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Simple Smoked Trout Salad with Creamy Tarragon Dressing

By Karena:

The perfect detox to a weekend of decadence, a simple salad of greens, smoked trout, chopped tomato and sweet pepper beckons.

Ingredients:

For the Salad:

- 1 lb. baby romaine or other greens

- 1 lb. smoked trout, torn into pieces

- 1 sweet pepper, diced

- 1 ripe tomato, diced

- a bunch of scallions, white parts sliced

- avocado, diced (optional)

For the Dressing:

- 3 T mayonnaise

- 3 T sour cream

- 1/2 cup buttermilk

- Chopped bunch of tarragon leaves

- 1 tsp. garlic powder

- 1 tsp. onion powder

- salt and pepper to taste

- Hot Spanish Paprika (optional)

Directions:

1. Put the salad greens, trout, sweet pepper, tomato, scallions, and avocado (if using) in a bowl and toss together. 

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.

3.  Serve the salad in bowls and dress with the creamy tarragon dressing.  Enjoy!

Grilled Whole Chicken with Asparagus

By Karena:

It was only a matter of time before we took our chicken from the roasting pan and plopped it on the grill (now that it's no longer banished to the balcony).  This was a heavenly homecoming summer-time feast, complete with herby yogurt for dipping the chicken and a walnut-tapenade/hummus for the grilled asparagus.  We thank Jamie Oliver for the spatchcocked chicken on the grill idea.  The asparagus we stole from A16's cookbook. (And I dare you to ask your American butcher to "spatch-cock" your whole chicken.  After the blank stare, just tell him to cut the chicken open down the spine so that it will lay flat on the grill).

For the chicken marinade:

• a small bunch of summer herbs (marjoram, oregano, parsley, etc)
• olive oil
• juice from one lemon
• salt and pepper

For the chicken:

• 1 small spatchcocked chicken, about 3.5 lbs.
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lemon
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• another small bunch of summer herbs (marjoram, oregano, parsley, etc)

1. Slash the chicken legs about 1/2 inch deep in a few places.
2. Combine the marinade ingredients and rub all over the chicken.  Marinate for about 30 min.
3. Place the chicken on the grill, skin side down.  Once it's golden and begins to crisp, about 4 minutes, turn the chicken over, place a whole lemon on the grill next to the chicken and cook for about 45-55 min.
4. Meanwhile, make the herby yogurt.  Combine the yogurt, herbs, and salt and pepper, and let sit at room temperature.
5. Check for chicken for done-ness, and then take the chicken off the grill, and  let it rest for 5 min. 
6. Cut the roasted lemon in half, and squeeze some juice into the herby yogurt and serve!

For the Asparagus:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• A bunch of large Asparagus
• Kosher salt
• 1 block of Parmesan or similar cheese for grating
• You'll be using your oven AND your grill!

For the Walnut "Crema":

• Kosher Salt
• 3/4 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 T red onion, diced

1. To make the walnut crema, bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the walnuts and blanch for about 8-10 min, or until tender in the middle.  Drain the walnuts, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid.  Set aside.

2. In a saute pan, heat some olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and some salt and sweat for about 7 minutes, or until golden brown and tender.  Remove from heat.

3. In a food processor, combine the onion, walnuts, and reserved cooking liquid and process until creamy.  Taste for seasoning.  With the processor running, add the olive oil, processing until creamy.  It should have the consistency of hummus. Adjust ingredients to achieve this consistency.  Cover and keep at room temperature.

4. To make the asparagus, preheat the oven to 500 degrees, and lightly coat a baking sheet with olive oil.  Trim off the tough stems of the asparagus and spread them out on the baking sheet.  Season with kosher salt and coat each spear with olive oil.

5. Roast the asparagus for about 8 minutes, then transfer to the grill and continue cooking for about 6 minutes, or until tender and charred around the edges.

6. To serve, spoon the crema evenly on a plate, and then arrange the asparagus spears on top.  Sprinkle with grated Parmesan/Pecorino cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.  Serve immediately!

Grilled Artichokes with Lemon

By Karena:

Nothing says summer like grilled artichokes.  This is so simple and so delicious.  Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve with melted butter or mayonnaise.

• Artichokes (1 for every 2 people)
• Fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Melted butter or mayonnaise

1. Cut the artichoke length-wise in half.
2. Marinate flat-side down in olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice
3. Boil artichoke halves for 20-25 minutes, or until tender in the middle
4. Re-apply some olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice.  Grill face-down for 5 minutes until charred on the outside leaves.
5. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve with melted butter or mayonnaise for dipping.

Roasted Cauliflower au Gratin

By Karena:

We wanted a unique and warming vegetable side dish to go with our Easter dinner.  This was the perfect choice - rich, creamy, and if you looked closely enough, there was enough vegetable in there to make it healthy.  The key to this is roasting some of the cauliflower, pureeing the rest, and topping it with Bechamel sauce and Gruyere before baking. We got half of this recipe from Guy Fieri's Roasted cauliflower, and the other half from an au gratin recipe on www.bigoven.com.   Yum!

Bechamel sauce:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk, scalded
• 1/4 t salt (for milk)
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and ground white pepper
• a pinch of nutmeg

Au Gratin:

• Head of cauliflower
• olive oil
• 2 cups millk
• salt
• 1/2 T unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup grated Gruyere Cheese

1. To make the bechamel sauce, melt butter over medium-low heat.
2. When it starts to foam, add flour and mix using a wooden spoon to create a smooth, loose paste.  Cook, stirring constantly, allowing butter and flour to froth together until the mixture turns a light, golden color, about 5 minutes.  Remove pan from heat and let stand.
3.  Combine milk and 1/4 t salt in medium saucepan, scald milk, getting it just below boiling point.
4. Return saucepan with roux to medium-low heat.  Add half the hot milk to the roux, whisking to thoroughly blend and prevent lumps.  Bring to a boil.
5.  When a boil is reached, add the remaining milk and bay leaf, reduce heat to low and simmer until the sauce is smooth and thickened, about 10-12 minutes. 
6. Strain sauce through strainer and season with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg.  Set aside.

1. To make the Au Gratin, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread 1/4 of the cauliflower florets with olive oil, season with salt and bake until caramelized, about 25 minutes.  Take out the cauliflower and raise the temperature to 375.
2. Meanwhile, combine remaining florets, milk, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
3.  Bring mixture to a simmer, cover, and cook until cauliflower is tender, about 20-25 minutes.
4. Strain cauliflower from milk mixture, reserving both.
5. Transfer boiled cauliflower to a blender.  Add butter and season with salt.  Add half of the reserved milk liquid.  Puree until smooth.  Season, to taste.
6. Pour pureed cauliflower into a baking dish, and place roasted cauliflower on top.  Pour in just enough bechamel sauce to cover and top with grated Gruyere.  Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes until golden and bubbly.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

By Karena:

This is to affirm that even brussels sprouts can be divine.  Or perhaps it proves that anything made with bacon is suddenly edible.  This is adapted from side dishes created by both our friend Eric Henning and Dave's Aunt Sally.  I agree that these small green delicacies are not exactly in season, but they're still delicious and it's still in the low 60's in Oakland these days, so I don't feel bad for making winter fare.

• 1 lb. Brussels Sprouts, diced into quarters
• Two slabs of bacon/pancetta, diced
• Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste
• Olive Oil
• 3 garlic cloves, diced
• 1 shallot, diced

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Brown the diced bacon pieces in a saute pan.
3. Saute the garlic and shallots with the bacon.
4. Throw the quartered brussels sprouts into a baking dish and mix with the sauteed bacon, garlic and shallots.  Season with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the brussels sprouts are roasted and soft.  Enjoy!