Kallaloo

After shopping at the farmers market tonight, Dan & I decided to try Kallaloo - a place we've been meaning to go for some time, and were reminded of thanks to some photos posted on Foodspotting by Calvin.



With the weather in the mid-80's, Kallaloo's open front and streetside seating were very welcome, and the Caribbean food and decor, and friendly staff made it feel like a mini-vacation.



We started with the fried plantains, which were simultaneously sweet and savory, and not that heavy.



Dan ordered the Oven Fried Chicken (just like his Mom makes) which came with both macaroni pie and callaloo.



Callaloo is a dish of cooked leafy green vegetables. It's traditionally made with either Amaranth or Taro leaves, and can include coconut milk, meats or seafood, spices, garlic and onion. It's surprisingly similar to the Hawaiian dish known as lu'au - which is Taro leaves simmered in coconut milk.



I decided to try the Curried Goat, which was a green curry featuring slow cooked goat meat that was so incredibly tender and flavorful.

Guac-Off!

To celebrate Cinco De Mayo, the Baby Product Buying team at my work (a major Seattle internet retailer) had a end of day get together. In addition to beer, food, and really great margaritas (with fresh squeezed key limes), my friend Ally (pictured below in green) organized a Guacamole making contest. And she gave me the honor of judging - despite my questionable credentials.

There were 6 entries, and Ally gave each a letter so everyone could taste 'blind' and not allow judgement to be influenced by anything but the guacamole itself.

A  B

Though all were within what I'd consider traditional guacamole boundaries (no guac-sicles or avocado confit), you can see from the pictures that there was some definite variety in color, texture and ingredients used. And I can assure you there was variety in flavor. All the contestants took the challenge seriously, and I aimed to take my judging duties equally so.

D  E

Ally gave me a notebook and pen, and I got to work tasting each guacamole with a chip, jotting down notes about flavor, texture and color - and of course rinsing my mouth out between tastes. I then went back and tasted each with a spoon, to get an unadulterated taste - minus the salt, flavors and texture of the chip. The most notable difference as a result was letter F - the unabashed store-bought guac - which seemed smooth when paired with a chip but had an almost gritty texture on it's own.

F  G

All the guacamole's were darn good, but I had the responsibility of picking a favorite and a runner up. Letter G stood out to me for it's color, texture, and complex flavors (a great balance of lime, smoky cumin, garlic and cilantro), and I awarded it first place. It was made by Brandon N (pictured below at the end of the table in the glasses). It also employed the "put the pits in the bowl" technique said to help the guac retain it's green color (thus apparently preventing oxidation). I can't speak to whether the science is valid (there are some definite differences of opinion out there), but Brandon did have one of the brightest guacs.



Letter E also had a great balance of flavors and textures, with great freshness from the lime, and I awarded it second place. It turned out to be the first-time effort of Mardi T!

In addition to my picks, everyone got the chance to vote for the People's Choice favorite, which went to letter B - Ally's own entry.

Awards were handed out to the Guac Off Champions, and I even got a new game as a thank you gift for judging.

After the awards were presented, it was revealed that letter A was also a store-bought guac, presented in a bowl perhaps to test my palate. Thank goodness I scored it lower than the homemade ones!

Oven Baked Pork Chops & Veggies w/ Quinoa

Dan got us some beautiful, thick, bone-in pork chops and kale this week, and suggested they be paired with quinoa.

I started by seasoning the pork with salt & pepper, preheating the oven to 350 degrees F, putting my cast iron skillet heated on high and my paella pan heated on medium-high, both with a little olive oil in them, and a pot with some chicken stock on to boil. While those were all heating up, I chopped the kale, plus garlic, shallots and carrots.

I tossed the shallots in the paella pan and let them begin to brown. When the chicken stock reached boiling, I poured in the washed quinoa, covered it, and reduced the heat to medium to simmer. I added the carrots to the pan with the shallots, and let them begin heating. Next I placed the chops in the skillet, letting them sear on one side until golden brown, then flipping and doing the same on the other side. The garlic and kale then went in the paella pan, cover on, to cook down.

When the pork chops were just about browned on the second side, I reduced the heat and poured 1/2 cup of bacon-infused bourbon (something I made a couple years back) over the chops, then turned the heat off on the skillet. I pulled the veggies out of their pan and on top of the chops in the skillet, the poured in some chicken stock and put the whole skillet into the oven to cook. I checked the meat temperature periodically, and pulled them out when the chops were just cooked through. I served the chops over the quinoa and topped with the veggies.

I liked that some of the kale became crispy, while portions that remained in the stock at the bottom of the pan remained soft - creating more textures. I could've pulled the pork a little earlier, but it was still good and not exactly overcooked - I just think it could've been a little better. The quinoa was very flavorful thanks to the chicken broth - and I look forward to experimenting with different broths and seasonings with this new-found, easy, nutritious side dish.

Jennifer's Birthday

This evening we hosted Dan's family to celebrate Jennifer's birthday. Dan came up with a great Japanese-Hawaiian inspired menu, and Jennifer requested a coconut cream pie for dessert. Knowing that some of our family don't dig coconut (including her husband), Dan suggested we also make some chocolate chip cookies (since they're quick and easy) and have ice cream on hand.

The full menu ended up using a stack of cookbooks as reference: Sushi Making at Home, Quick & Easy Japanese Cuisine for Everyone, Best of the Best from Hawaii, Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook, and How to Bake.



We started off with drinks and nuts out on the back deck, then brought out some ahi tuna hosomaki (thin roll) sushi, with wasabi and soy sauce.



Then we made our way to the dining room for dinner. I baked/poached two sockeye salmon fillets in a homemade teriyaki marinade, and we served that with a cheesy broccoli krab side dish, fruit salad, and rice. Everyone seemed to really enjoy all the dishes, and more than one person went back for seconds. Dan's fruit salad was a big hit - a mix of strawberries, bananas, mango, grapes, and basil, tossed with crème fraiche, lemon juice and vanilla.



Teriyaki Salmon
2 full sockeye salmon fillets (one whole salmon)
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup mirin
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tspn ginger root, grated

Mix together the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, garlic and ginger root. Place salmon in a Pyrex baking dish (or two) and pour sauce over. Cover and refrigerate overnight, to let the flavor and moisture seep into it. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees (uncovered) - until the thickest part was just cooked through.

(Teriyaki sauce ratios from Quick & Easy Japanese Cuisine for Everyone)

Baked Broccoli
2 lbs broccoli
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 packages imitation crabmeat
1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese

Cut broccoli into bite size pieces. Place broccoli in boiling water just until color is bright and they're cooked but still crunchy (about 1 minute). Remove from boiling water and immediately place in a bowl of ice water, to stop cooking. Drain and place broccoli in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Spread 1 can of mushroom soup over broccoli. Spread crab meat over the top. Spread the other can of mushroom soup over the crab meat. Top with mixed cheeses. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, then broil until top just begins to brown.

(Adapted from Best of the Best from Hawaii)



After dinner, we retired downstairs to open presents, then enjoy some dessert. I was surprised at how simply coconut cream pie is to make - and how much less cloying the coconut flavor is when you make it at home.



Coconut Cream Pie
Pie Crust
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tspn salt
1/3 cup butter, softened
3-5 Tbpsn cold water
Filling
1 cup sweetened coconut
2 cups milk
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 cup coconut cream
1/3 cup cornstarch
3 large eggs
4 tbpsn unsalted butter, softened
2 tspn vanilla extract
Topping
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup coconut cream
1 tspn vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a bowl, stir together flour and salt. Cut in butter until well incorporated. Sprinkle one tablespoon of water at a time onto mixture, tossing with a fork. Push moistened portion to the side of the bowl, then repeat until all is moistened. Form dough into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, flatten dough with hands, retaining circular shape. Roll dough from center to edge forming a 12 inch diameter circle. Wrap dough around rolling pin and ease into pie plate, being careful not to stretch pastry dough. Trim edges to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pan, then fold under. Using the edge of the tines of a fork, press along edges to flute. Prick the bottom and sides of the pastry with the points of the fork (this will prevent it from puffing up too much). Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Spread sweetened coconut on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 325 degree F oven for about 5-10 minutes, stirring often so the coconut browns evenly. Divide in half and set aside. Combine milk, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Whisk once to combine and bring to a boil over low heat. Remove from heat. Place 1/2 cup coconut cream in a mixing bowl and whisk in cornstarch, then eggs. Return the milk & sugar to a boil over low heat, then whisk about 1/3 of the milk mixture into the egg mixture. Return the remaining milk mixture to a boil and whisk in the egg mixture, whisking constantly until the filling thickens and comes to a boil. (This happens quickly, and will clot if you don't whisk constantly.) Allow to boil, whisking constantly for 30 seconds. Remove from heat, whisk in the butter and 2 tspn vanilla, the pour into a bowl. Press plastic wrap against the surface of the filling and chill until it is approximately 75 degrees F. Stir in 1/2 cup of toasted coconut, then spread evenly in the cooled pie crust.

Whip the cream, coconut cream and vanilla until it holds a firm peak. Spread the cream over the pie filling, then sprinkle the remaining toasted coconut over the top.

(Crust recipe from Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook and pie recipe from How to Bake)

Steak, Quinoa and Zucchini 'Fries'

Although I was a little contradictory by deep frying the zucchini, Dan put steak, squash and quinoa on the meal plan for tonight as part of our goal of eating a little healthier. I'd never worked with quinoa, so I consulted a few of my cookbooks before realizing the package had instructions on it (duh!).



To give it more flavor than simply water, I started by cooking some chopped onion and garlic in butter in the saucepan, then adding water and red wine (1 1/4 cups total), bringing it to a boil, and then adding a cup of quinoa, reducing the heat, and letting it simmer for 20 minutes. It turned out good, similar in texture to couscous, but with more nutrients (or so I've read). I could've upped the ratio of wine to water, and added more seasonings, as it's a fairly bland grain. Next time, we'll see how flavorful I can get it!

Jerk Chicken w/ Roasted Plantains & Sweet Potatoes

Since we didn't make use of the plantains we bought for Tostones on New Year's Eve, tonight we roasted them (along with some leftover sweet potatoes) in the oven at 425 degrees F for about 20 minutes, tossed in olive oil and seasoned with salt, pepper, and allspice beforehand.



We had them with chicken breast paillards (chicken breast pounded out so they have an even thickness), which I dry rubbed with a spicy jerk seasoning we found online and made once before, though this time we had to improvise on a few ingredients (like omitting thyme and using fresh garlic). I pan seared the chicken at medium heat for about 5 minutes per side, just until cooked through. The chicken ended up moist and spicy, and the plantains and sweet potatoes offered a good counterpoint to the heat... though we relied on a home-brewed beer given to us by our old neighbor, Jonathan, to cool our mouths.

Garden Burger & Sweet Potato Fries

For a quick but filling dinner, we baked some sweet potatoes (cut into fries) in the oven at 425 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes (tossed first with olive oil and seasonings), and paired them with some garden burgers.

Jerk Chicken, Plantains and Broccoli

Tonight we had only a vague meal plan in place: chicken, broccoli, and plantains. But taking the plantains as inspiration, Dan thought it would be good to spice the chicken up with Caribbean flavors.

I went online and began searching, landing upon a Jerk Chicken recipe on Diana's Kitchen. Using part of her recipe as a guide, I mixed up a Jerk seasoning that I used as a dry rub for the chicken.

Jerk Seasoning Mix
1 tablespoon Ground allspice
1 tablespoon Dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons Cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped sage
3/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons Garlic powder
1 Tbspn onion powder
1 tablespoon Sugar
1 tspn salt

I started with two 1/2 lb chicken breasts, and pounded them out flat into paillards. Flatting out chicken breasts is a great way to trick yourself into eating less by making it seem like more food, a great way to get more surface area for rub to connect with, and it makes the thickness of the chicken more even and thinner, so you can cook it for less time.

Since we didn't have time to marinade the chicken, I put the chicken paillards into a big mixing bowl, and dumped all the seasoning mix on top, then tossed the chicken around to make sure every inch of the surface was coated. I cooked them in a skillet for about 5 minutes on each side and then we each had about 2/3 of a breast for dinner, and saved the other 1/3 for lunch tomorrow.



While I was abusing the chicken, Dan blanched some broccoli in boiling water for a couple minutes, then shocked it in an ice bath to stop the cooking. When everything else was ready, I tossed the broccoli into the skillet to heat them back up.



Based on this Recipezaar entry, he also peeled two plantains, cut them into 1/2 inch slices, spread them on a baking sheet, drizzled them on both sides with olive oil, sprinkled on some salt, and baked them at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes (flipping them over half-way through cooking). They turned out golden and crisp on the outside, and soft on the inside - like a tostone, but without all the fat.

Everything turned out great, which was especially rewarding since we were kinda winging it. The chicken was definitely spicy, in the way that builds up as you eat so that your mouth starts to burn a little halfway through the meal. The broccoli ended up beautiful and bright green, and looked very pretty on the plate next to the golden brown and yellow plantains and the reddish brown chicken. We both agreed this meal is going to be one we make again and again.

Kalua Pig Day 1 - Plate Lunch for Dinner

After baking up some blueberry muffins for this week's breakfasts, I got a kalua pig in the oven to bake for 5 hours - which we'll be using for many dinners this week in various ways. But tonight, we went 'classic' with kalua pig served along with two scoops rice, mac salad, and poi.