Mary's Figs

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Lisa, from Champaign Taste, and I, have decided to whup up these figs that Fightin Mad Mary blogged about. Baby, we have been NETworkin' about where in the heck we can find a Friggin Fresh Fig. I had a tough time finding prosciutto, too, but finally got some at Schnucks, at Lisa's recommendation.

Vacation drawing nigh, I found myself with a frig full of ingredients, and one cookin' night left: The night we sprung a pizza party on a friend "down" with surgery. Pizza and Figs it is, then.

According to Mary:

Take a fig and slice it down one side.

Stuff with goat cheese - a peppery blend works really well for this or just plain.

Wrap with prosciutto

Top with a sprig of rosemary

Bake for 8 minutes at 400 degrees in a preheated oven.

Doh! I forgot the rosemary, but these little bites were gobbly good. The flavors meld to make a delicious sweet-salty-cheesy pop in your mouth. This is definitely one I'll try again, simple and delicious.

On preserving basil

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I've spent many Saturday afternoons this summer working on getting the most of the basil harvest this year, preserving what I can in as many ways I can, so that I might be in basil through the winter. I love this stuff!

I did a bit of research, and tried 4 different systems this year.

Drying: I hung mine in an upside down paper bag, to dry in the garage for a few weeks, before stripping the leaves off of the stems and grinding it in mortar and pestle. You don't get a lot of basil bang for your buck this way, an entire bunch seemed to net a few tablespoons.


Oil preserving: This olive oil and basil paste is supposed to last a year, if you're careful about covering the top back up with a thin coat of oil after each use. Just give it stir when you need to use it, then cover with oil again when you're done. Seal it tight.


I haven't blogged about my mini foodsaver yet, but I love that thing. I vacuum-packed and froze quite a few bags of basil leaves.


And more freezing. Another means that provides you with fresh-like leaves in the winter is simply freezing basil in water. I cut mine into thin strips, crammed it into an ice cube tray, covered it with water and froze it.


Pop these out, toss 'em in a plastic bag or container, and you've got basil at your fingertips for the next sauce or fried rice you whip up.

Ceviche

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I've been invited to a virtual picnic over at Cream Puffs in Venice, with the stipulation that I bring "a dish that features a fresh summer ingredient."

I brought ceviche to the party. There may be fancier recipes for this stuff out there, but this one was taught to me by a Mexican friend, thrown together just like his Mama used to make it: No frills. Though I keep meaning to branch out and research other versions, I haven't yet; when I get hungry for it, I just fall back on Rafael's method. It's simple, cheap, and delicious.

Ceviche

Approx 1 lb. pollock
1 lb. shrimp (I use frozen, pre-cooked)
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
5-6 limes
cilantro
2-3 tomatoes
avocado

Dice pollock into small chunks and toss into a bowl. Add onion, jalapeno, and the juice of the limes. Let it sit until the fish is no longer transparent.

(Rafael went for about 20 minutes, but I'm always a bit more cautious, and go for at least twice that, or until I just can't stand it any more, and have to eat!)

Stir in the cilantro, and tomatoes.

I usually serve this spooned over a tostada smeared with sour cream, and topped with avocado slices. I only had chips this time though, so served it as above. If I don't have the accoutriments, I don't have any problem spooning up a bowl of it and eating it like a chunky soup.

The Single Cook's Lifesaver

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Have you seen the infomercial for these Food Savers? I wondered for a long time how well they worked, and I finally bit when my sister told me she loved hers.

I'm cooking for 1 now, most of the time. Just myself. It is expensive, time-consuming, challenging, and nearly impossible, I find, to cook up just 1 portion of some things. Stir fry: By the time you throw a cup of everything into the wok, you've got a lot of cups of stuff for one person to eat. Spaghetti sauce: I'm going to simmer overnight for one serving?!

Nope. And I'm not going to throw away my good cooking with fresh ingredients, either. My leftover chicken soup kick's Campbell's ass any day.

And I'm with my sister, this is one of my favorite kitchen gadgets. Here's a sampling of what's in my freezer:


That's chicken soup, a chicken breast, lentil soup, and Indian cilantro chicken curry. I've also saved breads, grilled meat, and herbs (basil and dill), and salsa.

The soups and curry's can be thawed out, heated in the microwave, or thrown into boiling water. I froze them in bowls first, then popped them out and Food-saved them.

No freezer burn with this thing; food lasts longer and tastes better. I know. I'm doing my own commercial! But I love this thing!

Tip #1: The mini runs about $99, BUT it's almost always on sale at Kohl's for half-price.

Tip #2: The generic wrap, at Walmart or Meijer's, costs a fraction of what the brand name stuff does, and it works just as well. $6 will get you a couple rolls of the stuff, and I've yet to go through a package of it.

If any of you great cooks find yourself throwing out your hard work, I highly recommend this gadget!

Red Beans 'n Rice

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I recently had a hankerin' for some down-home, to-die-for, simmer-all-day-long, kick-yer-butt beans and rice. I perused cookbooks and settled on a recipe: Salt pork, tomato sauce, crockpot.

Blyech! I ended up with a giant pot of bland beans to serve over over bland rice.

I grumbled about it on Facebook, and it paid off BIG time. My friend Carla is thankfully on good terms with her ex (my friend also), Bruce. Cajun Bruce! Misplaced-in-the-Midwest Bruce.

Bruce delivered!

1 lb red beans—soak overnight.

Disgard water and add beans to crockpot.

Add:

2 c. chopped celery
2 c. chopped onion
1-2 green peppers, chopped
2 bay leaves (a must!)
2 (at least!) cloves of fresh garlic
salt
water

Let it cook all day with plenty of liquid, until, as Bruce says, "everything breaks up into a sludge of unidentifiable ingredients." Add smoked sausage and simmer a little longer.

Serve over rice with shallots/green onions and Louisiana red sauce or Tony Chachere's cajun seasoning.

This really hits the spot!