Toying with tuna

I’m an addict. I admit it. My vice is tuna fish. My youngest daughter used to say my house could run on white wine, cottage cheese, tuna fish, and Paul Newman’s vinaigrette. I use tuna lots of ways—several versions of salad, casseroles, individual dishes with rice or tiny pasta. I have a recipe for crab/asparagus/cheese on toast (asparagus on toast is a very British thing—my mom used to do it for my dad) but I’m thinking of substituting tuna for the crab.

My current favorite tuna salad is a 7 oz. can albacore in water, drained and chunks broken up, plus juice of one lemon (use one of those good juicers so you get it all), 1 scallion chopped, 1 stalk celery, chopped, a bit of Dijon mustard, and enough mayonnaise to bind—not too soupy, please.

Another way I make it is to flake the tuna in a small food processor, then add the lemon, scallion, a healthy squirt of anchovy paste, and enough mayo to bind. Sometimes I make it with hard-boiled egg, or pickle relish, or cilantro and canned chillies. Tuna offers unlimited possibilities.

I don’t buy tuna at the grocery (I’ll get to an exception in a minute). I order it, by the case, from the Pisces cannery in Coos Bay, Oregon. They don’t fish with nets, so dolphins swim alongside their boats. Their albacore is canned and then cooked, which means it is only cooked once, instead of twice like most brands that are cooked, canned, and cooked again. You can tell the difference in taste and texture both. Pisces makes plain tuna, smoked tuna, salmon and smoked salmon, though the salmon is seasonal and often hard to get. It has more to do with large canneries and politics than supply and demand, but I love to get salmon when I can. Salmon cakes are high on my list. Pisces fish is more expensive—I readily admit that—but to me it’s so worth it.

I also order tuna salad a lot and I can tell you my favorites—right now they’re Swiss Pastry Shop and McKinley’s. I had a tuna sandwich recently somewhere else that was so juicy, it soaked through the bread and made it hard to pick up. Usually I prefer a tuna salad plate to a sandwich—get the taste of the tuna and avoid the bread.

Recently, I’ve discovered another tuna that I love. (Forgive the blurry picture, please.)I don’t’ usually use this blog to tout a product but here goes: I saw Tonino’s Tuna advertised in one of the food magazines I take and then found it on the shelves at Central Market. It’s in a smallish jar—I doubt it’s seven oz.—packed in olive oil and available in several flavors. I like it with oregano or garlic. Don’t want to try the red pepper and can’t see much advantage in the water packed. The texture is solid—great chunks of tuna—and the flavor delicious. Because I’m a cottage cheese freak, I mix it with that but you could drain and toss in a salad for a healthy and delicious meal. Or eat it plain. Save it for occasions--it's not cheap. Today I'm going to a birthday party for a neighbor--he's getting a jar of Tonino Tuna with oregano for a gift. I consider it an introduction.

Remembers tuna casseroles? Did your mom make them and now you can’t bear to think of them? Try this—the neat thing is you can determine your own veggie, carb, and seasonings.

Ingredients"

1 cup white wine

Assorted herbs
1 can mushroom soup
1 7 oz. can albacore tuna, drained and broken into chunks
Cooked or canned vegetable of your choice (I like green peas)
Cooked rice, noodles, whatever you want (I usually use egg noodles)
Season to taste
French’s French-fried onion rings or other crumbly topping—shredded sharp cheddar mixed with crumbled potato chips would be good

 

Directions:

Throw a bunch of herbs in white wine—parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary, oregano, tarragon, whatever comes to mind; I’d avoid Mexican flavors unless you deliberately want that taste. Boil wine hard until herbs are black.

Stir in remaining ingredients except topping. Season with salt, pepper, a dash of Worcestershire if you wish, perhaps a big pinch of dry mustard. Use your imagination.

Add topping and bake at 350^o until casserole is bubbly and topping browned. Should serve four.

Straightening out pasta

The other night a friend wanted to go out to dinner, and I wanted to stay home so I prowled through my cabinet and fridge and then my appalling collection of recipes for something I could fix without a trip to the store. Came up with a recipe called Pasta Carbonara with Anchovies. My friend looked over my shoulder and said she guessed I was fixing pasta carbonara, to which I replied, "Not really. Anchovies, not bacon." But the recipe called for an egg sauce, which I though was more typical of aveglemono than carbonara. So I did some research.
It turns out what I made didn't really fit either category, but it sure was good. Aveglemono traditionally has a lemon taste and is not so much a pasta sauce as one for vegetables or leftover ground meat (I swear I've made it for pasta with veggies, but who is a Scot to quarrel with the Italians?). Typically it uses two or three eggs, separated, and you use the beaten whites as well as the yolks, along with broth (warm).
Carbonara is a pork pasta sauce in which pancetta or guanciale (made from pork jowls or cheeks) is cooked in olive oil (or lard) and combined with raw eggs, pecorino or parmagiano and cream, away from the heat so that you don't curdle the eggs.
What I made was neither carbonara nor aveglemono but a cross, and it was delicious.

Judy's Spaghettti with Anchovies

12 oz. spaghetti (I used linguine and less than 12 oz. because some spilled on the floor, and I had to grab fast to keep the dog from eating it--I had visions of dry spaghetti exploding in her stomach)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic coves, mashed
2 oz. can anchovies, drained and chopped
1/2 tsp. lemon zest (I hate shaving zest but the dish could have used a whole tsp if I'd felt ambitious)
1 Tbsp. oregano
1/4 cup chopped parsley (I used chives because they grow on my porch)
2 large egg yolks
salt and pepper

Cook pasta al dente and drain, being sure to catch a half cup cooking water.
In large, deep skillet, heat olive oil, garlic and anchovies. The original recipe called for thin-sliced anchovies, but I prefer mashed--when I get a bite of straight garlic, it's almost overwhelming to me. Cook over medium heat until the anchovies sort of melt in. Add oregano and chives, and then dump in the rinsed pasta. Stir and heat briefly.
Meanwhile in a deep bowl, whisk the reserved pasta water into the egg yolks (I didn't use a deep bowl and splashed it everywhere). At this point, I thought it looked hopeless. I had this dry pasta and watery eggs, but I persevered. I added thee watery egg  yolks to the pasta and in no time at all a wonderful silky creamy sauce appeared. I left salt and pepper up to the individual diner, but found I wanted more of each on my pasta.
We agreed it was rich and earthy but we didn't taste much anchovy--a whole can is a hefty dose of that particular fish. When I did dishes, I discovered a lot of anchovy in the bottom of the skillet so my advice is to stir well.
This was good the next day as lunch but is much better eaten immediately after fixing it.

Original recipe is said to serve four. We had only one serving left over.

Serve with a geen salad. I had some marinated veggies left from another dinner and dumped them over some greens, using the marinade as dressing. Proud of myself for pulling supper out of the cupboard and the fridge. Just wait till I have veggies in the back yard.

Cincinnati Chili

Chili is a Texas dish, right? Texans made the first chili of record as well as the first pre-mixed spice for the dish. The most famous canned chili—Wolf Brand—was born on a Texas ranch and made here for years. For goodness sake, it’s our state food. So what can possibly be good about Cincinnati chili? Author Jim Jackson—er, Seamus McCree of fictional fame--sets us straight, provides a recipe, and even suggests dessert.

 

 

Cincinnati Chili

My name is Seamus McCree. My creator, James M Jackson, signed me up for this gig. Geez, he puts the words, “The quintessential Cincinnati eating experience is Skyline Chili and Graeter’s Ice Cream,” into my mouth, and now he tells me I have to provide details for those who aren’t familiar with the cuisine.

Haute it is not. We’re talking fast food, and in Cincinnati the perfect place to experience it is on Ludlow Avenue in the Clifton area just north of the University of Cincinnati. That happens to be only a few blocks from where I “live.”

First the basics: Cincinnati chili is not your ordinary Tex-Mex. This chili is usually served over spaghetti (see below for details) and comes in three variations: three-way, four-way and five-way. Three way adds finely shredded Colby cheese on top (feel free to substitute Cheddar; I do that all the time). Four-way adds either diced onions or red kidney beans. A five-way includes everything. While you wait for your fast food, the staff will serve you oyster crackers (which some people—not I—will add to the top of their chili).

You can buy the sauce in cans or the whole thing frozen, but it’s not hard to prepare and the recipe is below. Here’s the Skyline website http://www.skylinechili.com/. I should mention that there are other brands of Cincinnati Chili – but for a Cliftonite like me, only Skyline counts.

And when you have finished your repast, a block and a half down Ludlow is Graeter’s Ice Cream (http://www.graeters.com/ ) for dessert. I figure the exercise of walking that distance justifies the calories of the ice cream. My favorite flavor is black raspberry chocolate chip. They drip the chocolate into the vats while they are making the ice cream, so sometimes you end up with chunks the size of a small candy bar with your ice cream. I haven’t found any flavor I don’t like. For those near Kroger food stores, I’m told even those in Savannah carry Graeter's.

Here’s the recipe for the Cincinnati chili sauce, which is better if you make it ahead of time.

2 lbs. ground beef

1 qt. water

4 small onions

4 cloves garlic

1 tsp cinnamon

5 whole cloves

1 tsp crushed red pepper

4 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp salt

2 large bay leaves

2 Tbsp white vinegar

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce

½ oz. bitter chocolate

1 generous tsp allspice

4 Tbsp chili powder (optional if you like it hot – I leave it out)

In blender, puree garlic and onions with a small amount of water. Add raw beef to 1 qt. COLD water. Crumble FINE as water comes to a boil. Add pureed mixture and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer for 3 hours. Refrigerate overnight. Skim fat and reheat to serve.

Let each person add cheese, onions and red kidney beans to preference. The cheese should be finely grated. Onions minced. Beans (canned) drained and rinsed.

Caution: Do not wear your finest clothes eating Cincinnati Chili. Unless your napkin does a better job than mine, some of the sauce may end up on your front.

Caution II: Savor the Graeter’s Ice Cream. Eating it too fast can cause brain freeze.

Thanks for having me,

~ Seamus

 

James M. Jackson writes the Seamus McCree mysteries, Bad Policy (March 2013) and Cabin Fever (coming April 2014), published by Barking Rain Press. Bad Policy won the Evan Marshall Fiction Makeover Contest whose criteria were the freshness and commerciality of the story and quality of the writing. Known as James Montgomery Jackson on his tax return and to his mother whenever she was really mad at him, he splits his time between the Upper Peninsula of Michigan woods and Georgia’s low country. Jim has also published an acclaimed book on contract bridge, One Trick at a Time: How to start winning at bridge (Master Point Press 2012).

 

Website: http://jamesmjackson.com
Facebook: (http://on.fb.me/17NSLhC)
Twitter (@JMJAuthor)

He regularly blogs at Writers Who Kill (http://writerswhokill.blogspot.com/)

 

The magic of avocadoes

I've been eating--and entertaining--high on the hog lately. The quail of last weekend,  a wonderful lamb meatloaf last night with oven-crisped asparagus, and tonight a beef cutlet with anchovy butter. All good, rich, and fun to fix. Except the asparagus. By the time I got it dipped in egg white and then a mix of parmesan, flour and panko, I swore I will never again cook anything that is dipped into egg and then crumbs or flour. I get the egg on my fingers and it creates great clumps of the breading--a mess. The asparagus, however, was delicious--even Jordan who doesn't really like asparagus--liked this, and Christian said he'd do it next time.
But for me the hit of the evening was an avocado salad dressing I got from Facebook. Avocadoes are good for you, they're obviously delicious, and I was growing weary of traditional salad dressings, though I know we should all eat our dark, leafy greens. So here it is:

1 lg. avocado, ready to use; peeled and cut into chunks
2 tsp.. lemon juice
1/2 c. Greek yogurt (I forgot to buy Greek and used regular--not as good for you, but you can't tell)
1 tsp. hot sauce--way to much; I sprinkle a few drops
1/4 c. olive oil
2 garlic cloves
3/4 tsp. salt

Throw it all in the blender. The avocado is hard to blend--chunks keep reappearing. You have to scrape down the sides and continue to blend until you don't see chunks. But this is really good and healthy.
I discovered too that it makes a terrific appetizer dip. I've served it with veggies and crackers, and it's a hit. Unlike guacamole, it's still good the next day, though I wouldn't trust it beyond that.

In my continuing effort to avoid prepared foods, I have run into a problem--the other night I fried bacon so Jacob and I could have bacon and eggs--breakfast for supper. But I had no empty can and nothing to put the bacon in. Anybody have a good solution? So many things that used to come in cans--like coffee--come in plastic these days! A dilemma.

Kitchen Odds and Ends--and dirty rice

Quail on a bed of dirty rice

Some odd bits of kitchen lore have come to my mind lately. With the approach of berry season, I’ve been thinking about the inevitable stains. Did you know the best way to eradicate fruit stains is to pour boiling water through them. It sounds counter-intuitive, but it works every time. Just be sure it is a fruit stain, not chocolate or something that hot water will permanently set in the fabric.

Lesson learned: never realized that lemon will bleach, but yesterday, making tuna salad, I splattered some on my blue T-shirt, which already had bacon grease splatters on it. I thought, “Just lemon juice. It will dry.” Later in the day I looked down and realized that it had faded the color where it landed. If I had wiped it with a wet paper towel, I bet I would have diluted it and everything would have been fine.

I’m working hard to avoid prepared foods these days as a matter of health. I don’t want the additives that they put into things, so I’ve been creative with two things lately: one by accident. I was making dirty rice and meant to buy Cajun seasoning at Central Market, where they offer bulk spices. But I forgot. So I got on the Web and looked up recipes. To my surprise, it had thyme, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, and just a pinch of cayenne. I expected a basically red spice but not so. I’ve done the same thing with apple pie and pumpkin pie spices. Why add another rarely-used spice to an already over-crowded shelf?

Making a dish that called for stuffing mix, I made my own croutons seasoned with sage, salt, pepper and thyme. They were so good I almost ate them plain instead of using in the mix. Again, the idea came from the Web. Stuffing mix is nothing but croutons you add water or broth to, so why pay more for added preservatives.

Here’s the dirty rice recipe I used—and liked a lot. It’s my own version of a couple of recipes:

Dirty Rice

1-1/2 cups long-grain rice

2-3 cups chicken broth

Olive oil as needed

½ lb. ground pork

½ c. chicken livers (optional)

3 slices bacon

½ onion

2 celery stalks

1 4 oz. can chopped chiles or a jalapeño if you prefer

2 Tbsp Cajun seasoning

2 green onions, sliced.

Cook rice and set aside to cool.

If using chicken livers, pureé quickly in blender.

Cook bacon until crisp and set aside.

In bacon grease, brown ground pork. When it is browned, add onion, celery, chiles, and brown over medium heat. Lower heat if needed. Add livers and cook until all pink is gone.

 Add1 c. chicken broth to the pan and scrape to deglaze the pan. Add Cajun season and boil until chicken broth is reduced to about 2 Tbsp. (If you prepare this ahead, you may have to add more broth when reheating to serve.) Add cooled rice to mixture in the skillet and stir well.

When serving, sprinkle with sliced green onions.

 

Winter vegetables

One of the things I love about my retirement life is that I have friends of all ages. I hope they keep me current and prevent my becoming an old stodge. Last night I had a couple in their thirties that I had met during the course of daily life and come to like. They recently had a great loss, and I wanted to reach out to them, which is hard when you're acquaintances and haven't quite moved to the friendship level, though I sense that coming. So I did what I do best--I invited them to dinner.
Unfortunately, it was not one of my best dinners. I have a minute steak with anchovy butter recipe that I'm anxious to try, but they didn't strike me as steak people. I inquired if they liked fish. They did. So I did something I won't try again--I pan-fried trout filets. Only instead of the lovely filets I put in the pan, I served trout hash. I had some of the "hash" tonight--livened it up with more salt and pepper and some lemon butter--tasted much better, still looked awful. Honest, instead of figuring out what I did wrong, I'm just not going to try that again. I'll eat my trout in restaurants and stick to fish like sea bass and salmon that I know how to cook.
The rest of the meal was better, and they really liked the roasted vegetables. Here's what I did:

Heated oven to 450

Peeled and cut in large chunks:
3 beets (I bought the greens and ended up not doing anything with them)
1 large baking potato
1 sweet onion
1/2 lb. large mushrooms (stemmed and cut in half)
a good-sized bunch of baby carrots (for eco purposes you could clean and chunk whole carrots--which I should have done--baby carrots have been soak in something, chlorine I believe, which is supposed to be harmless but why eat it?)

Sprayed a baking pan and dumped the veggies in. Seasoned with salt and pepper to taste and about two Tbsp. each of dried oregano and basil. Poured vegetable oil over them (I think olive oil would be too strong here and I tried be moderate with the oil--you don't want greasy vegetables) and baked 15 minutes. Pulled the pan out to stir and added:

a handful of green beans, stemmed

Baked another 15 minutes. (Actually I baked it longer because we got too talking, but it was too much; the green beans were way overdone)

You can add or subtract any vegetables you want though root vegetables are particularly good.

Another thing I did that turned out well was to make my own ranch dip (I'm trying so hard to avoid preserved foods):

about a quarter cup Greek yogurt
about 2 tsp. mayonnaise
chopped chives (it killed me to buy them but my annual crop is hibernating right now)
onion power and garlic powder--maybe half a tsp. each

I served this with Central Market organic black pepper and sea salt potato chips. So good! This doesn't make much, so you might want to double the recipe.
 

Huevos Rancho with tomatillo sauce

My day started out hectic but ended being lazy, quiet--and cold. I intended to have breakfast ready by nine, so my Houston family could be on the road by 10:30. But as the weather grew increasingly threatening, Colin said he wanted to leave by nine. I had hesitated to bang around in the kitchen for fear of waking his family, but he told me to go ahead. I was making a new recipe I somehow couldn't wrap my head around so Colin read while I cooked--and we both modified the process as we went along.

Huevos Ranchero

Tomatillo sauce - the recipe called for prepared sauce but I found a simple recipe on the web and made my own, substituting a 4 oz. can chopped chillies for one jalapeno

Corn tortillas - recipe called for the old technique of dipping into oil in skillet briefly. Instead I sprayed a cookie sheet, then sprayed each tortilla separately. Recipe called for overlapping in the cookie sheet. In retrospect, we decided we would have put the tortillas in the oven alone briefly to make them crisper.

2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Grated cheese (I used 8 oz. sharp cheddar)

Eggs--the recipe called for fried but I didn't think my family liked fried, and we served scrambled. Then they all sat at the table and talked about how much they liked fried eggs! Scrambling was easier.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400

Lay tortillas on cookie sheet and bake to crisp.

Mix beans and tomatillo sauce; spread over tortillas

Cover tomatillo/bean mixture with grated cheese

Bake until cheese is melted and dish is heated through.

Meantime cook eggs--we used ten eggs for six adults.

Remove tortilla/sauce/cheese base from oven and top with eggs. Pass extra tomatillo sauce if wished.

My travelers were all out the door by a little after ten. I washed dishes (lots of pans seemed involved between bacon, eggs, and baking tortilla mixture). Then spent the day at my desk, reading the newspaper and email, etc. And a long nap. Sophie, worn out by the excitement, slept all day. She enjoyed all our guests--especially the children.