Editor's Note: The Busy Kitchen is a Monday column written by two area chefs - Tiffany Poe and Valarie Carter - who also happen to be mothers of young children. They explore nutrition, cooking for kids and more.
It's a Plum Delicious way to eat, and you'll soon be able to enjoy Mediterrasian cuisine at home or on the go from Tulsa's newest food truck.
My business partner chef Trey Wilson and I are finally ready to debut "Plum Delicious: Mediterrasian Mobile Eats" at lunch Wednesday on the Guthrie Green, 111 E. Brady St.
I've been teasing and hopefully tantalizing you all summer in this column with my favorite way to eat - the Mediterrasian Diet. We've talked about Asian pantry staples, easy French Provençal dishes and the health benefits of the cuisines. If you haven't guessed, I'm pretty crazy about this type of food.
Now by no means do we want to be labeled the "health nuts" or those "nutrition geeks," but Wilson and I believe in being conscious, as well as creative, in the way we feed people. We have both suffered from food-related health problems in the past and now we are more careful about how we develop menus and structure the diets that affect our clients, friends and families.
When you think of food truck fare you typically don't think healthful or wholesome. I have always associated the cuisine culture with fried, fast and "county fair"-like treats. Our goal with Plum Delicious is to offer lean, clean and flavorful cuisine that features the best ingredients with an adventurous foodie spin. We will also offer those crispy, crunchy type items that make your mouth water and your tastebuds go wild. But our goal is to give you a food truck experience that also keeps your desire to stay healthy and fit in mind.
We've been in our Busy Kitchen testing recipes. These recipes represent the heart of our favorite flavors and cooking styles. They can be adapted to be gluten free or low carb if you are trying to get in shape or shed a few pounds. They are full of flavor and will be offered on our regular menu. Give these a try at home or bring the family and come out to see us on Wednesday. We'll be there with all the dishes we've been testing and a few more for surprise.
GREEN CURRY FLANK STEAK
Serves 4
For marinade
1 12-14 ounce flank steak
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
4 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
2 tablespoons sliced scallion
Salt and pepper to season steak
For peppers
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 cups sliced peppers (sweet or bell)
2 tablespoons scallions
1 tablespoon garlic
1 tablespoon ginger
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
For green curry
1 12-ounce can coconut milk
3 tablespoons green curry paste
1. Season both sides of steak generously with salt and pepper. Place the oil, vinegar, cilantro, GGS in blender and pulse until paste-like. Place steak in bag and pour marinade over steak and toss around to coat evenly. Place in refrigerator for at least one hour.
2. When ready to serve, take coconut milk in small sauce pan and turn on medium heat. Once warm, stir in the curry powder, add Bay leaf, and simmer till reduced by a third and thickened. Approximately 10 minutes. While the curry is simmering, warm a heavy bottomed pan/grill and grab steak and sear heavily for 4 minutes per side. Remove from pan and let rest.
3. Cool pan down, place over medium heat and add sesame oil in pan. Add GGS and sauté till fragrant. Add peppers and sauté till tender, 2-4 minutes. Turn up heat and deglaze with soy/water till absorbed.
4. Serve with a side of rice or layered on salad.
- Trey Wilson
HONEY PLUM SOY CHICKEN
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 hours 10 minutes
Serves 8-10
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 cups red wine (omit if you don't do wine or use a combination of soy and beef stock as a substitute)
1 13-ounce jar plum preserves (Bon Mame is the best)
1 cup honey
1 20-ounce bottle soy sauce (light or gluten-free fine)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
4 plums, pitted and chopped, plus 1 plum, pitted and thinly sliced
12 ounces egg noodles or linguine or use brown rice (for gluten-free options)
3 green onions, sliced
Seasonal vegetables if preferred
1. Put the chicken thighs in a large bowl. Pour in 2 cups of the red wine.
2. Add the bay leaves, toss to coat, and marinate for 1 hour in the fridge.
3. In a separate bowl, add the plum preserves, honey and soy sauce, whisk to combine and set aside.
4. Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the wine, then brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then add the garlic, ginger and scallions. Stir it around in the bottom of the pan for a couple of minutes to release the flavor.
6. Add the chopped plums and honey plum soy mixture.
7. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour until the chicken is falling off the bone.
8. Cook the noodles or rice according to the package directions.
9. Spoon the chicken and at least half the cooking liquid over the noodles or rice.
10. Garnish with the plum slices and a sprinkling of sliced green onion and have little bowls of the cooking liquid on the table so people can spoon on more if desired.
Chef Tiffany Poe, a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., owns Tiffany Poe Culinary Services, a consulting, food styling and corporate coaching company, and the Plum Food Truck. She and her husband have three small children and own The Grandview Inn, a historic bed and breakfast near the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Pawhuska. Find more of her recipes on her blog,
tulsaworld.com/gastronomymommy
Original Print Headline: Food truck to offer lean Mediterrasian fare
Food
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