Wild Boar from "LOST" island

On my last blog post I shared the fact that I was going to make wild boar sliders for a Super Bowl party I attended. Several weeks ago my friend Doug asked me to help him out with his idea of sliders by asking me to prepare a nice hearty bread to compliment the wild boar he set out to smoke. Doug shot the boar on trip to Oregon back several months ago so his plan was to smoke the meat, hook me up with a portion and in turn I would trade him for some slider rolls. We both decided that a Guinness based wheat roll was appropriate.

Guinness based rolls for the sliders

After the roll was established my mind went crazy with ideas. I soon settled on making fennel coleslaw with a mango-ginger mustard to garnish the pulled smoked pork and anticipated that to be my best bet.

I soon came to realize that wild boar is not something that is welcomed wholeheartedly in these parts. I got many strange looks as I talked about my plans and the fact that I was extremely excited about receiving the smoked pork. Free your minds people! How do you think the people from Dharma Initiative survived?

Doug and I talked about taking pictures and comparing the final product on my post. Unfortunately Doug forgot to take pictures so all I have to show are my finished sliders.  I must say they were delicious as I sampled the first slider prior leaving for the party. As my brother-in-law Chris stated, “The fennel slaw and dressing took the pork to a new level.” I gave Chris some for his party as well. That
pork traveled well and made an appearance at many parties this past weekend.

Wild Boar Sliders, Mini Whole Wheat Guinness Rolls with a Fennel Mango-Ginger Mustard

It was a fun experiment. Thank you Doug! What will this adventurous hunter bring to the table next for Chef Ellen?

On another note, a big thank to my sister Nancy for organizing a surprise graduation party recently for me. She pulled off the task
and managed to get my whole immediate family together with close friends to celebrate my recent accomplishments in the culinary world. I am fortunate to have such a loving tight knit bunch of family and friends who put forth the effort to come together on a Sunday afternoon.

The only pictures I took were of my neices, nephews and children of some of my close friends playing together. It is nice to see them growing up and remembering eachother. It is important to me for watch them grow up but equally fun to watch them turn into mini versions of their parents.

My mother outdid herself once again with homemade perogies for the party. It is a labor of love to create perogies. I watched her making them for hours as I ran in and out of her house that Saturday afternoon while doing errands. Only someone that has been in the thick of the perogie making process can fully appreciate what that entails. Thanks for your efforts Mom.

All effort is in the last analysis sustained by faith that it is worth making.

- Ordway Tweed

Instead of using half and half or cream, this potato fennel soup uses fat-free milk for its creamy base. I used a small amount of olive oil instead of butter. The calories, fat and cholesterol saved from making these small adjustments are huge. Potatoes are an essential source of fuel and energy even when dieting. It is a complex carbohydrate rich in source of vitamin B, folate and minerals such as potassium, magnesium and iron. A medium potato provides almost half the recommended daily intake of vitamin C.

I pulled this information from the following site http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/fennel-bulb.html while looking into more fennel related recipes. I am a huge fan of this vegetable because of its versatility. I love it roasted and use it frequently shredded in salads. Look for more recipes soon with fennel as an ingredient.

All the beautiful ingredients simmering away

Health benefits of fennel bulb
Bulb fennel is one of very low calorie vegetables. 100 g bulb provides just 31 calories. Further, it contains generous amounts of fiber (3.1 g/100 g or 8% of RDI), very little fat and zero cholesterol.
Fresh bulbs give sweet anise-like flavor. Much of it is due to high concentration of aromatic essential oils like anethole, estragole, and fenchone (fenchyl acetate). Anethole has been found to have anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.
The bulbs have moderate amounts of minerals and vitamins that are essential for optimum health. Their juicy fronds indeed contain several vital vitamins such as pantothenic acid, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), folic acid, niacin, riboflavin, and thiamin in small but healthy proportions. 100 g fresh bulbs provide 27 µg of folates. Folic acid is essential for DNA synthesis and cell division. Their adequate levels in the diet during pregnancy can help prevent neural tube defects in the newborn babies.
In addition, fennel bulb contain average amount of water-soluble vitamin, vitamin-C. 100 g of fresh bulbs provide 12 mg or 20% of vitamin C. Vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals. Further, it has small amounts of vitamin A.
The bulbs have very good levels of heart-friendly electrolyte potassium. 100 g provides 414 mg or 9% of daily-recommended levels. It is an important electrolyte inside the cell. Potassium helps reduce blood pressure and rate of heartbeats by countering effects of sodium. Fennel also contains small amounts of minerals such as copper, iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and
selenium.

The finished product

Roasted Fennel & Potato Soup

1 Tablespoon of olive Oil

1 Cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves chopped

4 parsnips, peeled and chopped

2 teaspoons fennel seeds toasted and ground (grinding
optional)

1 large fennel bulb chopped (about 2 lbs)

3 large russet potatoes, peeled and sliced

4 C chicken or vegetable broth
1 C fat-free milk

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Trim the fennel bulbs. Cut off the stalks, fronds and remove the base. Cut the fennel bulb into wedges. Do this by cutting the bulb in half and follow by cutting each half into half again so that you have quarters. Place the quarters into a bowl, coat with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the bulbs into a parchment-lined pan and place into preheated oven for about 15 minutes. Keep your eye on the progress, as it should become soft and golden brown.

In a large pot, sauté onions onion, garlic and toasted ground fennel seeds until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the
potatoes, fennel, lemon juice and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer about 25 minutes. Stir in the milk.
With a blender, hand immersion blender or food processor, puree the soup in batches. I say hand immersion blender is the ticket. One of the best purchases I have ever made!

Ladle soup in to bowls and serve immediately.

Serves 8

1 serving:

Calories 156, Fat 2.1g (saturated fat <1g, polyunsaturated fat <1g, monounsaturated fat 1.2g) Carbohydrates 30.5g, Fiber 3g, Protein 5g

Completely unrelated but…

Here is an interesting story to think about next time you want to go through the drive-up window at Mickey D’s

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/chicken-nuggets-how-bad-are-they

As Super Bowl Weekend approaches, I am excited to help out my friend Doug who has enlisted my help for homemade bread for his wild boar sliders. In exchange for 50 small hearty rolls, Doug is going to hook me up with some smoked wild boar so that I can create my own wild boar sliders to impress my friends.

Doug and I are going to chat tomorrow about our ideas on condiments, bread and the execution of the said sliders.

Stay tuned for my next blog to see what comes of this exotic sounding vision.

The finished product and my sous chef Kayla

Before I left Colorado I stayed with my friend Lisa and her family for a couple of weeks. Her stepdaughter Carly told me about a project she had in school where they made cookies native to Nigeria. These coconut cookies are a Nigerian favorite with the children in that country. I had my niece Kayla help me the other day carry out the very simple task of baking these cookies. They were a big hit! Thank you Carly for sharing this recipe with me!!

Shuku-shuku (Coconut Cookies)

1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup caster sugar (or superfine sugar)
1/2 cup self-rising flour

Preheat oven to 350 degree.

In a large bowl, mix together the coconut, egg yolks and sugar. Mix into a stiff dough and tightly squeeze into inch balls.

Roll each ball in flour and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and

Shuku shuku translation is "suspect. suspect"

Simple ingredients "mise en place"

Thumbs up from Kayla to begin

So determined!

The stiff dough is bright yellow because of the organic egg yolks

Ready for the hot oven

ENJOY! Thanks again for all your help Kayla

Also wanted to share a very simple Asian glaze recipe I made to brush on and enhance the flavor of my Chicken Ginger Burger. The recipe for the burger is in my book It’s Just Personal on page 104.

For the glaze I simply mixed together 3 Tablespoons of hoisin sauce, 1 Tablespoon of honey and 2 teaspoons of soy sauce. I spread the mixture on the burger half way through the cooking process. Flipped the burger and did the same to the other side. The final product is pictured here on top of a fresh salad. Great dinner!

Chicken Ginger burger with an hoisin glaze. Burger topped with fresh guacamole

Taking that big step and re-locating for six months was, without a doubt was one of the best decisions I have ever made for myself. That first big step was the hardest and to tell you the truth the day I drove into Boulder, I cried my eyes out because I doubted the decisions I had made. Lucky for me I had my mom sitting next to me reassuring me that it would all work out. I had my family and close friends all a phone call away and I am sure I used up those special lifelines more than not.

I am different and have grown all in a good way. I see life differently because I experienced life a little differently than I had known most of my life.

For all that I am grateful and more fulfilled than I was a year ago. I tossed and turned in bed last night trying to come up with something to write about to wind up almost a full consecutive year of blogging on my website. I have been in touch with close friends and random followers who have encouraged me beyond any expectations. Getting feedback and personal messages gave me strength and happiness beyond what my words can convey, but THANK YOU ALL!! I am blessed and I thank God for all the love, support and beauty that I have witnessed in the last year.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all! This is all what makes me smile. I hold these memories very close to my heart.

This waterfall in Skogafoss, Iceland changed my life in November of 2010. The moment, the beauty and the courage that powerful product of nature gave me that day still resinates within.

Skogafoss Waterfall, Iceland

Traveling the country in Iceland

Not knowing where this road would lead me but confidently pushing my way forward .

Right off the bat a BIG thank you goes to my friend Patrick Dalton who put graciously put this video application together for me in record time. I applied for an internship in Spain while in school that entailed a 3-minute video displaying my talents and such. Pat stepped out of the box (big fan of that!!) and produced, edited and set this video to music. I am so proud and appreciative of his efforts as well as the final product.

This video sums up a big part of my year in school, what I love, my passions and the accomplishments I am reminded of every time I watch it. Can’t wait to see you soon Pat to give you a big hug and kiss for your efforts and all the time you put into this.

Application Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz1EdCL8MZs

This sign was one of my favorite moments upon getting into Colorado. Everyone told me that when I drove into Colorado it would be the most breathtaking landscape and scenery. Little did we all know that Colorado would be experiencing rainfalls beyond the norm for this particular month of May in 2011? This is the sign that welcomed me that dark and dreary night.

Welcome to Colorado

Thanks Mom!

1st week in school

Being with my mom for the trek across the states…enough said. Thanks mom!

MaMaaaa

Going snowboarding with Krsytal on Memorial Day weekend beats tanning by the river any day of the week.

Great run!

And the thoughts running through my head at this moment… The world was my oyster!

I wish I remember what I said or did for that look.

I tended to push the envelope at school once in a while…and this was Kat’s facial expression most of the time.  Miss you Kat!

Learning how to make bread. Big highlight!

Enchiladas Verde. I should have won that contest! Yum.

And I feel as though I never left six months ago! At times in the last several weeks it has scared me how much things have stayed the same since leaving almost seven months ago. I was thinking about all this as I went into a supermarket and the realization that the same cashiers where still there came to my attention. Someone told me before I left that when I returned everything would be exactly the same. That statement did not resonate and impact me much until now. When I brought this realty up to a friend of mine in a conversation, he agreed but pointed out that the only thing that changed was myself.

That statement and the impact those words had on me has me looking at life a little differently. My friend John elaborated and pointed out that by taking on a different experience, lifestyle, education etc and carrying that out in a positive way you are changed for the better. It was a great conversation. Thanks John!

So back to spontaneous combustion and hanging over my crucibles this past week prompted me to want to share my white chicken chili recipe. The following recipe calls for fresh tomatillos but since obtaining them may not be the easiest task, I have come across an item from Whole Foods that I love to use. Use 2 cups (you can freeze the extra for next time) of this mix in lieu of the tomatillo and spices that are called for in the recipe. My friend Kate also just informed me that she makes this recipe and adds a green tomatillo salsa from Trader Joes that is also quite good as a substitute. In the end if you want to season more according to taste, go for it. I am a big fan of cumin and fresh cilantro so I did make that addition.

White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili – print recipe here

This delicious chili is the alternative to the typical beef version. It is healthy and full of vegetables that compliment each other in every way. Chili is meant to cook slowly to really bring out the flavors. It is simple to throw together and can be served just as regular chili is served. Tortilla chips and this chili at a party or gathering will earn lots of compliments to the chef. Don’t forget to
serve sides of shredded Monterey jack cheese, diced avocados, jalapenos and reduced fat sour cream.

White Chicken Chili

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves of chopped garlic

1 C chopped onion

1/2 C chopped celery

1/2 C chopped carrot

1 C diced zucchini

1 ½ lbs cooked chicken breast cut up into bite size pieces

1 Tbsp fresh lime juice           * omit the lime juice through the tomatillos if you use the Green Chili Mixture

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp white pepper

1/2 tsp coriander

1 can green chilies (4.5 oz)

8 fresh green tomatillos pureed in a food processor

2-15 oz can cannelloni or great northern beans (well rinsed)

3 1/4 C chicken broth

2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

2 Tbsp. mesa flour or mesarepa (this is a fine corn flour –
look in baking aisle or Goya section of supermarket) corn meal is good also (add
a little extra for a nice thick chili) I would!

In large stockpot or Dutch oven on medium high heat, sauté olive oil, garlic and onions for several minutes. Add celery through zucchini and cook for about 10 minutes. Add chicken pieces and continue cooking for ten minutes stirring frequently. Reduce heat, add cumin through beans and mix together thoroughly. Add 3 cups chicken broth and cilantro, stir again and simmer for about an hour on low heat. Remove chili from heat. Take remaining ¼ cup of chicken broth and mix with mesa flour to form a smooth paste. Add this paste to chili mixture, fold in and be sure to mix evenly throughout. Let stand about 10 minutes and serve.

Serves 8 – 3/4 C. servings

Per serving: Calories 341, Fat 10.5g (saturated 2.4g, polyunsaturated 1.9g, monounsaturated 5g) Carbohydrates 27.2g, Fiber 6g, Protein 33.9g

Available at Whole Foods

Cooking beans

Chopping zuchinni

Check out the newest addition of aprons at Sparrow Waits. Holiday aprons just in time for the season!! Way to go Emily and Liz! I believe Emily is willing to eliminate shipping charges for anyone ordering an apron by stating ”Chef Ellen” in the comment section of the ordering page. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me!!

Liz in a Christmas apron http://www.etsy.com/listing/87844560/unruly-reindeer-full-panel-apron

Costa Rican Rice and Beans

Also check out my costa rican rice and bean dinner. This is a recipe from my book that I revisited lately. It was so good and filling, prefect (healthy) comfort food for this cold and rainy evening. Page 75  of It’s Just Personal.

As a holiday incentive I have also elminated shipping charges on any purchase of my book until the New Year. Please click on the icon below to check it out.

Cranberry, Jicima and Cilantro Salsa/Salad

I made this salad for Thanksgiving after seeing something similar while out in Colorado. I decided to make it my own and spice it up a bit with pickled jalapenos and lots of fresh cilantro. It is supposed to be a salsa but in several days that followed, I put it on my salad, ate it with chopped hard-boiled eggs and made the last bit into a chicken salad by added some fresh cooked chicken and avocados.

Time to reap the benefits of fresh cranberries. When you are walking by that bag of fresh cranberries in the supermarket, grab 2 or 3.
They make great additions to fresh muffins, breads and smoothies. I buy extras and try to keep them around for a while. Cranberries are rich in phyto-nutrients (naturally derived plant compounds), particularly proanthocyanidin antioxidants, which are essential for all-round health and wellness. The berries are packed with compounds that offer protection from tooth cavities, urinary tarct infection, and inflammatory diseases.

Jicima is a South American sweet, crunchy root vegetable. It lends itself well to salsas, salads and vegetable platters. When purchasing,
look for medium sized (3-4 lbs.) firm and dry tubers avoiding any soft spots as they indicate rot. It is a great source of Vitamin C and soluble dietary fiber. This sweet root vegetable is an ideal sweet snack for diabetics and dieters, as
it is very low in calories. In addition the natural sugars (inulin) do not metabolize in the body.

Jicima

Cranberry, Jicima and Cilantro Salsa/Salad

In a large bowl:

4 C fresh cranberries (coarsely chopped in a food processor – do not liquefy – just process slowly on low to chop up coarsely)

2 C shredded jicima (peel outer skin from fresh jicima)

1/4 C diced red onion

1/4 C chopped or slivered almonds

1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro

5-6 pickled jalapeno chopped

In a smaller bowl whisk:

1/4 C orange juice

1/4 C lime juice

1/4 C sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Add the whisked liquid ingredients to the larger bowl of salad ingredients and mix well.

Serves 8 – 10

This will keep for several days!

Shredded Jicima

The cranberries

This was my Thanksgiving dinner plate. Clockwise: green salad, turkey is under the cranberry-jicima salad, turnips-carrot puree, sweet mashded potatoes, stuffing and succotash (center)

Trying to get rid of the evidence

Not in the stores for long!

I ate all of these

Molasses Cookie Recipe

1 17.5oz. Package of Betty Crocker Molasses cookie mix

1 whole egg

1/4 C Organic virgin coconut oil (you have to bring coconut oil to liquid form in order to use it)

2 Tablespoons of water

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. I recommend using your hands to bring all the ingredients together uniformly.

Bake according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Into the oven...

Enjoy!

These are some yummy dishes I made before I left Colorado. Before I left  stayed with my friends Lisa and Campbell who graciously opened their home to me for a couple of weeks. I cannot thank them enough for their friendship in the last six months.

Prepping for Elk Ravioli and Butternut Squash Raviolis

Bringing it all together

The finished product

Emily, Me and my new "awesome!!!" apron

This special post is going out to my friend Emily, a classmate of mine in culinary school. Getting to know Emily better and working side by side with her in the last several weeks of school got me acquainted with yet another creative side to her passions. Emily and her best friend Liz have recently launched their aprons on Etsy. http://www.etsy.com/shop/SparrowWaits

The company is called SparrowWaits after Liz’s dog Sparrow. Sparrow waits patiently on Liz and Emily to finish their latest creations as to get the opportunity to play, get fed, go out etc.. In this first picture I am wearing my apron. They are cute as can be, very well made aend the most adorable patterns. These are quality aprons I recommend highly for anyone wanting to look hot in the kitchen!

Emily and I also showed off the aprons to the ladies we cooked for in Winter Park, CO several weeks back. We filmed an impromtu fashion show for the women. It was a great evening as we got to showcase the designs and got lots of great feedback from the Art Camp ladies. Also in the video is Liz who drove an hour and a half to bring Emily more aprons. Big thanks to SPARROW also for making a guest appearance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDzM9cIkTDc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuauSJH8stM

Showing off the aprons

How cute are we?

Im in love with this one also!!

Remember the holidays are coming up! These make great gifts.

Happy Thanksgiving All!

I am back in NJ at present and grateful  to be home and around all those I love dearly.

It’s really simple to do, just soak the seeds in water briefly to remove what sticks to the seeds. Lay the seeds out to fully dry before roasting and set your oven to 350
degrees. Place the seeds on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a Silpat. Drizzle on some olive oil and your favorite salt. Bake until the seeds have
browned about 10 minutes. Check frequently as it browns very quickly. They are smaller and not as chewy as pumpkin seeds.

Butternut & White Bean Hummus

Butternut & White Bean Hummus

1-15 oz. canned white beans (cannellini or great northern) rinsed well

1 C roasted butternut squash (cut the squash in half lengthwise, hollow out
and remove seeds. Rub lightly with olive oil and roast skin side up 400 degrees
for 30-45 minutes. The flesh should be soft as a knife can easily slide through.)

4-5 cloves of roasted garlic (this can also be done while the butternut is
roasting. Leave skins on garlic cloves, drizzle with olive oil and wrap in
foil. Place in oven with squash for 25 minutes.)

1/4 Teaspoon chili powder

1/4 Teaspoon nutmeg

1/4– 1/2 C hot water

Salt as needed

Roasted butternut seeds (use half in food processor and half to garnish)

Olive oil to garnish

Place beans through nutmeg in a food processor. Add ¼ C of the water and process until smooth. Add half the butternut seeds to processor and add more water as
needed to produce a smooth and creamy hummus.

Seasonwith salt to taste.  Garnish with more seeds and olive oil. Serve with vegetables, crackers or use as a sandwich spread.

Mmmmmmm.

Getting ready to process.

Look at the beautiful color of the roasted butternut!