Sportello

Last night the husband and I went out to eat because we don't want to make our kitchen/home messy during meal preparation. The first open house is today (fingers crossed that someone comes in with a good offer). Anyhow, we have been hearing about how great Sportello is for both lunch and dinner so we decided to try it.

A few months ago when checking out Drink with some friends we walked upstairs and looked inside the door of Sportello. The manager who was getting things organized let us in to check it out (it had not yet opened for business). My first impression was that it was different in appearance from what I was expecting. The layout and design of the restaurant is very similar to a modern and posh lunch counter. It looked like it was very bright mainly due to the white counters and large white light fixtures. It was something that we wanted to try.

Fast forward several months later and the husband and I walked in again when it was open for business. It was a last minute decision to go out for dinner. Lucky for us we went early and no problem getting a seat at the counter. We were led to the head (I guess that is what you could call it) of the counter and had a terrific view of the kitchen. Normally in a restaurant sitting near the kitchen is a bad seat, however at Sportello the kitchen is in the dining room. It was really fun to watch the chefs prepare meals and watch how they plated things.

The service we had was excellent. Our waitress was very friendly, not overly pushy, and gave me a wine recommendation. I am not normally into roses, but I know if you have a good one (i.e. one that is not bright pink and a Berringer brand drank by the under aged and middle aged) they can be quite tasty. Our server said that if I didn't like it after trying a taste, it was no big deal and I could just have something else. I took her up on the offer and advice of selecting a wine. I am not familiar with the Italian wines and need advice when selecting one. I am better at choosing a California or Argentine wine.

For the first course, the husband and I shared the antipasti plate. It was a nice selection of cured meats (so much for not eating meat!) and a great parmigiano-reggiano cheese with some other great tasting toppings. I loved the chickpeas.

For the main course, I went with the scallops while the husband went with the branzini. Both were so great. The scallops were served in a bowl with a great broth filled with clams, rice beans, parsley, and chervil. Normally, I could pass on the parsley, but this was great!. The husband's piece of fish was also excellent. It was served with potatoes, lemons, and olives. He ate every last bit.

Because we were such good eaters and finished our dinners, dessert was an option. We both have a terrible sweet tooth and can never turn down something sweet after dinner. I selected the chocolate rice pudding. It was heavenly! This rich dessert had both dark and white chocolate. The husband went with the milk chocolate semi-freddo. Again, it was a great choice. It had a great combination of salty and sweet.

All in all, Sportello was a great experience. The food is wonderful. The environment is fun, as it is not a stuffy restaurant, and the service was great.

Feta-Stuffed Turkey Burgers

There is something about a burger that just hits the spot. The husband and I were loving this version of a turkey burger on a cold rainy spring evening. It was so full of flavor, the oregano and black pepper kicks up the turkey burger one level. Once again, we decided to grill it because we don't want to create a mess in the kitchen. The constant cleaning that goes along with selling a home is tiring. To think that it has only been one week!

This was an easy one to make on a week night. It does not require a lot of prep work. Also, the husband is the grill master so the weight of cooking the burgers was lifted off my shoulders.

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound ground turkey
6 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

1. Pre-heat the grill.
2. Combine the first 5 ingredients. Divide the mixture into four portions. Indent center of each portion; place 1.5 tablespoons of feta into each. Fold turkey mixture around cheese; shape each portion into a 1/2 inch patty.
   
3. Place on grill and cook until done.
   

Yield: 4 servings

Tomato and Herb Pasta

The original recipe calls for pappardelle, but I have campanelle on the shelf in my psuedo pantry and in the interest of using what I have, mostly in hopes the sale of our home will move fast and I will have less to pack. The recipe also calls for heirloom tomatoes, but I don't think that they are out yet. The "normal" tomato works quite well.

I was pretty excited that I got to tap into my herb garden yet again with this recipe. I got to use the rosemary which tasted great in this dish. Fresh herbs really do make a difference with the tast.

12 ounces of pasta
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 cups thinly sliced shallots (about 2 large)
4 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 pounds tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup shaved pecorino cheese

1. Cook past according to package directions.
2. While pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots to pan; saute 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add oregano and next 5 inredients, (through tomatoes); cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Arrange 1 cup pasta onto each of six plates. Top each serving with about 1 and 1/3 cups of tomato mixture; drizzle 1 teaspoon remaining oil. Divide cheese evenly among servings.
   

Yield: 6 servings

Pizza Provencal

More pizza for us! The husband and I love to try to make different kinds of pizzas. We especially love to use the grill in nice weather. The original recipe calls for the pizza to be done in the oven, but due to nice weather and the fact that our home is on the market and we are looking to minimize the indoor mess, we grilled the pizza. I have included instructions for both the grilled and oven baked versions.

While have the leftover pizza for lunch, I was struck by the idea that the base of the pizza could be used as topping for crostini. Feel free to eat as an entree or serve as a small bite before dinner or at a party.

1/4 pitted Kalamata olives
3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1.5 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon water
1 (16) oz loaf Italian bread, split in half horizontally
2 cups thinly sliced chicken (we grilled it)
3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1. Heat up the grill.
   
2. Combine the first 7 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Place bottom half of bread, cut side up, on a baking sheet (reserve top half for another use). Spread olive mixture over bread; sprinkle with cheese. Place on a baking sheet and put on the grill, cook until heated through. Sprinkle with basil. Cut into 4 pieces.

OR

1. Pre-heat oven to 450F.
2. Combine the first 7 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Place bottom half of bread, cut side up, on a baking sheet (reserve top half for another use). Spread olive mixture over bread; sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes or until heated. Sprinkle with basil. Cut into 4 pieces.

Yield: 4 servings.

Strawberry and Basil Salad

When I first came across this salad, I was intrigued. How would a basil and strawberry combination work? The answer, it worked quite well. I can't exactly describe the combination, you will just have to try it yourself. I am still in salad mode and love that this had strawberries as they are tasting so great right now. The husband and I paired up this salad with one of our favorites, Oven Fried Chicken. It was also great that I got to use more basil from my herb garden. I have to say, planting herbs this year has already paid off. It is much more wallet friendly to grow things such as basil and cilantro than to purchase it each time at the grocery store.

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 cups torn romaine lettuce
2 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 cup thinly sliced Vidalia (or other sweet onion)
1/4 cup torn fresh basil

1. Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add romaine lettuce, slice strawberries, sliced onion, and torn basil; toss gently to coat. Serve salad immediately.

Yield: 6 servings

Ricotta Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This recipe is so easy and quick. It was a meal made after work, after the gym, and after cleaning the house. I think it took about 30 minutes for the whole preparation and it tastes great! Part of the reason why the meal was so quick to prepare is that I used store made pesto and thin sliced chicken breasts. Sometimes, the quick solutions work best. After some poor experiences with stuffing chicken breasts, I have decided to use thin slice chicken for all stuffed chicken recipes. It is so much easier than pounding the chicken.

6 think sliced chicken breasts
3.5 ounces ricotta cheese
5 tablespoons pesto
2 teaspoons olive oil
black pepper
2 beef tomatoes
1 small red onion
1 minced clove of garlic
small handful of basil leaves
1 loaf Italian bread

1. Pre-heat skillet and add oil.
2. Mix ricotta cheese and pesto in a small bowl. Spoon a spoonful of the mixture onto chicken breast and roll chicken breast closed.
   
3. Place chicken in skillet and cook about 7-8 minutes each side until cooked through.
   
4. While chicken is cooking, rinse and finely chop tomatoes, peel and finely chop onion and garlic. Mix all together and season with pepper. Rinse and tear basil leaves and add to tomato mixture.
5. Cut bread and spread remaining pesto mixture. Toast the bread and top with tomato mixture.
   

I changed the original recipe a bit. The original recipe calls for only 1 tablespoon of pesto to be mixed with ricotta. I really like pesto and added all of it to the ricotta. I think it made for more flavorful chicken. Also, the base of the mixture for the bread was mainly pesto, topped with the tomatoes. I used the rest of the cheese mixture and felt it worked quite well.

Rhubarb and Raspberry Pie

I love pies, fruit based desserts, and tart treats. Therefore, I was so excited to try this recipe when I saw it in the latest issue of Cooking Light. It is the trifecta of the perfect dessert.

Honestly, I talk so much of the great recipes in Cooking Light, one would think that I get paid from the publication, sadly I don't. I just really love the recipes in that magazine. They are easy and not too bad for the eater.

I really had no reason to make the pie. I just really wanted to make it. The rhubarb season is relatively short, so I had to take advantage of it with this sweet treat. At least, that is one way to justify making a dessert.

I am getting more tolerant of making pie crust. It was never that I didn't like the way my crusts tasted, I just have no tolerance for rolling out the dough. Also, my pies don't look pretty. I suppose that practice makes perfect, but I don't want that much pastry in my house each week.

Please note, the original recipe calls for a pre-made pie crust. However, I didn't grow up eating pre-made pastry items. I grew up in an everything made from scratch type of house. I am quite snobby when it comes to the pre-made baked goods or baked goods not made from scratch.

Also, the recipe called for creme de cassis (black currant flavored liqueur). I didn't want to spend the extra $ for something that I only needed 2 tablespoons of. We are not a big liqueur type of house and the bottle would simply go to waste.

2 tablespoons uncooked quick-cooking tapioca
4.5 cups raspberries
3.5 cups chopped rhubarb (about 6 stalks)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons creme de cassis (optional)
1/8 teaspoon salt
pie crust (pre-made or your own)
cooking spray
6 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
2. Place tapioca in a spice or coffee grinder. Process until finely ground. Combine tapioca, raspberries, and next 5 ingredients (through 1/8 teaspoon salt). Let raspberry mixture stand for 10 minutes and then stir to combine.
   
3. Roll pie dough into an 11 inch circle. Fit dough into a 9 inch pie plate coated with cooking spray, draping the excess dough over the edges. Spoon raspberry mixture and remaining liquid into dough. Fold edges under. Bake at 350F for 40 minutes.
   
4. While pie bakes, place flour and remaining ingredients in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
5. Increase the oven temperature to 375F.
6. Sprinkle topping over pie. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until topping is golden and filling is thick and bubbly. Cool completely on a wire rack.

I loved the pie. The husband said that he wished it was a little sweeter, but a friend (who does not have to say that she likes my food) had a piece and liked it. The only thing that I was frustrating is that the pie was filled with the delicious fruit mixture and some spilled over on the floor of the oven. Ugh, more cleaning!

Yield: 12 servings.

Black Bean and White Corn Salad

There is something about warm weather that makes me eat more fruits and vegetables. Maybe it is because there is a larger variety of fresh produce, maybe because it can be too hot to eat heavy meals, or maybe I eat better because summer clothes are much more revealing.

This salad is one of my favorites and I make it a few times each summer. It can be a stand alone entree or it can be a side salad. If used as a stand alone, grilled chicken is a nice addition. Last night, the husband and I had the salad as our main dish without an additional protein and it was quite filling.

The salad is so easy to make, although there is a lot of chopping. I omitted putting peppers in the salad as the husband can't really tolerate peppers, especially jalapeno peppers. Should you wish to add them, you only need a tablespoon of chopped jalapenos.

(1) 16 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 ears of corn, cut the kernels from the cob
1 cup diced plum tomatoes
1/3 cup diced avocado (I love avocado, so I used two)
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (Once again, I got to go to my small herb garden)
2 heads of romaine lettuce, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon water
1 minced garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Combine beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado, scallions, cilantro, and lettuce in a large bowl.
2. Sprinkle cumin in a small skillet over low heat, stirring until fragrant. Remove from heat, add lime juice, olive oil, water, garlic, and salt. Whisk to blend.
3. Add dressing to bean mixture and toss.
   

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burger with White-Bean Puree

This one comes to us from Martha Stewart. When I first started to cook, I was afraid of my Martha Stewart cookbooks. The domestic goddess scared me. I don't know why I was so afraid of her recipes, it wasn't like she was in the kitchen with me looking over my shoulder and ready to scream at me because I wasn't using the freshest of ingredients. I was also afraid that her recipes were way over my head. Some of them certainly are, and I can just skip those or try them and hope for the best. This is a Martha recipe that was pretty easy to make and did not require a lot of prep work.

The other day I really wanted a hamburger and as I have given up red meat, I did not have one. This came very close to satiating my desire the the juicy deliciousness that is a hamburger. I really fear that I will breakdown this summer and have one. As of now, I have not broken down for a steak or a hamburger (we will see how long that will last).

2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (I used dried thyme, and only about 2 teaspoons worth)
1 cup canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 large portobello mushroom caps
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 large red onion
4 hamburger buns
smoked cheddar cheese (however much you want to use to top your burger off)
arugula (however much you want to use to put on your burger)

1. Heat grill over medium heat.
   
2. In a food processor, combing 1/2 teaspoon garlic, half the thyme, cannellini beans, and 1 teaspoon oil; process to form a smooth and spreadable paste. If the mixture is too thick, add 1 teaspoon water. Season with pepper, and pulse to combine. Set aside
3. Combine remaining garlic, thyme, and oil in a shallow bowl. Place mushroom caps in garlic mixture, and turn to coat. Season with pepper, drizzle with vinegar.
   
4. Place onion slices on a plate and light coat each side with cooking spray. Grill slices until undersides are lightly charred, about 3 minutes. Flip onions, and continue grilling until tender and charred on the other side, about 3 minutes more. Transfer onions to plate and keep warm.
   
5. Place mushrooms on grill, stem side up. Grill until undersides are browned and juice have begun to collect in the centers, about 5 minutes Flip mushrooms, and continue cooking until the other sides are browned and centers are tender, about 4 minutes more.
   
6. Place hamburger buns on grill; cook until warm and toasted. Transfer to plate; spread bean puree on the bottom half of each bun and top with two grilled mushroom caps. Top burgers with cheese, grilled onions, cheese, and a small handful of arugula.

Yield: 4 servings

Banana Bread

Today has been quite the productive day! First, there are a few new blog posts. Second, the husband and I met with a realtor to discuss selling our condo in Southie (South Boston, MA). Third, I met my friend Michelle today for a nice walk. This is Michelle that I used to work with in NYC, not former roommate Michele (she spells her name with one "l"). Fourth, I made banana bread this morning and portobello mushroom burgers for dinner, and went grocery shopping. Finally, the husband and I checked out a town in the 'burbs that we are thinking of moving to. It has been quite an exciting and filling day.

Why did I chose to make banana bread on such a busy day? There are two reasons. One is that Michelle was coming here so we could take a walk and catch up (the bread made a great post-walk snack). The second reason is that we had so many bananas that were getting smushy and the husband was sick of eating bananas.

It was so nice to see Michelle and catch up. We have both left the world of media for much different and greener pastures. She is wrapping up her Master's degree from the school in which I earned my Bachelor's degree. She is such a great girl, always positive and with a great outlook on life. I really missed her! Michelle, it was so nice to see you and meet the boyfriend!

This is a great classic recipe from Better Homes & Gardens. I think it is the one that my mom uses, or at least it tastes just like it and gives me that comfort food feeling. It is also a really quick recipe, in terms of preparation, not so much with the baking.

1 3/4 cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
1/3 cup butter
2 tablespoons milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup chopped nuts (totally optional, I opted to not have nuts)

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
   
2. In a large mixer bowl combine 1 cup of the flour, the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until blended, then on high speed for 2 minutes. Add in eggs and remaining flour, beat until blended. If using nuts, this is the time to stir them in.
   
3. Pour batter into a greased 8x4x2 inch loaf pan. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean.
4. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from the pan; cool thoroughly on a wire rack.
   

Poppy Seed Salad Dressing

This is a favorite salad dressing of mine and works very well with a baby spinach and strawberry salad. The salad can consist just of the greens and strawberries, or other things can be added in. Grilled chicken is great, as are cashews with some gorgonzola. Stinky cheeses are so great in salads.

The first time I had this great salad dressing was during my first visit to Long Beach Island, New Jersey. It was a lovely weekend stay with my friends Browning and Mullins. We stayed at Browning's mother's home (I believe I have mentioned her mom before in one of my first postings for onion dip). We'll call Browning's mom, Kitty for the sake of this post and all future postings. Kitty made this great salad dressing for us and Mullins and I had to have the recipe. It is just a great spring and summer time salad.

I made it a few weeks ago for a nice girl's dinner at my newly engaged friend Tammie's house. Our friend Lea, was up visiting from New Jersey to help Tammie with wedding stuff. After their long day of dress shopping, Michele and I drove to Plymouth for a fun night. Lea really liked the salad dressing and I told her I would e-mail her the recipe. I forgot! Lea, sorry for the delay.

1/2 cup sugar (though a little less can be used, the strawberries offer a nice sweetness to the salad)
1 small diced onion (make sure it is small, otherwise the dressing can be quite potent)
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon paprika.

Blend all the ingredients with a blender, until everything is liquefied.

Make the dressing one to two hours ahead of when it is needed and let it chill.

Salsa's

The husband and I were out and about on this gray May day. We were running errands, one of those errands involved the horrors of bathing suit shopping, ugh! It was not a pleasant errand. Despite the sorrows involved with this type of shopping I was hungry and Salsa's in Hingham was across the parking lot.

Neither the husband or I have been to Salsa's in quite some time, even though there is a location in our neighborhood of Southie. We both love Mexican food and must still be feeling in a celebratory mood after Cinco de Mayo. Our lunch did not disappoint. Of course, we munched on the chips and salsa. The salsa was spicy, just how I like it. I had the Tacos de Pescado, filled with Mahi Mahi. It was quite tasty. I had just a bit on the rice on the side and all of the refried beans.

Lunch was great and I think that the Hingham branch is better than the Southie branch. Perhaps it was the neighborhood? The music was great, service was quick, and food delicious.

Spaghetti with Asparagus, Shiitake Mushrooms, and Lemon

I have been really bad at posting recipes. I'd like to blame this on the gym. I have been going after work and then getting home anywhere around 7 to 7:30. I will make dinner, but don't take pictures and don't feel like writing the post on the dinner because I am tired, hungry, and ready to veg out in front of the TV. I'll try to get better, but there are no promises.

Last night, after I talked myself into going to a spinning class (I was totally going to bail, but knew I would feel better after class. And I did feel better), I made a pasta dish that had some great flavors of spring. This was a great after work/after the gym recipe b/c it was relatively quick to make and didn't have exhaustive preparations. I did modify somethings in the recipe; I did not have spaghetti and used linguine instead, I forgot to get chives and therefore omitted those from the recipe, I didn't have a lemon so I didn't have fresh lemon juice, I didn't use olive oil and melt butter at the same time (I didn't use the oil at all), and didn't use a pound of shiitake mushrooms, I used 1/4 pound instead. Despite the omissions, the husband and I were quite pleased with the result.

12 ounces spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil (I chose not to use the olive oil)
4 tablespoons butter (divided)
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
1 pound shiitake mushrooms
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 3/4 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 pound asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut crosswise in thirds
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
4 ounces shaved Asiago cheese

1. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Transfer pasta to large wide bowl.
   
2. Meanwhile, melt two tablespoons butter with oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; saute 1 minute. Add shiitake mushrooms; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute shiitake mixture until soft, about 6 minutes. Add lemon juice, cook 1 minute. Add broth and lemon peel. Bring to boil, then reduce to medium and simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Add asparagus to mushroom mixture; simmer until asparagus turns bright green, about 2 minutes. Add chives and remaining 2 tablespoons butter and stir until butter melts. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
   
3. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to coat.
4. Top with cheese.

Makes 4-6 servings.