Aus-Mex Migas Tacos

I've been suffering from a pretty nasty bout of homesickness for months now. After leaving I now understand why all those UT students stick around, clog up the city, & drain it of all viable job opportunities. There's beautiful Barton Springs. Tons of great laid back bars. Dozens of cozy coffee shops. Restaurants open after 9PM. Delicious local brews. Don't even get me started on the Alamo - the place is sheer genius! But the food. Oh, the food! Austin (the source of my homesickness) has a breed of cuisine all its own. Aus-Mex toes the line between heavy, cheesy, gravy-laden Tex-Mex & lighter, fresher central Mexican food. Visit Homesick Texan for a nice rundown of Austin's unique take on Tex-Mex.

Black beans, poblanos, & tomatillos are chief in Austin cooking, but migas are the star. A brunch menu is scoffed at if you can't find migas tucked in somewhere. However, once you step out of the Travis County boundaries they're often nowhere to be found. I grew up on this cheesy, crunchy scramble assuming they were typical fodder for most families, but only later learned they were a hold over from my parents Austin days in the late 70s. Anytime I find myself longing for home I scramble up a batch. Luckily, my brother-in-law just visited & brought us a jar of Austin's best salsa & our pal Shane recently made a venture back home & brought us a couple bottles of favorite local beer. With out them, migas just aren't the same!

Aus-Mex Migas Tacos

5 large eggs, scrambled

2 tbsp. half & half

3 tbsp. salsa
1/2 tbsp. olive oil

1 c. tortilla chips, crushed

1/2 c. shredded cheddar

1/2 c. shredded mozzarella

2 tortillas of choice (corn, flour, whole wheat)

1/2 avocado, sliced (optional)
a sprig or two of fresh cilantro (optional)

Crack all 5 eggs in a mixing bowl & whip with the half & half & a bit of salt & pepper. Warm a saute pan & drizzle it with olive oil. Once hot, pour the eggs in & scramble them. When the eggs are almost set toss in the chips, salsa, & cheese. Scramble the rest of the way through, folding all the ingredients in.

Dollop on a tortilla & garnish with avocado slices, fresh cilantro & more salsa. Wrap the eggs up taco style & enjoy!

Ratatouille

Heavy food v. light food. What is heavy food anyway? I debunked pasta's unjust place in this category yesterday. Is it dairy? Is it fried things? Lots of meat? What about light? Does it have to be salads & veggies all the time? This has been a heated debate around my kitchen as of late. With new Omnivore clients coming on & more & more dinner guests stopping in I've been trying to nail this deliberation down.

To me, "light" food is packed with veggies, cooked in olive oil, utilizes citrus & fresh flavors, involves sharp/hard cheeses, focuses on white meat or fish, & yes, sometimes even pasta. Ratatouille fit snugly in that category in my mind. I mean, it's practically only veggies! So, when Ray walked through the door I announced our light dinner. "That's not light!" was Ray's retort. Confused, all I could get out was "But it's only veggies!?" We tossed or points & preferences back and forth until we were both at a loss. All that we managed to conclude was that taste is deeply personal & regardless of its hotly debated weight, we both love ratatouille.

Not quite a soup, not quite a stew, not much of anything, ratatouille is tough to categorize. Simple, modest ingredients often make the best meals & this is no exception. Make a trip to your local farmers market & just grab which ever veggies appeal to you. A few soft vegetables (eggplant, zucchini, squash), a few hard aromatics (peppers, carrots, onions), & some fresh herbs are all you really need. Just pick your favorites, chop 'em up, & cook them until everything is creamy & soft.

Ratatouille

6 cipollini onions, halved

2 medium bell peppers, in strips

2 japanese eggplants, cubed

2 small zucchinis, cubed

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. rosemary

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/4 c. dry red wine

1/2 c. tomato sauce

2 tbsp. tomato paste

salt to taste

pepper to taste

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy pot. Sauté the onions over medium heat, add garlic, salt, & the bay leaf & sauté a moment longer (about 6 in all). Add eggplant, wine & tomato sauce. Add herbs. Stir well to incorporate, then cover & simmer 10 - 15 minutes over low heat.

When eggplant is tender, add zucchini & peppers. Cover & simmer 10 minutes more. Add salt & pepper, tomatoes, & tomato paste. Mix well. Simmer & stew for a minimum of 30 minutes. Prior to serving, toss in the fresh parsley & serve over a bed of rice or with crusty french bread.

Simple Supper: Chèvre Mint Cream Pasta with Eggplant

Simple pasta dishes have to be my favorite thing to eat. Carbs be damned! If some one took away my pasta, I would be lost. Give me a simple combination of noodles, parmesan & olive oil or give me death! Okay, maybe not death, but I do love the stuff. On occasion however, pasta with all the trimmings can just sit in the bottom of you belly leaving you unable to do anything but moan & lament your overzealous eating.

This doesn't have to be the case. Pasta doesn't have to lead to a rich, heavy, belly-groaning meal. It can even be, dare I say, light. Try swapping your regular dried pasta for its whole wheat counterpart - it has a heartier bite & has a much higher fiber content. Switch cream based sauces for lighter infused olive oils & a bit of cheese. If you have a tough time giving up your cream (like I do) try using whole milk, cooked over low heat until it thickens a bit.

An eggplant cooked to death, tangy chèvre, & clean mint pair beautifully for a light spring supper. The slow-cooked chèvre & milk make an excellent lighter (& in my opinion, more flavorful) alternative to heavier alfredos & cream sauces. So next time you're staring down a mean noodle craving put it in it's place with this easy-to-make lighter alternative.

Chèvre Mint Cream Pasta with Eggplant
1/2 lb. whole wheat spaghetti
2 tbsp. creamy goat cheese
2 sprigs fresh mint, coarsely chopped & divided
1 japanese eggplant, chopped in 1" cubes
1 medium clove of garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. milk
salt to taste
papper to taste

Boil the pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, sauté the eggplant in olive oil until soft (about 5 - 8 minutes) then add the shallots, one half of the chopped mint, & garlic. Cook until fragrant & all ingredients are soft (about 2 minutes). Add the goat cheese & toss until broken apart & melted slightly. Pour the milk over the mixture & cook until it has thickened slightly.

Drain the pasta & toss it in the sauté pan with the eggplant & cheese until coated. Salt & pepper the dish to taste. Garnish with the remaining mint.

Grilled Artichokes with Roasted Vegetable Couscous

Kids often turn & run when presented with a big green spiny globe masquerading as food. I, on the other hand, jumped for joy. The pageantry involved in artichoke-eating was, & still is, a blast. My mom even has plates specially equipped with little sauce wells & a big artichoke-sized divot in the center. These unusual plates promised late summer nights gathered around our big pine dinner table scraping & scooping our way to the oh-so-scrumptious heart. Is there any more single perfect food than a fresh artichoke heart? If there is, I haven't found it.

Grilled Artichokes

1 medium artichoke, trimmed

1 - 2 c. water

1/2 lemon

1 tbsp. salt

3 cloves garlic

1/2 tbsp. olive oil

Throw the water, lemon half, garlic, & salt in a deep stock pot & bring up to a boil. Meanwhile, trim the top & bottom 1" or so off the artichoke & trim the points off of the leaves.

Once the water is bubbling, place a steamer basket in the bottom of the pot (watch your fingers!) and put the artichoke in top down. Cover and steam over low heat for 40 - 45 minutes or until the leaves can be plucked with ease.

Cool the artichoke for a few minutes then slice in half lengthwise. With a spoon (or grapefruit spoon if you have one) remove the choke. Drizzle each half with olive oil & sprinkle with salt & pepper. Warm a grill pan & sear the cut side.

Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauces. I prefer a basil mayonnaise (1 tbsp. minced fresh basil + 4 tbsp. mayonnaise) & garlic-lemon butter (1 minced clove garlic + 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice + 3 tbsp. unsalted butter).

Roasted Vegetable Couscous

1 c. couscous

1/4 c. toasted pine nuts

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 head garlic, halved

2 medium carrots, cut in 1" chunks

1 medium bulb fennel, cut in 1" chunks

1 red onion, cut in 1" chunks

1 tsp. greek oregano, minced

1/2 tsp. fresh thyme

1/2 c. grated parmesan

salt to taste

pepper to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 375F. Line an oven safe dish with foil & coat the veggies in olive oil. Roast for 30 - 45 minutes or until the veggies are golden & soft.

Meanwhile, cook the couscous according to package directions & toast the pine nuts in a sauté pan until fragrant (about 4 minutes). Toss the parmesan, oregano, thyme, & veggies with the couscous & serve.

Spring BBQ Chicken

Today was the first really warm day of spring. We celebrated it the best way two Texans knew how; a barbeque! With a few good friends & lots of cold beer on hand, we grilled up a chicken & paired it with traditional BBQ fare: sweet & creamy coleslaw, 50's Americana marshmallow & pistachio salad, & tangy potato salad. We may be Californians now, but we've still got the BBQ knack.

BBQ Chicken

1 3 lb. chicken

2 tbsp. seasoning rub (my favorite is Cavender's)

2 c. favorite bbq sauce (I prefer Stubb's)

or

2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce

1 1/3 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 tablespoons peanut oil

2 tablespoons prepared mustard

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoons black pepper

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons (or more) hot sauce

For the sauce:

In a saucepan mix all ingredients for sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes.

For the chicken:

Begin by breaking down the chicken. Remove the back bone, ribs & giblets. Use a sharp serrated knife & watch your fingers! (Reserve these for homemade chicken stock!) Rub both sides of the chicken in seasoning & brush in bbq sauce.

Grill the chicken on both sides until the skin is crisp & is cooked through. Let rest for 10 minutes or so then break down the chicken in to legs, thighs, breasts, & wings. Serve with more bbq sauce on the side & your favorite bbq sides (potato salad, cole slaw, and what not).

Yankee Cornbread

I'm just about as Southern as they come, 4th or 5th generation Texan to be exact, but Southerner be damned, when I saw Deb's caramelized onion & goat cheese cornbread recipe I had to, had to try it! Maybe it's that little bit of Yankee in me (Mom) or maybe it's just my down right obsession with goat cheese but this bread was just right to me. It's ever-so-slightly sweet, super moist, & creamy. Perfect paired with chili, fried chicken, a salad, or even as an afternoon snack!  

Yankee Cornbread

recipe Smitten Kitchen
1 c. coarse cornmeal
2 c. buttermilk
1 to 2 tbsp. oil, butter or a combination thereof

1 c. onion, coarsely chopped
1 3/4 c. unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt6 oz. log of goat cheese, at room temperature
2 tbsp. honey
1/4 c. granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels

2 tbsp. bacon fat, vegetable oil or butter

The night before baking the cornbread, soak the cornmeal in the buttermilk. Cover and leave at room temperature overnight. [Though this step is optional, you might appreciate it if you use coarse cornmeal or if you often find cornbread on the gritty side.] If you don’t do this in advance, mix them in before you start the next step.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

The next day, prepare the onions. Heat a large saute pan to medium and coat the bottom with 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil, butter or a combination thereof. Add the onions and cook them until they’re well-caramelized with browned edges. Season with salt and set aside.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the goat cheese until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time and scraping down the bowl between each. (It may look a little curdly at this point, don’t worry. It all comes back together in the oven.) Add the melted butter, honey, sugar and cornmeal/buttermilk mixture and mix until smooth. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined and then gently stir in the corn kernels, mixing them until the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Place two tablespoons of bacon fat, vegetable oil or butter in a 10 inch round cake pan (you can also use a cast-iron skillet, 9 by 13-inch baking pan or a 12-inch square pan). Place the pan in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until the fat gets very hot. With good pot holders, remove the pan and tilt it to grease the corners and sides. Pour in the batter, spreading it evenly and sprinkle the caramelized onion evenly over the top.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the cornbread is firm and springy (the baking time will depend on the size and type of pan) and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow the bread to cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before slicing it into squares or wedges. Serve immediately.

Kitchen of the Future, According to 1967

Well, they weren't too far off. Frozen convenience-centric foods are sadly prolific these days. That crazy computer/phone/intercom gadget has even become a reality, thanks to Verizon. But with the big mid-century resurgence in the past 5 years, I think they were a bit closer with the decor. The French bistro chairs paired with the Saarinen-esque tulip table are perfect!