Mushroom Marsala on Gorgonzola Polenta w/ Arugula Salad

meatless meal in minutes...

It was a busy weekend and I've had little time to think about my blog and this post. So, I needed something quick and easy tonight. One of my favorite things to make when time is short and I need to make dinner is polenta - it cooks in 3 minutes, much quicker than pasta. It's a lot like grits if you've never had it before. And it's really good with butter and cheese...especially with Gorgonzola cheese. Yum!

Polenta is an Italian staple, so I'm topping it with a classic sauce - Marsala. Typically chicken is served with this sauce (and that's what I made for my husband; he hates mushrooms). But, to make this a vegetarian meal, I just left it out and doubled the amount of mushrooms. This simple supper is nearly a whole meal as well, just serve it with your favorite green vegetable. Need a deliciously easy meal in minutes? Make this for dinner, here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4
Mushroom Marsala
2 T Olive Oil
1 lb. Sliced Mushrooms (such as crimini)
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1/2 T Fresh Thyme, chopped
2 T All-Purpose Flour
1/2 C Sweet Marsala Wine
1/2 C Vegetable Broth
2 T Unsalted Butter
1/4 C Fresh Parsley, chopped

Gorgonzola Polenta
1 Box Quick-Cooking Polenta (4 servings)
1/4 C Half & Half
1 T Unsalted Butter
4 oz. Gorgonzola Cheese, crumbled

Arugula Salad
2 C Baby Arugula
1/2 Lemon, juiced
1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper

Directions
Following the directions on the polenta box, bring 4 1/2 C of water to a boil in a sauce pan.

Brown the mushrooms: Heat the olive oil over medium. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned about 5 minutes. Hold off salting them, this draws out liquid and keeps the mushrooms from browning. Stir in the thyme, garlic, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook for another minute.

Make the sauce: Add the flour to the mushrooms and cook out, about one minute. Pour the Marsala into the pan and boil down for a few seconds. Then add the vegetable broth and simmer for a minute to reduce the sauce slightly. Stir in the butter and parsley. Taste for seasoning and keep warm.

Make the polenta: Salt the boiling water and slowly whisk the polenta into it. Turn off the heat and continue whisking for 2-3 minutes or until cooked through. Whisk in the half and half and butter. Finally stir in the crumbled Gorgonzola cheese.

Plate the dish: In a bowl combine the arugula, lemon juice, oil, and a pinch each salt and pepper. Toss to combine. In a shallow bowl put down a bed of the polenta, top with the mushroom Marsala, and finish with the arugula salad. Serve with your favorite green vegetable. Enjoy!

Grilled Peach, Quinoa, & Arugula Salad

movin' to the country, gonna eat a lot of peaches...

This is probably one of the dumbest songs, but so catchy. I think of it any time I think about peaches, which will be a lot over the next week as I create recipes to post here. This recipe is a great summer side. It can easily be made ahead of time and travels well. Steven and I went on a picnic yesterday at Ault Park and we brought this salad along. It was a great addition to our meal.

The base of this salad is quinoa (keen-wah). If you've never cooked with quinoa don't worry, it cooks just like rice. This whole grain is much healthier though and it's full of protein and is gluten-free. The star of the salad, however, is the grilled peaches. They provide sweetness to an otherwise nutty salad. Make this side, pack a picnic, and visit one of your local parks. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 6-8
1 C Quinoa
2 Semi-firm Peaches, washed & dried
3 T Olive Oil, divided
1 Orange, juiced
4 C Arugula
3 T Parsley, chopped
3 T Mint, chopped
1/3 C Sliced Almonds
3-4 oz. Goat Cheese, crumbled
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper

Directions
Preheat a grill or grill pan to med-high heat.

Begin by making the quinoa: In a fine-mesh strainer, rinse the quinoa. This removes a coating from the grains that can be bitter. Bring 1 3/4 C water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the quinoa, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the water is absorbed, 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat, keep covered, and rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a bowl to cool.

Grill the peaches: Meanwhile, half and pit each peach. Scoop out the red flesh from around the pit. Rub 1/2 T olive oil on the cut side. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Grill until marked and beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Remove from the grill to cool. Dice into 1 inch pieces and set aside.

Make the dressing: In a small bowl combine the orange juice, 1/2 tsp. salt, and pepper. Slowly stream in the remaining olive oil (2 1/2 T), whisking to emulsify the dressing. Set aside.


Build the salad: In a large bowl combine the quinoa, peaches, arugula, parsley, mint, and almonds. Pour on the dressing and toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Plate (or serve from the bowl) and top with the crumbled goat cheese. Serve at room temperature. Enjoy!

Summer Golden Beet Salad w/ Balsamic Drizzle Dressing

a mid-summer's night salad...

It's summer solstice or mid-summer or the longest day of the year as many say. A day where the sun is up its longest, making it the perfect time to celebrate the beginning of the summer season. Although it's not actually any longer than any other day of the year, we have more light (5 seconds more to be exact). So, have a picnic, grill out, or just have dinner for the family outside. Whatever you decide to do, try to at least stay up until the sun sets for our "longest day" of the year.

I've made this summer salad to kick off the season. It's fruity and earthy and quite beautiful. The colors make me think of the golden sun setting over an empty field. The reds, yellows, greens, and purples. I'm specifically focusing on balsamic vinegar for this series and its deep flavors and purple color. Make this salad to celebrate our "longest day". Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4
Summer Salad
3 Medium Golden Beets (~ 1 1/2 lbs.)
1 T Olive Oil, divided
3 C Arugula
1/2 Small Red Onion, thinly sliced
1/4 C Dried Cranberries
1/4 C Pistachios, shelled & roughly chopped
4 oz. Plain Goat Cheese, crumbled

Balsamic Drizzle Dressing
1/3 C Balsamic Vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
2 tsp. Honey
Salt & Pepper

Directions
Begin by roasting the beets: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the top (leafy parts) and bottom off each of the beets. Note: you can save the leafy parts to cook or discard if they don't look good. Scrub the beets and pat them dry.

Lay out a large piece of heavy duty foil (or double up with regular foil). Place the beets on top and drizzle with 1/2 T olive oil. Rub to coat the beets well with the oil, then wrap them tightly in the foil. Put them in the oven and cook for 45-50 minutes or until cooked through.

Remove the beets from the oven, unwrap, and allow to partially cool, about 10 minutes. Using a paper towel, carefully (beets will still be a little hot), rub the skin from the outside of the beets, discard. Once all the skin has been removed, cut the beets into wedges. Set aside.

Prepare the onion for the salad: Put the onion slices into a small bowl and cover with cold water. Soaking the onion in cold water will take away a little of the harsh bite raw onions can have. Set aside.

Make the drizzle: In a small sauce pan, whisk the balsamic, mustard, and honey together. Over med-high heat, bring the mixture to a bubble. Simmer until the mixture is reduced to 1/4 C, approx. 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat to cool.

Arrange the Salad: Dress the arugula with the remaining 1/2 T olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Then, on a large platter put the dressed arugula down first and top with the other ingredients in this order: red onion (drained), beets, cranberries, pistachios, and goat cheese. Drizzle the balsamic dressing over top. Serve immediately. Sun and summer have arrived! Enjoy.

Strawberry-Balsamic Salmon with Blue Cheese Polenta & Arugula Salad

strawberry wine and balsamic vinegar - saucy goodness

Steven and I visited South Haven, MI in the spring of 2009. It was a quaint, artsy town full of bed and breakfasts, shops, local restaurants, and, best of all, wineries. We visited a few, most featuring fruit wines. We aren't huge fans of these types of wines for drinking, BUT they are quite tasty when used for cooking.

It was about time I opened this bottle (nearly 4 years later) and cooked with it! Inspired by this wine and the fruit used to make it, I could think of no better pairing but salmon. The sweetness of the strawberry-balsamic sauce cuts through the fattiness of the salmon for a balanced spring main.

For a well rounded meal, I paired this dish with a simple blue cheese polenta and arugula salad. Have it for your next dinner. Here's how...

Recipe - Serves 4
Strawberry-Balsamic Salmon
1/2C Semi-Dry Strawberry Wine
1/2C Balsamic Vinegar
3 Shallots, thinly sliced
8-10 Strawberries, sliced
1 1/2 lbs. Center-Cut Salmon w/ skin on
Salt & Pepper

Blue Cheese Polenta
1C Quick-Cooking Polenta
4oz. Blue Cheese, crumbled

Arugula Salad
2C Arugula
1 Orange, zest and juice
Salt & Pepper
1/4C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions
Begin by making the sauce, combine the strawberry wine and balsamic vinegar in a small sauce pan. Put the pan on medium heat and allow the mixture to reduce by half; approx. 20 minutes. Be sure to turn on your vent, the vinegar will clear your sinuses!

Meanwhile, slice the shallots and strawberries and put them in a small bowl. Also, preheat the broiler to high and place your rack 2 slots down from the top. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place the salmon, skin-side down, on the baking sheet and season with salt & pepper; broil for 10-12 minutes.

After the sauce has reduced, pour it over the shallots and strawberries. Allow the mixture to maserate for no more than 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Make the polenta: Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Salt the water and add the polenta, whisking constantly. It will come together quickly. Turn the heat off, stir in the blue cheese, cover & keep warm.

After the salmon has cooked, top with the strawberry-balsamic mixture and return to the broiler for another 2 minutes.

Make the salad: In a bowl combine the orange zest, juice, salt, and pepper, and whisk in the oil. Toss with the arugula.

Serve the salmon topped with the strawberries, shallots, and sauce along side the blue cheese polenta and arugula salad. To enhance the flavor, serve with a glass of the strawberry wine. Now that's a spring supper!