A Seriously Surprising "Pizza"

Basil Butterflies optional!

Society Hill neighbor, Alex, offered up this exotic Zucchini "Pizza."  Alex, who is a mother of three young children, is passionate about good food and likes to entice her children to enjoy veggies when she can.  This creative recipe was originally from the Moosewood Cookbook - a vegetarian bible from the 1960s and one of the first of its kind to introduce the American public to exotica such as hummus and tabbouleh.  (The books are still going strong; Amazon offers about15 different Moosewood Restaurant cookbooks...)

Alex explains: "I switched it up a bit. I actually would not call this pizza - but rather a pizza frittata or a zucchini 'pasta'. I made this a few days ago and the comments at the dinner table ranged from Chloe who said "it's so cheesy, the sauce is awesome and the crust is perfect"; Charlie said "can I have some more..?" and Liam's contribution which was simply "-licious" ( Liam-ese for delicious). My recipe is as follows:"

Pizza/frittata

3.5 c coarsely-grated zucchini (about 2 large)
3 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated mozzarella
1 T fresh basil, minced or 1/2 t dried
salt and pepper

1/2 box strained POMI tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

optional toppings -  let the kids customize their own!

mushrooms

leeks

roasted red peppers

broccoli

spinach

ANYTHING!

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350. Grate the zucchini, salt them lightly, let them sit, then strain out excess moisture. Don't skimp on this step as soggy crust is the result! Combine all the ingredients through the Parmesan cheese, and spread mixture onto oiled 9 x 13 pan. Bake 20-25 minutes (until the surface is dry and firm). Then brush the top with oil and broil it, under moderate heat for 5 minutes.

While cooking - drizzle olive oil into pan and heat. When heated add chopped garlic then the strained tomatoes. Season as desired with salt and pepper or the herbs of your choice. Top 'crust' with tomato sauce and the toppings of your choice, then put the pan back in the 350 oven for another 25 minutes. 

Caesar Salad, Fit for an Emperor

As we're talking spring and salads, I figured I ought to share my go-to.  Caesar is my standby salad for a crowd.  Everyone loves it, the ingredient list is simple and generally on hand in my kitchen,  and it pairs well with a wide variety of main courses.

The history of this salad is nearly as contentious as its namesake.  (But you don't get to rule the Roman Empire by agreeing with people.)  Some food historians credit Cesare Cardini, a restaurateur in Tijuana, Mexico for concocting the salad during a busy weekend in 1924 when supplies ran low.  He mixed it tableside to add to the flair (and distract the customers from the fact that the salad contained few ingredients and the regular menu was largely unavailable.)  Others claim that Cardini's business partner, Paul Maggiora invented the concoction for a group of US servicemen in 1927 and called it "aviator salad" after the first tasters.  Still others set the origins of Caesar Salad in Chicago.  They claim that in 1903 Giacomo Junia, the owner of a small Italian pizza and pasta restaurant mixed up the salad and named it after Julius Caesar, whom he considered to be 'the greatest Italian of all time.'    Thank you History of Food for this info.

Regardless of who invented it, I say, "Grazie'.  Here's my version, with a nod to Giacomo, Paul, and Caesare.

Crispy Romaine from Iovines at the Market

Philly Food Lovers Caesar Salad
Serves 6

1 large head Romaine Lettuce

For dressing:
1/4 c fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp mustard
1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
fresh ground pepper to taste (I use a lot)
Rinse, dry, and tear romaine lettuce.
mix all ingredients and shake well.

For croutons:
2 cups cubed italian or french bread
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt/pepper/garlic powder or your favorite seasoned salt blend
Toss bread with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with seasonings.  Spread on rimmed cookie sheet and bake at 425 til they are toasted--stir occasionally as necessary so they cook evenly and don't burn.  Do these ahead so they are completely cool.

1 hunk parmesan cheese- thinly slice rectangles of parmesan cheese (use cheese slicer or vegetable peeler); figure 2 slices per serving.

Toss lettuce with croutons, top with dressing and toss again.  Top with sliced cheese and serve.

Speaking of Caesar, here's an irreverent view, courtesy of Mel Brooks, of Caesar's palace....

Ducks Win for Once!

Why do ducks get such bad press?

Think of a "sitting duck"..a witless loser standing in the line of fire...or "out for a duck"...a quaint expression in the English game of Cricket for yet another loser who gets bowled out without scoring a single wicket..or even Daffy Duck who is invariably cast as a bad-tempered sore loser.

Instead of compounding this negativity, we come to praise this tasty bird.

Ducks are fantastic -- nutritionally speaking. If you discard the uber greasy skin and thick layer of fat, the duck meat itself is comparable to both chicken and turkey in terms of its nutritional composition and to our mind it is waaay tastier.  Peking duck is an exception, but that's special occasion food (being deep fried); it's just too much of a temptation to discard the crispy skin 'cos it's the best part of this particular duckfest!

The following recipe is almost healthy...it is a duck salad, after all.

Ingredients:
2  6oz duck breasts

(For the marinade)
2  tbsp soy sauce
1  tbsp chilli garlic sauce
1  tsp toasted sesame oil
1  tsp honey
1 heaped tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder
1  tsp toasted sesame seeds

Whisk all the above ingredients together and then marinade duck breasts for 10-12 hours or better still overnight.

The Supporting Cast for the Duck - Asian Salad

Salad Ingredients:
Plated up salad greens, preferably including Asian greens such as bok choy, scallions, peppery daikon or regular radish...also tomatoes look pretty and we like to throw in crunchy nuts such as pistachios or pecans.

How to Cook the Duck:
If you're feeling virtuous you can discard the skin and fat - this makes the dish a much healthier option. On a 6oz breast, for example, the skin and fat probably accounts for about 2oz of the total weight of the breast. If you want to be naughty and indulgent, cut off the skin and fat and then fry this fat to render it down and obtain duck fat in which to lightly sear your duck breast. It does taste better... (otherwise use far healthier olive oil or wok oil.)

This is a quick and easy meal to rustle up.

Sear duck in skillet in rendered fat or wok oil 3-4 minutes.  Flip, then sear the other side for 3-4 minutes.  It's important not to overcook duck..the breast itself continues cooking once you remove from the heat so err on the side of caution.  We like our duck pink; others preferred it cooked through.  So you decide. 

Once meat has cooled slightly, slice thinly and lay atop of the plated salad.  Scatter over a few more toasted sesame seeds and add a dressing of your choice.  For dressing, we recommend this wonderful recipe from our friend Jessie Burns for Ginger Miso dressing, a Philly Food Lovers staple these days.  If you don't feel like making a dressing....duck marries well with most soft fruit flavors, so look out for ready made berry-based dressings, or balsamic vinaigrette with a tinge of sweetness.

Dish serves two as a main. 

Fancy Duck Salad: If you want to dress this up and perhaps serve as a starter at a dinner party then you can do some impressive tricks with egg noodles. To explain...make up packet of egg noodles according to instructions. Once cooked, remove from heat and run them under cold running water to stop then overcooking. Drain well. Heat 1 tbsp wok oil in frypan until smoking hot..you will need about 1 inch of oil in total. Carefully drop noodles into frypan. (It's best to use chopsticks to do this.)  The general idea is to create a flat nest of noodles on which to cradle your salad and duck. As the noodles fry they stick together and look like a piece of artwork!   Drain these noodles on a kitchen towel and leave to cool. When cold, the noodles can be used as a plate almost on which you stack up salad greens and display your dazzling duck.

Spring Comes Early to the Market...



Spring Daffodils Blaze Forth at the 2011 Flower Show



Step into Spring early...by enjoying the new produce that is beginning to appear on the shelves at the Reading Terminal Market.

Animated by the inspirational Philadelphia Flower Show, we scouted around for all things green (and purple and red!), and interviewed the new chef at Molly Malloys the soon-to-be-unveiled new gastro-pub at the Market to get his spin on Spring food trends.

A universal comment from a number of chefs and produce merchants we spoke to,is that one of the best things about Spring is the welcome appearance of local Jersey and PA-grown produce.  This is good news for all because it means cheaper veggies!

One of the items missing from menus for many a Winter month is the eggplant.  According to Chef Bobby Fisher at Molly Malloy's: "Eggplant is just too expensive right now.  It's flown in from Mexico and it's been a bad growing season.  We can't wait for the Jersey eggplants to come in."  Not only is the eggplant a good looking veggie, it is also extremely versatile and grounds many a dish, including Moussaka and Vegetarian Lasagne (if you're trying to avoid carbs, then you can slice the eggplant thicker than usual, layer these slices between the Bechamel and other veggies and replace the lasagne pasta sheets altogether.)  It works, honest.

This artful array of purple and green (check out those two-tone string beans!) was snapped at Iovines -- the bounty of their produce is a sight for sore eyes during these long, cold months. 

For those in the know, Iovines produce will shortly be appearing on the menu at a brand new gastro-pub which will open at the Market, as a replacement to The Beer Garden.  More details to follow in a later post...

Needless to say, we nabbed the new chef who is designing an artisanal menu based on the Farm to Table concept, working directly with local meat producers and farmers to source local organic ingredients for the pub.  The full scoop will be shared in a later post, but for now, suffice to say, the pub will feature local craft beers, including Keri's favorite (Victory Golden Monkey) and will of course sell Guinness and other specialty Irish brews.

Over the next two weeks, we'll be focusing on veggies, salads and new produce at the Market.  Look out for recipes for Claire's Duck Salad, Fish Salad, advice on how to choose the best cuts of beef for beef salad, Keri's Caesar Salad , and a startingly novel recipe for Zucchini Pizza (we are always on the look out for ways to entice kiddiewinkles to eat more greens!)

Munch on...

Saint Jack McDavid?

Jack McDavid, in a rare still moment, enjoying a Coke at his Down Home Diner

With all this talk of the March saints (Patrick and Joseph), and our theme of charity, we got to thinking about some folks in our midst who do an awful lot to help their fellow man. As our focus is food, we naturally gravitated toward people who operate in this arena.   And the name that kept coming up was none other than Down Home Diner's award-winning chef Jack McDavid.   

A small sample of the  barbecue awards (including many charity cook-offs)
won by Jack over the years

Not satisfied with merely producing award-winning food, Jack has always felt the desire to give back.   "I grew up on a dirt farm in back-country Virginia and we didn't have much.  But we were always taught to give what we could to help others."

Jack clearly learned this lesson well.

He launched a massive fundraising dinner for "Meals-on-Wheels" delivery program to bring healthy, wholesome food to shut-ins.  He also was instrumental in launching the Manna Thanksgiving Pie In The Sky program in 1996, which raises funds for people who are homebound due to critical illness.  With the help of  Jack and many others, Pie in the Sky has become an annual fundraiser, raising over $226,000 in 2010 alone.

For the last 20 years, Jack has also been a central figure in the "Party with a Purpose".  This  annual benefit is held in conjunction with the Super Bowl and brings celebrity chefs together to raise money for various hunger relief organizations.    This year they raised over $1 million. Whether Jack danced with Fergie at halftime remains a mystery.

Jack continues to support AIDS-related causes as well, in honor of a former waiter and manager who died of the disease.  He is an active participant in Chef-AID, an annual dinner which supports AIDS research and provides assistance to those afflicted with the illness.

In 2011, Jack will continue focusing on these and other charities, including:  fire prevention; breast cancer; youth programs and hunger relief.

Ok, so maybe he's not a saint, but he's surely an example for us all to follow in terms of generosity, charity, and helping others.


 Post brought to you by Down Home Diner.

A Saintly Pastry...

Christ with St Joseph in his workshop by Sir John Everett Millais

St Joseph earned his position as a Saint in the Catholic Church because he was chosen to be the foster-father of Jesus and husband to the Blessed Virgin Mary.  He was first celebrated by the Copts, the ancient church of the East which was founded in Egypt, way back in the 4th Century, but gained in popularity over successive centuries.  The Carmelite Order of Nuns, for example, chose him as their patron during the c17th, and during the c19th he become one of the most popular Saints, especially amongst the working classes, because he was a lowly but just and hard-working carpenter.  His official Saints Day now falls on March 19th -- today!

Italians mark his feast day with a rather special pastry from Sicily, known as a St Joseph's cake, but more often referred to as Zeppoles.  These cakes are a cross between a cream puff and donut and are utterly delicious.  Termini Bros at the Reading Terminal Market has them on sale for most of the month of March.  If you're feeling adventurous and fancy making your own, we found this recipe for Zeppoles online. (Thanks to http://www.cook-italian.com/)

To round out an Italian feast honoring St. Joseph--or just because--hit By George in the Market.  They offer a staggering array of prepared Italian dishes and fresh pasta cut to order.

Happy St. Joseph's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Philadelphia's Irish Memorial, located at Front & Chestnut Sts.

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17 around the world in honor of Ireland's patron saint.     March 17 marks the day that St. Patrick died, which is not terribly festive, but the paperwork dating back to a then-obsure British baby boy born in 387 C.E. is not particularly reliable.  If they'd known he would grow up to be a prominent Irish bishop and achieve canonization, doubtless they would have kept better records.  In Ireland, the day is a both a solemn one, commemorated as a holy day of obligation as well as a festive celebration.  Outside of Ireland, people generally dispense with the obligation part.

Philly may not dye its river green like Chicago,


but it certainly has plenty of St. Patrick's Day spirit.  Irish pubs abound in this town, the Parade is always a good time, and the Hibernian spirit is alive and well here in the City of Brotherly Love.

True confession:  I was nearly arrested last St. Patrick's Day last year on my way to a family party--I was carrying a beer as I walked to my friend's house a couple of blocks away.  An officer of the law stopped me, and informed me that I was not permitted to walk around with an open container.  I looked skeptical, and more importantly, did not want to surrender my Victory Golden Monkey Ale. I said, "Nonsense, I am a Mother on my way to a family party in my neighborhood."   He said, (quite politely, I must admit) "Ma'am, you are going to have to get rid of the bottle or I am going to have to cite you for violating the law."  I said, "But they aren't going to have beer this good at the party!".  He said, "Well, you can drink it all now, I guess."   He really was an incredibly decent chap.  I took a couple of healthy swigs and reluctantly deposited the bottle in the trash.  My husband pretended not to know me and my kids gawked.

But good beer aside, we Philly Food Lovers are not terribly interested in the parades or pub crawls. Rather, our focus is on the food.

Having grown up in an Irish-American household, corned beef on St. Patrick's Day was an absolute, and it continues to grace my table every year.   I'll be picking up the fixings for this annual feast at Reading Terminal Market.  If only Molly Malloy's were opened this week, I could start my own little celebration while provisioning.  (More to come on this gastro pub, which will be opening soon in Reading Terminal Market's Beer Garden, a welcome addition indeed.)

The food that we've discovered which seems to be truly unique to Philly and its observance of St. Patrick's Day is the Irish Potato (the candy, not the tuber).  These oh-so-sweet coconut infused confections are relatively easy to make, recipe here.  But if you prefer to leave it to the pros, head to the PA General Store.  They keep Irish Potatoes in stock year round.

Irish or not, we wish you a Happy St. Patrick's Day--and advise you to keep the open containers off the streets!