Jalapeno - Chipotle; same chile, different adventures.

The Jalapeno is a small green chile pepper, but as it ages it turns a deep red color. Jalapenos are popular in Southwestern and Mexican cuisines where they can be incorporated into dishes, or be the main element themselves. This chile pepper can be stored in many way; air-dried then crushed or ground, frozen or smoke-dried(giving it the name "chipotle"). Once smoke-dried, the chipotle can be ground into a powder or stored in adobo sauce; then used to intensify the flavoring and seasoning heat of any dish.

With the 4th of July holiday coming up, barbeques and picnics are the popular choices of meal service. I have my own tried and true rubs, marinades and barbeque sauce, but play time called to me...and I just happened to have a small can of chipotle in adobo sauce. However, I just didn't want to develop a sauce that was spicy and nothing much else to it. One sauce I enjoy is a sweet and spicy Thai chili sauce, so I decided to follow that road.

Instead of using a rub, I covered six boneless, skinless chicken breast halves with one cup of the Chipotle Citrus Sauce; covered the bowl they were in with plastic wrap, and let them sit overnight in the refrigerator. After oiling up the grill, I let it heat up to a low setting (200F, and it reached 250F maximum during cooking). The chicken cooked on one side for about 5-7 minutes (depending on thickness), and 5-7 minutes the other side; brushed with more of the sauce.

The spiciness was equal to a medium heat, and it, and the flavoring reached all the way thoroughout the chicken, not just on the surface. I did cook a few other items on the grill at the low setting, and they came out wonderful: river trout (seasoned with dill, salt and lemon), beer brats, baby back ribs with a Kansas City style rub and barbeque sauce,  but I just want to focus this post on the chicken and the Chipotle Citrus Sauce.

The holiday weekend is just around the corner, so get those sauces simmering....and play with your seasoning!!!

Chipotle Citrus Sauce

This sauce does double duty as a marinade and a barbeque sauce.

Ingredients:

½ cup water

¼ cup each lime and orange juices

1 cup tomato puree

1 (6 oz) can tomato paste

1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

3 minced chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (add more if more spice heat desired)

1 tsp each of salt, ground cumin, crushed dried Mexican oregano and minced garlic

½ tsp ground black pepper

Preparation:

In a large saucepan, medium-high heat, mix together all ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes; sauce will thicken.  If it becomes too thick add a tablespoon of water until desired consistency is reached.

Makes 2 cups.

Mary Cokenour

A good recipe for evil vegetables.

Personally, I cannot stand cauliflower or brussel sprouts; I don't like their look, texture, flavor; I like nothing about them. However, my hubby and his mom like the little devils, so I like to come up with different ways to serve them.

Cauliflower is in the same plant species as broccoli, but we can recognize it by its whitish coloring and “brainy” appearance. The white variety is more common, is high in dietary fiber, vitamin C and folate; and studies have related it to reducing the risk of prostate cancer. Producers of cauliflower have created hybrids: Orange (high in vitamin A), Green (combination of cauliflower with broccoli) and Purple (higher in antioxidants).

While cauliflower can be roasted, fried, steamed, microwaved or boiled; steaming and microwaving retain the nutrients better than the other methods of cooking, especially boiling. Cauliflower can be substituted for potatoes as it gives the same texture and mouth feel, minus the starch. However, this vegetable can be very bland and/or bitter, so it is usually served with a sauce of some type; butter or cheese being the most popular.

Brussel Sprouts are part of the cabbage family; growing on long thick stems and requiring cool weather. They are best harvested when the heads are small and compact. Nutritionally they are high in fiber, protein, vitamin A and C, folate and potassium; they are linked to reducing the risk of cancer. Most cooks boil brussel spouts and tend to overcook them, so they lose their bright green color and the nutrients. However, they can be roasted, or used in a stir fry if quartered. As with cauliflower, brussel sprouts can be bitter and are also served, usually, in a butter sauce.

Since I was barbequing yesterday, I did want to serve a vegetable dish with the meat and chicken, but wanted something different than the usual pototoes or corn on the cob. Instead of using potatoes to make a gratin, I used cauliflower and brussel sprouts. Considering I caught Roy eating the leftovers in the middle of the night, I would say that it came out well. He said that the tanginess from the goat cheese really set this apart from other cheese based dishes.

Evil Veggie Gratin

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
1 cup half n’ half
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
¼ cup crumbled goat cheese
1 tsp each salt and ground black pepper
2 Tbsp diced fresh chives
1 lb cut up cauliflower
1lb small brussel sprouts; if large, cut in half
3 Tbsp finely grated dried bread crumbs

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 2 qt baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a medium saucepan, medium-high heat, melt butter and stir in flour till smooth; let cook for 5 minutes, but do not let burn. Gradually whisk in half n’ half; add Swiss and goat cheese and stir until melted; add in seasoning and chives.

Put cauliflower and brussel sprouts into casserole dish; pour cheese mixture over all. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil; sprinkle bread crumbs over top and bake additional 15 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Mary Cokenour

Leave the Lamplight on in the Four Corners Area.

Lamplight Restaurant and Catering

597 E. Center Street

Monticello, UT, 84535

(435) 587-2170

Website:  http://www.lamplightdining.com/ and  http://www.facebook.com/lamplightrestaurant1

Located just on the outskirts of the City of Monticello, Utah on Route 191, this restaurant might be medium sized, but is large on atmosphere, service and good food.  Scott and Alexa Laws have a classy place, but make sure to give everyone that hometown good feeling.  Scott is owner and chef, Alexa is head wait staff and their children all help out with the restaurant maintenance duties from service to bussing tables.  These are all around good people, and they make your dining experience pleasant.

Sadly, the restaurant has been put up for sale, due to personal reasons, and while we hope the sale never goes through; we certainly understand the reasoning.  Until a buyer takes interest though, the Lamplight will remain open for business. 

Upon entering the restaurant, one of the Laws children will greet and seat you; Alexa comes to the table, all smiles and menu in hand.  The menu is new for the season and while there are still some old favorites, they’ve added many new items.  We decided though to have a couple of old favorites: Alfredo with Chicken and the BBQ Ribs and Chicken Combo.  While I had the salad bar as my side; hubby chose salad bar, cole slaw and mashed potatoes with pepper gravy.

The salad bar is not huge, but still has a nice selection of two types of lettuce (iceberg and mixed greens), fruit, vegetables, cheeses and mixed salads such as crab, macaroni and potato.

The Alfredo with Chicken had angel hair pasta (light and delicate) with a creamy, cheesy, garlicky sauce; the chicken was grilled perfectly – deep grilled flavoring and moist chicken. While the pasta was angelic, the sauce was certainly sinful – a perfect combination of texture and flavor.

The Rib and Chicken Combo was covered in a rich, spicy and tangy barbecue sauce; and if you weren’t covered to your elbows in it, you weren’t eating the meal right. The ribs are very tender and melt in the mouth; the chicken was juicy and also tender; mashed potatoes are homemade and covered in rich brown pepper gravy.

Though we were too full to eat dessert there, we did take home a portion of their fabulous Chocolate Cake – three layers of deep, dark, moist cake with delicious filling and frosting; certainly a treat to die for.

Rolls with butter are also served with the meals; the meal portions are large, so expect to be carted out in a wheel barrel if you manage to eat it all; or take some home. We needed to take half our meals home, but enjoyed them for lunch the following day…still just as yummy. Considering the size and quality of the portions; their pricing is reasonable.

Staying in or traveling through Monticello, Utah, make the Lamplight Restaurant a meal stop whether it’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Mary Cokenour

UPDATE:November 2011 - The Lamplight Restaurant has officially closed; the restaurant is for sale and has an attached home. The owners, Scott and Alexa Laws, will be sorely missed in Monticello, as will their excellent restaurant.

Cassano's Italian Restaurant?

Cassano's Italian Restaurant

11 E. 100 North
Moab, UT, 84532

(435) 259-6018

Website: http://www.slickrockcafe.com/cassanos.html  and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cassanos-Italian-Restaurant/132531516767808

This corner eatery is located in an adobe style building and the decor inside is Southwestern; not what one would expect in an Italian restaurant.  The seating area is small with a bar taking up one wall; ceiling fans circulate the cool air much wanted in the hot Moab area.  We were greeted by Roy, who came to be our waiter; he took our drink order and we then looked over the menu of offered Italian specialties.

Now back in 2008, while visiting Moab, we had eaten at Cassano's, tried the Pizza Margherita and Jersey Calzone and both were done very well...very close to what you would expect to find in an authentic New York pizzeria.  Since we now live in the area and were in the mood for pizza, we decided to once again visit Cassano's.  We ordered a large with meatballs and Roma tomatoes (15" for $19.99).

Unfortunately the goodness we expected was not to be this time. The crust on the pizza, while crispy was barely browned and very difficult to cut. The thick layer of cheese was not completely melted; the tomatoes and meatballs under the cheese were barely warm. My husband and I are still debating on whether the meatballs were freshly made on the premises, as Cassano's states they are. He felt that they used fresh bread and meat, but made them in a mixer instead of by hand. The ingredients were so fine and compacted that they did not crumble when sliced. I felt they were the typical frozen meatballs you can find in a supermarket freezer as they had a gritty texture and off taste, as if preservatives were used in their making.

We conducted two tests at home which the pizza failed. First, the cold pizza test: crust was very tough and the overall taste was not pleasant. Second test was reheating a slice in the oven; while the crust did get golden brown, it was even tougher and very difficult to bite into.

Roy, the waiter, told us the chef was Sicilian and had been experimenting on new desserts. We tried the Blood Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake and the Cannolis.

The Cheesecake was pretty, but nothing to brag about. After the bite you definitely tasted cheesecake, regular cheesecake and then, eventually, a hint of orange flavor. The Cannolis were, in one word, nasty. I believe the chef was trying to imitate traditional Cassata cream filling (made with ricotta cheese), but the filling was lumpy, dry and very, very bitter. I tried to get details of what ingredients were in the filling, but was only told "ricotta cheese".

Overall, it was not a very enjoyable meal, and with the many restaurants in the Moab area, we won't be trying Cassano's again any time soon.

Mary Cokenour

All I want is a simple cheeseburger.

Sesame seed bun toasted, ketchup (sometimes a little mayo), crisp lettuce, American cheese and a perfectly cooked burger.  Or if I’m in the mood for something a little different: Swiss cheese, mustard with horseradish and lettuce.  Nothing complicated or haute cuisine about it; just a simple cheeseburger.  Since I form my own burgers, the weight is usually between ¼ and ½ lb and ½” thick; the meat is 90% lean, so I don’t have a lot of shrinkage as it cooks.  I hate, absolutely hate when a restaurant advertises ¼ lb burgers or ½ burgers and in small print it then says, “Weight prior to cooking”.  Excuse me!?!  How much weight exactly will it be after cooking?  If the fat content in the ground meat is high, the burger will be much, much smaller; if you’re offering me a ½ pounder, that better be what I get for my money!!!  The idea of adding more meat to the mix to offset the shrinkage is a completely foreign idea it seems.

When cooking the burgers, I only season with salt and pepper; what someone adds on afterwards is up to the individual.  I want to taste the beef most of all, so avoid masking it as much as possible with seasonings, sauces or condiments cooked in beforehand.

Cooking technique varies on time on hand, quantity being cooked, and/or weather conditions.  When it’s just hubby and myself; the gas grill works just fine when the weather is good outside.  I’ve barbequed in the winter, so long as it wasn’t snowing, sleeting or very windy.  If there are a lot of folks, the charcoal grill comes out of hibernation.  With either grill, I cook both sides of the burger for about 4-5 minutes; using an instant read thermometer to make sure the internal temperature reaches 160F.  I oil up the grill to avoid having the burger stick, have the heat temp at medium-high, and don’t play with the burger while it cooks.  All that poking and prodding is what makes it start to stick and/or fall apart.  When the weather is lousy, or I’m just cooking up a burger for myself; then it’s roasted in the oven (400F for 20 minutes).  Simple and uncomplicated, just the way I enjoy cooking in general.

Unfortunately my kitchen is too small for the stove I really wanted: 4 gas burners with a grill in the center.  Then I could have grilled indoors no matter how lousy the weather.  I keep hoping to win one of those redoing your home contests; or that HGTV just happens to pick my home for a remodel, but no such luck.  Is it so much to ask for a fabulous kitchen?

Anyway, when it comes to burgers, it’s the burger that should take center stage, not the accessories you pile on top of it.   

Mary Cokenour

Red Robin – sometimes yum, sometimes yuck.

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers

2530 Rimrock Avenue
Grand Junction, CO, 81505

(970) 242-4101

Website: http://www.redrobin.com/

Banzai Burger
Marinated in teriyaki & topped with grilled pineapple, Cheddar cheese, crisp lettuce, tomatoes and mayo.

Sauteed ‘Shroom Burger
Loaded with fresh, plump, sautéed mushrooms, a hint of garlic Parmesan butter and topped with melted Swiss.

Crispy Arctic Cod Sandwich
Premium cod fillets, hand-battered in a light tempura batter and crisply fried. Topped with fresh coleslaw, tomatoes, pickles and dilled and pickled tartar sauce.

For the many times we have been up in Grand Junction, sometimes we are in the mood for a burger and fries, and Red Robin is the place to go…but not on the weekend.  Seems that during the week they are not as busy as the weekend, and that makes all the difference between yum and yuck.

Usually there are three of us and we are creatures of habit; we each have a particular burger we enjoy, and that’s what we order.  The burgers in the Banzai Burger and Sauteed ‘Shroom are thick, grilled perfectly to order and juicy; the cod in the Crispy Arctic Cod Sandwich is thick, the tempura batter is crispy and the fish is flaky.  Each sandwich has an assortment of toppings that come with it, and they go perfectly in each sandwich.  Our drinks were always refilled quickly; the waitress ready with a refill pitcher even before we asked.  Red Robin…YUM!  That’s during the week though when they are not too busy.

A couple of times we were there on the weekend and the food items were very different than what we had before.  The burgers were overcooked and dry; the fish was undercooked and raw in the center.  We ended up packing up the sandwiches and feeding them to the dogs once we arrived home.  Why not send them back for a redo?  Try finding the waitress; an impossible task since they are so overwhelmingly busy on the weekend.  You can’t even get a refill on your drink.  Red Robin…YUCK!   

There is one item that is always perfectly cooked at all times; the bottomless Steak Fries.  Always crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and absolutely delicious.  We love these fries!   Once again though, during the week we get the endless fries; on the weekend be happy with what you received with your burger because you won’t be getting anymore.  Where is that waitress!?!

Overall, if you enjoy a good burger with fries, go to Red Robin, but during the week, not on the weekend; less aggravating that way.

Mary Cokenour

The Third of the Pizza Trilogy - Sicilian Pizza

In a pizzeria far, far away from Utah, square pieces of pizza are being devoured; and I am full of envy and want.  Anyway, this is the third installment of pizza making - Sicilian Pizza.  In case you missed the first two; New York Style was done on January 21, 2011 and Chicago Style was done on February 18, 2011.

Sicilian Pizza  

This type of pizza originated in the Palermo region of Sicily.  This is a thicker dough than used in the round type of pizza (Napolitano), baked in a heavy aluminum rectangular pan. In the United States, it is mainly seen in New York and New Jersey pizzerias, and whether the cheese goes under the sauce or on top is dependent on each individual pizza maker.  In Chicago style pizza, the cheese goes beneath the sauce, the crust is sweeter and the pizza is baked in a round pan.  “Tomato Pie” is a Sicilian pizza that has a thick layer of sauce over the cheese and is topped with a layer of diced or thinly sliced Roma tomatoes. 

How to Make the Dough

Ingredients:

2 (.25 oz) packages of active dry yeast

4 cups flour

½ cup warm water (about 110F)

1 tsp salt

1 cup cool water

2 Tbsp olive oil

Preparation:

In a small bowl, combine the yeast with a ½ cup of flour and the warm water; cover with plastic wrap and allow proofing for 15 minutes; stir afterwards to deflate.

In a large bowl, combine remaining flour, salt, cool water and yeast mixture.  Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead for 15 minutes.   Clean the large bowl, lightly dust with flour and return dough to it; cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 ½ hours. 

Preheat oven to 450F.  Brush the bottom and sides of a 17 ½” x 11 ½” x ¾” heavy aluminum baking pan.  Punch down the dough, return to floured board and roll out slightly.  Place dough into pan and stretch out to all sides, leaving a lip all around.  Let it rest for 15 minutes before adding toppings*.

Bake for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Makes 12 servings.

*Note: toppings would normally be a layer of sliced mozzarella cheese and an evenly spread layer of sauce; other toppings such as meats and/or vegetables can then be placed over the sauce.

Tomato Pie

Ingredients:

12 slices thinly sliced mozzarella cheese

2 cups homemade pizza sauce

2 cups diced or thinly sliced Roma tomatoes

1/3 cup grated cheese

Preparation:

Lay out the slices of cheese onto the pizza dough; evenly spread out the sauce and then the tomatoes.

Bake for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.  Remove pie from oven and sprinkle grated cheese over top of pizza.

Makes 12 servings.

Mary Cokenour