without trying a couple of their desserts, made by Yia Yia's Bakery. Turns out, the family that owns By the Docks also owns Yia Yia's, where we have been getting yummy holiday pies for years. Their baklava cheesecake has all the elements one typically finds in the Greek pastry, with a rich layer of creamy cheesecake in the middle. A great combination of two classic desserts.

The Smith Island cake is everything the traditional dessert should be with thin layers of white sponge glued together by rich, fudge-like frosting. As full as I was, I couldn't stop eating this dessert.

In addition to their regular menu offered every night of the week, By The Docks offers specials Monday through Thursday like Monday Lobster Night where you can get twin lobsters for $28.99 or Thursday Steak Night where all cuts are just $19.99, They also offer a $17.99 brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. We're quite confident we won't wait another 11 years to go back to By The Docks.

By the Docks
3321 Eastern Blvd
Middle River, MD 21220-2811

410-686-1188

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Carrots and Peas

Scott Hines' spring menu at B & O American Brasserie introduced me to the concept of smoked carrots. His smoked carrot agnolotti was one of the best dishes I've had in a long time, and I wanted to see if I could replicate those flavors at home.

I don't know what it is with me and carrots. I really didn't like them much at all when I was a kid, ignored them for much of my adult life, but when I hit my 40s, I started to crave them. But I don't want them cloying, I want them interesting. Hines' smoked carrots, like Bobby Flay's charred ones, are interesting. They had a bit of sweetness, sure, but the not-so-subtle smoky thing enhanced the more savory aspects of the vegetable.

Luckily, I have a stovetop smoker. I don't use it very much. Honestly, I forget that I even have it most of the time. It's stupid easy to use, so I loaded it with carrots and some cherry wood chips and let 'er rip.

I'm also lucky to be able to text Chef Hines and ask him how long he smokes his carrots. He not only told me the length of time for smoking, but also that he simmers the smoked carrots in heavy cream until tender, purees them, then adds mascarpone to make the agnolotti filling.

Heavy cream, mascarpone, butter, ricotta salata - the restaurant version of the dish had lots of super-rich ingredients, which one should expect of restaurant food. It's not meant to be eaten every day, tempting though it may be. I didn't want to replicate Chef Hines' entire dish, just the flavor profile, particularly those carrots. So rather than use heavy cream to simmer them, I used chicken stock, and when I made the puree, I added whole milk instead of heavy cream. I also added an onion for body, which helped replace some of the texture that cream might have added.

I did use some of the other elements of the restaurant dish: peas; morel mushrooms; ricotta salata. I already had dried morels and the other two were easy to find at the supermarket. And of course I wasn't going to fuss with making homemade pasta (which I have never done before), so store-bought farfalle worked just fine. Next time I might try pappardelle though.

Overall, I think my experiment was quite successful. The smoked carrots were delicious and something I am going to incorporate into my repertoire. Might even try charring them first next time and then serving them whole. The sauce was flavorful yet light, and all of the elements worked nicely together.

Spring Pasta with Carrots and Peas

1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into chunks, sliced lengthwise if thick
1 medium onion, diced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Chicken or vegetable stock
Whole milk
1 lb farfalle pasta
1/2 lb sugar snap peas, sliced on the bias into thin strips
A handful of dried morel mushrooms, soaked until soft
Butter
Ricotta salata

Prepare a stovetop smoker with mesquite or cherry chips according to manufacturer's directions. If you don't own a smoker, you can make your own from items you have around the house. Check out this video for more information. Add the carrots and smoke for 35-40 minutes.

Remove carrots from smoker and add to a sauce pot with 1 cup of vegetable or chicken stock. Simmer until tender, about 15-20 minutes.

While carrots are cooking, saute onion in a tablespoon of olive oil and a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper over medium heat, stirring regularly, until they are softened and beginning to brown on the edges, about 10 minutes.

Puree the carrots with their cooking liquid and the onions until smooth. Use additional stock and/or milk to create a thick sauce consistency.

Cook the pasta according to package directions, saving some of the pasta water.

Do a quick blanch of the sugar snaps by putting them in a microwave-safe bowl, covering with plastic, and microwaving for 1 minute. Uncover bowl and set aside. If you make these ahead, cool down with a few ice cubes in the bowl and drain before using.

Drain the mushrooms (save the liquid for another use, like a soup stock). Saute them in butter for a few minutes and set aside.

Toss the pasta with the carrot puree. If the puree seems too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water. Add the sugar snaps and morels just before serving and toss again.

Top with some of the ricotta salata and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.



Posted on Minxeats.com.

Farro Salad

I'm a fan of Deb Perelman's blog, Smitten Kitchen. It's actually one of the few blogs I still read regularly; she writes in an entertaining manner, and her recipes are uniformly successful. Because I knew the recipes would be solid, I made sure to get a copy of her cookbook and read it from cover to cover. Several recipes jumped out at me, screaming, "make me! make me!" One of those was this salad of farro with carrots, parsnips, feta, and mint, all bathed in a dressing of lemon juice, harissa, and honey. And there you have the recipe. It's really simple and really good. The farro is pleasantly chewy, the root vegetables are sweet, the mint aromatic, and the dressing and cheese really liven up the dish. I think this will become a warm-weather staple in my house, once I can figure out how to cook the root veg without turning on the oven. Perhaps pan sauteeing over high heat, maybe charring the veg first over a gas burner.

I'm just going to paraphrase the recipe here, telling you what I did. If you want the exact recipe, you'll just have to buy the book!

Farro Salad with Carrots and Other Good Stuff

1 pound of parsnips, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 pound of carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
Seems like a lot of veg, but they shrink down to nothing. Toss the veg with olive oil and salt and spread out onto two foil-lined baking sheets. Roast 20 minutes at 400°F, stir, then roast an additional 10 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

8 ounces of dry farro
Add farro to 2 1/4 cups water or stock with a big pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cover pot. Cook 35 minutes, or until tender and fluffy. (I used Wegman's brand farro and it was done in about 25 minutes. YMMV.) Cover pot and let sit for 10 mins or so to allow farro to absorb remaining water (I poured it out.) Fluff with a fork.

Make a dressing with 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, a big pinch of cumin, 2 teaspoons of honey, and harissa to taste. (I have dried harissa powder in a jar and it's very mild so I used 2 teaspoons. Other brands will be uber hot, so use judiciously.) Season with salt and set aside. Have more lemon ready, in case you need more oompfh.

Toss the cooked farro with the dressing and add the veg. Toss again. Add a big handful of crumbled feta cheese and another handful of chopped fresh mint. Stir and taste for seasoning. You might need more salt and or lemon juice, as I did.

I served the salad with boneless skinless chicken thighs that I had marinated in a combo of salt, harissa, cumin, and olive oil (pinches of each for 3 thighs). Browned on both sides in a bit of olive oil, then turned down the heat and cooked until done, about 20 minutes total.



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Where There's Smoke, There's Probably BBQ

We finally got our asses to Smoke. We'd been meaning to for quite a while, but it seemed that every time getting there was a possibility, the restaurant would receive a great review in some local publication. We knew they'd be swamped with customers for at least a week or two afterward; they definitely sold out of things on a regular basis. We didn't want our hearts set on trying something they'd be out of, so we waited. And then, on a random Tuesday, we went.

Smoke is a "modern American bbq restaurant" which means they have crap like chickpeas that have no place in my life (I am allergic to them). It's a vegetarian-friendly place, believe it or not, serving grilled smoked tofu and fried green tomatoes as well as those chickpeas. We tried the tomatoes, which were coated in a thick yet light and crisp batter and came with a side of Tabasco remoulade. There were a couple of pickle spears in there, too, but somehow they didn't taste particularly pickle-y. At first, I thought they were just oddly shaped tomato slices. Tasty nonetheless.

We also tried the "Boss Dawg." No dogs were harmed during the making of this sandwich, but at least a couple of pigs met their maker. With pulled pork, house-cured bacon, cheddar, slaw, crispy onions, jalapeno-bacon glaze, and pickles, this beast seemed like it should be sloppy, but it was not. We passed it back and forth between us, taking bites of the smoky, meaty, goodness, and dropped nary a bit of it. I really enjoyed the combination of flavors and textures, and while the meat was delicious, the crispy onions really made it. The pickles, too, had an impact. Definitely one of the best sandwiches I have eaten in a long time.

We also ordered the KFC wings, which are smoked, fried, coated in a Korean bbq sauce, and garnished with cilantro and sesame seeds. A cup of tasty five-spice pickled veg came on the side. I had mixed emotions about the wings. They had good textures--meaty, firm, not sloppy, not too much sauce--but the flavors of hickory smoke and Korean bbq got in each other's way. That's just my opinion, so YMMV. I plan on going back and trying the pork belly served with the same sauce and see if that works any better for me.

There are lots of other things I want to try, too, like the pit sandwich, the tofu, the bacon wrapped dates, the "righteous" mac and cheese, pretty much everything we haven't already tried (except the chickpeas). I love me some old school Andy Nelson's, but there's definitely a place for new style bbq in my stomach as well.

Smoke
574 Cranbrook Rd
Cockeysville, MD 21030
(410) 891-8515



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Sheet Pan Tandoori Chicken

Does anyone else read the blog Smitten Kitchen? If you don't, you should. Deb Perelman is entertaining and thoughtful, and her recipes, at least those I have tested, have all been uniformly delicious.

I'm normally not a quick cook kind of person. I don't mind making dishes that are somewhat fussy or use lots of weird ingredients or techniques. After all, I only cook on weekends when I have a decent amount of free time. But there are times when I don't want to be bothered, but yet don't want to go out to dinner. And that's when a dish like Deb's sheet pan tikka is perfect.

I made the dish pretty much as she wrote it, except I changed the name. Tikka refers to small pieces of meat, not whole bone-in thighs. My use of "tandoori" is probably just as misleading, since the cooking is done in a typical home oven and not a cylindrical one made of clay. However, I think "tandoori chicken" really gets across how the end result both looks and tastes. Unlike commercial tandoori chicken, there is no red food coloring in this recipe; the red color is the result of a bit of turmeric, some cayenne, and possibly a chemical reaction between the yogurt marinade and the heat of the oven. In any case, the dish is damn good.

And so fricken easy! First the chicken is popped into a simple spice and yogurt marinade for a few hours, then it's placed on a sheet pan with potatoes and cauliflower simply dressed with olive oil, salt, and cumin seeds. Baked for just under an hour, the chicken comes out super moist, with crisp skin and tender veg. Deb garnished her chicken with a flurry of parsley/mint/cilantro and some lightly pickled red onions, and so did I. I didn't want to mess with perfection.

Of course, now I have other ideas for similar dishes. Perhaps roasting lemon slices with the chicken and potatoes. Subbing brussels sprouts for the cauliflower, maybe celery root for the potato. Fennel might be nice as well. The mind boggles.

Sheet Pan Tandoori Chicken (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

1 3/4-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno, chopped roughly
1/2 cup whole-milk yogurt
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4-5 thighs)
4-5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1 small head cauliflower, cut into 3/4-inch-wide florets
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
Thinly sliced red onion (optional)
Lemon wedges (optional)
Chopped herbs (parsley, cilantro, mint) (optional)

Combine ginger, garlic, jalapeno, and yogurt in a mini prep food processor and whiz to a puree. Add the spices and whiz to combine. Scrape into a gallon zip-top plastic bag and add the chicken. Seal the bag, squeezing out as much air as possible, then squoosh the marinade around the chicken to coat it. Refrigerate for at least an hour and up to a day.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Put the potatoes and cauliflower on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, add salt and cumin seeds, and toss with your hands to coat the veg evenly. Make spaces in the potatoes for the chicken parts. Take the chicken out of the marinade and place on the pan. Roast for 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and stir the veg around to make sure they're cooking evenly. Return the pan to the oven for another 20 minutes, until everything is cooked through. Garnish and serve right from the pan.

You can pickle the onion, if you want, by putting it in a bowl or jar with lemon juice and a few pinches of salt, maybe a little sugar. Toss to coat, cover bowl, and set aside for at least half an hour (stronger onions might need more time).



Posted on Minxeats.com.

Tuna Salad with a Twist

I've always had a love-hate relationship with canned tuna. Growing up Catholic, it was a big part of my diet, what with all the Lenten Fridays in my past. Tuna salad or tuna casserole were weekly occurrences, with occasional break for frozen fish sticks. Mom always bought the solid albacore in spring water, which I thought was too dry. But chunk light was too mushy and not as tasty. Once I got out of Catholic school and started feeding myself, I stopped eating tuna entirely. That is, until I discovered sushi.

Mr Minx likes canned tuna, though, especially the solid albacore, so I started eating tuna salad again. I never even thought of using canned tuna in any way other than salad or casserole, but then I got a couple cans of tuna from Tonnino, a company known for their fancy jarred tuna (like tuna belly, the yummiest, fattiest, part of the fish). They've just started offering tuna in cans, two varieties of solid 100% yellowfin--packed in spring water and packed in olive oil--and they sent us both to sample. I didn't want to smother this high quality fish in mayonnaise, so I had to come up with a different way of serving it. I thought the oil-packed stuff would be great in a salad Nicoise, but I didn't have any of the other components on hand. What I did have, however, were cans of cannellini beans, and I recalled that tuna and bean salad was a thing. I also had lemons and celery and cherry tomatoes, so they were going to play a part. I wanted to make it a little more substantial but not heavy, so I added quinoa, too.

What a great combination of textures and flavors! Crunchy veg and quinoa, tender beans, meaty tuna, lots of lemon. So good! And so much tastier than tuna with mayo.

I really liked the mild flavor of the Tonnino tuna in spring water. It wasn't fishy, and it didn't seem dry. And I like that they have finally given the nod to canned fish, because while the jarred tuna is pretty, cans stack better in the pantry!

Tuna and Cannellini Bean Salad with Quinoa
I used celery two ways in this dish, but you can use it all raw or all cooked, if you prefer.

1/2 onion, diced
1/4 red (yellow or orange) bell pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, diced (divided use)
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Few sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 cup quinoa
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
Pepper
1 4.94-ounce can Tonnino Yellowfin solid pack tuna in spring water, drained
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (quartered if large)
2 radishes, diced
Chopped parsley

In a medium saucepan, cook the onion, pepper, and half the celery in a tablespoon or so of olive oil and a big pinch of kosher salt over medium heat, stirring regularly, until vegetables have softened. Remove veg to a large bowl and add the beans and the leaves from the thyme sprigs. Cover and refrigerate.

Put the quinoa and 1 cup of water in the same saucepan that you used to cook the veggies. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook 10-12 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow the quinoa to sit for an additional 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and add to bowl with beans and veg, stirring to combine. Cover and refrigerate until cool, at least 1 hour.

Make a dressing with the lemon juice, mustard, honey, and a some olive oil (I like equal parts acid and oil, but YMMV), beating with a fork to emulsify. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When the quinoa and beans are chilled, pour over the dressing and toss. Add the tuna, tomatoes, radishes, and remaining celery and toss again. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or lemon juice, as needed. Garnish with parsley.

Serves 4.

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Posted on Minxeats.com.