Do more with your sandwich

Obviously, I’m on a bit of a Meyer Lemon kick these days.

I’ll write this one equally as quickly as it came to me. While thinking of lunch yesterday, and, yes, thinking of what to do with my remaining Meyer Lemons, something occurred to me: perhaps the light citrus and floral notes of Meyer zest would carry well through a subtle goat cheese. This, friends, is how most of my recipes begin – thinking of single experience, matching it against an ingredient, and building outward from there.

So, it all started with Meyer Lemon goat cheese. So then what? I looked in the fridge and knew I had some nice pieces of brined chicken breast that I’d included in my batch from the night before (my “don’t steal my bike!” baked meyer lemon chicken).

I also knew I had a handful of washed and dried spinach from my CSA and one slice of prosciutto remaining from my last trip to Marcayk fine foods here in Denver.

Last but not least, I had one remaining onion roll from Turkish lamb burgers we’d made a week ago.

Add it up: Chicken, Prosciutto, Spinach, Meyer Lemon goat cheese. As Emeril might say….bam.

I first pan seared the chicken breasts, which moments before I’d flattened ever so slightly. I despite biting into a chicken sandwich only to be rewarded by an inch-and-a-half of chicken. In sandwiches, I’m a believer in most ingredients playing equal roles and being of equal proportion.

After searing the chicken breasts for several minute per side (probably about 4-5), I removed and tented with foil. Next – and for no particular reason – I turned to the goat cheese. I plopped two heaping tablespoons of the cheese in a bowl and then, with zester in hand, zested about 1 heaping tablespoon of lemon zest. I added a pinch of pepper and folded all the ingredients together before setting the mixture aside.

Next, I smashed one clove of garlic and set in the chicken saute pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the garlic started to turn golden, I removed it and added the spinach, wilting it down with a pinch of salt over medium-low heat for about 2-3 minutes before removing to a plat.

Next, I tossed in the oblong slice of prosciutto and toasted it ever so slightly.

Lastly, I toasted the onion bun, spread the goat cheese mixture on the bottom bun and added the remaining ingredients: chicken breast, prosciutto, garlic spinach.

Et voila. A fabulous lunch in 15 minutes. The goat cheese mixture, though, was the real standout. If you like the idea of this, but aren’t in the mood for the sandwich, you might try the mixture tossed with pasta and crumbled pancetta, or spread on a piece of prosciutto and rolled up for an appetizer.

Enjoy.

The chicken, shortly before the nuclear blast that is my camera flash

This afternoon, a man stole a bike from our back yard. It wasn’t our back, and well, it is a shared back yard. But the fact of the matter is that when faced with troubling domestic situations, I feel the need for comfort food. As I spoke with the local police officer, who showed up 45 minutes later, I couldn’t help but think of the brined chicken quarters in my fridge, and the meyer lemons lounging in the kitchen window.

Were Meyer Lemons people, I’m quite sure they would be sunbathing at expensive hotels in the Riviera, sipping on spring water and anxiously awaiting the afternoon spa treatment. They always seem to me, somehow, out of my league. I am mostly careful in their use – pulling together vinaigrette and salsas, or pairing them with fresh herbs, briny olives and white cheese.

But after the bike incident, I wanted to get rough with the Meyers, and so I zested one their brethren and threw the flesh in  blender with garlic, olive oil and fresh parsley and a 1/2 cup of red wine vinegar.

While that heaven-scented remained in the bowl, I turned my attention to the chicken. After washing and drying the quarters, I added them to a smoking hot cast iron skillet and browned them for a few minutes on each side.

Removing the chicken and skillet from the heat, and letting them cool their tempers, I then added a half cup of chicken stock to the bowl and mixed with a wooden spoon.

A minute later I added the mixture to the skillet and let it bubble away off the heat before covering it and shoving it into a 375 oven for 45 minutes.

Remove the cover, and turn the broiler on high for four minutes until the chicken starts to brown and crisp.

Remove and let sit tented with foil. Add some chopped parsley and a last bit of meyer lemon juice, and then….thank your lucky stars for bike locks.

Spicy Crunchy Deliciousness

The Back Story

I first had this dish during a snow storm in a small Japanese restaurant in Burlington, Vermont. I’d been to the establishment before, but on this visit I discovered new ownership and a new philosophy.  The Japanese man who’d bought the restaurant had vowed to move beyond sushi and Teriyaki and serve more traditional, yet lesser known dishes. The first item on the specials list was Broiled Scallops with Japanese Five Spice Mayo. I was hooked. I was slightly concerned about the richness of scallops and mayonnaise, but the addition of the Five Spice, sometimes called Sancho (though this usually refers only to a ground pepper).

I’d had this in my journal ever since, and last night seemed the proper time to break it out. While we’re without snow, it’s cold here in Denver – I wanted something comforting and warming. This dish is both. I presumed it was simple to make without the aid of a recipe. I also envisioned the addition of green onions and Panko to the top of the dish to provide some crunch and acid.

What I used

First, I set about making the mayo. I used:

• 3/4 cup mayo
• 1 heaping tsp of five spice

Mix the mayo thoroughly with the spice, cover and let sit in the fridge.

I used 1 and 1/2 cups of petite scallops. Petites are probably about the diameter of a quarter, and a quarter inch thick — I like them for a few reasons:

1. The cook evenly and quickly

2. Each time you bite into one, you’re consuming an entire scallop.

How I Prepared Them

I gave the scallops a quick rinse under water and then dried them thoroughly. I then heated up a cast-iron skillet and added to medium high and added a small pat of butter. When the pan is hot in the butter is golden brown, toss in the scallops to give them a quick sear on each side – probably about a minute in total depending on the heat of your pan. You don’t want to cook them entirely at this stage.

Remove the scallops and whack the broiler on to HIGH. I arranged the scallops into  two, small Le Creuset oven terrines.

Next, I added the scallops to a bowl and then added the mayo from the fridge. I gave the scallops and mayo a quick toss to coat and then spooned the creamy mixture into the terrines.

Next, I covered the scallop mixture with Panko (Japanese bread crumbs) and chopped green onions.

I added the scallops to the oven and broiled them until the Panko was turning brown and the mayo had started to bubble every so slightly.

Now, I served the dish alongside sushi rice, but I think it would be far better to serve the scallops atop the rice. The combination of the crunchy Panko, spicy sancho, creamy mayo and the ever so slightly briny scallops is amazing. The sticky rice cuts the richness of the dish ever so slightly and the green onions provide a gorgeous bit of vegetale acid on the end.

This is a fun dish, and super easy to make. If anyone out there has any variations, I’d love to hear them.

Enjoy.

Will

Kicking off Grilling Season. Photo courtesy of Christina Dugan

Grilling season is back. Despite the spring rain, and the near-constant threat of afternoon storms, the smell of smoke and the char of seasoned steel grates is just too strong to deny.

I love to grill. So much that each season, when winter truly sets in, I go through a little of what I call OSGD, or off-season grilling depression. It’s like seasonal affective disorder, but you’re also hungry for foods you can’t have.

To show you how much I hate NOT grilling, I’ve taken the liberty of altering, ever so slightly, the great B.B. King song, The Thrill is Gone. B.B., plucking away at his guitar as though they were my heartstrings, couldn’t have said it better. Unless, of course, he was singing about Grilling.

The GRILL is gone
The GRILL is gone away
The GRILL is gone baby
The GRILLis gone away
You know you done me wrong baby
And you’ll be sorry someday

The GRILL is gone
It’s gone away from me
The GRILL is gone baby
The GRILL is gone away from me
Although I’ll still live on
But so lonely I’ll be

The GRILL is gone
It’s gone away for good
Oh, the GRILL is gone baby
Baby its gone away for good
Someday I know I’ll be over it all baby
Just like I know a man should

You know I’m free, free now baby
I’m free from your spell (Okay, not true)
I’m free, free now (ditto)
I’m free from your spell (double ditto)
And now that it’s over
All I can do is wish you well

Thankfully, the grill is NOW BACK. And last weekend, to kick of the grilling season, I went with perhaps my favorite grilled chicken dish of all time: Brined Chicken Thighs with Chimichurri.

Although I added in a few breasts for people who don’t like chicken bones (yes, they exist), I LOVE cooking with thighs for a few reasons:

1. They hold up well. The bone inside the chicken acts as a natural conductor of heat, but also helps to keep the flesh moist. So, if you’re distracted, or playing badminton, or whatever, you don’t have to be quite as watchful of the grill in worrying that you’ll make chicken beef jerky.

2. They are CHEAP. I bought what amounted to 34 pieces of chicken thigh for 11 bucks. These were all natural, hormone free birds, too. Not these roid freak water beasts you so often find at grocery stores. So, when you’re cooking for a lot of people, thighs go a long, long way.

3. They are kind of like the mullet of chicken – business in the front, party in the back. In other words, they are like a wing, in that you can serve them and eat them as finger foods (great for a cookout), but those that want to sit down and use a fork and knife will also find enjoyment in the meal.

So, next time you’re grilling, pay special attention to the great grill equalizer that is the chicken thigh.

On to brining.

Brining is something everyone should learn, and a basic brine is a beautiful thing. And, once you’ve found a basic recipe that you like it’s easy to expand on it using different spices. For instance, using Lapsang Souchong, I developed what I believe is the best smoked brine on the planet. Have I tasted all the brines on the planet? No. Which is why I think mine is the best. You can find the recipe, as well as the basic brine recipe for chicken (minus the tea) in my Lapsang Souchong Brine post.

Using the brine recipe, or one that you prefer, brine the chicken for at least 8-10 hours in a large container or cooler surrounded with ice, or in your fridge. A full day is preferable to allow the salt-sugar solution to permeate the chicken meat.

When the chicken is ready, fire up your grill. I add a little veg. oil to the grill when it’s hot and then take the chicken directly out of the brine and place it on the grill. I actually don’t like to rinse the brine from the chicken. But, you should at least pat the pieces dry before placing them on the heat so that you’ll get a nice char on the flesh and won’t cool the surface heat of the grill too much.

I’m always a bit hesitant to provide cooking times, especially for grilling. I can’t possibly know if you’re the slow and steady, indirect charcoal kind of person, or the “I make bullets over my 40,000 BTU gas grill on off days” type. So, I’ll go with a basic recommendation that for bone in thighs, cook the chicken about 15 minutes per side, moving often to avoid flare ups from skin fat dripping into the fire.

On to the Chimichurri. This is a sauce of Argentinean origin, which gauchos favor for use on the country’s beautiful grass fed beef. It’s also quite amenable to sausage – namely chorizo – and chicken.

My favorite thing about this sauce is that you don’t really need a recipe. Below are the base elements, but you should experiment with cumin, curries, red onion, fresh oregano (gorgeous) and other spices. As I know you’ll need at least some place to start, below are the approximations I used to pull it together.

• 2 cups fresh Italian parsley (remove stems)
• 1 cup fresh cilantro (stems removed)
• 1.5 cups extra virgin olive oil
• 1 whole head of garlic (I like a LOT of garlic)
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Just throw all this into a food processor and blend up to a level of your own comfort. I like mine just a little chunky, but also love the fully emulsified sauce.

For this dish, I used the Chimichurri as my grilling sauce, but it’s often reserved for the table, where you spoon it directly onto finished meats. As I use quite a lot of garlic, I like to apply just a bit of heat to it as the chicken nears its final turns on the grill. I find this tempers the heat of the garlic without burning, too much, the parsley and cilantro. I brush the Chimichurri sauce onto the chicken with about 5-8 minutes remaining per side, and, when using a gas grill, turn off one whole side to place the brushed pieces upon so that they don’t burn.

Lastly, I place the finished pieces on a cookie sheet, cover with foil and place into a 350 degree oven. This gives the bone-in pieces a little more time to loosen up and also allows me to move on to more time sensitive dishes for the grill such as vegetables.

Serve with cold beer, grilled asparagus and grilled zucchini.

Enjoy.

Note to Obama: leftovers can save the country

Every once in a while, I’m tempted to play Dr. Frankenstein with my food. This time, the Monster was the 2 pounds of corned beef leftover from a Sunday St. Paddy’s feast. I eat corned beef once or twice a year, almost always in Reuben sandwiches. Reubens are delicious, and I challenge anyone who thinks otherwise to pistols at dawn. But, I was a bit tired of the same old Reuben equation.

So, I did what any aspiring mad food scientist would do: I threw it in the blender with a bit of Guinness and some egg whites and ground it up. The result, a Reuben patty melt (fried onions excluded…this time).

This is my new favorite sandwich. It’s got all your favorite songs from the Reuben greatest hits album; with the stout adding a nifty bit of structure on the b-side. Check it out.

2 cups ground corned beef (pulsed in the food processor)
6 Tbsp kraut and 4 slices of Swiss Cheese (pulsed in the food processor)
4 Tbsp Guinness or other stout of your choice
2 egg whites

Blend together into a burger-like patty and fry in a pan with oil or butter (at this point, go ahead, use the butter).

It’s a little difficult to flip, so I recommend forming it into a rectangular patty that fits the spatula. Give it about 5 minutes per side, then transfer to a slice of rye bread. Top with yet another slice of swiss and place under the broiler until the cheese is bubbling.

While you’re waiting for the cheese to bubble atop your Monster, whip up 1 heaping tablespoon of mayo with an equal measure of ketchup and spread on the other slice of rye.

Slice in two and scream “It’s Alive!!!”

Then just eat it.

This is my new favorite sandwich. The blending

The winter once again reminded us yesterday in D.C. that it will not go softly into that goodnight. But, as always, one can use the kitchen and fresh, local ingredients to turn a cold day warm. I’d initially headed to D.C.’s Eastern Market in search of venison, but alas I found none. Instead, I moved toward a tray of gorgeous lamb loin chops. I’d not had lamb in a while and thought it was a good time to revisit it. Outside and across the street, the local produce lady displayed a gorgeous box of small brussel sprouts, which were perfectly firm in the icy afternoon weather.

Brussel sprouts are the unfortunate recipient of a great many sour faces – twisted in the memory of some terrible experience in which the little beauties were simply misrepresented, boiled to a mush, or braised beyond recognition. I admit, I too have inflicted brussel sprouts damage on a fair number of family members.

But, I feel the sprouts are making a comeback. They’re popping up on more and more menus, and the sour faces that once panned them broadly, are starting to look more inquisitive than inquisitor. I’d recently seen a video of Thomas Keller on the today show, blanching and caramelizing sprouts and knew that was the direction for me.

I headed back into the market for some gorgeous bacon from Pennsylvania and remembered a lone potato – from Washington’s Green Grocer – I had at home that, cut into cubes and mixed into the sprouts, would cut the bitterness enough to create a nice balance.

Now, what to do with the chops. I searched around on the interweb for a while and didn’t find anything that enticed me enough to try and replicate or modify it. So, in the spirit of recipe play, I went into the kitchen and stared at my spices and into my fridge. I eyed mustard seeds, whole coriander and rosemary. I toasted the spices gently and then remanded them to the mortar and pestle, where I added a pinch of sea salt that I wanted to grind into the mix. Toasted and ground spices are thing of beauty. Once you smell the slightly toasted exterior of the spices mixed with the oils they give off when heated, you’ll never go back. I poured the ground spices into a bowl and added extra virgin olive oil, sherry vinegar, and finely minced parsley and fresh ground black pepper.

I rubbed this mixture over the chops and let them sit in the fridge, covered, for about an hour.

On to the sprouts. I blanched them for about 3-4 minutes in salty boiling water, which really brings the brilliant green color to the surface. I then plunged them into icy water for a few minutes to cool them down. I boiled one potato for about 8-10 minutes and moved it to a cutting board, where i cut it into cubes and set aside. I took one slice of bacon, which was thick cut, and cut it likewise into cubes, much like lardons.

Moving back to the sprouts, I cut the small nub off the end and then cut them in half, which would give them a better caramelization on the interior part of the sprout.

Remove the lamb from the fridge and put on a plate to allow it to come to room temperature.

Add a quarter stick of butter to a hot pan (I actually added leftover clarified butter from an Xmas rib roast) when it’s bubbling, add the bacon. Cook until the bacon is just starting to color and pop, add the sprouts, interior side down, another pinch of salt and a sprinkling of apple cider vinegar and let sit while you turn to the lamb – this is important for caramelization…I promise, just leave them be for a while.

Add a spot of oil to a smoking hot skillet; cast iron is wonderful, but I used a large dutch oven to create space for the chops.

Add the chops. 4 minutes per side (depending on thickness).

After the first turn of the lamb, turn your sprouts and add the diced potato, a bit more vinegar – maybe small shot of chicken stock – and toss few times. Then let sit while the lamb finishes.

After the lamb is browned nicely on both sides, remove to a cutting board and tent with foil for 8 minutes or so.

Give the sprouts another couple of tosses, checking for seasoning, and add to a warm plate ( I hate cold plates). Add the chops, and pour the juice from the resting period off the cutting board and onto each plate of chops. If you want, you could probably add this juice back to a pan with small bit of butter, some sherry and a bit of stock to make a subtle sauce. I don’t think it’s needed, but it’s up to you.

One of my favorite things about this dish is that it emanates entirely from local producers. The lamb was from Maryland, the bacon from PA, and the produce from Virginia. Now, I am not an absolutist about sourcing locally. There are always going to be ingredients that you simply cannot source near your home. The important thing is to merely buy from people you trust, who care about your food and take care to get it from the farm to your plate in a responsible manner. Okay, I’ll get off my soapbox. Enjoy the food.

Ingredients

4 Lamb Loin Chops (about 1.5 pounds)

2 handfuls brussel sprouts (yes, that’s how I measured)

1 slice of thick-cut bacon

1 potato, cut into cubs

butter

apple cider vinegar for the sprouts (to taste)

Rub

1 teaspoon of mustard seed

1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1.5 tablespoons of sherry vinegear

pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper

2 tablespoons minced parsley

Will

A light afternoon snack

This has to be one of my all-time favorite snacks. It makes me wonder why people claim that fast food is easier and more convenient. This couldn’t be simpler – and in its simplicity lies incredibly comforting flavor. With good olive oil and a perfectly ripe avocado in hand, the flavor combination makes one ponder larger concepts of taste. Pair this with a nice crisp white wine and maybe -though it doesn’t need it – some nice crusty bread fresh out of the oven. You’ll be sure to wow your dinner guests.

These avocados came in the shipment from Washington’s Green Grocer. I received the salt for Christmas. It’s Hawaiin and has a truly incredible flavor. Plus, it’s really easy to sprinkle – the flakes have the appearance of coal and look beautiful on the green of the avocado.

• Cut the avocado in half
• Remove the pit with a knife, tapping the blade into the center and turning.
• With the nut removed, use the same sharp knife to draw slices into the flesh from end to end. With a ripe avocado, you’ll merely have to draw the knife toward you – it’ll cut like soft butter.
• Arrange the avocado on a plate or board and fan out.
• Sprinkle a small amount of salt over the slices and put a small heap in the middle or people who might want just a bit more
• Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the slices and serve.

Voila. Simple. Delicious. Fast.

W

A take on an old classic - pork chops and apple sauce

Following up on my post from yesterday, this recipe features the smoky tea-brined pork chops with the addition of apples sauteed in shallots and light balsamic sauce. The latest bounty from Washington’s Green Grocer included four beautiful apples, and as I love pork with apples, I was confident that these had a home.

I cut up three apples into thin slices and sprinkled a little bit of lemon juice over them so they would not brown. Then, I combined all the ingredients below and sauteed over medium high until the apples were cooked, but not falling apart.

I  removed the pork from the brine, but did not rinse it. I merely patted dry with a paper towel. I then added a little bit of oil into an enameled cast-iron grill pan and cooked for about 3-4 minute per side. Finally, I removed the chops from the pan and tented with foil on the cutting board.

As I don’t often like serving whole chunks of meat, I sliced the chops thinly and spooned the apple-balsamic mixture over the top, making sure to get the bits of diced shallot from the bottom of the pan.

Turned out quite well.

Sauteed Balsamic Apples

• 3 apples sliced thinly
• 1 large shallot, diced
• 1 teaspoon orange rind, diced (careful to avoid the white pith, which is often bitter)
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup of chicken stock, measured out using my frozen chicken stock cubes
• 1/4 cup organic balsamic vinegar (you can add by the tablespoon to taste if you prefer)
• 1/4 stick of butter
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• Pinch of Mr. P

Add butter to medium hot pan and melt, adding shallots when the butter starts to bubble. Add orange rind and cinnamon, and cook a minute longer. Add apple slices and saute for about 2 minutes, agitating every so often to ensure the shallots don’t burn. Add Mr. P and Mrs. S. Then, add your chicken stock and cook about a minute longer or until the mixture starts to bubble. Lastly add your vinegar, either in whole or by the tablespoon depending on taste. When the mixture thickens, remove from heat for about a minute and spoon over sliced pork chops. Voila.

Smoky and light with a touch of heat

I first read about the flat iron steak on Chowhound and was intrigued by the idea of a “new” cut of steak. The first thing that came to mind is, “this is going to become the monkfish of the beef world.” The name comes from the shape of the steak, which looks like a flat iron (surprise). There’s a fabulous description of its origins at Gourmet Sleuth.

What intrigued me the most was legend of its tenderness, despite the fact that it looks to be a cut of meat that would require some sort of artificial tenderizing. But when you see the meat, and see the long tendrils of marbling, you’ll understand why this is not so. The flatiron steak is extremely tender, and to me, one of the most delicious cuts of meat you can buy these days.

The trick is to find it from a local producer and at an affordable price. It ranges. I’ve heard of people paying upwards of 10 bucks a pound for the stuff, while, at D.C.’s Eastern Market butchers, I paid about 5. They’re meat isn’t sourced locally, but they do source from a sustainable beef producer in the mid-west. Tough to hit local, sustainable and organic at all time, but I try to do the best I can to hit one of the three.

But what to do with the flatiron? It looks like a flank, and you can certainly apply the same treatment.

I was in the mood for something, as usual these days, to make me forget about winter. Something spicy and sweet and grilled. So, I decided to try a spicy rubbed steak with some sort of salsa.

I’d purchased some powdered chipotle at world market and decided this was the time to call it to duty. Here’s what I came up with:

Smokey Rub

• 1 TBS chipotle chile powder

• 1 TBS mustard powder

• 1/2 TBS paprika

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp cracked black pepper

• 1 tsp salt

Combine the rub below in a bowl. Then, surprise, rub it into the meat making sure you spread it out evenly. It should take on a gorgeous reddish orange color. I let this sit for about three hours in the fridge.

When you feel that it’s had enough time (it really doesn’t need it, but I’m always one for letting spices sit a bit) I removed the steak from the fridge and let it come to room temperature for about half an hour.

Now for the salsa. As always, I was in position of looking over my weekly haul from Washington’s Green Grocers, and I had an abundance of onions and clementines. I also had leftover chayote squash and cilantro from my escovietch recipe, and it desperately needed a home. So, I combined sliced red onion and chayote with the torn cilantro and peeled and chopped oranges to make a salsa. I didn’t want the onion to be too acidic with the oranges, so I actually cooked it down in a pan with veg. oil until they were just translucent. I tossed the hot onions in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients below and let sit.

Clementine, Chayote and Red Onion Salsa

• 8 clementines

• 1 red onion, sliced

• 1/2 chayote squash sliced

• handful of torn cilantro leaves, chopped roughly

• Red wine vinegar to taste

• Vegetable oil (maybe a quarter cup)

• Mrs. Salt

• Mr. Pepper

Now to the stove. Because it’s winter, and I don’t have access to a grill, I rely on a trustee grill pan. If you don’t have one, and you’re a grilling fan, they’re a must for out-of-season grilling – unless if you live in a warm climate, of course.

Heat the grill pan until its smoking hot and add a bit of oil. NOTE, the chipotle in the rub could make you cough if you don’t have good ventilation or a diesel powered oven hood. If you DO NOT, open a few windows, move the children out of the way, and wear a bandanna. Okay, maybe not that last part, but you get the picture. Just be careful with the smoke.

Add steak to the grill pan for about 3.5 minutes per side at the most. Remove from the pan to a cutting board, and let sit, tented with foil, for about 5-10 minutes. Slice on the diagonal into thin slices with a sharp carving knife or electric knife.

Place a heaping tablespoon of the salsa on top of the sliced steak, serve with white rice and black beans.

This is one of the easiest, most delicious dishes I’ve made in some time. I recommend it highly. At the very least, I encourage you to explore the wonders of the flatiron steak.

Will

I’ve received a few requests lately to add a vegetarian recipe to Recipe Play, so here it goes…

I was in a creative mood this evening, as you can see above, and wanted to play with some available flavors.

As always, this time of year, I had several sweet potatoes and apples on hand, as well as a bag each of frozen tater tots and corn.

But what to do. Sweet Potato Hash sounded fun, so I threw this together in about 20 minutes. First I shredded up the tater tots and frozen corn, diced and sauted the onion and incorporated that along with the rosemary, red pepper, a glug of olive oil and a bit of Mr. P and Mrs. S.

I sauteed the mixture in the pan until it browned up, and then added chunks of sweet potato, which I’d cooked for 4.5 minutes in the microwave and then skinned and cubed. After the sweet potato started to brown, I poured in a glug of the stock and continued to cook as I dealt with the apples.

Half and core the apples and then three quarters into thin slices. top with a bit of lemon juice to keep from browning.

Remove the sweet potato hash from the heat and use a shallow ramekin or other dish to create the bottom half of the stack. I used the lid from a cous cous jar. What can I say…i couldn’t find my ramekins.

After the first stack, place thinly sliced apples on top so that the skin follows the round curves of the stack. When you’ve got the first layer covered, repeat sweet potato stack using whatever dish, lid, jar, you’re using.

Add another layer of apples on top, leaving the middle open.

Dice the remaining quarter of apple, add a bit of thyme. Add a glug of liqueur to a pan and cook on high heat until it starts to bubble. As it starts to bubble, add the diced apples and thyme and stir as the mixture becomes a syrup. Remove from the heat and spoon some of the mixture on top of the stack in the middle that you’d left open. Spoon a bit of the apple-elderflower syrup on top and spoon the rest out over the base.

I could have probably added an egg, and, had I gone non-veggie, some leftover pork loin. But it turned out pretty well and would be fab for a Sunday brunch or fun afternoon snack.

• Tater tots
• 1/2 Onion, diced
• Frozen corn
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Red pepper flakes
• 1 apple
• 3 small sweet potatoes
• Chicken stock
• St. Germain Elderflower liqueur

I received the St. Germain for my birthday, note this area of the site, which describes the delicate nature of the harvesting process.

More later