tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41352298914361882092024-02-19T03:10:01.487-05:00For the Love of FoodLauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.comBlogger164125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-79784180014667510212012-09-19T11:24:00.001-04:002012-09-29T16:06:42.050-04:00On haitus Well hello there! Thanks for stopping by <i>For the Love of Food</i>. As you may have noticed, I don't have a new post for you (and haven't since, erm, May). I'm terribly sorry about that. By way of explanation, there's this: I am now a full time graduate student <a href="http://www.journalism.cuny.edu/">here</a>, and I barely have enough time to cook these days, let alone write about it. But while you're here, allow me to direct you both to my <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/user/profile/Lauren%20Rothman">Serious Eats posts</a> as well as to my <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2008/04/recipe-index.html">Recipe Index</a>: there's plenty there to occupy you until I get back. Happy cooking!Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-55502229619729014532012-05-15T12:53:00.000-04:002012-05-15T14:07:49.941-04:00All-purpose Sichuan stir-fry sauce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I make a lot of vegetable-heavy stir-frys, and my preferred method of seasoning them is with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sichuan#Cuisine">Sichuan</a> condiments. Sometimes I just wing it, adding dashes of toasted sesame oil and rice wine as I go along, but lately I've been mixing up a quick, all-purpose sauce that I add to the vegetables at the very end of their cooking process, when they're already tender and just need to soak up some flavor. If I have extra, I simply transfer it to an airtight container where it will wait for me until I make my next stir-fry.<br />
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This sauce has all the flavor bases covered: it's full of rich umami from the soy; sweet from the brown sugar; sour from the vinegar; and hot from the spicy fermented bean paste. The potato starch (whose silky texture I prefer to gloppier cornstarch) thickens it up beautifully, creating a rich mouthfeel. Best of all, the sauce is neutral enough to go with pretty much any vegetable, although my favorite application for it is with eggplant.<br />
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To use, mix up the sauce, then fry your vegetables in a wok along with some aromatics: ginger, garlic, shallot, or whatever you prefer. You can add tofu, meat, anything you like in your stir-fry. About five minutes before everything is finished cooking, add the sauce, stir well to incorporate, lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the sauce is thick and glossy.<br />
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<br />
<b>All-Purpose Sichuan Stir-Fry Sauce</b><br />
Yields enough sauce for one large stir-fry or two smaller ones<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">*Note: visit your local Asian grocery before making this recipe: many of the ingredients are not available at the supermarket. </span><b> </b> <br />
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Ingredients:<br />
<br />
2 tsp. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinkiang_Vinegar">Chinkiang vinegar</a><br />
2 tbsp. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaoxing_wine">Shaoxing rice wine </a><br />
3 tbsp. dark soy sauce<br />
1 tbsp. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doubanjiang">fermented broad bean chili paste</a><br />
1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil<br />
1 tbsp. brown sugar<br />
1 tbsp. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato_starch">potato starch</a><br />
<br />
Preparation:<br />
<br />
Mix all ingredients in a small bowl, using a whisk to make sure everything is well combined.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 85%;"><br /></span><b></b>Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-31455559254652003892012-05-09T22:09:00.000-04:002012-05-10T21:09:25.266-04:00Lunch, by way of IndiaCauliflower is one of my very favorite vegetables, but somehow there's been a severe lack of cauliflower coverage on the site—in fact, not since my <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2008/03/welcome-home-dinner.html">very first blog post</a> <i>over four years ago</i> have I talked about this crucifer. Well, it's high time that's corrected.<br />
<br />
My favorite way to prepare cauliflower is to roast it at a high temperature. If you're used to soggy, bland cauliflower, likely served steamed perhaps at some point in your childhood, then you wouldn't even recognize it roasted: it becomes golden, crisp-tender and incredibly rich in flavor, much like a roasted potato.<br />
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I usually go one of two routes when roasting my cauliflower: the Mediterranean, almost <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provence#Cuisine">Provençal</a> one, in which the cooked vegetable is tossed with capers and parsley and topped with toasted breadcrumbs; or the Indian one, in which the cauliflower is accented with warm, aromatic spices like cumin, coriander and mustard seed.<br />
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Cauliflower is an integral part of the cuisine in India, a country where over 30% of population is vegetarian. <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloo_gobi">Aloo gobi</a></i>, or potatoes and cauliflower in a curried stew, is probably the best-known such dish in this country, but other popular cauliflower dishes include cauliflower fritters and cauliflower and mung bean stew.<br />
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It's for that reason that I often turn to India when roasting this vegetable: simply tossing it in a mixture of dried spices, and sometimes throwing in some spicy chiles, before letting it get browned and toasty in a hot oven. That's what I did today; topped with yogurt and sprinkled with fresh cilantro, it made a tasty lunch.<br />
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<b>Indian-Spiced Roasted Cauliflower</b><br />
Serves 3 - 4 as a side dish<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
<br />
1 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets<br />
2 jalapeños or similar green chiles, seeds intact, halved lengthwise and sliced into thin half moons<br />
2 tbsp. canola or vegetable oil<br />
1 tsp. ground turmeric<br />
1 tsp. whole cumin seeds<br />
1 tsp. whole coriander seeds<br />
Salt to taste, about 1 1/2 tsp.<br />
Plain yogurt, for serving (optional)<br />
Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving (optional) <br />
<br />
Preparation:<br />
<br />
1. Preheat the oven to 400°.<br />
<br />
2. Combine all ingredients in large bowl and toss, coating all the cauliflower evenly with oil and spices. Turn out onto a large sheet tray and roast until cauliflower is tender and well-browned, about 20 - 25 minutes. Serve as is or topped with plain yogurt and chopped cilantro.Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-35217638657504242242012-04-22T23:53:00.000-04:002012-05-10T21:11:04.851-04:00A mutt of a dishLast week my friends Willy and Clemmy came over for an impromptu weeknight dinner. In deciding what to make, I established two things: one, that I hadn't cooked anything Mexican in a while, so that'd be the direction I'd take, and two, that I wanted to spend as little money as possible. A look in the fridge revealed a dire lack of produce, but in the freezer I found a stack of corn tortillas, as well as a small container of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chipotles">chipotles en adobo</a>. Those items would help things along.
As I've mentioned many a time on the blog, my eating habits have changed a bit over the past few years, as I've become more interested in local, organic food: notably, I've been eating a lot less meat, and when it comes to cooking at home, I almost always prepare <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/search/label/vegetarian">vegetarian dishes</a>. When you have access to beautiful, fresh produce, it's easy to make a meal that's so flavorful that it simply doesn't need meat. Cooking almost exclusively with vegetables also keeps those grocery bills down, something that—as a perpetual unpaid intern living in New York City—is always at the forefront of my mind. So once I settled on Mexican with tortillas and chipotles, I started to think of what kind of meatless dish I could make, and that's when it came to me: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilaquiles">chilaquiles</a>. I hadn't eaten them in a long, long time, so they sounded good, and though they wouldn't be super quick to prepare, it would be a relatively easy process.<br />
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I'm no expert on what comprises traditional chilaquiles, but the versions I've eaten in New York tend to be made with crisp-fried corn tortillas or tortilla chips, blanketed with green or red salsa, layered with shredded meat, and finished off with a generous amount of melted cheese. Sometimes the chips remain crisp; sometimes they're soggy. I like both ways.
What I came up with was a riff on these dishes, by no means the same in preparation but pretty similar in terms of flavor. In the interest of cutting down on prep time as well as keeping the end result a lot healthier, I decided not to fry my tortillas, but rather to crisp them up in a warm oven, then crumble them into manageable pieces before layering them in a baking dish with some homemade red salsa, shredded Jack cheese, and a mix of vegetables: a sort of Mexican lasagna, if you will. <br />
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First things first: the salsa roja. I made a simple one by roasting together some tomatoes, jalapeños, and onions, then blending them up in the food processor, along with the liquid they lot off in cooking as well as some chipotles en adobo and red wine vinegar.<br />
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I settled on a combination of sweet potatoes, black beans and green onions as my filling. I roasted up the sweet potatoes in the oven as I cooked the tomato mixture; the beans were just rinsed canned beans (soaked and cooked dried beans would be <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2012/01/good-soak.html">even better</a>, if you have those on hand). To build the "lasagna," I started with a layer of salsa in the bottom of a glass baking dish, then a layer of the broken-up tortillas, then a scattering of vegetables:<br />
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That got covered in some more salsa, then a generous amount of shredded cheese. Then I started over again: tortillas, salsa, veggies, and cheese, until I ran out of ingredients: I got 3 layers in there, with the top one being just tortillas and cheese. That all got baked in the oven, wrapped in a protective layer of foil, until things were nice and hot and bubbly, when I removed the foil to brown the cheese to a burnished finish:<br />
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After a brief rest to allow everything to settle, I cut that bad boy up into generous pieces. My friends and I ate them topped with sour cream, sliced avocados, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime:<br />
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<b>Mexican Chilaquiles with Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans</b><br />
Serves 6 - 8<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
2 large or 3 medium tomatoes, cut
into large pieces</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 large onion, cut into quarters</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
2 jalapeños, stem removed, cut in
half lengthwise</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
About 2 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Salt</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Pepper</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 tbsp. chipotles en adobo (both
peppers and sauce)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 package corn tortillas</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 large or two medium sweet potatoes,
rinsed and cut into a small dice</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
2 15.5 oz cans black beans, rinsed
and drained</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
3 - 4 green onions, white and green
parts, thinly sliced</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
(about 2 cups)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 avocado, pitted and sliced</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 lime, cut into wedges</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sour cream, for serving</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Chopped cilantro, for serving</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Preparation:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1. Preheat the oven to 400°.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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2. Combine tomato, onion, and jalapeño
in a large bowl. Drizzle with 1 tbsp. vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt
and pepper. Toss to coat, then turn into an oven-safe dish. Roast for
about 30 minutes, or until tomatoes are soft and juicy and onions and
peppers begin to brown.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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3. Use the same large bowl to toss the sweet potatoes with 1 tbsp. oil and salt and pepper. Turn potatoes onto a baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, or until soft and well-browned. Remove all vegetables from oven and lower heat to
250°.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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4. In the bowl of a blender or food
processor, blend roasted vegetables and their liquid until smooth.
Add chipotle, vinegar and salt and blend again. Check for seasoning,
adding more vinegar or salt as needed. Set salsa aside.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
5. Spread tortillas out in a single
layer over several large baking sheets (you'll need about 15 small
tortillas total). Bake in oven until crisp and slightly browned,
about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Increase oven
temperature to 350°.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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6. Assemble the chilaquiles: in the
bottom of a large glass lasagna pan, spread a thin layer of salsa.
Break 5 tortillas into large pieces and distribute over salsa.
Sprinkle half the sweet potatoes, half the black beans and half the
green onions over tortillas. Pour half of remaining salsa over
vegetables, then sprinkle with one third of the Jack cheese. Repeat
with 5 more tortillas, rest of vegetables, rest of salsa, and one
more third of cheese. Finish with a top layer of 5 more tortillas and
the rest of the shredded cheese.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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7. Spray a large rectangular piece of
aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spread and cover baking dish
tightly. Place dish in oven and bake until chilaquiles are hot and
the cheese has melted, about 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake until
top layer of cheese is nicely browned, about 15 more minutes. Remove
from oven and let rest about 15 minutes before cutting into 6 - 8
pieces. Serve with sour cream, avocado, cilantro and lime.</div>Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-1331341927682080142012-04-09T22:10:00.012-04:002012-05-10T21:12:35.422-04:00All of the quiche, none of the crustSeveral weeks ago, my friends <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2012/02/claudia-rodens-orange-and-almond-cake.html">Willy </a>and Jessica came over early(ish) on a Sunday morning to help me tackle a DIY project I'd been hoping to try for a while: making homemade almond milk (stay tuned for that post!). Gracious hostess that I am, I decided to feed my buddies something appropriately brunch-y as we readied ourselves to juice nuts. Now, you might notice a distinct lack of brunch recipes here on the blog, as, in general, I'm not a big fan of said meal: certainly not in restaurants, where the food tends to be overpriced and phoned in by some line cook while the chef takes the morning off, and not usually at home, either: my motor skills in the morning are up to the task of pouring a bowl of cereal or sliding some bread into the toaster oven, but nothing much more complicated than that, and especially not on a weekend morning, when I might have stayed out late the night before.<br />
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So I spent some time thinking about what people eat for brunch, and then I remembered: quiche! Now, quiche is not something I make all that often, but it's easy and tasty, so I figured it would fit the bill. Not wanting to fuss around with a crust, I decided to just do without. In this I drew some inspiration from my friend <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/search?q=Patricia">Patricia</a>, who has lived in France for so long now that she's basically French, and therefore prepares quiche on a regular basis (not a myth—French people actually do make quiche all the time). Patricia makes delicious quiches, and they never have a crust. One thing they usually do have, though, is fish, in the form of tuna or salmon. Since I had a beautiful, wild-caught fillet of salmon in my freezer, I decided to thaw it out, poach it, and flake it into my quiche, along with some melted leeks:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFy20gG0r_myuCohqfCQGw4MJCCR3eBfuKVw21GlJ3rjuxwiVga-lwfiAyHw7VeLSLZMPzdBtWT943x9Y5Jihk3zRldC7V9oXCBAbT7Y7o2YMMMwq0rntoEWY3hFMthcuTERq8E2xuFnT/s1600/001_picnik.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729593508446792434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFy20gG0r_myuCohqfCQGw4MJCCR3eBfuKVw21GlJ3rjuxwiVga-lwfiAyHw7VeLSLZMPzdBtWT943x9Y5Jihk3zRldC7V9oXCBAbT7Y7o2YMMMwq0rntoEWY3hFMthcuTERq8E2xuFnT/s570/001_picnik.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a><br />
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To keep the filling moist and flavorful, I folded in some additional ingredients: chopped fresh dill, créme fraiche and Dijon mustard, then spread the mixture into the bottom of a greased pie plate:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44BU-jhm0ETHATIo7Y1QJxmDCRtHXNYeYZaqIG9KDfCEl06DDnS6AWU4gSsI8X8CgFVJAvRIyXfvzlKTJ1A0upPmyQ3m82BHiO9jAQsaMZw6Wqh7MgQ7fVIaYC6YWUSM3RLKpiGKgPyNI/s1600/009_picnik.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729594250305453970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44BU-jhm0ETHATIo7Y1QJxmDCRtHXNYeYZaqIG9KDfCEl06DDnS6AWU4gSsI8X8CgFVJAvRIyXfvzlKTJ1A0upPmyQ3m82BHiO9jAQsaMZw6Wqh7MgQ7fVIaYC6YWUSM3RLKpiGKgPyNI/s570/009_picnik.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a><br />
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Taking my cue from from France yet again, I prepared the quiche batter with a lot of dairy and not a lot of eggs. My usual instinct when making quiche would be to use many eggs, adding a bit of milk to stretch them, but I've noticed that French people always make quiche with a ton of milk, or créme fraiche, or both, and only a few eggs, and their quiches always come out phenomenally: exceptionally moist and tender, more like a custard than an omelet. And when you think about it, this approach makes sense: quiche, if not a poverty food, is certainly a classic use-up-the-leftovers dish: stick 'em in a pan, bind 'em together, and bake 'em. If the idea is to not draw too heavily upon everything else in the fridge, keeping the meal frugal and quick to prepare, then the French recipe is logical. So I did as the French do, and I have to say that although my quiche wasn't as exceptional as Patricia's (or my other French friend, <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/search?q=mathilde">Mathilde</a>'s) egg pie, it was still pretty darn good:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52suKjXNQDusJp6a3XEgWA5zRQAlBPjzXJTJV952fOOq2likRyX1xCJwPaRszqiaUp2yzt27gU-b7YNzbsuS8DVXujk_yLj1458Eo_UFC23TT2m41eXcHeb8x53Ola_kr5nf3KnNKhJH1/s1600/022.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729596246500650898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52suKjXNQDusJp6a3XEgWA5zRQAlBPjzXJTJV952fOOq2likRyX1xCJwPaRszqiaUp2yzt27gU-b7YNzbsuS8DVXujk_yLj1458Eo_UFC23TT2m41eXcHeb8x53Ola_kr5nf3KnNKhJH1/s570/022.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a><br />
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<b>Salmon, Leek and Dill (Crustless) Quiche</b><br />
Makes one quiche<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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1 salmon fillet, about 4 oz.<br />
Water<br />
Fresh dill, with about 3 tbsp. finely chopped<br />
1 large or 2 medium leeks, well cleaned of all grit, white and light green parts finely sliced into half moons and dark green tops set aside<br />
Black peppercorns<br />
3 tbsp. butter<br />
1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp. créme fraiche or sour cream, divided<br />
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard<br />
Cooking spray or additional butter<br />
3 eggs, lightly beaten<br />
1/2 c. milk, preferably whole<br />
Salt<br />
Pepper<br />
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Preparation:<br />
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1. Preheat oven to 375<span style="font-weight: normal;">°.</span><br />
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2. Poach the salmon: in a small saucepan, combine the salmon, some torn fresh dill, some torn dark green leek tops, a few black peppercorns, and about 1/2 tsp. salt, along with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then drop to a simmer. Simmer for six minutes, then turn off heat; four minutes later, remove fish and let cool. When cool, flake fish into small pieces and place in a large bowl.<br />
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3. Prepare the filling: in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add sliced leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are very soft and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Add leeks to flaked salmon; add 2 tbsp. créme fraiche, the Dijon mustard and chopped dill, as well as salt and pepper to taste. Stir gently to combine, then spread evenly across the bottom a a glass pie dish, greased with spray or additional butter.<br />
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4. Prepare batter: combine eggs with remaining créme fraiche and all the milk, plus a generous amount of salt and pepper. Pour over filling and place in oven, baking quiche until it is puffed and browned on top, about 45 minutes.<span style="font-weight: normal;"></span>Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-22579883774743571882012-03-21T11:58:00.016-04:002012-05-10T21:13:32.531-04:00Kale, the belle of the ballMy relationship with kale started off rocky. I first encountered this lovely leafy green at the dinner table at my parents' house in Brooklyn, circa 1993, and it wasn't exactly a love at first sight type of situation. My mom, an excellent cook far ahead of her time in her utilization of healthy ingredients, particularly whole grains, was fond of serving plain steamed vegetables with nary a shake of salt. Hint: when feeding two young children, this is <span style="font-style: italic;">not </span>a particularly sound method (sorry, Mom!). My brother and I hated the stinky, sulfuric pile of stringy greens so much that we would actually form them into little pills in our mouths and swallow them whole with a swift chug of orange juice, our beverage of choice at that time. It wasn't pleasant for anyone involved, and if my memory serves me correctly, my parents finally relented and ceased forcing us to eat steamed kale.<br />
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It seems, though, that my mother was prescient in her kale-eating ways, too. Kale is having its fifteen minutes of fame in the food world right now: it's all over restaurant menus in New York City (even in <a href="http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2012/02/first-look-the-wayland-nyc-cocktails-avenue-c-east-village-bar.html">cocktails</a>), and recipes for kale dishes are being featured prominently on food sites like <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/">Serious Eats</a>: here's one <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/03/kale-recipes-salads-sausage-dinners.html">recipe roundup</a> and one drinks post featuring <a href="http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2012/03/best-kale-juice-recipes-juicer-vegetable-delicious-green-juice.html">kale juice</a>. (I'll note, however, that I haven't seen any recipes for plain steamed kale.)<br />
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Unlike my mom, I usually like to slick my green vegetables in a bit of fat, in the form of either oil or butter. It doesn't have to be much, but a little lipid goes a long way in rounding out the sharp edges in flavor that some greens have. Usually, I go the classic Italian route and sauté some garlic and red pepper flakes together, then add the greens and maybe a bit of chicken broth to help them break down. But when I received a bag of beautiful, tender baby kale leaves from my CSA last week, I knew I couldn't do the gorgeous produce the disservice of cooking it. Luckily, at my internship at Serious Eats, I had recently edited <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/02/vegan-experience-recipes-soups-salads-sandwiches-mains-snacks.html">Kenji's post on one month of veganism</a>, and had spotted a recipe for a <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/01/vegan-marinated-kale-chickpea-salad-sumac-onions-recipe.html">marinated kale salad</a>, something I had heard of but never tried. This was the perfect opportunity.<br />
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I started by tossing my greens in a marinade of salt and oil, and let that sit at room temperature for a couple of hours. The salt and oil start to break down the leaves--the salt, by drawing out their moisture, and the oil by cutting through their natural waxy, water-resistant coating. The kale becomes more tender and easier to eat, but because there's no heat involved, they retain a bit of their texture and crunch.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFECCZ4XgzeSGLzewxFlObtumcqhbgnVbriuNcUHwq05I22SMno4W_UETa8s9prOgg1_izRZfYomp4rMFyTO_Zpr8MOB1d7HPE1pAHj5ury7YJ37SxPcpf0v9Q3xL-79HutBBtvU75YcQX/s1600/051.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722392743454141282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFECCZ4XgzeSGLzewxFlObtumcqhbgnVbriuNcUHwq05I22SMno4W_UETa8s9prOgg1_izRZfYomp4rMFyTO_Zpr8MOB1d7HPE1pAHj5ury7YJ37SxPcpf0v9Q3xL-79HutBBtvU75YcQX/s576/051.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a><br />
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When I was ready to serve the kale, I shook on some red pepper flakes and squeezed half a lemon over everything. Because I was eating with friends, and there wasn't quite enough kale to go around to call it a side dish, I decided to divide it up over little garlic toasts, adding an extra drizzle of oil at the very end. I've come a long way from steamed kale, and I don't think I'm ever going back:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNmz6e-C2JEsmJWM7vSt46FAsxL34Puot4i6e8umk_av0ogVXAoFvayRWKYkXLKzYB7pCNIfmJ5kd3ROfW85a95RQUgXccoK8dY-kbEM3Hbl3LiIHnz_YISwQo4YnP1LnN2ZdWg3J7GBF/s1600/056.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722405921295300402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNmz6e-C2JEsmJWM7vSt46FAsxL34Puot4i6e8umk_av0ogVXAoFvayRWKYkXLKzYB7pCNIfmJ5kd3ROfW85a95RQUgXccoK8dY-kbEM3Hbl3LiIHnz_YISwQo4YnP1LnN2ZdWg3J7GBF/s576/056.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><b>Marinated Kale on Garlic Toasts</b><br />
Serves 4 - 6 as an appetizer<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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1/4 - 1/2 lb. kale, rinsed and cut into ribbons (about 1/4 to 1/2 bunch)<br />
1/2 tsp. salt<br />
2 tbsp. olive oil, plus more for drizzling<br />
Red pepper flakes<br />
1/2 a lemon<br />
Half a loaf of bread, cut into 8 -12 small slices<br />
Garlic clove, peeled<br />
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Preparation:<br />
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1. At least one but preferably two hours before you want to eat, marinate the kale: toss kale with salt and 2 tbsp. olive and let sit at room temperature.<br />
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2. When ready to eat, preheat oven to 350°. Place bread on a baking sheet and drizzle with a small amount of oil. Bake until toasted and crispy, about 8 - 10 minutes. Remove from oven and rub each slice with the garlic clove.<br />
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3. Finish the kale salad: squeeze the half lemon over kale and add a shake of red pepper flakes. Stir to combine, then divide kale evenly among toasts. Drizzle with additional olive oil and serve.Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-82931436594733008272012-03-17T18:29:00.004-04:002012-03-17T18:44:11.081-04:00Blog turns four, gets faceliftHappy birthday to <span style="font-style: italic;">For the Love of Food</span>, who turns four years old on this day! I wanted to do something special for the blog for its big fourth, so I gave it a makeover: up top, you'll see a brand new banner, configured by my good friend Dave Manno (thanks, Dave!) I snapped the photo of those beautiful, sun-dappled radishes about a year ago at a market in Toulouse, France, and I think they do a swell job of communicating the type of food I'm into these days: simple, honest fare that relies more on the very best produce I can find, rather than on any kind of complicated techniques. I hope you like the new look!<br /><br />I'm hoping to continue to improve upon the appearance of the blog; namely, by figuring out how to post bigger, more mouth-watering photos of my food, and by attending to a few small stylistic details. Stay tuned for those changes!Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-85386876403943648912012-02-29T13:39:00.035-05:002012-04-26T15:06:23.109-04:00Chinatown, my loveStarting a couple of years ago after I read <a href="http://www.fuchsiadunlop.com/">Fuchsia Dunlop</a>'s excellent food memoir <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393066576?ie=UTF8&tag=fuchsiadunlop-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0393066576"><span style="font-style: italic;">Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper</span></a>, then devoured her two beautiful cookbooks <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393051773?ie=UTF8&tag=fuchsiadunlop-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0393066576"><span style="font-style: italic;">Land of Plenty</span></a> and the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393062228?ie=UTF8&tag=fuchsiadunlop-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0393066576"><span style="font-style: italic;">Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook</span></a>, I quickly became obsessed with Chinese cooking, and it's a trend that's continued--and grown--since then. I think Chinese food gets a bad rap--people say it's greasy, or bland, or makes them sick--and that's because they're thinking of the carelessly thrown together, cornstarch- and MSG-laden takeout on their nearest corner. It's simply not an opinion I understand, because true, artfully prepared Chinese food is so incredibly flavorful, bursting with spicy, salty accents and full of contrasting textures that, to my palate, at least, it's simply one of the best cuisines out there. (I should point out here that there isn't really one "Chinese cuisine"--as you may have heard, China is a big country, and there are many regional styles of food. I happen to be partial to the fiery cuisine of the Sichuan or Szechuan province, but then again I like any kind of well-made Chinese food.)<br />
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Although you might imagine them to be exotic or difficult, the Chinese recipes I've tried are actually quite easy. What they rely on is a well-stocked pantry: you need some basics such as different kinds of soy sauce, chile pastes, fermented vegetables, toasted sesame oil, etc., but once you have those items the actual preparations are quite simple. For the past few months I'd sort of fallen out of the habit of cooking Asian, and that was because during my last move, I misplaced my precious stash of special ingredients. When I started my internship at <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/">Serious Eats</a>, whose offices are located in Manhattan's Chinatown, it was the perfect occasion to restock my cabinets.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBJDaf2395kQdZE1eFsXY3GkFuHHb4ScA4Ov8jw-ftJWzrwhJt3vTbTmEWteYRwKCy34fyOVlKAEt-_ZgIZyqZSmswqJapJoYpmHZes-dkzApptLJEIj47xlPtBT7mStHAjy2FQ8Fdi1Xy/s1600/008.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714651000417187330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBJDaf2395kQdZE1eFsXY3GkFuHHb4ScA4Ov8jw-ftJWzrwhJt3vTbTmEWteYRwKCy34fyOVlKAEt-_ZgIZyqZSmswqJapJoYpmHZes-dkzApptLJEIj47xlPtBT7mStHAjy2FQ8Fdi1Xy/s576/008.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a><br />
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Some staples I picked up recently included (from left): fermented broad bean chile paste; Chianking, or black, vinegar; Shaoxing cooking wine; and potato starch (whose silky texture and un-gloppiness I prefer to cornstarch). Don't you love the packaging? So colorful.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_9GYAz4AuW4C8qH0v21cnY7jagGbp8XedMekXp4XkCwhN5OS8lSnpUb7Q1TqcG75W7Ek8kCGX8KVD7OoM0YaxNtzCN3QAsQXOF9YrcYWbkD-osjfozJDi-M-ijaHbE19tfwbkPGguxna/s1600/012.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714655547434981474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_9GYAz4AuW4C8qH0v21cnY7jagGbp8XedMekXp4XkCwhN5OS8lSnpUb7Q1TqcG75W7Ek8kCGX8KVD7OoM0YaxNtzCN3QAsQXOF9YrcYWbkD-osjfozJDi-M-ijaHbE19tfwbkPGguxna/s576/012.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a><br />
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Speaking of great packaging, check out these preserved Szechuan vegetables. Drool <span style="font-style: italic;">and </span>an enthusiastic thumb's-up? Now that's great advertising!</div>
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Once I had all my go-to ingredients, I put them to good use making a recipe by one of the Serious Eats editors, <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/user/profile/GoodEaterKenji">Kenji Lopez-Alt</a>. Kenji's no slouch when it comes to perfecting recipes: in addition to years of restaurant experience, he's got a stint as editor at <a href="http://www.cooksillustrated.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Cook's Illustrated</span></a> under his belt. Having tasted some of the delicious dishes he's whipped up in our office kitchen, such as <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/01/vegan-bok-choy-with-chives-black-bean-sauce-chow-fun.html">bok choy and black bean chow fu</a><a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/01/vegan-bok-choy-with-chives-black-bean-sauce-chow-fun.html">n</a> and <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/02/rich-and-creamy-tonkotsu-ramen-broth-from-scratch-recipe.html">tonkotsu ramen</a>, I knew I could trust his recipe for <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/02/braised-eggplant-with-tofu-in-garlic-sauce-recipe.html">braised eggplant and tofu in garlic sauce</a>. The best tip I learned from this recipe was to steam the eggplant first: sometimes, eggplant takes a long time to break down and become soft and creamy, and getting it to do so often requires a lot of hot oil. The pre-steam allows the eggplant to soften before it gets incorporated into the stir-fry:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY9Pba5DRW2iZrK9yLdxtW-RGMQiZjMTSj9GhZMTJcUl7v2UZUWp6HFt1XgslZrU4LbA_czN9k4bq-Zi3s8og_d_sHCB9erFcZMq39PhpSsJD-KPglXneeYiRwe0NBIkt8Eo9LOBt_dsya/s1600/004.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714660931406124082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY9Pba5DRW2iZrK9yLdxtW-RGMQiZjMTSj9GhZMTJcUl7v2UZUWp6HFt1XgslZrU4LbA_czN9k4bq-Zi3s8og_d_sHCB9erFcZMq39PhpSsJD-KPglXneeYiRwe0NBIkt8Eo9LOBt_dsya/s576/004.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a><br />
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Next, I fried up some aromatics: garlic, ginger, scallions, and the preserved vegetables. This right here is why I love Chinese cooking: look at all the flavor packed in there! It doesn't really matter what you add next--that oil has so much going on, anything cooked in it is going to be good:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHlY2fm_3uakAtXnPYBxhRqhQs6E3nZ5Hk-3p7I4g-SrNo4dwW31hYNXXuocIQBBCgYVb-VfCthwH6u-5R1j9_D-dgjnZabAOd6-IriGGTS8NU_-TwYJtVpKcNnOl_5lOL6Rxmhp1n_OYW/s1600/015.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714662844015779458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHlY2fm_3uakAtXnPYBxhRqhQs6E3nZ5Hk-3p7I4g-SrNo4dwW31hYNXXuocIQBBCgYVb-VfCthwH6u-5R1j9_D-dgjnZabAOd6-IriGGTS8NU_-TwYJtVpKcNnOl_5lOL6Rxmhp1n_OYW/s576/015.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a><br />
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The steamed eggplant and some diced firm tofu get fried up in here, then cooked down with a richly flavored sauce made up of soy, vinegar, cooking wine, brown sugar and chile paste. Behold, the finished dish:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeHY0TAbsFkdVll_8MoZ9PE7EQEv53s0dBl6lM4JbaCmhK5MZaO4C-z2Yme7zqWu4HHSVSWjHzqyL78KdGnQBcQte3RXRRrYhCHpgJuo9rzqc-hfHBMFzNlHD9n4vdUingIfPg3c9zPL5G/s1600/019.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714665640551576626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeHY0TAbsFkdVll_8MoZ9PE7EQEv53s0dBl6lM4JbaCmhK5MZaO4C-z2Yme7zqWu4HHSVSWjHzqyL78KdGnQBcQte3RXRRrYhCHpgJuo9rzqc-hfHBMFzNlHD9n4vdUingIfPg3c9zPL5G/s576/019.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a><br />
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<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><b>Braised</b><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><b>Eggplant with Tofu in Garlic Sauce</b><br />
Adapted slightly from <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/02/braised-eggplant-with-tofu-in-garlic-sauce-recipe.html">seriouseats.com</a><br />
Serves 4<br />
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<span style="font-size: 85%;">*Note: visit your local Asian grocery before making this recipe: many of the ingredients are not available at the supermarket. </span><br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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- 4 small or 2 large Japanese/Asian eggplants, rinsed and cut into large chunks<br />
- 3 tsp. Chianking vinegar<br />
- 1/2 c. Shaoxing cooking wine<br />
- 1 tbsp. potato starch<br />
- 4 tbsp. soy sauce<br />
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar<br />
- 1 tbsp. fermented broad bean chile paste<br />
- 1 tbsp. sesame oil<br />
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil<br />
- 2 cloves of garlic, smashed and peeled, plus 4 more cloves, minced or thinly sliced<br />
- A 1-inch nub ginger, peeled and minced or grated<br />
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced, whites and greens separated<br />
- 2 tbsp. Chinese preserved vegetables, minced<br />
- 1 package firm tofu, excess water squeezed out, cut into medium chunks<br />
- 3 tbsp. chopped cilantro<br />
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Preparation:<br />
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1. Place eggplant in a large bamboo steamer set over a wok filled with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, cover steamer, and cook until eggplant is completely tender, about 15 minutes. Set aside. (If you don't have a bamboo steamer, you can use a steamer insert in a large pot of water.)<br />
2. Make the sauce: in a bowl, combine vinegar, wine, potato starch, soy, brown sugar, chile paste and sesame. Whisk until completely smooth.<br />
3. Wipe out wok. Add oil and whole garlic cloves and cook over medium heat, turning garlic occasionally, until it is browned and fragrant. Remove garlic and discard.<br />
4. Turn heat to high and add minced garlic and ginger, scallion whites, and preserved vegetables. Cook, stirring, about one minute, then stir sauce to recombine, and add to wok. Add eggplant and tofu and stir gently to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally until thick and glossy, about 10 minutes longer. Garnish with scallion greens and cilantro and serve immediately with white rice.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubEgNu0AdUPunimubStMkHtH8-xevdF4jIQ5ejuUnEquX-XJhN4Fuw3D3xQxe1DEkLKE7zY5-HvDREXxGobxbjxp2gVgZTQbDzSNzqMi1KoHNZXlo_CcmvBr-DX28JEAd0ZdLHm8_JKLJ/s1600/016.JPG"></a></div>Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-24137362722777850842012-02-21T16:00:00.011-05:002012-03-27T10:45:09.963-04:00David Lebovitz's wild rice saladAs a member of a winter <a href="http://chfarmshare.org/">CSA share</a>, there are certain vegetables I've had to welcome, en masse, into my home (and refrigerator) this season: namely, potatoes (sweet and white), carrots, and beets. Though root vegetables store well, I find it's best to dispatch them quickly, if I want to have room in my tiny kitchen for anything else. So after last week's CSA pickup, when I was <del>saddled</del> blessed with several pounds of each, I decided to immediately peel and roast them, which would not only concentrate their flavor but also significantly reduce their bulk. But what to do with them afterwards? I've already eaten a bazillion sweet potato fries this season, already prepared roasted beets tossed with yogurt, lime and scallions, already made a huge batch of <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2012/01/when-life-gives-youcarrots.html">carrot soup</a> that lingers on in my freezer. As my cubed and seasoned veggies roasted away in the oven, the debate continued: where would they end up? Luckily, divine providence stepped in when I felt compelled to read one of my favorite blogs, that of master pastry chef <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/">David Lebovitz</a>, who usually shares sweet recipes, but occasionally throws in a savory one. Blessedly, that day was one of those days.<br /><br />Early in his career, David worked in the kitchen at Chez Panisse, so he knows his way around vegetables. The recipes he shares on his site hew closely to my own cooking style: heavy on the produce and whole grains, light on the meat. So it came as no surprise when his <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2012/01/wild-rice-salad-recipe-with-roasted-vegetables-and-lemon-tahini-dressing/">Wild Rice Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing </a>immediately appealed to me. Not only had I recently purchased a big bag of wild rice at the <a href="http://foodcoop.com/">Co-op</a>, but my roasted vegetables would go perfectly in the dish, <span style="font-style: italic;">plus </span>I had just opened a jar of tahini for a <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2012/02/more-fun-with-chickpeas.html">hummus-making endeavor</a>.<br /><br />Actually, speaking of hummus, what attracted me most to this recipe was how it sort of riffs on that classic Middle Eastern spread. The salad's dressing is made of lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, water and raw garlic: if you were to add some chickpeas, you'd have hummus. I love cooking with raw garlic. Growing up, my dad was allergic, so we almost never utilized the stuff, save for rare occasions when my mother--the cook of the household--felt compelled to make a smaller, separate garlic-free dish for my father, and a larger, garlic-heavy one for her, my brother and me. Think about it: a world of tomato sauces, soups, stews, meatballs, all without the beneficent touch of garlic. Sad, right? These days, I think I still cook with less garlic than most people, and to add raw garlic to something feels downright illicit. So this recipe, with its whole one clove of garlic, minced, was damn near a walk on the wild side for me.<br /><br />I made a few small changes to the dish, the major one being that to further embrace the hummus theme (and because I still had some left over from the <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2012/01/good-soak.html">Great Garbanzo Soak of 2012</a>), I added a few handfuls of cooked chickpeas. What results is a lovely salad: the wild rice dense and chewy, the roasted vegetables sweet and earthy, with brightness from the lemon and garlic. Not a bad lunch to eat for six days in a row, as I did:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAjv7sB3WwTUZvwK_e8Ih-c9VHNvbmtA44lXXRXOzCOGwRePRojMem1vvw2dyHxvFVScCYl5Fa7yhfDpfsP35Bk8Jv6yI_7hd9v__z1OChUAguWJ3JaGwMRlEWGme6O9l0vu79lKgKSzp/s1600/014.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAjv7sB3WwTUZvwK_e8Ih-c9VHNvbmtA44lXXRXOzCOGwRePRojMem1vvw2dyHxvFVScCYl5Fa7yhfDpfsP35Bk8Jv6yI_7hd9v__z1OChUAguWJ3JaGwMRlEWGme6O9l0vu79lKgKSzp/s576/014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711706358770089858" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Wild Rice and Roasted Vegetable Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing</span><br />Adapted from <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2012/01/wild-rice-salad-recipe-with-roasted-vegetables-and-lemon-tahini-dressing/">davidlebovitz.com</a><br />Serves 6 - 8 as a side dish<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />- 1 c. wild rice, rinsed<br />- About 6 cups peeled and cubed root vegetables: I used a mix of sweet potatoes, beets, and carrots<br />- Olive oil<br />- Salt and pepper to taste<div>- About a cup cooked chickpeas<br />- 3 to 4 scallions (white and green parts), finely chopped<br />- 1/2 c. fresh parsley, chopped<br />- 1/4 c. tahini<br />- Juice of 2 lemons<br />- 3 tbsp. warm water<br />- 1 clove garlic, minced<br />- 1 tsp. soy sauce<br />- 1/4 c. olive oil<br />- Salt and pepper to taste<br /><br />Preparation:<br /><br />1. Preheat the oven to 425<span style="font-weight: normal">°. Toss the vegetables with 2 or 3 tbsp. of oil and plenty of salt and pepper. Spread on a large baking sheet (or 2) and cook until tender, about 40 minutes.</span><br />2. In the meantime, add wild rice to a medium pot and cover with lots of water. Add about a teaspoon of salt. Cover and bring to the boil then drop to a simmer and cook until rice is tender, about 40 minutes. Drain.<br />3. As rice and vegetables cool, make the dressing: in a medium bowl, combine the tahini, lemon juice and water, stirring briskly to smooth out the tahini. Whisk in soy sauce and olive oil, season, and taste.<br />4. When rice and vegetables are cool, combine in a bowl then stir in the chickpeas, scallions and parsley. Add the dressing and mix well. Note: the tahini dressing dries out in the fridge. If you're not eating all the salad at once, store salad mix and dressing in separate containers in the fridge and combine them before serving.</div>Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-49503304625652864072012-02-13T16:39:00.008-05:002012-03-27T10:46:29.851-04:00More fun with chickpeasMy friend Mathilde's birthday was last Friday, and we had a small party to celebrate. As is usual, when we gather at Willy's house, food played a <del>supporting</del> starring role. As a sort of group effort, we all pitched in to make a big pot of tortilla soup with all the fixins, Willy made another ridiculously intricate and delicious layer cake, and I decided to contribute some hummus that I prepared at home earlier in the day. Inspired by my <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2012/01/good-soak.html">recent success</a> cooking with dried, soaked chickpeas, I decided to go that route with my hummus, in lieu of canned garbanzos. I soaked and cooked some more chickpeas, then drained them, reserving the cooking liquid. I tipped most of the legumes into my food processor, keeping back about a cup of them, and made my <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2008/06/feast-from-middle-east.html">standard hummus</a> by adding garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil and some of the cooking liquid. After tasting and adjusting the flavors to my liking, I let the food processor run for a long time, whipping the hummus into a dense, silky purée. The dried chickpeas contribute a better texture and a fuller flavor to the spread.<br /><br />My favorite part about this dish, though, is what I decided to do with the remaining, whole chickpeas. Recalling a recent trip to <a href="http://www.mimishummus.com/">Mimi's Hummus</a> in Ditmas Park, where I ate a fava bean hummus garnished with some whole favas, I knew that I wanted some textural contrast in my hummus. So I marinated the remaining chickpeas in a mix of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambal_oelek">sambal oelek</a> (my favorite all-purpose hot sauce--you can use <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sriracha_sauce">sriracha</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harissa">harissa</a>, or whatever chile paste you prefer), olive oil, and chopped fresh cilantro and parsely. When I served the hummus, I made a well in the spread and lay the whole chickpeas in the middle. The super smooth hummus, broken up by the toothsome whole chickpeas, makes a winning legume-on-legume combination:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXtU00daOUrBTp1DXEd8J7csNYIWlGXg6yT4BJPF3OApjui6u9vJXUJ99ya75lzABXsASL6ue-wKADqhHoAJL-noHCOE2bOQ6OmA7SnV-lnfjIVMsEtdIi_LtbQUwh3sNz-74OTgdudQ2s/s1600/hummus1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXtU00daOUrBTp1DXEd8J7csNYIWlGXg6yT4BJPF3OApjui6u9vJXUJ99ya75lzABXsASL6ue-wKADqhHoAJL-noHCOE2bOQ6OmA7SnV-lnfjIVMsEtdIi_LtbQUwh3sNz-74OTgdudQ2s/s576/hummus1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708744965918998978" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><br />Hummus with Whole Marinated Chickpeas</span><br />Serves 8 - 10 as an appetizer<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />- 1 1/2 c. dried chickpeas, soaked overnight then cooked for about 1 hour, or until soft, drained, cooking liquid reserved--or use about 3 c. canned<br />- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled<br />- About 2 tbsp. tahini<br />- The juice of about 2 lemons<br />- About 4 tbsp. cooking liquid<br />- About 4 tbsp. olive oil, plus more for marinated chickpeas<br />- Salt, to taste<br />- About 1 tbsp. hot chile paste such as sambal oelek, sriracha, or harissa<br />- 1 - 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, cilantro or both<br /><br />Preparation:<br /><br />1. Add all but about 3/4 c. chickpeas to bowl of a food processor. Add garlic and pulse to combine.<br />2. Add tahini, lemon juice and salt and turn machine on. As it is running, pour the cooking liquid and olive oil in through the spout on top. Check for seasoning, adjusting as needed, then leave machine running for about 3 minutes so that hummus becomes very smooth.<br />3. In the meantime, prepare the marinated chickpeas: combine them with the chile paste, about 1 tbsp. of additional oil, fresh herbs, and salt. If possible, let marinate for 30 minutes to an hour.<br />4. When ready to serve, spread hummus into a shallow bowl and create a well in the middle. Add marinated chickpeas, drizzle with additional olive oil, and serve.Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-58503833443005141292012-02-09T16:02:00.011-05:002012-03-31T15:09:13.431-04:00Claudia Roden's orange and almond cakeWhen you're as food-obsessed as I am, it makes sense to surround yourself with people on your wavelength, so it comes as no surprise that some of my closest friends also happen to be excellent cooks/bakers/snackers. My adventures in cooking with my pal <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/search?q=Gideon">Gideon </a>have been widely chronicled on this site. <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/search?q=Patricia">Patricia</a>, who sadly lives in France nowadays, is the queen of hosting potlucks, and Mathilde, who lives in New York but hails from Paris, is the master of the quiche and makes a mean <span class="st">crêpe, to boot. Just to mention France one more time, Bonnie and I founded a <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2010/11/dinner-club-part-i.html">dinner club</a> together with our friends in Toulouse last year, and I think it's safe to say that her dinners were the most heavily anticipated--she made a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mapo_doufu">mapo dofu</a> last Chinese New Year that blew my mind (and, to a certain extent, my tongue--those Sichuan peppercorns can be fiery!) Despit</span><span class="st">e all these heavyweight contenders, I think it's actually my friend <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/search?q=willy">Willy </a>who can go head to head with me in terms of food fixation. He and I cook together all the time, and when I need a culinary companion for a far-flung peregrination to Queens or deep south Brooklyn, he's usually game to make the trek with me.<br /><br />Willy also happens to be an excellent baker. He's prepared my birthday cakes sever</span><span class="st">al times--this past year, it was a white layer cake filled with homemade raspberry jam and draped with homemade marzipan. His <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/08mini.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1328822410-H8RGcIE7PvkxiRmTuyAUvQ">no-knead</a> bread, which he makes routinely, puts mine to shame, and I've also tasted potato bread, rye bread, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anadama_bread">Anadama bread</a> that he's made. A few months ago, I was over at Willy's for lunch, and for dessert he served a beguiling orange and almond cake the likes of which I had never tasted: it had a ton of texture from the ground almonds, a powerful perfume from the oranges, and an underlying bitterness to complement its sweetness. What most attracted me about this cake, though, </span><span class="st">was the unusual way in which it was made: Willy told me that to make the batter, he boiled two whole oranges for hours, then ground them up, peels and all, to incorporate into the cake mix. That slight bitterness I tasted was coming from the orange pith. I loved the idea of this recipe, and I had to try it.<br /><br />Several weeks later, I found the occasion to make it: I was attending a Rosh Hashanah dinner at my cousins' house in New Jersey, and I volunteere</span><span class="st">d to bring a dessert. I picked up the ingredients I knew I would need, and then called Willy to confirm the method of preparation. As I simmered the oranges in boiling water, an intense, almost incense-like fragrance filled my apartment. I couldn't wait to taste this cake. When the oranges were ready, I </span>puréed them in the food processor, then set them in the fridge to cool as I worked through the rest of the recipe: grinding the almonds, separating the eggs. Then I put the whole thing together, poured it into a pan, and slid it into the oven to bake.<br /><br />All that work had made me hungry, so I peered into the fridge to see what I could make myself for lunch. And that's when I saw it: that bright, vivid, luscious-smelling orange purée, still cooling in my fridge. Very distinctly <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span><span class="st"> baking in my cake. My heart fell. <span style="font-style: italic;">Who needs a plain old almond cake?</span> I thought. <span style="font-style: italic;">It's been done!<br /><br /></span>When my boring, stupid almond cake emerged from the oven about 45 minutes later, I tried to salvage the situation. I mixed some of the orange </span>purée with some water and sugar, in an attempt to make a glaze. I poked some holes in the still-warm cake and brushed on the glaze, hoping that it would imbue the cake with its citrusy freshness. And in the end, of course, the cake was fine--but it barely tasted of orange. It lacked that exotic quality that the cake I'd tasted at Willy's had in spades.<br /><br />Luckily, I was able, through my haze of anger, to have the foresight to stick the rest of the unused orange purée in a container in the freezer, to be deployed at some other time. I finally got my chance this past weekend, when my brother hosted a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassoulet">cassoulet </a>party at our parents' house. Bravely, I volunteered, yet again, to bring dessert. I went through all the same steps, but of course, this time I remembered to include that precious orange purée in my confection. I also adjusted the cooking time and temperature a little bit, remembering that while Willy's cake had a more crumbly texture, I was looking for a softer one in mine. And I'm happy to report that the end result was just as glorious I had hoped for all those many months ago when I first made the cake: moist, fragrant and vivid in color from the orange peel and egg yolks, this cake truly has the power to transport you to the Middle East.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnerGz95lz5Nz-VRdcjgEFOg73V_DJm80ZRlMWH0uDJZbFQN2gaKdtYq02UnSgQU5cjM7JQqErvlll_JtwbzP4yYjc4pUphkvzg-DOA9_s1Luu1MRVg824Un8gZL-Y61j3paJJIafpqMI/s1600/020.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnerGz95lz5Nz-VRdcjgEFOg73V_DJm80ZRlMWH0uDJZbFQN2gaKdtYq02UnSgQU5cjM7JQqErvlll_JtwbzP4yYjc4pUphkvzg-DOA9_s1Luu1MRVg824Un8gZL-Y61j3paJJIafpqMI/s570/020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707256153200906738" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Middle Eastern Orange and Almond Cake</span><br />Adapted slightly from <a href="http://www.lovefood.com/guide/recipes/11389/claudia-rodens-orange-and-almond-cake">this recipe</a><br />Makes one cake<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />- 2 oranges<br />- 6 eggs, separated<br />- 1 1/2 c. <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2012/02/how-to-make-almond-flour.html">ground almonds</a><br />- 1 c. sugar<br />- 1 tsp. baking powder<br />- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract<br />- 1/2 tsp. almond extract<br />- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon<br />- 1/2 tsp. salt<br /><br />Preparation:<br /><br />1. Preheat the oven to 375<span style="font-weight: normal">°. Prepare a medium spring form pan: butter the bottom and sprinkle with additional almond meal.<br />2. </span>Wash oranges thoroughly, place them in a pot, cover with water and boil for 2 hours. Remove from water, cut open and remove seeds, then purée in a food processor until completely smooth. Set aside.<br />3. Combine ground almonds, orange purée, egg yolks, sugar, baking powder, vanilla, almond extract, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl, mixing well.<br />4. Whip egg whites to somewhere between soft and stiff peaks. Fold gently, in two batches, into the yolk mixture. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes or until top is well browned but center still appears moist.Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-91367321541021458432012-02-07T16:49:00.018-05:002012-04-12T22:35:05.695-04:00How to make almond flourGot a <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/tools/searchresults?search=almond+flour&x=0&y=0">recipe that calls for almond flour</a> but all you've got in the pantry are whole, skin-on almonds? No problem. Or maybe all you have are blanched almonds? Even easier. If you've got a food processor, you've got almond flour. Well, almost.<br /><br />For those in the skin-on camp, what you've got to do, is, well, blanch the almonds. Far from being a specialized process that can only occur in some mechanized factory, blanching and skinning almonds is a breeze. First, fill a pot with enough water to cover your almonds. Cover it and heat it to boiling. Drop in your almonds and set a timer for 45 seconds:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GoB7vGUkb5NJOwO-Pid9lRhFzcDkHbEcQO2dh9OiimwdYnbHAHIzVPrkrjJ9MivRgPZ32hMHSJGLWHjDnTmY6uihv1hHg_VNZ606qkOuhuRXzriLR2sZ3fEALYSzIMaeKWn1wuGd-7Ho/s1600/004.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GoB7vGUkb5NJOwO-Pid9lRhFzcDkHbEcQO2dh9OiimwdYnbHAHIzVPrkrjJ9MivRgPZ32hMHSJGLWHjDnTmY6uihv1hHg_VNZ606qkOuhuRXzriLR2sZ3fEALYSzIMaeKWn1wuGd-7Ho/s570/004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706519915122650706" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Drain the almonds and dump them out onto a towel:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg03nrFrNieVVFap7k6925ifYOG2zCcCFHZR6NS6VYz7Nz4fE8VOC-Ahe_GGiKPuYihNWvLVm8zmqF7dEC4Zk5cBHyCwS80jd3d64a4i1Uk7BjgWTLZS4MkuojnMowFaQ4O3HotagTKqni1/s1600/007.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg03nrFrNieVVFap7k6925ifYOG2zCcCFHZR6NS6VYz7Nz4fE8VOC-Ahe_GGiKPuYihNWvLVm8zmqF7dEC4Zk5cBHyCwS80jd3d64a4i1Uk7BjgWTLZS4MkuojnMowFaQ4O3HotagTKqni1/s570/007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706520129292981970" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />When they're cool enough to handle, all you have to do is rub off the skins with your fingers. If you've ever shelled fresh beans like favas, the process is almost exactly the same: you sort of grip the almonds between your thumb and forefinger and push. It'll slide right out of its skin:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigkhUnu2E8YirtEr4UtxNvwsYO_9mKz09mwsO3TO7sgY89CgVhz2lkiXBrWtkuzoOv3nBmOtqXagbY61l9aNRXoAPZz0NBA-BrklbGAwHy-XZ2Dll796WR4PHIHJXpRTg9TNJ4XSR4RmAO/s1600/009.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigkhUnu2E8YirtEr4UtxNvwsYO_9mKz09mwsO3TO7sgY89CgVhz2lkiXBrWtkuzoOv3nBmOtqXagbY61l9aNRXoAPZz0NBA-BrklbGAwHy-XZ2Dll796WR4PHIHJXpRTg9TNJ4XSR4RmAO/s570/009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706520332705721602" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And now you've got a whole mess of pristine blanched almonds (or, if you started out with those, they'd look something like this):<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjanfJiGbwOdRxmbXqDveZCrA8btPVfMqZJB5y_xnnMVIBMU7KEGpdoOy1MuqI2wmwKSUt4TeoJNEiBtMs_KeAWNgwzP6hsAurwssk4cifFEYbRgWqSa-Fkb8ELtj_JUzV_jIgrsyTnF7R/s1600/011.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjanfJiGbwOdRxmbXqDveZCrA8btPVfMqZJB5y_xnnMVIBMU7KEGpdoOy1MuqI2wmwKSUt4TeoJNEiBtMs_KeAWNgwzP6hsAurwssk4cifFEYbRgWqSa-Fkb8ELtj_JUzV_jIgrsyTnF7R/s570/011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706520596350518786" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />When they've cooled completely, place them in the bowl of the food processor, fitted with the normal blade. Pulse until the almonds become flour. Don't overprocess, as this will result in (pale, inferior) almond butter!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1QysjA68_PLqjpig2A3w9ZDzYJEDnT3b0CZ8p3CJpLF9luFeBIZgoZ4TyDU0wXtc6G63Tni0YP1UdIHJjPpWPe_bBIlZEaNdXMORyEUWcjt-1Wy3T1NehMrvdx5gdhU6k79R6hz9zGuw8/s1600/012.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1QysjA68_PLqjpig2A3w9ZDzYJEDnT3b0CZ8p3CJpLF9luFeBIZgoZ4TyDU0wXtc6G63Tni0YP1UdIHJjPpWPe_bBIlZEaNdXMORyEUWcjt-1Wy3T1NehMrvdx5gdhU6k79R6hz9zGuw8/s570/012.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706520848269479746" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />So now that you've got almond flour, how will you use it? I used mine in <a href="http://www.lovefood.com/guide/recipes/11389/claudia-rodens-orange-and-almond-cake">this</a>. Stay tuned for that post, up next!Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-35365724988583091122012-01-30T21:54:00.016-05:002012-04-12T22:38:28.408-04:00A good soakI may have become the shopper I've always wanted to be by making my purchases at the <a href="http://foodcoop.com/">Co-op</a>, but that doesn't necessarily make the me the <span style="font-style: italic;">cook </span>I want to be. Let me explain: my increased access to ingredients like whole grains, healthy oils, organic produce and unprocessed foods--and the low prices for all of this bounty--has certainly led to my cupboards being filled to the bursting, but sometimes those things just find their way in there and stay, never getting the chance to show their stuff in my pots, or in my stomach.<br /><br />Case in point: dried legumes. Having spent a fair amount of time working on <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2010/10/france-little-history.html">organic </a><a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2010/11/perfect-french-lunch.html">farms</a>, where the proprietors grow what they eat and store-bought foods don't often come into the picture, I've eaten some lovely dishes made with dried and soaked beans. And I've noticed that their flavor and texture is exponentially better than the canned stuff. And so when I joined the Co-op, I determined to never again pick up a can of Goya. From now on, I brazenly declared to myself, I will cook <span style="font-style: italic;">exclusively </span>with dried beans! And I lined my shelves with chickpeas, kidney beans, and black eyed peas.<br /><br />I'm sure you know where this is going. Those bags of beans sat in my cupboards, taunting me, ever since <span style="font-style: italic;">June</span>. Turns out, canned beans are pretty darn convenient: no thinking ahead required. Right? A working farm, though an intensely active place, also has, in its own way, a slower pace than city life, and there's time built into the day to do things like soak some dried beans in water.<br /><br />The thing is, I don't really even believe the above--that my life is just way too busy to think about my dinner more than an hour before I sit down to eat it. In fact, I do little <span style="font-style: italic;">but </span>think about food and cooking all day long, so I believe I should be able to commit to preparing some beans a day ahead of time.<br /><br />I had already been stewing over those chickpeas sitting in my kitchen cabinet when I spied a tasty-looking recipe for <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/01/braised-coconut-spinach-with-chickpeas-and-lemon-recipe.html">coconut-braised chickpeas</a> over at the site of my new employer, <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/">Serious Eats</a>. The dish sounded like it had some nice flavors going on--lemon, ginger and coconut--and I was keen to try it. The recipe actually called for canned chickpeas, but I would use dried--finally. I knew I would have all the time in the world to cook on Sunday, so on Saturday night, I filled a pot with those clattering little peas, and covered them in twice the amount of water. They'd be (nearly) ready for me when I needed them.<br /><br />The next day, about an hour before I was ready to cook, I put the pot of chickpeas on the stove, added some salt, and simmered them, covered. Then, as I set to work on the recipe, I simply allowed the garbanzos to steam to toothy perfection before they got to cook for a second time in the dish's flavorful broth.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDA1IoXLAGdiIbNUGLutzAJdsdnYf5315G_yiGl6EEfb5n5FIuD79peahP_wx2IUcQjWJz8qQPoxpTOmVes9anoK-rx5RwQBL5HvUaasJkz1Kt1Rr7td0nq6Otz5gU9vRTMVU6gkOmqp4/s1600/007.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDA1IoXLAGdiIbNUGLutzAJdsdnYf5315G_yiGl6EEfb5n5FIuD79peahP_wx2IUcQjWJz8qQPoxpTOmVes9anoK-rx5RwQBL5HvUaasJkz1Kt1Rr7td0nq6Otz5gU9vRTMVU6gkOmqp4/s570/007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5703632552474726386" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I used the recipe only as a starting point: though it sounded like a good base, I could tell it would need some punching up. The only spice it called for was ginger and an optional shaking of red pepper flakes, and for me, coconut milk cries out for a complex, heady mixture of aromatics. I also wanted to add some chopped carrot for added sweetness, and some cubed potatoes for some starch to help thicken the broth. The end result was sweet and fragrant, with the tender, creamy chickpeas providing a welcome contrast to the softness of the spinach and the potatoes. Eating it reaffirmed my conviction that cooking with dried legumes is just better. I won't be able to do it all the time--some nights, those ready-to-go Goya beans will still be attractive--but I definitely plan to try this more often. I may not normally possess the virtue of patience, but when it comes to good food, I'm happy to make an exception.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPRytJMS3y2-8CXRXIwnLTzBqYY1uZat50y4ZtRa62pMUJYKcHBVMeB-ABTBvz2fhfR1zcBiuCOynTDg65DD6dm7WQeZeVH_UzG0jZ7Fon-FEMkYQTs4h8GgxriAm91jd-_rOUt8_shV4/s1600/011.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPRytJMS3y2-8CXRXIwnLTzBqYY1uZat50y4ZtRa62pMUJYKcHBVMeB-ABTBvz2fhfR1zcBiuCOynTDg65DD6dm7WQeZeVH_UzG0jZ7Fon-FEMkYQTs4h8GgxriAm91jd-_rOUt8_shV4/s570/011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5703633283844224962" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span class="item"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Coconut-Braised Chickpeas with Spinach and Lemon </span><br />Adapted (heavily) from <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/01/braised-coconut-spinach-with-chickpeas-and-lemon-recipe.html">seriouseats.com</a><br />Serves 4 - 6<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />- About 8 ounces dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in 16 oz. water, or one 15-oz. can, drained<br />- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil<br />- 2 small (or 1 large) onions, peeled and finely chopped<br />- 1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced<br />- 3 cloves garlic, minced<br />- 1 tbsp. grated ginger<br />- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced<br />- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes<br />- 1/2 tsp. curry powder<br />- 1/2 tsp. turmeric<br />- 1/2 tsp. ground coriander<br />- 3 medium waxy potatoes, scrubbed and cut into a medium dice<br />- One 14-oz. can coconut milk (I used light--I don't notice the difference)<br />- About 1 c. water<br />- 5 oz. baby spinach, rinsed<br />- <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_sauce">Fish sauce (nam pla)</a>, to taste<br />- Salt<br />- About 1/2 c. unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted, for serving<br />- Chopped cilantro, for serving<br />- Cooked white rice, for serving<br /><br />Preparation:<br /><br />1. If using dried, soaked chickpeas: about one hour before starting to cook, transfer the chickpeas in soaking liquid to the stove. Add a pinch of salt, cover, and simmer for one hour. As you proceed, leave chickpeas covered.<br />2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot (Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add the onions and carrot, stir, and when they begin to soften, add the garlic and ginger. Add the lemon zest and all the spices and cook, stirring, until onions are translucent and spices are toasted and fragrant.<br />3. Drain the chickpeas and add to the pot along with the potatoes. Add the coconut milk and water, cover, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender.<br />4. Uncover pot and taste broth. Add a few dashes of fish sauce, to taste, and salt. Add the spinach, cover again, and let wilt. Cook for about 5 more minutes.<br />5. Turn off heat and stir in lemon juice. Check again for seasoning. Serve over hot white rice, garnished with cilantro and coconut.Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-81593933792257199512012-01-22T13:58:00.045-05:002012-04-12T23:30:01.661-04:0026 years + 1 complicated recipeEarlier this month I turned 26 years old and over the weekend I celebrated with friends by throwing a somewhat belated birthday party. Over the past few years I've developed a tradition for my birthday: I invite over a ton of people and then stress myself out by committing to cooking them a huge dinner feast. It's an interesting way to f<span style="font-size:100%;">ête my ow</span><span style="font-size:100%;">n birthday, I admit, but I'm mostly kidding about the stressful part: in fact, I enjoy making large, complicated meals. Years of producing food on a huge scale as a freelance caterer have made the feat of preparing a meal for 20 people seem like a piece of cake.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">In the years that I've been writing on this b</span><span style="font-size:100%;">log, I've made <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2009/01/happy-birthday-to-me.html">pork</a>, <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2010/01/birthday-fun-with-pork.html">por</a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2010/01/birthday-fun-with-pork.html">k</a>, and <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2011/01/lentils-for-my-new-year.html">legumes </a>for my birthday parties. This year, I wanted to try something different, something a little out of my</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> comfort zone. I'm not</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> as impoverished this year as I was last, so I could af</span><span style="font-size:100%;">ford to buy and serve flesh, </span><span style="font-size:100%;">and I decided on something that most meat </span><span style="font-size:100%;">eaters deem commonplace, even mundane: chicken. You see, I've been eatin</span><span style="font-size:100%;">g mostly vegetarian for the past fe</span><span style="font-size:100%;">w months, and I found that the first thing to disappear from my diet with me hardly even noticing was chicken. It's</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> always been my least favorite meat: I prefer proteins that p</span><span style="font-size:100%;">ack a wallop of flavor, like pork, lam</span><span style="font-size:100%;">b, a</span><span style="font-size:100%;">nd game such as rabbit and venison. I simply find chicken dull, and before my party I honestly can't remember the last time I cooked or ate it. So, of course, that meant that I was sort</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> of craving chicken, after all this time.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> But since it takes a lot to make chicken exciting, I wanted to impart as much flavor as possible to the meat. Here are some of the ingredients I used in the dish; can you guess what I </span><span style="font-size:100%;">made</span><span style="font-size:100%;">?</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SXxLGMhiK7o1zI40U75b8ABMYpjBjAUQCi4TEPkp-FWgr30hIkml5vI3UUkyeahgz2H_mn7-hWgpqJVfRTvhHtQoMrxFTkotsv7mleRZd5uGEhY1JjsWIa5r6LY-MDc37YUi9RkMzsjC/s1600/002.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SXxLGMhiK7o1zI40U75b8ABMYpjBjAUQCi4TEPkp-FWgr30hIkml5vI3UUkyeahgz2H_mn7-hWgpqJVfRTvhHtQoMrxFTkotsv7mleRZd5uGEhY1JjsWIa5r6LY-MDc37YUi9RkMzsjC/s570/002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700539040909943330" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEd70oac3SeUu8OwiwwRwlOFfC21akPhmqXTUNF2B7gXDnEj1htmJWBAUlcfPGvHdDvURrI39AaXmhGEhZOdcKnWi_Rr5lFgzLv4mYB0MRYNX02VF7k8k1Moxat-dCMEU3iK-eh0PdWQzl/s1600/006.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEd70oac3SeUu8OwiwwRwlOFfC21akPhmqXTUNF2B7gXDnEj1htmJWBAUlcfPGvHdDvURrI39AaXmhGEhZOdcKnWi_Rr5lFgzLv4mYB0MRYNX02VF7k8k1Moxat-dCMEU3iK-eh0PdWQzl/s570/006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700537023056517090" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4SgPwNGsJGWkHDtugCiWZkfC_vkTPSzOqp8q_SXCk3LdkNP97wOJRYtc-PJDC9l12S02vXodQ5C9ryFtF2V8g6X0ajTJzdyf0asxnbHiX7bbKGq6OWWECTMEVldJI4Pfnj76lr8vGxWdE/s1600/007.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4SgPwNGsJGWkHDtugCiWZkfC_vkTPSzOqp8q_SXCk3LdkNP97wOJRYtc-PJDC9l12S02vXodQ5C9ryFtF2V8g6X0ajTJzdyf0asxnbHiX7bbKGq6OWWECTMEVldJI4Pfnj76lr8vGxWdE/s570/007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700537579166073298" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9X9nmowbyO48vGtFA8mwpX1pOZ23pp_QcR8bxIg8FP93RK5BmHsrKSS-L994V6-jtt3zaXheFydDHjxo2Fx0-WQiDrt8fdlBIy1I_beA9pYIUCeRScbMiyJfZDlfI86pyQ_hHdJnD2jTA/s1600/010.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9X9nmowbyO48vGtFA8mwpX1pOZ23pp_QcR8bxIg8FP93RK5BmHsrKSS-L994V6-jtt3zaXheFydDHjxo2Fx0-WQiDrt8fdlBIy1I_beA9pYIUCeRScbMiyJfZDlfI86pyQ_hHdJnD2jTA/s570/010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700537855168824562" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_JvLQ24Xw4og6wb4hb9myZbTxSU0NJ0ZyG16TH6CkO7vG9MIF9ksBh3LCHVL7D3DBGsf0p9oYPNqGx2meZJ3Ij4M0E5PBv4LwecZapXL0utfrJrTGJXhruNvq-43ltaZoEEL5EXTklWR/s1600/011.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_JvLQ24Xw4og6wb4hb9myZbTxSU0NJ0ZyG16TH6CkO7vG9MIF9ksBh3LCHVL7D3DBGsf0p9oYPNqGx2meZJ3Ij4M0E5PBv4LwecZapXL0utfrJrTGJXhruNvq-43ltaZoEEL5EXTklWR/s570/011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700538112857958178" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Not sure yet? Maybe this will clue you in:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrTI6e26fHvrXzgwjPLYQPcFZCpr9IfigXzV0s4elYzSY-iBQUiWAwwUp9AClixlI8IO_2-p80MvY1rfK181iC0bwiXMBMbA1icLEiLR0oGWnlGhQYpdj3mdc7YBWqs9mycHnOg4urJnId/s1600/039.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrTI6e26fHvrXzgwjPLYQPcFZCpr9IfigXzV0s4elYzSY-iBQUiWAwwUp9AClixlI8IO_2-p80MvY1rfK181iC0bwiXMBMbA1icLEiLR0oGWnlGhQYpdj3mdc7YBWqs9mycHnOg4urJnId/s570/039.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700545883975606786" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Chocolate...? In a savory dish...? Why, it must be mole! Yes, for my birthday I prepared chicken mole poblano, meaning that the recipe comes from Puebla, in Mexico. You see, most people are familiar with mole poblano because of its inclusion of sweet chocolate, which most people wouldn't ordinarily associate with a spicy, savory dish. But in actuality the chocolate forms only a very small proportion of the ingredients, which also include (from top) three types of dried chiles; a spice blend made of whole toasted spices (sesame seeds, chile seeds, cloves, anise seeds, peppercorns, cloves, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, and cinnamon) which are then ground; fried almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and raisins; and fried bread and corn tortillas. Only at the very end of the hours-long cooking process is a small amount of chocolate and sugar stirred into the nearly-completed sauce.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-kUbeyC-Ipb-iXqRvWlrTQwv0VsCSICt5GUNRJCWrtValVTfKt1VmYywtsj17nmG2J8ylJt3mMHKmCYZims6LK3vHWf-XuXmNPwf6L-ZCYKyysXm9oelfGZaQUX5R1Jy3KT2QGPzZkxG/s1600/014.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-kUbeyC-Ipb-iXqRvWlrTQwv0VsCSICt5GUNRJCWrtValVTfKt1VmYywtsj17nmG2J8ylJt3mMHKmCYZims6LK3vHWf-XuXmNPwf6L-ZCYKyysXm9oelfGZaQUX5R1Jy3KT2QGPzZkxG/s570/014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700622598385140114" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Another misconception about mole is that poblano--the best-known type--is the <span style="font-style: italic;">only </span>type. In fact, there are many many types of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_%28sauce%29">moles</a>--really just a base sauce that meat is then cooked in--prepared all over Mexico, depending on the region and which ingredients are available there. Some other types include <span style="font-style: italic;">negro</span> (black, includes similar ingredients to the <span style="font-style: italic;">poblano</span> but adding dried prunes and ripe plantain); <span style="font-style: italic;">rojo </span>(red, heavier on the tomatillos and also including not a small amount of rendered pork lard); <span style="font-style: italic;">amarillo </span>(yellow, with ground cumin and corn flour); <span style="font-style: italic;">colorado</span> ("colored," with fresh herbs); and <span style="font-style: italic;">verde </span>(green, with fresh green chiles, cilantro, and green pumpkin seeds), among many other varieties. So...now you know. Tell your friends about mole.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFG7B_SrdX7-8HrhUcoAFL6c05TaMHarpcW-3RF3ajNj6poq7OfLgnJtDxu3Rbf2f587k2QU5ORzvk7Sp4zOizX0C4050CJD7AoTQd1TPXjkUPtsVZiCaYvdipZnw89ViVJpkftrKTwcBq/s1600/017.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFG7B_SrdX7-8HrhUcoAFL6c05TaMHarpcW-3RF3ajNj6poq7OfLgnJtDxu3Rbf2f587k2QU5ORzvk7Sp4zOizX0C4050CJD7AoTQd1TPXjkUPtsVZiCaYvdipZnw89ViVJpkftrKTwcBq/s570/017.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700623049036940834" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I did, however, want to stick with the classic and widely recognized <span style="font-style: italic;">poblano </span>version of this dish. Always served over chicken or turkey, this sauce is incredibly complex-tasting, thanks to its many ingredients. It's not an easy thing to make--it's very time consuming and demands a measure of organization and thoughtful planning--but neither is it as complicated as it might first appear when you read through the recipe. Very basically, you first create a spicy chile sauce made from the fried, then rehydrated and pur<span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">éed dried chiles, and then you make a sweet sauce from the nuts, dried fruit, and floral spices. Only at the very end do you combine these two sauces and then reduce the result into a silky mixture that is both hot and sweet at the same time.<br /></span></span><br /><span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">I talk a lot of game on this site about how I don't follow recipes, preferring instead to follow my muse wherever she might lead me and charting my own way as I go. It's a talent I'm proud of, because it's pretty much my only creative outlet: I don't play music, make art or write anything that's nonfiction. As important as that skill is to me, though, it's also immensely satisfying, once in a while, to cook from a recipe, particularly one that's foreign to me and that I probably wouldn't be able to riff on my own. The mole was a perfect example of such a dish. In the initial stages of the cooking process, I was kind of groping along blindly; I had an idea of where I needed to go, but I wasn't altogether sure how to get there. As I progressed, though, I began to see how everything would come together in the end. A recipe like this is really like a puzzle: you can taste the separate components (basically, the two "mother" sauces) as you go along, but even so, it will be incredibly difficult to imagine how they'll taste when they're finally wedded together. But when they are, they fit perfectly. A recipe that keeps even an experienced cook guessing until the very end? That's certainly my idea of birthday fun.<br /></span></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOyIzMN7PLnAfF3wMIQMaag1j3UD9quNVnZOoySm4uZqxBj96pVTg_6in8JhyphenhyphenHPcbuTf9BlY7qKjZrkKHPDtCm90X3_1VOchYJlBdsyZ3ZGTuZjeK_62poaosc4bmR4CD32psok_bJm5sK/s1600/043.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOyIzMN7PLnAfF3wMIQMaag1j3UD9quNVnZOoySm4uZqxBj96pVTg_6in8JhyphenhyphenHPcbuTf9BlY7qKjZrkKHPDtCm90X3_1VOchYJlBdsyZ3ZGTuZjeK_62poaosc4bmR4CD32psok_bJm5sK/s570/043.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700623503130260882" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Chicken Mole Poblano</span><br />Adapted from Rick Bayless via <a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Turkey-in-Mole-Poblano">Saveur</a><br />Serves 15 - 20<br /><br />A few notes about this recipe. You'll need to visit a Mexican grocery store to get a number of the ingredients (the dried chiles, the Mexican chocolate, and possibly the tortillas). You'll need access to a few appliances: a spice/coffee grinder and, if you want to cut your labor load (as I did), a food processor. I condensed a few of the steps in Bayless's recipe to make things go a <span style="font-style: italic;">little </span>faster. The amount of oil called for seems like a lot, but you'll need it all, because many of the ingredients get fried. You can pour off whatever seems like excess later on.<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />- 12 dried ancho chiles<br />- 12 dried guajillo chiles<br />- 6 dried pasilla chiles<br />- 6 tbsp. sesame seeds<br />- 1 tsp. whole aniseed<br />- 1 tsp. black peppercorns<br />- 1⁄2 tsp. whole cloves<br />- 1 tsp. dried thyme<br />- 1⁄2 tsp. dried marjoram or oregano<br />- 3 dried bay leaves, crumbled<br />- 1 1⁄2" stick cinnamon, broken into pieces<br />- 2 cups canola oil<br />- 7 1⁄4 cups chicken or turkey stock<br />- 1⁄2 cup skin-on almonds<br />- 1⁄2 cup raw shelled peanuts<br />- 1⁄3 cup hulled pumpkin seeds<br />- 1⁄3 cup raisins<br />- 2 slices white bread<br />- 2 stale corn tortillas<br />- 10 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed<br />- 2 medium onions, peeled and chopped<br />- 5 tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and halved<br />- 2 large tomato, quartered<br />- 12 whole chicken legs, skin removed and separated into thighs and drumsticks<br />- Kosher salt, to taste<br />- 1 cup finely chopped Mexican chocolate<br />- 4 tbsp. sugar, plus more to taste<br />- Tortillas, plain white rice and cilantro sprigs, for serving<br /><br />Preparation:<br /><br />1. Stem chiles and shake seeds into a bowl. Set chiles aside. Measure 4 tbsp. chile seeds (discard the rest) and 4 tbsp. sesame seeds into a small skillet set over medium heat. Toast seeds, swirling pan, for 2 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder. Toast aniseed, peppercorns, and cloves; transfer to grinder along with thyme, marjoram, bay leaves, and cinnamon. Grind into a powder and transfer to a large bowl; set spice mixture aside.<br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal;">2. Heat oil in an 8-quart Dutch oven set over medium heat. Working in small batches, add chiles and cook, turning, until toasted, about 20 seconds. Using a slotted spoon and reserving oil in skillet, transfer chiles to paper towels to drain. Transfer fried chiles to a large bowl; add boiling water to cover (about 4 cups). Let chiles steep for 30 minutes. Strain chiles, reserving soaking liquid.<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal"> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal">3. Place the chiles, 3⁄4 cup soaking liquid, and 3⁄4 cup stock into the bowl of a food processor; blend until smooth. Set a sieve over a bowl and strain chile mixture, pushing it through sieve with a rubber spatula; discard solids. Rinse food processor; set chile purée aside. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">4. Return pan with oil to medium heat. In quick succession, fry the almonds, then peanuts, then pumpkin seeds, then raisins until toasted, about 1 minute from the time you add the almonds. Transfer all ingredients to paper towels to drain. Return pan to medium heat and fry the bread, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes; transfer to paper towels. Repeat with tortillas. Break bread and tortillas into small pieces and transfer to bowl, along with the almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, raisins, and ground spice mixture; set aside. <span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span style="font-weight: normal">5. Set a fine strainer over a large bowl. Strain oil and return it to Dutch oven. Remove 2 tbsp. of the oil and heat it in an 8” skillet set to medium-high. Place onions, garlic, tomatillos and tomatoes into the bowl of the food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Rinse food processor. Add mixture to skillet and cook, stirring, until mixture has softened and the liquid has evaporated, about 12 minutes. Transfer to bowl with spice mixture along with 2 1⁄2 cups stock. Blend onion/nut/spice mixture in food processor until smooth. Press through the strainer into a bowl; set purée aside.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal"> </p>6.<span style="font-weight: normal;"> Heat reserved Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season chicken pieces with salt. Working in batches, brown each piece, turning once. Transfer chicken to a plate. Pour off all but 3 tbsp. of oil in Dutch oven and return to medium-high heat. Add chile purée; cook, stirring, until thick, 10–12 minutes. Add spice purée, reduce heat, and cook, stirring, for 30 minutes. Stir in 4 cups stock and chocolate; simmer, partially covered and stirring often, for 1 hour. Season mole sauce with salt and sugar to taste; remove from heat.<br /><br />7.</span><span style="font-weight: normal"> Heat oven to 350°. Nestle chicken in mole sauce, dividing among oven-safe dishes if necessary. Bake, covered, for 2 hours. Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining sesame seeds; serve with tortillas, white rice, and cilantro sprigs.</span> <ol start="5"><p style="margin-bottom: 0in"> </p></ol>Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-58830637263713542302012-01-12T17:45:00.012-05:002012-05-14T12:39:15.740-04:00The kitchen sink of stuffed veggie recipesRecently, while shopping at the <a href="http://foodcoop.com/">Co-op</a>, I noticed some beautiful-looking <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delicata_squash">Delicata squashes</a>, and decided to grab a couple. Though I had never cooked with them, I knew they were among my mom's favorite vegetables, and that she'd be able to recommend a good recipe. And I was right: when I queried her via email, she responded that she bakes them, stuffed with a mixture of cottage cheese, apples, and raisins, then tops them with Swiss cheese, which creates a browned, gooey crust. I liked her idea, but it sounded a little too sweet for me, so using that recipe as a base, I riffed my own version of a stuffing.<br />
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First, I sautéed chopped onions and apples in some olive oil, adding some minced garlic and dried thyme once the first ingredients began to break down. Once everything was well cooked, I took some nice clean kale, shredded it up and added it to the pan, covering it to allow the kale to steam. Once that mixture had cooled slightly, I added the rest of the stuffing ingredients: cottage cheese, eggs, breadcrumbs, and grated Parmesan cheese. I portioned this generously between my two halved, par-baked squashes, then topped with more Parmesan cheese, as, well, I didn't have any Swiss. If you wanted to get more decadent, you could add more breadcrumbs to the top along with the cheese, and dot everything with butter before sending it off to the oven. Even if you go that route, you'll still have a pretty virtuous, complete, vegetarian meal:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0L3ORTkZDVhsjuelQjSPrSoG7mnh7rT6GGXSPpByt0FUZX77e8OgjxVvmsjpiOHkWj5sCgJzwmeyJzErIata5FW8f36S3ln0k1HROAxdAjLZUgO-NTF1166HhrjT9VZD1H1wPL0SDl7MU/s1600/002.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696883945128670914" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0L3ORTkZDVhsjuelQjSPrSoG7mnh7rT6GGXSPpByt0FUZX77e8OgjxVvmsjpiOHkWj5sCgJzwmeyJzErIata5FW8f36S3ln0k1HROAxdAjLZUgO-NTF1166HhrjT9VZD1H1wPL0SDl7MU/s570/002.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Baked Stuffed Delicata Squash</b><br />Serves 4<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 medium to large Delicata squashes, halved and seeds removed</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Olive oil</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 medium apples, peeled and finely chopped</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 cloves garlic, minced</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 tsp. dried thyme</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">1/2 c. raisins</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 bunch of kale, rinsed, thick stems removed, and shredded</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">About 1 c. cottage cheese, any style</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 eggs</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">About 1/2 c. breadcrumbs</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">About 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Salt</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Pepper<br /><br />Preparation:<br /><br />1. Preheat the oven to 350</span></span>°. Lightly season the squash with salt and pepper, then bake for about 25 minutes or until flesh is slightly tender. (Make sure the squash halves sit flat on the baking pan. If they don't, use a vegetable peeler to trim a strip or two away from the bottom.)<br />
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2. Prepare the stuffing: in a large, heavy-bottomed pan, heat about 3 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add the apples and onions; a few minutes later, stir in the garlic, raisins and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.<br />
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3. Add the shredded kale and cook, stirring occasionally, until kale is mostly wilted, about 5 - 7 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and allow mixture to cool slightly.<br />
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4. Add cottage cheese, eggs, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Remove squash from oven and divide filling evenly among 4 halves. (If you have any leftover stuffing, bake it in a greased dish alongside.) Top squash with more Parmesan, or, if you prefer, Parmesan + breadcrumbs and some dots of butter.<br />
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5. Return to oven and bake until squash is tender and stuffing is nicely browned, about 25 more minutes. I served the squash with a brown rice pilaf and a beet salad.Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-90499242170063222112012-01-08T18:49:00.012-05:002012-05-14T12:58:04.070-04:00When life gives you...carrots?I'm a proud member of the wonderful <a href="http://crownheightscsa.org/">Crown Heights Farm Share</a>, and I split a winter share with two friends. As such, I'm pretty well covered on root vegetables right now. Just to give you an idea of what farms produce through the cold winter months (or can store through the season), here's an example of what my friends and I received at the last pickup: 5 pounds sweet potatoes, 8 pounds Kueka Gold potatoes, 10 pounds storage carrots, 2 stalks of Brussels sprouts, 2 heads of broccoli, 1 piece of daikon radish, 1 head of Arrow cabbage, 1 bulb kohlrabi, 1 bunch of fresh field carrots, 5 pounds storage beets, 1 head of Napa cabbage, 1 bunch kale, 1 bunch green Romaine lettuce, 1 bunch red Romaine lettuce, 1 bunch green Oak lettuce, and 1 head green Boston lettuce.<br />
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As you can see, what we got was a mix of fresh produce (probably grown in a greenhouse or under plastic tarps) as well as storage produce, that's likely being kept in a cool, dark cellar. Getting a winter farm share is interesting, because it gives you some insight into what people were dealing with back in the days of eating truly locally. Although I supplement my share with imported produce like bananas and avocados, I also try to put myself in the mindset of, oh, say, a 19th century self-sufficient farmer, and try to envision what I would do to keep all those dark greens and starchy roots interesting for my family through the cold, dark months.<br />
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Altogether, my friends and I got more than ten pounds of carrots, in an array of beautiful colors. Here's my share of the loot:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5CVGaW1rlALWBmy6CX_-hy7mwURenc-OslmxlL_Rm2AStWNVpQOo9eZLcEXqO0FINOnlT6hYIXr7v1wwpxyhRt_-fMIeX1hR7iajfP5PDxETIFvjz7O9JefpygBVYrJP4gpOp4RVfTu6/s1600/004.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695415087574273810" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5CVGaW1rlALWBmy6CX_-hy7mwURenc-OslmxlL_Rm2AStWNVpQOo9eZLcEXqO0FINOnlT6hYIXr7v1wwpxyhRt_-fMIeX1hR7iajfP5PDxETIFvjz7O9JefpygBVYrJP4gpOp4RVfTu6/s570/004.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a><br />
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Figuring out what to do with them wasn't hard. I instantly thought of soup, as most cooks do when faced with a surplus of perishable product. I knew I would cook the carrots down and purée them into something smooth and silky, but I wanted to keep the flavors zingy, as sometimes carrots (especially cooked carrots) can tend towards the blandly sweet. First, I decided that I would roast the carrots in the oven before cooking them in the broth, in order to bring out some of the complexities that high heat imparts to vegetables. Then I decided that I would throw a lot of strong, warming spices in with the usual salt and pepper on my carrots. So after a lot of peeling and chopping, I ended up with this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9yZfG4vcAoFqyrLsyaCP-ZMjwKLoT9tmlL9WJfur6m72iBFmnqa6V__NCwhH272-QB0VnSU48qsVA2Xr3fQXYuVjr2O-OnAUAMv2-0ssPKi28bN-DpuQjxmQZZmdvUsRxs18z9SSEM6zm/s1600/012.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695418617284261714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9yZfG4vcAoFqyrLsyaCP-ZMjwKLoT9tmlL9WJfur6m72iBFmnqa6V__NCwhH272-QB0VnSU48qsVA2Xr3fQXYuVjr2O-OnAUAMv2-0ssPKi28bN-DpuQjxmQZZmdvUsRxs18z9SSEM6zm/s570/012.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a><br />
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That's the carrots, some oil and seasoning, plus generous amounts of whole cumin, coriander and mustard seeds. I tossed them and into the oven they went, emerging burnished and fragrant after about forty minutes. Then I sweated some onions, garlic and grated ginger in some olive oil, added the carrots and enough chicken stock to cover, and simmered for about forty minutes, until the carrots rehydrated and melded with the other flavors in the pot. Then, I busted out my handy immersion blender and puréed it all up, adding dollops of plain yogurt as I went. The end result is a surprisingly complex-tasting soup, warm and spicy from the whole seeds, but also cool and tangy from the addition of the yogurt. I actually think this would be excellent cold, but as it's (sort of) chilly outside, I've been eating it hot:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXOTaO-7703c9IAHLnvor8ymZCpV9hJ1t4PLSEsQEbRG9dgC1kJgN_oNhHlbi6G8KId8sDFEElZwO_wzOw_fHehQ-ZK4-s_ZXpSKJt7UoLOOmSlt7oYTEQBmNv_Ly1X-2uKxJGXkR7b-7/s1600/018.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695420168011412962" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXOTaO-7703c9IAHLnvor8ymZCpV9hJ1t4PLSEsQEbRG9dgC1kJgN_oNhHlbi6G8KId8sDFEElZwO_wzOw_fHehQ-ZK4-s_ZXpSKJt7UoLOOmSlt7oYTEQBmNv_Ly1X-2uKxJGXkR7b-7/s570/018.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a><br />
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But wait, I'm not done with my carrot transformations yet! I kept the slender, fresh carrots to the side, cut them into little sticks, and pickled them in a brine made with apple cider vinegar, garlic, mustard seeds and fresh cilantro (I wanted to use dill, but I forgot to buy some). They'll be ready in ten days; I can hardly wait!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1TmSTjJ8MgSbVzuCObN6BaKUhl47l4CxjxyqsIwCp81D3SmpZJYhFx4d5QVQ_E680DxRtKfsU4oxBd0yCUOwi0siWVRUXf-zGytRp-2CPXwgsbw2gzG9Gr2L9wKaAGxlx-yqOSmVEXd_6/s1600/033.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695421319395558930" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1TmSTjJ8MgSbVzuCObN6BaKUhl47l4CxjxyqsIwCp81D3SmpZJYhFx4d5QVQ_E680DxRtKfsU4oxBd0yCUOwi0siWVRUXf-zGytRp-2CPXwgsbw2gzG9Gr2L9wKaAGxlx-yqOSmVEXd_6/s570/033.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a><br />
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<b>Spice-Roasted Carrot Soup with Yogurt</b><br />
Serves 10 - 12<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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3 lbs. carrots, peeled and cut into large, uniform chunks<br />
Grapeseed, canola or other neutral oil<br />
2 tsp. cumin seeds<br />
2 tsp. coriander seeds<br />
1 tbsp. mustard seeds<br />
Salt<br />
Pepper<br />
2 large onions, peeled and cut into a medium dice<br />
2 cloves of garlic, chopped<br />
1 tbsp. grated ginger<br />
About 1 quart chicken or vegetable broth<br />
About 1 1/2 c. plain yogurt<br />
1 lime<br />
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Preparation:<br />
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1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Toss the carrots with a small amount of oil, the cumin, coriander and mustard seeds, and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Turn out onto a sheet tray and place in the oven, stirring occasionally, for about 40 minutes, or until the carrots are nicely browned. Set aside.<br />
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2. When the carrots come out of the oven, heat about 3 tbsp. of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onions and stir; a minute or two later, add the garlic and ginger. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the onions sweat and break down, about ten minutes. Add the roasted carrots and enough broth to cover. Bring to a boil, then drop to a simmer and cook for about 40 minutes, until carrots plump up again.<br />
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3. Use an immersion or standard blender to blend the soup until smooth, adding more chicken stock as needed to maintain a fluid consistency. Work in the yogurt as you go. Squeeze in the juice of the lime and check for seasoning, adding more salt or pepper as needed. Serve hot or cold.<br />
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<b>Pickled Carrots</b><br />
Adapted from <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pickled-Carrot-Sticks-108763">Epicurious.com</a><br />
Makes one jar<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into sticks<br />
1 1/4 c. water<br />
1 c. apple cider vinegar<br />
1/4 c. sugar<br />
1 1/2 tbsp. salt<br />
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed<br />
1 tsp. mustard seeds<br />
Sprig of fresh herbs, such as dill or cilantro<br />
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Preparation:<br />
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1. Fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil. Blanch the carrots in the water for one minute, then remove with a slotted spoon and place in an ice bath, or run under cold water, to stop the cooking.<br />
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2. Choose an appropriate-sized glass jar for the carrots and place it and its lid in the boiling water. Boil for about 7 minutes to sanitize, then remove with tongs.<br />
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3. Combine the water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off heat.<br />
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4. Place carrot sticks in jar. They should fit closely together. Add mustard seeds, garlic and fresh herbs to the jar. Using a funnel, pour in the pickling liquid to top of jar, then seal tightly with the lid. The carrots should be left to pickle for about 10 days. Unopened, they will last for several months.Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-55157495596589968462011-11-10T15:08:00.004-05:002011-11-10T15:51:37.248-05:00As I was saying...In <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2011/10/dark-and-spicy-rosy-and-puckery.html">my last post</a> I talked about some <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2009/01/happy-birthday-to-me.html">pernil </a>tacos and the condiments I made to eat with them. And just by coincidence, I recently whipped up another taco-worthy topping, so I thought I'd piggyback on my most recent entry and share this complementary recipe with you.<br /><br />My summer CSA share ended this week, and it was bittersweet: sweet, because that means the winter CSA share starts up soon; and bitter, because I had to finally say goodbye to all that wonderful warm-weather produce. But bitter, also, for another reason: all those dang radishes.<br /><br />For the last four pickups in a row, I'd gotten bunches of different kinds of radishes, such as slender magenta <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home_garden/the-french-breakfast-radish-makes-a-handy-snack/2011/04/12/AF6E8uBE_story.html">French breakfast radishes</a>, and brightly-hued, multicolored <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/ingredients-vegetables/spring-supper-easter-egg-radishes-048847">Easter egg radishes</a>, to name two types. I was running out of ideas for radishes, people. I sliced them thinly and scattered the pale discs over my salad. I smeared them with good butter and sprinkled them with coarse salt for an appropriately French snack. And then I...shoved the rest of the radishes in my crisper drawer, waiting for inspiration to strike. Now don't get me wrong: I'm a fan of this vegetable, with its crisp, watery, sharp bite. (I also have a more sentimental fondness for it: in a memorable scene in my very favorite children's book, <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Special-Trade-Sally-Wittman/dp/006026554X">A Special Trade</a>, </span>the aging main character pulls a radish out of the ground and gives it to his friend and caretaker, a little girl, to bite into, fresh from the earth.) But it just doesn't seem like the most versatile foodstuff. Luckily, I found the perfect occasion to use up a lot of my radishes when I had friends over for a Mexican-inspired meal of corn tortillas, rice, beans, guacamole, and pickled red onions. What better addition to this spread but a refreshing radish salsa, fiery with jalape<span class="st">ño and bright with fresh cilantro?<br /><br />I'd eaten radish salsa a handful of times before, at some of my favorite Mexican joints (one of the best of this lot being <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/girasol-bakery-brooklyn">Girasol Bakery</a> in south Park Slope), but I'd never m</span><span class="st">ade it at home. Turns out, it couldn't be simpler: you dice up the radishes very finely; add some jalape</span><span class="st">ño, similarly finely chopped; cilantro, salt, and a very generous squeezing of lime juice. As the salsa sits, the flavors meld and the colors bleed, resulting in a bowl of rosy goodness that's equally at home spooned over roast pork as it is over rice and beans:<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFBexE0c9dlVROmGKYaalzZWHB8BoucT5xYV9iVSi7a-YH3iiIp1aejXwesuVi0eNiiSsJFyykBrzl0OH0WmEHhZgqZWuV21HhFbWYLoZBMTSz3IXOlMfOeYVaGdctF1Ne8ajbnZFhHr7b/s1600/003.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFBexE0c9dlVROmGKYaalzZWHB8BoucT5xYV9iVSi7a-YH3iiIp1aejXwesuVi0eNiiSsJFyykBrzl0OH0WmEHhZgqZWuV21HhFbWYLoZBMTSz3IXOlMfOeYVaGdctF1Ne8ajbnZFhHr7b/s400/003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5673469612646273986" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Radish Salsa</span><br />Makes about 1 1/2 cups<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />- 1 bunch radishes of any type, rinsed and very finely diced<br />- 1/2 jalape<span class="st">ño pepper, seeds and ribs removed, minced<br />- A good handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped<br />- The juice of 2 limes<br />- Salt, to taste<br /><br />Preparation:<br /><br />1. Combine the radishes, </span>jalape<span class="st">ño, cilantro and lime juice in a bowl and stir to combine. Salt to taste. (You'll need a fair amount of salt to cut through the acidity of the lime.) For best results, cover and refrigerate for one hour before serving, to allow flavors to meld.<br /></span>Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-4156343690366165152011-10-26T21:55:00.015-04:002011-10-27T00:27:57.895-04:00Dark and spicy, rosy and puckeryWell, it's not yet my birthday (although we're not too far off), but already this year I've had the occasion to make one of my favorite festive dishes, the crowd-nourishing <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2009/01/happy-birthday-to-me.html">slow-cooked</a> <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2010/01/birthday-fun-with-pork.html">pork shoulder</a>. This time, the occasion was a fête to celebrate the arrival of fall (and the last chance to have a big gathering on our huge deck 'afore the weather turns too crisp). Though my roommates and I declared our shindig a potluck, experience has taught us that cooking the bulk of the meal is probably a safe bet if one actually wants to eat something approximating a dinner (fact: most people like to bring beer as their potluck dish). And that was a o.k. by me; I love cooking for a group. While my roommate Dave slaved over a labor-intensive (and delicious) veggie lasagna, I stuck my pork roast in the oven and called it a day.<br /><br />Well, not quite; it's hard for me to let myself off <span style="font-style: italic;">too</span> easy when I cook (I'm working on it). Having decided to prepare the meat in the Puerto Rican style <span style="font-style: italic;">pernil</span>, as opposed to going for the Southern comfort of the BBQ pulled pork I also sometimes make, I opted to serve the finished product in corn tortillas, as tacos. Clearly, I needed some condiments to go with. And it just so happened that days earlier I had noticed some mighty fine-lookin' <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomatillo">tomatillos</a> at the Co-op, and thought about how I had never cooked with them before. Immediately, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salsa_verde#Mexican_salsa_verde">salsa verde</a>, that vibrant, often incendiary Mexican preparation came to mind. One down, one to go; in addition to heat, my tacos would need some crunch. Given my recent obsession with canning, I decided that a quick pickle of red onions was the way to go.<br /><br />For the onions, I used a simple recipe from <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.blogger.com/www.epicurious.com">Epicurious</a>; in addition to the onions, it calls for exactly three ingredients: apple cider vinegar, water, and salt. It takes about five minutes to throw together; I bet you could make it right now. Go ahead, then! Need a further push? Just look at how pretty the finished pickle looks, all glowing and rosy pink:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwyIYt5MQGwHUFCjSQFlDe3eZvjTd2saMp2s1E0_WBj1ROr-H-u16VEUFawDRdByq-FfMgTEAKRQCJYSTfPXhrz7igvNxpma8WtCEiFV3Ze65R4OYo99mx1nJWjszhd8rBinSPmfO7UQQ/s1600/011.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwyIYt5MQGwHUFCjSQFlDe3eZvjTd2saMp2s1E0_WBj1ROr-H-u16VEUFawDRdByq-FfMgTEAKRQCJYSTfPXhrz7igvNxpma8WtCEiFV3Ze65R4OYo99mx1nJWjszhd8rBinSPmfO7UQQ/s400/011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667995306597779986" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />For the salsa, I adapted a recipe from <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.bonappetit.com"><span style="font-style: italic;">Bon Appétit</span></a>; similarly approachable, it called for the tomatillos to be boiled together with a few <span class="ingredient"><span class="name">jalapeños, then whirled in a blender with fresh parsley, cilantro and mint, and not a small amount of garlic. Looking for a clean flavor, I left out the dried cumin the recipe called for; I also found the finished salsa to be lacking in acidity, and corrected that with both apple cider vinegar and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. I see that <span style="font-style: italic;">Bon App</span></span></span><span style="font-style: italic;">étit</span><span class="ingredient"><span class="name"> didn't post a photo of the sals</span></span><span class="ingredient"><span class="name">a, and neither will I; its hue wasn't exactly appetizing. But piled together with the pork and pickled onions, I doesn't look half bad; nay, the colors are almost complementary:<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNaUWw5x0SZk8gVJuDfw7vJ-DTeSQ_EKRJaM7rKLzBbTMGVr8mbCg8KVJTcHDxJ_HmdaNS6s40FCjTvzoUCpxFDNOcu-Tly9pR-VQdnv-cqZhnTmw9AbD2O9XiwheycTFIWTkkAe_HTU1Y/s1600/016.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNaUWw5x0SZk8gVJuDfw7vJ-DTeSQ_EKRJaM7rKLzBbTMGVr8mbCg8KVJTcHDxJ_HmdaNS6s40FCjTvzoUCpxFDNOcu-Tly9pR-VQdnv-cqZhnTmw9AbD2O9XiwheycTFIWTkkAe_HTU1Y/s400/016.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667998442235756002" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Pickled Red Onions</span><br />Adapted from <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pickled-Red-Onions-1222211">epicurious.com</a><br />Makes about 2 cups<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />- 2 red onions, sliced into half-moons<br />- 1 c. apple cider vinegar<br />- 1 tsp. salt<br />- Water<br /><br />Preparation:<br /><br />1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Blanch the onions for one minute, then drain and shock in an ice bath. Drain again.<br />2. Return onions to the pot and add the vinegar, salt, and enough cold water to just cover the onions. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer one minute; transfer onions and brine to glass jars and let cool. <span style="font-style: italic;">Note: if planning to can (preserve) the onions, you will need to sterilize the jars.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Canned onions keep indefinitely; if not preserving, transfer the jars to the refrigerator, where they will keep for about a month.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Salsa Verde<br /></span></span>Adapted from <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2007/06/salsa_verde">bonappetit.com</a><br />Makes about 4 cups<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span></span>Ingredients:<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span><span class="ingredient"><span class="quantity"><br /><br />- 3</span> lbs. <span class="name">tomatillos, husked, rinsed</span></span><span class="ingredient"><span class="quantity"><br />- 2</span> <span class="name">large jalapeños, stems (but not seeds) removed</span></span><span class="ingredient"><span class="quantity"><br />- 5</span> <span class="name">garlic cloves, peeled</span></span><span class="ingredient"><span class="quantity"><br /></span><span class="name"></span></span><span class="ingredient"><span class="quantity">- 1 </span><span class="name">bunch fresh cilantro, thick bottom stems trimmed</span></span><span class="ingredient"><span class="quantity"><br />- 1/2 bunch fresh parsley, thick bottoms stems trimmed</span><span class="name"></span></span><span class="ingredient"><span class="quantity"><br />- Handful</span><span class="name"> fresh mint leaves</span></span><span class="ingredient"><span class="quantity"><br />- 1 1/2</span> tbsp. <span class="name">vegetable oil</span></span><span class="ingredient"><span class="quantity"><br />- About 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar<br />- Juice of 1 lime<br />- About 1 1/2</span> tsp. <span class="name">salt</span> </span><div class="ingredient-set"> </div><div style="overflow: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; border: medium none;"><br /></div>Preparation:<br /><br />1. Place tomatillos and <span class="ingredient"><span class="name">jalapeños in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Drop to a simmer and let cook until tomatillos are soft, about 15 minutes. Drain.<br />2. Place tomatillos and </span></span><span class="ingredient"><span class="name">jalapeños in the bowl of a blender or food processor. Add garlic and herbs, and pulse to combine, then let run until smooth.<br />3. Return mixture to the pot, add oil and let simmer for 5 - 10 more minutes, until salsa thickens. Remove from heat. Add cider vinegar, lime juice and salt; taste and correct seasoning. Let cool and serve.<br /></span></span>Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-57673014005969304042011-10-13T10:38:00.008-04:002011-10-13T11:57:29.353-04:00Yet another pesto recipeBrowsing my <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2008/04/recipe-index.html">recipe index</a> here on this site, it's easy to see some themes in what I cook: <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/search/label/Asian">Asian </a>food. <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/search/label/vegetarian">Vegetarian </a>food. And not a <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2009/04/starch-on-starch-and-some-musings-on.html">small amount</a> of <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2011/04/pesto-for-printemps.html">pesto</a>.<br /><br />OK, you got me--I only have two recipes for pesto published here. But even so, I think two types of pesto is more than many people conceive of. For most of us, the word pesto makes us think of that classic combination of fresh basil, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese. But as I've talked about before, the ways in which you could deviate from that norm (different herb or even bitter green; other nuts besides pine nuts) are basically endless.<br /><br />Besides its versatility, the other thing that I love about pesto is how it basically acts as a means of preservation. Having joined a CSA this summer, I've learned what it feels like to be drowning in untreated, quickly perishable produce, and as a result I've increasingly turned to jarring and canning, making mostly things like jams and fruit butters. But pesto is another great way to keep your produce around a little longer: tightly sealed, it keeps in the freezer for a very long time. Plus, since it's made up mostly of oil, it never freezes totally solid, making it super easy to just scoop out a portion or two when you're boiling up some pasta--no need to freeze it in individual portion sizes.<br /><br />So now that I've sold you on the idea of all pesto, all the time, let's get to the recipe, shall we? This particular one utilizes the bitter greens of two tasty root vegetables--beets and radishes. After a very quick blanch in some boiling water just to negate any too-bitter compounds in the greens, they get blitzed with some toasted walnuts, mild oil, and parmesan cheese. This pesto is excellent, of course, served with any kind of pasta, but also makes a nice sauce when thinned down a bit and drizzled over a rich fish filet, such as salmon.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsnnlYgPAuuRTx1CN2JkiqhZ3yrWPOFp20WFDKOzj_q1117p_rNFbS6yQTZ4abZ9QwN68MiMPwlfA6o-bmCcY9jiJByBX-CJUfeiiR057i-QbxKyO5qZlN5YhRC8y3tqCIzGhISnMp18FB/s1600/011.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsnnlYgPAuuRTx1CN2JkiqhZ3yrWPOFp20WFDKOzj_q1117p_rNFbS6yQTZ4abZ9QwN68MiMPwlfA6o-bmCcY9jiJByBX-CJUfeiiR057i-QbxKyO5qZlN5YhRC8y3tqCIzGhISnMp18FB/s400/011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663003975445842162" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />Bitter Greens Pesto</span><br />Makes about two cups<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />- 2 bunches of bitter greens, such as beet or radish tops, dandelion, or watercress, rinsed and spun dry<br />- 2/3 c. walnut halves or pieces, lightly toasted and cooled<br />- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped<br />- Up to 3/4 c. mild oil--I use a combination of grapeseed oil and olive oil<br />- 1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese<br />- Salt<br />- Pepper<br /><br />Preparation:<br /><br />1. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. In the meantime, prepare an ice bath: fill a large mixing bowl with cold water, and add a handful or two of ice. Also have a colander ready.<br />2. When water is boiling, drop in greens and allow them to cook for about 30 seconds. Immediately drain them in the colander, then transfer them to the ice bath. When cooled, use your hands or a towel to squeeze out as much extra water as possible, then roughly chop.<br />3. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the walnuts with the garlic until both are mostly chopped. Add the greens and pulse again. Season with salt and pepper. Then, while machine is running, drizzle in the oil, stopping when pesto reaches desired consistency--it should not be too thin. Finally, add the parmesan cheese and pulse to combine. Check for seasoning.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Note: if freezing the pesto, choose a sturdy container that is just big enough, and press a layer of plastic wrap right onto the surface of the pesto before sealing with the lid.</span>Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-83002789658852680532011-08-09T11:35:00.011-04:002011-08-09T12:51:04.791-04:00A starring role for a supporting cast memberBread: it's the staff of life. Delicious and nutritious (despite what those Atkins people say), we all love it, we all crave it. But usually, we relegate it to some minor position in our meal; not even as important as a side dish, it's consumed to stave off hunger pangs at the beginning of a meal, or nibbled as a sort of afterthought alongside. It's time to bring bread into the fold, folks, and I aim to do that today by sharing two recent recipes that starred bread as the main character, or at least the equally-billed costar.
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<br />First up is a quick lunch I whipped up after returning home from my CSA pickup one week. I had gotten a bunch of beets, and wanted to figure out a way to use the greens, whose flavor I adore. I didn't have much else in the house besides a loaf of whole wheat sourdough and some eggs. So I thought to saut<span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">é up the greens and pile them on top of the toasted bread, crowning everything with a runny-yolked poached egg. Here's what it looked like:
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<br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbuvX7POht6xz3RUCwJXCQZ9jtl7yuXzGklQ0M1kOVMhdSNtFw631opnLYhcfNCSjapwv1MT9Elms1a00n6xx4-dH3FFLSYJA0YdGPF-k7Z-twcpJrjfgU953WPg2xxjfrudPBKeVE1YMh/s1600/004.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbuvX7POht6xz3RUCwJXCQZ9jtl7yuXzGklQ0M1kOVMhdSNtFw631opnLYhcfNCSjapwv1MT9Elms1a00n6xx4-dH3FFLSYJA0YdGPF-k7Z-twcpJrjfgU953WPg2xxjfrudPBKeVE1YMh/s400/004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638885512220651650" border="0" /></a>
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<br />And yesterday evening, as I was biking home from a day of new apartment-related errands, I was struck suddenly with August Tomato Fever. It's something we all get around this time of year, I think: the unstoppable urge to eat fresh, sweet and acidic summer tomatoes, all the time, for the rest of the season and, if possible, early into the next one. I realized I hadn't had any local tomatoes yet this year, and was able to find some beautiful mini heirloom ones when I stopped into the Co-op. I didn't want to do much to them--just cut them up, maybe add some basil--and that's when it occurred to me to make a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzanella">panzanella </a>salad for dinner. One of those classic Italian dishes that comes from poverty (like the bread soup <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribollita">ribollita </a>or <a href="http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/28563342/ns/today-food/t/lidias-bucatini-homemade-bread-crumbs/#.TkFbQ4IRaSo">pasta with breadcrumbs</a>), this recipe doesn't call for much besides bread (stale, if you have it!), tomatoes, basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar--plus, more luxuriously if you've got it, fresh mozzarella cheese. I added a little bit of red onion and lemon zest to mine, to brighten the flavors, and what I got was a big bowl of summer, bursting with the brightness of tomatoes and the richness of good olive oil--all without lighting a single burner:
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_bVCwi6m8tPm5G8nsJTvNJq_Tf5Fx-x8SLcOcQN1ae65KVm5exnE65ybnkqtXPZj4qQCbWlR7ofh5PLNzuH0gU1zmFxG-IdonmXxqlYSubGsGILpYNfz9zylzjEuG1gocvr0DVgPN4F3/s1600/009.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_bVCwi6m8tPm5G8nsJTvNJq_Tf5Fx-x8SLcOcQN1ae65KVm5exnE65ybnkqtXPZj4qQCbWlR7ofh5PLNzuH0gU1zmFxG-IdonmXxqlYSubGsGILpYNfz9zylzjEuG1gocvr0DVgPN4F3/s400/009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638891178470676370" border="0" /></a>
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<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Garlic Toast with Saut</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic;">éed Beet Greens and a Poached Egg</span>
<br />Serves 1, for lunch or a light meal
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<br />Ingredients:
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<br />- 1 small bunch of beet greens, rinsed and drained, with any large stems removed, chopped
<br />- 1 thick slice of good bread such as sourdough or whole wheat
<br />- 1 egg
<br />- 1 clove garlic, peeled, plus 1 clove chopped
<br />- Any light vinegar, such as white vinegar, white wine vinegar, or rice wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp.
<br />- Olive oil
<br />- Salt
<br />- Pepper
<br />- Red pepper flakes, optional
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<br />Preparation:
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<br />1. Prepare the beet greens: heat a small amount of olive oil in pan set over a medium flame. Add chopped garlic plus a sprinkling of red pepper flakes, if desired. After about 20 seconds, add the beet greens and cook, stirring occasionally, until greens are tender, about 6 - 8 minutes.</span></span><span style="";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;"> Season greens to taste and set aside.
<br />2. In the meantime, work on the egg and the toast. Set a small pot of water to the boil, then drop to a simmer. While waiting, toast your bread, then rub it on one side with the garlic clove.
<br />3. When water is at a gentle simmer, add the 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar. Crack egg into a small dish and carefully lower the egg into the water. You can use a spoon to gently encourage the white of the egg to encircle the yolk. Cook at a simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes depending on how runny you like your yolk, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
<br />4. Assemble the dish: heap the beet greens on top of the garlic-rubbed side of the toast, then add the poached egg. Season egg with salt and pepper, and eat immediately.
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<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Panzanella (Italian Bread Salad with Tomatoes and Mozzarella)</span>
<br />Serves 1 as a main dish, 2 as a side
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<br />Ingredients:
<br />
<br />- 1/2 loaf of good bread, such as sourdough or Italian-style, stale is fine, cut into large cubes
<br />- 1/2 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved, or any good ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks, about 2 tomatoes
<br />- 1/2 bunch of fresh basil, thinly sliced
<br />- 1/4 red onion, cut into a very small dice
<br />- Zest of half a lemon
<br />- 1 ball of fresh mozzarella, cut into chunks the same size as the tomatoes
<br />- Salt
<br />- Pepper
<br />- Olive oil
<br />- Balsamic vinegar
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<br />1. Toast your bread: place bread on a small tray and toast in a toaster oven or the regular oven until just crisp, about 4 minutes. Set aside.
<br />2. Toss tomatoes with a small amount of salt and pepper, and set aside for a few minutes to allow the tomatoes to "marinate" and give off some juice.
<br />3. Combine bread, tomatoes, basil, red onion, and lemon zest in a bowl. Toss with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste: you want the salad to be nice and juicy, and will probably need around 4 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon vinegar.
<br />4. Just before serving, arrange the mozzarella over the top of the salad.
<br /></span></span>Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-75984587593053469242011-07-30T10:12:00.005-04:002012-05-10T21:22:53.774-04:00Whole grain goodness, in shades of pinkIn <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2011/07/back-with-bushel-of-zucchini.html">my last post</a> I talked about the wonderful CSA<span class="st">—</span>that's the <a href="http://crownheightscsa.org/">Crown Heights CSA</a>, to be exact<span class="st">—</span>that I joined at the beginning of the summer. The produce I've been picking up weekly has been unfailingly fresh, great looking and even better tasting, and this Tuesday's haul was no exception. Among other items, I received a thick, verdant bunch of scallions, a large handful of palely golden wax beans, and three fat beets<span class="st">—</span>one of my favorite vegetables of all time. With temperatures holding steady in the 90s the whole week, I knew that these veggies were destined to be eaten cold. The question was how to bring them together into harmony.<br />
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I thought about the different kinds of cold salads that we eat during the summer<span class="st">—</span>beets with goat cheese, a pasta salad to chuck the beans into<span class="st">—</span>and immediately dismissed them as been there, done that. I wanted to try something new. That's when I remembered the cold rice salads that my mom often made when I was growing up, usually with brown rice, vegetables, toasted nuts, etc. (my mother was really ahead of the curve when it came to eating and enjoying whole grains). I decided to take a cue from her, but also to go a step further into unknown territory by using a less common grain. My first thought was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spelt">spelt</a>, but the only version the <a href="http://foodcoop.com/">Co-op</a> carried was imported from Italy and a small bag cost a whopping six dollars. Right nearby, though, was a bag of equal size of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheat_berries">wheatberries</a>, priced to move at an incredible <span style="font-style: italic;">55 cents</span>. That's my kind of deal, people! I grabbed it up.<br />
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At home, I simmered the wheatberries in salted water for about 40 minutes (contrary to popular belief, wheat berries do not need to be soaked before cooking) until they were tender, then drained them and allowed them to cool. In the meantime, I boiled up my beets, peeled and diced them, and cut up and blanched my wax beans. I combined everything in a big bowl, adding liberal amounts of sliced scallions and chopped parsley, as well as a lemon-olive oil dressing. And then I took a picture:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKNNb2lBqet3_NZMOZYzw-feT60Vgt4AO_I1A_Tg8K7zK1RMqM1LXfKvLOxWkdkmcfBHDZ9n3KOoyxLx3U7ZbvZfIHV4Urriz8djrzkdqzuQz0ptKRdQFdCYo6DiSeAa9As3U_YMRRp73g/s1600/010.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635153632341199314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKNNb2lBqet3_NZMOZYzw-feT60Vgt4AO_I1A_Tg8K7zK1RMqM1LXfKvLOxWkdkmcfBHDZ9n3KOoyxLx3U7ZbvZfIHV4Urriz8djrzkdqzuQz0ptKRdQFdCYo6DiSeAa9As3U_YMRRp73g/s570/010.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a><br />
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But the story didn't end there, folks: oh no, it had just begun. You see, I wanted to take the photo a) while there was still natural light; and b) before the beets <span style="font-style: italic;">totally</span> took over and dyed everything magenta (as opposed to the early, and still quite beautiful, subtle stage of blush that you see here). But there were more things to come for this salad: right before serving it, I dotted the top with fresh Spanish goat cheese<span class="st">—</span>you could also use something like feta or ricotta salata<span class="st">—</span>and sprinkled on some chopped toasted walnuts. With the snap of the beans, the sweetness of the beets, the nuttiness of the wheat berries and the creaminess of the cheese, I'd say this summer salad definitely achieved the harmony<span class="st">—</span>nay, the symphony<span class="st">—</span>that I was looking for.<br />
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<b>Wheatberry Salad with Beets, Wax Beans and Fresh Cheese</b><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Serves 6 - 8 as a side dish, 4 as a main<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><br />
Ingredients:<br />
1 cup wheatberries, picked through to remove any debris or hard grains <br />
1/2 lb. wax beans, trimmed and cut into halves or thirds depending on length (or substitute green beans)<br />
3 large beets, trimmed and cut into quarters, but not peeled<br />
3 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced<br />
1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped<br />
Juice of 2 lemons<br />
Olive oil<br />
Salt<br />
Pepper<br />
4 oz. fresh cheese, such as goat or sheep's milk, or use a mild feta or ricotta salata, cut into cubes or broken up into pieces<br />
1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted and chopped<br />
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Preparation:<br />
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1. Fill a medium pot with water and set it to boil. Add a generous amount of salt, then add the wheatberries. Drop to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 40 - 50 minutes, or until wheatberries are tender. Drain and allow to cool.<br />
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2. In the meantime, fill a second medium pot with water. Set it to boil and salt generously. Drop in the beans and cook for exactly two minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon<span class="st">—</span>do not drain, you'll need the water for the beets<span class="st">—</span>and immediately rinse beans with very cold water to stop the cooking process.<br />
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3. Bring the bean water back to a boil and add the beets. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the beets are tender. Drain beets, then place them in a bowl while they are still hot. Cover bowl with a large plate (or with plastic wrap) and let the beets steam up as they cool down. This will make it a cinch to peel them. When cool enough to handle, peel beets and cut them into small pieces.<br />
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4. When wheat berries, beans and beets are cooked and cooled, combine in a large bowl. Add the scallions and parsley.<br />
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5. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice with olive oil to taste, probably about the same quantity, or slightly more, as of the lemon juice. Season generously with salt and pepper. Pour over salad, and stir to combine. Chill in fridge until ready to eat.<br />
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6. Before serving, garnish the salad with the cheese and the walnuts.<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;"></span>Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-30304020386637807932011-07-21T10:29:00.015-04:002011-07-22T20:05:00.320-04:00Back, with a bushel of zucchiniI've been back in the States almost two months now and this is the first free moment I've found to write on the blog. Life has been a flurry, of moving around, job hunting, catching up with friends and visiting all the New York spots that I missed while I was away. But things are finally taking on a sense of normalcy, allowing me some time to tell you about something important: summer zucchini.<br /><br />When I got back from France, I did two things almost immediately: one, became a member of the <a href="http://foodcoop.com/">Park Slope Food Co-op</a>, that alternately venerated and misunderstood Brooklyn temple of local and organic food; and two, signed up for a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community-supported_agriculture">CSA share</a> of local fruit and vegetables. Having spent a long time in Europe, where, it seems to me, people are both more passionate and more discriminating than the majority of us Americans when it comes to the quality of their food, I would say that my growing interest in healthy, sustainable produce pretty much reached its peak. I didn't want to go back, upon returning home, to eating ordinary supermarket items flown in from California or Argentina or wherever. And I haven't looked back.<br /><br />Anyone even marginally familiar with vegetable gardening knows about summer squash and, well, what a beast it is, basically. This vegetable (I suppose it is biologically a fruit) just erupts out of the ground come late June, fruiting and fruiting and producing tons of zucchinis. Gardeners sometimes don't know what to do with all their bounty, giving them away to neighbors, turning them into breads and cakes. There are even numerous gardeners' sayings about zucchini (here's a sample one "Zucchinis, terrific/Like bunnies, prolific!"). I've <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2009/07/fruits-of-my-labor.html">grown zucchini myself </a>so I know this to be true, and just in case I'd forgotten, my weekly CSA share has certainly reminded me. For weeks now we've been getting bunches of small squash in all varieties: yellow and green; pattypan, crookneck, and everything in between. Fortunately for me, I love zucchini. Not so fortunately, I've been super busy at work lately, leaving little time to cook. So quite inadvertently, a small stockpile of squash began building up in my refrigerator's crisper drawer, until I finally found the time, yesterday, to deploy my arsenal.<br /><br />Like any true NYC summer, this one, so far, has been humid and blazing hot. So what I wanted from my zucchini was something to cool me down. I improvised a simple chilled soup, first saut<span style="";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">éing chopped green onions and garlic (also from my CSA) in olive oil, then adding a whole mess of chunked zucchini. I let that sweat down just a little bit, then added water almost to cover (the zucchini will let out a lot of liquid as it cooks, so you want to be careful not to add too much water). Once the squash was tender, I pur</span></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">éed the soup in batches in the blender, adding a couple of dollops of plain yogurt, plus a few fresh mint leaves and some additional seasoning, as I went. When everything was smooth and light green, I let the soup chill in the fridge before enjoying it with some homemade croutons. Say hello to my new favorite summer </span></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">lunch:<br /><br /></span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqGL3aabCn1_IfofWW2gP2Ew9rtq2nTaYo4gX3uxtIOSh8bVO1Wm9xv25jetQ3UaA7LNtSouZ4q1gtnxIyu9_0SPW6l1pC8oo5BHXvl30Qf_p2KV_dYcTRZRLm-Zfu-uUG3vY-Vo16WHN/s1600/065.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqGL3aabCn1_IfofWW2gP2Ew9rtq2nTaYo4gX3uxtIOSh8bVO1Wm9xv25jetQ3UaA7LNtSouZ4q1gtnxIyu9_0SPW6l1pC8oo5BHXvl30Qf_p2KV_dYcTRZRLm-Zfu-uUG3vY-Vo16WHN/s400/065.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632327562297562978" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Chilled Summer Squash Soup with Yogurt and Mint</span><br />Serves 8<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />- 4 tbsp. olive oil<br />- 1 bunch scallions, trimmed of any brown or stringy parts, roughly chopped<br />- 3 cloves garlic, chopped<br />- 3 lbs. summer squash of any variety, chopped into rough pieces<br />- Water<br />- Salt<br />- Pepper<br />- About 1 cup plain yogurt<br />- A handful of fresh mint leaves, washed<br /><br />Preparation:<br /><br />1. In a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over a medium flame. Add the scallions and stir; add the garlic a few minutes later. Season with some salt and saut</span></span><span style="";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">é for a few minutes, until the scallions start to break down.<br />2. Add the squash along with a few pinches of salt and a few grinds of pepper and stir to combine. Let the squash sweat for 4 or 5 minutes, then add just enough water to almost cover the squash, about 4 cups. Cover and bring to a boil, then drop to a steady simmer and leave partially covered.<br />3. Cook soup until squash is just tender, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and, working in batches, ladle the soup into a blender (you can also leave the soup in the pot and use an immersion blender). Pur</span></span><span style="";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">ée, adding a dollop of yogurt, plus a few mint leaves and additional seasoning, with each batch. If the soup is looking too thin, try to leave behind some of your cooking liquid, and if too thick, add more.<br />4. Check soup for seasoning and allow to chill in the fridge for several hours. Serve, garnishing with additional chopped mint and, preferably, some homemade croutons (see recipe below).<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Homemade Croutons</span><br />Makes two cups<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />- Day-old bread, preferably crusty (ie, a baguette), cut into small cubes and yielding 2 cups<br />- 3 tbsp. olive oil<br />- Salt<br />- Pepper<br />- Dried herbs, such as thyme, oregano, sage, etc.<br /><br />Preparation:<br /><br />1. In a bowl, toss the bread cubes with the olive oil, a generous amount of salt and pepper, and a sprinkling of the herbs. Make sure each cube is coated in oil.<br />2. Place bread cubes in a large wide skillet set over medium-low heat and cook, tossing occasionally, for about 6 - 10 minutes, or until bread is fragrant, golden, and crunchy. Let cool completely before serving.<br />3. Alternatively, you can bake the croutons in a 325</span></span>° oven. Set bread cubes on a sheet tray and bake, stirring occasionally, for about <span style="";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">6 - 10 minutes, or until bread is fragrant, golden, and crunchy. Let cool completely before serving.</span></span><br /><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);" class=" down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link"></span></span>Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-11264927265812916752011-04-11T11:19:00.012-04:002011-04-11T16:23:51.307-04:00A French dinner, by way of MexicoGot a whole bunch of tomatoes lying around? Like, 2 pounds of tomatoes? Well grab 'em, because you're going to need them (seeded, chopped) for this recipe:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGEgAKjVHi0q0PbHgS4D9VH3qkbqJaxlS-12Tg3PBCyvfImqxRGw2dX0-tZLGZDF9WjjsUlmcFRytp-mFHfhaU1Mz0m3KQkuRjb05uqjYaayfsALqWsMbUlEdBhU2dv6nE19vbvJTxJlZM/s1600/062.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGEgAKjVHi0q0PbHgS4D9VH3qkbqJaxlS-12Tg3PBCyvfImqxRGw2dX0-tZLGZDF9WjjsUlmcFRytp-mFHfhaU1Mz0m3KQkuRjb05uqjYaayfsALqWsMbUlEdBhU2dv6nE19vbvJTxJlZM/s400/062.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594347322846132226" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Oh, and that's right--I almost forgot to mention your huge bunch of fresh parsley. You'll be needing that, too.<br /><br />The dish I'm talking about today is <span style="font-style: italic;">pescado a la Veracruzana</span>, or fish, Verucruz style. The name <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veracruz">Veracruz</a> refers both to the state and the port city located on the eastern coast of Mexico. I was there, for two days, in early 2006, when my friend Malcolm and I stayed on after a community service trip to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oaxaca">Oaxaca </a>to explore the country a bit. We were pressed for time during our travels, but we still wanted to make it to the beach to swim and to beat the heat. Overwhelmingly, we were told that the western coast of the country was where to go for beautiful sand and pristine waters, but our research turned up the fact that the nearest western beach from where we were at the time could be reached only after a bus ride of eight to nine hours. We decided to see about going to the eastern coast instead. Bam! Veracruz, in a measly four hours. Bus tickets were purchased. We were excited.<br /><br />During our stay, locals that we met often inquired about me and Malcolm's itinerary. Well, we told them, we're going to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico_City">Mexico City</a>--also known as the D.F., or <span style="font-style: italic;">Distrito Federal</span>--for about 5 days. The locals nodded in appreciation. Also, we confessed, we'll be going to Veracruz for a day or two. The locals paused. Tactfully, they inquired, "Oh, I see. Why?" We explained ourselves: lack of time, desire to swim. "Why?" we asked. "Is it not so nice?" The locals, ever polite, assured us that it was fine, but often added, in a smaller, affectedly unconcerned voice, that there were lots of sharks in the water. "Be careful," they said. Malcolm and I encountered this same scenario at least 5 or 6 times, until it became a joke. We were going to Veracruz. We were determined not to be eaten by sharks.<br /><br />When we got there, what we found was a small, slightly seedy, slightly dirty, but on the whole more or less charming port city. We walked around the central plaza, or <span style="font-style: italic;">zocalo</span>. We ate the fruit ices that everyone in town was eating. We had an adventurous dinner of some kind of offal-ish pork cut. We made our plans for the beach the next day. Unfortunately, when we got up the next morning, we discovered that Malcolm had been struck down by the dreaded traveler's illness <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montezuma%27s_Revenge_%28illness%29#Montezuma.27s_revenge">Montezuma's Revenge.</a> After some negotiation with the hotel management to let Malcolm rest in the comfort of our room for the remainder of the day, instead of checking out as we had planned to, he settled in for the long haul, while I packed my bag to head out to the beach. After a long bus ride for which I didn't have exact change and therefore couldn't pay, earning me dirty looks from the driver for the entire ride, I arrived at a flat, not so pretty, beach. But it was a beach nonetheless. Setting my fears aside, I swam a little. I read my book. I tanned, or rather, burned to a crisp, since Malcolm wasn't there to sunscreen my back. After a while, as I tend to do, I got hungry.<br /><br />It probably won't surprise you to discover that my main interest while traveling is the local cuisine, and therefore to know that when I decided to head to Veracruz, I tried to read up on what to eat there. As it turned out, the city is quite famous for the fish dish mentioned above. So, that day at beach, I was determined to find me some <span style="font-style: italic;">pescado a la Veracruzana</span>, if only so that the trip there wasn't a total bust. I happened upon it at a casual seaside restaurant not fifty paces from the shore, and, despite my pretty much lifelong <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2011/02/not-your-ordinary-fish-cake.html">ambivalence about eating fish</a>, when the dish arrived to my table I knew I was in for something good. It was a pristine white fillet of fish--most likely red snapper--bathed in a beautiful, and beautiful-smelling, fresh tomato sauce, its red flecked with the varying shades of green of parsley, olives and capers. I dug in. It was delicious, rich with flavor while still being light and not too filling. I was sold. When I got back to the U.S., I recreated the dish several times, and it remains my favorite way to prepare fish, period.<br /><br />It doesn't hurt that it's so easy to make. Basically, you saut<span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">é chopped onions and garlic, sprinkling in a healthy dose of oregano (preferably of Mexican origin) towards the end of this process. Then you add a copious amount of chopped tomatoes, plus chopped green olives and some whole capers, as well as some water to create a broth. After letting these flavors simmer and meld for a few minutes, you slip in your fish fillets that you've briefly marinated in a mixture of lime juice and salt, and you let them poach just a few minutes until they're flaky and cooked through. Before serving over rice, you add a generous showering of chopped fresh parsley, and you cut up some limes to squeeze over at the table. Ta</span></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">ke it from me: this dish is a winner, and it tastes just as good in the U.S., or France, or wherever you might be, as it does in its hometown.<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJfM2v2wTfIZpxfofPdzOBpTgYWXc3RFAd4D5LbUA_k91vg_hW5jsQyIxChWq2a7ZcBz7wZEAhSAzdt1-P67qy00AlxUpzGCqOVgoSEelwKt-QOzJF0AHCt30fYmUMvuOU5nlwfP6mD5t/s1600/064.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJfM2v2wTfIZpxfofPdzOBpTgYWXc3RFAd4D5LbUA_k91vg_hW5jsQyIxChWq2a7ZcBz7wZEAhSAzdt1-P67qy00AlxUpzGCqOVgoSEelwKt-QOzJF0AHCt30fYmUMvuOU5nlwfP6mD5t/s400/064.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594359862854682898" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Pescado a la Veracruzana</span><br />Serves 4 - 6<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />- 6 white fish fillets, such as snapper, cod, flounder, tilapia, etc.<br />- Juice of 4 or 5 limes, plus more limes for slicing<br />- 3 tbsp. olive oil<br />- 1 white or yellow onion, sliced into thin half-moons<br />- 3 cloves of garlic, minced<br />- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste<br />- 2 tsp. dried oregano, preferably Mexican, or to taste<br />- 3 c. (about 2 lbs.) seeded and chopped tomatoes<br />- 1/2 c. green olives, pitted and chopped<br />- 3 tbsp. capers, rinsed<br />- 1 c. water<br />- Salt, to taste<br />- 1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley<br />- Limes, for slicing<br /><br />Preparation:<br /><br />1. Place fish fillets in a shallow dish and pour lime juice over. Sprinkle with a small amount of salt, and place in the refrigerator to marinate.<br />2. In a deep, wide, and heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over a medium flame. Add the onions and garlic and a pinch of salt and saut<span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">é, stirring frequently, for about 6 minutes, or until onions are soft and translucent.<br />3. Add the red pepper flakes and oregano. Stir to coat and heat through.<br />4. Add the tomatoes, olives, capers and water and stir to combine. Add more salt, to taste (be careful here. The olives and capers add quite a bit of salt to the sauce). Bring sauce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes.<br />5. Gently slip the fish fillets into the sauce; cover the pan partially. Cook until fish is cooked through but still flaky, about 8 - 10 minutes.<br />6. Sprinkle the parsley over the dish and serve over rice, with lime wedges.<br /></span></span>Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-82414138943738114942011-04-01T07:55:00.024-04:002011-04-03T17:03:37.060-04:00A Pesto for PrintempsThat's spring, for you non-Francophones out there. As I discussed in <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/2011/03/it-was-supposed-to-be-so-simple.html">my last post</a>, spring, glorious spring has sprung in Toulouse--as I write this, my bedroom windows, which open on our huge, overgrown garden, are flung wide, allowing soft, cool breezes and lazy sunlight to gently filter in.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Hr7mfv7j5cABdfegcMsy4z6ZgReLOvC2kER9jkwxNmXzLvAyeyHXgdH8NLQKDg8z0sM4fXIbVyNIZsuKeybLWKwuBvqwHW0qTahMC1RjQKpC67DUdxa7syw4VJUB3fo66kvETMImKb3L/s1600/027+%25282%2529.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Hr7mfv7j5cABdfegcMsy4z6ZgReLOvC2kER9jkwxNmXzLvAyeyHXgdH8NLQKDg8z0sM4fXIbVyNIZsuKeybLWKwuBvqwHW0qTahMC1RjQKpC67DUdxa7syw4VJUB3fo66kvETMImKb3L/s400/027+%25282%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590587064580931250" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I really lucked out with this garden. You see, I set up my housing here in Toulouse before I left New York, taking a gamble on my room, housemates, etc. I'm happy to say that the place I live is truly better than anything I could have imagined: situated at the end of a quiet block, it's a big, two-story house with a large, well-stocked kitchen, and of course, the garden that I just mentioned. As I talked about in some of my <a href="http://in-good-taste.blogspot.com/search/label/gardening">container garden posts</a> from 2009, I've been growing more and more interested in gardening and agriculture--as someone who's obsessed with food, it's natural to want to understand more about where it comes from, and especially gratifying to be able to grow it yourself. Serendipitously, my housemate Ben is an experienced <span style="font-style: italic;">jardinier</span>, having lived on a farm for a while last year, and he's been maintaining our fruit and vegetable plants this year. When I first arrived, in September, I benefited from the last of the season's ripe, juicy tomatoes, and harvested some small cauliflowers and cabbages this winter. Right now, though, it's all about the early-spring crops of lettuces and tender green spinach:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyECQ-Vw8mcrwRb5I5A_GzRGNhi-HGPmQp45DHIpKJRqC14AnN6_AQ2GLpklU1r7FoxiYEdIZPGk7r3j95Q4j8suf2Ii1xTpwWBMrC21_fzj7Ycuq_F4li51E2molPnCHDxuE64ipbtU8F/s1600/035.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyECQ-Vw8mcrwRb5I5A_GzRGNhi-HGPmQp45DHIpKJRqC14AnN6_AQ2GLpklU1r7FoxiYEdIZPGk7r3j95Q4j8suf2Ii1xTpwWBMrC21_fzj7Ycuq_F4li51E2molPnCHDxuE64ipbtU8F/s400/035.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590586441984032482" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The spinach we've got just grows and grows, so I've been trying to take advantage of it by mixing it into nearly everything I cook: tossing some into a bowl of warm pasta; saut<span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">éeing it with mushrooms; fol</span></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">ding it into rice. Because there's so much of it, the thought occurred to me to try to make something that would call for <span style="font-style: italic;">a lot</span>. And then it came to me: pesto! I love pesto, and I love that you can make it out of nearly anything green (arugula, as well as fresh herbs like parsley and cilantro come to mind)--not just the basil that most people associate it with--and that you can incorporate nearly any type of nut, and not just pine nuts. What I happened to have on hand were some flaked almonds, so I decided to use those. To tie it </span></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">all together, I added just a little bit of something that goes wonderfully with both spinach and almonds--lemon. If you've ever eaten the classic Italian side dish of some quickly saut</span></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">éed spinach finished with a refreshing spritz of lemon juice, you know what a natural pairing the two ingredients make. Same goes for almonds and lemon: many dessert recipes--like this one for <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/25/dining/25minirex.html">pound cake</a>, this one for <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lemon-Almond-Madeleines-13181"><span style="font-style: italic;">madeleines</span></a>, and this one for <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Old-Fashioned-Lemon-Almond-Cookies-Bruber-10284">cookies</a>--call for both. So for my pesto, I added a touch of freshly grated zest. The fresh spinach, the subtle almonds and the tart lemon combine to produce a pesto that's a lot lighter and brighter than the ones you might be used to. Spring in a bowl!<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia958lUFLDOf2rKXOfXEUnhqf-VxR5_gY2hZ_m-PJTr_97kqrejPCPkhdHdcc5D-CI7ZQ6qgaYv8lHCNkPz3mT2Hc5wSWkPO4Z4uV0FTa9PzWcrer1JjA_NmjKdcTHDA8kpXlGz3fe2vqL/s1600/020.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia958lUFLDOf2rKXOfXEUnhqf-VxR5_gY2hZ_m-PJTr_97kqrejPCPkhdHdcc5D-CI7ZQ6qgaYv8lHCNkPz3mT2Hc5wSWkPO4Z4uV0FTa9PzWcrer1JjA_NmjKdcTHDA8kpXlGz3fe2vqL/s400/020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590592326272748498" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Spinach and Almond Pesto with Lemon</span><br />Makes about 1 1/2 cups<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />- 1/2 c. flaked or slivered almonds, or use slightly less whole peeled almonds (if your nuts are fresh, there is no need to toast them. If they're not, toast in a pan or low oven until fragrant and allow them to cool.)<br />- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped<br />- 1 tsp. grated lemon zest<br />- 1 tsp. salt or more to taste<br />- About 6 oz. or 4 c. packed spinach leaves, washed and roughly torn<br />- 1/2 c. olive oil or more as needed<br />- 1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese<br />- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste<br /><br />Preparation:<br /><br />1. Place almonds, garlic, lemon zest and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until nuts are ground, but not too finely.<br />2. Add spinach, in batches if necessary, and pulse to combine. Once all spinach is added, leave the food processor running as you drizzle in the 1/2 c. olive oil. If mixture remains too thick, add more oil.<br />3. Scrape pesto into a bowl. Add parmesan and some grinds of black pepper and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt or pepper as needed. Store in the refrigerator for one week or in the freezer for one month.<br /></span></span>Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135229891436188209.post-1624433115023061722011-03-27T08:36:00.019-04:002011-03-27T17:49:59.091-04:00It was supposed to be so simpleI had it all planned out: I would write a short, sweet little post about spring coming to Toulouse, the bounty of beautiful produce it's brought with it, and the delicate, yet unfussy, dish I would prepare with pristine white asparagus, a true harbinger of spring if ever there was one. Here, have a look at it, I invite you. Pretty stunning, no?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1T1DqmYTSBWZPI5Yz0q7YssYORcuGU635RIhhRqZ0508W5RQejentIGl5R7qpmPUBpIA4Ie2S0OQhhmu674SQzlF-ifdEgBm0fOZ1uJPCm4bqYouTTULkghVN9kDS5zoAG7rDvpxKydD/s1600/034.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1T1DqmYTSBWZPI5Yz0q7YssYORcuGU635RIhhRqZ0508W5RQejentIGl5R7qpmPUBpIA4Ie2S0OQhhmu674SQzlF-ifdEgBm0fOZ1uJPCm4bqYouTTULkghVN9kDS5zoAG7rDvpxKydD/s400/034.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588765411659592466" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />There I was at the Marché Cristal, a lively, sprawling open-air market near my house, on a recent sunny morning, agape with wonder at all the new arrivals on display, and rendered nearly paralyzed with indecision at what to buy first: the slender green artichokes, leaves still attached, displayed like so many bouquets of flowers? The huge, curling pods of fava beans, or <span style="font-style: italic;">fèves</span>, overflowing and nearly tumbling down from their slatted cases? How about a small container of perfect, sweet yet tart strawberries, <span style="font-style: italic;">real</span> strawberries, the likes of which you hardly ever find in the United States these days?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgykzdXLzsHvs-Nwlq3bBcklOZjeN77cRKBs0k5W0IfB1N6kYLhek5VlwKOGfkQlN_jR3P4XHdU9yur8Mz6fR8NdSrkMKytuc87qTfxWbiONhvcdJRfXmKW-8qntFtzCqL_PeRgdtlDm-xj/s1600/031.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgykzdXLzsHvs-Nwlq3bBcklOZjeN77cRKBs0k5W0IfB1N6kYLhek5VlwKOGfkQlN_jR3P4XHdU9yur8Mz6fR8NdSrkMKytuc87qTfxWbiONhvcdJRfXmKW-8qntFtzCqL_PeRgdtlDm-xj/s400/031.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588765753052104306" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Somehow, I pulled myself together and made my purchases, starting, yes, with those lovely <span style="font-style: italic;">fraises</span>, which I devoured in about three minutes upon reaching home, and finishing up with the bunch of asparagus pictured above. It was nearly lunchtime by the time I got home, and I was hungry, those berries not really having tided me over. I quickly trimmed up the asparagus, snapping the tough ends off, and threw them in a steamer to cook for, I wagered, about 12 minutes, until they were just tender. In the meantime, thought I, I'll put a little pot of water on the boil for a soft-cooked egg, which I envisioned as the perfect accompaniment to my asparagus, slumping gently over them, lubricating them with its rich yellow yolk. Sounds like a plan, no?<br /><br />Well, sometimes even the most carefully thought out plans don't turn out the way we intend. You see, I had never actually <span style="font-style: italic;">cooked</span> white asparagus before, and rather brashly assumed that its method of preparation was identical to that of its verdant cousin. And so when I tested a blond spear after about 10 minutes--lifting it from the steamer to see if it would bend ever-so-slightly--I could see that something was wrong. The tips of the asparagus seemed nice and tender, but the bottom part of the stem was still rather the same texture as it was when raw: woody and unyielding. "Well, OK," I thought to myself, "I'll just let them steam a little longer." Checked them again after ten minutes. No real discernible change. Abandoned my steaming mission and chucked the little devils right into the boiling water at the bottom. Ten more minutes, and it became clear that there was no salvaging this situation. I drained the little buggers, laid them out nicely on a plate as intended, draped them with lemony vinaigrette, and garnished them with some sliced tomatoes. I should add, at this point, that my frustration with the asparagus caused me to totally forgot about my lovingly cooked soft egg, and what I now had was a hard-cooked one. I saved it for later. I made another soft egg. And what I got, finally, was this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9QjJzWTLXzkKEjpaQ8dZbdE2EHDw-fjxLU63pq-V5KxJR_KI6s62jxu14_zji3iHOhTL7jTq5py9MlpLVVlhOVKkbyopto1I-TJ8N1drTBvWMo3R3WRy-FoCbFojb_LKgy9cMOKn6wSo/s1600/038.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 326px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9QjJzWTLXzkKEjpaQ8dZbdE2EHDw-fjxLU63pq-V5KxJR_KI6s62jxu14_zji3iHOhTL7jTq5py9MlpLVVlhOVKkbyopto1I-TJ8N1drTBvWMo3R3WRy-FoCbFojb_LKgy9cMOKn6wSo/s400/038.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588766027939791202" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />It doesn't look bad, does it? And see, it didn't taste bad, either. But the only edible part of the asparagus was the top half. The bottom half I had to sort of pull through my teeth, much as one eats a steamed artichoke leaf, to scrape out the interior softness and leave behind the tough, fibrous exterior. A lot of work for a lot of waste. It was a shame. And so as soon as I finished eating, I looked up the correct method of preparing white asparagus. Turns out that even the slenderest stems possess a hard outer peel that must be removed--with a knife--before cooking. It would have been nice to know that before, but I know it now. And so I've provided the emended recipe below. Here's hoping your maiden white asparagus voyage encounters smooth seas.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Steamed White Asparagus with a Soft-Cooked Egg</span><br />Serves 1<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />- 1 small bunch fresh white asparagus (10 - 12 spears)<br />- 1 egg<br />- Vinaigrette made with mustard, lemon juice, salt and olive oil<br />- Sliced fresh tomatoes, for serving (optional)<br /><br />Preparation:<br /><br />1. Trim and peel the asparagus: as mentioned above, this step is indispensable and it's important to do it correctly. First, trim the bottom 1 inch from the asparagus spears. Then, using a small, sharp paring knife, peel the outer layer off, stripping the stem from the bottom up. Continue peeling nearly to the top of the spear.<br />2. Steam the asparagus: in a large, wide pot or pan, heat about 2 inches of water over high heat. When it boils, salt it, drop in the asparagus, cover and drop to a lively simmer. Steam, covered, until spears are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.<br />3. Meanwhile, soft-boil the egg: place egg in a small saucepan and fill with cold water to cover. Place over medium-high heat; cover. When water boils, drop to a simmer and cook egg for exactly 8 minutes. Drain and immediately run egg under cold water to stop the cooking. When egg is cool, peel.<br />4. Drain asparagus and arrange warm spears on a plate, drizzling with about 3 teaspoons vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper. Slice egg into halves or quarters and arrange over the asparagus. Serve with sliced tomato, if desired.Lauren Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18004114159258375730noreply@blogger.com2