That Red Wine Vinegar Stuff

The dressing was a bit bland.  It had a bite to it, but I felt it needed something a bit more tangy, not sure what.  I will experiment and figure it out.  Next time I think I will check out some tangy italian dressing and use a bit of the red wine vinegar in that.  Meanwhile, it's a great marinade! 

Red Wine Vinegar

I have to take a little break from spices this time and try something with red wine vinegar, since I have a bottle of it in the cupboard.  Since I enjoy red wine vinegar dressing, I found a recipe on Cooks.com for Italian salad dressing or marinade (thanks to CM, whoever you are!), and tonight we are enjoying the dressing over salad with our steaks.  The recipe calls for olive oil and red wine vinegar, various spices and parmesan cheese.  I really look forward to trying this, as I used to make homemade oil and vinegar dressing years ago.  I will let you know what I discover!

Reference:
Italian Salad Dressings or Marinade.  Retrieved November 2, 2010 from http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,2215,157181-239203,00.html.

Savory savory!

This evening I made homemade pizza.  I used the infamous Chef Boyardee cheese pizza kit.  I guess when I finish my study on spices I will have to learn how to make my own pizza crust!  The crust in the kit is a little thinner than I like, but the boxed version is convenient and worked well for a workday evening.  I made two pizzas.  The first was pepperoni and mozarella cheese, and the second was pepperoni and mozarella with italian sausage, green peppers, onions and mushrooms, all fresh.  I generally make this kit with only pepperoni and cheese, adding a little pepper and oregano, but this time I added savory and italian seasoning after spreading the sauce.  What a difference!  The family enjoyed the added flavor, and the "supreme" pizza with all the fresh ingredients was a big hit.  I do think that, if I can find the right crust, I will be able to create a homemade masterpiece to equal takeout, thanks to savory.  I will be using savory in my spaghetti sauce too.  It's amazing what a little spice adds to a dish! 

Savory

Savory is a "bold and peppery" additive that is great for greens, in particular green beans and lentils (Gilbert, n.d.).  Ms. Gilbert proclaims the herb's history as an aphrodisiac and digestion aid.  Suggested uses are in salads, pizza, roasts and veggies.  The scent is a bit minty and somewhat strong.  It is also suggested that savory be used in place of salt for extra flavor in no-salt cooking.

The website has an Asian bean salad recipe, but I like the idea of the pizza, and so it shall be.... I can't wait to check this one out! 

Reference: 
Gilbert, L. (n.d.).  Savory. Sallybernstein.com.  Retrieved October 4, 2010 from http://www.sallybernstein.com/food/columns/gilbert/savory.htm.

Fun with Fennel

Well, I did the spaghetti and meatball thing with dried fennel.  I am just amazed at how differently tings taste with a little herbs and spices!  The meatball recipe I had called for milk, which I do not usually add, and fennel.  I also happened to use Ragu sauce (garden variety) rather than the usual Prego because it was on sale.  Overall, it was delicious, a much different taste than we are accustomed to with spaghetti sauce.  The taste was quite sweet, but in a good way, not overly so, and the meatballs were delicious.  This would be a good recipe for company.  I think I may have to try the fresh fennel bulbs and stalks at some pointin the future.  I am anxious to see how it tastes! 

Fennel

Fennel is kind of interesting.  It has a bulbous base and stalks like celery, and the taste has been compared to anise or licorice, although it is also described as somewhat sweet.  It is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants.  Fiber and potassium are derived from this vegetable.  Fennel can be cooked and eaten in pieces or the tops can be ground as an herb.  Mediterranean and Italian cooking are best dishes for its use.  Greek mythology associates fennel with food, wine and the passing on of knowledge (The George Mateljan Foundation).  It can be used in soups and salads, as well as an herb with salmon.

I found a recipe that includes fennel in meatballs and am anxious to try it.  The author states, "This recipe is from my Grandma, Frances Savrnoch, but actually from a little old Italian lady who was a friend of my Grandma's in Cudahy, Wisconsin many years ago...a very old recipe, that is rather unusual.. You'll either really love it, or think it's kind of odd tasting... Needless to say, I think it is great!" (The Spice House, 2010).
I enjoy recipes from older relatives and will let you know how this goes.  I am also interested in using the fennel bulbs for some meals, in particular with a fish dish. 

References:

The Spice House (2010).  Grandma's meatballs and sauce recipe.  Retrieved September 19, 2010 from http://www.thespicehouse.com/recipes/grandmas-meatballs-and-sauce-recipe.

The George Mateljan Foundation (2010). Fennel. The world's healthiest foods. Retrieved September 19, 2010 from http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=23.

The Marjoram Test

Last night I prepared a variation of Mr. Burnett's chicken recipe for dinner.  I used bone-in chicken breasts with skin, placing them in a bowl with a lid.  I sprinkled olive oil onto them and rubbed it in a bit.  Then I splashed lemon juice over the pieces, and sprinkled on black pepper and marjoram.  I covered the bowl and let this marinate for about an hour and a half, occasionally shaking up the bowl to insure even coverage.  Then I placed the chicken on a baking sheet (a touch of olive oil on that too!), shook a few bread crumbs over the tops of the breasts, and baked them at 350 degrees for 50 minutes (covered by foil for the first half hour to prevent over-browning).  The chicken was very moist with a delicious lemon-pepper flavor, and the marjoram apparently did it's job, giving the chicken a delightful herbal taste.  Served with jasmine rice and green beans, this was a marvelous dinner, and I am a new marjoram fan!