Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Summer Corn Salad


Each season brings its bounty of good eats, and Summer is filled with more than its share of my favorites.  From stone fruits, to cool treats, to luscious tomatoes, sweet corn and more, there's just so much to relish.  And speaking of sweet corn, I finally slowed down long enough to make proper use of the fresh ears that had been hanging out in my refrigerator for the last week or so.  

Since I believe in letting stellar ingredients speak for themselves, I took a minimalist approach in bringing together an easy, yet vibrant, corn salad, complemented with juicy tomatoes, roasted okra, and fresh basil leaves for garnish.  Corn, tomatoes, okra and basil.  Sounds like a garden party in a bowl, no?  And, it tastes even better!  



So if you're like me and looking for a delicious way to get your Summer corn fix, then this salad is one you'll want to make, likely again and again.  Make it your own and use as much of the ingredients as you like--then enjoy! 

Happy Eating!

Summer Corn Salad

printable recipe

Ingredients:
Fresh ears of corn
Fresh okra
Plum tomatoes, chopped
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Butter
Fresh basil 
Olive oil
Sherry Vinegar (optional, for finishing)

Method:
Preheat oven to 425 F.

Place okra on a baking sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.  Roast okra for 20-25 minutes in preheated oven.  Remove and set aside.

While okra is roasting, prepare the corn by removing the husks and silk, and then by carving off the kernels. (Cook's Tip: cut off one end of the corn ear to stabilize it and then stand it upright over a large kitchen towel or bowl to capture the kernels as you carve down the ear.)

In a large skillet, melt butter over a medium heat, toss in corn and saute until corn is softened slightly (about 8-10 minutes).  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add corn and okra to a serving bowl and toss to combine.  Add in tomatoes and garnish with fresh basil leaves.  Finish with additional seasoning to taste and a drizzle of sherry vinegar, if using.  Serve and enjoy!
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Friday, June 15, 2012

HOW TO EAT: Corn on the Cob

I think we can all agree that BBQ season is officially here!  And there's nothing that screams BBQ fare quite like corn on the cob.  Whether you enjoy it grilled, roasted, slathered in your favorite compound butter, or all on its natural, sweet lonesome, it's undeniably an all-around favorite for those casual, yet scrumptious, menus that we love to serve when the heat is on.

And in today's how to eat installment, we're putting this yummy bite front and center with a quick and fun tutorial on the best (and proper) way to devour your corn. 

Enjoy...and Happy Eating!



Eating Corn on the Cob
Butter and season several rows at a time, not the whole ear at once. Hold the ear firmly with both hands and eat.  Corn is served only at casual meals.
Image Source 

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Friday, October 3, 2014

Gourmet Popcorn {4 Ways!}


In the world of snacks, there are few that rank higher on my list than popcorn.  I can barely resist being anywhere near the stuff and not indulging.  And I won't even mention what happens each time I enter the concession area of a movie theater (whether I've eaten just before arrival or not).  Let's just say I never leave empty-handed.  Yes, it's like that.

For me, popped corn is wonderfully scrumptious on its own, with a bit of salt (and maybe hot sauce--don't judge me), and needs little more to be enjoyed.   But on the occasion that you're looking to "doctor it up", elevating it from simple bar snack status to something rather unforgettable, an easy gourmet touch is all you need.

From sweet, to savory, and beyond, there's no end to the flavor combinations to be had.  I'm sharing four of my favorites to get you started with scrumptious snacking and....

Happy Eating!

Gourmet Popcorn
When going for "top-shelf" popcorn snacking, I prefer to start by popping my own corn kernels (vs. microwaving).  It's quick and easy and can be done in a matter of minutes on the stove-top or with an air-popper.  I recommend using a neutrally flavored oil like canola, sunflower, or vegetable, and following the packaging instructions for perfectly popped corn!

Cinnamon-Sugar 

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Popcorn

Stir or whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and salt.  Sprinkle desired amount over (freshly popped) popcorn and enjoy! Store any extra sugar in an air-tight container.

Garlic-Butter

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons garlic powder
Generous sprinkling of salt
Popcorn

Stir garlic powder and salt into just-melted butter and drizzle over popcorn. Enjoy!

Chocolate-Nut Mix

1/3 cup chocolate chips 
1/3 cup nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashews, etc.)
Popcorn

Add chocolate and nuts to popcorn and toss to combine.  Enjoy!

Buttered Toffee 

Toffee Sauce
Popcorn

Drizzle toffee over popcorn and toss to coat.  Enjoy!





 


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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

{When Food Speaks for Itself}: Sweet Corn and Basil

This weekend I excitedly bought several ears of fresh corn for my Sunday dinner menu.  And what happened after that... Well, let's just say there were some happy feet, more than a few hums and lots of scrumptious eating. 

Sweet Corn and Basil. The season's bounty at its absolute finest--and most delicious.  It speaks for itself.

Happy Eating!


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Saturday, October 29, 2011

Spicy Goodness!: My Guest Chef Turn at Williams-Sonoma

For many, the mention of spice connotes heat--and little more.  And while spice can be a carrier of heat in some instances, it is only one facet of its many variations. In fact, the world of spice is a broad spectrum that encompasses sweetness, smokiness, depth, richness, intensity of flavor, and much more--along with that most familiar characteristic, heat.

And on last Saturday afternoon, I had the privilege of celebrating the world of spice during my guest chef event at Williams-Sonoma.  With the Fall season upon us and the cooler temperatures in tow, I wanted to showcase recipes that resonate warmth, along with bold, delicious flavor.  In short, I wanted to serve my own brand of spicy goodness!  And I'm pleased to say that I did.

Serving up tasting samples and engaging the crowd

It was such a thrill for me to bring D.M.R. Fine Foods to the Williams-Sonoma customer base, as well as to my dear friends, clients, family and "fans" who came out, and to fulfill my passion for sharing all things culinary.  I loved every moment of the event, most especially my interaction with the lively, inquisitive and fun group.  From my cooking demonstration, to informal Q&A, to the tastings and immediate (positive) feedback, it was a grand time in keeping with Williams-Sonoma's tradition of grand cuisine. 

As I purposed, we talked of--and tasted--the world of spice.  And now I'm thrilled to similarly unfold that world to you here on DMRFF by sharing that day's recipes; ones that are sure to become favorites in your dining and entertaining repertoires.  You can also check out a few additional photos from that day's event here.

So here's to spicy goodness (as featured below in three delicious recipes which were a big hit!)--and, as always, Happy Eating!

Spicy Three Bean Chili

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
12 oz. water
1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
Salt
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, diced*
1 15oz. can chili beans
1 15oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 ½ cups frozen corn kernels
Several splashes of Tabasco sauce (optional)

Instructions:
Pre-heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot under medium heat.   Add the onion, bell pepper and ½ teaspoon salt.   Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes.  Add in garlic and cook for another minute. 

Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, spices and seasonings, chipotle peppers, 1 teaspoon salt and Tabasco.  Stir until mixed thoroughly and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add in corn and beans and cook for an additional five minutes.  Serve and enjoy!

*Cook's Note: If you want to temper the heat factor in this spicy chili dish, you can reduce the amount of chipotle peppers or, omit them altogether.
**This recipe converts perfectly into a turkey, chicken, or beef chili.  Simply add in 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. of your meat of choice when you begin sauteing your onions and peppers and allow meat to brown thoroughly. 


Sugar, Herbs and Spiced Nuts
Ingredients:
2 cups assorted nuts, roasted
1 1/2-2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon allspice
¾ teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon herbs de Provence
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons water

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350° F

Place nuts on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

Mix spices, salt and herbs and set aside.  Put butter in a large skillet over medium heat and as it melts add in sugar, spice blend and water and stir together until a glaze forms, about 1-2 minutes.

Turn off heat and add roasted nuts to the skillet.  Toss nuts until they are completely coated.  Pour glazed nuts onto a foil-lined baking sheet and spread out into one layer to prevent clumping.  Allow glaze to set for 10-15 minutes.  Serve and enjoy!

*Note: Nuts should be stored in an airtight container to preserve freshness.


Hot Mulled Cider
Enjoy this warm and delicious sip from the DMRFF recipe archives: Hot Mulled Cider.


 
 
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Wednesday, May 21, 2014

{Taste Of Atlanta}: Blue Ridge Grill

Blue Ridge Grill
 As much as I love making things happen in my kitchen, I equally relish dining out--especially when it's good.  So when I received an invitation to attend a menu tasting at one of Atlanta's long-standing restaurants, Blue Ridge Grill, I had to accept.   Sister to the fabulous Bones and casually cool OK Cafe restaurants, the Blue Ridge Grill could be considered the hidden gem of the family for many.  After attending last week's tasting, however, it's apparent why it has remained a vibrant part of the Buckhead dining scene for so long.

The evening unfolded within the restaurant's cozy, interior porch and gave way to a decadently, scrumptious seven-course tasting menu featuring the cuisine of the restaurant's acclaimed new executive chef, Joe Brown.  Chef Brown's menu presented seasonal dishes, including Hot Smoked Salmon, Golden Lump Crab Salad, Pecan-Stuffed Chicken and Grilled Berkshire Pork Chop, which highlighted locally sourced ingredients, while also paying homage to long-standing signature dishes such as Corn Souffle (my favorite), Seared Diver Scallops and a Signature Cookies Platter. 

Hot Smoked Salmon
Seared Diver Scallops with Low Country Red Peas and Rice

Pecan-stuffed Springer Mountain Chicken


Assorted Cookies Platter
Beyond the mouth-watering cuisine, the restaurant boasts beautiful interiors that, in addition to the porch and dining room areas, includes a private dining room that is a perfect choice for intimate celebrations or special events.  

The tasting showcased Southern cuisine and hospitality at its finest and cemented why the Blue Ridge Grill continues to represent a delicious taste of Atlanta that's not to be missed!
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Sunday, January 27, 2019

Spice Roasted Chicken x BHM Potluck

One of the very first dishes I "mastered" when I began my culinary journey in earnest was the classic, beloved, roasted chicken.  Growing up, you'd be hard pressed to find a kitchen that didn't have some variation and ode to this home-cooking staple.  But what I set out to perfect was not your grandmother's roasted chicken.

Upon finding my stride with the technique of yielding a crispy skin, coupled with moist, tender white and dark meat, I fell in love with the seeming ease of bringing this dish together with varying flavor profiles.  Stuffing the cavity with herbs and aromatics, seasoning abundantly, lathering the skin with compound butters, and more, my roasted chicken earned a place all its own in my cooking repertoire. And my friends and family will attest that it makes its appearance as the star of many a dinner party and holiday meal.

So as I contemplated what I wanted to share for the, now annual, Black History Month Virtual Potluck, roasted chicken was a natural choice. **See the full 2019 BHM Potluck lineup below, following the recipe!

Being the self-proclaimed "Spice Girl" that I am, I decided to bring some of my favorite spices to the flavor profile.  I made a chili-spiced compound butter with chipotle chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and kosher salt. The yield was a deep burnished color (like chili!), crispy skin, and tender moist chicken infused with flavor, from the inside- out.



And for an extra special touch, I threw chopped vegetables into the roasting pan to roast alongside the chicken, while absorbing the flavor of the chicken juices.  Umm-umm, good and an easy meal-in-one that also happens to be one of my favorite ways to serve this dish.

Make it and prepare to add it to your cooking rotation again and again.

Happy Eating!

Spice Roasted Chicken 
Ingredients:
1 Whole Chicken (3 to 4 lbs.)  

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large onion, quartered

1 lemon, quartered
1 head of garlic, halved with skin on
1 teaspoon ground chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for additional seasoning

Freshly ground black pepper
Vegetables (sweet potatoes, fennel, and carrots), peeled and chopped


Method:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.



Combine butter, spices and 1 teaspoon of salt in a small dish.  Set aside. 
Place chicken in a cast iron skillet or roasting pan and sprinkle the cavity with salt and pepper.  Stuff the cavity with onion, lemon, and garlic.  Rub the chicken with the spice butter and gently lift the skin over the breast and tuck butter underneath.  (Be careful not to tear the skin.)  Season the chicken all over with additional salt and black pepper.  Tuck the wings under and tie the legs together.



Spread the root vegetables in the roasting pan to form a bed around the chicken.  Place chicken in the preheated oven and roast for thirty minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 degrees F and roast for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until the juices run clear and the internal temperature from the thigh reads 165 degrees.  Remove the chicken from the oven, tent with foil and allow to rest for 10-20 minutes.  Carve and serve with the vegetables.  Enjoy!

Black History Month Virtual Potluck, 2019

Beautiful Eats & Things | Okra, Corn, & Tomato Chicken Stew
B Sugar Mama | Red Beans and Rice
Cooks with Soul | Boudin balls
D.M.R. Fine Foods | Spice Roasted Chicken
Dash of Jazz | Soul Food Power Bowl
Dish it with Tisha | Jamaican Curry Chicken
Domestic Dee    | Chicken Sliders
Eat.Drink.Frolic. | Bourbon + sweet potato pie
First and Full    | Homemade Peach Pie
Food Fidelity    | Nashville Hot Shrimp Sandwich
Foodie In New York    | Chess Pie
Immaculate Bites | Pimento Cheese
Kenneth Temple | Chicken & Sausage Gumbo
Marisa Moore Nutrition | Sweet and Spicy Roasted Cabbage
Meiko And The Dish    | Hot Buttered Rum Biscuits
My Life Runs On Food | Southern Style Caesar Salad
Rosalynn Daniels | Osso Bucco
Savory Thoughts | Haitian Patty
Simply LaKita | Fried Okra
Sweet Tea & Thyme | Spiced Peach Shortcakes
That Girl Cooks Healthy | Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce
The Hungry Hutch | Cornbread Dressing
The Seasoning Bottle | Guava Short Ribs
Whisk It Real Gud | Banana Bread
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Monday, June 27, 2016

Toast With This!: Blackberry Ginger Soda



With so much happening in the world today, not the least of which involves addressing the very serious matter of the lingering impacts of systemic racism, there has never been a better time to celebrate and amplify the voices and impact of black people, including our culture, cuisine, businesses and more.  And with that comes the (perfectly timed) celebration of Juneteenth on June 19th., which commemorates the final act of emancipation from slavery under the Confederacy, two and a half years following President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.

My personal celebration will include an exciting collaboration with fellow black culinary creatives for a virtual Juneteenth Cookout. With a bevy of recipes in tow, showcasing the exuberance, flavors, and resiliency of a people destined for freedom, I'm inviting you to join us by raising a glass of my favorite Blackberry Ginger Soda, an ode to the original Juneteenth staple of Red Soda Water.
“Watermelon and red soda water are the oldest traditional foods on Juneteenth,” said Dr. Ronald Myers, head of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation.  
Red represents perseverance and spans much of the celebrated cuisine.  So if you haven't guessed by now, it's a delicious, empowering time of jubilee! 

See my original post below that includes the easy four-ingredient recipe and join in the celebration with a toast to freedom, joy and better days ahead.  You can also grab the recipes of the additional collaborators below for exceptional menu ideas for your very own Juneteenth cookout.
****************

Original Post:

If last week's solstice didn't carry enough of a bang to convince you that Summer has officially arrived, then this past weekend's sweltering heat offered a not-so-gentle reminder.  And almost as fast as I welcomed the season, I began seeking a refreshing sip to usher in a much needed cool down.
While running my Saturday morning errands, I stopped in one of my favorite stores and landed upon the inspiration for this beautiful & ohh so good drink: rich, sweet blackberry syrup and sparkling dry ginger.  My wheels instantly began turning and the resulting mocktail was born.  I couldn't resist garnishing it with stunning blackberry king ice cubes, for added flair, and topping it off with a couple of splashes of club soda.




The punch from the ginger, coupled with the sweet blackberry essence and fizzy soda, makes this the perfect drink to toast the season--and it should definitely be in rotation in your sipping and entertaining repertoire.  It's a casual, pour-as-you-like, non-recipe of sorts so make it your own, leading with the ginger as the base and accented with blackberry syrup and club soda to finish.

Happy Sipping!

Blackberry Ginger Soda
Ingredients:
Sparkling Dry Ginger (or ginger ale), chilled
Blackberry Syrup
Club Soda
Blackberry Ice Cubes

Method:
Fill glasses with ice cubes.  Pour desired amount of ginger into glass, followed by a few drizzles of the syrup.  Top with a couple splashes of soda.  Stir to combine and enjoy! 

The Juneteenth Cookout Recipes Round-Up:







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