Making "Recipes" Your Own; Skillet Roasted Chicken

In my home, we don't always use recipes to prepare meals.  As we eat a sit down dinner together almost every evening, much of our creativity results from what is in the pantry, freezer, and refrigerator.  And always with an eye to what the weekly menu we have written out dictates.  Often, although we are not necessarily looking for a specific recipe, we almost always stand in front of our huge cook book collection, pull out a few books, and put some ideas together from what we read.

As I have mentioned before here, I am a big fan of weekly menu planning.  It just makes sense before you head to your Farmers' Markets to have an idea of what you want to cook over the coming days. Make an ingredient list, add your weekly staples like eggs, cream, milk, butter. etc. and you are ready to shop and to cook!  For sure, I am absolutely influenced by what I see at the Markets, as well.  If I am surprised by something, and excited to use it, I will make some adjustments.  The point is to enjoy the process and here at Il Moya we both like to improvise, reinvent, and sometimes actually invent - for us, that's the fun of being in the kitchen.

In my opinion, the secret to becoming a better than average cook is learning to adapt recipes and techniques.  Trusting your own instincts and tastes, so to speak. "Tweaking" ingredients and cooking methods with your own touches based on what you have on hand is a great way to continue to learn.  Admittedly sometimes you will learn that a recipe was better left alone, but I am betting that, for the most part, you will be very happy with your own variations on existing themes.

The following recipe is basically a technique - one that I have learned has been used by the French forever.  It involves roasting a chicken on thick slices of bread, ideally in a big cast iron skillet.  Like the Italians, the French people adore good bread and it is a central part of their diet (another reason that I love them both so!).  Both cultures traditionally abhor wasting food.  So finding something delicious to do with day old bread results in many recipes from both cuisines.  

This technique appears in published recipes from the late Judy Rogers of Zuni Cafe to Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa) to Jamie Oliver, Martha Stewart, Melissa Clark and a host of other cooks and food writers.

The basic recipe merely serves the roast chicken with the toasts, which are loaded with the chicken juices, and whatever fat and flavors have been used.  Some cooks roast the chicken whole, others cut the chicken into the major pieces prior to cooking. There are versions that marinate the chicken over night.  The types of herbs and fats used vary widely.  And a very popular version now produces a Chicken Caesar Salad from the technique.

We picked up a 4 pound chicken at our local Farmer's Market recently and adapted Ina Garten's latest version of this technique.  She goes the salad route, but she does it with Arugula - which we happen to be growing like mad - and does an overnight marinade as well.  We tweaked the herbs and fat used a bit, again based on what we had on hand and the flavors we most enjoy.

I hope you'll try it - and play with it - and make a version of your own!  Enjoy!

Skillet Chicken with Croutons (adapted from Ina Garten)

Ingredients for the roasted chicken

1 whole chicken, approximately 4 pounds (hopefully pasture raised!)

4 sprigs of fresh rosemary

2  large garlic cloves, smashed flat and torn into 4 pieces

4 tablespooons of cold butter

1 large lemon, cut into quarters

2 teaspoons finely ground sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 - 6 thick slices of a good country style bread (slices should be abuot 3/4 inch thick)

Good extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients for the Arugula Salad

1/4 cup of white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon of finely minced garlic

Salt and Pepper

1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil - as good as you can get

1/2 cup of thinly sliced scallions (white and green parts)

6 cups fresh arugula - lightly packed, about 6 - 8 ounces

Techniques

Place the whole chicken in a baking dish, breast side up.

Loosen the skin on the breasts and thighs and legs and slide pieces of the smashed garlic and sprigs of the fresh rosemary under the skin, along with the butter.

NOTE:  all you are doing here  is dividing up the fat and herbs and flavoring among the breasts and legs.  Be gentle so as not to tear the skin.

Put the 4 quarters of the lemon inside the chicken cavity.

Sprinkle the salt and pepper all over the chicken

Wrap the entire dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 - 48 hours.

Preheat your oven to 500 degrees.

Lightly oil a large cast iron skillet.

Place the bread slices all over the bottom of the skillet.

Uncover the chicken, brush it all over with the extra virgin olive oil and place the chicken - breast side up - on top of the bread slices.

Roast the chicken in the 500 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Remove the chicken.  Turn the chicken over - breast side down - onto the bread slices.  

NOTE:  at this point you can flip the bread slices over; this will give you crisper bread slices.

Put the chicken back in the oven and roast for an additional 15 minutes - until the juices between the leg and the thigh run clear.

Take the chicken out of the oven and wrap the entire chicken and skillet in aluminum foil and "rest" the chicken for 30 minutes.

While the chicken is resting, spread the Arugula on a serving platter.

In a glass jar with a lid, mix the vinegar, mustard, garlic, and one teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

Add the olive oil to the jar, put the lid on the jar and shake it very, very well, then stir in the scallion pieces.

Put the chicken on a cutting board and carve to your liking.

Cut the bread slices into large squares - basically large croutons.

Dress the Arugula lightly with the vinegar and oil mixture, put the chicken pieces on top of the Arugula and spread the bread croutons around the perimeter of the serving platter.

Pour any remaining juices in the cast iron skillet over the entire dish.  Serve with the rest of the vinger and oil dressing and enjoy.

Hoagie Salad - With Real Hoagies!

    The Il Moya Hoagie Salad

This is another one of those delicious and easy dishes that I came upon somewhat accidently.  In our home, good Italian Hoagies are easily accessible - living on the border of true South Philly - but they are still a treat. We usually each get a large hoagie when we do so treat ourselves.  We always order them with hot peppers and with the authentic olive oil and oregano dressing.

This mighty meal of a sandwich comes standard with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, hot peppers, a mix of chesses, and a mix of italian meats.  Generally you have some flexibility in the meat and cheese mixes, so we go with our favorites.  And it is, of course, not a true hoagie unless it's on a beautiful, seeded roll made preferably in South Philly.

To round out the meal, I always need potato chips and a good artisanal soda - Hanks or Boylans - no pepsi or coke, and Cream Soda in my opinion is the best match.  

It is a feast.  We almost never finish both sandwiches.

So - we wrap our leftovers tightly and well and put them in the 'fridge for later snacking. One day, before unwrapping and eating our left overs, I decided to try something different.

Now, to be sure, if you google, "Hoagie Salad", you will find tons of recipes.  Our Hoagie Salad is "different" because we make it from left over hoagies.  You can follow one of the recipes on the internet which will have you start from scratch and shop and attempt to produce a salad that "tastes like a hoagie", OR you can have a lovely and nutritious "Hoagie Night" at your home and save all of the leftovers halves and quarters, wrap them well, and store them in your refrigerator for at least 24 hours and have yourself a real hoagie salad.  Honestly this salad is so good - and such a crowd pleaser - that I have been known to buy great hoagies, let them rest in the refrigerator over night, and then, make the salad from them.

Technique

Note:  How much you need of additional ingredients really depends on how much chopped, left over hoagies you have.  It's totally a "by eye" and "by taste" thing.  Quanto Basto - as the Italians say.  "As much as you want".

Unwrap your left over hoagies and chop each hoagie into bite sized pieces.  The whole thing, don't remove anything, just start chopping through the bread.  Put the chopped hoagie pieces into a bowl.  Chop up some iceberg lettuce (don't tell me that it has no food value! I love it and it is perfect here).  Add it to the bowl.  I like to add a little more extra virgin olive oil, a couple of glugs of red wine vinegar, a little shake of good dry oregano, and a bit of salt and pepper.  You can also add a bit of good mayonnaise if you wish. Toss and you have a basic Hoagie Salad.

However. . . 

There is great space for creativity here!  Start with the basic salad above, but before tossing it, add whatever you have on hand that you think would be good in the mix.  For example, in tomato season, I always add some more chopped tomatoes - drain them a bit if you can; chop up some cucumber and add that; and if you have them, chopped marinated artichoke hearts make a nice addition.   Black or green - or both - olives are great too.  Make sure they are pitted.

What not to add . . .

If you are starting with great hoagies, I would not add cheeses or meats.  That's the great thing about this salad, you have the most important contents already.  

Now.  Toss and enjoy.  I guarantee you will not have left overs!  This salad keeps well for up to a day in the 'fridge.

ENJOY!

I'm Holding onto Summer! And a Delicious Ricotta Tart Recipe.

Who can really believe that this weekend marks the end of Summer 2014?  Not me.  I am not letting go.  I'm not in school!  Labor Day means nothing to me. Spring and Summer are my favorite times of the year.  I adore the renewal of Spring, the growing of Summer, the Sun, the Heat, the Water, being Outdoors.  Oh, how it did it fly so fast yet again?

As a child - pretty much spending all of my summers at the shore - I remember those last days at the beach, not wanting to come out of the warm wonderful ocean, not wanting my sandy, wet, ice cream man ("Fudgie Wudgie") happiness to end.  Dad would always say, "It will be here next year".  And gloriously it was!

I'm writing this sitting in my garden which is lush to exploding.  There are tons of tomatoes - small and big - that have yet to take on color.  My eggplants are still coming in, as are my cucumbers.  I'm picking figs every day and more are starting up.  The okra is still coming in. The basil and the oregano and the thyme are huge.  The zinnias continue to flower.  Yet another dahlia is about to open.  The daylilies look marvelous.  How can you tell me that summer is over!?!?  No!  It just cannot be!

In truth I have, as a good grower, recently put in some Kale and Mustard and Salad Greens, Arugula and Spinach.  The Swiss Chard and Black Kale are thriving and probably will through Fall.  I have replanted those delicious French Breakfast Radishes.  I know that I need to get the garlic planted.   I'm resigned to the fact that as soon as next week we will have one of our marathon, "Canning Days" when we spend the entire day putting up tomatoes for red gravy, tomato puree & juice, jams, pickles, salsas, and relishes. We feel good as we fill our larder; our freezer is pretty much stocked to the top already.  We will congratulate ourselves on our readiness for the onslaught of colder weather and heavier meals. 

I know what the calendar is telling me.  I know what my brain is telling me.  And yet, what my heart is saying is what I want to hear.  'It's not over. There's so much more summer to go".  Oh, if only.

One Half of the Tart - Shared the other with my Neighbor!

Recipe:  Ricotta Cheese Tart with Nutella "Frosting"

Ingredients

One sheet of puff pastry

12+ ounces of fresh ricotta

1 cup of heavy cream

1 tablespoon of good vanilla extract

1/2 cup of sugar

Two large eggs

Approximately 4 - 5 ounces of Nutella - if you keep your Nutella in the refrigerator, take it out at least an hour before you make this recipe!  Nutella does not need to be refrigerated, FYI.

NOTE:  If you have Figs, they make a great and tasty garnish!  If not, no worries. 

Techniques

Defrost the puff pastry according to package instructions

While the puff pastry is defrosting:

Whip together the ricotta, heavy cream, vanilla extract, sugar and eggs until the mixture is nice and fluffy

Keep the mixture cold until ready for use

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle  that will fit into a long tart pan (shape as shown in photo)

NOTE:  you will have "extra pastry dough" - you can build a thicker bottom crust or do strips of pasty across the top of the tart.  I went with a thick bottom crust.  Play with it.  It's easy and you can't particularly kill it!

Butter your tart pan - make sure you do the sides of the tart pan as well.  You want to avoid having your pastry stick to the sides!

After you get your pastry into the tart pan - bottom and sides - "dock" the pastry by using a fork to put a few holes in it randomly.

Put the tart pan and pastry dough into the 350 degree oven for about 5 - 7 minutes.

It will get slightly brown and puff up a bit (it's puff pastry!); just use the docking fork to knock it down.

Take the tart pan out of the oven, let it sit for a minute or two and then fill it with the whipped cheese mixture.  Be sure to spread the mixture out well over all of the tart surface, using a rubber spatula.

Bake the tart at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.  You want a bit of blond/light brown color on the cheese.

When you are happy with the tart, remove it from the oven and let it cool for at least 15 minutes.

When it cools, "frost" it with the nutella.  Spread it around liberally.  Top with sliced figs if you have them.  

Let the whole thing set up in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so.  

it's a very rich tart.  Small slices are really satisfying.  

Enjoy!

Gardening & Urban Farming Changed My Life

 

           A Recent Harvest from our Garden

                       

There are a lot of reasons for taking up this way of life, hobby, or some might say, obsession called Urban Farming.  One thing that most of us probably don't think of as we get started are the ways in which becoming a dedicated grower, in an urban setting, will be life changing.

A true farmer of any type knows that the work of growing has to be built into the rhythms of one's life. At its best and most rewarding, it is not something that is secondary to daily life. Growing, especially growing food, really brings a sense of peace, but only when the work, the cycles, and the challenges of the effort are naturally blended into everyday life.

For some of us, the building of an urban farm has been life changing. I found that the more I read and researched; the more classes I took; and the more I picked the brains of accomplished growers, the more I realized that there were other aspects of the way that we were living that didn't fit if I was really taking this seriously.  I am a city dweller.  I will always be a city dweller.  I love to visit rural areas.  But my heart and my lifestyle - what I am at my roots - will always be about living in the city. That said, I don't believe that the quality of life that comes with living a sustainable, environmentally conscious life - and yes, getting your hands in the dirt - has to be reserved for non-city folks.  The changes that took place just seemed to naturally occur over time, and so far, they have all seemed to make very good sense.

For example, when I started getting serious about growing some of our food, it did not take long before I started composting. The garbage disposal in our kitchen was permanently turned off.  I am now looking into installing a rain barrel to collect all of that good water that comes off of our roof during even a minor rain.  When we finally completed installing the growing areas for food, herbs, cutting and perennial gardens, and put some comfortable seating and a string of lights in the garden, we started spending more time outside in the warm - and even the hot - weather.  I began to see how much better I  - and my bones  - felt not spending most of my life in air conditioning. Combining that positive payoff with our (quite) diminished energy bills and our lessened guilt at the use of scarce resources, we decided we would no longer use the central air conditioning (and haven't for three years now).  The unit sits on the side of our house, with some good strong slats of wood on it, it makes the perfect potting table!

With more reading and learning and listening, I realized how our lives were often driven by managing our stuff.  A lot of that stuff were things that we didn't use or need.  We are still in the long process of de-cluttering.  As we grow in this simplification effort, we are trying hard to hold to the rule of, "If something comes in, something goes out".  Like so many households, at this point, we are stepping back and analyzing what we really need to live comfortably, sustainably and consciously.  We have also tried to embrace the practices of locavore living. We eat mostly local, seasonal, and humanely raised, chemical-free food. We try to shop locally for almost everything, not just food.  For example, my long held practice of buying books online has changed to buying and ordering books through our local, independently owned bookstore.  Our efforts are not always 100% perfect but we're doing pretty well. Yes, the extra virgin olive oil came from a co-op in Italy, but the eggs and the flour used to make the pasta came from producers less than 100 miles from our home in Philadelphia!

So, as I learned and began to see my spouse and I as more than just "city dwellers" or "homeowners", these new directions pointed us - happily - in the direction of Urban Homesteading.  An urban homestead is defined, at least partially, as follows:

1.  A homestead produces at least some of the food consumed by the house;

2.  A homestead seeks to engage daily in resource reduction and the use of alternative energy sources;

3.  The principles of "Repair, Repurpose, and Recycle" are central to the homesteader's daily life;

4.  Neighborhood is very important to homesteading and to living sustainably. Sharing tools, labor, and working together to better the immediate neighborhood are a serious value of the homesteading effort and should be a serious consideration for all urban dwellers;and,

5.  Homesteaders devote considerable time to food preservation such as canning, drying, and freezing.  Others learn related skills such as fermenting and cheese making.  In our area, a number of "food swapping" events occur on a regular basis. 

In some ways, urban homesteading is about taking a step backward, trying to live a more simple, purposeful life, a life in which we learn to do more for ourselves; become more self sufficient, and become more of an active member of our community.  I believe strongly that it is a healthier lifestyle as well.  There is a lot more to know - and we are definitely still learning - about urban homesteading and living sustainably.  Like growing food and gardening, it is an ongoing learning process. And, like those processes, applying the principles of urban homesteading feeds the soul, because it helps us to be active participants in some important aspects of our daily lives. 

Taking part in serious urban growing changed my daily life and the way I view the place I hold in my immediate world.  I am a grateful recipient of these changes, and I can't wait to see what new lessons and experiences are right around the corner!

Beating the Heat: No Cook Cucumber Soup

These last few days - yet another "heat wave" - are a challenge to our eating habits.  We need to and should lighten up our intake.   Our systems are craving cold - but still we want delicious and satisfying.  And, if you are anything like me, if it involves firing up the oven, forget about it!

We grow cucumbers every year and we love them.  At some point we start harvesting earlier and start putting up our pickles, but at this time of year, we love to use the bigger cucumbers in recipes.  Here's a delicious, satisfying, and "no - cook" soup.  Do give it 24 hours in your 'fridge to really get a bang from the melding of all of the delicious flavors.

    This becomes . . . .

    This!

Recipe:  No Cook Cucumber Yogurt Soup

Ingredients

About two pounds of cucumbers, halved, seeded and chopped (the skins have flavor and nutrients, leave them on).

One and one half cups of good whole milk yogurt (preferably greek yogurt)

note: Use full fat yogurt.  Remember when you use low fat or no fat, you are adding sugar to the recipe.

Three Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

One chopped shallot

One garlic clove

1/3 cup loosely packed fresh dill

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley - italian flat leaf is best - if it's fresh, the stems will add great flavor

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt and white pepper

For service:  More extra virgin olive oil and thinly sliced radishes or red onion.

Technique

Put all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until really smooth

Add salt and white pepper to taste - you can use freshly ground black pepper if you don't have white.

Cover and put the blend in the refrigerator for 8 hours minimum and preferably overnight

For Service

Check seasonings and add a swirl of extra virgin olive oil, some finely sliced radishes or finely sliced red onion to each bowl.

Enjoy! 

The Old Man and The Dill

    Lots 'O Dill

Our neighbor across the street shows up around this time every year with tons of Dill.  His Dad (The Old Man) maintained a pretty nice vegetable garden in the lot behind their house for nearly 50 years, and the Dill always comes back in droves.   For awhile after the Old Man's passing, other things came back too.  The Son would bring us enormous zucchini - we all know that they are pretty useless, but I never had the heart to tell him that he may want to look for them a tad earlier.  And, for awhile, he'd bring us a few cucumbers or a volunteer tomato.  The Son is not interested in gardening and actually shows disdain for it.  I think because his Dad devoted so much spare time to it, but that's just my hunch.

The Old Man has been gone for nearly 10 years now. We still miss him sitting out on his stoop, telling us all sorts of tales of the "old neighborhood" and neighbors long gone. I have stored away every story I can. I treasure those kinds of chats with the folks who were here in those old South Philly days.

And so, the Dill delivery every year continues. However, this year - for the first time ever - the son pulled the Dill out by the roots!  I usually get a big bunch of cut branches, which make no mistake, I am thrilled to get.  We have used the Old Man's Dill in our pickles for years.  But for some reason, when I went to the door this year, there he was with huge stalks of Dill with big fat root systems intact. 

His usual question:  "Can you use this?".  My usual answer:  "You bet!". 

I sat outside this morning, cleaning the branches of the dill.  Some I will freeze, some I will dry - as usual.  I kept coming back to three good sized stalks with really nice, well established root systems, and I kept talking myself out of planting one more thing, of setting up one more garden "experiment" to fret over.  Too late.  The Old Man won.  So here are the three stalks which I have trimmed and planted.  I have also for the first time decided to harvest some seeds.

    The Dill Experiment

Maybe he's been sending me messages all of these years.  Or maybe there is just something inherently wonderful about growing dill from his long ago loved plants here, across the street, in our garden.  Maybe someone else will do the same in the years to come.  Who knows?  Everything happens for a reason, right?  

The Best Asparagus Cheese Tart Ever

Ok, I've been bombed with requests for the recipe for the Asparagus Tart.  Thanks All!   This is one of those recipes that seems relatively complicated and gets easier over repeated making.  And you will be making it a lot if you love asparagus.  There are rarely leftovers, even for two the tart only lasts about two days in our house.  It is also a great breakfast dish!  If you have questions, please ask.  As I said, the more you make it, the easier it will be to make it.  A good thing!  So, here it is.

Recipe:  Asparagus and Gruyere Tart

Note:  The work in this recipe is with the pastry dough.  Of course that is what makes it so delicious!

"Black Pepper and Sour Cream Pastry Dough"

Ingredients for a 13 inch tart shell

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper - or more, if you like a peppery dough.  I use at least a teaspoon.

3/4 teaspoon of sugar

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) of cold, unsalted butter, cut into bits

1/3 cup of cold shortening

3 tablespoons of sour cream

3 tablespoons of ice water

Technique for making the tart shell

Blend together the flour, salt, pepper. sugar, butter and shortening with your fingertips or a pastry blender until most of the mixture resembles coarse meal with the remainder in small (roughly pea sized) lumps.

Stir together the sour cream and the ice water, then stir the mixture into the dough until it is incorporated.

Gather the dough into a ball.

Lightly flour your board and flatten the dough ball into a 6 inch square.  Then roll the dough out into a roughly 18 by 6 inch rectangle and fold the dough into thirds - this is like the way you would fold a letter to put it into an envelope (when we used to write letters, that is).

Turn the dough so an open ended side is nearest you, then roll the dough out again into an 18 by 6 inch rectangle.  Fold into thirds again.

**Remember to keep dusting your board with flour.  This is a rich dough.**

Repeat rolling and folding one more time - for a total of three times; wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour.  We have chilled it overnight and it's fine.

Roll out the chilled dough onto a floured surface into a 15 1/2 inch round.  Transfer the dough to your tart pan (or pizza pan, I use a large tart pan).

Trim the edge enough to make it even all around and then pinch to form a 1/2 inch high, double thick side.  Prick the bottom of the shell all over with a fork (called "docking") and chill again until firm - at least 30 minutes.  

Note:  the leftover dough from the edges can be rolled out and cut into small squares, sprinkled with some salt and more pepper if you want (I do!).  Bake until they are slightly crispy and then take them out and let them sit for a few minutes.  They are wonderful, tasty crackers!  I am thinking about just making the dough soon so that I can make a big batch of crackers.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees

Take your chilled dough out of the refrigerator and line the shell with foil.

Fill the foil lined shell with pie weights or beans or rice or whatever you use.  Don't forget the foil!  I did that once - it's not pretty picking all of those beans out of that semi - cooked dough!

Bake the shell until the sides are firm, about 20 minutes. 

Remove the foil and the weights and bake about 10 minutes more, until you get a golden color.

Remove the shell from the oven and let it cool.  

While the shell is cooling, you can prepare the filling.

Ingredients for Tart Filling

3 pounds of asparagus trimmed to about 5 1/2 inches and peeled

1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, plus additional for sprinkling

1 cup of heavy cream

2 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 - 1 1/2 cups of finely grated Gruyere (depends on how cheesy you like it; we like it cheesy!)

Technique for making the filling

I put the asparagus in a large flat pan of salted, boiling water for just about 30 seconds  - until you see a nice green color.  

As soon as you have the color you want, get them IMMEDIATELY into another pan of ice water.

Drain the asparagus well and pat dry.

Whisk together the cream, eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the nutmeg.

Season the mixture with freshly ground black pepper

Note:  If you use a Tart pan, I suggest that you put the pan on a cookie sheet.  Tart pans have removable bottoms and sometimes you get some seepage of the filling before it starts cooking and coming together.

Pour the custart mixture evenly into the tart shell.

Sprinkle the custard with two thirds of the grated cheese, then arrange the asparagus spears in the custart, tips out like the spokes of a wheel.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

Bake until the custard is set - about 20 minutes.

When the custard is set, Broil the tart about 2 - 3 inches from the heat until golden.  About 1 - 2 minutes.

Enjoy!