Avocado and Grapefruit Salad

January 12, 2016 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Each week I follow along with Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa) and attempt to recreate one of her dishes in my tiny New York City kitchen. The catch? This is my version of cooking school and I’m making these recipes for the first time. I’ll share both my successes and um, challenges, along the way and we’ll see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Blueprint Lunch”

The Set-up: Ina is making lunch for the team working on her barn construction project.

The Menu: Avocado and Grapefruit Salad, California Iced Tea, Easy Lobster Paella, Shortbread Hammer Place cards

0:33 – I’ve decided to keep track of how many construction puns Ina uses, so far Blueprint Joke Count: 2.

1:12 – First up Shortbread Hammer Place cards. The name says it all – the cookies will be shaped like the tool and Ina will write each person’s name on a cookie.

2:28 – Ina says she loves to make shortbread dough all different ways. I need to work on establishing my go-to basic cookie dough; perhaps this is the one?

3:46 – Miguel is doing the table setting for the lunch party, so you know this is serious business. So far he’s made a table out of sawhorses, covered in painter’s drop cloth, and has copied the plans for the barn onto placemats. #crafty

4:05 – Ina’s back inside to make California Iced Tea, a combination of black tea and lemonade. I’ve only ever heard this called an Arnold Palmer, but maybe it’s tough to get that name cleared for TV.

5:20 – Note to self: add superfine sugar to the pantry of sugar options.

6:38 – California Iced Tea is in the fridge to chill before the lunch party and now it’s onto cutting out the place card cookies.

9:14 – Ina has chilled the shortbread dough for 30 minutes to allow it to relax and let the butter firm-up a little. I’ve also heard that it gives the flour time to absorb more of the moisture in the rest of the ingredients. No idea if that’s true.

10:27 – The cookies will bake on parchment paper and can I just say that parchment paper has been a total game-changer for me? I pretty much never put a baking sheet in the oven any more unless it has a parchment liner.

11:36 – Quick glance outside to see that Miguel is engaged in some sort of craft project before Ina gets started on the Easy Lobster Paella.

12:19 – The trick to making this paella easy is two-fold: 1. Do most of the cooking in the oven. 2. Use proteins that are already cooked, ie. lobster, kielbasa, so you don’t have to worry about varied cooking times/methods.

13:44 – Other advantages of this dish: you can sub other ingredients that are less expensive than lobster – personally I’d go for shrimp anyway – it doesn’t have to be served as soon as it’s done cooking, and it can be made in large quantities for a crowd.

14:53 – The rice (basmati if you’re wondering) and chicken stock are in the pot, now all into the oven lid on for 15 minutes.

18:32 – Quick stir, then lid off in the oven for an additional 15 minutes to allow some of the stock to evaporate. I am so curious to see how this turns out….

19:26 – Over to the Shortbread Hammer Place cards so that Ina can make icing to pipe the names on to the cookies.

20:45 – Piping now seems slightly less intimidating after my adventure with Woodland Gingerbread Cookies.

21:10 – Back outside to deliver the placecards and discover that Miguel’s craft project was a mobile of fabric swatches to hang from the pergola.

22:37 – To balance out the rich flavors in the paella Ina is pairing it with an Avocado and Grapefruit Salad.

23:21 – I’m with Ina, 90% of the avocados in supermarkets are too green to eat, which requires a little advanced planning to buy them, let them ripen, and then use them. 2-3 days is about right and then they start to go bad. #shortwindowofopportunity

24:48 – Salad is complete, and once again I have to hand it to Ina for transforming a super simple dish into something elegant.

27:00 – Love you Ina, but you just changed your pronunciation from British “pie-ella” to the Spanish “pi-ehya” and I can’t let that go un-remarked upon.

28:34 – Final touches to the paella: Pernod, diced cooked lobster and kielbasa, along with frozen peas all brought up to temperature. Yum.

29:55 – Lunch is served and Ina grills the team on how long until her barn will be finished. The answer: a lot sooner if we stop having these leisurely lunches. Umm, wrong answer if you want any more of Ina’s cooking!

Final Thoughts:
I am horrendous at cooking rice – it always turns out mushy. New Year’s Resolution 2016?

If someone could invent a device to accurately predict when an avocado will be ready to eat they’d have my sincere appreciation and I would absolutely buy one.

How does Ina manage to make a themed party seem so elegant and chic?

Lessons Learned:
I decided to make the Avocado and Grapefruit Salad, not because it’s particularly difficult, but because I reeeeally needed something summery and light to break up the monotony of winter, even the snow-free one we’re ‘enjoying’ here in New York. Here's what I learned through repetition:

Avocado Selection – I buy Haas avocados, which are a bit smaller than the brighter green Florida avocados and in my area are almost always sold under ripe in the store. I look for two signs when buying and make a call based on when I want to eat the avocado. 1. The color of the skin changes from dark green to a deeper greenish brown as the fruit ripens. I look for an evenly browned, but not blackened or shriveled skin. 2. The texture of an unripe avocado will be very hard and unyielding. I press very gently near the stem end and if it gives way a bit then I know it’s ripe and will be ready to eat within a day or two.

Citrus Segmenting/Supremeing – This is an excellent recipe to practice your supreming technique, a skill that will serve you well whenever citrus is involved. I recommend a 3-4” utility or paring knife, something easy to maneuver that you have firm control over.

Step 1: Cut a narrow slice off the top (stem end) and bottom of the grapefruit to reveal the interior of the fruit and create two flat sides.

Step 2: Place one flat side on the cutting board and slice vertically down the sides following the curve of the fruit to removing the grapefruit zest and pith in long strips. Do your best to leave as much of the flesh as possible.

Step 3: Trim off any remaining bits of pith from the grapefruit so that you can clearly see where the membranes divide the fruit into segments.

Step 4: Hold the grapefruit in one hand over a bowl and carefully cut vertically along both sides of each segment using the membranes as your guidelines until you reach the center of the grapefruit. The segments once released from the membranes will fall into the bowl.

Want a live demo? Here’s a video via Real Simple.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Absolutely. A medium cutting board, utility knife, liquid measuring cup, measuring spoons and a medium bowl or serving platter are all you need. C’est tout.

The Verdict:
This Avocado and Grapefruit Salad is incredible, mainly because these two ingredients are a match made in heaven. Creamy, rich, dense avocado was meant to hang out with bright, acidic, tender grapefruit. I went with pink grapefruit for it's slightly sweeter flavor and preppy color, but white grapefruit would work just as well. Yes, you could just eat these ingredients side by side, but the simple vinaigrette makes this feel more intentional and less like an afterthought. I served this salad along with Ina’s Panko Crusted Salmon (more on that next week) over baby kale leaves and it’s an excellent combination that makes healthy taste delicious and those eat-better-in-2016 resolutions feel attainable.

Lobster Cobb Salad Roll

July 20, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Episode: “Supper in a Box”

The Set-up: Ina trades a boxed dinner with her friend Edwina for a new herb garden.

The Menu: Lobster Cobb Salad Roll, Brown Rice with Tomato & Basil, Mini Orange Chocolate Chunk Cakes

0:59 – Ina reveals that she takes old favorite recipes, like a classic pound cake, and reworks them to incorporate new flavors.

1:15 – First up, the Mini Orange Chocolate Chunk Cakes which are inspired by Grand Marnier.

2:29 – I’ve noticed that Ina uses her Kitchen Aid stand mixer for nearly every baking project, I wonder if that’s for TV efficiency or if she’d really haul it out anyway?

3:41 – But now she mentions that if she has a lot of citrus to juice she uses an electric juicer, so maybe she’s more of a gadget person than I thought…

4:23 – I love chocolate with berries, but for some reason chocolate + orange has never had quite the same appeal.

5:34 – You probably never thought you’d hear me say this, but I think I’d rather have these cakes without the chocolate chunks!

6:42 – Oooh, fun! Ina is making individual sized bundt cakes in neat little silicone molds. Why does something miniature automatically seem more special?

7:06 – Over to Edwina’s where she’s painting two rough wood window boxes bright blue (for Ina) and lime green (for herself.)

8:49 – Back to Ina’s where the Mini Orange Chocolate Chunk Cakes are slightly cooled and ready for to be soaked with an orange syrup. Yum!

11:18 – Ganache time – chocolate chips, instant coffee powder, cream – to drizzle over the top of the cakes. Reminds me a little of those chocolate oranges that pop up around holiday time.

12:03 – Pro Tip #1: If the ganache is too thick, just add a touch more cream until it’s thin enough to drizzle.

13:32 – Onward to the Brown Rice with Tomato & Basil. Ina describes Edwina as a “grown-up hippie” and you know hippies can’t resist brown rice. They just go crazy for it!

14:27 – Ina is making a vinaigrette for the rice salad and I’m a little surprised that she’s going for a white wine based dressing instead of balsamic. Maybe that would be too heavy?

15:20 – Pro Tip #2: Pouring the vinaigrette over warm, cooked rice will allow it to absorb into the grains and add more flavor.

16:56 – I’m also wondering why Ina didn’t go full caprese salad and put in some fresh mozzarella? Obviously, the peanut gallery has aaaalll sorts of ideas about improvements.

19:41 – Ina has moved on to the Lobster Cobb Salad Roll, which she says is a recipe she’s made year after year.

20:04 – Pro Tip #3: Haas avocados are ripe when skin is a deep brown and the fruit is firm. Squeezing fresh lemon juice over the cut pieces keeps the flesh bright green.

21:44 – I’m relieved to see that Ina is not going to boil a lobster on TV, but has wisely opted to buy lobster meat from the seafood shop.

22:15 – We check in with Edwina as she puts the finishing touches on the herb boxes and confirms that Ina is more of a blue person than a chartreuse person.

23:38 – The Lobster Cobb Salad Roll differs pretty significantly from a traditional lobster roll in the dressing department – Ina is using a Dijon mustard based vinaigrette rather than mayonnaise.

27:29 – The fact that bacon and blue cheese are involved completely demolishes my nascent theory that the lack of mozz in the rice salad is because Edwina is vegetarian.

28:40 – Pro Tip #4: This is a “mother-in-law salad” make it for your mother-in-law and she’ll love it and love you!

29:55 – All the treats are packed up in a sweet little take out box as Edwina arrives right on cue with her herb box for Ina. Hugs and exclamations of gratitude all around!

Final Thoughts:
I’m not sure what time of year this episode was filmed, but I can’t think of anything more summery than a Lobster Cobb Salad.

I need to develop more barter-based friendships where I can be the Ina. Any takers?

How many times do you think Ina made Lobster Cobb Salad for Jeffrey’s mother?

Lessons Learned:
I’ve had Lobster Cobb Salad Roll on the brain ever since I first saw this episode, but I wanted to wait until the summer months when light, simple recipes that involve very little cooking are just what the dinner table calls for.

Lobster: I have a confession to make – I’ve never cooked a live lobster and even after making this recipe that track record hasn’t changed. I decided that Ina had the right idea and was thankful to discover that my grocery store stocks cooked lobster meat in the seafood department. So, I’ll save that adventure for next time. Maybe.

Bacon: Definitely cook this in the oven (20-25 minutes total at 350 degrees, flip halfway through, drain on paper towels) especially if you’re roasting shrimp, or toasting the hotdog buns. So much less stressful, zero splattering from the stove top, beautifully crisp bacon.

Ingredients: As I noted, this entrée type salad requires very little effort from the cook and mainly a little chopping and mixing. It is, however; a recipe that highlights every component (no where to hide here), which makes choosing the best possible ingredients important. Luckily, at this time of year great tomatoes and avocados are plentiful. I looked for fruit that was ripe enough to taste delicious and firm enough to hold it’s shape in the salad. This is also the time, in my opinion, to get the thick-cut bacon and buy a small wedge of proper blue cheese (not the crumbles in the plastic container.) If you need to it’s easy to stretch the salad with more lettuce or a handful more tomatoes, and since a little of each of these items goes a long way it doesn’t have to be a huge investment of $$$.

Substitutions: If lobster, cooked, live, or otherwise, isn’t available or budget constraints don’t allow, I’d suggest using shrimp instead. Either precooked from the seafood counter or defrosted and roasted like in the Shrimp and Orzo Salad. The effect will be the same and it’s nearly as easy.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, presuming that you’re not boiling your own lobsters! I needed a medium mixing bowl, a baking sheet, liquid measuring cup, measuring spoons, mixing spoon, a medium cutting board and a chef’s knife. Aluminum foil will make repurposing and cleaning up the baking sheet much easier.

The Verdict:
We're not regularly eating lobster, but from time to time it makes a really special treat. I made this for us over a hot hot summer weekend, served in a Martin's Potato Roll (natch) for a little extra something. First things first – the Lobster Cobb Salad Roll is not a Lobster Roll in the beach shack sense. Lobster stands in for chicken, but the other ingredients definitely take their cue from the Cobb Salad. Mike remarked on the variety of flavors at play – from the sweeter, mild pieces of lobster and creamy avocado to the bite of the mustard vinaigrette and blue cheese – and in some sense this dish is almost too much a of a good thing. We liked this salad - seriously, what's not to like? - but I’d also love to strip this salad back a little and let the lobster be the star.

Grilled Tuna Rolls

February 04, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Episode: “Barefoot to Go”

The Set-up: Ina is bringing a day’s worth of meals to her friends Rob Marshall and John DeLuca who are holed up in the Hamptons editing their movie, Nine. Alas DD-L does not make an appearance.

The Menu: Grilled Tuna Rolls, Lentil Vegetable Soup, Homemade Granola Bars

0:55 – Ina says she offered to bring Rob and John “take-out” but she suspects they won’t call, so she’s surprising them with breakfast and lunch.

1:06 – First up: Homemade Granola Bars and Ina is toasting the oatmeal, shredded coconut and slivered almonds. I bet the kitchen smells fantastic…

2:19 – Granola is such a tricky thing – it seems like it should be so healthy and yet these bars have honey, butter, AND brown sugar. Not that I’m complaining exactly.

3:41 – Ina always uses the most enormous glass mixing bowls and I’m jealous that she must never worry about whether there’s enough mixing space.

4:22 – I am 100% on board with the dried apricots and cranberries in this mix, but dates – not so much.

5:03 – These granola bars look crazy sticky and delicious. May need to make a batch.

5:50 – We flash over to an adorable cedar shake cottage that we will from now on call The Editing Bunker and Rob seems to be playing “Bad Cop” insisting that they power through without breakfast. Mean!

6:34 – Back to Ina as she cuts the granola bars and individually wraps them. Because she’s perfect.

9:25 – Ina has arrived with her breakfast basket to surprise Rob “Bad Cop” Marshall and John “Good Cop” DeLuca, who actually let their crew stop for a moment to eat.

11:37 – Back to the barn to make the Lentil Vegetable Soup for lunch in their “Day of Barefoot.”

12:02 – What is it about anything that starts with a base of sautéed onions, garlic, and leeks? Sign me up!

13:28 – If I’m not mistaken this is the same base as the recipe for French Lentils with just a lot more chicken stock to turn it into soup. Very tricky, Ina.

14:33 - Ina is using her favorite French green lentils (aka lentils de Puy) and I 100% agree with her on their texture being better – maybe because they’re smaller they seem less mushy?

19:44 – Onward to the Grilled Tuna Rolls which actually aren’t grilled, but cooked in a really hot sauté pan.

20:13 – Pro Tip #1: Use a dry sauté pan, any oil put in the pan will burn before it’s hot enough to sear the tuna.

21:47 – Now for the dressing, which is soy, sesame, and lime based. I love limes, but juicing them is the worst.

22:50 – Ina is so right about avocados I always have to buy them a little under-ripe a few days in advance and they are prone to “schmut[zing], a technical term.”

23:32 – Salad assembly time and this looks so, so delicious.

27:10 – Can I tell you a secret? When she first started making this I was expecting sushi, but it’s definitely a variation on the classic lobster roll. Should I be embarrassed?

28:09 – The soup is done and Ina has arrived at The Editing Bunker, which curiously involves some sort of soothing infinity pool in the backyard, for an al fresco lunch.

29:28 – Rob “Bad Cop” Marshall has switched hats to “Good Cop” and tells Ina that he is surprising her with a sneak peek of the movie trailer. She is adorably excited to have such a treat further endearing her to me forever. Love!

Final Thoughts:

Having a seriously hard time deciding which of these recipes to try – so many good ones!

Granola Bars seem so simple to make; I think I’m going to challenge myself to develop my own recipe.

I know I’ve said this before, but Ina has the coolest friends.

Lessons Learned:
I had never cooked a tuna steak before, so I was a little nervous, but all the more reason to make Grilled Tuna Rolls. As it turns out it’s actually pretty simple and the rest of the recipe is just prepping a few vegetables and mixing the dressing. That said, I have a confession to make: I completely forgot to put in the sesame seeds. So lesson learned, review the ingredient list carefully so you don’t leave something out! Thankfully the sesame seeds aren’t totally essential. Can we chalk it up to brain freeze? Whoops!

Tuna – As it turns out the skills needed to cook a filet mignon are the same for a tuna steak. Really hot sauté pan - I let it heat over a high flame for 4-5 minutes – a seasoned piece of fish and just a little patience. The major difference is the length of time per side: you will literally need 1 minute on each to have a perfectly seared tuna steak. Crunchy and golden on the outside and beautifully crimson on the inside. If you watch carefully while it’s searing you can actually see the cooked part creep toward the inside, so no excuses for over cooking!

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, definitely. I used a medium (8”) stainless steel sauté pan, a large cutting board, chef’s knife, medium mixing bowl, microplane grater, mixing spoon, pastry brush and measuring spoons. That’s it!

The Verdict:
The Grilled Tuna Rolls (technically seared, but who’s counting?) sounded so good that I skipped the hotdog buns and just went with it as a plated salad. The flavors straddle a really cool crossroad between a sushi roll (tuna, avocado, wasabi) and guacamole (lime, red onion, avocado again) and successfully balance richness, spice, and acid. Normally I’m suspicious of so-called “entrée salads” but this one really is a meal. I can’t wait to make this again soon!