Food Lush

My Favorite Yogurt: Wallaby Organic Greek

by Elissa

Greek yogurt is all over the place these days, and my family eats a lot of this stuff. It's creamy, delicious, and high in protein, and I find that it does keep me full a lot longer than regular yogurt. The problem is that it's expensive. I understand why: it's more concentrated, it takes a lot more milk to make a cup of Greek yogurt than a cup of regular yogurt. Still, I'm always looking for ways to take a little bit of the sting out of our weekly grocery bill. Anyways, my favorite way to enjoy Greek yogurt without breaking the bank is below:

 

{photo credit: wallaby.com}

Wallaby Organic Greek Yogurt has just about everything I'm looking for: it tastes great, it comes in a 16-ounce tub, it's organic, it's lowfat (creamier than nonfat but a little less decadent than full fat), and all it contains is strained yogurt (check out this NPR story about how some Greek yogurt brands use thickeners and milk powder to create a thicker product). The best part? At my Whole Foods it's only $3.69 for 16 oz. (last week it was on sale for $3). That's significantly cheaper than all the other organic Greek yogurts (Oikos goes for $5 for 16 oz.), and is comparable to the prices for non-organic Greek yogurt.

The milk comes from farms in Sonoma and Marin counties in California. While that's not exactly local for me, I loved the write-ups on their website about the farms they work with.

Here it is with a drizzle of honey--delicious! Anyways, if you like Greek yogurt keep an eye out for the Wallaby stuff. I am definitely a satisfied customer.

Adventures in Seafood: Grilled Branzino

by Elissa

I am much more likely to order fish at a restaurant than I am to try cooking it at home. But I'm trying to become more adventurous about preparing fish in my own kitchen.

I usually walk right by the display of whole fish at the fish counter, but a few weeks ago my son was fascinated by them. I decided to try to capitalize on his interest and I brought home a couple of whole branzino (also known as Mediterranean sea bass). I'd had it in restaurants before but had never cooked it myself. Our store will clean the fish for you, which involves gutting and descaling. This is what they looked like when we got them home:

I looked around online for a recipe, and ended up going with this one from Simply Recipes, although we skipped the vinaigrette and just squeezed some lemon over the fish.  After a few minutes of grilling on each side at medium-high heat, here's what we had for dinner:

They were really delicious. The flesh is mild and not fishy-tasting, the skin got crispy, and it wasn't too hard to avoid the bones. Each fish is about a pound, and these two fed two adults and two small children comfortably. I've made them a couple of times now and remain impressed by how easy it is (although I think the fishmonger is probably doing most of the hard work).

Moral of the story: don't be scared by the whole fish!

To Splurge or Not to Splurge: Dutch Ovens

by Elissa

Reader Sarah is in the market for an enameled cast iron Dutch oven and wants to know if the iconic ones from Le Creuset are worth the money.

This is a great question and one that I think about a lot when I'm contemplating a new kitchen purchase.  A 5.5 quart dutch oven (or "French Oven") from Le Creuset will set you back at least $250 (the 7.25 quart one is generally over $300), while comparable models from Tramontina and Lodge can be had for $50 or less. Our own Jessica wrote about the adorable yellow Dutch oven she got from HEB here; it cost less than $40! So are the Le Creuset pots five times as good as their competitors?

My short answer: no. I do think that the Le Creuset enameled cast iron is the best and is more likely to last a lifetime, but any difference in quality is probably not worth $200-plus. The online reviews for the Lodge and Tramontina Dutch ovens are generally quite good, and Jessica tells us she loves her HEB Cocinaware pot.

But I still think it's worth considering splurging on the Le Creuset for a few reasons. I own several pieces of Le Creuset (I got a crazy good deal on a set on Amazon a few years back), and I love them dearly. After six years of heavy use they are holding up beautifully. As I said above, I do think that the pots from Le Creuset are the best. So if you are likely to be a heavy user (do you make lots of stews and soups? do you ever fry things at home?), it may be worth it to shell out for a pot that you will be able to use for years and years. Also, if aesthetics are important to you I do prefer the look of the Le Creuset pots, and they definitely offer the best selection of different colors. And this might be a silly reason, but I kind of love the fact that Le Creuset has an established history; my mom used an orange Le Creuset dutch oven for soup throughout my childhood and it just makes me think of delicious home cooking.

Conversely, if you don't think you'll use it all that much or if you're contemplating a cross-country move, it's probably not worth investing in a Le Creuset (they are heavy!). Incidentally, I have not had great experiences with the non-cast iron Le Creuset stuff that I've bought over the years, so I would not pay more for a Le Creuset stoneware dish, for example.

Sarah also wants to know the best place to buy Le Creuset. Based on my own experience I would suggest Amazon--sadly I don't think they offer the deep discounts on sets that they used to, but their prices are certainly competitive with the major kitchen stores and you can usually get free shipping. But it's pretty widely available at kitchen stores. I am not very knowledgeable about promo codes and which stores are more likely to offer them. Anyone who is please speak up in the comments! You might also want to keep an eye on eBay--I would not hesitate to buy a used Le Creuset.

If I had to buy one Le Creuset pot, I would probably go for the 7.25 round pot shown above. I have the 5.5 quart one and it is fine most of the time, but every now and then I wish it were a little bigger. And if I got to pick one more pot, I'd go with this 3.5 quart braiser dish.

I got it as part of a set and it is great for casseroles and braised vegetables, plus I just love the shape.

Happy shopping Sarah, and let us know what you decide!

{photos courtesy of lecreuset.com}

Two Great Beers for Fall

by Elissa

Fall is a great season for beer-drinking: there's playoff baseball, the start of the football season, and the cooler temperatures put me in the mood for more substantial drinks. Here are a couple of beers that I think are a perfect fit for this time of year.

(photo from brooklynbrewery.com)

First is the Pennant Ale from Brooklyn Brewery. I don't think I've ever had a Brooklyn beer that I didn't enjoy, but this one might be my favorite. They describe it as a "honey-colored pale ale with a brisk malt palate and finely balanced hop character." It's not too dark, has plenty of flavor, and is the perfect thing to drink while cheering on the Washington Nationals (we are huge fans and can't wait to watch them in the playoffs).

(photo from dogfish.com)

Next is the Punkin Ale from Dogfish Head Brewery. I love pumpkin beer, but in my experience there is a lot of bad pumpkin beer out there. This one is just right, with a clean pumpkin flavor and spicy finish, but without being too sweet. Watch out though, at 7% alcohol this is stronger than your average beer. Because Dogfish Head comes from Delaware it's easy to find in DC, but as the brewery has grown so has their distribution, and I think it's pretty widely available across the country.

Do you have a favorite fall beer I should try out?

Kitchen Workhorse: Chicago Metallic Sheet Pans

by Elissa

Now that the weather is cooling off, it seems like I am roasting vegetables all the time: squash, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, eggplant, etc. And because I love roasted vegetables generally, my Chicago Metallic sheet pans may very well be my most-used piece of kitchen equipment.

They're solid and well made, so that they don't warp even at high temperatures. Things brown really well, and they're not tough to clean. I've had mine for over 5 years, and they have held up very well. They're not non-stick, so they do get a little black around the edges, but I view this patina as adding character.

They are also great for baking cookies and sheet cakes. If you're looking for a great pan, pick up a couple of these!

 

I Made My Own Butter! (and you can too)

By Elissa

So, I got inspired by this New York Times recipe to make my own butter and buttermilk. I have actually made butter inadvertently a couple of times--it's pretty easy if you get distracted while you're whipping cream. One minute you have soft peaks, the next minute you've got butter granules in a puddle of milk. But this time I decided to do it on purpose, and the results were great.

The first step is getting your hands on some good cream. Luckily, Clear Spring Creamery, a dairy that sells their products at DC-area farmers markets, had some great grass-fed cream when I hit the market near my office. If you can't find local cream the store-bought stuff is fine, just try to find some that has not been ultra-pasteurized if you can.

Next, you basically make creme fraiche. The recipe I was following is for cultured butter, which involves the active cultures that you find in yogurt or most store-bought buttermilk. Mix the cream with a bit of yogurt or buttermilk and let it sit at room temperature, covered, for about a day. You will end up with a creamy substance that looks like this:

Next, working in two batches, you blitz the cream in a food processer until it breaks into butter and buttermilk. This step is really like magic--you go from thick whipped cream to butter in a matter of seconds. It takes maybe 4-5 minutes total in the food processer.

Strain the buttermilk and save it in the refrigerator. This recipe called for kneading the butter in ice water with a wooden spoon until it starts to come together. I thought this sounded weird, but I persevered (using a rubber spatula instead of a wooden spoon), and sure enough the water rinsed away the remaining buttermilk and the butter became smooth and cohesive after a minute or two of kneading.

Voila, homemade butter! The culturing gives it a faint tang that I find delicious. We spread it thickly on fresh sourdough bread* and added a sprinkle of salt--it was sublime. And I used the buttermilk to make some excellent pancakes.

The next time you have a DIY itch that you need to scratch, try making butter!

*I did not make my own sourdough bread--making butter was enough of a project for one weekend!

Thai Basil Chicken

by Elissa

Like Katie, I am in the lucky position of having a riot of basil growing in my yard (we have a sunny patch in our front yard that herbs just love, and it makes me so happy to grow my own herbs after years of apartment-dwelling herbal failures). Our Thai basil plant now resembes a medium-sized shrub, and I thought I'd share my favorite way to use Thai basil. You can also use regular basil if you don't have the Thai stuff on hand. This is a great fast dinner--just add rice and you're ready to go!

This is basically a riff on the dish at Thai restaurants that is often called Ka Pow, and the flavor profile is very similar to drunken noodles. You can barely see the basil in this photo because you wilt it into the stir fry at the end of the cooking process, but it's still incredibly fragrant and flavorful. If you don't like heat you can easily omit the hot pepper. (I often do a mild batch for the kids and a spicy batch for the grown-ups.)

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or 4-5 boneless skinless chicken thighs)

2 cups green beans cut into 1-inch pieces (or other vegetables--recipe is very flexible)

1 large shallot, chopped (can substitute half an onion)

1 small hot pepper, sliced (can use Thai bird chile, jalapeno, or similar)

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoon fish sauce

1 Tablespoon lime juice

2 teaspoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons sherry (can use cooking sherry or whatever white wine you have around)

1-2 Tablespoons water

2-3 cups basil leaves (preferably Thai basil)

Cut up the chicken into bite-sized pieces and combine with 2 teaspoons soy sauce, set aside while you prep the other ingredients. Chop the vegetables and in a small bowl combine the 1 Tb. soy sauce with the fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, sherry, and water. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat (it's important to get the pan good and hot before you begin cooking). Add the shallot and cook for a minute or two. Add the chicken and hot pepper and let it cook for a few minutes before you begin stir frying. Once the chicken is looking browned and mostly done add the green beans and cook for a couple more minutes. Pour in the sauce mixture (it should start boiling right away) Cover for 2 minutes to help steam the green beans. Remove the cover and add the basil. Stir until the basil is wilted.

Lots of Watermelon? Juice it!

by Elissa

My kids love watermelon and can eat a lot of it, but even so, the four of us have a hard time getting through a full-sized watermelon by ourselves. I recently discovered the perfect use for leftover watermelon:

It doesn't take much time or effort--crush up cubed watermelon in a bowl or cocktail shaker (using a muddler, a large spoon, a potato masher--whatever!)  Strain the resulting watermelon slush through a mesh strainer. Voila! My son enjoyed his juice straight up, while my husband and I added a squeeze of lime and a shot of cachaca (a Brazilian spirit made from sugar cane--I bet vodka or rum would also be excellent). A perfect late-summer drink!

Mediterranean-ish Quinoa Salad

by Elissa

I am a big fan of this Eggplant and Barley salad, but making it requires a lot of time.  The other day I found myself with most of the ingredients, but lacking the 45-50 minutes that it takes to cook barley. So I improvised, and I think I may like my new version better than the original. Plus, since I substituted quinoa for the barley, this has enough protein to stand on its own as a one-dish dinner.

This is a great time of year to make this recipe, as it should be easy to get your hands on fresh eggplant, zucchini and summer squash. And I took this picture before I added a generous sprinkling of feta cheese. The feta really made the salad sing, so don't skip it!

Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa
2 medium eggplant, cut into 1-in. cubes
2 medium zucchin and 1 medium yellow squashi, cut into 1-in. pieces
1 red onion, cut into 1-in. chunks
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional--this makes things fairly spicy)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 425. Begin by making the quinoa: combine with 2 cups water and a pinch of salt, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. After it's done cooking, fluff with a fork and transfer to a serving bowl to let it cool. Once the quinoa is underway, begin roasting the vegetables. Toss the eggplant with 2 tablespoons olive oil on a large rimmed baking sheet. Toss the zucchini, squash, and onion with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Roast at 425 for about 30 minutes, swithching the pans halfway through. Let the vegetables cool a bit while you make the dressing. Combine 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne (if using), sugar, a generous pinch of salt, and pepper to taste. Combine the vegetables, quinoa, and cherry tomatoes and toss with the dressing. Sprinkle feta cheese on top and serve.

Peaches!

by Elissa

I have been infatuated with fresh peaches this summer. Eating them as-is is always wonderful when you can get your hands on really ripe fruit. But I've been buying so many peaches that I've had to branch out. Here are a few options if you find yourself with an abundance of peaches.

The simplest option is one I learned about on the blog Sweet Amandine. She desribed a recipe ff Nigel Slater's that sounded so good I was just itching to try it. It involves making a paste of almonds, sugar, and butter (I also added a generous pinch of salt), spreading the paste on top of peach halves, and baking until the top is crispy and the fruit is concentrated and silky. So easy! So good! Try it today! (Unfortunately we ate these baked peaches so quickly that I never took a picture).

Next in terms of difficulty is a peach galette that I made based on this recipe for apple galette from Dinner: A Love Story (the only change I made was adding a couple of teaspoons of cornstarch to keep the peach juice from getting out of control).

The crust ripped while I was folding everything, but I just kept going and it turned out great. I was able to make the crust out of recycled pie dough scraps that I had frozen and the galette was no worse for wear. Definitely simpler than making a pie.

Finally, I made a peach pie that was pretty fantastic.

I went with my favorite pie crust recipe and adapted the proportions from Cooks Illustrated for the filling: 6 cups sliced peaches, 1 tsp. lemon zest, juice from 1/4 lemon, 3/4 cup sugar, and 3 Tb. instant tapioca. Homemade pie is definitely a bit of a project, but this effort paid off and I think this has been my favorite pie of the summer.

Moral of the story: get some peaches and start baking! What's your favorite peach recipe?