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Roasted Tri-Color Fingerlings & Chimichurri Sauce

3/26/2019

As Tom Lehrer sang a year ago, "Spring is here!" [Ed. note: Check the PPS below for the link.] These beauties are in season all year, but I especially love them in the spring time. Have been known to serve them up as a main dish since they take less than 30 minutes to make, but you'll probably want to have them as a side with...anything.

In our house, we drizzle chimichurri sauce on everything from grilled/roasted beef to lamb, chicken, fish, seafood, rice, quinoa, yams, and veggies. Even eggs or avocado toast. Bright, zesty, addicting.

NOTE: I have found tri-color fingerling potatoes and at my local supermarket, but if you can't find them, you can use Dutch baby potatoes or yellow fingerlings.

And finally, a quick side note to nominate the BF for a "BF of the year" award [Ed. note: AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE ACADEMY...], as I have been shuffling around with a slipped disc, unable to lift the 60-pound bins I deliver daily (up and down 3 flights of stairs). He has not only helped me dauntlessly for the past two weeks, but with a smile on his face. Could not have fulfilled the orders without him and, hopefully, this roasted potato side with a prime ribeye was an adequate reward for his efforts. MUAH

[Ed. note: Hey nobody tell her I'm happy to tag along. PRIME RIBEYE, people!]

PS: Think these potatoes are colorful? Well check out these pinkalicious deviled eggs as I re-examine family trauma (www.moveablefeast.me/blog/pinkalicious-deviled-eggs).

PPS: Also high on the color charts are these spice roasted carrots with avocado and yogurt, which we bring to you while (proverbially) poisoning pigeons in the park (www.moveablefeast.me/blog/spiced-roasted-carrots-with-avocado-yogurt).

PPPS: We celebrated St. Patrick's Day with a heartfelt Denis Leary ditty and Bailey's Irish Cream Tiramisu (www.moveablefeast.me/blog/baileys-irish-cream-tiramisu).

Adapted from: A Beautiful Plate (potatoes); The Pollan Family Table (chimichurri), Corky, Lori, Dana and Tracy Pollan
Number of servings: 4

Ingredients
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

1 ½ pounds fingerling potatoes (mixture of yellow, red and blue; or use Dutch baby potatoes)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

Chimichurri Sauce

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup finely chopped Italian (flat leaf) parsley

Directions
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Preheat oven to 450 °F. Rinse and dry fingerling potatoes thoroughly, then slice them in half lengthwise. Toss on a large baking sheet with the olive oil, pepper and salt.
Place potatoes cut-side down and spread out evenly on a baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes. At this point, potatoes should be sufficiently caramelized, crispy and fork tender. If not, roast for 5 more minutes. Remove potatoes from oven, and place on rack.

Chimichurri Sauce

In a small mixing bowl, combine ⅓ cup extra vergiin olive oil, the lemon juice, vinegar, shallot, garlic and 1 tablespoon water. Whisk until blended.
Add the red pepper flakes, season with salt and pepper and whisk again.
Gently fold in the parsley and set aside.

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Chocolate Olive Oil Cake (Vegan)

3/14/2019

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Set out to make a cake made with olive oil to see what it would taste like. One bowl. No eggs. No dairy. Vegan. [Ed. note: Vegan? Chocolate cake? Is this allowed?] Why yes! Yes it is. In fact, because of the olive oil it's so incredibly moist, with a deep dark-chocolate flavor, it made me swoon. [Ed. note: Taking notes.]

This has been called a Wacky cake or Depression Cake (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depression_cake), as during those years milk, sugar, butter and eggs were either expensive or scarce. Now my love of cake-making with oil instead of butter runs deep. I have baked many a cake with grapeseed or canola oils (both flavorless), but this was my first foray into using olive oil. The result is a far more moist dessert that keeps exceptionally well. Deb of Smitten Kitchen says, "On day four in the fridge, ours was as moist as day one, basically a miracle."

Using olive oil, for some strange reason, just never seemed right. I think of olive oil as being savory, but I was wrong. It truly works here.

NOTES:

The cake base is vegan. The glaze is vegan if you use dairy-free chocolate chips. I made it with regular chocolate chips as that is what I had on hand.
I doubled the amount of glaze as I wanted the whole cake to be covered not just the top.
Cake keeps in the fridge for up to one week!
When measuring your unsweetened cocoa, highly recommend weighing it on a scale or fill your measuring cup by using a spoon. Do not use your measuring cup to scoop with or you'll use far too much cocoa powder and that will result in a very dry, chalky cake.

Adapted from: Smitten Kitchen
Number of Servings; 8-12

Ingredients
Cake

1 ½ cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (60 grams) unsweetened cocoa, any variety, sifted if lumpy (NOTE: Do not scoop with your measuring cup. First aerate with a spoon and then fill measuring cup with a spoon and level off with a knife.)-Can use natural or Dutched cocoa. I used Dutched. Try to use something dark.
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
¾ cup (145 grams) dark brown sugar
½ cup (120 ml) olive oil
1 ½ cups (355 ml) water or coffee (coffee was used here)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) cider vinegar or white vinegar

Glaze (this amount will make a nice glaze for the top of your cake. If you want the whole cake covered-double this amount.)

¾ cup (135 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons (10 grams) cocoa powder
3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
1 tablespoon (20 grams) light corn syrup (for shine)
A pinch or two of flaky sea salt

Directions
Cake

Heat oven to 350 °F. Line bottom of 9-inch round cake pan with a fitted round of parchment paper and coat the bottoms and sides with nonstick cooking spray.
Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and granulated sugar in the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Add brown sugar and olive oil, and whisk to combine. Add water and vinegar, whisk until smooth.
Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes (don't overbake!), or until top is springy and a tester inserted in the center comes out with just a few sticky crumbs (but not wet or loose batter). Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then cut around it with a knife to ensure it is loosened, and flip it out onto a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.

Glaze

Combine chocolate, cocoa powder, olive oil, corn syrup, and salt in a medium bowl and microwave to melt, in 15-30 second increments, stirring between each until just melted.
Whisk until smooth. Pour over completely cooled cake and use spatula to gently nudge it down the sides.
Cake keeps at room temperature [Ed. note: ROOM TEMPERATURE] for 2-3 days and up to a week in the fridge.

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Shrimp & Sausage Gumbo with Collard & Mustard Greens

3/8/2019

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Just because Mardi Gras may have passed, doesn't mean it's not too late to serve this light, brothy, hearty and incredibly flavorful gumbo. (In our household, Mardi Gras-month is always a time for celebrating everything New Orleans.) Adapted from a recipe the great Emeril Lagasse published in a dog-eared copy of the September, 1994 issue of Bon Appetit.

New Orleans is, hands down, an all-time favorite city for me and the BF. Incredible food, history, architecture and music [Ed. note: Tipitina's, represent!] everywhere you step. We never, ever tire of that city, and are lucky to have visited at all different times of the year. We also can't leave until we've had a bowl of gumbo...somewhere. A few of my favorite places to enjoy the staple are Dooky Chase Restaurant, Galatoire's and Nola's.

Come to think of it, it's been many years since the BF and I have been. Perhaps we need to head back soon? [Ed. note: Do not tease!]

NOTES:

This is not a thick roux-based gumbo. In fact, it contains no flour at all. It's lighter and brothy, which is why I love it so much.
This recipe makes a ton of gumbo. Personally, I half the recipe for the two of us and it produces a perfect four servings, enough for dinner for two nights. Alternatively, you can make the full amount and freeze half, or host a dinner party. This is a great to do as you can make it in advance (sans shrimp and greens).
Watch the salt!
Allergic to shrimp? Leave it out.

A small sampling of my vast voodoo doll collection.

Until next year, Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Adapted from: Bon Appetit, September 1994
Number of servings: 8

Ingredients
Stage I

3 quarts water
4 8-ounce bottles clam juice
1 ¼ pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled, de-veined, shells reserved

Stage II

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ andouille sausage or other fully cooked smoked sausage (such as pork or turkey kielbasa), sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds
¾ cup chopped onion
2 red bell peppers, chopped
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried or fresh thyme
1 teaspoon (or more) hot pepper sauce

Stage III

1 bunch collard greens, stemmed, coarsely shopped (about 4 cups)
1 bunch mustard greens, stemmed, coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
3 tablespoons filé powder (a powder made from ground sassafras leaves)

For Serving

Cooked rice (optional)
Chopped green onions

Directions

Boil water, clam juice and reserved shrimp shells in large saucepan 15 minutes. Strain stock and reserve.
Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over high heat. Add sausage and sauté 1 minute. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, thyme, hot pepper sauce and reserved stock. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes. (NOTE: can be prepared a day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.)
Add all greens to soup; simmer until wilted but still bright green, about 2 minutes. Add shrimp; simmer until just tender, about 2 minutes longer. Turn off heat. Mix in filé powder. Season to taste with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce. (NOTE: watch the salt.)
Mound large spoonful of cooked rice in center of each large shallow soup bowl. Ladle gumbo over. Garnish with green onions and serve.

PS: A year ago chocolate and peanut butter squared off and clashed in a titanic battle for the ages (www.moveablefeast.me/blog/chocolate-peanut-butter-tart), then there was an attempt to make up for that dessert bomb with some roasted shrimp and asparagus with shallot lemon vinaigrette (www.moveablefeast.me/blog/shrimp-asparagus-with-shallot-lemon-vinaigrette).

PPS: "Iko Iko" is one of my favorite songs, takes me right back to New Orleans.

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Roasted Tri-Color Fingerlings & Chimichurri Sauce

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake (Vegan)

Shrimp & Sausage Gumbo with Collard & Mustard Greens

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