Arroz con Pollo y Chorizo with Stuffed Avocados

Decided to take another stab at arroz con pollo tonight.  Once again, the rice turned out more moist that I was going for, but the flavors were SPOT ON!  I have adjusted the amount of liquids in the recipe here, so hopefully it will turn out closer to what I had in mind next time.

(you may notice I use the Wal-Mart house brand of many items... that's so I can afford the good beer... hahahaha!!)



I might also try to find Spanish chorizo, which is more of a hard, cured sausage... unlike Mexican chorizo (shown here), which is similar to a spicy bulk sausage.



I always use my Le Cruset for things that start on the stove and finish off in the oven.  Fantastic stuff.  Worth every penny.  It truly is an investment.

Arroz con pollo y chorizo

1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs

2 large garlic cloves, minced and mashed with 1 t. salt

1 1/2 T. distilled white vinegar

1 t. dried oregano, crumbled

Combine garlic, vinegar and salt in medium bowl.  Add chicken and coat well.  Marinate for 1 hour.

1- 10 oz. package pork chorizo

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 t. ground cumin

1 t. dried oregano

2 T, smoked paprika
1/2 t. cayenne

1 packet Goya Sazon seasoning

2 large bay leaves

1- 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained

1- 12 oz. bottle beer (not dark)

1 C. chicken broth

1 1/2 C. long grain white rice
1 C. frozen small peas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook chorizo in a large ovenproof casserole or dutch oven over medium high heat until some fat is rendered.  Add onion, bell pepper and garlic.  Cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add cumin, oregano, paprika, Sazon, and bay leaf.  Cook and stir one minute. 

Add chicken with marinade to chorizo mixture and cook uncovered over medium heat for about 10 minutes.  Add tomatoes, beer, chicken broth, and rice.  Bring to a boil, making sure rice is as submerged as possible in the liquid.  Cover with a tight-fitting lid and bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.  Remove from oven, stir in peas, cover and let stand for about 10 minutes.


Stuffed Avocados

3 large avocados, halved, pitted and peeled
2 roma tomatoes, diced

1 small sweet onion, diced

1 C. cooked baby shrimp

1/2 C. mayonnaise

juice of half a lime

1 T. chopped cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients except avocados.  Chill until ready to serve.  Slice avocados in half, remove pit and skin, place cut side up on serving dish and stuff with shrimp mixture.

Hominy Grill, Charleston, SC

For our spring break vacation, we went to visit Brian's dad and his wife in Summerville, SC, which is a suburb of Charleston.  It had been so cold and wet here for so long, we had to go somewhere warm just for our own self-preservation.  I had never considered going to South Carolina before, but family was there and the time was right.  We bought the tickets and THEN I started researching where we were going.  It usually works the other way around.  The more I read up on the area, the more excited I got.  THEN I realized we would be near Hominy Grill...

For those of you who don't know me, I am the person who decided to drag my daughter to Savannah, GA a few summers ago, just to eat at a couple particular restaurants.  Yes, I'm one of THOSE people... the ones who plan an entire trip around certain places to eat (or things to eat, as the case may be).

I'm not going to talk a lot about the food or the restaurant itself, because it is nearly legendary.





  Yes the food is awesome.  Yes the dining room is open and friendly.  Yes the ceiling is beautiful and historic.



You can find out that much from any Travel Channel show or tourist website.  I'm just going to post the photos of our food with a brief description.  Try not to short out your keyboards with drool.

Since we had already decided this was going to be one of our splurge meals, we ordered an appetizer even though it was just lunch.  We got the shrimp and okra beignets, because I had read about them on another food blog.  I'd never had okra before, and of course I'd heard tell of it's notorious slimy potential, but I figured Hominy Grill would not do me wrong.



Beignets are described as doughnut-like, but I would consider these more of a fritter.  They were served with a cilantro lime sour cream and topped with a pico de gallo.  They were very delicious, but they could have used a little more shrimp.



For main course, Brian ordered the low country purloo...



It's a little bit of everything... rice, shrimp, chicken wings, sausage... he said it was awesome.  We also had to order the cornbread...



Miko wanted a turkey sandwich.  They did not have a turkey sandwich.  She ordered a turkey club sandwich, hold the tomatoes and bacon...



Viola.  Turkey sandwich.  This photo also reminds me about the pickled okra.  Remember my trepidation about the okra in general.  I had to try this.

I am now hopelessly addicted to pickled okra and seriously jonesin' for some good stuff here in the Puget Sound area.

Of course, I had to get the shrimp and grits.  It's their signature dish, and I hadn't had a chance to order it when we were in Savannah.  I HAD to get it at least once when I was actually in the south, just to make sure I was doing it right at home.



It was fantastic, but I do have to admit I replicated it almost exactly as soon as I got home.

This was one of those cases where you go to a place for the experience, if nothing else.  The food was great... being able to say I used the same bathroom as Adam Richmond and Tony Bourdain was great (I think... that still kinda disturbs me)... spending $70 on lunch was a bit of a shocker, but what the heck.  We DID say it was a splurge meal!

Stink- Cheese & Meat

Stink is the new "aroma of Tacoma"... take a big whiff... we smell GOOD!!!



And I must say, they do.  They don't just smell good.  They smell incredible... and they taste even better!

I heard about this store/deli through a couple friends, way back at the beginning of the year.  There was talk around town about a new cheese shop in the works, and everyone was buzzing.  Gritty Tacomans need their cheese!  We were ecstatic to hear there would soon be one in the north end.  Through Facebook, I found the Stink- Cheese & Meat page and immediately "liked" it.  I anxiously awaited updates.  Having grown up in retail, I have an idea of how long it takes to actually open a store, so I was patient.  And I waited.

And waited.

And waited (patiently, I might add).

Finally, a couple of weeks ago, the Stink opened it's doors!!!  And I missed the announcement.  I must have blinked or something.  This actually turned out to be a good thing for me, as it gave me a chance to hear other people's opinions on what to order on my first trip there.  Even with their concise menu, I probably would have stood there for half an hour drooling all over the counters before I could decide.

Last Saturday, I dragged The Petulant One (Miko) out of the house for our first foray to Stink.  I told her we were going downtown to take pictures and maybe have lunch.  I didn't EXACTLY lie... we DID take pictures and we WERE downtown, but my prime objective was LUNCH!

Stink Cheese & Meat is located at 628 St. Helens Ave. in what I would consider the Stadium District (but I'm old school).  More recently it has been glopped into the theater district, and even MORE recently it has been called the Triangle Neighborhood.  If you're from the north end, you'll know where it is.  If not, call them at 253-426-1347 and I'm sure they'll be happy to tell you where they are.

(at this point I have to admit I was completely remiss in asking everyone's names and taking pictures of them to include in this post.  I feel really bad about that, because they were all so wonderful to us!!)

In the months leading up to the store's opening, I was hoping it would be more of a traditional cheese and cured meat store... not like a butcher shop or anything, but more like a complete meat and cheese shop you would see in parts of Europe.  It's not so much like that... yet.  They have a small meat and cheese case...



...with a small but impressive assortment of meats and cheeses...



They also have a wine rack (please note the sign for in-house consuming)...



and several beers on tap (Bitburger Pilsner, Leavenworth IPA, New Belgium Abbey Ale, and Pike Monk's Uncle Ale).

The space itself is industrial/cozy.  I adore the color scheme and the general decor.  I love the live rosemary plants on every table.

The Petulant One waits for her food...



We ordered THE Turkey sandwich.



 That's not a typo.  It is THE Turkey sandwich... and it is mouth-wateringly delicious.  Sliced smoked turkey with mixed greens, a mango chutney mayo, and the creamiest bleu cheese you've ever tasted on a magnificently fresh rustic roll.  It comes with a small side house salad, which was the same greens and cheese from the sandwich, sliced red grapes, candied nuts, and their house balsamic dressing.  The one sandwich and salad fed the two of us quite nicely for lunch.

There were many things on the daily list that I wanted to try... the grilled cheese of the day... with king crab, fontina, avacado, and red onion aioli almost distracted me from my mission.  There is also the house mac and cheese that I must try, being the mac and cheese snob... I mean afficianado... that I am.  In the end, I wanted to buy some of the marvelous looking proscuitto in the case, but we were going to be in town for several more hours and I didn't want to leave it sitting in the car for that long.



DEFINITELY next time!!!  I'm drooling just looking at the picture...

You might just be able to tell that I was slightly happy with my experience at Stink.  Just a little.  I might just go back.

As soon as possible.

Click here for their Facebook page.

MENU (not including daily specials)-




Revisited- 5/4/2011

Yes... we went back already...

This time I had the prosciutto and brie with rosemary/fig confit sandwich, like I had planned...



It was wonderful.  HOWEVER... I had a bite of Brian's salami sandwich and almost started making inappropriate noises right then and there...



Oh.

My.

God.

The best thing I've had there so far.  THE BEST!!  I almost regret ordering the prosciutto and brie (but not really... it was fantastic too... just not quite as good as the salami).  Brian also had the soup of the day, which was vegetable couscous.  Again... one of the best things EVER!!

Something else I discovered today...

They sell real balsamic.  REAL balsamic.  In unlabeled bottles.  For only $12.00!!  I can stop hoarding my last bottle from Canada and start making my balsamic cream chicken again!!  I am overjoyed!!!  If you don't know the difference between real balsamic and the stuff you get at the grocery store, ask for a small sample.  It's amazing.

A Night to Remember...

...if only we could...

Sumner Farrelli's Special Wine Dinner, sponsored by Maryhill Winery, Goldendale, WA.

http://www.farrellispizza.com/

http://www.maryhillwinery.com/

Being a regular customer of Farrelli's Wood Fired Pizza restaurant in Sumner, we got an email invitation to their first ever wine pairing dinner, with wine provided by Maryhill Winery.  Of course we jumped on it.  The email said it would be five courses with seven wines for $33.95 per person.  Heck yeah!!  We figured smaller glasses and tasting samples with each course... it was a steal.

We got waaaaaaayyyyyyy more than we bargained for.

As it turned out, we ended up with (technically) six courses and eight wines... and full size glasses that were kept filled throughout the dinner.

We started the evening with a glass of Muscat Canelli.  I don't normally like sweet wines at ALL, but this was a very nice start to the dinner, and it actually got better as we sipped it.  Not clingy at all... no weird aftertaste like a lot of sweet wines have.  I was impressed.

The first course was an exquisite Fettuccini Tuscan... garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, tossed with al dente fettuccini in a basil cream sauce with a drizzle of sweet balsamic down the side.





It was served with chardonnay.  I usually notice all the fruit notes, but miss the buttery/creamy undertones when I drink this wine.  When I tasted it with this particular dish, I said to Brian "It tastes like butter!  Do you taste that?"  lol!!

The next course was Consume Rizi Bizi, with sherry...



We were told to taste it plain first, before the sherry was added.  It tasted like a really nice chicken soup with rice and peas.  The sherry took it to a completely different level, and continued to do so as it mellowed in the broth.  At this point we were basically told to drink up, because another white wine was on the way and our glasses needed to be empty.  This was the "transitional" wine, which is their "Winemaker's White".  It is a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Blanc, Semillon, and Viognier grapes.  It was okay in my opinion, but having grown up knowing what each varietal grape should taste like, it just seemed a little blah for me.  About the same time, the main course was coming so they started pouring the one red they served... the Cabernet Sauvignon.  To demonstrate the difference decanting makes, they poured some directly out of the bottles into our glasses.  Mind you, Brian and I were still working on the last white at this point.  We took a sniff and a sip from the Cab, and I have to tell you the tannins were almost overwhelming.  I suppose that was the point.  We continued to drink the white blend until our main course arrived...



Chicken breast stuffed with house-made sausage, ricotta, and herbs, topped with wild mushroom ragu (although I didn't see or taste any mushrooms... it was still fantastic).  The veg was a roasted green bean and carrot thing... very tasty.  By this point the Cab has had time to breathe and the previous white has been sucked down.  All is well with the world.

In true gourmet style, the salad comes after the dinner...



...and with the salad comes the pinot gris... which happens to be our favorite drink-at-home wine.  I think this salad was my favorite part of the whole dinner.  Arugula, Parmesan, Romano, and prosciutto, with a balsamic dressing... omg it was so good... especially paired with the crisp flavors of the pinto gris.

Next came the sorbet.  It was a lovely citrus concoction, which I thought would be served on it's own with a glass of the next wine with it... which it kinda was...



I just thought the wine would be in a separate glass...



This was some rare Italian sparkling wine that (at that point) I couldn't possibly remember.  It was darn tasty though!

Last but not least was dessert.  It was an apple crisp, served with vanilla whipped cream, caramel sauce drizzle, and Gewurztraminer.  Gewurztraminer... at that point in the evening, not even Bryan the Wine Guy could pronounce that word...



The entire evening was, in a word, awesome.  Incredible food, great information, and just a really good time.



left to right- Bryan the wine guy, Jack the food guru, and Mike the chef.  All awesome guys.

I know both Farrelli's and Maryhill lost money on this dinner.  There were only six couples who showed up, but I hope to heaven that doesn't discourage either of them from trying this again.  This was just the maiden voyage in what I hope will become an epic journey.  It truly was a night to remember, and we can't wait for the next one!!

Where NOT to eat at Pike Place Market, Seattle WA

Yesterday we decided to take a spur-of-the-moment trip up to the big city, just to get out of the house and take some pictures.  It was already about 1:30 by the time we left, so we planned on eating when we got there and calling it a late lunch/early dinner.  We had all eaten in multiple restaurants there before, so we knew there would be a variety of cuisines to choose from and everyone would be happy.

We started walking down Post Alley, which is like half a block up from the main market street.  Coming down Pine Street, take a left into the alley just before you reach Sur le Table.  We thought it was best to not let me even pass that store.  It is a very dangerous place for me (and my checking account).  But I digress...

About halfway down the alley is the entryway into a bunch of shops and small restaurants.  We see signs for several different food establishments, so we go in.  For some inexplicable reason, we walk right past Pike Place Chowder.  Big mistake, but I'll get back to that later.  We decide on Pike Place Pasta Bar.



Looks okay, doesn't it?  Yeah we thought so too.

We were wrong.  Let me sum up my feelings about this place with another photo...



It's hard to know where to begin describing my dissatisfaction with this place.  First, we sit down at the bar running along the front of the kitchen.  We're sitting there for several minutes before the guy even notices we're there.  Sure there were a few other people there also, but most of them already had their food and were eating.  He was standing there schmoozing with them, but hey... we hadn't really decided what we wanted to order yet, so that was fine.  When we had decided, Brian says something to that effect and they guy says (rather loudly) "It'll be a minute."  Yeah okay fine again.  About another five minutes go by, as I'm watching him slop sauce onto plates for people who came in AFTER us.  Still no one has taken our order.  He kinda glares over at us (like we're some sort of annoyance), then calls his assistant kid over to take our order.  Said assistant kid was sitting at the end of the bar, in the middle of eating his lunch.  Uh yeah... that's just who I want serving my food... some poor kid who is probably sitting down to eat for the first time today and gets pulled away from his meal.  Greeeeeeeeaaaaaaattttttttt.  Forging ahead, we order.  We had all decided to get the same thing... the fettucine alfredo special with chicken.  We were informed that it was close to closing and they were out of chicken.  It was only about 3:20, and their posted closing time was 5:00.  Whatever.  Miko and I decide to get ours with no meat, and Brian gets his with Italian sausage.  Disgruntled hungry boy gets to work.  We get our Caesar salads, served in those red and white cardboard french fry containers.  The dressing was watery and flavorless.  As I ate down through mine, most of the lettuce on the bottom was black and rotted.  I stopped about halfway through and set it aside.  About this time, the kid informs us there is no fettucini.  Let's see... no chicken... no fettucini for our fettucini alfredo.  I am working up to full-blown pissed.  I'm hungry.  I'm losing patience.  He says they have spaghetti and penne.  FINE!!  I get spaghetti, Miko and Brian get penne.  Head guy tears himself away from the other end of the counter to literally throw three bundles of something wrapped in foil at us.  Turns out it was our alleged garlic bread.  Smashed.  Soggy.  Not good at all.  Finally our not-fettucini alfreado arrives.  Miko has like MAYBE 12 pieces of pasta on her plate.  I poke the sauce around on my spaghetti and take a bite...

It's cold.  HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?  He stood right there and made it in front of me!  The sauce is runny and has about as much flavor as school paste.  Miko takes a bite of hers and looks at me.  The look is not good.  I take another bite, just because I'm SO damn hungry, but I can't even choke down anything more than that.  Miko says she's not going to eat any more of hers, and I agree.  I go into barely-under-my-breath bitch-mode, and Brian suggests Miko and I leave before it escalates into a full-blown incident.  I decide that as embarrassing as it is for the two of us to just get up and leave, it would be even more embarrassing if I were to create the scene that was building in my head.  As this is going on, I hear our server ask the head guy what he's doing.  He says... wait for it... he's making fettucini.  Yeah.  Because someone might possibly order it.  Because it is the special that day.  Yeah.  We walk.

Between the pasta place and the front door is Pike Place Chowder.




It is crowded.  There is a line.  You can hear people saying how good the chowder is.  We get in line.  The girls taking our order are pleasant.  We take our tray and head to the seating outside.  The chowder is hot and flavorful.  The base is creamy... the potatoes are chunky... the clams are tender... and you get a nice piece of REAL sourdough bread with it.



It was very good.

There are a lot of really great restaurants and storefront food places to eat around Pike Place Market.  My recommendation is to eat at ANY of them EXCEPT Pike Place Pasta Bar.

Best Vegetable Lasagna Ever

Great for kids and those pesky vegetarians in your life!

Don't think you're doing yourself any justice by chopping and grating everything by hand... it's just as good (if not better) if you buy everything pre-done and just slap it together. Serve with a frozen garlic cheese bread and a bag of ceasar salad mix and people will worship you. 

2-15 oz. jars alfredo sauce 

1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well 

1-2 T. olive oil 

1/3 C. sliced shallots 

3 large cloves garlic, mashed 

1 1/2 lbs. crimini mushrooms, coarsely chopped (buy pre-sliced and just run a knife through them a couple of times) 

1 large carrot, grated 

1/4 C. roasted red bell pepper, chopped 

2 C. frozen chopped broccoli 

1/2 t. kosher salt 

pepper 

cooked lasagna noodles 

1- 16 oz. carton ricotta 

1 C. parmesan, divided 

4 C. shredded Italian blend cheese (or plain mozzerella) 

In large saute pan, cook shallots, garlic, mushrooms, carrot, and bell pepper until tender. Add broccoli and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Meanwhile, heat alfredo sauce and spinach in saucepan (yes, put the spinach IN the alfredo sauce). Mix half of parmesan into ricotta and add more pepper, if desired. Pour just enough alfredo into bottom of 9x13 baking dish to cover. Layer 1/3 of noodles, half of ricotta mix, half of vegetable mix, 1/3 of sauce mix, and 1/3 of shredded cheese; repeat layers. Top with another layer of noodles, remaining sauce, shredded cheese, and parmesan. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. 

Something else that's been distracting me...

I recently purchased a wonderful new toy... a Canon EOS Rebel DSLR camera.  I've always been a bit of a shutterbug, and having a good camera really helps.  At the encouragement of friends and family, I have opened an Imagekind shop to hopefully share my photos with those who are interested.  Please check out my shop and consider my prints for your wall decor needs!