Dishes With a Story

My mother-in-law was one of those people who always had a pot of coffee brewing for anyone who happened to stop in.  She made everyone feel welcome, she was a good listener, she laughed easily and was never to busy to sit and visit.  Many a day I dropped in, and we always sat in the same place in front of the window where from time to time we could swivel our chairs and look out to see what was happening.  

Most of the years when we visited I was looking across the room toward a cabinet filled with pottery I came to love. Lucky for me no one else was particularly attached,  so the set eventually became part  of my collection of dishes.

I don’t remember how she came to have these hand painted majolica dishes which came from Salerno, Italy.  They are dated 1952, and if Ernestine’s signature is any indication, they were painted by her.

I hadn’t thought about what a perfect match this tablecloth would be when recently it was purchased in Sintra, Portugal.  Since it is a 60″ square, it was placed diagonally on a much larger table and the sides pleated to make a cross between a cloth and a runner.  I love manipulating fabric of any kind on a table.

As luck would have it, the flowers from Mother’s Day were still perky enough to use among crystal and glass bells which are always a delightful addition to any tabletop.

Keep in mind that for me everything doesn’t have to match so I brought out the pink bowls and goblets which had belonged to a very good friend’s grandmother.    Just look at their texture which provides a nice contrast to the pottery’s smooth surface.  I’m so glad to have things other people don’t want!

And for that little something unexpected are the just bought napkins from Anthropologie.  Each one has different design and color, and they add an element of fun.

Now that the table is set, it’s to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Fish with Tomato Sauce and Almonds

1 1/2-2 pounds of your favorite fish, filleted

1 onion, sliced 

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes

1/2 c. white wine

1 t. cumin

1/2 c. sliced green or black olives

toasted almonds

chopped cilantro

Salt and pepper fish and bake (350) in lightly greased dish until flaky.

While fish is baking, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until tender.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer for about 15 minutes.

To serve, place fish on a platter and top with sauce, cilantro and almonds.  Accompany with roasted potatoes or vegetable, green salad and crusty bread for an easy to fix and very tasty meal that will serve 4 people.

Today I’m joining

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At Home With Friends

With few exceptions, friends are no longer cooking, choosing to eat out or pick up something at one of Houston’s many takeout places.  While I enjoy getting out of the kitchen from time to time, I must confess to enjoying home cooked more than most prepared foods.  So does another friend, so once each week we share dinner at home, taking turns preparing the meal.  Not only does this give each of us a night off, but we thoroughly enjoy the time we and our hubbys spend together. 

Just as comfortable as our time together are our tables, nothing fancy just a simple setting.

Knowing how much I like bottles, a friend had brought these little ones, each filled with flowers that just happened to blend perfectly with the colors in the runner and the bottles that were already on the table.

So, for our casual dinner, all that had to be added were napkins, plates and cutlery.  How simple!

The napkin rings are wooden animal shapes that were purchased in Kenya.  They are always happy reminders of that trip.

With little effort, we are ready for our shared dinner.

This night we are having  Grace Young’s Stir Fried Shrimp with Rum.  Stir frying is one of my favorite methods of cooking, and as you can see my wok is much used!  What I like about stir frying is that it doesn’t require large quantities of anything, it is a simple  and healthy way to cook and the result is always tasty.

Stir Fried Shrimp with Rum

1 lb. large shrimp

Juice of 1/2 lime

3 T. ketchup

3 T. rum

2 t. soy sauce

1/4 t. ground white pepper

2 T. peanut or coconut oil

1 T. minced garlic

1 T. minced ginger

1/2 t. salt

1 tomato, cut into thin wedges

1 green pepper, cut into thin strips

1 onion, cut into thin wedges

1 T. finely chopped cilantro

Combine ketchup, rum, soy sauce and ground white pepper in a small bowl.

Heat wok over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1-2 seconds.  Swirl in the oil, add the garlic and ginger.  Stir fry 10 seconds or until the aromatics are fragrant.  Push the aromatics to the sides of the wok, add the shrimp evenly in one layer.  Cook undisturbed 1 minute.  Sprinkle with salt and stir fry until shrimp begins to turn orange.  Add tomatoes, bell pepper and onions and stir fry 1 minute or until the shrimp have turned almost totally orange.  Swirl the ketchup mixture into the wok and stir fry an additional minute.  Add cilantro.

Serve over rice for a 4 person  main course.  Enjoy!

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Let’s Go! Part IV

On the subject of food, meals aboard Le Boreal were outstanding creations made from fresh and local ingredients that Chef Alain Morville and staff purchased at every stop between Portugal and France.

At this market, we will go along.  Like most European markets, it is a visual delight filled with edibles and flowers.

Why is it that abundant arrays of just brought in produce are so much more seductive than carefully arranged grocery store bins?

Look, there is the  cabbage used in the green cabbage soup that we tasted yesterday and lots of dried beans that are sure to be used creatively by the chef.

The fish market is something else altogether and for the first few minutes is a challenge to the sense of smell!

Some of the fish are unfamiliar, but there is no question about all being fresh.

They may be bought whole

or prepared to order by skilled hands. Now, this is a job at which I wouldn’t be very adept!

Some fishes have quite wonderful colors.  These I can see in one of my handwoven scarves, perhaps one for a man.  One never knows from where inspiration will come!

Aboard ship, here are some of the dishes prepared with fresh seafood:

Cod 

Seafood soup…yum

Paella made with a combination of shrimp, mussels and chicken

The mussels are rope raised on these platforms off the coast of Spain and are absolutely delicious.  

There’s just nothing better than fresh seafood which can be prepared in so many flavorful dishes.  Here, paella was my favorite.  Which is yours?

Thanks for traveling and tasting with me today.  Do come back tomorrow for another adventure.

Joining Seasonal Sundays

Here’s to You, Kathleen

With Irish eyes ashinin’, Kathleen has invited her friends to participate in a St. Patrick’s Day bash. Not having a speck of Irish blood, I would probably do better thinking rodeo since it’s that time in Houston and bar-b-que may be the food of choice.

But Kathleen is so much fun and creative to boot, I’ll don my fedora and see what I can find to share at her party.  (Note: as predicted earlier, the pollen has settled on my car.  It’s part of the season.)

Off to World Market I go hoping to find a pot of gold, but all that was there was spirits, enough for a pint or two for those so bold. 

On to Costco in search of something green.  Who would have thought it would be shamrock pasta filled with dubliner cheese?  Cases also were filled with corned beef, perfect for an Irish wannabe and I bet for the slow cooker as well.  Now, I’m really getting into the swing of things.

Now it’s time to think of a table to set.  White azaleas and green leaves from the yard are a good place to start, and these little bottles (how I love bottles!) with their tint of green are filled with their blooms.

White dishes  debut on an appropriately green background and are accented with colors bright as those blooming outside.

Even little birdies sit for a spell

taking it all in and looking forward to the kitchen smells.

So, Kathleen, despite my lack of Irish blood, I’m excited to join your party.  What a good time we’ll have going from place to place, getting to know one another and sharing our space.

Just in case you are preparing corned beef for St. Patrick’s Day dinner, here’s how I’m doing mine.

Slow Cooked Corned Beef

4 lb. corned beef brisket

6 red potatoes, cut into quarters

2 c. baby carrots

12 oz. bottle dark beer or stout

1 head of cabbage

In a slow cooker, cover the corned beef with potatoes and carrots and sprinkle with the seasoning packet contents.  Add beer or ale and cook on low setting for 7-8 hours.  About 30 minutes before cooking is finished, add cabbage that has been cut into wedges and continue cooking making sure all ingredients are tender before removing from the cooker.

Slice and serve with a grainy mustard/horseradish sauce  and cornbread.  (That’s the southern girl coming out in me.)

 For dessert, I am going to try  cupcakes made with some of that Irish beer purchased at World Market.  The recipe is here.  Don’t those sweets sound like a kick?

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Joining Cuisine Kathleen, Tablescape Thursday, Foodie Friday and Friday Food

 

 

 

The Same Things Different

Two years ago, shortly after introducing Lulu’s Musings, I published my first online tablescape.    While I haven’t posted one each week since then, I have managed one every other week.  Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t have enough “stuff” to have a table with all new items each time, so what I do is recreate using the same pieces differently.

Take this girls’ birthday lunch table, for example.  I liked having the old decanters sitting on the antique brass trivets, so when it came time to host a dinner party I left them in place and added something new.

Candleholders were switched and  a piece of handwoven cloth from Morocco was draped through and between the trivet legs.

Orange and brown jumped out, and luckily there were dishes and linens in the cabinet that  complemented those tones.

Napkins  tied with a piece of fiber left from a recent weaving project

and orange tinted goblets completed the table for a new look,

one that added drama to an evening gathering.

For dinner, the main course was inspired by Karen at Back Road Journal. She posted a recipe for pot roast cooked ossobuco style and served on soft polenta.  I love ossobuco and the idea of using pot roast rather that the much more expensive veal shanks was intriguing.  I used Karen’s recipe and added 2 large red peppers cut into strips.  Additionally, I prepared the dish in the Cuisinart slow cooker which resulted in the tenderest of meat and filled the house with irresistible cooking smells.  If you want to wow your guests, do click on Karen’s site and give this recipe a try.  Be sure you have plenty of crusty bread to soak up every last bit of the yummy sauce.

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Joining Susan and fellow tablescapers at Tablescape Thursday and Katherine’s blog hop

New Year’s Done Southern

Welcoming the New Year in Maine, you wouldn’t expect it to be done in true southern style, but a couple of deep south transplants have changed that.  Folks around here are learning about traditional southern fare: black eyed peas, collard greens, grits and gumbo.  You know what?  I think they like it.

My contribution to the feast is  grits soufflé, and believe me when I tell you grits can be hard to find and, generally, they are of the instant variety.  Oh well, they work.

This dish has become a favorite of family and friends and is attributed to the mother of a long time friend.  She introduced it to my husband and me before we were married, and he made sure that I left with the recipe.  Thanks goodness he did because it is not only good with just about anything, it is quite easy to make, a plus for any recipe.

Grits Souffle

In the top of a double boiler, combine 4 c. milk, 1 stick of butter, 1 c. of grits and a dash of salt.  Cook until the grits are the texture of cream of wheat.  Remove from the heat and whip with an electric mixer for about 5 minutes. Pour into a lightly buttered baking dish, dot with butter and liberally sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until cheese has browned.

Some have cooked the recipe without using the double boiler, but I think it is better to use one because the grits don’t cook so fast.  When you’ve tried this, let me know how you liked it.

Sharing at Foodie Friday and Friday Food

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Thinking Ahead

I like having a breakfast casserole in the refrigerator to pop in the oven when other activity makes cooking of secondary importance.  No time does this make more sense than Christmas morning with all its excitement.    Here’s what will be ready tomorrow when everyone gets hungry.

Easy Breakfast Casserole

10 slices raisin or fruit bread. cubed (actually, any sliced bread will do)

8 eggs

1 3/4 c. half and half

1 1/3 c. grated Gruyère, Swiss or cheddar cheese

2 t. flour

1/4 diced onion

3/4 c.  ham chunks, diced

2 c. mixed berries

bacon

raspberry sauce

Lightly grease 2 9″ pie pans.  Divide cubed bread between them.  Mix eggs, half and half, cheese, flour, ham and onion together and pour over bread cubes.  Cover and refrigerate to allow bread cubes to absorb the liquid.

When ready to cook, remove from refrigerator and cook in oven preheated to 350 30-40 minutes or until liquid is set.

Top with crumbled, cooked bacon, mixed fruit and raspberry sauce.  As a side, roasted potatoes are perfect.  Try a combination of sweet potatoes, fingerlings, rosemary,  onion and olive oil roasted at 400 for about 20 minutes.

Raspberry Sauce

1/2 c. raspberry jelly, 2 T. water mixed together and microwaved until the mixture becomes liquid.

So, how easy will this make Christmas morning?  As you might guess, this is a recipe that can be altered by varying the bread, using any mix of berries you desire and choosing a jelly that best complements the fruit.

Here’s wishing you a most wonderful Christmas morning.

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Creative Cooking

Spending so much time in my studio means that dinner is sometimes an afterthought.  This evening no meat was thawed and there wasn’t much in the refrigerator or pantry, so it was time for a little creativity to kick in.

There were some green beans that needed to be cooked and a small portion of pork roast in the fridge.  That was a start.  In the pantry was some angel hair pasta and a jar of butternut squash pasta sauce.   Together these would become the makings of dinner.

The beans (about 2 cups) were steamed until tender.  Pork was cubed into bite sized pieces and, with the pasta sauce, added to the cooked green beans to heat through.   The resulting combination was spooned  over cooked pasta and sprinkled with Parmesan. 

Served with a salad of greens, strawberries and feta, it made a quick to fix meal that tasted as good as it looked.   When you find yourself in a quandary for dinner, be creative with what you have.  You might be surprised at the result.

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Joining Foodie Friday, Friday Food and Friday Pot Luck

Taking Time Out

The holidays can get pretty frenetic with all the shopping and festivities.  To keep that from happening, it is important to take time out,  spend time with friends, continue traditions that have been part of relationships.  That is why I so look forward each year to gathering with a small group who has had dinner together more years than I can remember.    All of us don’t see each other frequently which makes this dinner a time to catch up, to remember times past, to celebrate lasting friendships.

Over the years we have alternated between eating out and at home.  I must confess to enjoying more the times at home when we can really visit without the distractions of a restaurant.

This time around we were at home in a friend’s guest house which lends itself to cozy comfort.  You can see that to be true just by looking at the table.

The holiday greenery festooned with ribbon, ornaments, candles and pomegranates resulted in a  table that was warm and inviting.

I loved the contrast between the greenery  and the sea foam green resting on white plates.  No Christmas dishes could have made a better statement.  The paisley napkins and hammered metal utensils were a perfect complement to the tableware and the tinted etched glasses.

In case you are wondering what we had for dinner, it was homemade gumbo, salad and a Maine wild blueberry cobbler.  Yep, those blueberries came from Maine this fall and were just waiting to be made into a pie.

Here’s hoping you’ve found time to spend with friends laughing and rehashing dinners past!  And maybe, as we did this year, remembering the one who isn’t there.

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Joining Tablescape Thursday

Last of the Dahlias

Having dahlias bloom through late fall is such a treat.  I love their leathery texture, their vibrant colors, their strength.  The recent early snow and a couple of frosty mornings, however, have been a little hard on them and now all that is left is their bent stalks.

 I did manage to rescue a few as it was snowing to use on one more table.

Combined with mini pumpkins and gourds they were a just right fall centerpiece.

Recently, the black square Ikea plates have been the perfect complement to other dishes or the food being served.  This time around they are on copper toned chargers bought years ago in San Miguel, Mexico.  Somehow the chargers had gotten lost in the cupboard, and I am so glad to have found them.  They won’t go hiding again!

Tonight’s dinner is an incredible Cojita-Crusted Halibut with Tomatillo Sauce from Seasonal Southwest Cooking, my new favorite cookbook.  Almost every recipe has one or more spicy peppers in it, most of which are available in the produce section.  Some of the called for cheeses may not be so readily available, but you can creatively substitute.

Tomatillo Salsa

2 jalapeños seeded and diced

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 c. finely chopped red onion

8 tomatillos, husked and diced

1 c. diced bell pepper, any color

1/4 c. chopped cilantro

2 T. fresh lime juice

Combine all the ingredients in a non-reactive bowl.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Let stand at least 1 hour and not more than 3 hours before serving.

To prepare halibut (8 4-6 oz. fillets), set up 3 separate shallow bowls or pans.  In the first, place the flour; in the second, combine 2 large eggs with 2 T. water; in the third, combine 1 1/2 c. bread crumbs with 3/4 c. grated Cotija cheese (Parmesan will work) and 2 t. lemon zest.  Dredge the halibut fillets in flour, then dip in egg mixture, dredge in bread crumb mixture.  Pat gently to press mixture into the fillet.

Preheat oven to 400.  Heat 3 T. olive oil in ovenproof nonstick pan on medium high heat.  Cook the fillets until golden brown, then place in the oven to roast until the centers are pearly white and opaque, about 3-5 minutes.

Serve with the salsa either beneath or on top of the fillet.

In our house, a sure sign of a successful dish is moaning.  This was a moaner for sure!  It was delicious with potatoes mashed with cheddar cheese and roasted poblano chiles.

Sharing at On the Menu Monday, Tablescape Thursday and Foodie Friday

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