August 1st, 2010
Doesn’t that look beautiful? Those piercing dark eyes… perfectly chiseled chin… yum… oh yes, this is a food blog… I’m afraid I have become a little obsessed with Mad Men… not just because Don Draper is a beautiful man (although he is a plus)… the show is brilliantly written and so subtle with its details… often you have to read between the lines to really understand the characters’ interactions and reactions… If you have not already seen it… what are you waiting for?
In keeping with the Mad Men theme, I realized I was quite the 60s housewife when I roasted a turkey yesterday (now if only I were wearing one of Betty’s poofy dresses at the time…). This was part of our next round of Tasty (Kitchen) Tennis where we use pomegranate for dinner and dessert (stay tuned- post coming soon!). Aaron suggested a pomegranate sauce that is like cranberry sauce with turkey but he is a vegetarian. So, I ran with the idea and came up with Cumin Turkey Breast with a Pomegranate- Thyme Sauce… It was delicious and disappeared quickly… I should have gone with a whole turkey and not just the breast… I used the technique I learned from the Barefoot Contessa to put the butter mixture under the skin… so delicious!
Cumin Turkey Breast
3 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 lemon, juiced
salt and pepper to taste
1 turkey breast
1. Pre-heat the oven to 325.
2. Mix all the ingredients together. Cover the turkey with the butter mixture and make sure to put some under the skin. Stick a meat thermometer in the meat so that it is in the center.
3. Roast until the meat thermometer reaches 170 (about 1.5-2 hours).
4. Remove from the oven, cover with aluminum foil and let sit for about 20 minutes.
5. Slice and enjoy!
Pomegranate- Thyme Sauce
1/2 onion, chopped
1 cup Pomegranate Juice
1/2 cup Pomegranate seeds (I used dried ones and they worked great)
1 tsp thyme
2 packets gelatin
1. In a pan, cook the onions until they are soft.
2. Add the pomegranate juice and seeds. Bring to a simmer. Sprinkle with thyme.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the gelatin packets. It will thicken as it cools. You could also probably add some more sugar and bring to a boil to thicken it. However, I did not want to add any unnecessary sugar.
Disclaimer: POM sent me a case of pomegranate-blueberry juice that was the inspiration for this dish.
Filed under Garlic, Onions, Tasty (Kitchen) Tennis, Thyme | Comment (0)
June 6th, 2010
Let us meet the contestants…
First, we have Aaron, master of bread baking and pizza throwing. He has a soft spot for bagels and breadsticks. Then, we have Ginny, queen of chopping and carving. She fights back with determination and creativity.
Before we get to the first match, let us review to the rules for those of you new to the game. One contestant
picks a ingredient and the other a meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert). The contestants must make the meal and, you, the crowd, decide the winner of the round, plus if you want to join in (see the details at the end).
For this first round, Ginny said Strawberries and Aaron countered with lunch. Ginny’s first serve, a strawberry-avocado-balsamic sandwich, came up short- hitting the net. Ouch!
Next, Aaron had a perfect serve with Salmon Burger with Balsamic Strawberries and Onions. The balsamic strawberries were a ridiculously good addition to the sandwich— super sweet and tangy on top of the salmon.
Ginny volleyed it back with Strawberry-Tomato Gazpacho with Manchego Cheese Grilled Cheese. The strawberries lent a nice sweetness to the traditional tomato cold soup and went perfect with the grilled cheese.
So now, who you do you think won? Please leave your answer below…
Don’t miss the second round in two weeks! These master (kitchen) tennis players will be back to bring you: TOFU for DESSERT!
Please stay tuned!
Also, if you would like to participate in the next round, email ginnygetsfloury [at] gmail [dot] com by June 19, 2010, the name of your blog, its URL, the recipe and a photograph. If you don’t have a blog, feel free to participate- just email me the recipe with a picture. I’ll hope you join us for another round of Tasty (Kitchen) Tennis!
Filed under Avocado, Balsamic, Onions, Strawberries, Tasty (Kitchen) Tennis, Thyme | Comments (6)
