In this recipe from our book “Tuesday Nights Mediterranean,” which features weeknight-friendly meals from the region, we combine roasted portobello mushrooms with fresh goat cheese, toasted walnuts and a combination of bitter radicchio and frisée, adding a touch of sweetness with a honeyed red wine vinaigrette.

To begin, we coat sliced mushrooms with olive oil seasoned with garlic, thyme, salt and pepper to highlight their savory character, then roast until the moisture they release evaporates and the slices begin to brown. The greens and cheese can be prepared during the 10 minutes the mushrooms are in the oven, and the vinaigrette is made as they cool.

We like the texture and color of frisée and radicchio, but if you prefer leafier greens, use watercress or arugula — which tend to be peppery instead of bitter. To make the salad more filling, serve with sliced baguette and garnish individual portions with a poached egg.

FRISÉE AND MUSHROOM SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE AND WALNUTS

Start to finish: 35 minutes

Servings: 4 to 6 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 medium garlic cloves, finely grated

½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1 pound portobello mushrooms, stemmed and sliced ½ inch thick

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon whole-grain Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

½ cup walnuts, toasted, ¼ cup chopped and reserved separately

1 head frisée (about 7 ounces), torn into bite-size pieces (about 7 cups)

1 small head radicchio (about 6 ounces), thinly sliced (about 2½ cups)

4 ounces fresh goat cheese (chèvre), crumbled

Heat the oven to 500°F with a rack in the middle position. In a large bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons of oil, the garlic, thyme and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms and toss to coat. Distribute in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet; reserve the bowl. Roast the mushrooms until the moisture they release has evaporated and the slices begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool while you prepare the dressing and toss the greens.

In the reserved bowl, whisk together the remaining 4 tablespoons oil, the vinegar, mustard, honey, chopped walnuts and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add the frisée and radicchio, then toss to combine.

Mound the greens on a serving platter and arrange the mushrooms on top. Scatter the goat cheese over the salad and sprinkle with the remaining walnuts.

—

EDITOR’S NOTE: For more recipes, go to Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street at 177milkstreet.com/ap

The post Tangy goat cheese balances meaty mushrooms in a simple vegetarian salad appeared first on The Florida Daily Post.

Bowls and bowls of salsa.

And while you can always pop open a jar, homemade salsa is extremely simple to make. The only skill it requires is a willingness to chop, mince, and dice.

Everyone loves a classic tomato-based salsa, but if you want to shake things up a bit, there’s no easier way to liven up your spread than to play with different fruit-based salsas.

If you take a stroll down the salsa aisle in a supermarket, you’ll see firsthand how deep America’s love affair with salsa runs. And while there are dozens of tomato-based choices, you can also find more exotic offerings, many of them fruit-forward. And those can become an inspiration for our homemade versions.

Popular salsa variations include peach, mango, pineapple, black bean and corn, avocado, and green tomatillo.

What game-day foods does salsa go with? What DOESN’T salsa go with it? Clearly, it works well with chips (potato, tortilla, pita, and so on). Definitely nachos, tacos, burritos, quesadillas. Ditto an assortment of raw veggies, from carrots to cucumber slices to planks of jicama. A scoop of salsa on a bowl of chili is a terrific contrasting topper. Chicken wings benefit from a dunk in bright spicy salsa. And a spoonful is excellent atop a burger or slider.

So, let’s wow our friends and make our own. Here are three quick and easy fruit salsas that will elevate game day and still fit right in.

PINEAPPLE-MINT-JALAPENO SALSA

This so, so pretty and colorful salsa is truly refreshing, even with the kick from the jalapenos (and of course, the amount of jalapeño can be adjusted as desired). The sweetness of the pineapple is a bright surprising base. If you use two different-colored bell peppers, the salsa gets that much more colorful, but if you use just one pepper of any color that’s absolutely fine, too. Try this with teriyaki beef skewers or pulled pork sandwiches.

In a medium bowl, combine 2 cups ¼-inch diced pineapple, ½ cup diced bell pepper (any color or mix of colors), 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped mint, 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno (or more to taste), 1 tablespoon lime juice and salt to taste.

TROPICAL FRUIT SALSA

Besides the usual game-day menu suspects, this is great with fish (think fish tacos) and on top of grilled chicken.

In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup finely diced pineapple, ½ cup finely diced mango, ½ cup finely diced papaya (or additional mango), ½ cup finely diced red bell pepper, ½ cup finely diced onion, 1 kiwi peeled and finely diced, 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno, 2 teaspoons minced cilantro, the juice of 1 lime, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste, pinch cayenne pepper, and salt to taste.

SPICY PEAR SALSA

Also, remember this next time you make a roasted pork loin or cook a turkey breast. The pomegranate seeds are optional, but they sure do offer a lot of visual appeals, not to mention crunchy pops of sweet-tart flavor. You can use whatever pears you have around, making sure they are ripe but still firm so they hold their shape when diced. Try Bosc, Anjou, or Bartlett.

In a medium bowl, combine 2 diced ripe-but-firm pears, a minced ½ red onion, a couple of tablespoons pomegranate seeds, 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno, 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon orange juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

—

Switching up salsas for the Super Bowl: 3 recipes with fruit
 

The post Switching up salsas for the Super Bowl: 3 recipes with fruit appeared first on The Florida Daily Post.

For the tomato sauce in the Pizza Margherita

Makes enough for 4 pizzas:

— 1 x 14 ounce (400 grams) can of San Marzano (or any good-quality Italian) tomatoes

— a good pinch of sea salt

Method:

In a large bowl, crush the tomatoes by hand. (This is the old-school way they used to do it in Naples, and for good reason. If you put the tomatoes in a food processor you end up with a depressingly smooth sauce that lacks texture.) Once you’ve crushed the hell out of your tomatoes, add a pinch of salt to taste and that’s it! Pure, unadulterated tomato goodness.

For the pizza

Makes 1 pizza

— 1 ball of Neapolitan pizza dough (see below)

— 3 ounces (80 grams) tomato sauce

— 4–5 fresh basil leaves

— Parmesan, for grating

— 1 tablespoon olive oil

— 3 ounces (80 grams) fior di latte mozzarella, torn or sliced

Method:

1. Preheat the grill (broiler) to its absolute highest setting, and place a large, ovenproof frying pan (skillet) over high heat and let it get screaming hot.

2. Meanwhile, flatten and stretch the dough ball to make a 10-inch pizza base.

3. Lay the pizza base flat in the hot, dry frying pan, then, using a small ladle (or a large spoon), spoon the tomato sauce onto the middle of the pizza. Using the back of the ladle, make concentric circles to spread the sauce, beginning in the middle and finishing 1ˆin from the edge.

4. Next, sprinkle over the basil (it will burn if put on last). Grate over a little Parmesan and drizzle with the olive oil.

5. Once the base of the pizza has browned, about 1–2 minutes, add your mozzarella, then place the frying pan under the grill on the highest shelf.

6. Once the crust has taken on some color, about 1–2 minutes, the pizza is ready!

Making Neapolitan Pizza Dough:

With the knowledge of each ingredient and the important roles they play, we can now make Neapolitan pizza dough.

Tip: Weigh out all your ingredients before you start.

Ingredients:

— 35 ounces (1000 grams) ‘00’ flour (Caputo ‘blue’ is recommend)

— 2/3 tablespoon (2 grams) fresh yeast

— 21 fluid ounces (620 milliliters) tepid water

— 1 ounce (30 grams) fine sea salt

Method

1. Make a mountain of flour in the middle of the table. Using your fist, make a deep well in the middle of the flour, exposing the surface of the table (turning your mountain into a moon crater).

2. Crumble the yeast into the tepid water. Use your good hand to mash up the yeast in the water until it has dissolved. (Keep the other hand dry for taking Instagram photos to show off to your friends.) Fill your crater of flour with a third of the yeast/water mix. Using your fingertips, start making very small circular motions to combine the flour and water.

3. Start dragging in some more flour to the mix, by ‘undercutting’ the walls of the crater with your fingertips. As you do this the mixture in the middle will become thicker. Once it reaches the consistency of porridge you need to add a bit more water. Don’t let it get too thick; if it starts to form a dough too soon it becomes difficult to incorporate the rest of the water. Keep dragging in a little flour to thicken the mix, then pouring a little bit more water in to loosen it, until you have all the water used up.

4. Sprinkle the sea salt over the mixture while it’s still very wet to ensure it dissolves and disperses evenly throughout the dough. Now use both hands to push the remaining flour from the outside into the middle. Fold and press the mix until all the flour is absorbed and the dough comes together. If you have a dough scraper it really helps get everything off the table, but you can improvise with a paint scraper, spatula, or knife.

5. Work the gluten by kneading the dough. Use the heel of your hand to stretch out the dough and roll it back up, while the other hand acts like an anchor. You’ll be able to see the strands of gluten stretching, breaking, being put back together, and becoming stronger. Continue this for about 8 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and glossy. It should also feel tighter and elastic.

6. Let the dough have a 10-minute rest to relax the gluten. Cover the dough with a damp cloth or some clingfilm (plastic wrap) to keep the air from drying it out. Then divide your bulk of dough into individual portions. We recommend 230g (8oz) dough balls for 10-inch pizzas. Ensure your dough balls are neatly shaped – pinched at the bottom and tight on the top – then place them in a tray or container 3cm (1in) apart. Cover with a tight lid or clingfilm (plastic wrap).

7. Now you can relax. The yeast will take over from here. Leave the dough at room temperature for approximately 6 hours until it expands to almost double its size, then store in the fridge overnight. The next day, remove the dough from the fridge for 1–2 hours and bring it back to room temperature before baking your pizzas.

—

Recipe excerpted with permission from “Pizza” by Thom Elliot and James Elliot, published by Quadrille in November 2020.

Make a pizza Margherita like an Italian. Here’s how.

The post Make a pizza Margherita like an Italian. Here’s how. appeared first on The Florida Daily Post.

A few weeks ago, I made a version of Arroz con Pollo that a friend remembered from his favorite childhood restaurant. It was green with cilantro and creamy with cheese and sour cream. I made a casserole that combined three recipes, my Green Rice, Poached Chicken and a creamy cheese sauce. All this was topped with buttered breadcrumbs and took me about four hours to make. It was delicious but it was so much work!

Even the more traditional Spanish Chicken and Rice is a multi-step recipe that takes a lot of time. In my world, I can make rice on the stovetop and grill chicken thighs in less time with less mess, but that is not what most people think of when they think of Chicken and Rice.

Electric pressure cookers are also having a moment. And, until recently, I had never used one. My sister bought one and bragged about making chicken soup in 15 minutes. I thought she was dreaming. or had made a chicken soup so devoid of taste that no one would want to eat it.

But all that changed when I got my hands on a pressure cooker. I chose a simple model from Cuisinart that would let me chose between high and low and set the time. As someone new to pressure cookers, I am not going to bake a cake or make yogurt in one of them.

Thinking about the simple and craveable combination of chicken and rice, I experimented with throwing it all in a pressure cooker and seeing what would happen. I didn’t saute onions_or even use them_or brown the chicken which you could certainly do and it would only make it better. I made it by putting everything in the pressure cooker and turning it on.

I did stack the flavor deck a little. I used chicken stock and white wine to cook the brown jasmine rice and the chicken. I seasoned the chicken thighs with a spice rub and added it to the liquid, and added unsalted butter for flavor and texture. But I also used a bag of frozen vegetables for convenience. I am partial to lima beans, but I figured that most people would prefer peas and carrots so that is what I used. I had some fresh thyme so I added that to the pot, but if you don’t have it you can use dried thyme.

I had a pound of fresh mushrooms that needed cooking so I sliced and sauteed them before putting everything in the pressure cooker_but they could be optional. After 23 minutes, I was rewarded with a surprisingly delicious one-bowl meal that was the very definition of wholesome comfort food. It was bursting with flavor and made me dream of what else I could make in the pressure cooker. With food this good, and this fast, there is no excuse not to cook from scratch.

Under pressure quickie chicken and rice:

Servings 6
Start to finish: 35 minutes
1 pound of mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (optional)
1 1/2 cups brown jasmine rice (White rice cooks too quickly and will be mushy and overcooked)
2 cups chicken stock
1/2cup white wine
1/8pound butter (half a stick)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2teaspoon ground white pepper
1/8teaspoon cayenne pepper
4-6bone-in chicken thighs, or 8 boneless chicken thighs
1 16-ounce bag of frozen peas and carrots
1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme

Special Equipment: Electric Pressure Cooker

If using mushrooms, saute and set aside. Measure out rice, stock, wine and butter, and place in pressure cooker pot.

Meanwhile, mix salt and dried spices together. Season chicken and set aside. Add remaining spice mixture to rice and stock. Stir to mix. Add the mushrooms, if using, and the frozen vegetables and place the chicken on top. Add the sprigs of fresh thyme.

Lock the pressure cooker according to manufacturer instructions. Make sure the valve is in the pressure position. Set the pressure on high and set time for 23 minutes.

Chef’s Note: The pressure cooker will take about 20 minutes to build pressure. After that, it will begin to time the cooking process so the whole cooking time is 43 minutes.

Once the pressure cooker has cooked for 23 minutes, let it release naturally. Open and stir to make sure the rice is done. If it is too al dente, continue cooking on simmer or pressure cook for another 3-4 minutes.

The chicken skin will not be brown or crispy. If you want the skin crispy, place in a heat proof serving piece and crisp the skin under the broiler.

Nutrition information per serving: 397 calories; 103 calories from fat; 12g fat (6 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 85 mg cholesterol; 705 mg sodium; 48 g carbohydrate; 6 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 22 g protein.

—

Editor’s note: Elizabeth Karmel is a barbecue and Southern foods expert. She is the chef and pit master at online retailer CarolinaCueToGo.com and the author of three books, including “Taming the Flame.”

Cooking recipe: Here’s how to make delicious chicken and rice under pressure in a cooker by North Carolina native Elizabeth Karmel, a.k.a. Grill Girl.

The post Make Delicious Chicken and Rice Under Pressure – in a Cooker appeared first on The Florida Daily Post.