Revelaciones españolas

I can’t decide which is most surprising, that a great restaurant serving Spanish tapas can be found in Mill Creek, or that I’d never heard of Charmoula.   This is one part restaurant review, two parts recipe and a total revelation. 

Tablas Woodstone Taverna – Mill Creek

Mediterranean / Spanish influenced small plates.  This restaurant is a find in the underdeveloped culinary outskirts of Seattle.   Why would anyone drive all the way to Mill Creek for good food?  Some of us actually LIVE here so good food is moving North!  Hot and cold tapas, baskets of lovely fried things, flatbreads - you can’t go wrong here.  The only thing you’ll regret is not being able to order everything on the menu. 

Charmoula is totally new to me but so fabulous.  It’s an oil and herb sauce similar to vinaigrette but with the same meat-pairing properties as the Argentinean chimichurri.  Cumin is the first thing that hits you along with notes of cilantro and parsley.   I tried several recipes for this and your preference really depends on texture.   Use toasted cumin seeds if you like texture, or cumin powder if you like a smooth sauce.  I highly recommend a mini chopper for this recipe instead of the mortar and pestle. 

Charmoula

 

Ingredient Switch:

1 tablespoon cumin seeds = 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Since Charmoula pairs so well with everything from vegetables to duck and seafood, I found a close approximation to what Tablas served with it:

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

There are so many recipes for this dish.  They’re simple but can easily be overcooked so here’s what I did:

12 large raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail on (frozen works well, just thaw prior to cooking)

12 slices thin-cut bacon

6 Bamboo Skewers soaked in water for at least 20 min.

Partially cook the bacon on low for about 5 - 8 min. turning frequently.  The bacon should still be pale and very pliable.  This is bacon that is still too raw to eat, but some of the fat has rendered off and it’s cooked about half way.  Drain on paper towels and cool completely.  Wrap each shrimp in one slice of bacon overlapping the slice at each turn so it stays in place.  Skewer the bacon wrapped shrimp 2 per skewer and refrigerate at least 30 min.  This cools the shrimp and bacon enough to help them cook evenly.

Heat your gas grill on high so the temperature is hot but turn it down to low before adding the shrimp.  Shrimp cook very fast so watch them closely.  Grill for 5-8 min turning once.  As soon as they turn pink, remove them from the grill.

Pair the bacon wrapped shrimp with the charmoula, grilled peppers, zucchini, and red onions and some hearty bread.

Arugula - gets the motor runnin!

I tasted this peppery green herb for the first time in Italy a few years ago where they use it in everything.  It adds a nice kick to any dish but pairs especially well with pungent salty cheeses and vinaigrettes.  Throw it in a salad, pasta dish, on a pizza, or in an omelet.  Ancient Romans used arugula as an aphrodisiac so there's no end to its virility...uh versatility!  Arugula is high in vitamins A and C.  While you can find it in most stores, its easy to grow in the Northwest.  Just be ready to harvest and use it because it goes to seed quickly.   I planted mine from seeds 2 weeks ago and baby arugula is ready to eat now.  If you replant every 20-30 days you'll have a nice bunch all summer. When arugula is young, the leaves are little ovals and the flavor is lighter.  As the plants age the leaves become longer and ruffled on the ends and the flavor is stronger.  This is what you normally find in the grocery store.  Store bought will last about a week in the refrigerator and I love both leaf and stem in whatever recipe you use.

Pizza with Arugula and Prosciutto

I found the basic idea on Epicurious but I eliminated the red pizza sauce and opted for a basic olive oil base.

Fresh Pizza Crust - I use www.essentialbaking.com frozen crust from Central Market.  Thaw according to package instructions

1 large red onion halved, sliced ¼ in.

1 c. arugula Leaves

6 thin slices of prosciutto, chopped or shredded

1/4 c. pine nuts

3/4 c. shredded mozzarella

1/2 c. shredded Parmesan

Good Olive Oil

The crust is best if cooked on a pizza stone.  If you have one, put it in the oven before turning it on to preheat at 400°.  Allow the pizza stone to heat up with your oven and this creates a nice crispy crust.  Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and rub the top of the pizza dough with olive oil.  Layer on the arugula leaves covering to the edges. Spread caramelized onions, pine nuts, and prosciutto shreds around evenly.  Top with the two cheeses and another light drizzle of olive oil.  Spread a thin layer of cornmeal on the pizza stone and transfer the pizza onto the stone.  Bake the pizza for 18 min. or until the crust is nicely browned and the cheese is bubbly.

Penne with Pancetta and Arugula

Pasta is such an easy “go to” meal because it adapts to virtually anything you have in the refrigerator, especially leftover veggies.  Normally I top pasta dishes with fresh, chopped parsley, but arugula is the perfect earthy alternative.

4 Slices pancetta chopped

2 zucchini sliced in rounds

1 c. chopped arugula

3 cloves garlic minced

1 red onion, chopped

3/4 c. parmesan cheese

whole wheat penne pasta

3/4 c. pasta water

Saute the pancetta in a pan until some of the fat has rendered and the pancetta is crispy.  Remove from the pan and set aside.  Start cooking the pasta to package instructions.  In the pancetta fat, saute the onions and garlic until they begin to caramelize.  Add the zucchini and saute just a few minutes more - zucchini cooks quickly and you don’t want mushy!  Add the pancetta back in to the pan and set aside until pasta is al dente.  Drain the pasta reserving ¾ c of the pasta water.  Drain the pasta and add it to the zucchini / pancetta mixture adding the pasta water to create a light sauce.  Add half the cheese and stir well to combine.  Remove from the heat and top with the chopped arugula.  Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and more cheese. 

Crazy Vietnamese Fusion

Vietnamese Caprese

Vietnamese / Italian fusion you say?  Grab the fish sauce, slice the fresh mozarella and sign me up!  This is yin and yang at its best.  Yes, that's Chinese, but roll with me here - hot-cold-sweet-sour-crunchy-soft all in one crazy bowl. Make the meatballs right before cooking - they would have been spectacular if they were lighter and fluffer than the recipe version which calls for overnighting in the refrigerator.  The tomato water was fun to make and turned out tasting like killer tomato soup.  I got much more than the 3/4 cup the recipe promised but I used it more like a soup than a salad dressing.  Every component tasted overly salty until you combined them at the end.  This was a fun summer dinner and a surprise hit.

Ingredient Switch:
Thai Chilies - we always buy them and end up throwing them away in the grocery unpacking frenzy.  So tiny they look like an empty produce bag.  Luckily I had a jalapeno which was just as good.

The tomato pulp is too beautiful to waste.  Tomorrow night have it on some grilled bread with a little olive oil!

Salted Caramel Ice Cream for more!

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/salted-caramel-ice-cream-10000001981734/

I was watching FoodTV tonight while working out at the gym.  I realize the irony of this.  Still, I choose the elliptical machine right in front of the big screen.  It’s Guy Fieri, Triple D, highlighting ice cream.  Let’s face it, I really only work out as a means to eat my next meal guilt free.  300 calories burned doesn’t come close to my next meal – but I did something! 

I’m watching gigantic bowls filled with every flavor you can imagine (sweet potato? THAT I have to try!)  BINGO –inspiration to share my all-time favorite homemade ice cream recipe. The salted caramel thing has been overdone.  One could say its run its course.  You won’t care.

Nothing changes in this recipe – good as is.  If you freeze the custard without an ice cream maker, which some of you will be tempted to do, it works out okay but ends up a little more like a slushy than the creamy stuff.  Ice cream maker is best and serve it right out of the freezer bowl.  The photo shows little ginger cookies and those are a great idea along side.

Curried Potato Salad - Its an Indian Summer!

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/curried-potato-salad-50400000113016/

Want your potatoes to be a smash at the next BBQ?  This potato salad is a nice diversion from the hum drum mayo or mustard based tradition.  A mixture of greek yogurt and madras curry powder make the basic cream for the salad but you'll want a bit of mayo or some additional salt if it doesn't give you quite the zing you were looking for. 
Ingredient Switch:
red bliss potatoes = regular red-skinned works great I peeled, boiled whole and then cubed
green onions = red onions nice flavor and crunch
unsalted chopped cashews = SALTED for sure and I left them whole and added double
Look & Taste:
Exactly like the photo in Cooking Light and even better the next day for breakfast!