LOVE, HONOR and OBEY...YOUR FOOD WHIMS! No Soy Bok Choy and Summer Corn Salad

 

Tomato, Carrots, Scallions, Sunflower Sprouts, Corn and Bok Choy

I am making progress in this unexpected and unwanted journey into living and cooking "sola".

My refrigerator serves as evidence. No longer is it overflowing with unfinished and forgotten little somethings... (well, not as often!).  You can actually see what is within and even see some hints of the shelves peeping through.  That improvement is due to the new style of cooking and eating I have been striving to achieve:  creating new dishes out of small amounts of unused foods, and eating untraditional meals as I please. Or, simply said, I am eating whatever I want and happen to have on hand!

I didn't say it was neat, just an improvement!!

Those croutons in the bag could become part of a Caesar Salad or mixed with the leftover Chick Pea Soup (on the right) with some tomatoes (they are NOT in the fridge, ever!!) and rosemary for a Pappa al Ceci e Pomodoro; we'll see.

I love my husband, although it has been nearly a year since he left this earth. When I make his favorite foods, I silently honor him. We both obeyed our food whims whenever we could, and now I do so more often, and, truthfully, more easily, but not more happily.

  Love always...inspiration forever...

So, Dear Bob, some of what I create for myself would not hold your interest, but those that would, I heartily enjoy with you in spirit.

My recipes here, today, for Bok Choy and Summer Corn Salad would be a pleasant diversion for you. Last night's Mojo Pork and Yellow Rice with Black Beans would get more attention, and you would have loved the remaining rice and beans with ham and hot sauce I had for breakfast (!). Yup, you would...but, I imagine you would have "suggested" we have them with New England codfish cakes!

The hot sauce is of course our favorite Piri Piri

Last week, I bought some beautiful Baby Bok Choy at the produce market. The usual way of preparation for this beautiful vegetable is Asian Style, but my taste buds were just not cooperating or desiring Asian flavors (unusual). Of course, I did not want this treat to go unused, so I got creative, "sola style".  Remember, use what you have, and let your food fancies guide you. NO SOY BOK CHOY (still a joy, :( ..  sorry) is the result.

Bleu Cheese Crumbles, Baby Bok Choy, Smoked Jalapeno Almonds, Garlic

NO SOY BOK CHOY

2-4 heads baby bok choy

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 - 1/2 cup bleu cheese crumbled

jalapeño flavored smoked, salted almonds, chopped coarsley

peanut or canola oil

Wash bok choy. Cut bottom stem and separate larger leaves. Keep center intact. 

Heat oil in a skillet. Add minced garlic or use a press. Saute for about half a minute. Add bok choy and cook until imbued with oil and garlic. Add a splash of wine, water or stock, cover and let steam for a few minutes.  Uncover and top with cheese and nuts.

Bok Choy cooking with garlic and wine

SUMMER CORN SALAD

This salad has no recipe. It is "sola style".  Cut fresh corn off the cob, either raw or slightly steamed.

Toss it with chopped vegetables including something from the onion family, scallion, shallot, red onion, chives, etc., and fresh basil or thyme.  Toss it with a white wine, cider or white balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil. Let sit to meld flavors and serve as in or on greens. A touch of jalapeño or hot sauce would not hurt!

Sauteed Sole with Panko, Summer Corn Salad, No Soy Bok Choy

Both of these recipes can be  varied at will. You could change the bok choy into Greek Bok Choy with feta, olives and tomatoes, or use walnuts and a dijon mustard vinaigrette, etc.

The corn is also good with a creamy ranch style dressing with cherry tomatoes..

We will always share a lovely bowl of fruit and a cup of coffee

Obey your food whims "sola", and enjoy, Gina

  

MEMORIES OF SUMMER: Life changes; the food is forever

We all have memories of summer.  They grow and change with us as we mature, but the seasonal harvest remains the same and is a continuous part of our lives. My childhood memories are of endless days of sun, sea, the beach, fresh fish and produce from the gardens of my grandfather and later, my Dad.  My Dad fished for sport and loved to grow veggies, fruit, herbs and flowers as a hobby.  We were never wanting for anything luscious in the summertime! My Mom preserved or froze much of our summer harvest for use during the long winter and kept the memories alive.  I was probably the only kid in my class who snacked on Lobster Pie, Asparagus Soup, and Fresh Peach Cobbler when I returned from a day at school! Those were the days of the Twinkie and the Devil Dog for others!

My  Handsome Dad on the High Seas in the Old Days..

Two Perfectly Steamed Maine Lobsters

(my Mom would freeze the meat from 2 dozen of these to make her Lobster Pies for the winter)

Later, after I married, we moved to what had been my summer home and brought up our children with the same kind of summer memories. My husband loved to garden as did his grandparents and mother, and he sometimes fished for sport. He tried to pass the passion on to the girls, but we all preferred to eat and cook the fruits of his labor!

Here, Emily seems interested in discovering gardening work..

Jennifer decided that if digging in the dirt was good, it must be good to eat it, so she tried feeding it to Amanda (without much luck), and Amanda picked and ate some Lily of the Valley Berries (poisonous!) while "helping" Bob garden, and was rushed to the hospital. She's the dramatic one!

None of us carried on the gardening tradition, but we continued eating and cooking summer's bounty with great enthusiasm!

Wild Salmon,  Striped Bass, Bluefish, corn and tomaotes, basil, blueberries, watermelon, peaches and raspberries, what would summer be without these things? 

Wild Sockeye Salmon

(my favorite is Coho or King, but Sockeye comes into season first)

Basil, Corn, Tomatoes and Zucchini, some of summer's best bounty

Tomato Basil Tart 

One of the things you can make of Summer's Bounty

Zucchini, now there's a veg that brings back some "mixed" memories. Truthfully, I do love zucchini and my Dad grew it well, so it was often prepared on the grill alongside the fresh fish he had caught. 

Grilled Zucchini, Citrus Sockeye Salmon and Sunflower Sprouts

Oh, summer, how I love thee..

Because zucchini is so prolific and easy to grow, everyone was growing it in the '70's. Recipes crowded the magazines and newspapers and neighbors passed along their "favorites" with a few of their home-grown prizes. Soon, it was best to hide as a neighbor or friend approached with a wrapped loaf of zucchini bread or a tin of muffins. They were good, but ubiquitous and soon became a dreaded object, almost as much as Christmas "fruitcake"! 

I even included a recipe for Zucchini Cake in my newspaper column. It was made the same as Carrot Cake and was actually very moist and tasty. Any Carrot Cake recipe with cinnamon and vanilla will do. Just substitute shredded zucchini for the carrots or do half and half! Cream Cheese Frosting, of course..

I still have two favorite zucchini dishes, one is from Patricia Well's, Trattoria, Tagliatelle with Fresh Parsley and Zucchini. Her recipe can be found online. It involves either buying or making homemade tagliatelle, which are noodles a little less wide than fettuccine, but you could use them or linguine if necessary.  The other is for my Zucchini Basil Curry Soup from the White Rainbow. I'll leave that for another post. It was and still is outstanding! Inexpensive and a soup for all seasons.

I have found a way to make a satisfying version of the pasta dish, and have some tasty zucchini left for a salad or vegetable accompaniment to meat or fish.l

GRILLED ZUCCHINI AND PASTA

1 or  2 zucchini

olive oil

minced garlic (optional, necessary for me!)

lemon zest

salt, coarsely ground fresh pepper

fresh parsley or basil

grated parmesan

linguine or fresh fettuccine

Wash and cut zucchini in half and then into "fingers". Generously season with salt, pepper, oil and garlic.  Let marinate for 15 minutes or more. Add some lemon zest. Just grate it over the zucchini.

I used Penzey's Trinadad Seasoning here, a blend of lemon zest, garlic, pepper and spice

Next grill the zucchini slices on a hot grill until browned, but still crisp.  Cut about 1/2 zucchini into pieces and toss with hot pasta adding more oil if necessary, basil or parsley, and grated cheese.

Save the rest of the zucchini to grill again with fish or meat or add to a salad or just eat cold!!

Don't let it get mushy!

I gobbled it all up, but saved a few zucchini slices...

Now I leave you with two more summer images for memory keeping..

Peaches and Raspberries for...

Peach and Raspberry Pie

(Someone has NO self-control!)

A Sunset View from our Summer (and winter) Home

A Memory never forgotten and well worth keeping...

Sola Gina

THE KISS PRINCIPLE: Keep it Simple Sweetheart

     Guess what would drive Bob crazy about this arrangement!

Simple is sometimes a welcome word in the kitchen, especially when cooking for one.  Simple means  not complicated, but it does not have to mean boring or dull.

Last week, after enjoying Thai food for 2 days in a row, I was ready for something a little more bland, some comfort food, but certainly not something insipid!! Comfort food, after all, can be mashed potatoes and gravy, or chili, depending on the kind of comfort one seeks! I was in the "roast chicken" comfort zone.

The first step in the creative process is to inventory what is available. Whimsical trips to the market always result in excess food which clutters my refrigerator and pantry, and depletes my bank account. Cooking "sola" has taught me this:  one person can eat just so much at one sitting, and whatever one does not consume can wind up lost,  lonely and forgotten. :(
 It is better to build a dish from what is on hand at the moment.

The chicken breasts and fresh broccoli I found reminded me of a popular dish from years ago,  one which we had recently featured in Apron's at Publix, Chicken Divan. It's a simple, comforting dish with    broccoli, wine and a cream sauce, just perfect for my mood..well, ... almost perfect...

Aha!  behind the broccoli were some mushrooms I had nearly forgotten, and... what are mushrooms without garlic... and sherry would give the sauce more body than the white wine in the original recipe!
Wow! Simple ingredients, simple cooking steps, yet I was excited about my dinner.  I added an onion and brown rice pilaf, and a simple salad, for a simply scrumptious meal! (sorry, I simply get carried away with alliteration sometimes!) :(


CHICKEN WITH BROCCOLI, MUSHROOMS AND SHERRY

1 - 11/4 pounds boneless chicken breasts or tenderloins, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons flour
all purpose seasoning (salt or salt-free whatever you like)
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, crushed or finely minced
broccoli florets (about 2-3 ups)
1/4 -1/2 pound sliced mushrooms (portabella for best flavor)
1/4 cup sherry wine
3/4 jar Alfredo Sauce (a good brand)
Grated Parmesan or other cheese to taste

Dust the chicken pieces with seasoned flour. Brown them in the butter. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms get slightly softened. Add sherry and let simmer for a few seconds. Add broccoli. Cover and cook a couple of minutes until broccoli is cooked, al dente, and still bright green.
Add Alfredo sauce and simmer together for a few minutes.  Top with grated cheese.

A nice comforting meal

Here was one comforting meal on he table, but this was not the end..I had lunch another day, and froze a portion of it for later! Yet..there was still a bit of Alfredo Sauce remaining.  Back to the inventory search (there is a connection between "invent" and "inventory" you know!!) for inspiration to create another night's comfort meal.

This time I discovered Dover Sole, and a package with one Maryland Crab Cake in the freezer. This brand of Crab Cakes, by the way, are great. I am not saying I will never make my own again, but these are an excellent substitute and you'll need no apologies if you serve them, and no regrets if you eat them! They are SeaPak Maryland Style Crab Cakes available in the supermarket, 2 cakes per package.

See the big lumps of real crabmeat!!  mmm..

I digress..I stuffed the sole with the crab cakes and rolled them. Butter sautéed scallion and wine added to the Alfredo made a nice sauce especially when topped with seasoned breadcrumbs. Another simply produced classic from the past:  Filet of Sole Stuffed with Crabmeat!!

Simple Steps

Another delicious comforting meal,  "Sola" Style

Learning to cook "Sola" is an adventure. I take short cuts I would never have imagined in the past, but the results are usually good and satisfying as long as the quality is maintained.  

Happy Cooking, Sola Gina.