RIGATONI WITH FRIED EGG (OR TOFU?) AND ROASTED VEGETABLES

I'm getting over a cold and have just been dragging all week. It's fast approaching dinner time, I have a toddler that is getting grouchier by the minute, and I have no energy for long ingredient lists or lengthy prep times. I also have not visited the grocery all week, so my protein choices would have been some sort of frozen meat (which would have to be thawed in the microwave because I didn't have time to do it slowly, like I prefer) or eggs, or tofu. 

So, I grabbed the TOFU Cookbook for inspiration. And I find a lovely recipe, Rigatoni with Fried Tofu, Roasted Red Peppers and Olives. Sounds easy enough, and it was, except my husband doesn't like olives, and I prefer to use fresh roasted peppers, as opposed to jarred like they use in the recipe. And, while I was at it, I threw in some sweet onion and a yellow squash because I like to sneak in as many vegetables as I can. Oh, and a few eggs. So in the end it was a completely different recipe than the one in the book. This is so typical of me though.  

My altered ingredient list:

serves 4

1 red bell pepper

1/2 sweet onion

1 yellow squash or zucchini 

1 pound rigatoni

16 ounces tofu or 8 eggs or an equal combination  of both

2 TBSP canola oil

3 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP soy sauce

1 large garlic clove

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

salt & pepper to taste

I start by cutting the vegetables, then coating them lightly with oilve oil, add a dash of salt & pepper and roast at 450 for around 30 minutes or until they look like this (below)

I know not everyone is a fan of tofu. That is fine, just use fried egg instead. In my opinion though, I think they taste very similar anyway.  In this recipe, I actually used both fried egg and fried tofu. 

Fry tofu in the canola oil until golden brown and then transfer to a large bowl.

Drizzle the tofu with the soy sauce. Toss well and set aside. In a large pot, bring several quarts of water to a boil and cook the rigatoni. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water for later. 

Dice the roasted vegetables. Saute the chopped garlic in 1 TBSP of the olive oil over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the diced vegetables and saute for 2 minutes more. 

Add the 1/2 cup reserved pasta water and stir, then pour over the tofu (which is sitting in that large bowl waiting for it's veggies and pasta!) 

Toss in the cooked pasta and the parmesan and mix. Drizzle with remaining 2 TBSP olive oil. 

TURDUCKEN ANYONE?

TURDUCKEN = A chicken in a duck in a turkey

I'm thinking about ordering one of these for Thanksgiving this year. Or, maybe I'll just make my own. I know, they sound weird and turd is in the name, but still. I'm curious. We're huge fans of Louisiana's fine food ... so I'm assuming that they're delicious. Has anyone had one? What did you think?  

Anyway. If you also were wondering where in the heck to get a Turducken, you are in luck. Cajun Grocer is a gold mine for people like us! Boudin. Turducken. Gumbo. Sigh. 

SIDE DISH - KEN'S CHINESE FIVE SPICE ASPARAGUS

About a year (or two?) ago I was on the phone with my best friend and she mentioned that her husband made this great asparagus on the grill ... 

He seasoned it with Chinese Five Spice. Interesting, I thought. That was pretty much the end of it.

A long time later -- I remembered it out of the blue. Maybe because it was interesting, or maybe just for no reason at all, but I thought it would make a great "Side Dish" post. 

You'll need:

1 bunch young asparagus

1 tsp olive oil

1 TBSP Butter

1 TBSP Chinese Five Spice

Salt & Pepper to taste

(optional - and only if you like sweet stuff) 1 tsp Brown Sugar

I was too lazy to uncover the grill. So, I steamed my asparagus. 

Then I flash-browned it in the olive oil & butter.

The five spice, as  you can see, is mostly warm spices, so if you liked things sweet, a generous pinch of sugar (or brown sugar!) would go excellent with the flavors. My husband does not like sweet foods though, so I just used the five spice and s&p.

After the quick saute, dust with the five spice powder (and sugar, if desired) and toss. It's different, intensely flavorful, exotic, easy and GOOD.

ROASTED TOMATOES; CAN YOU DO CANNED?

Yesterday I was talking with my mom on the phone, and she mentions that she has a surplus of tomatoes from the garden on her counter and they were getting soft and she didn't know what to do with them. Of course I said, Roast them! 

After talking about it with her, it really made me crave some roasted tomato soup myself, but I had no fresh tomatoes, and the baby was taking a nap, so I couldn't go to the store. Then I wondered, hmm ... how would canned tomatoes turn out?  It's worth a try?

Oh what the heck, add the juice too! I love the syrupy juice after roasting tomatoes :)

Hmmm. I shouldn't have added the juice. It burned. No big deal really, the dark portions are easily removed from the parchment paper. The tomatoes though turned out really well! 

Just to compare, when the baby woke up we went to the grocery and bought a few pounds of over ripe heirlooms and came home to roast them (btw, I prefer 375 for about an hour or until brown and collapsed ... the higher temps often burn the juice, see above pics, argh!) And with this roast, I also added onion and garlic because those are also yummy roasted!

The verdict - the fresh were better, only because they had their skins to hold more of the syrupy juice in, but really, they were both fantastic.

 

And then there was soup. Ahhhh.......

SIDE DISH - BON APPETIT'S CITRUS-GLAZED CARROTS

The stars were aligned just perfectly I guess. 

I've been focusing on side dishes lately. Then, the other night I was reading Thursday Night Smackdown's First Thursday Challenge and while I usually don't participate in these food challenges -- merely because I only have time to cook my own stuff and no time for other people's "requests" --  I thought it sounded kinda fun. Mostly because you got to choose what you made. Then, while thumbing through the Bon Appetit Nov/08 Thanksgiving Special issue I see a pretty picture of a plate of carrots. The challenge was for something orange. It's a side dish. And, it looks easy and good! 

The ingredients are simple, just carrots, sugar, orange juice, lime juice, some zest, butter and parsley. If I can say this - the lime juice definitely makes this special. If you don't have limes, go get some. It's important. The flavor is amazing, and without the lime it would just be the same-ol glazed carrots your grandma made. This recipe is actually bright and fresh and these would be good cold or hot. 

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs carrots, peeled, cut on diagonal into 1/4 inch thick slices

2 cups (or more) water

1 cup fresh orange juice

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons butter

2 1/2 teaspoons orange zest (grated peel, no white part)

2 teaspoons lime zest

1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

Start by boiling the carrots, 2c water, and all ingredients except the parsley for about 10 minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender.

 

Remove the carrots to a plate separate from the broth and let the broth continue to boil until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Let both rest/cool. 

I made mine last night and took it out today to finish it. Heat the liquid to a boil in a skillet, then add the carrots and cook over medium heat until the liquid is reduced to a syrup. Serve hot, or cold. I ate a few bites when it was right out of the pan, and it was very good, then put it in the fridge for later. I just got it out while writing this post, and I must say I prefer this cold. In fact, I've eaten almost the entire bowl! 

 

The end result is a very orange-flavored firm vegetable, with sweetness, and the lime flavor is amazing. The carrot taste is not strong at all, the citrus has overpowered the carrot taste. I know it sounds weird, but I think this would also make a good ice cream flavor. 

SIDE DISH - POTATOES AND KALE

One thing that frustrates me is that there are just not very many interesting side dishes out there. Steamed vegetables. Baked potato. Grilled asparagus. Yawn.

Finding interesting side dishes to go with the 1000 ways I can make chicken has become a priority for me lately. I don't need another way to make chicken. I need stuff to eat along with the chicken! Lately I have been looking at food thinking mainly of ways I can make a side dish with it ...  ways to pair it with vegetables, make it healthy, but still good because I have some picky eaters in this house.  

So, first up  -- KALE & POTATOES

serves 4

1 bunch kale

1 large baking potato (or a couple smaller potatoes)

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

salt & pepper to taste

(optional) 1 clove chopped garlic

I like to microwave my potatoes in their skin, this way it cooks them without water making them mushy. Important especially if you want to brown the potatoes. And, it's fast! But cook your potatoes however you like, then set aside to cool while the kale cooks.

Clean and chop the kale (remove stems) and boil in water for about 15 minutes, or per your own preference if you like it soft or extra firm. Kale is pretty rugged, and it can really be cooked to death and still be great. Undercook it and it might be a bit too firm textured for some first-time kale eaters.  If you've never had it before, just taste a piece after 15 minutes or so to determine if you prefer it cooked more. When done, drain well and set aside. 

Dice the potato. Heat the olive oil and butter until the butter is lightly brown and fragrant. Saute the potatoes until brown and crispy at the edges. Add the garlic only in the last 2 minutes of crisping the potatoes so the garlic doesn't burn. 

Mix potatoes and kale, salt & pepper to taste.

FOOD IN PARIS

Paris -- May, 2006. We had been out roaming the town and stopped for a snack (and of course also had to have a glass of champagne). Yes, those are snails. Fresh escargot with garlic butter and baguette bread. Talk about a classic.   

We also had this terrine, and some pate. Mmmmmmmmm! 

This was the impressive seafood tower at la Coupole. 

This dog isn't selling any food - but he sure is cute. :)

I was the dorky tourist who was taking pictures of all the food through the glass cases ... but so what. I knew I would enjoy going back and looking at all these goodies!

And the way they present the food is artistic . 

Fresh Fruit~

A fantastic wine shop just down the street from our apartment.

Fresh poultry~

Wish I had a butcher like this on MY street.

And of course there is the bread!

And plenty of sweets~

I love all these little fun items you can get also- like these little pastries with cheese and fresh vegetables, like onion and tomato.  This is Paris' fast food.

Paris, at dusk. I hardly have any night pictures because when we were there in May, darkness didn't fall until probably close to 11pm!  

This was the most to-die-for restaurant! L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon.

My pictures were dark, but I was using the camera without flash as to not disturb the other diners. The experience is unique. They seat everyone at the same time, around a bar, and then the kitchen and wait staff are in the center.  The staff is over the top friendly and the food is just fantastic in this modern, chic Paris restaurant. Reservations are hard to get on short notice, however their first seating is at 7 or 8pm and that is for walk-ins only. So get there in plenty of time and wait until they open. It's worth it! 

Peeking into the kitchen from our spot at the bar (the kitchen is at the center of the bar so that everyone can watch the food being prepared).

Our waiter. He made our dinner extra entertaining!