French Fridays with Dorie ~ a Two-fer! Chunky Beet Salad, Mahi-Mahi and Tomatoes en Papillote, and Parsley Potatoes

This week's French Fridays with Dorie challenge is for this wonderful beet salad.  We also cooked ahead and made the fish en Papillote - both dishes were wonderful & we're sure to enjoy them again!

Chunky Beet Salad

We make a lot of salads with fresh ingredients from our garden and the Farmers' Market.  This one is just incredible - a perfect blend of flavors.  We followed one of the Bonne Idee suggestions and topped it with Gorgonzola Cheese - the Californian in me couldn't resist throwing a few Walnuts on top!  I loved the vinaigrette and will make it again & again!  We used Lemon Thyme from our garden as our herb choice. 

Mahi-Mahi and Tomatoes en Papillote

Although we eat a lot of fish, neither one of us is a fan of Salmon, so we chose to make this dish with Mahi-Mahi - a firm white fish.  This is such an easy way to prepare fish - and the clean up is a cinch! We used Lime Olive Oil.  The blending of flavors was just perfect.  A good, basic technique to add to your repertoire that would work well with a number of seasonings.

For another way to prepare fish en Papillote, see our Ahi Tuna en Papillote.

Parsley Potatoes

Clean and half about 6 Red Potatoes.

Boil in salted water for about 20 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork.

Toss with:

 4 Tablespoons of Butter

Salt and Pepper, to taste

2 Tablespoons freshly minced Parsley

Bon Appetit!

Dock at sunset in Ventura Harbor

Raspberry and Feta Salad, Shrimp Risotto with Artichokes and Smoked Mozzarella, Pizza Bianca, and Pina Colada Sorbet

Raspberry and Feta Salad

Line salad bowls with spring greens

Top with:

Fresh Raspberries

Crumbled Feta Cheese

Toasted Slivered Almonds

Drizzle with:

Lime Olive Oil and Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar

I went to the Ojai Lavender Festival with my friend, Karen, yesterday where we tasted everything Roberto e Leonardo's Gourmet Blends had to offer - it was all amazing.  These are two of the selections I purchased - you'll see more in the coming weeks.

Shrimp Risotto with Artichokes and Smoked Mozzarella

In a large skillet, sautee:

1/3 Cup Olive Oil

1 Medium Onion, Diced

2 teaspoons minced Garlic

When onions are softened, add:

1 Cup Arborio Rice

Stir until rice starts to brown, then stir in:

4 Cups Seafood Broth, 1/2 cup at a time until liquid is absorbed and rice puffs up.

Add:

1 Cup White Wine (we used Viognier)

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Continue cooking until liquid is almost completely absorbed.

Then, stir in:

1 pound cooked Shrimp

1 can Artichoke Hearts, drained and quartered

8 ounces shredded Smoked Mozzarella (we found this at Trader Joe's)

The whole process takes about 1/2 hour.  It's important to stir the rice because that's what releases the starch that makes Risotto so creamy.

Print this recipe

Pizza Bianca

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees

Scatter some Corn Meal on a Pizza Stone.

Then stretch 1/2 recipe Wolfgang Puck's All Purpose Pizza Dough into the desired shape and thickness.

Drizzle with Olive Oil

Sprinkle with:

Pizza Seasoning

Sea Salt

Parmesan Cheese
Very thinly sliced Onion

Bake for 20 minutes.  Slice & enjoy hot from the oven!

When we were kids in Rome, we'd often grab a piece of Pizza Bianca as a snack fresh from the Forno.  Here's a neat story about a Pizza Bianca tasting venture in Rome where it originated.

Pina Colada Sorbet

We just bought a Cuisinart ice cream maker and this is our second creation.  This fabulously easy recipe comes from David Lebovitz's book, The Perfect Scoop.  It is to die for!  The flavors of Pineapple and Coconut highlighted with a touch of Rum and Lime are marvelous.  And the texture is perfect.  It's truly a signature summer dessert!  It couldn't be easier or better!

Enjoy!

Nasturtiums - photo by my friend, Bill

Garden Salad, Pepperoni Pizza, and Peach Bellini Floats

Beautiful lettuce in our garden

Garden Salad

We made a fresh salad with Red-leaf and Butter Lettuces and Arugula from our garden and served it with Italian Salad Dressing made with Red Wine Vinegar and Olive Oil.

 Pepperoni & Onion Pizza

We often like to make home-made Pizza on Friday nights, but the last couple of times, I wasn't really thrilled with the crust, so I've been looking for a new recipe to try.  This week, I used Wolfgang Puck's recipe, and it was perfect!  I have to admit that I'm a bit too spastic to risk working with a pizza stone that's been pre-heated to 500 degrees, so I skipped that step!  But, our pizza was terrific all the same.  We used Rustic Pasta Sauce from Trader Joe's, Pepperoni, thinly sliced onion, and lots of shredded Mozzarella.

Clarion Iced Tea Glasses by Waterford

Peach Bellini Floats

You may recall the wonderful Peach Ice Cream that we made last weekend.  Well, we decided to turn it into something really special and used it to make these luscious Peach Bellini Floats!

In a tall pitcher, stir together:

12-ounce can Kern's Peach Nectar

4 ounces Creme de Peche Liqueur

1 bottle Chilled Champagne (you can also use Prosecco or sparkling white wine)

Pour into tall glasses over 2 scoops of Peach Ice Cream.

Enjoy!

Dill flowers in our garden

California Chicken Simmered in Wine Sauce with Tomatoes and Artichokes, Wild Rice, and Steamed Asparagus

California Chicken Simmered in Wine Sauce 

with Tomatoes and Artichokes

In a large skillet, saute:
1/3 cup Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Fresh Rosemary, minced (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 cloves Fresh Garlic with skins on
When garlic begins to soften, remove and discard skins, and smash garlic into Olive Oil

While Garlic is cooking, add to a gallon-size Ziploc bag:
1 Cup Flour
1/2 teaspoon each, salt and pepper
Dredge thin-sliced Chicken Breasts in Flour mixture.

Pan-fry Chicken in scented Olive Oil until lightly browned (about 5 minutes a side)
Pour in 1 Cup Red Wine (we used Beaujolais)
Simmer for about 10 minutes, turning to coat

Add about 2 Cups mixed Cherry Tomatoes, halved, or quartered, depending on their size
We had 2 Garlic Roasted Artichokes left, so I cut the meat off the leaves,then cleaned them and diced the hearts - you could also use about 8 frozen, or canned Artichokes

Simmer over medium-low heat until tomatoes soften.
Plate Chicken and spoon sauce over it.

Print this recipe

Wild Rice

We love rice. This brand is especially delicious.  We used the Brown Basmati Wild Rice and Red Rice - it's quick-cooking and really flavorful.  We prepared it according to package directions and topped it with about 2 teaspoons of Butter.

Steamed Asparagus

Place in a large skillet filled with about 1-inch of water.

Place over medium heat.

Clean one bunch of Asparagus, snapping off the ends.

Squeeze juice of 1/4 Lemon.

Sprinkle with Salt, Pepper, and Parisien Bonnes Herbes.

Cover with lid and steam for about 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Braveheart claims every blanket he finds!

A Bevy of Biscuits

Sweet Cream Biscuits

 John & I aren't very big breakfast eaters, but we do love biscuits and I've been photographing them and decided to post them all together. I grew up eating biscuits made from Bisquick, so was blown away by how light, fluffy, and flavorful these homemade versions are!  Each variety is from Dorie Greenspan's Baking From My Home to Yours.

Cheddar Cheese and Chive
This is a variation on Dorie's "Basic Biscuits" .  I added in:

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard (mixed into the milk)
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 Tablespoon Fresh Chives, minced

Same as above, but with 2 Tablespoons Bacon Bits added.

Pecan Sour Cream Biscuits

I added in 1/4 cup Cinnamon Chips from King Arthur Flour into these - these biscuits are amazing!  Dorie says she wrote, "Too Good!" in the margin of her notebook - I have to agree!  Just add butter!

Enjoy!

Treasures from the beach!

David Lebovitz's Peach Ice Cream

My friend, Cheilaugh, gave me a gift certificate for Sur la Table which I cherished and contemplated for quite awhile.  I visited their website and thought about getting this and buying that.  I finally decided on Cuisinart's Classic Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream and Sorbet Maker in purple - my favorite color!  I've never had an ice cream maker before, but this one worked great.

Of course, having read David Lebovitz's The Sweet Life in Paris and lived vicariously through his adventures of making ice cream on the dresser in his bedroom and trying to find enough people to eat his creations because his French freezer was too small to hold them all, I had to buy The Perfect Scoop! 

We decided to try this recipe first - and it was incredible!  Neither one of us could believe how easy it was nor how delicious it was!  It tasted like we poured cream over fresh peaches!  We'll be enjoying this ice cream again & again!

Happy Summer!

Malibu Pier

Rosemary Apricot Squares ~ Baked Sunday Mornings

This week's Baked Sunday Mornings challenge is for these unique Rosemary Apricot Bars.  I wasn't at all sure about using Rosemary as a flavoring for sweets, but it turns out to be quite nice.  When you first bite into these bars, you taste sweet-tangy Apricot, then you notice the soft, buttery texture of the shortbread, then you get the flavor of the Rosemary - not unlike the finish on a sip of wine.  The layers of flavors and textures make this a delightful dessert.

Although it took me a few bites to adjust to the Rosemary, I do like it.  I think I would like it more if I reduced the amount to 1 teaspoon - which may have something to do with the fact that I cut it fresh from our garden.

I was truly surprised how much I liked the Apricot filling and think it would be great as jam.  I enjoy trying new things and this is definitely not like any other dessert I've made.  I think it would be wonderful to bring to a summer party.

Enjoy!

Malibu Courtyard

Sole Meuniere with Browned Butter Caper Sauce, Garlic Roasted Artichokes, Baked Potatoes, and Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

Sole Meuniere with Browned Butter Caper Sauce

This delicious recipe from The Food Network is really easy to make!  Its melt-in-your-mouth buttery flavor is punctuated by salty capers and peppery parsley.  And, it makes a great presentation.  I imagine this recipe would work well with any mild white fish fillets.

Garlic Roasted Artichokes

This technique is inspired by Pinch My Salt.  Her instructions are impeccable and accompanied by step-by-step photographs.  I followed her technique exactly.  The only difference is that I used Pasolivo's Citrus Blend Olive Oil - and she's right, the roasted garlic is great to eat, too!  We eat artichokes a lot, so it was fun to try a different technique.

Baked Potatoes

Rinse and dry medium Russet Potatoes.

Pierce several times with a fork.

Wrap in foil and place in the oven with the Artichokes for 1 hour.

Serve with your choice of toppings.

Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix:

Rind of 1 Lemon

1 cup granulated sugar

Set aside.

In a medium bowl, gently toss:

1 quart (4 cups) fresh blueberries (fresh or frozen)

¼ cup flour

Set aside.

Separate 4 eggs.

Reserve egg yolks.

Whip egg whites with 1/4 cup sugar until they are stiff.

Set aside.

In a stand mixer, cream:

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 cup butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

Add reserved egg yolks and mix until fully blended.

Alternately add dry and wet ingredients, ending with dry:

2 3/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup lemon juice

Gently fold in egg whites.

When thoroughly combined, fold in blueberries in flour.

Pour batter into a tube or bundt pan sprayed with non-stick spray (or buttered and floured) and top with lemon sugar.Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Print this recipe

Kayaks for rent at Channel Islands Harbor

Rebecca Rather's All-Sold-Out Chicken Pot-Pie!

Rebecca Rather's All-Sold-Out Chicken Pot-Pie!

Chicken and Vegetables

I love Rebecca's Texas style!  She's homey, down-to-earth, and reading her book, The Pastry Queen,  makes you feel like pulling up a chair and talking to her. 


 I spent my senior year of high school in Texas, and my first job was working in a gift shop at Six Flags Over Texas - cowgirl hat, boots, and all!  I went on to attend the University of Dallas.  Reading Rebecca's book and looking at all her photos brings back memories of the Texas hospitality I enjoyed and of my college friends - many of whom still live there.

Pot-Pie filling mixed with cream sauce and ready to go!

Chicken Pot-Pies dressed with cream cheese pastry & ready for the oven

My husband's been fighting a summer cold, so I thought he would enjoy some old-fashioned comfort food full of chicken and vegetables.  Although this dish is time-consuming to make, nothing about it is difficult.  And the cream cheese pastry takes it right over the top.  The individual pot-pies also freeze really well.

 



My friend, Greg, and me at the University of Dallas Charity Week Ball 1983



It's Cake Love! Warren Brown's Chocolate Pound Cake with Chocolate Cabernet Sauce

I love cake - I especially love chocolate cake!  Warren Brown's cookbook, Cake Love, is filled with beautiful temptations; but, today, I just wanted chocolate, so I tried his Chocolate Pound Cake.  The crumb is moist and light - especially for a pound cake - and the chocolate flavor really shines through.


Warren says the secret to great chocolate cake is cocoa powder that contains 22 - 24 percent butterfat.  I used Penzeys.  


I poked some holes in this cake with a long bamboo skewer, and drizzled it with Chocolate Cabernet Sauce that we bought at Anette's Chocolate by Brent in Napa.  I served it with a touch of whipped cream and a few fresh blueberries.

A beautiful, classic cake that we're sure to enjoy again soon!

Mallard Duck at Channel Islands Harbor