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May Bookworm

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Non-fiction this month, not really on purpose, but the theme was entertaining especially since the writers were folks I’ve enjoyed online.

The Bad Cook by Esther Walker:
“You may find yourself kneeling by the sofa with your face in the chocolate-smeared seat cushions having a seroius internal tussle over brandishing your get-out-of-dinner-free takeaway card tonight, or saving it for when things get really bad.”

Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach:
” ‘That’s what killed Elvis’, said Adrianne … ‘As we were about to get off the phone, Elvis Presley dropped into the conversation.’ … ‘She’d been standing by the mega-colon exhibit one day and a visitor told her the Elvis had had one too.’ … ‘A quiet moment followed. ‘Really.’ “

Everything is Perfect When You’re A Liar by Kelly Oxford:
” ‘…Looking around, it seems the the most popular ride at Disneyland today is obese ten-year-olds riding in strollers.” … ‘Henry vomits, a lot. … he’s gotten pretty professional about it. Never any noise or crying’ … ‘Is Henry puking again? Sal asks. ‘He really needed to puke at Disneyland. It’s pretty much his destiny.’ Henry sits back up. ‘She’s right.’ “

How to Eat Out by Giles Coren:
” ‘There is a section at the back that looks rather nice but has two steps leading up to it which flummoxes a dim sum trolly as disastrously as it does a dalek, and you will get no attention up there at all.’ … ‘Eating in a dim sum trolly joint is all about position and vision, a complete view of the terrain, no surprises from behind, unobstructed sightlines, similar to being a sniper.’ ”

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Salmon Salad Nicoise

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Don’t let the many steps in this recipe put you off. None of them are hard work and it’s a lovely salad to have on the patio during sunny weather.
Salmon is more readily available where I live, but if you’d rather go the traditional route, use fresh tuna.

(oops, the picture above was taken before I put the salmon on the platter! Sorry.)

Salmon Salad Nicoise

For the Salad:
1 big bunch of Water Cress or Butter Lettuce
1lb. Fingerling or baby potatoes (cooked)
1 bunch (about 20 beans) Fresh green beans (cooked)
4 large Eggs (hard-boiled and peeled)
2 4oz. Salmon Portions
1/2 cup Nicoise or Greek Olives
3 medium-sized Tomatoes
1/2 to 1 cup Vinaigrette

For the Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup Champagne or red wine vinegar.
1 cup Olive Oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Salt & Pepper
Pinch of Sugar
1 tablespoon Mixed Fresh Herbs (parsley, tarragon, mint, dill, rosemary, thyme etc.)
Fill container with all of the above ingredients and whisk until well combined. Pour over Salmon Salad Nicoise.

For the potatoes & green beans & eggs:
Separately, boil the potatoes greens beans and eggs until the potatoes and eggs are cooked through and the green beans are tender crisp.

For the salmon:
Grill or saute the salmon until it is seared and golden on the outside and medium on the inside. About 3 minutes a side.

Dice the salmon, cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and quarter the eggs. Arrange all the ingredients on a platter in little piles and pour the vinaigrette over everything.
To serve, allow guests to fill their plate with a little of each thing and serve with baguette.

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Meet Esther Walker

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I ran across Esther Walker while trying to find her husbands book. I found her book, Bad Cook, instead. As it was only 2.99 I bought it first.

Since, I gulped down all the past entries from her blog Recipe Rifle and became a huge fan. I really appreciate her anecdotes from the front lines of young motherhood and pregnancy. Also, some really nice recipes that don’t have eighteen bajillon steps and require a cooking degree.

Edit: Esther says her book is 1.99 in the UK. So for my UK readers enjoy the savings!

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Classic Margarita

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When done correctly, it’s a thing of beauty.

Classic Margarita

For the Lime Simple Syrup:
Juice and zest of 10 Limes
1 cup Granulated Sugar
2 cups Water

Mix all the ingredients together in a sauce pan and heat over medium high on the stove top. Bring just to a boil and stir to melt the sugar. Take off the heat and set aside to steep the limes and infuse the syrup (about 15 minutes). Strain and store in the fridge until ready to use.

For the Margaritas:
Add ice to a tall glass
2 parts Tequila
3 parts Lime Simple Syrup
Add a pinch of sea salt, sprinkled over the drink to garnish.

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Chicken Puff Pie

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My biggest peeve about chicken pot pie is that the crust to stew ratio is terribly disproportionate.

For the Stew:
1/2 cup Butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup Flour
4-5 cups Chicken Stock
Salt & Pepper
2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence
2 cups Mixed Vegetables
I used a combination of frozen (thawed) and fresh veggies I had left over.
4 cups cooked Shredded Chicken
You can use a store-bought rotisserie chicken or roast your own. I roasted 2 big chicken breasts then let them cool before I shredded.

In a large high sided pot over medium high, melt the butter. Add the flour and mix until a paste forms. Add the stock, whisking briskly. Turn the heat down a bit and continue to whisk until the sauce is thick. Add more stock if it’s too thick. Season with salt and pepper and the herbs de Provence.
Add the vegetables and shredded chicken. Stir to combine then heat through. You can set this aside off the heat and get started on your pastry crust.

For the Crust:
1 package Puff Pastry (I use Pillsbury)
Egg wash = 1 egg mixed very well with a bit of water
Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Defrost the puff pastry and unfold onto parchment lined baking sheets. Cut each pastry sheet into fourths and arrange so they are about an inch or so apart.
Now for each square, measure in at each side roughly half an inch in, and score a line with a knife. Don’t cut all the way through!
Use the egg wash on the outside border of the square. Try not to dribble on the sides or the square won’t puff.
Season with salt and pepper, and place in the over for 20 – 25 minutes.
When they are golden brown and puffy, set aside to cool slightly. Once cooled gently press down along the score line creating a little cup in the pastry.

Spoon the stew into the pastry crust and serve.

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