Snap Pea and Cucumber Salad with Radish and Dill

Veggies, veggies, everywhere! This salad is a nice change of pace from the usual mayo and pasta heavy side dishes at the summer's frequent potlucks and BBQs. And yet another wonderful excuse to use up the bounty of our CSA box!

This may be the last of the snap and sugar peas of the season. Which is truly a pity. Out of all of our farm's bounty, I love to snack on the sugar peas the most. They were plentiful this year, but we went through them before I had a change to blanche and freeze any for the winter. Ah well. Enjoy them while they are fresh!

The salad is sturdy enough to endure a day in the sun, unlike it's mayo laden brethren. However, after a day of so, the peas do begin to pickle and loose their vibrant green color. Do try to eat this salad up as quickly as possible!

adapted from Giada De Laurentiis' recipe on Food Network

serves 4-6

The Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs sugar snap peas, trimmed
2 small cucumbers, quarted and cut into 1/2-inch bites
1 small bunch of radishes, trimmed, halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup dill
Juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

The Process:

Prep a large bowl full of water and ice. Set aside. 

 

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the snap peas and cook until vibrant green, about 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the peas into a colander and immediately transfer to the bowl of ice water. This stops the residual heat in the peas from continuing to cook them. Leave the peas in the ice water for 2 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a larger serving bowl. 

Quarter the cucumbers legthenwise and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Trim the tops and tips from the radishes. Cut each in half lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Add the cucumber, radish and dill to the salad bowl and toss with the peas to combine. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and zest with the oil until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Drizzle dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Chill until ready to serve.

IPA Spiked Chicken Tikka Masala

Tikka Masala is no stranger in our household. I've made this dish, and enough of its Indian relatives to whip it up with nothing more than a cursory glance at a ghee stained recipe. The amount of ginger and garlic often varies. Sometimes I use a serrano pepper to two of a kick of heat, other time a subtle touch of chili powder. Fresh and canned tomatoes alternate depending on my mood and the seasons (there are few things sadder than a "tomato" in the middle of a Midwestern winter).

So why does this warrant another visit to this blog...a blog that attempts to chronicle my culinary adventures as I test new waters?

In a word,

Beer.

Ross had requested tikka masala when I asked for dishes to round out our week of dinners. As if by fate, the day before I had planned on our Indian feast, the Beeroness posted a yogurt and ale marinaded grilled chicken. The similarities between her chicken and the marinade for my chicken tikka were uncanny. These long lost cousins were only divided by a mix up of spices and the addition of beer. The discover was enough to revisit and modify this favorite.

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we did.

Inspired and adapted from The Beeroness, The Pioneer Woman, and my tried and true tikka masala recipe courtesy of Monica Bhide

serves 4

The Ingredients:
for the chicken and marinade
1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
3/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup IPA
1 Tbsp garam masala
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch thumb of ginger, minced

for the Tikka Masala
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium red onion, finely diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 inch thumb of ginger, minced
1 serrano pepper, finely diced
1 Tbsp garam masala
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 - 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup heavy cream
2 large handfuls of spinach, coarsely chopped 
1/4 cup IPA
salt to taste

for the Basmati rice
1 cup basmati rice
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups vegetable broth or water
1/2 cup frozen peas

The Process:
for the marinade
In a large bowl or gallon-sized zip top bag, combine the yogurt, IPA, and spices. Mix well. Add the cubed chicken and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate 6-8 hours.

for the Tikka Masala:
Pre-heat the broiler.

Remove the chicken from the marinade. Thread onto metal skewers and arrange on an oiled cooling rack set over a foil lined baking sheet. Broil the chicken, 10" from the heat source, 5-7 minutes per side or until the chicken is beginning to char and juices run clear. Set aside.

Meanwhile, prep the rice:
In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, rice, turmeric, salt, and broth. Bring to a boil and stir until the butter has melted. Reduce to a low simmer and cover, cooking 30-35 minutes or until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.

Back to the Tikka Masala:
Melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and serrano pepper. Sauté until fragrant and the onion is translucent, 6-8 minutes.

Add the spices and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1 tsp of salt, the diced tomato and the tomato paste. Simmer on medium low for about 5 minutes.

Whisk in the heavy cream and return to a simmer.

Remove the cooked chicken from the skewers and stir into the sauce. Cover and simmer until the chicken is heated through.

Stir in the chopped spinach and simmer until the spinach wilts. Remove the tikka masala from heat and stir in the 1/4 cup IPA. Adjust salt and seasoning to taste.

Prior to serving, stir 1/2 cup peas into the basmati rice. Spoon pea-studded rice onto each plate and top with tikka masala

Pea Pancakes with Herbed Yogurt and Prosciutto

Spring has finally sprung!  With our ridiculously long winter, it may be a few more weeks before we begin to see some truly fresh produce.  In the meantime, I am perfectly content making due with a few frozen pantry essentials.

This meal is incredibly light, but surprisingly filling.  It makes an wonderfully refreshing dinner on a warm day as well as an invigorating brunch or breakfast.  The sweet peas compliment the tangy herbed yogurt and salty prosciutto so well...each bite added more layers of flavor than the last.  Who said pancakes can't be savory?

adapted and embellished from Bon Apetit

serves 4

The Ingredients:
for pancakes:
1 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup flour
2 Tbsp oil
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup peas, thawed  if frozen

for the yogurt:
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 small sprigs fresh dill, chopped (1-2 Tbsp)
1 small bunch fresh chives, chopped (2-3 Tbsp) 

to serve:
1 green onion, thinly sliced
8 paper thin slices of prosciutto

The Process:
for the yogurt:
In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt and herbs.  Cover and chill for at least 20 minutes.

for the pancakes:
Combine the salt, eggs, cottage cheese, flour and oil in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.  Transfer batter to a medium bowl and fold in the peas and green onions.

Heat a large, lightly-oiled skillet over medium heat.  Working in batches, pour a scant 1/4 cup of batter into the skillet making 4-inch rounds and cook until bubbles form on top, 3-5 minutes.  Flip and cook an additional 2 minutes or until the middle is set. Remove cakes from heat and keep warm.  Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve with herbed yogurt, prosciutto and sliced green onion.

Creamy Pesto Shells with Peas and Cherry Tomatoes

At times the winter seems never ending.  The cold seeps into every nook and cranny.  Grey skyline blends with the grungy white horizon in a seamless canvas of nothing.  Spring will come.  It will...the days are already lengthening.

But at times I can feel that strong Midwestern resolve and hopefulness weaken.  Times such as that call for carbs and comfort.  And something bright and green.

Rooting through my freezer trying to come up with something quick and easy that wasn't ramen or spaghetti with tomato sauce, I stumbled across a few quart-sized bags of green bliss. Arugula pesto whirled up in those sweltering dry days of summer when the leafy bitterness was coming out of my ears.  Bite and bright and perfect for tonight...

pesto recipe courtesy of Driftless Organics
the rest is my own devising

serves 4

The Ingredients:
for the sauce
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 cup chopped arugula, lightly packed
1/4 cup slivered, blanched almonds, toasted
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup milk
4 Tbsp cream cheese
salt and pepper to taste

for the pasta
1 lb small or medium shells
2 cup peas, thawed if previously frozen
1 pt cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

The Process:
Combine the garlic, arugula, almonds, and Parmesan in a food processor and pulse into a coarse paste. Add oil in a thin stream while the processor is going.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Boil the pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside.

Add the butter and milk to a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat.  Once the butter has melted, add the freshly made pesto and stir until well blended.  Cut in the cream cheese, a little at a time and stir until melted and well combined. 

Transfer the strained pasta to a serving bowl.  Add peas and tomatoes.  Drizzle with the creamy pesto and toss until well coated.  Serve hot.