Jamie Oliver, the hip, British chef who has a reality show set in Huntington, WV, has brought the topic of what we eat into the mainstream. Oliver is saying what chef Alice Waters has said for 40 years and what writer Michael Pollan has said for a decade: Eat real food. I agree.
Whether you choose one of our large grocery stores or any of our numerous farmers’ markets, here in Arkansas we have wide access to real food. Signage, brochures, info sheets and employees all can be very helpful in educating you about your choices.
Organic is not necessarily “better for you” or more nutritious. The reason to buy organic, or any non-industrial product, is for what is NOT in it. Look for: NO growth hormones, pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, mutated genes, artificial flavors, artificial colors, hydrogenated fats and a long list of chemicals used to extend shelf life. Don’t get tangled up in terminology … natural, organic, grass fed, free-range, all natural, cage-free, local … stay focused on choosing real, fresh and colorful food.
Grilled Chicken with Spinach Pesto
2 boneless chicken breasts
2 cups lightly-packed baby spinach leaves, about 2 ounces
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 to 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
1/3 cup freshly-grated Parmesan
Heat a grill pan on medium-high heat, lightly oil. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper; grill until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
Combine the spinach, pine nuts, lemon juice, and lemon peel in a processor. Lightly pulse. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil, blending until the mixture is creamy. Add salt and pulse. Put half of the pesto into ice cube trays and store in the freezer for future use. Transfer the rest of the spinach mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in the Parmesan. Season the pesto with salt and pepper, to taste. Spread the pesto over each piece of chicken and serve.
Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis, Foodnetwork.com
Bocconcini & Tomatoes
1 pound bocconcini (small mozzarella balls) 1 inch-diameter
2 cups assorted cherry & grape tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Slice the bocconcini and tomatoes in half. Combine in a bowl with oregano, olive oil and pepper. Serves 6 to 8 as an antipasto. Variation: add 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Source: Joanne Weir’s More Cooking in the Wine Country
Southern Italian Ratatouille
3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh, wild or domestic mushrooms
1/2 cup thinly-sliced leek, white part only
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced garlic, divided
1 tablespoon finely-chopped fresh thyme, divided
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1 1/2 cups diced yellow zucchini or crookneck squash
1 1/2 cups diced green zucchini
3/4 cup chopped vine-ripened tomatoes, about 1/2 pound, or 1 14-ounce can
1 cup loosely-packed fresh baby spinach
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sautÉ over medium-high heat until hot. Add the mushrooms and cook, without moving them, until brown on one side, about 1 minute. Stir and continue to sautÉ for another 1 to 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, add the leek, season with salt and pepper, and sautÉ until the leek is soft — but not brown, about 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon garlic, and sautÉ another minute. Add 1 teaspoon thyme and stir. Scrape the vegetables into a large bowl.
In the same pan, heat another 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat until hot. Add the bell pepper, and sautÉ for about 1 minute. Add the squash and zucchini, and cook until they release their water and turn translucent — but have not colored, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Scrape into the bowl with the mushrooms. Spread so that they will cool quickly and retain their color.
Heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in the same sautÉ pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the remaining teaspoon garlic. SautÉ briefly until light colore
d, then add the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, bring to a boil and simmer until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach, and toss until it wilts into the tomatoes. Scrape into the bowl with the other vegetables and stir so the mixture cools a bit. Add basil and Parmesan. Toss until well mixed. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 4. Adapted from The Tra Vigne Cookbook by Michael Chiarello
Summer Grilled Flank Steak “Pittsburgh”
Pittsburgh refers to a style of grilling that almost chars the outside of a steak, but leaves the inside medium rare to rare, depending on your preference. Flank steak is ideal for this owing to the ribbon-like cuts commonly used in the tenderizing process.
Buy your flank steak in whatever size suits your family. Cooking time will vary based on thickness, not overall weight. Flank steak is normally sold tenderized (creating the ribbon cuts along the grain). If your steak has not been tenderized, ask your butcher to put it through the tenderizer.
For the marinade (assumes 2-pound steak):
3 to 4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon prepared mustard, preferably dark & spicy
Whisk all ingredients together until fully emulsified. Put the steak in a glass or other non-reactive pan and marinate for at least four hours, preferably overnight.
To grill: Bring the steak to room temperature, and wash the marinade from the beef. Dry the steak thoroughly. Salt and pepper generously on both sides. Prepare a charcoal fire to the size of the steak and between 2 to 3 briquettes deep. You want the fire to be hot. Clean and oil the grill, and be certain the grill surface has come up to temperature before grilling. Grill directly over the coals for about 5 to 8 minutes on each side, depending on the level of doneness you prefer. The outside should have a flavorful crust and the inside should still be pink.
Let the steak rest for 5 minutes, and then slice thinly at an angle, across the grain. This steak will make knock-your-socks-off steak salad or sandwiches the next day.
Submitted by Barry Goldberg, Little Rock.
