Five-Layer Dip by Ellie Krieger

Okay, so I’m the girl at the party who brings the layered dip. I never buy it, even in my early non-foodie-fear-of-cooking days, because I hate the way store-bought guacamole and beans taste. It’s always so stiff, and the store-bought guacamole is always somehow too tart. So take it from someone who’s the Queen of layered dip, this is the best one I’ve ever made or eaten. It’s so full of flavor and no bite is bland. In my usual dip, I would just have a layer of regular refried beans, and keep layering with other things, so sometimes you could just get a giant chip full of refried beans and be wondering where the flavor is.

Well, you won’t have that problem with this dish. Every bite packs a punch. That’s because the beans are mixed with onions, garlic and chilis. There’s also a corn kernel layer, which is also mixed with onions and garlic. No matter what, you’re getting some yum yum.

This is not exactly Ellie Krieger’s recipe, as I made some changes to it. Partly because I don’t like jalapenos and minced chipotle pepper in adobo is kind of a delicacy in Boston, or rather a myth that only a few people have heard of. Also, Ellie has you food processing whole beans with the onion & garlic mixture, but I cut that step out to save time and just used fat-free refried black beans.

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15.5-ounce) can refried black beans
1 small can of Ortega chilis
4 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups corn kernels canned
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
2 ripe avocados
4 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced (about 2 cups) [I didn't do this, but only because my boyfriend hates tomatoes with an incomprehensible passion, but I would definitely recommend keeping the tomato layer]
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion
3/4 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until they soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Mix half of the onion mixture with the black beans, Ortega chilis, 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, cumin, salt. Layer the bottom of an ungreased 8×8 baking dish with the bean mixture.

Add the corn to the skillet with the remaining onion mixture and cook for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro leaves. Pour the corn mixture over the bean mixture in the baking dish, spreading even.

In a small bowl mash the avocado with the remaining lime juice. In a medium bowl toss together the tomatoes and scallion. Season tomato mixture with salt and pepper, to taste. Spread a single layer of the avocado, then the tomatoes over the corn layer.

Top with cheese and put under the broiler for 5 minutes, or until cheese has melted. I would recommend shredding cheese yourself rather than using pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese tends to make a kind of harder, crisper top layer, which makes it difficult to dip your chips, plus when you dip, your first chip will have just cheese and then the remaining layers will be cheese-less. By shredding your own cheese, when it melts, it’s still soft and mixes with the dip a lot better.

Per Serving:
Calories 140; Total Fat 8 g; (Sat Fat 2 g, Mono Fat 3 g, Poly Fat 0.7 g) ; Protein 5g; Carb 16 g; Fiber 5g; Cholesterol 6mg; Sodium 245 mg

*You can check out Ellie’s original recipe here.

Sweet and Sour Sauce by Emeril Lagasse

My boyfriend hates honey mustard dressing, and we’re both trying to eat healthy, so ranch dressing is out of the picture. So what in the world does one dip into when they’re making chicken fingers (they were baked, so still with the healthy, yay!)? Since the boyfriend loves sweet and sour sauce, might as well give that a shot.

I took this recipe from Emeril because the only thing I had to buy was the pineapple, the rest were staples. He uses it rather obviously with Chinese egg rolls. I would say don’t use this recipe for chicken fingers, but then again my boyfriend ate it up and loved every minute of it, so to each his own.

SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1/4 cup finely-diced pineapple
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce (I did 1 1/2 tablespoons, and it was too spicy for me)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons corn starch

Cook onions in skillet. When soft, add ginger, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Stir in pineapple, vinegar, ketchup, chili garlic sauce, and sugar. Bring to a simmer, stirring for 3 minutes.

Whisk chicken broth and cornstarch until smooth. Add to sauce and bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat, cool slightly. If it is too chunky, put in a food processor and pulse a few times. (I put it in a food processor, and trust me it’s a lot better that way.)

Life as a Repast – an article from the New York Times

Click Here for Kim Sunée’s memoir chronicling the rapturous meals of her search for an identity and sense of home (From the New York Times.

Tasca Spanish Tapas Restaurant & Bar in Brighton, MA (by Gourmandette K)

The first time I had tapas, I almost died when I got the bill. I met a friend in the Back Bay, and when she mentioned how much she liked Tapeo on Newbury Street, my culinary curiosity and weakness for sangria encouraged me to give it a try. And I have to say, it was the best meal I’ve ever had in my life. Ever! Even though my heart almost stopped when I saw the check (five tapas + one pitcher of sangria = one full but broke gourmandette), it was completely worth it. The food, the service, and the atmosphere were stellar. Tapeo set the bar pretty high for me, so when I went to Tasca in Brighton with Tasha a few weeks ago, I knew that they had a lot to live up to.

I checked out the menu in advance, and I was impressed with the number of tapas they offered and with how reasonable the prices were. None cost more than $7, and some are as inexpensive as $3.50. For tapas, that’s a steal. (At Tapeo I paid $9 for four spears of white asparagus. Four spears!) Eating tapas is such a fun eating experience, one that many people miss out on because of the cost. It’s a wonderful way to spend time with friends: you choose the menu together, sample new foods together, and better get to know each other in the process. Eating tapas is just as much about the company as it is the food. I give credit to Tasca for making this experience more reasonably priced and accessible.

I’m sorry to say, though, that the food fell short. The albondigas (small meatballs in a green peppercorn sauce), were very dry. They tasted like they had been frozen and then defrosted, and that all the moisture had disappeared in the process. The sauce was good, though not as flavorful as it could have been, and did not manage to salvage the meatballs. The Portobello mushrooms with manchego were likewise disappointing. The mushrooms were sliced too thin for my liking, because I enjoy their meaty texture and I thought that serving them in this way allowed the vinaigrette to overpower the dish. The other three tapas we ordered-goat cheese empanadas, chorizo in puff pastry, and potatoes with spicy tomato sauce and garlic aioli-were very good, though not memorable enough to warrant a trip back to Tasca.

The thing that would get me back to Tasca was the bread pudding. It was so good. Like, lick-the-bowl good. The pudding was so smooth and creamy, and I think I would put their caramel sauce on just about anything. I was scraping it off the bottom of the bowl with my spoon when the waitress came to take the plate away, and I sheepishly let her, quietly cursing myself for not getting those last tidbits.

Overall, I enjoyed my company more than I did the food. Tasca provides a nice atmosphere, large glasses of cheap wine, and servers who are not overly intrusive-a good combination for a casual night out with friends. Dinner at Tasca cost me about $20 less than my dinner at Tapeo, too, so I was glad to have re-experienced tapas at a better price. But if you want to have an amazing Spanish culinary experience, head to Tapeo on Newbury Street. The prices are steeper, but the food is a knockout (as is the sangria, which packs a much stronger punch than Tasca’s). But I do have to admit, after having a some sangria and a large glass of Spanish red wine, I left Tasca pretty happy…

Check out Tasca online at http://www.tascarestaurant.com/index.html.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I got this recipe from my really good friend who gave me a handmade cookbook for my birthday once. Inside were all our favorite Chinese yum yums, from siu mai to custard tarts. Good stuff. Among them was this recipe for Chicken Lettuce Wraps, which we came to love from our many many visits to P.F. Chang’s.

The recipe is incredibly simple and pretty darn healthy. You can probably 86 the cornstarch mixture if you want. This is just added to make the sauce around the chicken a little thicker. To wrap the chicken, I just used Hearts of Romaine, but they were too long and thin to do the job right (I was just too cheap to buy separate lettuce; Boston Lettuce is probably the best, although Iceberg’s big enough too and adds a nice crispiness).

As for the ingredients, you can get them anywhere in the International or Chinese section of a regular supermarket.

SAUCE:

1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry (I used rice wine vinegar; same thing, really.)
1 teaspoon sugar (if you’re on the South Beach Diet, use Splenda.)

CHICKEN FILLING:

1 pound chicken breast, chopped in small bites
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 green onions, chopped
1 stalk celery, diced
1 red pepper, seeded and diced (I just threw about a half a tablespoon of the hot garlic chili pepper sauce sold in the Chinese food aisle. I don’t like it too spicy, but this added just the right amount of kick.)
1 can water chestnuts, rinsed in warm running water and chopped
1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

DIRECTIONS:

Mix together sauce ingredients.

Fry garlic, ginger and green onions in sesame oil on high heat until aromatic. Add the chicken.

When chicken is browned, add the red pepper, water chestnuts, celery, and sauce. Cook at medium heat. Give the cornstarch & water mixture a quick re-stir and add to the sauce, stirring to thicken. Cook for 2 or 3 more minutes.

Spoon the chicken mixture into washed and dried lettuce leaves.

Kicked Up Breaded Pork Chops by Emeril Lagasse

This recipe is incredibly easy, made pretty much with all ingredients one usually has on hand. The marinade mixture is made of milk and spices, the “Kicked Up” coming from the paprika and red peppers (I didn’t have any red pepper, but it tasted fine). The milk marinade gives it a very silky texture, then you coat it with a bread crumb and parmesan cheese (he says Pecorino, but whatever) mixture, seasoned with some Italian spices, and you’re all set. Any kind of pork chop will work, the cook time just varies depending on the cut.

As I’m on the South Beach Diet, I looked for ways to make this a bit more health friendly. Luckily, the only thing you really need to do is make sure to use whole wheat bread crumbs. Do not have mashed potatoes with the meal as he recommends. Instead, I made sauteed (and then broiled to melt parmesan cheese on them) green and yellow zucchini and cherry tomatoes, with some thyme and rosemary thrown in.

When I first made this for my very non-foody boyfriend, he looked at it askew, insisted I tell him everything that was in it before he’d try it, but as soon as he bit into it he vowed that it was the best pork chop he’d ever had. It’s not the best I’ve ever had, but it’s packed full of flavor and a good easy meal to make on days you don’t wanna think.

RECIPE FROM “ESSENCE OF EMERIL”:

1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 thin center-cut pork chops (about 2 1/4 pounds)
1 cup fine, dry bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons Emeril’s Italian Essence or other Italian seasoning
1/4 cup grated Pecorino
3 tablespoons olive oil

In a medium bowl, combine the milk, garlic, white wine, red pepper, paprika, and 1 teaspoon salt and stir well. Add the pork chops and soak at room temperature while assembling the remaining ingredients, at least 30 minutes.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a lightly greased wire rack on top of the baking sheet and set aside. (*you don’t need to use a wire rack if you don’t have one, don’t worry. Just plop the chops on the aluminum foil, it should be fine. They stick a little bit (maybe coat with spray?), but no biggie.*)

In a large sealable plastic bag, add the bread crumbs, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, the black pepper, Essence, and cheese and shake to combine. Drain the pork chops from the milk mixture, one at a time, and add to the bread crumb mixture. Shake to coat thoroughly. (You may need to press the mixture into the chops with your hands.)

Arrange the pork chops on the baking rack and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cooked through and the breading is crisp and golden.

Serve with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Smothered Green Peas.

Tasca Spanish Tapas Restaurant & Bar in Brighton, MA (by Gourmandette T)

I discovered tapas four years ago when I was living in Oxford. There was a little Spanish joint on a side street that also sold Navajo blankets and Swedish chairs. The setting was dark, colors all Aztec yellows and browns, the dishes all clay. And of course a good opinion, once made, is made forever. I’ve been craving those little Spanish dim sums cooked to miniature perfection, a variety that’s like a party on your plate, since that hole in the wall in Oxford. And, as luck would have it, there was one right down the street.

I called for reservations and a lovely hostess asked in accented English if she could help me. I asked for a seven o’clock reservation, and she explained they don’t take reservations after six thirty. Fair enough, so does it get really busy after six thirty? She stuttered, not sure how to answer, then unsure of an answer, ultimately just blanketly recommended I arrive before six thirty. We did, and found the place nearly empty.

The host was a friendly young man who promptly mis-seated us (he must’ve been a relative of the confused hostess I’d gotten on the phone before). The tables were all large and heavy wood, which gave a comfortable, secure feeling, that with the calm dim lighting and unobtrusive acoustics (even when the place filled, we had no problem hearing each other), provided a romantic and friendly environment. That, combined with the overpriced sangria (that was eight parts apple chunks, two parts cheap wine), made conversation pretty nice an’ easy, particularly when my fellow (lightweight) gourmandette polished off the sangria and a glass of Spanish red that stunk like nail polish remover, and reminded me of the cheap wine that gave me my first hangover.

Our food arrived in a timely manner, served on large white plates instead of clay dishes, much to my disappointment. (I love restaurants that provide “environment”, and I felt like the standard plating was detrimental to the illusion.) Not the best tapas in the world (or the best priced), but they were trying in both regards. The Patatas Bravas ($4.50), a must-have at any tapas place I go to, were yummilicious brushed in their spicy sauce and drizzled with a cooling aioli mayonnaise. The portobellos with shaved manchego ($5.95) were shaved thin and meaty with a side salad and sherry vinaigrette, a meal in itself. The Albondigas ($4.95), or tenderloin meatballs, were very nicely presented with thin shreds of fried potatoes, but were so dry not even their pretty bed of cream sauce could salvage them. A must-have are their goat cheese empanadas ($5.95) and their chorizo in puff pastry ($4.95), which were fatty – but let’s be honest, anything in puff pastry is amazing. Save room for dessert, because their bread pudding is to die for, and I don’t even like bread pudding. While they had a torte and flan, it would’ve been nice to see a few more Spanish delights on the dessert menu.

As dinner wound down, the waitress began to take plates from our table in a timely fashion, so much so we looked up to taste some more of that amazing bell pepper in sweet tomato sauce that came with the goat cheese empanadas just to find that it’d been swept away to the sinks already. But in a hurry to refill our water glasses even when we pushed them, empty and visible, to the edge of the table, the waitress was not. However, the owner does visibly pace the floor checking up on everyone, which gives a false sense of security seeing as she did not see that all of our glasses were empty or when we were ready to order. Still, it’s nice to see she cares.

Overall, I would recommend Tasca to anyone who likes tapas, but I wouldn’t rave. It’s pleasant to go once, but I’m still on the lookout for a tapas place I can frequent the way most people do pizza joints. But apparently many people far trendier than I enjoy Tasca, because as we left around seven thirty, people were packed nearly out the door waiting to get in, mostly 20-somethings with martinis. Though I get the feeling they go more so they can say they’re going to Tasca than because the tapas has won their hearts and stomachs.

THE PLACE: ****
THE FOOD: ****
THE PEOPLE: **
OVERALL: ***

HOW TO GET THERE:

Take the B Line towards Boston College, off at the Washington St. stop. It’s a brick building with black awnings, tucked inconspicuously beside a gas station.