St Patrick's Day Food Ideas

Here are a few ideas of "green foods" that would be great for St Patty's Day!

  

  

  

  

  

  

FWF: Deviled Ham Terrine & Roasted Asparagus

This was a great appetizer for dinner, but it was even better as leftovers for a lunch!

For the Introduction to this series of recipes, click HERE

DEVILED HAM TERRINE

1-1/2 lb smoked ham, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

1/2 cup mayonnaise

6 Tblsp butter, softened

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

3 Tblsp dry white wine

1 celery rib, finely chopped

2 green onions, finely chopped

1 tsp lemon zest

3/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp ground red pepper (optional)

Crackers

Veggies

• Pulse ham, in batches, in a food processor 4 to 6 times or until shredded. (do not overprocess)
• Stir together parsley and next 9 ingredients. Stir in ham until well blended. Cover and chill 8 hours. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 3 days.
• Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Serve with crackers and veggies.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS

2 lb fresh asparagus

2 Tblsp pan drippings from the Roast [or use 2 Tblsp Olive oil and Salt & Pepper to taste]

1 lemon, thinly sliced

• Preheat broiler with oven rack 3 inches away from heat.
• Snap off and discard tough ends of the asparagus [Click HERE for clearer instructions] and toss with pan drippings and lemon slices.
• Arrange in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan. Broil 4 to 9 minutes or until browned.

For the Introduction to this series of recipes, click HERE

"Feast with Friends"

~Quick Winter Pickled Veggies

~Deviled Ham Terrine

~Kumquat Martini

~Fennel-Crusted Rib Roast

~Roasted Asparagus

~Warm Greens with Cornbread Croutons

~Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Zinfandel-Poached Figs

T&T: Fresh Asparagus

Asparagus is one of my favorite veggies to eat. There are so many ways you can cook it, but first you got to know how to pick it.

T&T: Pick fresh Asparagus

• Whether you like them thin or thick, look for consistency.

   

You want to make sure the bottom of the stalks are about all the same size. This will make sure they cook evenly. Also check the tops, make sure there isn't any "soft" spots or mold.

This part can be the hardest for most people to do. Not because you need skill, but because you need to get over the "waste" feeling. I always CUT the bottom of the bundle and then cook..but then there is always a "stalky/bark" taste while eating. Thats because you didn't cut all the pieces at the right spot.

• "Snap" the stalks individually so there are no rough bites.

   

Grab both ends of the asparagus and gently bend. The asparagus will snap at the point the tender and bark-y sides meet. (I know, very technical words!) For some pieces, it might be right in the middle. Remember to keep the end with the "tree tips." This is where it might seem to be "waste"... your pile to throw away could be bigger than you imagine. But look at it this way, there won't be any waste on the plate!

The easiest and fastest way to cook the asparagus:

• Snap the tips, place in glass dish, sprinkle with salt (and pepper), add about 1/2 cup water, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on high for 5 minutes.

   

"Green" vegetables can be tricky to cook. They produce chlorophyll, which turns them green. When overcooked, it becomes a dark brownish green and slimy. Cooked just right, they will be a bright green and still have just a little bit of crunch to them. I always use fresh asparagus, "canned" asparagus.... *shudder* there is no need when you can do this "easy" way in 5 minutes!

So there! Impress your family with fresh, perfectly cooked asparagus!

Grilled Asparagus

This is such an easy recipe! I like doing this when we're grilling a steak or other things. The grill is on, so why not use it to its full potential? I was at my parents house, and they have the really fancy Weber grill, so I really enjoyed cooking these steaks and asparagus.

GRILLED ASPARAGUS

1 bundle of thick asparagus [I like the thin ones, but for the grill, the thick ones work better]
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper

Rinse off asparagus and pat dry. Cut off the ends [if you know the snap method, do so here]. Toss the asparagus in olive oil and the s&p. Lay them out on the grill, and cook (lid closed) for 10 minutes (rotating after 5 min) along with your steaks.

Now all I need now is a fancy Weber grill. =) Enjoy!

HONEY GLAZED SALMON with LEMON VEGGIES

Ohhh yes...so mouth-watering!

HONEY GLAZED SALMON WITH 

PARSLEY-LEMON VEGETABLES

3 tablespoons EVOO
1/2 pound small red potatoes, quartered
2 cups white mushrooms, halved
salt and pepper
1/2 bunch asparagus, cut into thirds
4 6-oz salmon fillets with skin
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 clove garlic
grated peel and juice of 1/2 lemon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large heavy duty [and oven proof] skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over med-high heat. Add potatoes and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned [about 5 minutes]. Transfer to the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Stir in asparagus and roast for another 2 to 3 minutes [until asparagus is crisp-tender].

Meanwhile, rub salmon with EVOO all over and season with s&p. Arrange salmon on baking sheet, skin side down, and roast for 10 minutes or until opaque in center.

In small bowl, mix honey and coriander. Drizzle honey mixture over salmon right before removing from the oven.

In small bowl, whisk together the parsley, garlic, lemon peel and lemon juice, and 1 1/2 teaspoons EVOO, and season with s&p. Toss with veggies and serve with salmon.