Farmers Market Zucchini

Farmers Market Zucchini...
and Duncan, our Labrador, lurking in the background

There's a little sweet and salty that the combination of the grilled zucchini and feta creates, which makes this simple summer recipe a real taste bud pleaser. It would be a great addition to a cookout, a "cook-in" like Kyle and I had tonight, or even a salad. The zucchini I used for tonight's dinner came from Saint Mary's Farmers Market (1895 Laurel Avenue, St. Paul, MN, every Sunday 8:30am-12:30pm), and was grown lovingly by a farming family in Albertville, Minnesota. Enjoy this easy and healthy zucchini and feta combination with your next meal! And, for those interested in the burger on the plate--it's a turkey burger with Gouda, yum.

Mother Nancy (right) and daughter Panglee (left)

Total Prep. Time and Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves Two

Ingredients

Zucchini, 1 large or equivalent

Feta Cheese, 1/2 cup

Salt and Pepper

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1. Set your top oven rack about 10 inches below your oven broiler and lay tin foil out on the bottom rack to catch any drippings. Preheat your oven to broil.

2. While your oven is heating up, wash and dry your zucchini and then, slice it lengthwise in about 1/2 inch slices.

3. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over both sides of the zucchini slices.

4. Sprinkle salt over both sides of the zucchini slices.

5. Once the oven is hot, use tongs to lay out the zucchini on the top oven rack.

6. Broil zucchini for about 5-6 minutes per side.

7. Remove zucchini from oven and plate, before sprinkling with feta and pepper.

The Public House: Doing Justice to Food

This past Friday, while enjoying a little wine and a little beer up on our rooftop with our friends Richard and Nicole, we danced around the question of where we wanted to go to dinner. Being the incredibly decisive adults that we are, we asked some neighbors if they had any recommendations. Immediately, we were advised to try The Public House, where we could "definitely get in without a wait. It'll look empty, but the food is really good." Eight floors down and a few blocks west, we happily experienced just that and more.

From menu items that are familiar, yet unique, such as the Truffle Mac & Cheese, decadent, yet honest, like the Bone Marrow, and simply, transcendent, as are the P.B.L.T. Sliders (the first order and the second order I took home for a late night snack), to the craft beer list that features local Minnesota, neighboring Wisconsin, and other independent breweries, to Chef Paul, whose creativity, soulfulness, and respect for ingredients is clearly expressed in each "nibble and bit," The Public House has us hooked on food that speaks for itself. The P.B.L.T. in particular spoke to me. In response, I said to myself, "self, you want more of that pork belly in your belly, and before you go to the bed tonight, you are going to wish you had ordered more of the pork belly. So, self, order more!" And so, I notified our friendly server, "I need more Pork Belly! In a box, to go, please!" Even microwaved, the P.B.L.T. did not disappoint. MmMm, bacon.

So, Chef Paul and staff, if you're reading this, thank you and keep up the good work! And, to my fellow consumers, all this deliciousness comes at a price point that'll please you and your guests and have you coming back to The Public House again and again.

Truffle Mac & Cheese

P.B.L.T Sliders (Pork Belly, Lettuce, Tomato)

Grilled Shrimp Cocktail

Bone Marrow and Chef Paul

Banh Mi Sliders

Last Night's Dinner: Asian Pork Bruschetta

Total Preparation and Cooking Time: 1 hr. 45 min.

Ingredients

Pork Shoulder, 5 pounds

Yellow Onion, 1 medium-large cut into 1/8 slices 

Red Onion, 1 half sliced thinly

Green Onions, 2 stalks sliced into rings

Ginger Root, 2 inches julienned

Root Beer, 1 can at room temperature

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sesame Oil, 2 tbsp

Rice Vinegar, 2 tbsp

Salt, pinch

Instructions:

This dish can be prepared in a Dutch oven, a crock pot, or any cooking vessel that you would normally use to roast meat. I used a Dutch oven, because you can sear and braise the pork in it. 

Heat your Dutch oven to medium-high on your stove top. While that's heating up, prepare the meat by cutting it evenly into rectangular blocks (approx. 5"x 1½"x 1½"). Use a paper towel to pat as much moisture off the meat as possible in order to prevent it from steaming while being cooked. Sprinkle salt over all sides of the meat.

Pour a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil into the Dutch oven. When the oil is glistening, sear and brown each side of the pork. You may have to work in more than one batch. Remove the meat from the Dutch oven and set it to the side. Now, pour in a little more olive oil and saute the yellow onion slices until they are softened (not browned). Once the onions are cooked, return the pork to the Dutch oven, pour in a can of root beer, cover the Dutch oven with its lid, and turn the heat to medium-low.

The pork will need to braise for 1½ hours. During that time, you can prepare the marinade, which is basically a pretty standard Asian mixture with the surprise addition of Italian extra virgin olive oil. In a measuring cup, combine the red onion slices, green onion rings, julienned ginger root, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. 

Once the 1½ hour is up, check on the pork. It should fall apart easily. Remove the meat and onions from the Dutch oven and place them into a casserole dish. Thoroughly shred the meat. The cooking portion is over now, but before you pour in the marinade, you're going to want to do a little taste test. Dip a little piece of the pork into your marinade. If you've added enough rice vinegar, your taste buds should be going "Ooooh, yummy" when you bite into the pork. If it still tastes bland, pour in more rice vinegar until you're happy! If you've used too much vinegar, it's okay, you can just add more olive oil to mellow it out.

Pour your marinade over the shredded pork and toss it all together until all the meat is thoroughly coated. And, finally, serve warm or at room temperature over toasted bread.