Garlic Broccoli

It's no wonder so many people hate broccoli. The superdupermega vitamin-packed vegetable is almost always prepared as if it were old shoes. Boiled to death, steamed soft and mushy. Well, no more.

Add, to a hot pan:
One Teaspoon Clarified Butter or Vegetable Oil

Give the oil 30 seconds to heat up, and then add:
1/2 Pound Broccoli Florets

Saute for about 4 minutes, until sides of broccoli begin to brown.
Add:
2 Cloves Garlic, chopped

Saute one minute.
Add:
1/4 Cup Chicken Stock
1 Teaspoon Rice Wine Vinegar
Pinch Salt
Pinch Fresh Nutmeg (Optional)

Cook two minutes, or until liquids reduce by half.

Steamy Buttered Asparagus

I am not a member of the Cult of Asparagus. It's good, for sure, but not as good as french fries. Still, the stuff is pretty damn healthy, and it does taste like springtime (though not as much as now peas).

1 Bunch Asparagus
2 Tbs. Butter
Lemon
Salt

Remove woody bottom from asparagus. This can be done by either: holding both ends and snapping -or- looking for the part on the stem where the color changes from a pale white green to a deeper shade of green and cutting just above that. Clearly, the second one will leave you with more to eat. With thick asparagus, you should also use a vegetable peeler to peel the stem.

Steam asparagus until just tender. Don't overdo it. Don't. For thin asparagus, 2.5 minutes should do it, thick asparagus 5 minutes.

Add butter to a warm pan, and heat until it just begins to turn brown. Toss in steamed asparagus and a pinch or two of salt. Cook 30 seconds. Squeeze lemon, toss again, serve.

Roasted Broccoli Raab

I'm not sure why I decided to grow broccoli raab (also known as rapini) in my garden, but I'm glad I did.  It's a nutty, earthy, and very good.  Also, it's closer botanically to the turnip than to broccoli, which I find pretty nifty.  Rapini is an excellent source of vitamins a/c/k, as well as potassium, calcium, and iron.

1 Bunch Broccoli Raab

4 Cloves Garlic, chopped

1 Small Hot Pepper (optional)

Olive Oil

Toss ingredients.  Roast at 375 for 5 minutes.  Easy.

*There are two varieties; Italian and Chinese.  The Chinese variety is much less bitter.

Citrus Chicken

The farmers' market is overflowing with citrus.  So, I thought I'd go a little crazy and mix a few together.  The result is similar to a Cuban mojo, but even more...citrusy!

4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

2 Oranges

2 Lemons

2 Limes

4 Cloves Garlic, smashed

1 Small Hot Pepper, seeded and chopped

1 Tbs. Mustard

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

2 Pinches Salt & a Wee Bit Fresh Cracked Pepper

1/8 Cup Olive Oil

Juice the citrus.  Add remaining ingredients, except olive oil.  Using either a hand blender or whisk, slowly add olive oil.  You want to go slow in order to incorporate the oil completely.  Add chicken to marinade, and refrigerate for about 3 hours.  Don't leave it in too long (more than 12 hours), or the acid in the fruit will do very bad things to the texture of the chicken.  Like turn it to mush.  Bad.

If you're able to, grill the chicken, because grilled chicken just tastes better.  If you can't grill (it is, despite being 70 degrees today in Los Angeles, the middle of winter), broil chicken for about 6 minutes per side.

While that's happening, bring marinade to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes.  Stir in 1/8 cup olive oil.  No need to be quite as careful this time- it's ok if the sauce breaks a little bit.  Spoon over chicken while it's cooking, then spoon more when it's finished.

Any leftover chicken makes for a killer addition to salad.  The marinade (one boiled) makes for a great dressing.  So make extra.

Curried Tomato Soup

28oz Can Crushed Tomatoes
1 1/2 Cups Vegetable Stock

3 Cloves Garlic, crushed
One Medium-Hot Pepper, chopped fine
     I Used a Fresno Pepper
1 Tbs. Curry Powder
1/8 Cup Olive Oil

1/2 Cup Milk or Cream
1/4 Cup Fresh Basil, chopped
1/8 Cup Cilantro (Optional), chopped

1 Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Heat olive oil over a medium hot flame.  Add garlic, pepper, and curry powder.  Heat one minute, stir frequently.  Add tomatoes and stock.  Heat 20 minutes.  Remove from heat, blend in milk.  Add basil and, if you'd like, cilantro. 

Yeah, it's that easy.

Serve, clearly, with a grilled cheese sandwich.

The Apple, specifically the Arkansas Black

If, for some wacky reason, you're still buying peaches/nectarines/grapes, stop. The season is over my friends, even here in California. Time to spend some time with your old friend, the apple.

Yes, we can get apples year round. And, unlike most other fruits that have been shipped long distances, they're pretty good all year. Apples, when cooled properly, store really well, and that's a very good thing. But, do we really need to have them shipped from far far away? We don't. And, thankfully, we don't have to. Apples grow throughout the country, and, with a quick stop at the farmers' market, you might find something interesting.

In my case, it was the Arkansas Black, an heirloom variety dating back to the 1870s. What a great find! It's texture is super crisp, the flavor mostly sweet with just the right balance of tartness. It's perfect out of hand, tasty chopped & added to a salad.

You might not be able to find this variety, but, I bet you'll find something you haven't tried. Yup, I'm a fan of the Fuji apple, but it was nice to try something different!

Here's a quick tip: Notice how the top of the apple is all brown? I thought maybe this was a sign of not-so-goodness, but, it turns out, it's just the opposite. That's the pollen mark. The bigger the mark, the sweeter the apple. Who knew?! Great tip, and very true. That apple in the above pic was sweet indeed.

Enter the Dragonfruit

I made a quick stop into a supermarket the other day.  I tend to get most of my food from farmers' markets, but I only needed a couple of things and, well, they don't have farmers' markets at 10PM.  Wandering through the produce section, I found a strange looking fruit, the dragonfruit.  It was marked 'locally grown,' so I gave it a go.

The first thing you'll notice about the dragonfruit is it's amazing shape.  It's a cactus fruit, and it looks fairly similar to the prickly pear.  A prickly pair with crazy leaf-like soft scales growing from it.  The color is a soft magenta, with green highlights.  It's unique, that's for sure.

Splitting the fruit in half, I was amazed by the bright magenta color of the inside.  The small black seeds contrast with the thrilling magenta.  Cut open, it's one of the most beautiful fruits I've ever seen.  The subtle pumpkin-like smell wasn't terribly pleasing, but the visual was. Other varieties have a creamy white interior.

Dragonfruit tastes like a softer version of the kiwi-melon chewing gum you might have tried.  The flavor is really subtle.  The texture is similar to a kiwi.  Overall, I'd say looks trump eats on this one.  Not crazy amazing.

The dragonfruit, also known as a pitaya, is rich in vitamin C & fibre, and it's a decent source of phosphorus and calcium.  The one I bought was very expensive, $12.99/pound.  I wouldn't get another one at that price, but I'd try it again if I found a less expensive one.

Guava

Guavas are a remarkable fruit.  For most people, guavas will be a special treat, an exception to eating locally.  These tasty little treats are certainly worth indulging in a little long distance commerce. (For those of us lucky enough to live in the agricultural bounty of Southern California, you can find guavas at the Larchmont Village farmers' market on Sundays.  Look for the punk rock exotic fruit dude.  You'll know him when you see him.)

The first thing you'll notice when shopping for guava is the smell.  It's intense, almost like a fruit punch scented perfume.  The floral aroma will fill your kitchen with an energizing scent.  

Look for guavas that are either pale yellow or pink, depending on the species.  The fruit should be firm to the touch.

Guavas can be eaten whole, if desired.  However, the center is filled with hard seeds & the outer rind has a gritty texture.  Sadly, these are also the most nutritious parts of the fruit.  Isn't that the way it always is?  Grrr.  

Nutritious is is, though!  I'm sure guava will become a cure-all, greatest thing ever, make your life like heaven on earth superfood trend one of these days.  Surprised it hasn't yet.  Well, once acai runs out its welcome, look for guava to take over.  It abounds in vitamins  A & C, contains potassium, magnesium, and other dietary minerals.  The seeds are rich in omega 3 & 6 fats.  The skin contains the highest amount of antioxidants.  the whole fruit is an extraordinary source of dietary fiber. 

So run out and get yourself some guava before all the other trendy fools start making a run on the market.

Passion Fruit

Looking for a new fruit to enjoy?  Check out the passion fruit.

The passion fruit is native to South America, and is now grown in sub-tropical climates around the world.  In the United States, passion fruit is grown in Hawaii, Southern California, and Florida.  So, you're probably not going to be eating locally on this one.  That's OK, if you eat locally most of the time, there's nothing wrong with a special treat now and again.  That being said, I was lucky enough to pick some up from the punk rock exotic fruit dude at the Larchmont Village farmers' market.

The passion fruit comes in two varieties, yellow and purple.  The larger yellow ones are traditionally used for juice.  The purple ones are the type you're more likely to find in the market.  Look for ugly, deeply wrinkled fruits.  Those are the ripe ones.  Ugly fruit!

The passion fruit is nature's sweet tart.  It's flavor is naturally concentrated, so you can eat it (seeds and all) straight for an intense taste experience, or dilute it in juice, water, or booze for something more subtle.  Any way you enjoy it, the passion fruit will leave you craving more.  

Passion fruit is high in Vitamin A, potassium, dietary fiber, and Vitamin C.

A word of warning: you probably won't eat the flavorless purple skin, but, if you're tempted, better not to.  It contains cyanide.  That's not tasty.  That's poison!

Whole Grain Tabouli

I didn't realize it then, but this recipe started several months ago when I bought a 'Sweet Pea' tomato seedling.  The other day, as I pondered what to do with hundreds of pea sized tomatoes, the idea came to fruition.  It's a wonderful, healthy summer side dish.

1/3 Cup Dry:

Brown Rice, Quinoa, Bulgar

1/3 Cup Chopped Fresh Mint

1/2 Cup Chopped Italian Parsley

3/4 Cup Diced Fresh Tomatoes 

Or, if you happen to have tiny ones, use them whole for bursts of flavor!

1 Cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced

2 Teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar

Juice of One Lemon

1/2 Cup Apple Juice

Salt & Pepper

Cook grains as directed.  I cooked the quinoa & bulgar together to save time and dish doing.  Once grains are cooked, rinse with cold water and place in large bowl.  Add everything else.  Mix.  Let sit at least one hour, longer is better.  Can be kept in the refrigerator for about a week.

Here are the tiny tomatoes.  Yup, that's three of them on a dime.

Idea: Agave

Sure, it's a wee bit ironic that a few days after posting on simple syrup I'm posting about a sugar substitute.  I suppose we can call it a variation on a theme.  It's sweet week here at This Man's Kitchen!

Agave syrup, also known as nectar, is made from the core of the agave plant.  The pulp is juiced, then reduced, much in the same way that one makes maple syrup.  The same juice can be fermented, and made into tequila.  A result of going to university too close to Mexico is that I am not a big fan of tequila.  Agave, however, comes flashback free.

Agave syrup makes a wonderful sweetener.  It's easier to work with than honey, sweeter than sugar, and dissolves into cold liquids.  Agave has the lowest glycemic score of any sweetener, resulting in a minimal spike in blood sugar levels.  It's processed without any chemicals, and, is nearly always organic.  

Idea: Read The Label

It's amazing what goes into processed food these days. This is especially true with so-called 'healthy options'. I'm talking fat-free versions of foods that should indeed contain fat, trendy 'diet' products that are really sugar and corn devices cleverly designed as limited calorie packs, and a food that we all know and love.

FAT FREE



You'll notice many ingredients in this fat free half & half that have nothing to do with milk or cream. Corn syrup is listed number two, meaning there is a significant amount in there. Dipotassium phosphate is an insecticide! Probably not something you'd want to put in your morning cup of joe. I really enjoy how artificial color is footnoted as 'an ingredient not normally found in Half and Half.' As if sodium citrate is! Cream is listed as adding a trivial amount of fat. Now, as cream is classified as having at least 18% fat, something seems amiss here!

In contrast, regular half & half has two ingredients, milk and cream. When you think about the limited quantity you would normally use, the extra fat seems a pretty good trade off when compared to corn syrup, preservatives, mystery 'cream,' and insecticides.

ONE HUNDRED CALORIE PACKS



One of the latest trends in processed food marketing is packets containing servings of a certain amount of calories. The purpose is to let us feel guilt free about snacking on shitty foods. The marketers want you to believe that if you follow their calorie recommendation, you'll be enjoying a great snack.

The problem is, you'll be eating many things that you probably shouldn't be eating. The top ingredient listed is sugar. Now, a little sugar isn't a terrible thing, but when it's the main ingredient of your 'healthy' snack, that's another story. They've also managed, as most manufacturers these days do, to sneak high fructose corn syrup into the snack pack. It seems unnecessary, considering there are already a ton of sugar and sugar substitutes listed, including glycerin. Have a look at wikipedia if you want to see what else glycerin is used for!

My favorite ingredient in this, however, is: Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable And/Or Animal Shortening (Soybean, Cottonseed And/Or Canola Oil, Beef Fat). Go ahead and read that again, your eyes weren't deceiving you. Yeah, there might or might not be beef fat in your 'healthy' cupcake snack! Now, I have no problem cooking with animal fats, though, to be fair, beef fat is probably at the bottom of my animal fat cooking list. The problem I have is that unless you're reading the label, you have no idea that beef fat is in there. It's certainly not healthy, not even healthy for the soul the way cooking eggs in bacon drippings is. It's just wrong. This isn't beautifully rendered beef dripping, used to make Yorkshire Pudding. This is the shit that's left over from processing factory farmed beef. Why waste it when you can make an extra few bucks by slipping it into cupcake batter, eh? I almost feel sad for vegetarians who unwittingly eat this.

BREAD



This one makes me angry. Very angry. Bread, the wholesome staple of our youth, has been horribly corrupted. A few years ago, it suddenly became very evil to eat any bread products. CARBS!! OH NO!! Yes, simple carbohydrates are mostly empty calories. Yes, eating them will not keep the hunger wolves at bay for very long. But, no, bread as a concept is not evil. What is evil is the shit that they sell as bread in today's grocery stores. Perhaps the problem isn't simple carbs alone. Perhaps the problem is what's in our loaf of 'bread'.

Ingredient number three on the above bread label is high fructose corn syrup. Why? Once again, the corn marketers have found a way to stuff us with crap. There is no place for this in our bread, my friends. Has our palate become so addicted to sugar that we need to add it to something that is sweet by nature?

We also find a list of additives that are, quite frankly, unpronounceable. I'm not a fan of eating things I can't say aloud without sounding like I rode the short bus. Monocalcium phosphate and ammonium sulfate are commonly used chemistry set componets of industrial fertilzers. Azodicarbonamide, a bleaching agent linked to asthma, is banned in Europe and Australia, and its use can result in 15 years inprisionment (!!!!!) in Singapore. Um, what?! That's in my bread?

Bread, as I am aware, is meant to be flour, water, salt, and yeast- with the possible addition of some kind of oil and maybe some kind of seed. My people even omit yeast sometimes!

DON'T BE FOOLED



The point of all this: beware the marketing man. Above is packaging on the bread that was previously described. The name, 'EarthGrains Cracked Wheat,' implies health and wholesomeness. Yet, there is more high fructose corn syrup than cracked wheat in the bread. 'One Hundred Calorie' packs imply that you're doing right by your diet. Yet, you're eating beef fat and explosives. 'Fat Free' Half & Half would make you think that you're limiting calories and rocking out your health. Yet, you're adding insecticieds to your moring coffee.

Read the labels. It might be scary, but you'll be glad that you did.

French Beans With Bacon

1/3 Pound French Beans, use string beans in necessary
2-3 Slices Bacon
2 Cloves Garlic, chopped
1 Shallot, diced
1/2 Sweet Bell Pepper, diced
Salt

Goodness, this is a tasty one. It's a nice compromise dish, too. You get to eat some healthy veg, but there's a little bacon, too.

Begin by dicing two (or three...) slices of bacon. Cook over medium heat until bacon turns a nice mahagony. Remove bacon to a paper towel, and drain off most of the fat, leaving about two tablespoons.

Add garlic, shallots, and beans. Cook for about four minutes, until the beans begin to show a bright green color. Add diced bell pepper, and cook another minute. Add bacon, a pinch of salt, toss, and serve.

Garlic Snow Peas

1/3 Pound Fresh Snow Peas

3 Cloves Garlic, smashed

1 Small Shallot, Chopped

Butter

Nothing says spring like fresh snow peas.  Alright, that's possibly quite a big statement, what with cherry blossoms, girls in summer skirts, and, for those of you outside of SoCal, warmth.  Still, as far as fresh veggies go, snow peas are a delight.  Went to the farmers' market and picked up a bunch.  Here's a quick and easy way to cook them.

Place a generous pat of butter in a medium hot pan.  Add garlic and shallots immediately, and allow to soften for about two minutes.  Throw in the snow peas, toss, and cook for three more minutes.  You'll know the peas are done when they turn bright green.  Don't overcook.  

That's it!  Easy as can be and wonderfully tasty!

Duck Wraps

Duck Confit, shredded (see below for recipe)

Carrot, cut into thin strips

Red Bell Pepper, cut into thin strips

Can be roasted first!

Lettuce

Chives or Green Onions

Balsamic Syrup -or- Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil

This is basically an assembly line type dish- all the work is in the preparation.  So, thinly slice, or 'julienne' as they like to say in the kitchens, the bell pepper and carrot.  Do the same with the chives or green onions.  Pull the duck from the leg in thin strips.

Lay out a piece of lettuce, and add equal portions of duck, pepper, and carrot.  Squirt a small amount of balsamic syrup on top, or, if you can't find that, a little balsamic vinegar & olive oil.  Experiment a little bit until you find the exact amount that tastes good!  

If you haven't made the duck confit below, you can find it already prepared at many up-market grocers.  Alternatively, you could use cooked chicken legs.

Quick and Healthy Dessert

One Cup Pain Greek Yogurt

-Can sub any good yogurt

Honey

-To taste, aprox 4 tablespoons

1/2 Cup Seasonal Fruit

1/3 Cup Granola

Thin Strip of Basil (optional)

Serves Two

Mix all together.  Split into two portions.  Eat.

Easy peasy, eh?