Before & After

Tonight is a monumental night in the Boehm-Goodnick "unprocessed" house...we harvested our first non-herb crops! (Yes, folks, that's right, it's the little things.) Thanks to the Berkeley based urban mushroom farming venture BTTR (Back To The Roots), we grew pearl oyster mushrooms in our bedroom! (They require little light, and it is our shadiest spot. I promise you that we don't have some kind of sick mushroom fetish.) BTTR uses recycled coffee grounds from Peet's - claiming to divert 7000 pounds of grounds from landfills weekly -- instead using them as the "soil" for the fungus. 10 days with daily misting and voila, a hefty bunch of meaty shrooms.

We gave the fungi a quick toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and popped them in the oven for a few minutes. Then, we spooned them over a bed of mesclun lettuce harvested from the farm on the deck. All in all, a fabulously unprocessed meal.

Validation

Nothing makes me happier than external validation...More proof that our crazed ideas about "un-processed" eating and home gardening are on par with the great minds of the food and health industries??? The cover of Diabetes Forecast magazine (published by the American Diabetes Association)features the following headlines: "Homemade! Food tastes best when you do it yourself!" and "Grow it. Got Sunlight? Get Gardening!" Good food, good health; you're in control!

(Yes, I do see the irony in posting a whopping slice of strawberry pie alongside an article giving a nod to DIABETES Forecast magazine, but, heck. I made it myself!)

Eggplant Roll-ups

Eggplant roll-ups
May 26, 2010

Serves 6

These roll-ups can either start the meal or accompany the main course at a barbecue. Create long, wide planks by slicing the eggplant lengthwise, then grill and fill with roasted red peppers and mozzarella. Roasted red peppers are available in jars at many markets, but it takes only a few minutes to grill your own. Blacken the skins completely so they come off easily when cool. Serve these on their own or accompanied by pasta and garnished with pesto or a favorite marinara and a sprinkle of fresh herbs.

3 red bell peppers
2 large eggplants, trimmed and sliced 1/4inch thick lengthwise
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
8 ounces mozzarella, cut into thick matchsticks

1. Light a charcoal grill and wait for the coals to turn gray; mound them in the center of the grill. Or set a gas grill to medium-high. Have on hand a rimmed baking sheet and toothpicks.

2. Place red peppers over the hottest part of the grill. Roast for 15 minutes, turning often, or until charred. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and set aside for 20 minutes.

3. On baking sheet, arrange 1 layer of eggplant. Brush with oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Turn the slices, and repeat on the other side. Continue on all the slices.

4. Grill the eggplant for 2 minutes on a side or until they are tender and charred. Return the eggplant to the baking sheet; set aside.

5. Remove and discard the skins, seeds, and stems from the red peppers. Slice the peppers into thin strips. In a small bowl, combine the peppers with vinegar, salt, and pepper.

6. Lay the eggplant slices on a work surface with the widest end facing you. Place several strips of red pepper and a few pieces of mozzarella across the widest part of the eggplant. Roll the eggplant around the filling; secure with a toothpick. Repeat with the remaining slices.

7. Set the roll-ups on a cool grill. Cover and cook for 3 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Panzanella

This could be the best salad that I have ever eaten...no lie...I wouldn't falsify such a grandiose statement. Try it, and let me know if you disagree. P.S. It is best when washed down with a glass of chianti on a lazy Sunday (or Thursday, if you will) afternoon. (P.S. Did I mention how terribly easy it is to throw together?)

Panzanella
The Boston Globe, May 26, 2010

Serves 6

The traditional Italian salad panzanella was born from the need to use up stale bread. Some versions call for soaking the loaf in water. It’s more luxurious to rub a crusty baguette with olive oil and garlic and grill the pieces for a few minutes, lending smoky notes to the finished bowl of arugula, tomatoes, and red onion. For a pretty presentation, choose multicolored cherry tomatoes.

1 baguette, halved lengthwise
5 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 cloves garlic, halved
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes in mixed colors, quartered
2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 bunch fresh arugula, stems trimmed
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled

1. Light a charcoal grill and wait for the coals to turn gray or set a gas grill to medium.

2. Brush the baguette with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Grill the baguette for 2 minutes on a side or until crisp and slightly charred. Remove bread from grill and rub with garlic cloves. Tear into bite-sized pieces.

4. In a large bowl, combine grilled bread, cherry and regular tomatoes, onion, arugula, basil, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss gently.

5. Divide the salad among 6 plates and sprinkle with goat cheese.

Icebox Cake

Icebox Cake from Boston Globe May 26, 2010

So good you'll keep a spoon next to the fridge, shamelessly reaching in for another bite every time you walk by...which you will do on purpose, without reason to actually enter the kitchen...

Canned goods

We all know they're convenient, but studies continue to show that canned food is just not good for long term health. The first article you might want to read discusses the need for FDA regulation on sodium levels in processed foods - known to heighten heart health concerns related to high blood pressure. (Thank you, Mike, for sharing this link with me.)

The second is a call to ban the use of hazardous BPAs, found in the lining of metal cans. (Thank you, Shaun, for bringing this one to my attention.) Better off just stopping by the produce market on the way home from work...

Chicken Cacciatore/ Barbecue Chicken Stromboli

These dishes pull chicken legs in different directions
By Karoline Boehm Goodnick, Globe Correspondent | May 19, 2010

Chicken legs are often overlooked in favor of their leaner counterpart, boneless, skinless breasts. Legs have more flavor and usually cost much less pound for pound. For this dish, choose leg quarters, which means the legs and thighs are attached. Simmer them in a quick cacciatore, and while the dish is bubbling away in the oven, put on a pot of rice. Ladle the sauce over the rice, and top each portion with a leg. Pour a glass of Chianti, set aside some of the chicken for tomorrow, and settle in for a nice meal.

Stromboli is Philadelphia’s answer to the calzone, an Italian treat made by forming a half moon with pizza dough and filling it with traditional pizza toppings. Typically loaded with mozzarella and pepperoni, stromboli is shaped more like a burrito than a calzone. Start by stretching pizza dough with your hands (you don’t have to make it; many markets and pizza shops sell the dough by the pound), taking care not to tear any holes. Once the dough grows to a size that no longer seems manageable, set it on a baking sheet, and continue stretching until it fills the pan.

Mix leftover, shredded, chicken and cacciatore sauce with bottled barbecue sauce and mozzarella. Mound the filling in the center of the dough and seal it. Brush with an egg wash so the top browns. Once the stromboli bakes, let it cool for a few minutes. If you slice it too hot, the pieces will not hold together. Don’t fret over minor blowouts; simply tuck the filling back inside with a spoon. Serve with a salad, so you get nutrition plus comfort.

Chicken cacciatore

Serves 4 with leftovers

Serve this old-fashioned Italian-American dish with rice.

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, sliced
2 bell peppers, cored and sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
10 green olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup water
6 chicken leg quarters

1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. In a large flameproof casserole, heat canola oil over medium heat. Add onion, bell peppers, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, or until vegetables soften.

2. Stir in oregano, tomatoes, olives, wine, and water. Bring liquid to a boil. Remove pan from heat.

3. Sprinkle chicken legs with salt and pepper. Place the legs in the pan, skin side up, leaving the skin exposed.

4. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until the chicken is brown and pulling away from the bone. Reserve 1 cup of sauce and 2 whole legs for the stromboli.

Chicken stromboli

Serves 4

Pizza dough is sold by the pound. You can buy good commercially made dough in many markets and pizza shops.

Olive oil (for the pan)
2 whole cooked chicken legs, skinned and shredded
1 cup leftover cacciatore sauce
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 pound pizza dough
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)

1. Set the oven at 400 degrees. Oil a large rimmed baking sheet.

2. Remove the skin and bones from the legs. Shred the meat and transfer to a large bowl. Add the cacciatore and barbecue sauces, mozzarella, salt, and pepper.

3. Begin to stretch the pizza dough in your hands, holding it above the counter. When you can’t stretch it anymore, set it in the pan, and continue stretching the dough until it fills the pan completely.

4. Place the chicken mixture in a long thin lengthwise mound down the center of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border at the ends. Fold over the edges of dough on both short sides.

5. Fold the closest edge of the dough over the filling. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg mixture on the dough.

6. Roll the encased filling away from you toward the top of the pan, so the stromboli seam is now on the bottom.

7. Brush the entire stromboli with egg wash and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut three shallow diagonal slits on top of the dough making sure not to cut all the way through the dough.

8. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbly through the holes.

9. Remove from the oven, and set aside for 10 minutes. Slice with a serrated knife.