Blue Cheese Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It was a busy day. Commercial growers in our area open their fields and display gardens to the public at this time of year. We spent the day touring acres and acres of peonies, iris and hostas and, when the crowds became too much, enjoyed the respite of the grower's gardens. A few peeks at the fields and gardens follow today's recipe. A brief sunshower, called a "monkey's wedding," dampened our clothing but not our spirits and the reward for our good nature was the promised rainbow. Dinner, which came from the freezer, was a late affair of tomato soup and blue cheese bread. The combination goes extremely well together and I thought those of you who love blue cheese might want to try the bread. It is much like a garlic bread or ripped baguette and is really easy to make. Here's the recipe.

Blue Cheese Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon minced chives
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 loaf (1 pound) unsliced French bread

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Combine butter, blue cheese, Parmesan cheese chives and garlic powder in a small bowl. Mix well. Cut bread into 1-inch slices but leave slices attached at bottom of loaf. Spread cheese mixture between slices.
3) Wrap loaf in a large piece of heavy-duty foil. Fold foil around bread and seal tightly. Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve warm. Yield: 10 servings.

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My Dad's Garlic Bread - 101 Cookbooks
Roasted Garlic Bread - Vanilla Icing
Cheesy Ramp Garlic Bread - Closet Cooking



Adelman's Peony Gardens Salem, Oregon



Schreiner's Iris Gardens Salem, Oregon



Schreiner Family Garden



Schreiner Family Gardens



Seabright Hosta Display Garden Salem, Oregon

Tomato Coconut Rice

Flooded Rice Paddy

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Years ago, Bob and I spent several weeks traveling through the American South. We were, of course, charmed by the people and the compelling history of the region. I loved the whole of the Natchez Trace and I wasn't sure that Bob, having found Savannah, would ever leave her. Savannah, save for its famed red rice, spoke to his sensibilities. Now in fairness to him, I must tell you that Spanish rice was a dinner staple when we were children and I think he simply had had his fill of anything that resembled it. Even Savannah Red Rice couldn't tempt him. I wanted to try some Southern meals this week, so I spent some time looking for side dishes that would work nicely with our main courses. I can happily report that I found one that is so delicious that even Bob will eat it. It comes from Joyce White's cookbook "Soul Food." It is very loosely based on the red rice that is served across the South, but there are decided Asian overtones as well. The secret ingredient is the coconut milk and that's decidedly unsouthern unless you find yourself in Thailand or South Vietnam. The rice bakes in the oven and uses every day ingredients to produce a unique accompaniment to grilled meat or poultry. The recipe can be doubled and brown basmati rice can also be used to prepare it. If you opt to use brown rice you should add an additional 20 minutes to the baking time that's stated in the recipe. I really think you'll love this. I know I did. Here's the recipe.

Tomato Coconut Rice...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Joyce White

Ingredients:
2 to 3 tablespoons canola oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or parsley
1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped
1 cup basmati rice rice
2 cups finely chopped plum tomatoes or well-drained petite diced tomatoes
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2-quart ovenproof baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2) Heat oil in a medium skillet. Stir in onion, herb and bell pepper and sauté 4 or 5 minutes, stirring. Stir in rice and sauté 2 or 3 minutes longer, stirring. Remove pan from heat.
3) Spoon rice mixture into baking dish. Stir in tomatoes, coconut milk, salt, black pepper and pepper flakes. Mix well. Cover baking dish tightly with a lid or aluminum foil.
4) Place dish on the lower oven rack and bake for about 40 minutes, or until he rice is tender, and all liquid is absorbed, stirring a couple times. Cook for another 20 minutes if using brown rice. Serve hot as a side dish to baked fish, roast chicken or meat dishes. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Yangzhou Fried Rice - One Perfect Bite
Wild Rice, Celery and Walnut Salad - One Perfect Bite
Warm Asian-Style Rice Salad - One Perfect Bite

Pork Tenderloin Baked in a Salt Crust - March Recipes to Rival

Browned Roast Set on a Bed of Salt



Roast Buried in Salt



Tenderloin After Roasting and Removal of Salt Crust



Plated Pork Tenderloin

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's time for the March challenge at Recipes to Rival. This month's challenge, chosen by Temperama of High on the Hog, was roasting a whole fish in a salt crust. She gave us the option of using another protein for the exercise and that's what I decided to do. Bob and I had our first sampling of salt crusted meat in China. Once home, I learned how to roast a whole salt crusted chicken that was a reasonable facsimile of what we had eaten in Asia. I first thought I'd use that for this month's challenge but there were a couple of drawbacks. It was neither quick nor easy to do and Bob pointed out that it had absolutely no color and was singularly unattractive. He also reminded me of the burns I received from the hot salt. I remembered a recipe that I'd seen and clipped for a pork tenderloin that was roasted in a salt crust, but, of course, couldn't find it. Google to the rescue. I found another recipe in an article written by Ezra Klein for The American Prospect and decided to use it for the challenge. The recipe originally appeared in the L.A. Times. The procedure is quite simple and, if you're the least bit adventurous, I urge you to give it a try. While I think the merits of salt crusted roasting are overrated, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be tried. So, if you have time and an obscene amount of salt, I urge you to expand your cooking repertoire. You won't hate the finished product. There are basically three ways to salt roast. Loose salt is most often used with vegetables and shellfish. Shellfish are buried in already hot salt, while vegetables will have salt poured over them. Another method combines salt with water to produce a mixture that looks like wet sand. The "sand" is packed by handfuls over whatever is being roasted. Salt can also be mixed with egg whites before roasting. Some think the egg whites make the "whatever" roast less salty. Interestingly, none of these methods produce something that is unbearably salty, but you'll have to be the final judge of that. Here's the recipe for salt crusted pork tenderloin. Enjoy!

Pork Tenderloin Baked in a Salt Crust...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Ezra Klein and the L.A. Times

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons snipped rosemary leaves
6 cups coarse salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (1 1/4 -pound) pork tenderloin
1 pound fingerling potatoes, scrubbed but unpeeled
1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon minced shallots

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine rosemary and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir in 1 cup of water. Mix until texture is like gritty snow or sand.
2) In a large skillet, heat oil until it shimmers. Pat pork tenderloin dry with paper towels and sear it in hot oil until it is browned on all sides, about 8 minutes.
3) While pork is browning, spoon a layer of salt about one-fourth-inch thick in bottom of a gratin or baking dish just big enough to hold pork and potatoes in a single layer.
4) When pork is browned, pat it dry with a paper towel to remove any excess oil and place it in center of gratin dish. Arrange potatoes around the outside and cover everything with remaining salt.
5) Roast until pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees, about 20 to 25 minutes. At this point, pork will be quite moist but still a little pink. If you prefer pork to be more cooked, push temperature to 150, about 5 more minutes. Remove baking dish from the oven and let set 5 minutes to finish cooking.
6) With a sturdy metal spoon or chef's knife, chip a crack around base of salt crust and carefully lift off top. Use a dry pastry brush to brush away any salt on surface of potatoes or pork, turning pork over to brush all sides. Transfer pork to a carving board. Slice pork into medallions one-fourth-inch thick and arrange on a serving platter. Place potatoes in a medium bowl and toss with the shallots and butter just until coated, discarding any excess butter. Arrange potatoes around outside of pork and serve immediately. Yield: 3 to 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Tuscan Herb Roasted Chicken - One Perfect Bite
Chipotle Marinated Pork Tenderloin - One Perfect Bite
Roast Pork with Raspberry Balsamic Glaze - One Perfect Bite

Smothered Eggs in Spoonbread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Curiosity and experimentation led me to the version of the recipe you see today. I'm the child of died in the wool Yankees, so it should come as no surprise to hear that I was nearly 40 before spoonbread crossed my lips. Sad to say, it was not love at first bite. Spoonbread, for those unfamiliar with it, is a bit like a pudding or souffle made with cornmeal. While I liked the texture, I thought it was very bland and didn't bother with it for another 20 years. I revisited it because I was looking for new ways to serve baked eggs and thought spoonbread might work if the ingredients could be revved up. That can sometime be dangerous, especially if you're working on recipes for breakfast or brunch. I think I finally have the right balance for this one. It's perfect for a holiday brunch or breakfast in bed. I've added andouille sausage and red pepper flakes so this is definitely spoonbread with an attitude. If you'd like to try something different for a change, I recommend this. I've scaled the recipe for two but it can be doubled if need be. One caution, don't overcook these. You want the egg set but not hard cooked and the center of the spoonbread should be pudding moist. Here's the recipe.

Smothered Eggs in Spoonbread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Jesse Ziff Cool

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 cup coarse cornmeal
4 eggs, divided use
1/4 cup butter, divided use
1/2 cup milk
4 ounces Andouille, cut in 1/2-inch dice
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease two (2-cup) ramekins with 1 tablespoon butter. Set aside.
2) Combine water, salt, sugar and cornmeal in a medium saucepan. Gradually bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until cornmeal thickens. Add 3 tablespoons butter and stir until melted. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
3) Separate two eggs. Add yolks to milk. Stir into cornmeal mixture. Fold in sausage and onions and let cool for 15 minutes. Add baking powder, thyme and pepper flakes. Mix well.
4) Meanwhile beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold whites, one third at a time into cornmeal mixture.
5) Spoon half of batter into ramekins. Crack an egg in center of each one. Spread remaining batter over eggs but do not cover them completely. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until egg white is firm and yolk cooked. Serve hot. Yield: 2 servings.

Cranberry Soufflé - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...A soufflé is a magnificent egg creation that should be served hot from the oven. It can be sweet or savory and, when the planets are in perfect alignment, it will tower above the mold in which it bakes. Soufflés collapse as they cool, so efforts to photograph them can be heroic. My only usable pictures were taken while they were still in the oven. The soufflé was created in the 19th century by chef Antonin Carême, who was arguably the first celebrity chef. While his culinary achievements are legendary, he is also remembered as being a prolific food writer and as the man who created the chef's hat, the toque. I'll wager he'd hate to know that the toque is included in his biography.

Soufflés rise because stiffly beaten egg whites trap air and allow them to expand with the heat of the oven. There are two components to a soufflé; a base which can be a sauce, pastry cream or puree and stiffly beaten egg whites that are used to lighten the base. There are several tricks to making a successful soufflé. A pinch of table salt added to the whites and using a collar to guide the soufflé as it rises are among them. More important still is a can-do attitude. The only hard and fast rule I have to share with you is don't open the door while the soufflé is baking. It will deflate like a balloon.

This cranberry soufflé is the creation of Michel Richard, the executive chef at Citronelle. It actually is very easy to do. It uses a puree of cranberries and sugar as a base and it requires no collar as it bakes. If you want your family or guests to see the soufflé at the height of its glory move it quickly from the oven to the table. This soufflé deflates quickly because there is no flour in it. I used a blender to puree the cranberries, adding small amounts of water only as need to continue processing. The puree should have the consistency of a bechamel sauce or pudding, so use water sparingly. I have everything ready to go before I begin to beat the egg whites. I do add a pinch of table salt to the whites and I make it a point to throw a pinch over my shoulder for luck. This is a wonderfully seasonal recipe. I hope you'll give it a try and enjoy this lovely cranberry creation.

Cranberry Soufflé...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1/2 cup fresh cranberry purée mixed with 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 cup of sugar, plus another 1/2 cup for coating soufflé dishes
2 tablespoons butter, softened
4 egg whites
.
5 (6-oz.) soufflé dishes

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2) Puree cranberries and mix with 1/2 cup sugar in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
3) Using a pastry brush, generously coat soufflé dishes with butter, then coat them with 1/2 cup sugar. Turn them upside down to remove excess sugar. Set them on a baking sheet.
4) Quickly beat egg whites with a pinch of table salt, adding a 1/2 cup of reserved sugar a teaspoon at a time, until soft peaks are formed.
5) Fold whites into cranberry purée. Spoon batter into soufflé dishes. Bake for 25 minutes. Serve immediately with whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream. Yield: 5 servings.

Recipe courtesy Of Michel Richard.

This post is being linked to:

Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Eggs Florentine

This is one of my favorite breakfast-for-dinner treats. It also works well for brunch and holiday mornings. Some multiplication or division will right-size the recipe and make it perfect for your family. I've never been good with this kind of leftover, so, rather than put myself in a pitch or toss dilemma, I do a head count. For every person being fed an 8-ounce custard cup, 1/2 cup sauteed spinach, 1 egg, 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream and 2 to 3 tablespoons coarsely grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese is required. Once the spinach is prepared this becomes an assembly line entree. As a rule of thumb, 8-ounces of uncooked spinach will wilt to half a cup when cooked, so plan accordingly. I use a wok to saute the spinach because of its high sides. The spinach can be prepared well in advance of assembly but I wouldn't complete the package too far ahead of serving. You can use reduced fat dairy products but if you go too far your eggs Florentine will become baked eggs with green stuff. Here's the recipe.

Baked Eggs Florentine

Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh spinach, washed, stems removed
4 cloves thinly sliced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large eggs
1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 to 3/4 cup coarsely grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
Coarse sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray four 8-ounce custard cups or ramekins with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
1) Heat a large wok or high-sided pan over medium high heat. Add oil. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add spinach and cook, moving bottom to top until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a colander and allow to drain.
2) Place 1/2 cup spinach in each ramekin. Make a well in center. Pour 1 to 2 tablespoons cream into each cup. Crack one egg into each well. Sprinkle each with cheese. Top each ramekin with 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Place on a baking sheet.
3) Transfer to oven and bake until egg white is just set, about 10 to 12 minutes. At this point, yoke will be cook but still runny. If you prefer firm yolks continue cooking until done to your liking. Transfer to serving plates. Sprinkle top of ramekins with coarse sea salt and cracked pepper. Serve piping hot. Yield: 4 servings.