mega veggie salad

i have really been trying hard these last few weeks to drop a few lbs.  my annual trip to miami for art basel is rapidly approaching.  it always seems i need some sort of special occasion or vacation to get my butt in gear.  i recently bought a treadmill and have picked back up running.  i really love it.  it feels so good to sweat.  and walking, quite frankly doesn't do that.  i have been eating a salad almost every night (weekends excluded, of course) with some sort of lean protein.  in order for it to be filling and satisfying, i add a ton of different vegetables, beans, nuts.  this salad is full of artichokes, broccoli, asparagus, chick peas, walnuts (which, by the way, is said to help reduce breast cancer), tomatoes, carrots, celery, cucumbers, and lord knows what else.  and you know what?  it's been working.  i have lost 5 lbs so far, and actually go to bed satisfied and full.  a requirement for any meal i consume!

pasta bolognese

i made this for a group of guys who where getting together for a night of poker and wine.  it's really delicious and fun to make. quite hearty and rich, so take your pepcid ac!  it comes together so quickly with the help of a food processor.  there is a bit of tending to the dish in the beginning, but once all of that is complete, just set the dish to simmer and go run your errands.  when you come back home your house will smell incredible.  i normally would use a spaghetti with a meaty sauce like this bolognese, but being a dinner party, a shorter pasta would be easier to eat.  who wants to twirl, slop, and continually wipe pasta sauce off your chin in front of friends?  to start, add 2 large carrots, one large onion, 3 celery ribs, and 4 cloves of garlic to a food processor.  add the mixture with 2 tb of olive oil and a good amount of salt to a large, heavy pan.  i used my 8 quart le crueset. saute the vegetable for about 15-20 minutes.  next, add 3 lbs of ground chuck.  saute for another 15-20 minutes until the beef is nice and brown.  add 2 cups of tomato paste, cook for 5 minutes.  next add 3 cups of red wine.  at this point the liquid will not completely cover the meat, so add about 3 cups of water.  yes, water.  add a bunch of thyme, tied, so you can easily pull it out in the end, and 3 bay leaves.  bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  cook, uncovered for 4 hours.  you may need to add more water as you go.  taste for seasoning and adjust.  the pasta to meat ratio should be the same.  half pasta, half meat sauce.  sprinkle with some parmesan and enjoy with some garlic bread.  please, don't forget the bread.  this makes a huge batch, it's great for freezing.  the original recipe can be found here.

lyonnaise potatoes

I love potatoes. baked, stuffed, french fried, mashed, smashed, roasted. you name it. i love that they are somewhat of a blank canvas and you can add just about anything to them for a new twist. i always try to keep them simple, however. i don't add butter or full fat creams to them. i really don't think they need it. these pototoes are fantastic. when i roast potatoes, i start by par boiling them. this way, i am assured that the centers will be soft. often times if i just throw the potatoes into a high temp oven to roast them, the centers are not cooked all the way through, and the outsides are a bit more brown than i like (a.k.a. burnt). lyonnaise potatoes are french and typically made with butter - i choose to use olive oil. lyonnaise potatoes, are also made with onions. i love pototoes and onions together. these, however don't have onions in them. i guess these aren't really lyonnaise potatoes, are they? maybe these are a little more like tuscan potatoes? speaking of tuscan potatoes...if you ever head to las vegas, make sure to dine at carnevino at the pallazo hotel. they have killer tuscan fries. ok, where was i? oh yea, back to these potatoes. to make them, quarter red potatoes and put them in a pot of water with some salt. once the water comes to a boil, turn it down a bit - to a soft boil. you don't want the potatoes to break apart. boil for 12-15 minutes. in the meantime, put a baking pan in a 450 degree oven. getting the pan hot with give a nice crust to the potatoes when you put them on the tray. after you have drained the potatoes, dry them off with a paper towel. pop them on the hot baking tray and add olive oil, salt, and pepper. roast in the oven for 10 minutes, take the potatoes out and flip them. at this point i like to add minced garlic. if you add the garlic too soon it will just burn. pop the potatoes and garlic back in the oven and roast another 5-7 minutes. once the potatoes are done, sprinkle with fresh parsley. i am on a curly parsley kick right now. i just love the way it looks, tastes, and it is really easy to finely chop. try it next time you are using parsley. make sure to lightly salt the potatoes again while still hot.

profiteroles with lemon custard

good lord these are good.  and a cinch to make.  quite fun, too.  there are very few ingredients, so you probably have everything in your pantry and fridge.  to start, combine 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 stick of butter and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  reduce the heat and add 1/2 cup of flour and stir with a wooden spoon.  continue to cook until the mixture has formed a ball and has a slightly sweaty sheen to it and has pulled away from the pan.  it happens fast.  transfer the mixture to another bowl and let cook for a few minutes.  with an electric mixer add 2 eggs, one at a time.  don't add the second egg until the first one is fully incorporated.  add a pinch of cinnamon and beat to combine.  transfer the mixture to a pastry bag.  i use a zip lock bag that i have snipped off the corner.  you want to pipe 1 inch balls onto a sheet lined with parchment paper.  after you have added all the balls, dip your finger in water and smooth the top of each ball where the bag released the dough.  leave about 1 inch between each ball because they grow.  bake in a 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.  rotate have way through so they bake evenly.  once cool, cut in half horizontally and fill with whatever you want.  i made a lemon custard and topped with melted chocolate and toasted almonds.  ice cream is fantastic in these.  they are so cute.  they have hollow insides so you can stuff them with whatever you have.  you can even make these savory by not adding cinnamon and stuff them with goat cheese and sundried tomatoes, or ricotta and fresh herbs.  they make great appetizers.