Lunch

Albondigas–Spanish Meatballs (kefta style)

We love visiting my family in Marbella, Spain. Not only do we get to spend a lot of time catching up with my favorite Uncle and family, we also enjoy plenty of sun, sand and amazing food. Generally I am all about the fresh fish and eat as much of it as I can while I am so close to the Mediterranean. I also love the Kefta served at Gurrola, a little cantina in Marbella where my Uncle and his buddies can be found most days around noon. The Kefta at Gurrola is a version of the delicious albondigas or Spanish meatball, cooked in a delicious tomato sauce containing several Moroccan style spices, think cumin, cinnamon, etc. Clearly not fresh fish related at all, but so amazing!

Now I am not going to claim these are exactly the same as the deliciously spicy albondigas at Gurrola, nor can I somehow cook up the atmosphere you would enjoy there, but these are as close as my tastebud memories can take me. And when I take a bite of one of these delicious spicy meatballs and close my eyes I can almost smell the Mediterranean Sea and hear my Uncle chatting it up with his buddies.

These come together rather fast and can absolutely be made up a day or two ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator, or frozen for a couple of months, properly stored.

To make these meatballs I have used grassfed ground beef and/or venison or lamb. The slightly earthier flavor of the grassfed beef (or venison or lamb) add to the authentic flavor of the meatballs, not to mention grassfed beef has so many great health benefits compared to commercial beef.

Step one prepare your sauce so it has time to simmer while you assemble your meatballs. Begin by heating a pan over medium high heat. When your pan is hot drizzle in a tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil (Spanish if you have it). Sauté onion in oil for 5-7 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add garlic and continue to cook for another minute. Now season your onion and garlic with the paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stirring rather constantly cook for an additional couple of minutes giving the spices time to develop. Lastly add tomatoes to pan along with cayenne, cilantro, parsley and bay leaf. Allow to simmer while you prepare your meatballs. If you made your meatballs in advance, allow sauce to simmer for about 15-20 minutes before adding them to the sauce to cook.

For the meatballs, mix all meatball ingredients together with the exception of the water, using your hands. Take care not to overwork the meatballs as this can make them tough. Once the ingredients are well incorporated, roll them into balls about the size of half a golf ball. Place all the meatballs along with the water into the pan and cover. Lower heat to a simmer and allow to simmer for about 45 minutes.

Top with additional fresh cilantro and parsley. Serve warm with lots of crusty bread for sopping up all of that delicious sauce.

Cheers!

Roasted Garlic and Butternut Squash Soup

I am overwhelmed with the beauty of fall. Living in Wisconsin has its pros and cons, I mean I don’t think most people enjoy freezing cold below zero no sun winter days, but fall that is different. It is beautiful! Leaf colors in orange, red, purple…fresh crisp air, apples, pumpkin everything…

Not to mention an abundance of squash. My favorite squash, aside from pumpkin of course is the beautiful butternut squash. On its own it doesn’t need any additional sweetener as long as you respect it. By this I mean roasting. Not steaming or boiling but roasting. This brings out the natural sugars and allows them to concentrate and caramelize. (please forgive my not so perfect picture)

So that is what I did for this velvety soup. It is super quick to put together, that is your active time making it. First cut your squash in half carefully, please don’t sacrifice a finger here. Scrape the seeds out and discard. (Or save them to roast and decorate your soup if you wish). Place squash halves cut side down on cookie sheet and roast in a 400 degree oven for about an hour, I put parchment on my pan to save clean up time later. Meanwhile cut the end off a head of garlic. Put the cut side down in a ramekin or small oven safe bowl and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. When you are 20 minutes from the end of roasting your squash add your ramekin covered with foil to the oven. Your squash and garlic are done when they are golden brown. (I flipped my garlic over for a visual, roast cut side down.)

Remove squash and allow to cool before scraping the sweet flesh from the skin. Squeeze the garlic from the skins into your blender and purée with squash and 2-3 cups of chicken stock (to make it vegetarian/vegan use vegetable stock). I used my homemade stock this time but any stock will work. Purée until smooth. Empty blender into large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Now is the time to adjust your seasoning. Add 1 tablespoon dried sage, 2 teaspoons of dried thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Now swirl in a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to mellow out the sweetness of the squash and roasted garlic, feel free to add more if yours tastes extra sweet. Allow to simmer for about 20 minutes.

When you are ready to serve top each bowl with a good shake of pumpkin pie spice and a small pinch of cayenne. Add a crispy baguette, serve with a fresh salad and your meal is complete!

Cheers!

As a side note, I topped mine with Chèvre (creamy goat cheese), super yummy! This would also be great with any sage seasoned sausage…

Pan Seared Wild Salmon

Sometimes we just need a super quick meal that is healthy and easy to clean up! I love to hear about other peoples go to quick meals, but for some reason when people ask me what my favorite is they are surprised when I say fish. For some making fish seems like a tricky task, but I am here to clear that up for your right now. Yes you can make a much more labor intensive fancy dish with a nice piece of fish, but this fancy and quick dish is no slacker in the taste department, I promise. It is also very flexible, so please feel free to play with the herbs and seasonings you use, this is not set in stone!

Note the abstract design of my rosemary. I just tossed my leaves on after I rubbed the fillets with a little salt and pepper, crushed garlic and extra virgin olive oil. Violà dinner into the pan and on the table 15 minutes later. Please forgive the varying sizes of the fish fillets in my picture, they were getting dangerously low in supply of wild salmon at the fish counter today and I had to have it! If you have the same predicament as me, just pull the smaller fillets from the pan a minute or two sooner than the larger ones.

I usually make close to 2lbs at a time as I have a 3 year old who thinks that he has to eat at least an 8 oz portion or larger when fish is served. I am shaking at the thought of my grocery bill 10 years from now! As this recipe is flexible, you can make an 8 oz portion or 4lbs or more at a time just reduce the amount of oil and herbs.

Now for the cooking part, heat your pan on medium high to high heat for a few minutes to get a nice hot cooking surface. Drizzle in a couple tablespoons of olive oil, and place fillets in pan skin side down for about 6 minutes or until the skin is crispy and has released from the pan. Do not touch the fish during this time. If you try to move it once it is in the pan, before it is done, it will stick and tear.

Once your skin is crispy flip your fillets and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes, depending on thickness. Your goal is to have the salmon slightly undercooked in the center, think a medium to medium well steak. You can go well done, your fish will just be a bit dryer.

Serve on a bed of fresh greens, sliced tomato, cucumber and goat cheese with a drizzle of oil and vinegar, or with your side of choice, and enjoy!

Cheers!

Grilled Braised Beef Chuck Roast

Super excited for todays post! After I made a stop at my local grocery store and grabbed a gorgeous 2# grass-fed beef chuck roast, I stashed it in my refrigerator and began to toss around the possibilities. I could take the easy way out and just throw it in the crock pot, but it is a beautiful weekend and the grill is calling my name. Not to mention as I am super pregnant, the less dishes the better!

So grilling it is! As a side not this can totally be made inside with a stovetop and an oven if you are not into grilling or the weather is not cooperating.

The assembly is super simple. Remove meat from refrigerator and allow to warm up to room temperature or as close to that as you are comfortable with. Trying to sear a super cold piece of meat can be a bit trying. Salt and pepper both sides of meat, sprinkle with some fresh or dried thyme, rub with some extra virgin olive oil and let it sit.

To prepare your grill you are going to need a direct and indirect cooking area. I am a grill purist so I prefer charcoal, but if gas is your choice, hey I am not judging! For charcoal you will need to start your coals and when they are glowing push them all to one side of your grill. For gas, light the outer two regions of your grill leaving the middle one off. (if you only have 2 regions, just light one).

While you are waiting for your grill to heat up, slice up a yellow onion and crush some garlic. Place them into the bottom of a grill safe pan. Disposable aluminum pans work great to avoid the dreaded dishes, but if you don’t like aluminum go for whichever pan you like. Next add in 1 cup of dry red wine, and 1/2 cup of water. For the wine I used petit syrah today, but any red on the dryer side will work. Set this pan aside close to your grill so you can add the meat to the pan once it is seared.

Once your grill is smoking hot and ready, sear your roast for about 3-4 minutes per side, getting a nice sear but not burning your roast. Once both sides have been seared, place meat on top of onions and garlic then top with a fresh rosemary sprig and cover with foil or lid.

Place the pan on the indirect heat area in your grill and turn your grill down by choking the air down a lot on your charcoal. Alternately with gas, just turn it down…You want to maintain a steady temperature around 275-300 degrees fahrenheit, so make sure to keep an eye on your thermometer. Braise roast for 2 hours.

Remove roast from pan and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes. While your meat is resting add 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar to the pan juices and simmer mixture in a shallow pan on the stove to reduce it a little to thicken, this should take about 10 minutes. Add a cup of milk, the fuller fat the creamier your sauce will be, and simmer an additional 2 minutes. (I used coconut milk as we have some lactose issues in our home so feel free to mix it up!).

Slice your beautiful roast and serve with some fresh steamed veggies and roasted potatoes and you will be a hero!

Cheers!

Always choose organic or locally pastured meats whenever possible.

Basic Roasted Tomato Sauce

Are you wondering what to do with all of those fresh beautiful tomatoes that came in your CSA box or are taking over your garden? There is the obvious, slice them into nice thick slices, smother them in olive oil and garlic and top them with sea salt, but you can eat that and make some great sauce too! I have a couple old stand by tomato sauces that I like to make, which can be frozen or used within a few days kept refrigerated. My favorite is roasted tomato sauce, and it couldn’t be easier…

I should mention this recipe is just a guideline use whatever type of tomatoes you have on hand. The carrots I add in for a touch of sweetness so feel free to adjust the amount up or down to your liking.

Slice your tomatoes into halves or quarters, drizzle them with olive oil, add a dash of salt and pepper, throw in some onion and carrot and roast at 400 degrees fahrenheit until nicely carmelized and super delicious (about 2 hours). I also roast a head of garlic separately for about 20 minutes, as you don’t want to eat burnt garlic…well maybe you are into that, and thats okay, but I am definitely not.

Once this is cooled, grab your trusty blender and blend it all together. You may have to blend it in a couple different batches, just mix them together at the end so all the flavors are evened out.

This sauce can be used as a base for whatever you want!

Some ideas…

Grab about 4 cups and…

Drizzle in some heavy cream, top with fresh basil and you have an absolutely beautiful batch of roasted tomato soup.

Add a few teaspoons of your favorite dried herbs, a pinch of red pepper flakes, a cup of vodka and simmer for about 10 minutes then toss with pasta and top with grated cheese and fresh basil.

Use as a pizza sauce by adding some oregano, fennel seeds and thyme.

Use as a chili base add your chili seasonings, browned meat, veggies and beans and you have a phenomenal bowl of chili.

The sky is the limit for this sauce! I like to freeze whatever I don’t use right away into quart size zip lock bags to pull out and enjoy when I need something easy and quick for dinner tossed with pasta, as I prefer to steer clear of store bought sauces whenever possible.

Tonight it will be going on my eggplant pizzas…recipe to come!

Use your imagination and enjoy!

Cheers!

Stuffed Grilled Mini Meatloaves

As I am staring at this package of organic ground beef I have visions of spaghetti or burgers yet again. Yet there is a nagging voice in my head saying, come on you can do better…voila! Stuffed mini meatloaves! Truth be told I got my inspiration from several stuffed meatloaf recipes I had seen floating around in pinterest land. I promise you this mini meatloaf recipe will blow your mind! If you take the extra steps to throw it on the grill instead of in the oven you will enjoy that amazing burger char that can only be achieved by putting your meatloaf over a nice hot bed of coals, achieving the perfect sear. Yummy!

This couldn’t be easier! (well unless someone showed up and cleaned up my kitchen and heck the rest of my house while they are at it). First you prepare the meat. Chop the onions, crush the garlic, finely chop the kale so your kids don’t see it, chop the herbs, grate your cheese, and toast the bread then tear it into pieces. Now put EVERYTHING together in a large bowl except the cheese you are stuffing these sweet babies with. Then roll them into 6 individual football like shapes. Flatten them a bit making a small indent in the middle. Add your cheese, then carefully seal them by bring the meat up and around the cheese from the sides. Make sure there are no holes as you do not want your cheese sneaking out before you get to enjoy it!

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One Pot Chicken, Summer Vegetable and Brown Rice Sauté

This is one of my all time favorite ways to make dinner when I am on a limited time schedule! You know when your kids have to be run to an after school activity right around dinner time, dance, swim class, parkour…fill in the blank, I am sure all parents out there know exactly what I am talking about. You open the fridge to find leftover chicken (or burgers, steak, sausage…), some leftover rice or other grain, and a mixed grouping of veggies. Sure you could just reheat everything, use 3 pans, and watch your families face when you declare leftovers for dinner…or you can sauté some garlic and onions, toss in some diced fresh veggies, add your leftover meat, your leftover rice and voila a truly beautiful one pot wonder is served.

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Maple Dijon Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussel Sprouts

Amazing how we can go from a beautiful Indian summer to almost winter overnight! Ah the joys of living in the Midwest…someday when I strike it rich I will be typing this blog from a warm sunny beach, watching the waves crash on the shore while sipping my…oh sorry for the sidetrack! Back to reality! I was able to secure some gorgeous pumpkins and squash this fall. They have all been super delicious. Today I picked up a beautiful stalk of brussel sprouts and thought they would get along nicely with some butternut squash, shallots and cranberries. Yummy!!! I had seen several other posters using similar combinations and thought I would also give it a shot.

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