Main course

Summer in the City-Steak with Mushroom Green Beans

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(Summer nights in Colorado……….)

We spent the last week at home (see end), away from our pied a terre St. Paul. So, above pic is certainly our night deck in Colorado Springs. Still! We cooked a birthday meal worthy of the rented apartment kitchen and just perfect for a summer celebration, so thought we’d share it with you and continue the Summer in the City theme—it’s just summer in Colorado Springs this time.
Somehow, summer birthdays sometimes seem to suffer. It just doesn’t seem like a big celebration when it’s too hot to cook or bake indoors…… Think Fourth of July menus–cook-outs all. The rest of summer is picnic or beach fare, nothing fancy. So whattodo when your loved one has chosen a hot July for his birthday? For all the years of our marriage, I’ve baked David’s favorite Pagliacci’s Cheesecake (from the lovely Canadian restaurant of the same name) in the wee small hours of the morning, as Sinatra would say. Escaped the heat and made the man happy. No time for all that this year; I had left the cheesecake ingredients in the apartment in St. Paul. What to do?

(Cherries almost ready while home;
Tony picked them for us…..
We’ll have them Thanksiving)

In the Springs, God is undeniably closer because he set Marigold’s Cafe and Bakery right over on the west side on Centennial, not too far down the road from my house. We hopped on over and let Dave take his pick out of the bakery case. He chose key-lime tart topped with meringue and what a light, airy, not too sweet little ditty it was for the warm night coming up. I had to really suck in my pride that day; I love to see Dave tuck into that cheesecake and watch his face after the first bite. (Another day………) While at the bakery, we grabbed a couple of baby whole-wheat baguettes, a miracle of baking Marigold’s accomplishes daily or more.

As we had not planned our trip home, we had little in the frig and did not want to stock it fully, so planned an easily shopped for and cooked 60’s birthday meal as follows (Serves 2)………………….


Fat Asparagus with Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce
Chalone Chardonnay
Ranch Foods Direct Filets
Baked Potatoes with Butter and Sour Cream
Fresh Green Beans with Garlic Mushrooms
Whole Wheat Baguette (bought)
Key Lime Meringue Tart (bought)
Best Cab in your cellar *(Happy Birthday)

*(Cabernet Sauvignon from CA or
Bordeaux from France)

————————Meal Plan————–
Ok, clear counters, do a few dishes and unload dishwasher before you start if you have to. (In heaven, this won’t happen; all kitchens will be ready to cook in whenever anyone enters them.)

Head for the stereo and put on the birthday person’s favorite music….
Keep it coming.

Preheat oven to 400 and place washed (Idaho) potatoes (poke 3-4 holes in them first) in the oven.
Note: You could choose sweet potatoes. Same drill. Skip butter and sour cream. I like them plain with a whisper of salt and pepper or ground cayenne and cinnamon.

If the weather is too hot, do them in the microwave while you grill the steaks. Take steaks out of frig and let them come to room temperature. Wash and trim green beans and asparagus.

Quick like a bunny: rinse mushrooms, trim and slice. Uncork wine to let it air (taste………..) and set table so that someone WANTS to sit at it. (All this. Just for me??) Set up coffee pot and put some pretty cups and dessert serving plates nearby. Slice bread and (because you’re at altitude!) cover; set on table with butter. Place a small bowl of sour cream, butter and salt and pepper on table. Ok, now you’re ready to cook.

——————————————————- STARTER———–

Fat Asparagus with Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce
(file under: WHAT TO DO WITH FAT ASPARAGUS BESIDES SOUP!)

1 # fat asparagus
1/2 c crumbled gorgonzola (or any blue cheese)
3-5 T milk
freshly ground pepper

In a small, heavy-duty saucepan, mix milk and blue cheese. Set heat to medium-low. Meantime, place fat asparagus on a big dinner plate with a couple of tablespoons of water. Cover with another dinner plate (or plastic wrap if you are brave). Cook on high in the microwave 2-3 minutes until al dente. Remove from microwave and drain; place on small plate. Shower with a strong dose of freshly-ground black pepper. Stir sauce well and put a dallop (a cross between a dab and a dollop) on each plate. Dig in. Good hot or cold. Could be made ahead. (Eat while cooking steak.)


——– MAIN COURSE COMPONENTS————————————

Table is set; wine is airing; starter is on table. Potatoes have been baking half an hour or so………Begin with the beans… Here goes——————–


MUSHROOM GREEN BEANS
(not your mother’s green beans)

1# green beans, cleaned, trimmed and cut as desired
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
1-2 T butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz button mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced
Salt and pepper

Bring about 2 qts of salted and well-peppered water to boil in a 3 or 4 qt. saucepan. Place beans and sliced onions in pan and lower temperature to medium. Let cook until as done as you like. I like them fairly well-done, which might take 20 minutes. Si place (do as you please in Italian.) Meantime, melt butter in a large skillet and add mushrooms. Cook until about half-way done and add garlic. Continue cooking until mushrooms are tender and smelling heavenly in your house. Drain beans well and add to mushrooms, stirring gently. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat. (Return to heat and warm when steaks are almost done) Set aside while steaks cook.

——— RANCH FOODS DIRECT FILETS ———-
Meat market off Fillmore in Co Spgs

Preheat indoor or outdoor grill to medium high.Take filets and coat with canola oil on all sides. Salt and pepper them well. Sear them on both sides and outer edges. Lower heat and place in 350 oven if cooking indoors, or, close cover of gas grill and cook for around 5 -10 minutes, watching closely until 120 degrees for rare, 125 for medium rare, 130 degrees for well-done. Remove to serving plate and cover for 5 minutes. You will have steak beautifully cooked in a very even way. Goal: as little gray as possible on the meat.

Enjoy starter and Chardonnay while steak cooks………

almost a surreal steak……….

————- Meal plan continued—————————–

Re- warm beans in skillet as steak cooks. Remove potatoes from oven and check for doneness by inserting sharp knife into middle. If it goes in and out easily (and the potato “gives” when squeezed lovingly), it’s done.

Start the coffee.
Plate the meal and head to the table.

Give thanks to God for the blessings of your life, the birth of your loved one and toast the birthday person. Enjoy the meal slowly and be proud of yourself. You didn’t have to go to a steakhouse for a birthday meal, did you?


Here’s how it looked on our table… It ate just as well…..

Notice how some of the blue cheese sauce ended up on the steak——-yes!

After the meal, love that bakery dessert together………
No one cares if you didn’t make it. (except you!)

Sing a new song,
Alyce

——————————————————————————————

Lovingly written………in memoriam

Noah Robert Wilkerson

on earth: June 26-June 30, 2009
in our hearts: Forever

Summer in the City–Chops and "Greek" Salad

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(above: Pipes from organ in St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel, where I practice)

There’s nothing like going away from home to see new sights, meet new people, eat new food and to fall in love with another part of the world—-even if you’ve been there before. I like to travel (more than my husband does) most places, but I am most fond of traveling, renting a place with cooking privileges and then hitting the local markets, wine stores, cheese shops, bakeries, etc. for a whole new take on cooking. Opens your heart and mind, to say nothing of your cooking sensibilities. (Especially if you’re in another country where you don’t know how to say 1/2 pound of ham, please) Unless you’ve traveled with your cookbooks (or have internet access for all the great food sites with recipes) and recipes (and I have been known to do it all), you’ll likely have to rely on your 2 things:

1. the great food available in the season in which you’re traveling
2. your own good sense and ingenuity

Maybe you brought a spice rub or two for grilling in the park, but, for the most part, you must rely on being able to shop and cook out of those ingredients you’ve just purchased. You probably are not going to want to spend an extra $100 on the right oils, vinegars, spices, condiments, etc.

That’s what these summer blogs will be devoted to as I attend music graduate school at University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. And, oh, by the way, I’ve been so overwhelmed with the study (and entranced, too) that the blog hasn’t been posted since right after I left. Looking at turning that around, but frequent postings won’t return until I finish this semester.

— the furnished apartment kitchen———-

So, a kitchen with an old, thin, cheap, warped 8″ omelette pan and a similar 3 qt saucepan. That’s it for pans. There’s a wooden spoon or two, a plastic spatula, something that might pass for a knife, 4 small glasses, 4 small plates, 4 larger plates and some assorted bowls. Perhaps a couple of other oddities (including an electric hot water maker that makes one cup at a time) make up my kitchen equipment. No whisk. No saute pan. Nothing in which to bake. NO tea kettle, coffee pot, no cups. Definitely no Cuisinart. I think the idea was to eat cereal or sandwiches…most likely take-out from the Thai place downstairs.

And, yes, this is a 3rd floor walkup. (Legs getting in shape for sure.)

—– i brought from home———–

I knew the drill, having been here before, so had brought along my favorite grill pan, a 12″ skillet with 4″ sides, a tea kettle and French Press for coffee, my favorite whisk, tongs, etc and, of course, a few spices. ( not really necesary as Penzey spices-order online!- is right down the street and you can buy small quantities) I broke down and bought a colander, a small iced tea pitcher and a $6 toaster from Target. Oh, and I had also thrown in my favorite 3 knives along with a wine opener. I borrowed a thing or two (like a couple of wine glasses and a cutting board) from a nearby friend Sue Hall (also babysitting our puppy Gabby–that’s another story) and we were all set. Right.

–making the best of what’s available locally—–

The best thing about St. Paul (and there are many great things) for me is that we live in the midst of phenomenal food shopping and, if you’re not in the mood to cook, there are quick bars in which to jump up and grab a burger and a beer (you’re in Minnesota) or a glass of wine if you’re not a beer drinker. So far, our favorite local bar is the Groveland Tap, where you can also order (Sundays only, I think) great toasty broasted chicken and a cool glass of wine on the sidewalk cafe outside. You’ll probably make a friend while sitting outdoors. There are also lovely cafes with super salads and desserts (Cafe Latte, Shish) where you can pop in for lunch or supper or just while away a gorgeous midwest summer afternoon poring over your Analysis of Choral Scores (from Greek Chant through Late Baroque) textbook.

All this and still time to practice organ…………balance is the goal.

For you, it might be the local sightseeing taking up your days.

Within a couple of blocks of our apartment (rented from Macalester College) there are two really good grocery stores (most stores here are local), Coastal Seafood, a tiny holeinthewall cheese shop, Breadsmith, Dunn Brothers (best coffee on earth)…. Thomas Liquors (maybe you’ll be there in time for the 20 percent off sale!)… You get the picture. Want something for dinner? Run down the block and be there and back cooking in 10 minutes. And, since you had to go up and down 3 flights of stairs, you got some cardio workout in as well. Don’t want to cook? Pick up a lovely small meal already cooked. Or just go for the cheese, get some wine and head for Como Park or one of the tuneful outdoor concerts in St. Paul or, even in Shoreview on Wednesday nights. Saturday mornings, don’t miss the downtown St. Paul Farmer’s Market, which includes flowers and top-quality locally produced meat (including smoked fish), to say nothing of the produce.

–so I decided to cook——————————

We’ve done a variety of things, but, in the interest of health and wealth, we’ve also cooked quite a bit and had some tasty tidbits and whole meals, too. One of the easiest things to do is to buy some meat that’s quickly grillable and fix a salad chock full of vegetables, running through the bakery on the way home to grab a baguette and an already-made pound cake to round out dessert. Enjoy this meal even if you’re home, but want no-fuss or muss summer cooking. If you have a friend to grill the chops while you make the salad, you’re eating in 15 min.

MENU———–

Grilled Rub of your choice Bone-in Pork Chops
Summer Greek Salad
Baguette
Pound cake with strawberries, pineapple and ice cream

Shopping List
Pork chops (4)
2 Cucumbers
Red Onion
Zucchini
Tomatoes

1 head radicchio
Green Pepper
Parsley
Mint
Lemon
Pint Strawberries
Already-cut fresh Pineapple
Small bottle olive oil
Butter
Small pkg crumbled feta
Vanilla ice cream
At Bakery: Baguette and Pound cake

Things I packed: Rub (a sm bag of Montreal Steak seasoning), Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Recipes (such as they are):

Chops: Heat grill pan over high heat (if the burner will do it)
after giving it a quick rub with a little bit of olive oil. (You could do this over the tiny park grills, too, if you get a cheap, disposable pan of charcoal) Meantime, sprinkle ribs with about 1/2 t your choice dry
rub on each side. Sear the chops on one side for 2-3 minutes and turn to other side, repeat. Lower heat and let chops cook until just a little pink remains (it’s safe). Remove to plate and let sit 10 minutes while you prepare salad.

Salad: Chop cucumbers, 1/4 c onion, zucchini, 1 large tomato,
1 large green pepper, radicchio and place in large bowl (or pan; I have
no large bowl here!). Mince the mint and parsley and
stir. Squeeze the lemon over all and drizzle with olive oil.
Salt and pepper to taste. Crumble feta over all. (note: no large bowl)

I need a bigger meal: Add penne pasta to the salad (buy it already cooked a the deli or fix your own)

Dessert: Slice pound cake and place on plates. Slice the strawberries, take the pineapple out and place over the cake.
Top with ice cream.


Wine: We had on hand a mellow California Petite Syrah that was smooth and tasty with this meal, but you could also try a dry Rose or even a no-oak Chardonnay as a foil to the kind of middle-Eastern salad approach.

After dinner: Go for a walk and breathe. Try smiling at a few people.
One of my favorite authors, Barbara Brown Taylor, calls it “the spiritual practice of putting one foot in front of the other.”

I have to tell you that, in Minnesota, more likely than not, folks will actually greet you on the street walking… maybe even engage you in chat about the weather, your dog, the kid on the scooter, the incredible blooming yards. My daughter is convinced people are just happier here. Hmm. My husband says his company calls it “Minnesota nice” when they desire a softer, kinder approach…
Hey, nice is free.

Summer Reading (besides text books) AN ALTAR IN THE WORLD, A GEOGRAPHY OF FAITH by Barbara Brown Taylor and PASSION ON THE VINE by Sergio Esposito.

Summer music reading: Organ Chorale preludes, many chants, Renaissance masses and motets, German cantatas, oratorios,Passions, madrigals (Italian and English) and chansons.

Sing a new song (or play it on the organ),
Alyce

Olive Panzanella and Grilled Sausages

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  • Do you love the word “panzanella?” It’s beautiful, isn’t it? As a musician, the sound of it brings a sweet pitch to mind… and a drawing out of the eh of “ella,” with a tad of dipthong present… a big no-no for singers. So it goes something like, “pahnzahnayhhhhhhlllahhh….” Maybe to you, it doesn’t have such a ringing tone. Maybe, to you, it sounds like one of Cinderella’s stepsisters. But you also might wonder what in the world is panzanella, much less olive panzanella. I never heard of olive panzanella either, but I made it.
    Ok; here goes: Pane is bread in Italian…. Panzanella is a dish made with Tuscan bread that is a day old (Oh what lovely things we do with day-old bread…) and traditionally is made with tomatoes, basil, onions, cucumbers and olive oil. I am a twister and turner of “traditional” dishes, adding what I have in my pantry or frig and making them into traditional Colorado Springs dishes. After all, I am not in Tuscany; I am blessed to eat Marigold’s bread in Colorado Springs… and I am without cucumbers as I am rapidly paring down my frig to be away from home for two months. (More on that later.) My basil (all four plants) promptly died after planting, but I do have thyme… and there was still parsley in my veg drawer. Closer inspection (read that cleaning out) of the middle shelf led me to olives stuffed with garlic leftover from my daughter’s graduation party. Et voila, olive panzanella. Things that grow together go together, is the saying.
    This is a wonderful meal to serve in the summer when tomatoes (and basil if you make it the typical Italian way) are full, ripe, round and warmly fragrant. It is perhaps a tish early in the season, particularly in Colorado, to make it now, but hey, I had the tomatoes and went for it. You can substitute some dried thyme (1/2 if) for the fresh if you have to, but try to use the fresh parsley at least. I think you could be absolutely inventive with your veg. (beans, asparagus?)
    So turn your eyes to heaven, breathe deeply and shrug your shoulders back squarely before you say the best grace you can before this meal begins (and afterward, too, if you are a Jew); it is one for which to be very thankful. Being grateful, as a way of life, is healthy, I think, for me. Maybe for you, too. A great practice. This meal is simple, fast, even frugal and still feeling decadent. Oooo. (Lower your eyebrows and pucker up big when you “ooooo.”)
    One note about the olive oil. Don’t skimp on the oil for your dressing. First of all, make your own dressing and you’ll save money not having to BUY bottled dressings (check the ingredients sometime), have great salads and not ruin costly veg. Many homemade dressings do store for several days or more. When folks talk about what a great salad that was, it was usually because 1. the ingredients were fresh and 2. so was the salad dressing. I use, for dressings, Olio Santo (California.) For cooking, I use whatever Olive Oil (not EVOO) is on sale.
    To taste dressing, get a little piece of lettuce from frig and dip very lightly a teense into the dressing. Good? Bad? Salty? Oily? Vinegary? Adjust one of these and try again. Better? Worse? Bland? Needs zing? (try a drop or two of Tabasco)
    Wine: Why not go the whole Italian way and sip a Chiani Classico? On the other hand, there’s hardly anything better than California Zinfandel with sausage. Neither are expensive, though you can find expensive examples if you want to.
    If you have become a recent lover of wine, find a wine shop in which you’re comfortable (where the help is approachable and helpful) and frequent it. Make yourself a customer and get to know the wine people there so that you’re comfortable going in and asking for “a zinfandel under $15.00.” Not everyone can afford expensive wines often. I think of it like this: every day wine, weekend wine, birthday wine, graduation wine, etc. The numbers are then not so staggering. Besides, if you’re cooking at home, my friend, you’re already saving your bucks. Buying decent wine OUT is really a lot more; drink it at home. “Better wine and better food at home” is the phrase we use to not eat out.

    Dessert: Semifreddo Espresso. Brew 2 cups of espresso. Pour a ½ cup each over each of 4 cups of vanilla ice cream. Use gorgeous small lotus bowls. Smile.

    Make the meal bigger for company: Add a cheese plate and/or a first course soup.

    Time to cook:

    Olive Panzanella with Grilled Italian Sausages
    Serves 4

    Sausages: 4 fresh Italian sausage links and ¼ c Dijon mustard
    Place mustard in a small serving bowl and set aside. Fill a 4 qt. saucepan half full with water. Add sausages and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat and simmer sausages about 5 minutes to cook off some of the fat. Remove from water and grill over medium heat until crispy brown. Set aside, covered.

    Salad:
    12” Baguette, cut into 1-2” chunks (stale is good; new will still work)
    1-2T olive oil
    Kosher salt and freshly black ground pepper
    1 each: red, yellow and green bell (sweet) peppers, cut into 1” dice
    ½ med red onion, slivered
    2 lrg or 3 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/8s
    ½ c sliced green olives stuffed with garlic
    2T capers (chopped finely if the large ones)
    ½ c fresh parsley, minced, plus 2-3 sprigs for garnish
    2-3 t fresh thyme leaves

    Dressing: (You’ll use it all.)
    1 T Dijon mustard
    3 T red wine vinegar
    ½ t garlic, minced
    ½ c (8T) extra-virgin olive oil, best quality
    ½ t Kosher salt
    ¼ t Freshly ground black pepper

    Heat olive oil over low-medium heat with a dusting of salt and pepper. Add cut-up bread and brown slowly, toasting evenly and tossing with tongs for 5-10 minutes until golden.

    Meantime, make salad dressing in a large bowl. Whisk the mustard, vinegar and garlic together. Add oil slowly, whisking still, until shiny and somewhat opaque. Season with salt and pepper. Add chopped vegetables and herbs. Season once again. Add toasted bread and stir gently, but thoroughly. Let sit 10-15 minutes. Garnish with parsley. Serve with sausages topped with the Dijon mustard.

    Eat all of the salad; it doesn’t keep.

    Here’s the Gabster, still looking good from
    her day at the groomer’s.

    Sing a new song,
    Alyce

    P.S. Re being gone: I move to St. Paul ( temporarily) this Saturday for two months to do some graduate work in liturgical music at University of St. Thomas. I’ll also be within walking distance of a hugging group of old cooking friends…… Move with me and keep up on the blog, which will feature SUMMER IN THE CITY food and HOW TO COOK AWAY FROM HOME IN A FURNISHED (NO GOOD KNIVES; NO CUISINART) KITCHEN WITH A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD FOR GROCERIES AND THE BEST FARMERS’ MARKETS……..