Apricot Mostarda & Spiralized Hotdogs

June 12, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

While we’re talking about grilling, I have a confession to make: even with all the backlash against processed food I still love a hot dog once in a while. There. I said it. For me they’re still a salty, ketchup & mustard-slathered taste of summer in the backyard, and while I wouldn’t eat one every day – everything in moderation – there are times when a hotdog really hits the spot.

Especially, I might add, when you’ve dressed them up and transformed them into something borderline grown-up with a unique preparation and a delicious sauce like this Apricot Mostarda. The June issue of Food & Wine magazine is my source, and it probably reveals something when the simplest, most down-home recipe in a magazine full of lush, gorgeous, elegant options is the one I immediately gravitated to.

It might have something to do with the accessibility of the ingredients – I literally had every, single item for the sauce in my pantry already, which meant all I had to do was pick up a package of hotdogs and hunt down some Martin’s potato rolls. I will also admit that the idea of “spiralizing” a hotdog when everyone else is preparing cascades of luminously green zucchini pasta appeals to my sense of humor (video demo here.) So, thanks for that Food & Wine!

Apricot Mostarda (yield: 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 cup (6 ounces) diced dried apricots
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons (1 medium) finely minced shallot
1 1/2 teaspoons (1 clove) finely minced garlic
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt

Instructions:
In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, apricots, sugar, shallot and garlic and bring to a boil.

Simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the apricots are soft and coated in a light syrup, about 7 to 10 minutes. The liquid will reduce and the consistency should be flowing, but thick - think somewhere between honey and salsa.

Stir in both mustards and season with salt to taste. Let cool completely. Stir in tablespoons of water before serving if the mostarda is too thick.

Slightly rewritten from Food & Wine magazine’s Dried Apricot Mostarda by Justin Chapple.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Oh, yes! I used a small sauce pan, medium cutting board, chef’s knife, liquid measuring cup, measuring spoons and a rubber spatula. A clean jam jar makes a great storage vessel. For the hotdogs I also needed a long bamboo skewer, 8” cast iron pan, and since I wanted to toast the potato rolls, a butter knife and a baking sheet.

The Verdict:
In all seriousness, the Apricot Mostarda is delicious - lightly sweet, zippy with vinegar, and just a little spicy - trust me when I say that I am already plotting other foods to pair it with as alternate to chutney. The apricot pieces and whole grain mustard add beautiful texture, and in this case it’s perfect with the savory hotdog and fluffy potato rolls. I also am converted to spiralizing my hotdogs (or sausages, as the spirit moves you) they cook more quickly and all those little notches capture toppings perfectly.

Tequila Citrus Chicken

June 10, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Each week I follow along with Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa) and attempt to recreate one of her dishes in my tiny New York City kitchen. The catch? This is my version of cooking school and I’m making these recipes for the first time. I’ll share both my successes and um, challenges, along the way and we’ll see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Welcome to Town”

The Set-up: Ina is helping her new employee Lidey throw a housewarming party.

The Menu: Tequila Citrus Chicken, Roasted Summer Vegetables, Corn and Avocado Salad

0:37 – Ina heard the word “party” and immediately sprang into action, boiling pots of corn on the cob. Has anyone ever had their boss cater a party for them?

1:24 – The corn is for Corn and Avocado Salad, which sounds like a perfect summery side.

2:01 – Ina recommends using fresh corn on the cob instead of frozen and while I’m all for shortcuts, I agree 100% that even the best packaged corn just doesn’t taste the same.

3:25 – Over to Lidey doing some shopping based on Ina’s Pro Tip #1: get props for the buffet table that are multi-functional (ie. a glass pitcher used as a vase, or kitchen towels for napkins.)

4:32 – Because Ina is a mastermind of new employee on-the-job training the theme of the food is “Local.” That way Lidey will familiarize herself with the local purveyors, including Amber Waves Farm. Brilliant.

5:46 – The Corn and Avocado Salad has been assembled and dressed with a spicy lime-based vinaigrette, and I’m getting a mild Tex Mex-ish vibe from the menu.

9:59 – We get a quick overview of the Roasted Summer Vegetables (bell peppers, zucchini, onions, and fennel) before it’s time to plate them up.

10:20 – Pro-Tip #2: Create a more dramatic platter by grouping each kind of vegetable together in big blocks of color.

11:33 – Ina says it’s better to have more than just the three main dishes on a table, so Lidey is deployed to Cavaniola’s cheese shop in Sag Harbor for supplementary items.

12:18 – While Lidey picks up the cheese she also gets a brief lesson in how to put together a well-balanced cheese board. Pro Tip #3: Select a mix of textures, colors and flavors keeping the options to about 3 or 4 cheeses.

13:29 – Pro Tip #4: Fill in the cheese board with complimentary crackers, dried fruit, and garnish with herbs for color. I personally also like a little dish of honey or preserves, and a small pile of toasted almonds or other nuts. Yum!

14:44 – Onward to the main course and Ina is making Tequila Citrus Chicken on the grill. Naturally the chicken is locally raised at Iacono Farms.

15:02 – Ina confirms my suspicions that this is a Tex Mex oriented meal and with the amount of tequila in the marinade I’m surprised this isn’t entitled “Senor Frog’s Chicken” hello spring break!

19:16 – Chicken is such a tricky thing to cook on the grill – too long and it’s a charred lump, too short and face the risk of an unsavory pink center. Ina says skin side down for 5 minutes, turn and then 10 more minutes. Let’s hope she’s right!

20:57 – Over to Lidey’s to set up for the party and I was seriously bracing myself for some sort of ocean front palace; I’m relieved to discover that her “cottage” actually is a teensy little house.

21:40 – We proceed into our crash-course on Catering 101. First Lesson: Tequila Citrus Chicken looks prettier on a platter when it’s placed on hydrangea leaves and layered with thin slices of lemon.

22:35 – Second Lesson: give the table some height variation by putting some of the platters on over turned bowls. Instant “footed” servers!

27:23 – Third Lesson: don’t try to make everything. Suggest abundance by buying the dessert – cookies, bars, biscotti – and layering different shapes and textures on one plate. Fill in with some strawberries and hydrangea leaves.

28:16 – Lidey seems a little overwhelmed by the whirlwind of Ina’s advice, but manages to remember her three final tasks: light candles, chill wine, unwrap cheese. Apparently she’s supposed to pass this all off as her handy work? Cite your sources, Lidey!

29:42 – The party is underway and after a suitable time of hoovering up the buffet and scheming summer plans Lidey’s friends decide that a toast is in order. Success!

Final Thoughts:
We’ve seen a lot of these entertaining tips before, but I still get overly ambitious so a refresher course is probably necessary.

Is anyone else seriously jealous of Lidey landing a job with the Barefoot Contessa? Be still my heart!

Let’s also admit that Ina totally bogarted this housewarming party by turning it into a professional project. Sorry Lidey, no takeout pizza and bowls of chips for you!

Lessons Learned:
Ina’s Tequila Citrus Chicken is a classic and with the number of variations I found online you could make a new version of citrus marinated chicken everyday for months. Here’s what I learned from the original:

Boneless, Skin-On Chicken – This cut doesn’t exist in any grocery store I’ve ever visited. Skinless, boneless chicken breast is ubiquitous. Whole chicken breasts are a little trickier, but still usually available. This presents two options: see if the butcher counter will de-bone the whole pieces, or attempt to do it yourself. I don’t mind being pretty “hands-on” in the kitchen; a little practice and a sharp knife make the second option do-able if you’re not too squeamish. That said it’s a little groady, so to help Future Me, I’ll often do a few extra, put them in ziplock freezer bags, and label with the date and quantity. (ie. 5/30 - 4 boneless, skin on chicken breasts)

Marinating – One of my constant pitfalls in cooking is defrosting. I’ll have chicken in the freezer (see above), but since I forgot to move it to the fridge it’s still a solid block when I’m ready to cook. I can’t tell you how many “replacement” packages of chicken I’ve bought when failure to plan strikes. This recipe doesn’t exactly solve that problem, but it can at least make defrosting work in your favor. I store my frozen meats in plastic ziplock bags, which makes it easy to mix up the ingredients for the marinade in a measuring cup, add them to the bag, and by the time the chicken is fully defrosted it’s been marinated too. Ta-dah! Turn the bag over periodically to make sure the chicken has even contact with the marinade.

Grilling – Since I’m cooking in an apartment I used my cast iron grill pan instead of a Weber. Just like getting the coals hot on a regular grill, I pre-heated the pan over medium-high heat and brushed it generously with vegetable oil before putting the chicken on. Skin side down first, on the diagonal if you want those cool looking grill marks, then turn to the meat side. When it's done it should be fairly easy to turn and won't stick very much when it’s time to come off.

Cooking Time – Ina’s time was about right, but since I had limited space I put the larger pieces on first, then finished them in the oven on 350 degrees while the second batch cooked. Use a meat thermometer to save your sanity.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, but make sure that kitchen is well ventilated! I used a double-burner cast iron grill pan (specifically this one from Lodge), a chef’s knife, medium cutting board, liquid measuring cup, measuring spoons, and sturdy long-handled tongs. A ziplock bag inside a flat bottomed food storage container, or a non-reactive dish will protect your refrigerator from contamination and make it easy to flip and ensure even marinating.

The Verdict:
I made Tequila Citrus Chicken for Mike and I as a weeknight dinner and there’s a lot to recommend it. First, the hands-on cooking time adds up to about 30 minutes if you have to grill in batches, even less if you have plenty of grill space. Second, the flavor is bright and spicy – perfect for summer. Third – it can be served hot, cold, whole, diced in a salad, or sliced in strips for a taco, which makes this the sort of dish where extras are definitely welcome. Despite the heavy dose of cayenne and jalapenos it’s not overly spicy and the base of tequila and lime juice make it bright, which balances nicely against the smoky bitterness the grill adds. A solid base for many many summer dinners.

Mustard Marinated Flank Steak

August 21, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

As inspiration for more adventurous culinary efforts I’m following along with Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa, in my tiny New York kitchen. Let’s see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Barbeques and Bouquets”

The Set-up: Ina and her friend Antonia are swapping expertise – I’ll let you guess which one is doing barbeques and which one is doing bouquets.

The Menu: Easy Gazpacho with Goat Cheese Croutons, Mustard Marinated Flank Steak, Sicilian Grilled Swordfish

0:51 – First, up: Easy Gazpacho with Goat Cheese Croutons and Ina is dicing vegetables.

1:39 – This recipe does seem very easy. So far the process consists of Step 1. Make vegetables small with a knife. Step 2. Make vegetables really small with a food processor.

2:18 – Next, Step 3. Whisk the very small vegetables with seasonings.

3:03 – Finally, Step 4. Let the tiny, seasoned vegetables think about what they’ve done and grow in power.

4:22 – We take a break from our vegetable processing to see what Antonia is up to in the flower world. (Spoiler alert: she’ll be teaching Ina about making bouquets.)

4:46 – If Ina’s love of orange tulips and blue muscari has infiltrated even the most obscure Hamptons florist shops how has Antonia, alleged dear friend, escaped knowing this key piece of trivia? Time for a new BFF I think… (Call me!)

5:34 – Back with Ina to make crouton toppers for the gazpacho. Here the ‘crouton’ does not refer to a seasoned cube of bread a la Caesar salad, but a slice of baguette broiled to crisp perfection and schmeared with goat cheese. Yum.

6:51 – Ina puts the finishing touches on the soup as Antonia arrives with half the flower shop in her arms. They toast (pun not originally intended) with their soup and croutons.

11:09 – Time for the Barbecue part of the episode as kicked off by Antonia opening a bottle of white wine in prep for the Mustard Marinated Flank Steak. You have my full attention.

11:38 – Ina has two Pro Tips for us. #1: Scoring the top of the flank steak in a criss-cross pattern allows the marinade to absorb better. #2: mix the marinade right in the measuring cup.

12:22 – We learn that Antonia lives on Cape Cod now and has a tendency to follow her nose Yogi Bear-style to the backyard of anyone grilling which does sound like a good strategy for garnering invitations.

13:43 – Off to the grill! Pro Tip #3: Brush the grill with a little olive oil to keep the meat from sticking. Also, according to Antonia “It’s not a party unless something catches on fire.” Keep that in mind if you’ve invited her to dinner…

14:19 – Pro Tip #4: Always allow the meat to rest (10-15 minutes) before slicing to allow the juices to come back in. We don’t see the results, but I’ve decided to trust her that it will be “perfectly medium rare.”

19:34 – Last grilling recipe: Sicilian Grilled Swordfish in honor of Antonia’s Italian ancestry. This one is a little different – the marinade goes on after the fish is cooked. Again, extending trust here.

20:06 – Antonia is supposed to be making the marinade, but the swordfish filets are fairly thin (1/2” or so) and I can hear the panic Ina’s voice that they’ll be cooked before she finishes. There’s no time for explanations!

20:41 – “She wields a mean whisk.” One of my favorite Ina quotes.

21:25 – The swordfish is off the grill and the marinade is finished (whew!) Ina uses a fork to poke small holes in the filets, then pours the marinade over the top and wraps the plate in foil. I’ve never seen that technique before, but it’s similar to the flank steak trick we learned earlier.

26:17 – Onward with Act 2: Bouquets. Antonia will be guiding us through how to create an old-fashioned ‘nosegay’ aka: a small portable bouquet.

27:38 – Step 1: make a layer of flat green leaves to give the flowers a background and to cover the stems. Cut long stemmed flowers quite short so that the blooms are closer together.

28:22 – Step 2: put in a base of Flower #1 (Ina and Antonia started with the larger orange tulips) then fill in with small groupings of the contrasting Flower #2 (smaller blue muscari), and finally add a different texture with Flower #3 (orange star of jerusalem) choose something in the same color palette as Flower #1.

29:53 – Step 3: wrap that bouquet up with florist wire and/or tape and cut the ends to the right length. Step 4: pretend you’re bridesmaids and hum the “Wedding March.” Step 5: realize you’re wearing the same outfit too….

Final Thoughts:

I never thought of putting a marinade on after the meat is already cooked – I want to try that some time.

Antonia’s bouquet lesson was really helpful; great tips!

I would happily buy a French blue shirt and join Ina and Antonia’s ‘bridal party.’

Lessons Learned:

In May or June all my cooking magazines start talking about all these great recipes to make on the grill, but with a 12th story apartment, no terrace and definitely no backyard I’ve been left to live vicariously through photos. I decided to make a first attempt at what I’ll call “urban grilling” with the Mustard Marinated Flank Steak and the purchase of a Lodge cast iron grill pan.

The recipe itself is very easy to follow; if you can chop garlic and shallots and measure wine, olive oil and mustard you’re already half done. The tricky part is the grilling, but Ina was right on with her timing. I pre-heated the grill pan for a few minutes until it was hot, cooked each side for exactly 5 minutes, rested for 10 minutes under foil and the meat was hot and red in the center (medium-rare.) If you like beef cooked a little more then add a minute or so to the cooking time and check with a meat thermometer.

One final point: with the exception of the marinating time (I left mine overnight in the refrigerator) – the prep and cooking take no more than 30 minutes of hands on time. FAST.

Small Kitchen Friendly?

Yes, without question. I used one glass casserole dish (to marinate the steak in), one liquid measuring cup, a small cutting board, a cast iron grill pan, tongs, whisk, and chef’s knife.

The Verdict:

Let’s be honest, short of burning the meat to a crisp or waaay over seasoning it steak will always be a hit in the Messersmith household, so it’s no surprise that we both really liked Mustard Marinated Flank Steak. The flavor of the mustard in the marinade comes through, but not so strongly that it masks the beef, and the grill pan did a great job of imparting caramelized sear – don’t forget to pre-heat! It probably would be a bit better with a little charcoal smoke from a real grill, but if your outdoor space is exactly zero this works pretty darn well.