garden on fire escape

On Saturday, I am hanging with Hot Rod(ney) Ramirez, we wanted to cook something for our friends.  Decided to hit the Farmers Market on 14^th Street (Manhattan).   Hop on the bikes, always the fastest way to get around in NYC – either that or the subway!

So what did I find:

-       Lemon Thyme

-       Thai Basil

-       Chives

-       Fingerling Potatoes.

-       Beets

-       Vidalia Onions

-       Shallots

-       Spinach Pasta

-       Mussels

-       Flounder

Thought that I could make a quick dish for my friends while we were enjoying come great comradery and cigars.

You can watch the video and see how everything was made.

It is important to take your time and heat your pans.  Some funny moments were left in the video.  Yeah I did heat the pans and got popped with some oil. Oh yeah, forgot to take the top off.

Root Vegetable Medley

-       Cut the potatoes, onions and beets into squares.

-       Season with salt, pepper, garlic (as shown in the video).

-       Brown them in the pan.  Don’t worry that the beets will have a lot of liquid.

-       After the vegetables have brown, add the garlic and a water to cover.

-       Place a cover on the pan.

-       15-20 minutes, uncover.  Top off with butter or olive oil.  DONE!

Pasta with Mussels.

-       Make sure your water is well salted and has olive oil (extra virgin if you can).

-       I am using fresh pasta. It cooks fast.  4-7 minutes.

-       Strain it off.  Add some olive oil to make sure the pasta want strip.

-       In the same pot, add onion, garlic, and thyme.

-       Let them sweat until onions are translucent.

-       Add mussels, salt, pepper. Cook until they open.

-       Now slowly add butter (wine and cream also work) be sure not to use too much. Just need enough to coat the pasta.

-       Add back the pasta. Taste. Might need a pinch of salt.

Flounders with Herbs.

-       Season flounder with salt and pepper.

-       In a frying pan, add olive oil.

-       Place the fish. Brown off.  Be careful the fish is delicate.

-       After it is browned, you can squeeze some lemon and add a little olive oil.

-       Now coat with the fresh herbs.  We have lemon thyme and Thai basil.

-       Entire cooking time is 5-7 minutes.

Watch how we plate everything!  Great dish. Thanks to Hot Rod for the cigars and the kitchen.

How can she make these requirements on me? I have to cook, but her way for her.

Disclaimer – like salt, but no crazy, food should never taste like salt, nor should it miss it!

So what should I make for Mom for Mother’s Day!

Another secret, I slept late! It is already 11:00am and Mom is will be home from church soon. Got to get going. I know just bought a small roast from the store (Pathmark) got some fresh herbs growing out back already and potatoes. Will had a salad and we should be set.

Okay, let’s cook!

Ingredients

- Small Whole Chicken – this one is about 4lbs. Try to but the ones for Roast, but a Fryer will work for two persons, just don’t tell anyone!

- From the Refrigerator

o Fresh Pineapple chopped – need about 4-6 blocks.

o 1 Serrano Pepper

o ½ Red Onion – you will use the other one later.

o Mushrooms (these are baby portabellas, but regular bell will work).

- From the Garden

o I like to make a blend of herbs and keep it stored in the Fridge. It is somewhere between a Spanish Sofrito and Italian Pesto.

§ In the garden already growing, we have some herbs. Want to cut equal parts of them to make my “Wally’s Blend”.

· Basil, Cilantro, Chives (I cut both Garlic and Common), Thyme (cut both Lemon and Thyme). Marjoram, Oregano (cut Greek and Cuban), Recao (I don’t know how to say it English – sorry)

· If the Rosemary was ready, I would grab it also.

· The most important – Basil, Cilantro, Chives, Oregano and Thyme.

· Use a Blender or Food Processor (the latter is better – you need less oil to blend)

· Place all the ingredients inside. Blend, add Olive Oil until you get to a paste consistency. Need a pinch of ground pepper, salt, cumin and allspice (if you have).

· Now you have “Wally’s Blend” Can store it a container – I like to use it as a base of a sauce but not to offer power the sauce.

- Heat a large “oven-friendly” pan that can be covered (or Aluminum foil will work also) – Keep it on medium – I like to have a hot pan for searing the chicken.

- Take the Chicken, because we don’t have a lot of time we want to slice it open down the breast bone on a cutting board.

- Keeping it one its belly, pull the skin back and rub in some Wally’s Blend. Be careful not to detach the skin. Season the top, with pepper, a little salt, nutmeg and paprika (sweet).

- Flip over do the same thing.

- Take 2 -3 Red Potatoes, 1 Red Onion and 3-4 Carrots, Slice the way you like it. They are going in the roast. I sliced everything length-wise.

- Preheat Oven to 425.

- Place Chicken in the pan skin side down.

- Let it brown. You can turn the heat up a little higher. Don’t want to burn. The browning (searing) will give the bird a crispier Skin and help the cooking process.

- Once browned, take out; sit while you add the potatoes, onions and carrots. This will be come your base for the roast. Place the chicken on top. Place it in the oven.

- Time to make a little sauce.

o In a blender or food processor

§ ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar

§ ¼ cup of marsala

§ Soy sauce – not a lot – just using it for salt.

§ 2 apples

§ Pineapples.

§ 4 cloves of Garlic

§ Cumin

§ Pepper

o Blend

- After 10 minutes, pull the bird out – add the sauce and cover. Turn the oven down to 325 – Cover! Will need about 30-45 minutes.

- The bird is almost done. Turn the heat back to 425. Remove the cover. Need 30-40 minutes constantly basting.

Need to fix the Salad

- As you already know, I love to take “What’s in the Fridge”.

o Lettuce (Romaine)

o Red Onions

o Scallions (Green Onions)

o Tomato

o Feta Cheese

o Cucumber

o Apples

o Tangerines

o Olives

o Onions.

- Let’s slice ½ onion, 3 – 4 stalks of scallions, 3-4 tomatoes (plum), 2 cucumbers, 1 apple.

- Take 2 Tangerines peel and separate.

- Make the sauce. In a Salad Bowl

o I like light sauce so measure accordingly.

§ Balsamic Vinegar

§ Sesame Oil

§ Mustard (got to be Dijon or Brown)

§ Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder

§ Take some fresh oregano and chives from the garden.

o Mix

o Add Salad ingredients about 10 minutes prior to serving.

- Bird is ready – pull out. Let the bird sit on a serving plate for at least 5 – 10 minutes.

- Time to Plate and eat. Take your favorite cut – Mom likes a little breast and drumstick.