Aldi's - Tip # 1

One of my favorite grocery stores is called Aldi's.  This store was started in 1976, in Iowa, by a man named Karl Albrecht. Old Karl is one of the richest men in the world according to Forbes Magazine. He has an estimated net worth of 21.5 billion and is the wealthiest man in Germany. There are now over 1000 stores in 29 states.

I have many friends who have never stepped foot in an Aldi's although they don't think twice about going into a Sam's Club or Costco.  Aldi's is a lot like the big box club stores except you don't have to buy a year's worth of stuff or pay for a membership. Here's why you should shop there:

• Your car will never be dented by a grocery cart, and the cart you get will always be in working condition. In the parking lot, under cover you will find the carts. Put a quarter into the slot to release the cart, return your cart and get your quarter back. No other store in America (that I know of) will do this.
• You have to bring your own bags. I like how forward thinking this store is. They were green before going green was cool. Remember this store was started by a European - where bringing your own bags is the norm not the exception. You can also purchase bags if you like.
• The produce is a bargain.  You just won't get a better price. With few exceptions, they only carry what is in season. So if you want strawberries in November you'll have to go somewhere else.
• Frozen fish. Last week I found a pound of wild salmon that had been flash frozen in 4-oz. portions with no preservatives for $3.99. Granted it came from China not Alaska but for $3.99 and the convenience of the packaging you just can't beat it.  I also got a pound of peel and eat shrimp for $3.99.

• Dairy. Milk has been steady at $1.98 a gallon for the past year and large eggs are $.89 a dozen. Sometimes you can even find fresh mozzarella.
• They sell products called "Fit & Active". They list calories, total fat, fiber and sodium on the front of the product. These products cost much less at Aldi's then your typical grocery store.
• Special purchases. This weeks special is a laminating machine for $19.99. I got an electric tea kettle for $9.99. Where in America can you find an electric tea kettle? Each week they have a theme and the special purchases seem to adhere to the theme. 
• Chocolate. They have European chocolate bars at an unbelievable bargain. They also have a wonderful assortment of Easter and Christmas chocolates.  Get there early. I've seen people fill up a grocery cart with these beautiful Belgium treats.
• Guarantee. If you are unhappy with your purchase you can return it and they will not only replace the product but they will also give you back your money.

I hope you will give it a try and let me know what you think. Life is good - enjoy!

Mock Lobster Bisque or Langostinos If You Please!

Langostinos have been in my life since I was eighteen years old. I used to eat them drenched in butter at our local Red Lobster in Knoxville, TN. I thought I was so sophisticated ordering the "fancy" fish from the "fancy" restaurant. I smoked cigarettes and ordered Bahama Mama's a frozen blend of tropical fruit flavors mixed with Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum and topped with a splash of Myers's dark rum. They still serve them today.

Bahama Mama's

I still have fond memories of Red Lobster. It was one of the first big full service restaurant chains that I remember. They had bars on the porches where you stood and smoked and drank while you waited for your table - I was cool - I was eighteen!

Wikipedia defines the langostino, when used in the restaurant trade, "...as the meat of the squat lobster, which in neither a true lobster nor a prawn. It is more closely related to porcelain crabs and hermit crabs." I rediscovered langostinos tails at my local Trader Joe's. They come frozen in a 12 oz. package. 

Langostino Tails from Trader Joe's

While they don't quite compare with my old memories, a bit more tough, dense and watery from the deep freeze I did discover a way to prepare them that takes less than 30 minutes.

I lifted this recipe from reliableanswers.com written by Annette M. Hall. I adjusted the amount of langostino meat to match the package that came from Trader Joe's.

Mock Lobster Bisque

Ingredient List:

12 ounces of langostino meat

1/3 cup dry sherry

1/4 cup butter

3 tablespoons flour

3 cups milk (I use skim)

1 teaspoon steak sauce

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Seasoned salt to taste

Preparation Guide:

In a small bowl, combine langostino meat and sherry; set aside.

In a medium sauce pan melt butter over low heat. Blend in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly.

Continue cooking and stirring until mixture is thickened; stir in steak sauce, salt, pepper and seasoned salt. Add langostino meat and sherry mixture; cover and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Makes 4 cups.

A salad and a loaf of crusty bread completes this meal nicely. Life is good - enjoy!

Salmon & Asparagus Pasta

Photograph taken by Mike Johnston

Some of the best food I've eaten comes from recipes found while doing a Google search. On Tuesday I had picked up some wild Alaskan salmon and beautiful asparagus with stems no larger than the diameter of a pencil. I knew I needed to use the salmon but I wanted it pared with pasta. A google search of "salmon pasta" led me to a blog called "Delish Food".  Delish is written by a self-described "twenty-something wife and food enthusiast" named Ashley. There is lots to see and read on her blog - I hope you have time to give it a look.

The following is Ashley's original recipe with a few changes to suit my taste.

Salmon & Asparagus Pasta

Serves 4

1 bunch thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces

8 oz. of pasta

1.5 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

12 oz. of freshly cooked salmon, cut into small pieces

Cavender's All Purpose Greek Seasoning

Salmon

Prepare salmon first. You will reheat it at the last moment after the pasta and asparagus are complete.

Preheat your grill until medium-high. Wash salmon and pat dry. Cover one side (both sides if skinless) of the salmon with Cavender's All Purpose Greek Seasoning. Grill until cooked through - timing will differ depending on the thickness of the salmon. Remove from grill and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add cut asparagus and cook until tender but firm, about three minutes. Scoop out the asparagus and put in an ice bath to stop cooking. Add pasta to a pot of boiling water and cook until desired firmness. Drain when done. Return pasta to pot and drizzle with olive oil and stir to prevent sticking.

Put your pasta bowls in the microwave and heat until hot. Meanwhile melt butter in a skillet and add asparagus tossing to coat. Add heavy cream and cayenne pepper. Heat until cream begins to thicken. Add pasta, salmon, Parmesan cheese. Toss and serve in your hot pasta bowls.

If you have never purchased Cavender's All Purpose Greek Seasoning you're in for a treat. It is a blend of 13 different spices and is delicious on fish, chicken, steamed broccoli and squash. You should be able to find it in the spice section of any major grocery store.

A simple salad will round out this meal. This is grown-up comfort food. Life is good-enjoy!

Grilled Lime-Curry-Rubbed Hanger Steak With Fresh Melon-cucumber Chutney

Gourmet Magazine published a recipe for a grilled lime-curry-rubbed hanger steak with fresh melon-cucumber chutney in their June 2009 issue.  I thought it would be perfect for a hot summer night mixing the richness of the steak with the coolness of the chutney. I knew I would have a problem finding the hanger steak, so I began my search by calling my local Marsh Supermarket. I spoke with the butcher who informed me that they didn't carry it, but I could probably fine it in a Mexican or Oriental (did he really say Oriental?) market. I immediately wondered if Marsh was no longer carrying beef from outside the US now that all meat has to be labeled with it country of origin. From there I called The Fresh Market who said they did indeed carry hanger steak. When I arrived the steak couldn't have been more than a quarter of an inch thick. Since the recipe specified hanger steak that was an inch thick I opted for skirt steak. A tougher cut that I ended up marinating, for a couple of hours,  in a mixture of honey, red-wine vinegar, garlic, soy sauce and olive oil. This would be a great meal to have with company. You can make the chutney several hours in advance and the steak takes less than 10 minutes.

Picture lifted from Gourmet Magazine

Grilled Lime-Curry-Rubbed Hanger Steak With Fresh Melon-Cucumber Chutney

Serves 4 to 6

Chutney

2 cups chopped firm-ripe honeydew melon (10-oz.)

1/2 seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped (about 3/4 cup)

1/2 cup chopped red onion

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 to 2 teaspoons minced fresh jalapeno including seeds

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/4 teaspoon cumin

For Steak

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon curry powder

2 pounds (1" thick) hanger steak or chuck blade steaks

Make Chutney:

Stir together honeydew, cucumber, onion, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle with spices and let chutney stand while grilling steak.

Grill Steak:

Prepare a gas grill for direct-heat cooking over medium heat; stir together lime juice, oil, curry powder, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.  Coat steak with curry mixture.

Oil grill rack the grill steak, covered, turning once for 9 minutes total for medium-rare. Let rest on a cutting board 5 minutes, then slice thinly across the grain. Serve with chutney.

I found an heirloom tomato at The Fresh Market and made a caprese salad and jasmine rice to serve with the steak. Life is good-enjoy!

Bar-B-Que Beans

I've been going to potluck dinners for most of my life.  Now that I live in the mid-west I go to pitch-in dinners. They both deliver the same result - lots of fantastic food shared between friends. Not once have I ever seen anyone leave hungry.

Most of the time women bring the dishes.  Occasionally a man will bring a favorite dish. It is my opinion that a man will share a recipe with anyone who asks.  Just being asked is a reward for him. It is also a reward for women, although  many women won't share their recipes.  I never liked those women, somehow I thought they should just be gracious and share.  But then I realized that I had become just like them. I have this recipe for baked beans that most people tend to like - especially the guys. People have asked me for the recipe numerous times and I always said sure - but I never, not once, gave it away. I can't remember the name of the woman who gave it to me.  It was a friend I worked with in Nashville, TN over thirty years ago. So today I'm giving it up.  I hope you enjoy it. If I run into you at either a potluck or a pitch-in and were both carrying baked beans I'll be sure to ask you for your recipe.

Bar-B-Que Beans

1 pound ground beef

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 large onion, choped

3 150z. cans of pork and beans

1 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

7 oz. of catsup

1 tablespoon. worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon chili sauce

3 tablespoons bar-b-que sauce

2 to 3 pieces of bacon, cut up

Directions:

Brown ground beef, bell pepper and onion in a large skillet. Drain.

Add pork and beans to a large bowl.  Pour ground beef mixture on top of beans and gently mix. Try not to smash beans.

Mix the rest of the ingredients in a separate bowl then pour over beans and beef. Mix well. Pour into a 9"x 13" greased casserole dish and top with 2 to 3 slices of bacon that has been cut up. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Do not cover. Life is good-enjoy!

Grilled Salmon With Fruit Salsa

I am a charter subscriber to a cooking magazine called Cuisine. The first issue hit my mailbox in January of 1997 and have continued ever since. I adore this magazine. It has wonderful recipes that are developed around seasonal ingredients and shows the home cook cooking techniques necessary to be successful.  The May/June 1997 issue had a recipe for Grilled Salmon with Fruit Salsa that has become a staple in my household. I have also been served this exact recipe in restaurants.

Grilled Salmon

(Serves 4)

Work Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

CUT & SKIN INTO FOUR 5OZ. PORTIONS:

1 fillet of salmon

DIP IN:

1 cup maple syrup

2 T. cracked peppercorns

GRILLING STEPS:

When the grill is very hot, put the salmon on at a 45 degree angle.  Then rotate it 90 degrees after it is cooked 1/4 way through for great grill marks. Halfway through cooking, flip the fish, keeping a 45 degree angle to the grill.  You'll rotate it again for the last bit of cooking to finish grill marks. Doneness can be checked with a thermometer. 130 degrees is optimal.

Grilled Salmon - Note Mike's Beautiful Grill Marks

Fruit Salsa

(Makes 2 Cups)

MIX TOGETHER:

1/2 cup cantaloupe, diced

1/2 cup fresh pineapple, diced (I have used canned with great results)

1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced

1/4 cup yellow bell pepper, diced

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1 1/2 T. lime juice

1 T. light brown sugar, packed

1 T. fresh mint leaves, minced

1 T. jalapeno pepper, minced

1/2 t. kosher salt

1/4 t. lime zest, minced

Salsa

All the peppers should have their ribs and seeds removed.

Refrigerate until the salmon comes off the grill.  Garnish the salmon with the salsa

I usually only make two pieces of salmon unless we are having company, but I always make the entire batch of salsa and we tend to eat it all.  Life is good - enjoy!

Sundays Are For Baking Bread - Part Two

One of the first things I purchased from King Arthur Flour Company was a sourdough starter. They send it to you in a small plastic container which you immediately have to adopt, Brangelina style, or it will die.  You not only have to feed it once a week you have to also bake some recipe that uses a part of it or throw a part of it away.  You also have the option of giving some to a friend - just make sure it's a friend you can loose.   Sourdough starter is a lot of work, so if you get some know it is a commitment. I tried several times, over the course of my life, to start my own starter, but it never worked out for me.  I never had the right container, it would spoil or I would spill it in the refrigerator.  King Arthur has a wonderful crock that you can purchase that will hold the starter and that's what I did.  It not only works but looks great too.

I lifted this bread recipe directly form the King Arthur website.

Rustic Sourdough Bread

1 cup "fed" sourdough starter

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

2 teaspoons instant yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

5 cups King Arthur Unbleched All-Purpose Flour

• Combine all of the ingredients, kneading to form a smooth dough.
• Allow the dough to rise, in a covered bowl, until it's doubled in size, about 90 minutes
• Gently divide the dough in half; it'll deflate somewhat
• Gently shape the dough into two oval loves, and place them on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise until very puffy, about 1 hour. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Spray the loves with lukewarm water.
• Make two fairly deep horizontal slashes in each; a serrated bread knife (I use a razor blade) wielded firmly, works well here.
• Bake the bread for 25 to 30 minutes, until it's a very deep golden brown. Remove it from the oven, and cool on a rack.

Notice my bread looks a little dark. I added 1/4 cup of ground flax seed for a quarter cup of the flour. Since there are only two of us I usually cut this recipe in half. Life is good - Enjoy!