Seafood Fideos

SEAFOOD FIDEOS // smoky shellfish soup

Happy New Year, everyone.  I hope 2015 brings some new adventures to your life, and to your kitchen.  If you're looking for a bit of culinary experimentation with some potentially unfamiliar ingredients, here's a seafood dish you might try.  Personally, this was my first time procuring and cooking clams and mussels at home, and I found it pretty brainless and delicious.  

If you generally like shellfish and seafood, you're going to love fideos.  I think most versions of the recipe you'll find online mimic Spanish paella - cooking seafood and rice in a flavorful broth until it gets completely absorbed and the shellfish steam open.  Fideos more or less replaces rice with a pasta (called "fideos"), but angel hair works just fine.  You'll see that this recipe is also modified to get more of a soup at the end, but you could easily increase the amount of pasta or decrease the amount of stock for a more traditional outcome.   

While the dish isn't that complicated to make, it really does depend on a few fancy ingredients of good quality.  It took a trip to the fancy grocery store (a.ka. Whole Foods) to make sure I got good bacon, sausage, and seafood.  Of course, saffron doesn't come cheap, either.  While you obviously want the seafood to be as fresh as possible, the smokier your bacon and chorizo are, the better layers of flavor you're going to get when all is said and done.  That smokiness, and the richness of the saffron, are the real backbone of the dish.  So, while I used a traditional mix of clams, mussels, shrimp, and cod, you can choose whatever shellfish and firm white fish you want (or eliminate anything you don't want).  Ideally, you buy the shellfish the day of, and keep it on ice until use, but I don't see why you couldn't make the broth ahead of time and return it to the stove to cook the seafood when you want it served.

Fideos is easy to make in large quantities with the right sized pot, so this is a great recipe for your next nice dinner party or date-night in.  It's pretty healthy, too.  And don't be worried about having leftovers, I found it reheated very nicely to finish the following day.  

Short Rib Boeuf Bourguignon Chili

 short rib BOEUF BOURGUIGNON chili // un ragoût TEX-MEXICAIN

Last weekend, I took part in my first ever chili cook-off.  My first cooking competition ever, really.  Garrett's the big chili maker between the two of us, but I quickly commandeered the process as soon as my wheels started turning in the direction of frenchifying the thing.  This didn't start as a boeuf bourguignon fusion project, and, in fact, I've never tried to make boeuf bourguignon, so I had no frame of reference for the dish besides a general understanding that it was beef braised in alcohol.  It was only after the fact that I realized by adding Tex-Mex ingredients to red wine braised beef we had concocted something Tex-Mexicaine.

So before I tell you more, let's start with a few honest confessions.  First, the chili took second place.  Tied for second place.  As an excuse, the winning chili was a really well done, but traditional recipe and I think when the masses speak, they speak for tradition.   Second, if you've never braised you ought to know it takes hours, so this is by no means your everyday chili.  But if you take it to your next chili cook-off and get good results, please, let me know.  Third, and again, if you've never braised before, prepare for the fat.  You can really remove quite a bit of the fat at the end of the cooking process, but you're going to be dealing with a lot of it.  And it's going to be delicious, as a result.

Back to the flavor, because despite those confessions I think this recipe is awesome and worth the effort.  The base flavor is smoky, and it would be worth it to go to a good butcher to get thick cut smoked bacon (in other words, avoid the packaged bacon at the grocery store).  In the next layer the red wine comes through, so make sure to use a French pinot noir (this does not need to be an expensive bottle, but does need to be French).  Finally, right in at the top you get the Mexican ingredients - the poblano, jalapeño, and spices.  Of course, the end result is rich with all that smoky winey-ness, so top it with freshly chopped onions and some cheese, but no need for sour cream.  

If you have the time, patience, and wherewithal, give it a try and tell me what you think.

Acorn Squash with Mexican Braised Chicken & Orzo Salad

roasted ACORN SQUASH // MEXICAN braised chicken & ORZO salad

I had a really poignant post in the works about the commercialization of fall and pumpkin spice lattes, etc., but I just deleted it all.  I mean, it was good stuff about objectification that occurs in market-oriented capitalism, the state of "basic" white women, the substitution of things for nuanced emotions, and all that, but figured you probably just wanted the quick stuff about the food.  It's been way over a year that I've been blogging recipes, and still haven't figured out what the hell to write in these little blurbs. 

There's no real inspiration here besides, just, fall.  I had an acorn squash around, because you see them in the store and you just have to buy one.  You're not going to not put that in your cart.  So I had one, I baked it, and I filled it with something hearty.  It was tasty.  It looks pretty, too.  Enjoy.

Tofu Chorizo Tacos

TOFU CHORIZO ("SOYRIZO") TACOS

Chicago has a long and infamous history in the food production industry,  remnants of which hang around the hip meatpacking district and Vienna Beef factory that now cater to upscale restaurants and tourism.  When traveling I always end up preferring the cities that offer some grit behind a shiny facade (the outskirts of Paris and Berlin, Budapest, Istanbul, Marrakesh, Lima, Seoul...) and I think that comes from Chicago roots.  I know this is ironic, if not laughable to many, since I might be a photo in the textbook next to a definition of "gentrification," but I like the reminders that Chicago once was The Jungle.  My grandfather put down his own roots in this city in the scrap metal industry, and that was the family springboard to the North Shore.

Perhaps I'm also feeling a bit more sentimental on the topic as I dig into my current historical research project in U.S. immigration history.  I'm specifically examining reasons why European immigrants chose to return home, often faced with the brutality of Chicago's factories.  Those that stayed have left an obvious mark on our ethnic enclaves up to the present, and immigrant stories continue to be told through the food we make in those same factories (with better working conditions, I hope...).

"Soyrizo" tacos certainly blend a few of these themes.  First, and pretty obviously, they are a gentrification of immigrant food.  The luxury of replacing cheap ground pork sausage, which probably laid heavy on the spice to cover up some unpleasantness, with a highly refined soy product is really just a joke about gentrification in the making.  I'm OK with that because it really tastes awesome and very much like chorizo.   Second, tacos are a great Chicago immigrant food (home to the second largest Mexican population in the states outside of LA) and we are home to some fantastic local products, as a result.  In this case the El Milagro tortillas and Supremo queso fresco are made right here in Chicago.  We also make the absolute best tortilla chips - El Ranchero.  If you bring Tostitos to a party in Chicago, you need to get a clue.  Sticking with this theme, I wanted to avoid adding any other "fluff" elements to this taco besides what you would get on a standard chorizo taco out of a taqueria.  No fancy toppings, just the simple cilantro y cebollas.  Many would argue that I made a grave error not doubling up my corn tortillas, as is customary, but the recipe is pretty much grease-free and eliminates any need.

While I'm totally supportive of you locavores and farm-to-table advocates, here's a list of some significant Chicago-based food factories: Vienna Beef, Cracker Jack, Keebler, Hostess, Wrigley, Gonnella Bread, Morton Salt, Kraft, Tootsie Roll, Sara Lee, Nabisco, Fanny May, Quaker, and Turano Bread.

Mole Rojo Chicken Soup

Mole is yet another dish that I've been meaning to make for quite some time.  To be honest, even for an adventurous cook the recipes I've tended to come across are intimidating, with long cook times and even longer lists of ingredients.  I suppose if you're going the highly authentic route, that is the price to pay (and kudos to you if you try).  So, let me be the first to admit that the recipe here will probably offend some who consider themselves mole purists, but the flavor of the dish could certainly fool me into thinking it took two days to make.

This recipe came about as a result of a quick stew I threw together at the end of last week, using up whatever I had left in the fridge - including some red peppers, chicken, black beans, spices, and dried pasilla peppers.  I applied a similar technique to making chicken chili as appears in tomatillo chicken chili post, which is essentially a vegetable base with beans blended in to add bulk.  To make a long story short, the smoky red stew came close enough to mole to make me think I'd nail it if only there was the element of chocolately richness.  So, I remade the red stew with the addition of unsweetened chocolate and tahini, and it worked.

Most of the mole rojos I've had are actually not as spicy as this recipe (which is equally spicy and rich/smoky), so if you want to imitate something you've had at a restaurant then eliminate the crushed red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper (and perhaps add even more chocolate).  Of course, while this is a soup/stew, you could easily eliminate the addition of extra chicken stock after blending the base and get a true mole sauce - which would be delicious for tacos or enchiladas.  I've indicated in the instructions where to stop if you want the mole sauce, rather than a stew.  

When all was said and done, I was pleasantly surprised by how easy (and healthy) this mole turned out.  I'm glad to have four frozen portions for lunch this week.

Chicken Burrito Bowl

I've never posted such a blatant imitation of a recipe that is pretty widely known by food-consumers nationwide: the Chipotle Burrito Bowl.  But if we're all going to collectively admit anything as a society, it should be that Chipotle is tasty.  So, I  share with you my scientific recreation of the burrito bowl if only to be able to proclaim "NAILED IT," and then enjoy how tasty it is in the comfort of your own home.  Oh, it's probably much less doused in sodium than the restaurant version.

Chipotle and I actually have a historic relationship that dates to the fall of 2000.  So we're talking pretty early on in Chipotle expansion.  I really lucidly remember my first trip to Chiptole as a sophomore in high school (Schaumburg, IL location, if you're curious).  My friends and I sort of made going to Chipotle our thing before Chipotle was a thing.  So I'm loyal.  

How loyal?  I moved to Ann Arbor, MI for college in 2002 and immediately began emailing the Chipotle company about once a month telling them to get their stuff on campus.  REAL PEOPLE WOULD ACTUALLY EMAIL ME BACK and thank me, telling me they would be in Michigan soon.  They weren't even in the state yet.  I literally had my boyfriend at the time pick up Chipotle in Chicago en route from Madison to Ann Arbor when he would come to visit.  Put that aluminum-swaddled baby on ice.  It wasn't until I was a senior that the chain would open a location near campus, and perhaps by then I was sort of over it.

So, I guess that's sort of my confessional about Chipotle.  I rarely eat there now...but when I do I still think it's good.  And, I think you'll be impressed by how near-to-restaurant taste the recipe here achieves if you're willing to make all the individual components.  I'm sure you could cut out one of the salsas, maybe the guac, and still nail it (but I highly recommend all components).   If you really want to keep things simple, purchase the salsas and guacamole and make the rest at home.

You'll notice I do not include shredded lettuce in my bowl.  Shredded lettuce is offensive.  Also, I don't include cheese (not needed, and keeps this a healthier version). 

Roasted Corn Salad

Returning home from travel abroad is filled with a mixture of emotions, but for me its mostly a difficult withdrawal from the constant state of heightened senses and new, challenging experiences that make travel exhilarating and addicting.  While my family, friends, job, and boyfriend anchor me to Chicago, in another life, perhaps, I would have joined the foreign service, the expat teaching circuit, or found some other excuse to keep moving on to the next city or continent.

To counter this impulse to flee, there needs to be a conscious effort to bring the travel state of mind home with me - to pursue new experiences that might be just around the corner from my apartment, or sit and enjoy the three-dollar-an-ounce cortados at the local coffee shop down the street.  I also need reminders that there are definitely valuable things the States offer that I can't get in Europe.  What are they?  Sushi and Mexican.  With the exception of a 150-year love affair that the French have had with Japanese culture that had produced a good number of sushi establishments in Paris (but why would you go?), and the bizarre kebab-taco joint I stumbled across in Heidelberg (a college town), these two foodstuffs are what I come home craving the most.

So seeing that corn is about "knee high by the fourth of July," I roasted some and satisfied my hunger for some south-of-the-border spice.  The recipe is a more refreshing, lighter version of the rich Mexican esquites in that it has a yogurt-based dressing that produces a spicy/cool flavor combo.  Hold the tomatoes, add some crumbled queso fresco, and use sour cream instead of yogurt if you want something closer to the real deal.  It works as a side, but I usually just have it as a meal.  Plus, its a freakishly cheap recipe when corn is in season, which is always nice after two weeks abroad...and a daily $3 cortado addiction.

Fish Taco Salad

FISH TACO SALAD 
W/ MANGO SALSA 

For Chicagoans emerging from an extended winter/cool spring, summer means street food and outdoor dining.  All the sidewalks are crowded as restaurants creatively squeeze a chair on every square inch of outdoor space.  Each weekend there are at least two street festivals that offers sticky and/or drippy finger foods for every palate.  Don't believe me?  Check out this Chicago Festival Guide.

Ironically, my summer of outdoor eating was kicked off in a little town east of Chicago, known as New York.  They may not have a proper hotdog, but New Yorkers know their street food.  I really wish Chicago had more of their halal carts (but not their pizza...I'll stick with deep dish, thanks).  

I was in New York for Bree's bachelorette weekend and we took full advantage of the perfect weather in order to picnic in Central Park, stop for snacks on the High Line, and do lunch at Smorgasburg across the Brooklyn Bridge.  Smorgasburg is more or less a permanent, more intimate Taste of Chicago, but with better cuisine (and an awesome carousel full of young children, their parents, and a bunch of girls having fun on a bachelorette weekend).  In fact, you can check me out at Smorgasburg on the wonderful blog written by the lovely Lydia called "Today's the Day I..." So, I highly recommend a visit if you find yourself in NYC. 

Our various NYC street eats

It worked out perfectly that I made a version of this fish taco salad last week and wanted to improve it for a post, since it goes nicely with the street food theme.  Basically imagine all the traditional condiments on a tilapia fish taco, but without the tortilla and some mango salsa for kicks.   It got two thumbs up from Bree's financé, Brad, who didn't eat seafood until he tried the cilantro ginger shrimp I made last week!  It may seem like lots of ingredients, but it actually comes together pretty quickly once everything is chopped.  Overall, its a really great healthy but hearty summer salad that you should go make as soon as is humanly possible.

Chicken Fajita Salad

CHICKEN FAJITA 

SALAD

Well, folks, it is time for a check up.  I visited my favorite health consultant (myself) in her office (my head) recently, and the diagnosis wasn't good.  Since I set a weight-loss goal of ten pounds back in March, I've done nothing but eat donuts.  Or, at least that's how my body feels.   And really, its not that much of an exaggeration.  Worse than the uncomfortable feeling of wearing slightly-too-tight pants all the time is the psychological trauma of watching myself slowly loose control and motivation when it comes to my health.  I think I need an intervention.

Let me back up, because this isn't really about  weight.  About two years ago I did work my tail off to lose lots of weight, but I sort of found a new identity in health and running along the way.  No doubt, I became addicted to running.  If you have a truly addictive personality, like me, you know what it means to become dependent on the high of any activity as a way of coping and feeling in control.  Luckily, I've always taken to sort of ridiculous and "healthy" addictions - studying, pottery, or in this case, running - which have paid off greatly in full-ride scholarships to fancy schools, lots and lots of glazed mugs taking over my apartment (please, take them for free), and a big drop in my cholesterol score.  Yessss.

But an addiction is an addiction, nonetheless.  Anyone with an addictive personality can tell you that these addictions are an all or nothing deal.   You go from one addiction (or "hobby," as I like to call them) to the next, each one all-consuming, and you try to avoid the really terrible ones (i.e. drugs or cat collecting). 

I suppose in the pendulum swing between all or nothing, I wound up with nothing.  So, I'm taking matters into my own hands by 1) going to the doctor (the real one) to find out what's wrong with my hip so I can start running again instead of looking at cat memes on BuzzFeed (too close to cat collecting for comfort), and 2) eating more salad until I can start burning more calories.  Take this Chicken Fajita Salad, for example.  It's super healthy and tastes good.

Pozole Rojo

I'll be the first gal to admit that some recipes on this blog are better than others.  This Chicken Pozole Rojo is one of those.  

This pozole is detoxifyingly spicy, hearty, and warming while still being flavorful, light and refreshing.  In fact, I'm pretty sure there is a detox diet of some lemon juice and paprika concoction, and this would be a much better alternative that is actually delicious and nutritious.  Something detoxifying was quite needed after a weekend of bridal shower and birthday celebration that included one very posh high tea service at the Peninsula Hotel followed by a double-dose of birthday pizza for Bree and my nephew, Max.  The pozole is citrusy, smoky, and comforting...perfect to shake these last few weeks of cold weather.  I would liken it to a Latin version of a very spicy Thai soup.  

Seriously, this is the best meal I've made in a while.

But, I had never made pozole before, so I scanned a few recipes and quickly got the picture.  I used a lot of the latino soup/stew methods from the Tomatillo Chicken Chili post, but changed the ingredients and added layers of spice.  I also kept it much brothier since I didn't want a chili consistency.  I warn you, this recipe is quite spicy, so leave out the jalapeno or cayenne if you prefer something more mild. 

Chipotle Lamb Tacos

Never heard of lamb tacos?  Neither have I.  

Garrett and I don't do much for Valentine's day, but I figured I could use the excuse to make a meal that we used to eat prior to a bout of health consciousness (tacos) and dress is up with duck carnitas.  I was excited about this idea, and my excitement was squashed by Whole Foods.  This happens often with Whole Foods.  In fact, I think I'm close to definitely saying "I hate Whole Foods."  And there it is.

I respect what those folks at Whole Foods are up to.  Sort of.  I'm sorry, but all natural and organic is mainstream these days and my neighborhood grocer offers all those options for a much lower price.  I appreciate what they're doing with precooked meals, but if you're reading this blog then I think you know where I stand on precooked meals.  I'm amazed at how authentic the tacos from the tacqueria are, but to the point at which I think there's something fishy about it.  Mostly, they just never have what I actually want (some decent corn tortillas and duck breasts, in this case).  Supposedly, and to Whole Foods' credit, fresh duck is extremely hard to come by in Chicago.  Gotta head to Chinatown.

With that I vow to blog forward with fewer complaints.*

So, anyways, lacking fresh duck I decided on a lamb shank and had no idea if this would work.  However, it was quite impossible to fail given the list of ingredients.

Thanks, Whole Foods, for helping me discover Chipotle Duck Tacos.

Tomatillo Chicken Chili

TOMATILLO CHICKEN CHILI (GREEN CHILI)

While I am all about perusing the web for cooking inspiration, most often I get inspired by others' work and make it my own given the ingredients and tools I commonly use.  However, what we have here is a bookmarked recipe that I've pulled up many times in the kitchen.  I make special trips to the grocery for poblanos and tomatillos for this one.

I like this Tomatillo Chicken Chili because it reminds me of the homey soups and stews of Latin America, but a bit lighter and crisper in flavor.  I love caldos*, sopes, pozoles, moles, and pepian**, and this recipe reminds me much more of those textures and flavors since the chicken is cooked in vegetables and pulled apart.  In other words, its nothing like traditional chili that is bean-y with ground meat.

chile & peru, 2008

lomo saltado, caldos, & cortados

pizzas/hamburguesas

me & bree

One thing I love about Chicago is that ingredients for any cuisine are plentiful, but authentic ingredients for Latino recipes are completely mainstream at the grocery.  Bodegas will carry anything you couldn't find elsewhere, and they are usually right next store to the bigger groceries, anyways.  While Wicker Park is a highly (or, overly) gentrified neighborhood, I'm happily placed on the outskirts where my Mexican neighbors' roosters wake me up in the summertime.  Its fantastic.  I would tell you about the market down the block that sells the absolute best tacos in the city from the back counter, but I simply can't bring myself to give it away.  I'm pretty sure it has something to do with getting very fresh meat from local roosters.

Garrett's Smoky Chili

So, its Saturday night and I'm posting on the blog.

I feel like I can get away with this barring the loss of much social capital.  Garrett got home form the office at 2:30 AM.  He's been rendering the graphic designs for a Saudi subway system, which required hours each week staring at aerial views of desert.  Also, hockey is up and running again.  I'm not going to suggest we leave the house.

But I will request that he make dinner.

Disclaimer: This is not the chili recipe you want if you intend to win any chili cook-offs.  There are no microbrews, coffees, or secret hot sauces involved.  It's just good chili done with lean ingredients and a smoky spice combination.