This week was the first in a couple where we turned our attention back to cooking. The world we are living in, with all of the changes it's bringing--and that it desperately needs? This is a marathon, not a sprint. Things were up and down this week for a host of reasons, but we channeled some of the self-care into cooking delicious things.
Officina is a beautiful restaurant on DC's revamped waterfront plaza, The Wharf. We don't get down there often because parking is kind of a hassle and it can feel quite touristy. But the food at Officina is really delicious. Awhile back, I noticed they were offering a weekly Provisions box, which included vegetables, meats, breads, and snacks. The ingredients supported two "cook at home" dishes, and the deal also included two ready-made dishes (moussaka and turkey clubs). As we closed in on three months at home, it was time to try something new. This week, the box was Greek themed, after a new restaurant they hope to open this coming year. If the food here is a clue for what is to come, I will be one of the first in line!
The box was billed as "perfect for 2-4 people," and it definitely turned out to be far more food than the two of us could use in a week! The meats all came marinaded and vacuum sealed, so a whole chicken and a pound of loukaniko sausage went straight into the freezer, as did half of the 9x12 pan of moussaka, and the four Koulouria (a sesame bread ring like a Turkish simit). We worked our way through as much of it as we were able, as documented below!
Sunday
Tuesday is our busy night, so we reheated the moussaka and added a big side of green salad. Layers of very thinly sliced and fried eggplant and potato were topped with a rich meat sauce and a thick layer of bechemel. Heaven!
Wednesday
Strawberry Banana Sundae
Banana pudding frozen custard from The Dairy Godmother, whipped cream with blitzed dehydrated strawberries, strawberry powder, sesame seeds, and a cherry. We made it to Friday, and that needed celebration this week.
Officina is a beautiful restaurant on DC's revamped waterfront plaza, The Wharf. We don't get down there often because parking is kind of a hassle and it can feel quite touristy. But the food at Officina is really delicious. Awhile back, I noticed they were offering a weekly Provisions box, which included vegetables, meats, breads, and snacks. The ingredients supported two "cook at home" dishes, and the deal also included two ready-made dishes (moussaka and turkey clubs). As we closed in on three months at home, it was time to try something new. This week, the box was Greek themed, after a new restaurant they hope to open this coming year. If the food here is a clue for what is to come, I will be one of the first in line!
The box was billed as "perfect for 2-4 people," and it definitely turned out to be far more food than the two of us could use in a week! The meats all came marinaded and vacuum sealed, so a whole chicken and a pound of loukaniko sausage went straight into the freezer, as did half of the 9x12 pan of moussaka, and the four Koulouria (a sesame bread ring like a Turkish simit). We worked our way through as much of it as we were able, as documented below!
Sunday
Lamb Kebab and Greek Salad
The kebab meat was pre-marinaded, and a tub of tzatziki was on the side. I chopped some lettuce and piled on the beautiful salad veggies and feta sprinkled with oregano that Officina provided. Drizzled Greek Dressing over the top, and served with still-warm Lagana, a flatbread similar to a foccacia. This one had nigella seeds, and it was amazing.
Monday
Chicken and Orzo
We rarely cook with a whole chicken (boneless/skinless thighs are our go-to), but the rich, rendered chicken fat was really beautiful in this dish. Also, it was a treat to cook with fresh tomato rather than canned-- the bright acidity is a lighter flavor than you'll get from canned.
Breaking down a chicken is a lot for a Monday, but I pressed onward with the "make at home" instructions for this dish. I broke the bird into 8 pieces, and added some lemon juice, salt, pepper, and dried oregano to the marinade (it came packed with olive oil, garlic, and a sprig of rosemary). The meat marinaded and came to room temp for 30 min, then I browned off the chicken pieces in a Dutch oven with 1/4 cup of olive oil. After setting the meat aside, I added 1 diced onion and 6 cloves of garlic, sliced, which Jeff prepared on Sunday night. Over medium-low, the onion and garlic cooked until the onion was melty and translucent. Then I stirred in four hand-crushed vine tomatoes, some chopped fresh oregano, s&p. After the tomato cooked down a bit and the flavors melded, I added 2 cups orzo pasta and 2 cups of chicken broth, which were handily pre-measured for me by the restaurant. Once it came to a boil, I nestled in the chicken pieces, put on the lid, and baked at 350 for 30 minutes. Finished with fresh parsley on top. The lemon juice from the marinade was reminiscent of a wine sauce, and it was truly delicious. Before packing away for leftovers, I picked the remaining chicken off the bones so it was easy to dig in across the week. We still have some left!
Breaking down a chicken is a lot for a Monday, but I pressed onward with the "make at home" instructions for this dish. I broke the bird into 8 pieces, and added some lemon juice, salt, pepper, and dried oregano to the marinade (it came packed with olive oil, garlic, and a sprig of rosemary). The meat marinaded and came to room temp for 30 min, then I browned off the chicken pieces in a Dutch oven with 1/4 cup of olive oil. After setting the meat aside, I added 1 diced onion and 6 cloves of garlic, sliced, which Jeff prepared on Sunday night. Over medium-low, the onion and garlic cooked until the onion was melty and translucent. Then I stirred in four hand-crushed vine tomatoes, some chopped fresh oregano, s&p. After the tomato cooked down a bit and the flavors melded, I added 2 cups orzo pasta and 2 cups of chicken broth, which were handily pre-measured for me by the restaurant. Once it came to a boil, I nestled in the chicken pieces, put on the lid, and baked at 350 for 30 minutes. Finished with fresh parsley on top. The lemon juice from the marinade was reminiscent of a wine sauce, and it was truly delicious. Before packing away for leftovers, I picked the remaining chicken off the bones so it was easy to dig in across the week. We still have some left!
Tuesday
Moussaka and Salad
Wednesday
Gemista
I was previously unfamiliar with this rice and herb stuffed vegetable dish, but I will definitely make it again, though I was glad that I split the work into two nights. On Sunday, I prepared the filling, which had sauteed onion, crushed canned tomatoes, a ton of chopped fresh herbs (mint, dill, parsley, green onion), and arborio rice. Wednesday, it was time to assemble and bake the dish. I hollowed out two beefsteak tomatoes and two long/skinny red bell peppers. The tomato guts, spare pieces of red bell, a couple of cloves of garlic, and salt and pepper went into a blender, with 1 cup of water, and I pureed until it was liquid. I peeled and diced two potatoes, and in my 9x13 pan, tossed them in the tomato juice mixture. I nestled the tomatoes and peppers in between and stuffed them with the rice mixture. Then, I drizzled on a healthy amount of olive oil, covered it in foil and baked it at 375 for 1 hour and 10 minutes, removed the foil, and baked 20 minutes more until the sauce had thickened and veggies were nice and melty. 
The filling tasted like stuffed grape leaves, rich with flavor from the veggies and all of the herbs. The potatoes were soft and flavorful. This recipe looks similar, if you would like to give it a try!
Lunches, Multiple Days
BLT and Turkey Club
The box included all the fixings for Turkey Clubs: a fresh pullman loaf, beautiful tarragon mayo, turkey sliced from the bird, a package of bacon, gorgeous beefsteak tomatoes, and fresh butterhead lettuce. We got five sandwiches out of it, which we had for lunches, along with leftovers from the rest of the week.
Friday
Pizza Night
Our skillet pizzas used up several things in our fridge, including the last two balls of Arabic bread dough from a Lebanese place we did takeout the previous week. The 10+ days in the fridge made the dough fermenty and bubbly and perfect in texture for a pizza. And the balls were the perfect size for baking in a cast iron skillet preheated to 450.
My friend Kathleen recommended Smitten Kitchen's shaved asparagus pizza awhile back, and the small, beautiful bunch that was included in the Provisions box was perfect here. I pulled the heated pan out of the oven and placed cornmeal-crusted dough on top. While it got a head start browning, I layered on the cheese (tossed with fresh chopped oregano), seasoned asparagus slices, and fresh chives. After 8 minutes, I removed it from the cast iron onto a baking sheet while the second 'za (salami, pepperoni, oregano, and thinly sliced red onion) got its own 8 minutes. At that point, I switched the oven to broil, and placed the asparagus one on top long enough to get nice and brown, then topped it with a shave of lemon zest and sliced green olives. Finally, I moved the second skillet up top and broiled it for a few minutes, before it got a sprinkle of parsley and basil. The bake and texture were great-- I may have found a new favorite way to make pizza at home!
Banana pudding frozen custard from The Dairy Godmother, whipped cream with blitzed dehydrated strawberries, strawberry powder, sesame seeds, and a cherry. We made it to Friday, and that needed celebration this week.
Saturday
Poached Eggs on Smashed Potatoes with Basil Bechemel
This dish was built around fingerling potatoes and gorgeous fresh eggs from the Box. After boiling and cooling the potatoes, I smashed them with a fork and threw them into the cast iron skillet where onions and fresh thyme had been caramelizing in olive oil. After drizzling more oil on top, I seasoned with salt, pepper, and spicy smoked spanish paprika. As the potatoes got crispy and brown, I used the last of a block of gruyere to make a cheesy sauce, which was finished with slices of fresh basil. Jeff poached the eggs, and it came together beautifully!
Fresh Herbs
The star of our show, multiple times this week, was the herb garden I've been growing on our back porch. The box came with plenty of fresh herbs for the stuffed veggies, and I enthusiastically used them all. But fresh oregano (Greek Mountain and Hot and Spicy), sweet basil, chives, parsley, and thyme all also made an appearance this week. What a treat it is to pick herbs fresh and pop them into a dish. I'm excited for more to come!
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