Tiny New York Kitchen Wishes You A Happy Saint Patrick's Day!
Saint Patrick’s Day Breakfast
How lucky we are this year that Saint Patrick’s Day falls on the weekend so how about having a traditional full Irish breakfast.
Start with traditional bangers and then choose either Canadian bacon or double hickory smoked bacon. Add Eggs, grilled tomatoes, soda bread, baked beans and coffee or Irish breakfast tea. You can top your grilled tomatoes with grated cheese and herbs or have them just grilled. Your eggs can be fried, poached or scrambled.
Bangers are the cornerstone of the traditional full Irish breakfast. Irish loin bacon is very similar to Canadian bacon as both are cut from the pork loin and are fairly lean meats. They are cured and not smoked. Irish bacon also has a small bit of tail meat connected to the eye of the loin. Double hickory smoked bacon is very similar to American bacon or what is called streaky bacon in the British Isles. This type of bacon comes from the pork belly and is easily distinguished by the stripes of lean and fat that run through it. Double hickory smoked bacon is a fine substitute if you decide not to use Canadian bacon.
Irish breakfasts vary from cook to cook and region to region by incorporating local specialties. Some regional favorites include mashed potatoes that are fried with leftover vegetables, blood sausage or sautéed mushrooms.
Ides of March
The “Ides of March” are upon us! To mark the date of the assassination of Julius Caesar I thought I would post the classic Caesar Dressing recipe.
Caesar Dressing
3 Garlic Cloves
3 Anchovy Fillets
3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1/2 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 Hard Cooked Egg Yolk
In a blender (or food processor) combine the three garlic cloves, the anchovy fillets and lemon juice. Cover and blend until mixture is nearly smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Add oil, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and cooked egg yolk. Cover and blend until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 to 24 hours.
Parmesan Croutons
Cut four 1/2 inch thick slices of French bread into 3/4 inch cubes and set aside. In a large skillet melt 1/4 cup butter. Remove from heat. Stir in 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese and 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder. Add bread cubes, stirring until cubes are coated with butter mixture. Spread bread crumbs in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a 300° F oven for 10 minutes and stir. Bake about 10 minutes more or until bread cubes are crisp and golden. Cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Makes 2 cups
Know Your Chiles
To keep your Mexican dishes authentically delicious, here are some pointers about chiles. If you were asked to identify one characteristic that would singularly describe Mexican dishes, the “chile” would be the answer, namely chile peppers. Whether ground, whole, sliced, diced, pickled, fresh, canned or dried, chile peppers are an inherent part of Mexican dishes.
There are many varieties of chiles, ranging from mild to very hot! Chefs use whatever chiles are available to them. Some varieties are available canned when they aren’t available fresh. Here is a list of some common peppers.
Green Peppers: Also called bell peppers. They are very mild peppers and are used in salads as a garnish and they are used to flavor & color dishes.
Anaheim: Also called California peppers. They are mild, long green chiles. They can be eaten raw and are used in salads.
Jalapenos: They are smaller sized and dark green chiles. They are typically very hot.
Serranos: They are smaller and slimmer than jalapenos, but be warned they are hotter too!
Ancho: These chiles are plump and dark green chiles that range from mild to medium. Ancho means “wide,” that’s why these are usually the best choice for chile rellanos.
Yellow Hots: They are longer than jalapenos and moderately hot. These chiles are used in hot mixes, along with other chiles and are used in salsas. They are also used as a garnish to color dishes.
Wax Chiles: These chiles are small, slender, yellow chiles and are used in pickled mixes, in salsas and as a garnish.
Chilitepins: These chiles are tiny and seedy red peppers. They are used for seasoning in salsas in combination with other chiles. They are also used in pickling. Warning…they are VERY hot!
You can roast chiles over the top burner of your stove. Make sure to turn frequently to keep the chiles from burning. You can cook three to four chiles at a time. When the skins turn dark brown and look blistered then remove them from the heat. Wrap the chiles in a damp kitchen towel or paper towel to make the skins easier to remove.
Chiles can be roasted in an oven as well. Place the chiles onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake at 350º F. until the skins are brown and blistered. After roasting, wrap the chiles in a damp kitchen towel for a few minutes. Then remove the skins.
You can also dry chiles. To dry chiles, make a chile “garland.” Sting chiles up by their stems to make a cluster. Let them hang to dry by placing them in a very dry place until they become dry. Fresh green chiles turn from green to red when left to dry out. Dried chiles are ready to use when they are crackly-dry.
Chile garlands can also be used for decorations in your kitchen, living room or patio. These sartas or ristras are a characteristic sight in the Southwest.
To use dried chiles, just soak them in a hot water bath until they are softened. Open the chiles up and remove the stem and seeds. Puree them in a food processor or blender. Add small amounts of water to process. If the chiles are hot then add a water and vinegar mixture to help tame the chiles. When a chili paste is made then make sure to pass through a sieve to make a smooth paste. Season the paste as you desire to make salsas or for cooking.
Many people ask me about gluten free baking products. Bob's Red Mill gluten free products seem to be the most available. I have heard that King Arthur Flour has gluten free products, but I haven't been able to find them at any of the grocery stores that I frequent and believe me I frequent a lot food stores & markets.
Valentine’s Day Dinner
Talk about date night pressure! Avoid the restaurant hassle, stay in and make a delicious Valentine’s Day Dinner for your sweetheart. As an added bonus you get the table the entire night as well as save some money. After dinner snuggle up on the sofa and watch a romantic movie. Here are a few Valentine’s Day Dinner menu ideas.
Baked Ziti
Dry Aged Steak With Potato Gratin
Pork Rib Roast With Winter Vegetables
Seafood Chowder
Farfalle With Vodka Sauce
Mussels
Swedish Meatballs
Roasted Pumpkin Soup
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Lemon Meringue Pie
Chocolate Truffles
Carrot Cake
“Food, one assumes, provides nourishment; but Americans eat it fully aware that small amounts of poison have been added to improve its appearance and delay its putrefaction.” – John Cage
There has been quite a bit of controversy these days about eating organic. Recent studies state that it really doesn’t matter if you eat organic foods or not. When something is labeled organic, it usually means that a farm has not used pesticides and has taken considerable care to avoid any cross-contamination. Producing organic food undoubtedly costs more money which is passed on to the consumer. Buying organic tends to be quite a bit more expensive than buying non-organic.
Honestly, I don’t care what the studies are saying about eating organic versus eating non-organic. I would rather not put pesticides into my body as well as wanting to support farmers and food companies that are not using pesticides. I love going to farmers’ markets during the spring, summer and fall and when I am shopping in the grocery store I am willing to pay a bit more for organic food.
If you have decided not to buy organic here is a list of foods that have found to be the most and least contaminated.
Most Contaminated
Apples
Bell Peppers
Celery
Cherries
Grapes
Lettuce
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Potatoes
Spinach
Strawberries
Least Contaminated
Asparagus
Avocados
Bananas
Broccoli
Cabbage
Corn
Kiwis
Mangos
Onions
Papayas
Peas
Pineapples
