tammy circeo: telling life stories

Southern Kitchen

Alright, folks ... I'm tempted to put on my best Southern drawl for y'all to tell you this story, but since you can't hear me anyway, I'll just talk normal. Ken said it wasn't really necessary anyway.

I first heard of Southern Kitchen (1716 6th Avenue, Tacoma WA) on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, but when we drove by it, it didn't click that it was the same place. It seemed odd to me that a restaurant specializing in Southern food would have much of a draw in the Northwest. When we found many of the restaurants downtown closed for the holiday, we decided to hit it up. Curiosity killed us.

As we walked in, we were greeted by just about every staff person. "Hi there ... take a seat anywhere you like!" Southern hospitality in a restaurant serving Southern food? Good start.

I noticed one of the servers had on gloves and was filling bottles with a red liquid. When she finished, she brought one to our table and said that it was hot sauce. I tasted it expecting it to be so hot that it opened my sinuses, but it was pleasantly warm with just the right amount of flavor and heat. I asked if they sold it, but they don't, and acquiring the recipe was out of the question since the owner was in Seattle for a food festival and who knows if she would've given it to me anyway! It tasted like a Tabasco sauce, but better. (You can see the bottles in the photo below just to the right of the ketchup bottles.)

Here's the deal ... I like southern food just fine, but I don't cook it very often and when I go back to visit, I find that I'm not a huge fan. It tastes good, but I rarely feel good after eating it and that's enough for me to keep my distance. However ... when an establishment in the PNW goes against all cultural norms and serves SWEET tea and does so in quart-size canning jars ... well ... how can you not be just a little excited?!

See all the newspaper articles, awards, and photos behind the cash register? I would agree that they know their southern food.

Each person gets their own corncake to start the meal ... it's as large as the plate!

The menu items range from chicken fried steak to fried catfish, liver and onions to hamburgers, and omelets to veggie plates (with macaroni and cheese counting as a vegetable), but I couldn't eat at a restaurant that serves authentic southern food without sampling the fried chicken. It's the standard for all food served below the Mason-Dixon line, right?

I will say that it was a good piece of fried chicken. The coating fairly cracked off into my fingers and the chicken was steaming hot! I ordered Mac & Cheese and Fried Okra as my sides and while they were both OK, I thought neither of them were super stellar. I don't really care for breaded okra (I prefer it dusted with cornmeal and just barely sautéed in a little olive oil) and the Mac & Cheese was SUPER rich — tasted like a stick of butter. Perhaps I only thought so because I usually eat fairly lean ... and this meal was NOT! I ended up eating only a little of each of them.

But of course, with company like this ... who could complain about much? (I know, I know ... I showed this photo in the previous post! But I LOVE it.)

The good things: sweet tea in canning jars, crunchy coating on the chicken, casual atmosphere, oil cloth tablecloths ...

The bad things: sweet tea in canning jars, crunchy coating on the chicken, casual atmosphere, oil cloth tablecloths ...

You get the picture.

French Fridays with Dorie: Lyonnaise Garlic & Herb Cheese

The recipe for French Fridays this week goes right along with my whole "simplicity" theme from the last three days. Score!

I love Boursin cheese and who in their right mind doesn't? It's rather a splurge with all that creaminess and herb deliciousness. Growing up in France and smelling all the stinky cheeses (that, in the end, taste very good), Boursin was a welcome cheese to our childish palates. Who knew you could make something so very similar right at home?

I used part-skim ricotta cheese, after letting it drain for a while, then added in shallots, garlic, parsley,  and chives (I skipped the tarrgon because licorice is not my favorite flavor). A bit of red wine vinegar and olive oil stirred in and the whole mess of it seasoned with salt and freshly ground pepper made me one happy camper reminiscing about all things French.

You can eat the cheese on bread, of course, like any cheese, but you can use it as a dip for crackers or vegetables and I think it would a fabulous spread on a sandwich. Dorie suggested stuffing tomatoes with it and that sounded wonderful. I kept it super simple, though, and served sliced tomatoes with a bit of the cheese dolloped on each slice.

Here's my own "bonne idée" ... mix a tablespoon or two with your eggs before scrambling. DELICIOUS!

If you're new around here or are wondering what French Fridays with Dorie is ... It's an effort to use one of Dorie's recipes from her cookbook Around My French Table each week. The recipes are decided on by popular vote on the website French Fridays with Dorie. Purchase your book HERE and play along! According to the rules of the group, I'm not allowed to post the actual recipe ... mes regrets.)

Garbanzo Bean Salad

Fast food doesn't have to be purchased nor does it have to be accompanied by French fries.

How about a quick salad that can be tossed together in about five minutes. That's quicker than the average fast food establishment can put your order into a paper bag! 

Garbanzo beans, grape tomatoes, feta cheese, herb of your choice (I just happen to LOVE basil in this), olive oil and lemon juice, salt and pepper ... and lunch is served.

Wasn't that quick and simple?

Bon Appétit!

Download Garbanzo Bean Salad

Core An Apple ... quickly

I'm not sure where I first saw this method of coring an apple, but it revolutionized my life.

OK, so that was an exaggerated statement. Don't judge me! Truth is, when you have little people clammoring for snacks, you appreciate every little tip to help you get food into them as fast as possible! This is one of those precious tips I learned early on.

I used to core an apple by first using a large knife to cut through it, then using a paring knife and cutting down the center of each quarter. More often than not, the quarter popped into two pieces as I hit the center of that cut. It wasn't usually a big deal, but man, I just wanted that quarter to stay whole! Perfectionistic much? Besides that, I had two knives to clean rather than just one.

So here's a way to keep the quarter intact and use only one knife. Using a chef's knife, cut an apple in half ...

... then cut the half in half ...

On each quarter, angle the knife along the core, making sure your fingers are well out of the way, and cut through. (On vacation once, I ended up in the ER for stitches and a tetanus shot when I avoided this advice and was also using a rusty old, dull knife that slipped into my fingers!)

And there ya go ... clean cut quarters of apple!

See? Wasn't that easy?

Sautéed Grape (or Cherry, or Sugar Plum) Tomatoes

As school is winding down, days are becoming longer, summer produce is coming in, and valuable time spent together is rather to be spent playing rather than working, I offer you one of the easiest side dishes possible. Sautéing tomatoes takes them just past delectable and brings out their mellow sweetness. Grape, or cherry, or sugar plum tomatoes are all perfect for this method.

Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat, add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and bit of garlic (or garlic powder), if you want. The best way to get the garlic flavor using fresh garlic while avoiding burning it is to heat slices of it gently with the oil, remove it with a slotted spoon, then add the tomatoes. You could also use a purchased garlic-flavored oil.

It takes just barely minutes to sauté the tomatoes. They will sizzle as soon as they hit the pan and a few of the skins will pop. Delicious sounds! Swirl them around the pan a few times and dish them up. We prefer them just barely cooked, with still a bit of "pop", but if you prefer them softer, leave them on the heat just a bit longer.

These are excellent accompanying any meat ... steak, chicken, fish ... whether you cook indoors or out. It's like having a sauce ... but not. :P You could add herbs, too, if you wish. Some great choices would be thyme, basil, or parsley.

And I've been known to throw any sweet leftovers into a salad for lunch. ;)

How simple is that?

French Fridays with Dorie: Double Chocolate and Banana Tart

Dorie's desserts tempt me so! What from the photos in her book and her descriptions or stories of them ... And if "double chocolate" is in the title, I find myself between a rock and hard place.

If you had a dessert sitting in your fridge made from a chocolate pate sablé, caramelized bananas layered in it, covered up like a secret with bittersweet chocolate ganache, and then topped off with fresh sliced bananas glazed with apricot jelly, you would totally understand the dilemma facing one who is being careful with her food intake ...

Isn't that beautiful? And you can imagine how rich it is given the amount of ganache under those glazed bananas!

So, I took myself out from in between the rock and the hard place and indulged in a thin sliver. It had to be done.

If you're new around here or are wondering what French Fridays with Dorie is ... It's an effort to use one of Dorie's recipes from her cookbook Around My French Table each week. The recipes are decided on by popular vote on the website French Fridays with Dorie. Purchase your book HERE and play along! According to the rules of the group, I'm not allowed to post the actual recipe ... mes regrets.)

The Bonne Femme — Angel Hair Pasta with Grape Tomato Sauce

If it's an easy side dish you want to pair with a roasted or grilled meat or even a quick, light dinner on its own accompanied by a salad, this is the dish for you. This takes "ease" to a whole new level ... grape tomatoes cut in half, garlic, onion, herbs, fresh parmesan cheese ...

Cook the onion first, then add the parsley (and basil, my case!) and garlic, cooking it till it just get fragrant. Then add the tomatoes. Leave it on the heat just it gets warm and juicy.

Toss it with angel hair pasta which takes about 2 minutes to get to al dente, top it with freshly grated parmesan cheese, and serve it up warm. The tomatoes produce less of a "sauce" and more of a "flavor" for the pasta. Either way ... it's totally worth the few minutes it takes to make!

Wini, pardon the pun, but this is a winner!

Download Angel Hair Pasta with Fresh Grape Tomato Sauce

Bon Appetit!

The Bonne Femme — Roast Chicken Trois Oignons

As I read through Wini's book, I wanted to make everything in it ... and maybe some day, I will! I make many of the same "saute-deglaze-serve" meals as she does, so for my first "Wini-foray", I chose the Roast Chicken Breasts with Goat Cheese and Trois Oignons recipe from the "braise, stew, roast" section. Who can say "no" to soft-ripened goat cheese, leeks, shallots, garlic, and herbs of choice paired up with chicken?

It's important to not use a fresh goat cheese (the ones typically sold in "logs") because it has a less complex flavor and doesn't melt quite as well. Look for a Boucherondin (the cheese counter at my local grocery store spells it "Bucherondin"). It has a rind and is often sold with an edible flower pressed into it.

Two of my favorite aromatics, leeks and shallots, are sauteed about five minutes until they are tender ...

... then the garlic and herbs are stirred in. The fines herbes suggested are chervil, parsley, chives, and tarragon, but being the rebel that I am, I used what I had on hand. I like to think the French home cook would've done the same. I used parsley and basil. Finally, the goat cheese is added to the onion mixture after the heat is turned off. It melts and coats the trois oignons beautifully.

Wini's recipe calls for bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves and she is so smart to suggest simply cutting a pocket into each chicken breast to put the cheese mixture in. I had skinless, boneless chicken breasts, so I cut two of them in half horizontally, then rolled the mixture into it and secured it with toothpicks. I worried that the cheese would ooze out too much, but it didn't. In retrospect, I could've cut a pocket into skinless, boneless breasts, too ...

After baking for about 40 minutes, we had a lovely meal worthy of dinner guests!  

Wini suggested a salad with a lemony-dressing to accompany with chicken, but since the temperatures were just a bit chilly, I took her winter suggestion of serving it with Angel Hair Pasta with Fresh Grape Tomato Sauce. What a hit!

Find the recipe for the pasta HERE!  And buy Wini's new cookbook HERE.

Download Roast Chicken Breasts with Goat Cheese and Trois Oignons

Bon Appetit.

French Fridays with Dorie: Almond Sole Meuniere

I'm sure I've mentioned it before and if you've watched "Julie and Julia", you'll likely remember the scene where Julia is experiencing Sole Meuniere in France for the first time. I spent way too long trying to find that scene to upload for you! And so as to not devalue the time spent, I'll share this one instead ... it's only 1:03 long ... and another of my favorite scenes.

"What is it that you REALLY like to do?"

Moving along ... The Sole Meuniere scene has her exclaiming about how wonderful everything tastes in France and gushing over the fish. I couldn't agree more on the point that Sole Meuniere is an absolutely heavenly dish and Dorie's combination of Sole Amandine (with almonds) and Meuniere is a winning one.

The term "meuniere" refers to a miller's wife. You know, the guy who mills wheat? So, the term implies that the fish will be dredged in flour before it is lightly sauteed. This particular recipe includes the almonds so they are added to a bit of flour and lemon zest.

It helps to dry the fish by laying it out on paper towels first ...

... then brush it with egg yolk ...

The almond mixture stick to it so much better. I also love the suggestion to just coat it on one side. (Mama Trudy's platter is just perfect for dredging the fish!)

This preparation of fish calls for brown butter but use it wisely and carefully. You don't want the fish to stick to the pan, of course, but neither do you want it to absorb too much.

A squeeze of lemon and a sprinkling of parsley makes for a beautiful platter.

I made some roasted potatoes to accompany the fish, but steamed some spinach for myself in the same pan I cooked the fish in. And yes, it was worth it to see two pounds less show up on the scale! (Granted the two pounds weren't a direct result of the steamed spinach with this meal, but rather a culmination of such choices.)

Dorie suggests making sandwiches with any leftover fish. I wasn't sure I agreed, but I'm slowly learning to trust that she knows what she's talking about. So I made a Rouille (an aioli with saffron or roasted red peppers added ... named "rouille" because of the color "rust"), toasted the bread and added tomatoes and lettuce.

Yeah, she was right. It was delicious!

Emily and her fiance joined me for the leftover lunch and he said he didn't know when he had had such a wonderful lunch. Should I be concerned about flattery?

Chocolate Yogurt

Combining chocolate and yogurt is an unusal thing to do, but in my opinion, it's a brilliant combination.

Growing up in France, we always had access to excellent yogurt and we ate it for breakfasts, snacks, and desserts, too. I love all the fruit flavors and even the plain with a little honey drizzled in or jam, but the lemon and chocolate flavors were my favorites!  

After coming back to the US as an adult, I was sorely disappointed in the yogurt selection. Many American brands had unnecessary ingredients (such as gelatin) and large amounts of sugar. I grew out of the custom of eating yogurt ... until I found Trader Joe's! They have always carried quality brands and I was ever so grateful to reacquaint myself with the pure joy of chocolate yogurt.  

The taste is both tangy and sweet and for 130 calories per cup, pure ingredients, and four live and active cultures, it's both a tasty and healthful afternoon snack or even dessert.

Next time you shop for yogurt, read the ingredient list! Buy only yogurt with real ingredients and live cultures ... your tastebuds and digestive system will thank you. (And if you're ever on antibiotics for a bacterial infection, remember that they also kill the good bacteria so you MUST eat yogurt with live cultures to replace it.)

Here's to happy, healthful snacking!