tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42897713419177065192024-03-17T17:28:21.804-07:00THE LADY OF SHALLOTSOn either side the river lie
Long fields of barley and of rye,
That clothe the wold and meet the sky;
And thro' the field the road runs by
To many-tower'd Camelot;
And up and down the people go,
Gazing in the oven low,
Round a kitchen island there below,
The kitchen of Shallot. (With apologies to Tennyson)Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-30607765064323317222024-03-17T17:26:00.000-07:002024-03-17T17:27:49.313-07:00Book Review: Tenderheart (Hetty Lui McKinnon)<p> </p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62052320-tenderheart" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Tenderheart: A Cookbook About Vegetables and Unbreakable Family Bonds" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1684816986l/62052320._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62052320-tenderheart">Tenderheart: A Cookbook About Vegetables and Unbreakable Family Bonds</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22504041.Hetty_Lui_McKinnon">Hetty Lui McKinnon</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5953107201">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">For those that know me, the fact that I have pledged to try at least one of the eggplant recipes in this book if I try ALL the other recipes, is probably the most astounding review I could ever give a cookbook. But this is more than just a cookbook. It is a story of the way food both nurtures and cultivates memories and helps us work through our grief to find those tangible things in life that help us hold on in healthy ways. McKinnon writes beautifully about both her parents, but particularly her memories of her father. The book opens with a quote from Francis Weller's </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">The Wild Edge of Sorrow</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">: "Grief and love are sisters, woven together from the beginning. Their kinship reminds us that there is no love that does not contain loss and no loss that is not a reminder of the love we carry for what we once held close." McKinnon's father, Wai Keung Lui (Ken) worked at the then Flemington Markets (now Sydney Markets), the "largest wholesale fruit and vegetable market in Australia." (9) She narrates her childhood memories of a man who was "tenderhearted" and prepared food as an act of love and nourishment for his children, entertaining their whims and desires when he could. When Hetty wanted to try cheese, he brought home Kraft singles and then moved on to blocks of cheddar. And then there was the produce. Hetty McKinnon writes about vegetables with as much passion and interest as one might expect someone to detail a fine wine.</span></p><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Organized alphabetically by vegetable, starting from "Asian greens" and ending with "Zucchini", McKinnon celebrates what vegetables have to offer, encouraging with a preface for each one, an investment in the pleasures of the vegetable itself, even before digging into the recipes. Since receiving this book a few months ago, I have cooked at least twenty of the recipes, with thirty or forty earmarked for "soon." Some are simple and easy stir fries, like "Stir-Fried Cauliflower with Capers, Chile and Parsley" while others are more involved and might require a visit to your local Asian grocery if you don't already go there regularly! While there is a definite Asian leaning toward many of the recipes, there are a wide variety of dishes represented: soups, loaves, salads, mains, sides, pickles, and even dessert (butternut squash tiramisu--I'm working up to it!)! Favorites thus far include "Seaweed, Tofu, and Sprout Soup"which was one of the best dashi-based soups I've ever made, and the "Cabbage and Kimchi Okonomiyaki," which I could eat every week and never tire of it. Dishes like "Ras el Hanout Cauliflower Wedges with Mashed Chickpeas" will help you make a list of spices to keep on hand as well as making sure you always have a can or two of chickpeas in your pantry. The "Red-Braised Brussels Sprouts and Tofu" reminded me so much of the red-cooked pork my mother used to make that my eyes filled with tears when I took my first bite. If you are new to cooking with seaweed, McKinnon's recipes really help illuminate the wide variety of seaweed and its different uses.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">I praised McKinnon's </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55381410.To_Asia__With_Love_Everyday_Asian_Recipes_and_Stories_From_the_Heart" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-color: white; color: #00635d; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" title="To Asia, With Love Everyday Asian Recipes and Stories From the Heart by Hetty McKinnon">To Asia, With Love: Everyday Asian Recipes and Stories From the Heart</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"> for this same thing, but it is important: the index! She indexes everything from breadcrumbs to za'atar. The only thing I couldn't find in the index is Maggi Seasoning sauce, which she seems to love, but I'm wondering if there's a copyright issue there. I went ahead and bought a bottle because I trust this woman--she's given me an even deeper love of vegetables and my dear departed mother is hopefully smiling down from Heaven to see it.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">If you are trying to eat more vegetables and are happy with plant-based proteins, this book will give you an endless supply of ideas. If you are more omnivorous, many of the recipes can be used as accompaniments to meat. If you are someone who values meaningful words about food and love, read this book.</span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">(Cross-posted)</span></div>Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-73497515333471829282023-03-29T14:13:00.001-07:002023-03-29T14:13:14.671-07:00Book Review: Kitchen Confidential (Bourdain)<p> CROSS-POSTED at Reb's Reading Rants and Raves</p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13637496-kitchen-confidential" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1336380973l/13637496._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13637496-kitchen-confidential">Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1124.Anthony_Bourdain">Anthony Bourdain</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5387566118">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
cw: suicide<br /><br />I wasn't prepared for the emotional journey I would take in listening to Anthony Bourdain read this book, originally published in 2000. Published at a time that didn't know Covid. Published at a time when sensibilities were altogether different. Published at a time, of course, when Anthony Bourdain was alive. <br /><br />Of course what was raw and real and shocking in 2000 is still so today--perhaps more so. But it takes on new meaning to hear Bourdain's bravado in joking about suicide, his unabashed love for the rough and tumble culinary world, and his blasé attitude toward airborne illnesses, the like of which he never lived to see. <br /><br />While certainly one could criticize Bourdain's own seeming acceptance of the sexism and toxicity that he says is innate to the "culinary underbelly", the fact remains there is a reality to this narrative. Listening to Bourdain read it we get less of a sense of the shock jock, and more of a "listen, here's how I lived it and how I know it and how I want to tell it". If we say we honor storytelling, I think we need to make room for a voice like this. <br /><br />The guy is acerbic, occasionally charming, and at times, hilarious. He will make you rethink the days you order fish at a restaurant. He made a lot of enemies, no doubt. But one has to think there were many folks in the industry that felt very, very seen -- for better or for worse. One thing stays the same throughout, however--running underneath the heroin use, the outlandish sexcapades, the vocabulary that makes every sensible deceased grandma turn in their graves on endless repeat--there is a deep and abiding passion for food, and the "life." Bourdain was "all-in" and to what ultimate cost we won't ever really know as those stories died with him in 2018. It is worthwhile to listen to him tell you the story in his voice. Take a deep breath, lay your judgments aside--at least for the moment--and listen to the tale of a life...lived. 2018 Anthony Bourdain was probably not 2000 Anthony Bourdain, but that's the case for most of us. <i>Kitchen Confidential</i> is an amazing snapshot of a life that is tragically gone...one that went to "parts unknown" with "no reservations" without apology.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/140130-rebecca">View all my reviews</a>
Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-68256078746152461272022-08-04T13:26:00.000-07:002022-08-04T13:26:11.422-07:00Book Review: Japanese Farm Food (Hachisu)<p> Cross-posted at Reb's Reading Rants and Raves</p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13544281-japanese-farm-food" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Japanese Farm Food" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1391653692l/13544281._SX98_.jpg" /></a>
I am working my way through two Japanese cookbooks right now, both of which are filled with insight and craft (my review of Sonoko Sakai's <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43212890.Japanese_Home_Cooking_Simple_Meals__Authentic_Flavors" rel="nofollow noopener" title="Japanese Home Cooking Simple Meals, Authentic Flavors by Sonoko Sakai">Japanese Home Cooking: Simple Meals, Authentic Flavors</a> coming soon!).<br /><br />Nancy Singleton Hachisu's <i>Japanese Farm Food</i> is, as advertised, very much about farm life in Japan and the food that grows there. For that reason, it resonates more as a narrative for me than a cookbook, as many of the ingredients are specific and connected to the life of the farm. She is not as free with the substitutions as Sonoko Sakai, but there are a few (blackstrap molasses for kuromitsu, for example). To call her a purist wouldn't seem totally correct, and that's largely because of the beautiful narrative she constructs about life on the farm and learning how to acculturate in meaningful ways. In truth it is inspiring, if somewhat a bit daunting at times.<br /><br />In addition to spending massive amounts of time preparing food (most of it grown on the family farm), Hachisu also runs an English-immersion pre-school/kindergarten, adorably called "Sunny-Side Up!" Her anecdotes about the children and the photographs (by Kenji Miura) of their wonderful joy are one of the best parts of the book. <br /><br />Originally from Northern California (Bay Area), Hachisu describes herself as a "town girl" (182), and one gets the sense that everything is indeed relative. She advocates buying local, and one might find themselves frustrated on that front if "local" isn't Japan. As with most cookbooks, the book suffers a bit from inconsistent cross-referencing and incomplete indexing: If a recipe calls for dashi, it often includes the page reference for making the dashi. However, I'm still waiting for the cookbook that indexes ALL the recipes that use dashi (or any other distinctive ingredient to that cuisine). Sometimes the recipes are helpfully grouped together, as is the case with the <i>kaeshi</i> on p. 310, which is necessary for flavoring the dashi of the following recipe, "noodle dipping sauce." But these are nitpicky quibbles. Many of the recipes, particularly some of the salads and vegetable dishes, are accessible for novices, and require only basic staples such as soy sauce and miso. The majority of the dessert recipes are for ice cream (mostly adapted from Lindsey Shere's Chez Panisse recipes), and you'll want to have an ice cream maker (although the patient internet searcher can likely come up with alternative methods). I am curious to try her method for making <i>anko</i> (the sweetened paste made with azuki beans) since I made Sonoko Sakai's version, which was wonderful, but time-intensive.<br /><br />One of the most valuable parts of the book--and here I'm considering photocopying the pages and laminating them since I suspect I shall return to them often--are the charts and glossaries in the back. The "Vegetables by method" and "Fish and Seafood by Method" charts motivate the cook to actually understand, not just follow, the recipe. It is also very useful should one have to decide based on what's available/in season. <br /><br />The whole book is beautifully produced, from the lovely "matte" finish of the photography, the easy-to-read font, and the overall design. Her stories--interspersed and as prefaces to recipes--are wonderful to read, and tinged here and there with the wistful and nostalgic, but also the pragmatic sensibility of living and eating in communion with the earth. As I explore the recipes I may make a substitution here or there that Hachisu might frown upon, but I will at least try to approach my cooking with the reverence and sincerity she seems to bring to her craft.<br /><br />
<br /><br />Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-63868181652279991462022-08-02T14:10:00.004-07:002022-08-02T14:10:36.545-07:00Book Review: Why We Cook - Women on Food, Identity, and Connection (Gardner)<p> </p> Cross-posted at Rebecca's Reading Rants and Raves
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54110587-why-we-cook" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Why We Cook : Women on Food, Identity, and Connection" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1607887523l/54110587._SX98_.jpg" /></a><div><br /></div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54110587-why-we-cook">Why We Cook : Women on Food, Identity, and Connection</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16003643.Lindsay_Gardner">Lindsay Gardner</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4536227247">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Lindsay Gardner's whimsical-yet-substantive illustrations make this a charming book that is a pleasant mish-mosh of reflections, substantive essays, and lighter fare (inspirational quotes and magazine-type survey questions). While there are a few recipe, it isn't a cookbook--although I certainly would have appreciated an index (foods, recipes, people). The table of contents suffices, however, split into "Memorable Meals", "Kitchen Portraits", "Essays", "Home Cooks in Conversation", "Recipes" (listed by contributor, rather than dish), "Profiles" and "Contributors in Conversation." I found the "in conversation" bits to be the least engaging on the whole, although the occasional nugget of wisdom or a surprising witticism made them worth reading. Not all the "essays" carry the same weight -- Cara Mangini's list of seasonal eating choices doesn't really compare to Osayi Endolyn's "Like Paradise" that uses five paragraphs to offer an intimate, honest, and humble look at the importance of our quirky roots and spaces where cooking happens. That said, I'm glad both were included, but I would have liked a bit more sense of narrative and build across the book. The Profiles and Kitchen Portraits are where I think the book has the deepest value--illuminating and amplifying important women who have contributed much to the world of food in multiple ways.<br /><br />Because the book does not have an overarching narrative, however, it is a great gift for the cooks in your life. It is easy to put down, easy to pick back up, and would be of interest for a cook who may not be an avid reader. We need more of this type of book that will amplify lesser-heard voices and appeal to a wide audience through beautiful illustrations and an approachable tone.
<br /><br /><br />Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-4336392553318982372022-06-08T13:04:00.003-07:002022-06-08T13:04:31.926-07:00Book Review: Colu Cooks - Easy Fancy Food<p> Cross-posted at Rebecca's Reading, Rants, and Raves</p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58667405-colu-cooks" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Colu Cooks: Easy Fancy Food" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1627738563l/58667405._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58667405-colu-cooks">Colu Cooks: Easy Fancy Food</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15349254.Colu_Henry">Colu Henry</a><br />
My rating: 4 of 5 stars<br /><br />
This is the cookbook I've been waiting for.<br />Easy, Fancy, Food. YES.<br /><br />This lovely volume is filled with inviting and welcoming text that celebrates humanity as much as food, and in multiple contexts: when we need comfort, when we are on vacation, when we are coping (or not) with a pandemic (that's not a chapter, but it is in the narrative), when we are feeding a crowd, or enjoying the joy of re-imagined leftovers with close friends.<br /><br />If you don't grow your own herbs, Colu Henry will make you want to start. Her recipes abound with fresh herbs and ingredients that are simple, but fancy in the right context. The <i>Smoky and Spicy Shrimp with Anchovy Butter and Fregola</i> (110) is a new favorite, and I'm here to tell you frozen shrimp works just fine and you should have a bag in your freezer at all times. Recipes like <i>Cumin, Ginger, and Citrus Roasted Salmon with Cabbage, Dates, and Creamy Tahini Dressing</i> pull together what is logical, but special enough that you needed someone to tell you when your own creativity stopped at "salmon and dill"...again. Roasted cauliflower seems to continue its internet popularity (unlike the cupcake, whose days of glory seem to have dimmed), and I will tell you that Henry's <i>Cauliflower with Anchovy Oil and Crispy Capers</i> is the first roasted cauliflower recipe I've actually been excited about--and I've tried most of them. (Also, splurge on some anchovies for your pantry). You can't sell me on the whole head roasted in the oven, no matter what you pour or rub on it--sorry. There are also recipes that can be made with small substitutions or things you might actually have on hand if you are a person with a standard-not-professional pantry (or one cupboard, as in my case). I will admit that my spice collection may be a bit non-standard, so the <i>Fava Bean and Cucumber Salad with Feta & Sumac</i> was a great way to use sumac (and I used edamame--again, something I usually have in my freezer). The <i>Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Asparagus and Charred Scallion-Sesame Salsa</i> were fantastic on that night where my husband (who does the shopping) brought home some asparagus and chicken, with no thoughts about how to use it. <i>Easy Fancy Food</i> to the rescue!<br /><br />The narrative is a joy to read, and I could really relate as, like Henry, I am not a dessert person. I respect that she included a dessert section full of other people's recipes. I am not a baker, and I loved reading: "..if you too do not bake or don't bake well, I suggest you feel no shame..." Like the recipes and the narrative, the photos are not overly "styled" and offer a sense of bright and wholesome everyday-ness. There are a few style elements I don't love (the italicized prepositions in the titles bugged me) and one small copyediting oversight, but these are truly nit-picky quibbles. But I have to include them so you don't think I work for the publisher (according to the laws of engagement on social media book review sites, evidently).<br /><br />Truly -- this is a book for the person who likes to cook with interesting and fresh ingredients, but doesn't want to plan a month ahead to get the ingredients shipped from around the world. This is a book for the tired and overworked person for whom cooking is their one creative and artistic outlet, but the "tired and overworked" part means celebrating the "easy" part of "Easy Fancy Food". I plan to make every recipe in this book at some point, and I'm grateful for ease and the chance to make my food "fancy" -- just because. Every meal can celebrate something.
<br /><br /><br />Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-5882391144498482062022-06-04T13:18:00.000-07:002022-06-04T13:18:00.634-07:00Book Review: Taste (Stanley Tucci) <p> Cross-posted at Rebecca's Reading Rants and Raves</p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55363384-taste" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Taste: My Life Through Food" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1631119948l/55363384._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55363384-taste">Taste: My Life Through Food</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/687630.Stanley_Tucci">Stanley Tucci</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4740156257">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I didn't know a thing about Stanley Tucci beyond "he's an actor" when my best friend recommended this book to me. Since I had a few free Audible credits, I decided to make this my first audiobook experience as well. I'm not sure it was the best choice on that front, as having recipes "read" to me is not that fulfilling (and if I'm listening to an audiobook I'm not going to be in a position to write them down). On the other hand, hearing Stanley Tucci recount his own memoir was wonderful and entrenched me in a deep nostalgia for my own Italian-American roots. Having spent considerable time in Italy, Tucci's pronunciation is more European than the particular East Coast American Italian er...dialect...that I learned from my father, but he nods to it on more than one occasion. Given his wry humor, hearing him say "fagioli" correctly (as opposed to "fazool") seemed a bit incongruous. The only truly annoying aspect of the audiobook, however, was the dialogue, which Tucci reads like a script, announcing the speaker ("Mom", "Me", "Felicity") before <i>every single utterance</i>. I did not feel this was necessary and Tucci is a good enough actor to have made a distinction between the "characters" (without resorting to farcical vocal characterizations as we also sometimes hear in audiobooks). But enough about My First Audiobook. I will be buying the print version for the recipes.<br /><br />Again, knowing nothing about Tucci or his life, I wasn't quite prepared for the last segment of the memoir. As the publisher's blurb says nothing of it, I won't provide a spoiler here, but suffice it to say, the "journey through good times and bad" is legit, particularly on the "bad" front. Let's just say that under normal circumstances hearing a VERY LONG litany of foods he can eat, which he provides near the end of the book, would be taxing, but I found tears welling up in my eyes. It really is a beautiful celebration of food, family, and life. I am also grateful (I think) for the fact that he helped me recall a food that had been sitting in the deep abyss of my most buried memories: timpano. My mother and father, who divorced when I was eleven, did make one Christmas, a timpano. I had forgotten all about it, but the memories came rushing back, and while my mother did not likely curse about it -- even behind closed doors--I firmly believe she probably wanted to do so. I remember thinking it wasn't possible to put so much food at once into a single dish and then into my digestive system. Tucci says it is like cilantro--you either love it or hate it. I love cilantro. I cannot say the same for my memories of timpano. <br /><br />The book is full of little treasures of food trivia (that martinis were often made with scotch in lieu of more expensive vermouth was a revelation), but it really is a rather moving and humorous account of life and food. I enjoyed listening to it while I cooked, and it helped renew my energy for what I know to be an act of love, but sometimes has felt more like a chore. With Tucci's words and voice, the simple and sweet truth of food's power to both center and <i>be at</i> the center of our lives is beautifully resonant.
<br /><br /><br />Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-62940659971043082032022-05-31T14:06:00.006-07:002022-05-31T14:07:32.759-07:00Book Review: The Cooking Gene (Michael Twitty) <p> CW: enslavement/trauma</p><p>Cross-posted at Reb's Reading Rants and Raves</p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35084157-the-cooking-gene" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1494628221l/35084157._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35084157-the-cooking-gene">The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14239726.Michael_W_Twitty">Michael W. Twitty</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4025676916">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
A "journey" is an apropos description for this book. I won't even attempt to quantify the percentages of history, memoir, documentary, and food writing. Twitty manages to intertwine his personal story with a history of foodways and people that inextricably connects ancestry, personhood, and food in ways that left me contemplating my own complicated feelings about food and culture. As an adoptee, with two parents who have died, I've not cared to search too much into my own genealogy--I suspect in fear that somehow the cultures and stories into which I was adopted will become "less than." If fear is in the mix, I am even more humbled because this book is at times gritty reckoning with both Twitty's own ancestral history, and this country's foundational story of exploitation and abuse. There are many passages in the book that make it obvious that our narratives about food, crops, and foodways are never isolated. Culinary history is American history. Or African history. Or European history. You get the idea.<br /><br /><blockquote>"Instead, cotton ensured the growing and complete racialization of what it meant to be of African descent. African ethnic groups became the early Afro-Creole culture that began African America. If King Cotton had never reigned, we African Americans might be like an other ethnic group --stories might be passed down; names remembered; song, words, religions, prayers, perhaps, even on might say, a sense of pride. Instead, names were changed again and again and again, as people were sold, further commoditized, dehumanized, and abused." (357-8)</blockquote><br /><br />Twitty tells us: "My food is my flag" and his quest to to "regain...a heritage denied" is filled with pain, joy, curiosity, and tremendous beauty. There are multitudes of lessons here, and at some point I will give it a re-read, because I'm certain I'd find even more layers. One of my biggest takeaways, however--and this is coming from my historian's soul--comes from this passage on the last page:<br /><br /><blockquote>"I mistook the past for a landscape to be managed by the learned mind but I was wrong. The past is not to be conquered or conveniently cinched in neat lessons and sound bites. It is a territory that will absorb you almost against your will." (425)</blockquote><br /><br />If you aren't interested in culinary history or genealogy...READ THIS BOOK. You owe it to yourself. Michael Twitty allows us to glimpse this "journey" and understand the true meaning and depth of that Carl Sagan quote that is too often blithely offered as inspiration instead of an invitation for reflection and exploration: "We are, each of us, a multitude."<br />
<br /><br />Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-71819006607236823592022-05-27T07:57:00.001-07:002022-05-27T08:05:36.785-07:00A recipe for centering and action<p> It has been a minute. Or several.</p><p>I've been thinking a lot about social media this week as I watch people react to the shooting of nineteen students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School. People need an outlet, and I get that...but I increasingly despair about how empty it all feels. Sometimes it is just preaching to the choir with some sort of acerbic or biting meme that finds a way to amplify our emotions. Sometimes it is directing our energy toward arguing about gun control or mental health with a few people online. I've never been a single-issue voter, but I also realized that I haven't been monitoring gun control votes very carefully, outside of when it comes time to vote for a candidate. So I <a href="https://www.npr.org/2018/02/19/566731477/chart-how-have-your-members-of-congress-voted-on-gun-bills?fbclid=IwAR3ZfmUf8xYzvduhDIkh9LcmByQDCU8bQwXua-9WafOufWBWOkYm1orsQUw" target="_blank">looked up the information</a> and there were a few surprises, and some questions, but not many. I made a few donations. And I cooked.</p><p>What does cooking have to do with tragedy? Not a whole lot---at least as it happens in my kitchen. I'm not <a href="https://donate.wck.org/give/396273/#!/donation/checkout" target="_blank">World Central Kitchen</a>. I'm just a home cook who has found an avenue for self-care and stabilizing her mental health. So, that's important.</p><p>I sometimes cringe at that Leonard Bernstein quote that gets floated out in the social media ether every time some sort of tragedy occurs: "This will be our reply to violence, to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before." I dislike it precisely because, as a musician, I DO understand it. It takes my innate sense of guilt and rubs salt into it. I don't believe that beauty and art are THE reply to violence, but certainly I feel they are fundamental to combatting evil in the world. I don't like the reductive nature of that quote (although that's true of pretty much any quote), and it also doesn't speak to the personal costs of that intensity and devotion that I see in my students every day. They work hard enough without having to shoulder an expectation that their art will be our reply to violence in the world.</p><p>But this is a cooking blog, I know. But I was thinking about this quote because as I went to post my dinner on Instagram last night, I felt that same emptiness. Posting the picture of Colu Henry's "Smoky and Spicy Shrimp with Anchovy Butter and Fregola" seemed self-indulgent, but also inadequate. That's why I'm writing here. I needed to think about these feelings.</p><p>Last week I told two friends that "cooking is my therapy." As someone who has been in <i>actual</i> therapy, I don't say that lightly, and I generally group flippant references to therapy in the same category as "adulting" defined as paying one's bills or being a generally responsible human being. But I thought a bit more about that statement last night and realized that cooking has become an important avenue for me in several ways. First, there is cooking for <a href="https://communitycooks.org/" target="_blank">Community Cooks</a>. I attended a free knife skills class on Wednesday night, and our Executive Director spoke about how one of our partners, <a href="https://www.firstchurchcambridge.org/friday-cafe/" target="_blank">Friday Café</a>, was finally able to resume community meals inside after a long hiatus due to the pandemic. The team I lead cooks for the <a href="https://somervillehomelesscoalition.org/?gclid=CjwKCAjw7cGUBhA9EiwArBAvovI5XgxDCv3LYL0MeWFwkHISlQ_P7jWypStMfIyuwEqtAheeQyLezRoCmGIQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">Somerville Homeless Coalition</a>, and I take care in preparing my dish for them, knowing that a "meal" can be so much more than just food for unhoused people. It can give them energy for a next step, or simply another day, in ways that I can only imagine. </p><p>But then there's the simple meal I prepare for just me and my husband. When I do it right, I allow myself the time to think about each ingredient, where it came from, what it represents. As I sautéed shrimp in an extraordinary amount of butter last night, I thought of my paternal grandmother and her famous shrimp scampi, and how somehow her joy of cooking was passed down to me, via my father, even though I was long resistant to it. As I watched the anchovies dissolve, I thought about my childhood years of loathing anchovies on general principle (never having tried them). As I adjusted the broth amount and cooking time to accommodate my choice of orzo instead of fregola, I thought about how it was not so long ago that cooking felt like just one more thing I wasn't good at because I was still victimized by perfectionism and keeping up with some imaginary Joneses. With all of this comes a centering--one that I also cultivate through daily meditation. That centering also helps me remember that I can also be decentered and it is ok, as long as I find my way back.</p><p>So, in the act of cooking, I access the nurturer in me. The person who cares deeply about the world and the people in it. It is not the whole story, but it is part of the story. If I can nurture myself, my family, or a group of strangers, I can find the strength to do more and to devote more energy to doing more. I'm not sure what that looks like at any given moment, but I know I am grateful for the food and act of cooking that sustains me so that I can be the best version of myself to do the work that is before me.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6ABr_0_j47MepVTezqpZAnw3q82scSHePKMO_hF9Z4KQYp_Ttm8a2MoOk2aAUR-HOzMOr_xwKzpVyltlsjFG0Mr-RJZDOKdGaG9zP09EemNRtg9jNMIq8jMQsgmBglZNTZIthq992likyaE6kuYr1UFfVwKXTXGVAhSDaSSG9OomHsCb6itJ2BkkxA/s4032/IMG-5052.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6ABr_0_j47MepVTezqpZAnw3q82scSHePKMO_hF9Z4KQYp_Ttm8a2MoOk2aAUR-HOzMOr_xwKzpVyltlsjFG0Mr-RJZDOKdGaG9zP09EemNRtg9jNMIq8jMQsgmBglZNTZIthq992likyaE6kuYr1UFfVwKXTXGVAhSDaSSG9OomHsCb6itJ2BkkxA/s320/IMG-5052.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Smoky and Spicy Shrimp with Anchovy Butter and Fregola" (<i><a href="https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/colu-cooks_9781419747809/" target="_blank">Colu Cooks: Easy Fancy Food</a>, </i>110<i>)</i></td></tr></tbody></table>and cucumbers and fresh dill in yogurt-lemon dressing<br /><p>And that recipe? FIVE STARS.</p>Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-21943439314162989972020-07-06T11:23:00.000-07:002020-07-06T11:23:39.750-07:00Book Review: Jubilee by Toni Tipton-MartinCross-posted at Rebecca's Reading Rants and Raves<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44461771-jubilee" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking: A Cookbook" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1560234455l/44461771._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44461771-jubilee">Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking: A Cookbook</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/221295.Toni_Tipton_Martin">Toni Tipton-Martin</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3401870006">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
<br />
To categorize this solely as a cookbook would not even come close to capturing this work of art. It is an exquisitely-written history that intertwines a wealth of research, nostalgia (in the best way), and a "larger vision of African American culinary history" (311) that both embraces and expands beyond soul food and the standard narrative. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/221295.Toni_Tipton_Martin" rel="nofollow" title="Toni Tipton-Martin">Toni Tipton-Martin</a> says: <br />
<blockquote>
And I have tried to end dependency on the labels "Southern" and "soul," and on the assumptions that limit my ancestors' contributions to mindlessly working the fields where the food was grown, stirring the pot where the food was cooked, and passively serving food in the homes of the master class. (13)</blockquote>
There is no clichéd history here. Instead, Tipton-Martin crafts a story of urban enclaves in Los Angeles, Louisiana kitchens, Civil War plantations, West African villages, "African botanical heritage" (15), segregated black towns in Kansas...all of it, she says, to "help you see some of the ways dishes and styles have evolved over time, spurring your imagination, broadening your perception of the black culinary experience." (17) She picks up the unfinished work of Arthur (Arturo) Schomburg, the Afro-Puerto Rican historian who started an outline that would celebrate "black cooking as an expression of black achievement." (14)<br />
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Tipton-Martin sees all the moving parts of history--the shifting narratives, the untold stories, and the hegemonic stereotypes (e.g. Aunt Jemima). I have not yet read her <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25175956.The_Jemima_Code_Two_Centuries_of_African_American_Cookbooks" rel="nofollow" title="The Jemima Code Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks by Toni Tipton-Martin">The Jemima Code: Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks</a>, but that is absolutely going on the list of must reads. <i>Jubilee</i> is fully deserving of its awards on merit of the narrative alone, but then there are the recipes...<br />
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For the uninitiated (like myself), there are some surprises in store. Despite two lengthier trips to New Orleans, I learned that "'Barbecue shrimp' is just the name Louisiana Creole cooks assigned to shrimp braised in wine, beer, or a garlic-butter sauce." My Italian grandma would have recognized the recipe as what she called "scampi" with...Worcestershire sauce. There are several wonderful meat recipes I haven't tried yet, but I've dug into some of the veggie ones. The "Braised Summer Squash with Onions" pairs rosemary, bacon drippings, and patience for probably the only summer squash I've ever actually enjoyed. The "Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad with Curried Dressing" might make you rethink your dislike of raw vegetables (do make this one ahead, however, unless you like very sweet mayonnaise--the sugar needs time to dissolve and draw out the flavor from the veggies). There are "classics" too, including an absolutely terrific "Country-Style Potato Salad" that will be my "go-to" recipe henceforth. Split into sections on appetizers, beverages, breads, soups & salads, sides & vegetables, main dishes, and desserts, it is hard not to keep this book on the kitchen counter everyday.<br />
<br />
What is also very striking is how Tipton-Martin steps back (unlike so many other cookbook authors), and amplifies ancestral voices, colleagues' voices, and steps back in just to put in her own twist here and there. The photos by Jerrelle Guy and Eric Harrison are stunning. The food and its history take center stage.<br />
<br />
And back to the barbecue shrimp-meets-scampi. As with many of the sentences she writes, Tipton-Martin packs in a lot of punch that reminds those of us who are not part of the African diaspora why we need to read the book: <br />
<blockquote>
When I tied all these diasporic practices together, I observed a culinary IQ that is both African and American, the very definition of fusion cooking. You might think this intelligence is not all that different when compared to other world cuisines. And you would be right. <i>But the idea that African Americans shared these qualities with the rest of society has been ignored for far too long.</i> (italics mine) (15)</blockquote>
And as much as there are common threads, there is also a "distinct African American canon" (14) that celebrates the creative force of hard truths, ingenious spirit, and culinary artistry that is the tapestry of African American food.<br />
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<br />Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-77384255339513557032020-04-26T10:54:00.000-07:002020-04-26T10:54:24.103-07:00Stuffed Cabbage Adventures<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mise-en-place. Took a few hours to get here.</td></tr>
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So, during this time of global pandemic, I've been focusing my cooking efforts on shelf-stable foods that don't use special ingredients. Cabbage is definitely a great buy right now --it is versatile and will keep for awhile. It is great for soup, slaw, and....stuffed cabbage.<br />
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You might know it as "cigares au chou" or "golabki/golumpki" or "halubki/holumki" or "krautrouladen" OR....cabbage rolls. I've never attempted to make these, so I texted the BFF (Katie (aka @ProfWhoCooks at <a href="https://cookthebookfridays.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Cook the Book Fridays)</a> and asked her if she had a go-to recipe. She texted back <a href="https://cookthebookfridays.wordpress.com/http://foodwinetravelchix.com/everyday-dorie-the-way-i-cook/" target="_blank">this recipe</a> from Dorie Greenspan.<br />
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So there's something you have to know. I'm a bit of a lazy cook. I don't tend to cook things that are overly involved, due to a lack of both time and inclination on my part. But given that options for procrastination on work-related stuff are limited these days, I read the recipe and figured---well, let's go for it.<br />
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A few notes:<br />
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<b>1. Removal of cabbage leaves. </b>It is a pain. Do NOT try to remove the cabbage leaves PRIOR to giving the cabbage a quick dip in some boiling water. After several curse-filled attempts at removing leaves, I finally took a cue from Pinterest and dumped the entire head of cabbage in the boiling water for about 2 minutes. This made the leaves just pliable enough that I could roll them off. You'll still need to go slowly and exercise some patience. Keep your fingers close to the cabbage so that there is a minimum of tearing. Keep the water boiling---the inner leaves are probably going to need another dunk to get them where you want them. When it comes time to trim the main ridge/vein/stem -- use a very sharp paring knife. A<b>ND, especially right now, we recommend paring AWAY from yourself. The ER does not need a visit from you and your bloody finger.</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steamy cabbage leaves, ready for trimming</td></tr>
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2. <b>Filling of cabbage leaves.</b> It is easy. I do wonder about all the various recipes out there that say to roll things "like a burrito." What do burrito recipes say? Likely not "roll like a spring roll" or "roll like a golumpki." Cultural commentary is everywhere.<br />
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If your leaves are pliant enough, don't worry about trimming them---just tuck it in and hide it.<br />
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<span id="goog_1308213055"></span><span id="goog_1308213056"></span>3. <b>The sauce. </b> Hmm.<br />
Substitutions matter. I did not have apple juice. I did not have brown sugar. The unsweetened apple juice was not a problem --- I pureed actual apples with some water. The brown sugar, on the other hand, might have made a difference. I used "natural" granulated sugar which doesn't have the molasses effect of brown sugar (and before you ask -- no, I didn't have molasses either). With the grated apple and the sugar, I found the sauce to be too sweet. I think next time I'll "savory" it up with some Worcestershire or something.<br />
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4. <b>The filling</b>. EXCELLENT. I used<a href="http://www.vermontgrassfedbeef.com/" target="_blank"> North Hollow Farm</a> 100% beef and sausage from <a href="https://www.babettestable.com/" target="_blank">Babette's Table.</a> Good meat makes a difference, but use what you have access to and can afford--that's why this is a good recipe. And Dorie Greenspan's recipe is great --- a little bit of cayenne goes a long way.<br />
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I took the recipe's advice and ate them the next day after cooking. My house smelled amazing (3 hour cooking time in the oven) and they were ABSOLUTELY wonderful the next day for dinner. They reheat well. I had extra stuffing that is now in the freezer for a future stuffed peppers project.<br />
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Stuffed cabbage, as utilitarian as it might sound, is a lot of work. But the payoff is worth it.<br />
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Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-70379972908724991412020-01-24T18:06:00.001-08:002020-01-24T18:06:46.718-08:00Dashi Experiments #1<br />
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First post of 2020!<br />
For Christmas, a dear friend gave me Sonoko Sakai's <i><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608050/japanese-home-cooking-by-sonoko-sakai/" target="_blank">Japanese Home Cooking</a></i>. This particular dear friend grew up in Japan, cooks Japanese food like nobody's business, and enjoys food as much as I do, so I knew this book would be a treasure.<br />
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Beautifully produced, it is the kind of cookbook I love -- one that tells a story. The photographs by Rick Poon are intimate--an invitation to really value and understand the food, the culture, and the chef. I might challenge the byline a bit: "Simple Meals, Authentic Flavors." In truth, the "simple" part really needs two things: 1) access to some of the ingredients (read: city) and 2) a basic understanding of the culture of Japanese cooking, which is NOT "on-the-go" and "short-on-time." That said, Sonoko Sakai honors her audience and is realistic about what will be challenging, and what will be more simple. I am so enjoying her prose--she has had a rich and varied life, making the book a joy to read. It is a primer on Japanese food culture as much as anything else, and you'll find yourself wanting to really memorize and internalize all the different kinds of seaweed, sake, etc, so you can navigate an Asian food store like a connoisseur in a wine shop.<br />
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So, after letting it sit on my table for awhile, as I looked at the cover image and thought about how I see myself in retirement, I finally cracked it open. I read every word about the "five flavors" and the "five senses" and the "five colors" and the "five cooking techniques" and the "five elements of a meal." But what really stood out?<br />
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The ultimate goal of cooking and eating are health and pleasure. There is no greater joy than sharing good food with the people you love.</blockquote>
I'm Italian-American. Ok, so maybe the "health" part wasn't such a priority for my grandma, but certainly the rest held true. Food was the love language of my family--particularly for my late father. I remember a certain morning many, many years ago. I was a snotty teenager--hellbent on making sure my parents knew how miserable their divorce had made my life (not to say there wasn't a lot to account for on their part)--and my father was desperately using breakfast as a peace offering. I was having none of it. He said, "but you have to eat something! I made you an egg and toast!" I wanted that egg and toast, let me tell you. I was hungry. But my teenage mind said that to accept love (even in a form that wasn't my top choice) was to admit defeat. "I'm NOT HUNGRY," I said, defiantly and emphatically. Really it was: "You love me on MY terms or nothing!"<br />
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So that's a pretty extensive digression and I really try not to fill my food blog posts with prose, but let's just say that cooking has become part of my grieving process. So many of my memories of my dad have to do with great food and great wine and great rum. So I'm trying to let those emotions surface a bit when I'm in the kitchen. It feels safe.<br />
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Back to cooking. I decided not to bite off more than I could chew, and started with Sakai's very basic <i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>bonito and kombu dashi</b></span></i> (27). I am blessed to have a wonderful Asian market within an 8 minute walk from my house, and had no trouble finding many of the ingredients that fill the first few pages of Sakai's book.<br />
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So after I made the dashi (which was very very simple), I thought I'd try making her <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>shoyu tare</i> </b></span>(soy-sauce-based seasoning), (105). I was disappointed not to find <i>usukuchi shoyu</i> at the store, so I made do with tamari. This slightly sweet <i>shoyu </i>is quite marvelous added to the <i>dashi</i>, as it turns out.<br />
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I had my <i>dashi</i>, and I knew that adding the <i>shoyu</i> was something prescribed for one of those "fancy" recipes later in the book, so I used that as a starting point. <b> I marinated some extra firm tofu</b> in some wonderful <b>smoked shoyu </b>for several hours because you can't go wrong with marinated tofu in smoked shoyu, full stop.<br />
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After doing several hours of administrative work, I returned to the kitchen, ready to pull together something scrumptious and healthy.<br />
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<b>I rehydrated some shiitake mushrooms. SAVE THE WATER!</b><br />
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<b>I cooked some (dried) udon noodles</b> until <i>al dente</i> (Italian, remember?) and then ran them under cold water so that they didn't stick together. I portioned them into two bowls and topped them with the marinated tofu.<br />
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<b>I sautéed the shiitake mushrooms (now sliced) with some green onions</b> (an idea stolen from her Noodle Soup recite).<br />
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<b>I heated the dashi with a measure of the <i>shoyu tare </i>AND the shiitake mushroom water</b>, and used it to <b>blanch carrots, enoki mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and spinach</b> (because I had some I needed to use up).<br />
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Here's the inefficient part, but a good call: I removed the veggies from the broth using a slotted spoon and then ran them under cold water in a strainer so that they were truly blanched:<br />
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Finally, I placed the veggies on top of the noodles & tofu, and poured over the <i>dashi-shoyu tare-shiitake </i>broth: </div>
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What a wonderful, healthy, and joyous meal this was! Note: NOT vegetarian as the <i>dashi</i> is made with bonito flakes, but you could make yours with just <i>kombu</i>, or <i>kombu</i> and <i>shiitake</i> and that would take care of that!</div>
<br />Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-14860306015848319912019-09-22T18:08:00.000-07:002019-09-22T18:08:15.674-07:00Easy Pepper Chicken Stir Fry (review) -- or How to Survive without Oyster SauceIt is Sunday. I spent the day working at my actual workplace, getting some good work done because...Sunday.<br />
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My very sweet spouse offered to pick me up, and as we drove home, I realized I hadn't really thought about what to make for dinner. A quick mental inventory of the fridge: bell peppers, chicken, mushrooms. Next, Google.<br />
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The last thing I wanted to do was cook, so honestly I picked the first recipe I could find for which I had ingredients. I could have done a stir fry without a recipe, of course, but I needed some sort of inspiration.<br />
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Enter "<a href="https://www.spendwithpennies.com/easy-pepper-chicken-stir-fry/" target="_blank">Easy Pepper Chicken Stir Fry</a>" from Holly at <i>Spend with Pennies</i>.<i> </i>On Pinterest it says "This Pepper Chicken Stir Fry recipe is ridiculously easy to make with ingredients that you already have in your pantry..."<br />
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MOSTLY true. But I will tell you---I do not have oyster sauce in my pantry. Do you? (Not a rhetorical question---I'm actually curious if that is a standard ingredient that people keep on hand).<br />
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So, despite finding myself without oyster sauce and feeling like a very deficient home cook in not having such a thing in my pantry, I decided to give it a go. I added honey to the stir-fry sauce. This is not because I think that honey tastes remotely like oysters. Or oyster sauce, for that matter. But I figured it a) wouldn't clash with the other ingredients and b) would provide some needed gooeyness to the texture. Turns out, I was right.<br />
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This was also another excellent opportunity to highlight the glory that is my larger-than-life cast iron skillet. The one my spouse thought I'd never use. It was perfect for this dish because it allowed me to cook all the chicken in a single batch with plenty of room to spare.<br />
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Slightly less cranky (thanks to a cocktail) but no more patient, I did not want to make rice, so this seemed like the right time to use those RICE NOODLES that I've had on hand for no reason other than the fact that they cook in 5 minutes. I wish I was kidding. Sometimes I really have no patience.<br />
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So, there you have it. The moral of the story? Well, there is none, except that perhaps I should add oyster sauce to my pantry staples. But this was VERY good, semi-easy, and that's even without the oyster sauce. I also did not use freshly ground pepper, but pre-ground black pepper (yikes! I know---scandalous). I think that was a good call here--it calls for a lot of pepper and the flavor came through in a way I'm not sure it would have had I patiently freshly ground all that pepper.<br />
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If you are looking for a tasty, quick (ish), and above-average stir-fry recipe, this is it!Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-48147267891375810152019-01-04T03:53:00.001-08:002019-01-04T03:54:53.092-08:00Cookbook Review: Heidi Swanson's Near & Far<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25495030-near-far" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Near & Far: Recipes Inspired by Home and Travel" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1430946647m/25495030.jpg" /></a><br />
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Swanson's narrative is one of privilege, it is true. A lot of the reviews at Goodreads have mentioned this, with varying degrees of annoyance. The book, however, does not pretend. The minute you touch the embossed hard cover and look at the photos, you know that this is a chichi cookbook, not <i>Betty Crocker's Cookbook</i> or <i>The Joy of Cooking</i>. The subtitle does not lie: "Recipes Inspired by Home and Travel." And traveled she has: India, Japan, Morocco, France, and Italy. The photos of the destinations are sometimes so artsy as to feel contrived, but they anchor each section in its own ethos. I haven't yet made any of the recipes, but I am inspired. As a committed omnivore, vegetarian recipes rarely inspire me, but I find her approach to flavors intriguing. <br />
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If you are someone who likes hunting down interesting ingredients, you will likely enjoy this book. She isn't writing for someone who does not know anything about ethnic foods, so you will not find explanations and definitions for a lot of the ingredients. I think she could have done more in that regard, and it was a missed opportunity. Overall, however, this is a beautifully produced cookbook, with accessible-but-not-accommodating prose. I'm looking forward to digging in to the recipes.
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Cross-Posted at <i><a href="https://readingrantsandraves.blogspot.com/2019/01/2019-1-cookbook-near-and-far-swanson.html" target="_blank">Rebecca's Reading Rants and Raves</a></i>Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-71584894107228219372018-12-30T13:43:00.000-08:002018-12-30T13:52:15.155-08:00Pan-Roasted Pork Chops with Cabbage (Review)Yeah, I know, that doesn't sound very exciting does it? Well, when you combine two great recipes, it turns out even the mundane can be awesome!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJpFnkvFM_ddiyFnruXvgZXn2Tj9-Hnb_zrDfQH8UU51iyk6SlL0vVGAOrF3aBnsvx1L3-NUs0yumTcM1gv6WCkfLTMM0SRXJrbsoZc6QP8KDKvObFk4tS2Y4RsG2CzhS7tBOK7xesLFo/s1600/IMG_8402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJpFnkvFM_ddiyFnruXvgZXn2Tj9-Hnb_zrDfQH8UU51iyk6SlL0vVGAOrF3aBnsvx1L3-NUs0yumTcM1gv6WCkfLTMM0SRXJrbsoZc6QP8KDKvObFk4tS2Y4RsG2CzhS7tBOK7xesLFo/s200/IMG_8402.jpg" width="200" /></a>First, let me say that any recipe that asks me to sauté chopped <i>shallots</i> and fresh herbs in pan drippings is a good recipe. Oh, and there's of course butter in them there pan juices.<br />
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The pork chops were <span style="font-size: large;">"Pan-Roasted Berkshire Pork Chops with Vermont Ice Cider"</span> (173) from <i><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/the-vermont-farm-table-cookbook-tracey-medeiros/1113612637/2688969414939?st=PLA&sid=BNB_Core+Catch-All,+Low&sourceId=PLAGoNA&dpid=tdtve346c&2sid=Google_c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIk87t2r7I3wIVTVmGCh2dNQfNEAQYAiABEgLSVPD_BwE" target="_blank">The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook</a> </i>by Tracy Medeiros. For copyright reasons, I can't produce the recipe here, but suffice it to say, the secrets here are the <b><i>bone-in</i> chops</b> (with fat), <i><b>shallots</b></i> (of course), <b>fresh herbs</b>, and then <b>ice cider</b> for the sauce. The first time I made these I used <i><a href="https://www.saq.com/page/en/saqcom/ice-cider/neige-premiere-cidre-de-glace-domaine-neige/733188?selectedIndex=2&searchContextId=-10023016277827" target="_blank">Neige</a></i> ice cider that I picked up in Québec, but this time I stayed closer to home with the very lovely "dessert cider" ("Pommeau") from <a href="https://www.carrsciderhouse.com/cider-products-new/" target="_blank">Carr's Ciderhouse</a> in Massachusetts. They are apparently sold out of it for the year, so now I'm regretting finishing the bottle. The Carr's Pommeau provided a really lovely rich addition to the sauce. Unless the chops are really thick, the browning/oven time seems just a tad too much, but I have to take into account that I tented them for quite some time while I made...<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"Sautéed Savoy Cabbage with Bacon"</span><br />
<br />
Except that I didn't. Not really. I hate when people cite recipes and then say "but I substituted practically every ingredient and changed it and here is my review!" Let's say I let Ina Garten's recipe (page 169 of <i><a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Cook_Like_a_Pro.html?id=-D9wDwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button#v=onepage&q&f=false" target="_blank">Cook Like a Pro</a></i>) *inspire* me because I had bacon and leftover regular cabbage in the fridge that I needed to use. Suffice it to say, if you take the time to slice the cabbage thinly, this recipe will work with any kind of <b>cabbage</b> (including red/green). I am eager to try it with the Savoy because I know it will impart a more delicate flavor, but the thinly sliced red cabbage (with some green) worked well here. Instead of draining off some of the <b>bacon</b> fat in the pan, I left it all there and didn't use any butter (which the recipe calls for). Also key is taking the bacon out of the pan, draining it on a paper towel, and then adding it back in just before serving. That way it keeps its crispiness.<br />
<br />
This was a lovely winter meal, and surprisingly light (another reason to slice the cabbage very thinly).<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJjp3Xj3bV094wGGc9jk9VBVk8sgQDqRagXHrkPkk1lyAPNqxnNkWaq2l4K0ug3MrJVxEKjiC5q43wgK-9ONoW22iuwZbKMRd0g5ucVqslsQyMDNOttL7uL2diLv2Qfs3ZRXFC3KzLg2JZ/s1600/IMG_8405.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJjp3Xj3bV094wGGc9jk9VBVk8sgQDqRagXHrkPkk1lyAPNqxnNkWaq2l4K0ug3MrJVxEKjiC5q43wgK-9ONoW22iuwZbKMRd0g5ucVqslsQyMDNOttL7uL2diLv2Qfs3ZRXFC3KzLg2JZ/s400/IMG_8405.jpg" width="400" /></a>Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-8554099269617254602018-08-05T13:13:00.000-07:002018-08-05T13:13:45.960-07:00Slow-Roasted Tomato Open-Faced Sandwiches (or Shout-Out to Antoni Porowski)With the heat wave we've been having in Boston, our tomatoes have been busting out all over. I've read a lot about the MIRACLE of slow-roasted tomatoes but thought it was just one of those trendy things designed to make you use your oven for 90 minutes so that you feel like you've done something amazing. Well, it turns out that may be true, and they really are amazingly flavorful and it can work miracles even on tomatoes that are underripe OR a bit (A BIT) past their prime (e.g. NOT ROTTEN, just overripe).<br />
<br />
I took inspiration from Deb Perelman's Roasted Tomato Picnic Sandwich from <i>Smitten Kitchen Every Day </i>(p. 107), but unlike that, which is really a RECIPE and involves baking pizza dough, this is a lot more akin to one of those recipes Antoni shares on <i>Queer Eye</i>. Now, I mean NO SHADE here--when you are trying to get a person who can barely maintain the rudiments of personal hygiene to cook for their significant other, you don't have them try their hand at chicken cordon bleu. So, in defense of Antoni, I'm going to advocate for simple recipes that get people IN THE KITCHEN--particularly if they haven't spent much time there. But I digress...<br />
<br />
Since we are calling this an original, I'll share general amounts too, including some brand names*<br />
<br />
Total Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes<br />
Serves 2<br />
<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Unspecified quantity of <b>tomatoes</b> (garden-fresh are great, but you could use any tomatoes, really--I like small ones. The cooking time will change if you use large ones).</li>
<li>4 - 6 <b>garlic cloves</b>, sliced lengthwise in half</li>
<li>2 - 3 sprigs of <b>fresh rosemary</b></li>
<li>5 sprigs of <b>fresh thyme</b></li>
<li><b>olive oil</b></li>
<li><b>salt and pepper </b></li>
<li>4 slices of a nice doughy bread like <b>focaccia </b>(I used <a href="http://www.iggysbread.com/" target="_blank">Iggy's</a> but you could certainly make your own if you had ambitions!)</li>
<li>2 - 3 oz. <b>kalamata olives</b>, sliced in half lengthwise (I used <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Greek-Gourmet-Kalamata-Olives-Economy/dp/B002F9Z3XI" target="_blank">Greek Gourmet</a>, pitted)</li>
<li>any kind of <b>salty, crumbly, flavorful cheese</b> (I made one sandwich with feta, the other with bleu cheese)</li>
</ul>
<div>
ACCOUTREMENTS</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>parchment paper</li>
<li>baking sheet (large enough to hold your tomatoes in a single layer)</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
DIRECTIONS</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Heat the oven to 300 degrees. You are SLOW-roasting, so be sure to set aside about 90 minutes for the roasting part.</li>
<li>Cover the bottom of your baking sheet with parchment paper.</li>
<li>Slice the <b>tomatoes </b>in half and place them skin-side down on the baking sheet.</li>
<li>Intersperse the sliced <b>garlic </b>cloves among the tomatoes.</li>
<li>Pull the leaves off the <b>rosemary</b> (you should be able just to gather them in a bunch starting from the top and strip them down the stem, in the opposite direction to which they grow. Here's a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtOIf3DV3Hc" target="_blank">helpful video</a> in case you've never done this before--DO NOT CHOP THEM, however).</li>
<li>You can try doing the same thing with the <b>thyme,</b> although the thinner stems might prove frustrating. Just separate the leaves in the way that works best for you (DO NOT CHOP).</li>
<li>Sprinkle the whole (unchopped) <b>rosemary and thyme</b> leaves over the tomatoes, making sure that a lot of it is making contact with the actual tomatoes (seed side).</li>
<li>Drizzle <b>olive oil </b>(1 - 2 tbsps) over the tomatoes---you don't need to worry about total coverage as the liquid from the tomatoes will help disperse the oil a bit. Do try to make sure the rosemary, thyme and garlic cloves get a good dose of the oil, however.</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCdhRJX9kg0YG5HN-ZhXbimRj6iwLeZiWFNiMF2MHVghx39xRazNNLHpU17y9Xrc1DR_8iBCNU7qVwEdd_M4IGgL8WCUCqcn1gD79DatOALBHr1DsTxuOqKzhq_tsuXxsVqPYOpYur9zqh/s1600/IMG_6442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCdhRJX9kg0YG5HN-ZhXbimRj6iwLeZiWFNiMF2MHVghx39xRazNNLHpU17y9Xrc1DR_8iBCNU7qVwEdd_M4IGgL8WCUCqcn1gD79DatOALBHr1DsTxuOqKzhq_tsuXxsVqPYOpYur9zqh/s320/IMG_6442.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li>Pop the whole thing in the oven for 90 minutes and go read a good book or binge on one Netflix show and a half. Your home will smell amazing. Or do something productive like clean the bathroom.</li>
<li>When the tomatoes are done, they should be mostly dehydrated, but with enough liquid to look appetizing. </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhREh5aCYL0PDn9PjyATAyIX2nB-_L9btPq56HItD29HB-Nc6ILf6rK-fU4_V6UKsWmMIswYWCEqvC78DGsykCiSbMcX4id-UvFaU1oRCUUpsyZvO4p3_rFIlNH5tjTCEXahKteiEYupAex/s1600/IMG_6444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhREh5aCYL0PDn9PjyATAyIX2nB-_L9btPq56HItD29HB-Nc6ILf6rK-fU4_V6UKsWmMIswYWCEqvC78DGsykCiSbMcX4id-UvFaU1oRCUUpsyZvO4p3_rFIlNH5tjTCEXahKteiEYupAex/s320/IMG_6444.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li>While the tomatoes cook, and when you tire of cleaning the bathroom, assemble 2 slices of focaccia on a plate, sprinkled with the <b>cheese and kalamata olives.</b> You can toast the focaccia if you like, but I left it alone because it was very fresh.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNkBe6GNTpsZ0UYrX88YuRfc7IohxkbYC-EvUpa3Ku9mL_FjGcoFaoLsari6MMpUFMGd5e0UHcuwlLwOgCNS3vnXt8iHCsNi-LTIVdOxGxkJXtfslOB7SE410PM2zcERIidCQ2QVHrQTU/s1600/IMG_6443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNkBe6GNTpsZ0UYrX88YuRfc7IohxkbYC-EvUpa3Ku9mL_FjGcoFaoLsari6MMpUFMGd5e0UHcuwlLwOgCNS3vnXt8iHCsNi-LTIVdOxGxkJXtfslOB7SE410PM2zcERIidCQ2QVHrQTU/s320/IMG_6443.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
</div>
<ul>
<li>Artfully arrange tomatoes on the foccacia while they are warm. This will semi-melt some of the cheese (particularly if you are using bleu cheese) and I think they just taste better warm.</li>
<li>SERVE immediately with the immense satisfaction of your new understanding of the "slow-roasted tomato" craze.</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLL-Prm53CW5fVFoG3xjHiwn0F-zlwHSRyMEEN25o4SrgAbMfnw2UiUFEqFLTvZvB9p65cEzEOR6c5MOP4G2xAbEph-NDrlJPoBo4XKWP5p1US1HuRnlWztIJac4Fzz6Bks4ic9NA6OGD/s1600/IMG_6445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLL-Prm53CW5fVFoG3xjHiwn0F-zlwHSRyMEEN25o4SrgAbMfnw2UiUFEqFLTvZvB9p65cEzEOR6c5MOP4G2xAbEph-NDrlJPoBo4XKWP5p1US1HuRnlWztIJac4Fzz6Bks4ic9NA6OGD/s320/IMG_6445.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I served them with cucumbers marinated in rice vinegar. Keep it simple so that the tomatoes shine!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
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<div>
NOTE: Roasted rosemary leaves are wonderful. You can eat them. They are crispy and delicious.</div>
</div>
<div>
*I am not affiliated with any brands mentioned here.</div>
Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-64830000639202644852018-07-25T05:40:00.000-07:002018-07-25T05:48:28.884-07:00Recipe Review: Apricot Pistachio Salad with Cilantro Lemon Dressing (Cardamom & Tea)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7JHjR9VLLjzywLIhv8dvXlliSBsbAlOAe1qhfoDITW2mATVKk0h5a5X4Lsq0EUzUgqwqTQKATrux_NGi87zqLv8F7EhTmGOKb04Hm0opZVE4fFBtmZm240RzJp9aFGTv-Ac0hi81vdWJC/s1600/IMG_6072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7JHjR9VLLjzywLIhv8dvXlliSBsbAlOAe1qhfoDITW2mATVKk0h5a5X4Lsq0EUzUgqwqTQKATrux_NGi87zqLv8F7EhTmGOKb04Hm0opZVE4fFBtmZm240RzJp9aFGTv-Ac0hi81vdWJC/s400/IMG_6072.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
Warning---more prose than usual. I'll try not to do that too often.<br />
-----<br />
<br />
I've been trying to intentionally cook vegetarian meals at least twice a week. I like MOST vegetables, but the ones I don't like, I REALLY don't like (I'm looking at you, eggplant).<br />
<br />
I also have legume/bean issues. This makes it hard to cook vegetarian as I also want to be low-carb and my hypoglycemic-self needs some protein.<br />
<br />
So understand that it is with some measure of pride that I substituted chickpeas for cannellini beans in the recipe below. I actually LIKE cannellini beans (one of the few), but we had none in the cupboard. What we did have was a can of chickpeas, of which I'm not a fan. But it turns out I'm even less of a fan of walking to the store in 88% humidity for one can of cannellini beans. So, I opened the can of garbanzo beans/chickpeas to make sure they were still ok (that can was there for a looooooooooong time), and here's where the pride comes in:<br />
<br />
I ccouldn't do much about the texture, but certainly I figured I could do something about the taste (or lack thereof). I drained and rinsed the chickpeas and then salted the heck out of them and tossed them with some paprika. Then they sat in the fridge for several hours. This was...<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">A GOOD, GOOD IDEA! </span><br />
<br />
I actually....liked them. I mean, enjoyed eating them. Miracles can happen with salt, evidently.<br />
<br />
OK, now why you are really here. If you haven't visited Kathryn Pauline's beautiful blog <a href="https://www.cardamomandtea.com/" target="_blank">Cardamom & Tea</a>, you are missing out. The focus is Assyrian cuisine, so this will count as part of that Other Cultures Cooking Project I began long ago... She's also a tremendous photographer, so if you like food p*** (sorry, I don't want this showing up in a weird Google search), you should <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cardamom.and.tea/?hl=en" target="_blank">follow her </a>on Instagram.<br />
<br />
<h3>
RECIPE:</h3>
<br />
<a href="https://www.cardamomandtea.com/blog/apricot-pistachio-salad" target="_blank">Apricot Pistachio Salad with Cilantro Lemon Dressing</a><br />
<br />
Substitutions:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>garbanzo beans/chickpeas for cannellini beans</li>
<li>roasted, unsalted pistachios instead of raw pistachios</li>
</ul>
<div>
If you don't like blue cheese or cilantro, she gives you other options. If you don't like blue cheese or cilantro, we may not get along, but that's ok. Kidding, of course. But if you DO like cilantro--MAKE THIS DRESSING! </div>
<div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufyD-wv22iTkXK0P1iwwWdVEKrR6dmbRsVZevBuCqxwe19FbcrJ3bacHnEEsTLcoLtRmlBgfGReAWm6upGBBhndz05qiOy_L7ZkyIylYPREiiFpvQaaSPlPpcDnjBo49Vw4YZ4w1LdfP-/s1600/IMG_6071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufyD-wv22iTkXK0P1iwwWdVEKrR6dmbRsVZevBuCqxwe19FbcrJ3bacHnEEsTLcoLtRmlBgfGReAWm6upGBBhndz05qiOy_L7ZkyIylYPREiiFpvQaaSPlPpcDnjBo49Vw4YZ4w1LdfP-/s200/IMG_6071.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Otherwise known as Rebecca's Chickpea Miracle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
I let the apricots ripen on the counter for a few days and they were near perfect. Right now is the time to get them--at the end of the season. The combo of ingredients and the dressing makes for a superb salad, which we used as the only course for dinner. It is nutritious and delicious!! </div>
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Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-77332581019407000502018-07-21T11:34:00.001-07:002018-07-21T11:34:26.876-07:00Classics: Pasta Primavera (Review)This past week I needed to make Pasta Primavera for the women's shelter. According to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasta_primavera" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>, this dish has its roots in Manhattan in the 1970s--something that surprises me. Certainly it was not part of the culinary legacy my grandmother passed down to me, but I had always assumed it was a traditional Italian dish. Had I the time to dig more deeply beyond Wikipedia, I might be able to unearth different origins.<br />
<br />
At any rate, my mother-in-law gaveme an old British cookbook from the 90s called <i>Classic Pasta Cuisine</i>, edited by Rosemary Moon, complete with illustrations more reminiscent of a cookbook from the 1970s. I decided that this was probably the best opportunity to use it, so I cracked it open and found a Primavera recipe that looked legit inasmuch it had pasta, spring veggies, and herbs.<br />
<br />
Per usual, so there is no copyright infringement, I will list the ingredients, but not the amounts: <br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>pasta (I used <i>De Cecco</i> penne rigate no. 41)</li>
<li>salt</li>
<li>asparagus</li>
<li>green beens</li>
<li>carrots</li>
<li>butter</li>
<li>mushrooms</li>
<li>freshly ground black pepper</li>
<li>tomatoes</li>
<li>spring onions (see substitutions below)</li>
<li>double cream (see substitutions below)</li>
<li>fresh parsley</li>
<li>fresh tarragon.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
The recipe serves 4 but it wasn't clear as if that was a main, or a side. I needed a side dish for 20 people, so I roughly doubled the recipe with an undetermined fraction beyond.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Quick n' Dirty directions</h4>
<br />
<ul>
<li>cook pasta in salted water </li>
<li>cut and trim vegetables (you may want to do this ahead of time) </li>
<li>blanch veggies (asparagus, green beans, carrots)</li>
<li>melt butter in pan, add blanched veggies and mushrooms and sauté (season with salt and pepper as you go)</li>
<li>stir in tomatoes and onions (see note below--I will revise this order next time)</li>
<li>add cream, herbs, and more salt and pepper</li>
<li>allow cream to thicken (via a quick boil)</li>
<li>combine with pasta</li>
</ul>
<br />
<h4>
Substitutions</h4>
<br />
<ul>
<li>heavy cream for double cream</li>
<li>I could not find spring onions, so I substituted leeks and green onions--this worked very well.</li>
</ul>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRU9-PQ-5cbmQLi1ttzzyYwffCGm7uQr3yF-N0kcTPM9Vr5ckcJWSrK9XAc3vhkmtVBWCTu2UEuoQORK7f-g7u-QWAEhcVi188HWnptQ1_qw5HYdC28GWT01U0WvJR03hLNhy9X_qTUibo/s1600/IMG_6028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRU9-PQ-5cbmQLi1ttzzyYwffCGm7uQr3yF-N0kcTPM9Vr5ckcJWSrK9XAc3vhkmtVBWCTu2UEuoQORK7f-g7u-QWAEhcVi188HWnptQ1_qw5HYdC28GWT01U0WvJR03hLNhy9X_qTUibo/s320/IMG_6028.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<h4>
Prep</h4>
I chopped up all the vegetables (including the leeks/green onions) the night before, so that I could quickly blanch them first thing the next morning.<br />
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I used rainbow carrots to add more color and blanching is an important step in this regard. It is a very bright and happy looking pasta. I ignored the direction to peel and seed the tomatoes because I see no need for this. The seeds have lots of flavor and unless you find the look of peeling tomato skin offensive, I don't think there is much benefit in going through the trouble of peeling them.</div>
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After you have blanched the vegetables (be sure to stop the cooking in an ice bath to retain color), melt the butter in a large pan. If you are making for a large group, you may have to do this in batches. Add the blanched veggies and mushrooms and sauté. Stir in tomatoes and onions. <i>If I do this again, I'll do the onions first.</i></div>
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Then add the cream and your herbs. If you like tarragon, I suggest chopping up quite a bit. It is a delicate flavor, but it comes through nicely here because it doesn't have to compete with garlic. Let the cream boil rapidly for a bit so it thickens. Add pasta to the pan, OR toss the pasta in a large bowl, add the sauce, and toss. </div>
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This was a lot more flavorful than I expected and the vegetables provide a great variety of texture and flavor! </div>
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<br />Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-75380915618680369482018-06-18T05:46:00.001-07:002018-06-18T05:46:25.353-07:00The Awesomest of Cauliflower Wedges (yes, you heard me)--ReviewIf you had told me prior to last month that I'd ever get excited about cauliflower, I would have given you that face...you know the one. And if you don't, let's just move on.<br />
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Working my way through Deb Perelman's <i><a href="http://a.co/9u9OS8D" target="_blank">Smitten Kitchen Every Day</a></i> (although admittedly I have not yet used it EVERY day), I came upon her recipe for roasted cauliflower, with the ultra sexy title of <span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">CAULIFLOWER WEDGE</span> (pages 42-43). But I like the understated title because it holds a secret...<br />
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THIS IS THE BEST CAULIFLOWER YOU WILL EVER HAVE.<br />
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Ok, so maybe it is *my* favorite cauliflower. It doesn't have to be yours. It is light and flavorful, and you can still taste the sweetness of the cauliflower. And it looks pretty on the plate!<br />
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Part of what makes this recipe so great is these:<br />
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Those are fried capers. I'm certain if you put fried capers and parmesan on just about anything you can eat it! Except eggplant. There is no helping eggplant.</h3>
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The recipe calls for only a few ingredients: cauliflower (go figure), capers, parmesan, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, currants, scallions, flat-leaf parsley. I won't reproduce the recipe here, but you can experiment and probably figure out a close approximation. </div>
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I'm also grateful to this recipe because I learned a new word: FRICOED. Yeah, that's an example of "verbing" (which is also example of "verbing" but...) Frico, at least originally, means a wafer of shredded cheese and potatoes. Perelman uses it to refer to the parmesan crispies (a term I prefer) that form in the oven as you roast the cauliflower, as in "fricoed bits of Parmesan" (43). Whatever you call them, be sure to pull them up off the baking sheet and sprinkle them on top when you serve the cauliflower. Because everything is better with fricoed crispies.</div>
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<br />Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-6805164237544544412018-06-04T15:15:00.002-07:002018-06-04T15:15:46.948-07:00Summer of Salads: (Review)-- Smashed Cucumber Salad (Smitten Kitchen)I received Deb Perelman's <i><a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Smitten_Kitchen_Every_Day.html?id=hQQEDgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button#v=onepage&q&f=false" target="_blank">Smitten Kitchen Everyday</a></i> cookbook for Christmas, and finally had the time to crack it open. I started with the <span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Smashed Cucumber Salad with Salted Peanuts and Wasabi Peas</span> (page 50)... As always with a copyrighted recipe, I'll post the ingredients, but not the amounts.<br />
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The basics: seedless cucumbers, kosher salt, <i><b><span style="font-size: large;">sake</span></b></i>, rice vinegar, sesame oil, hot pepper flakes, salted peanuts, wasabi peas<br />
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So, this recipe had me at "wasabi peas"--so much so that I completely overlooked the SAKE (hence why I have it italicized and emphasized up above). I didn't read the recipe beforehand, because I thought that wouldn't be necessary for a "salad" and because I am sometimes not-so-smart like that. That would have saved me from my omission of sake, but alas. And I usually always read the prose from Deb Perelman because she's hilarious.<br />
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So, what to do when you don't have sake? Internet to the rescue! There were two suggestions for substitutions: 1) rice vinegar diluted with water and 2) sherry. The recipe already called for rice vinegar and when given the choice of diluted vinegar water or alcohol, you can guess which one sounded more appealing. So I subbed sherry for sake and have made it a priority to get sake so I can try this again (I'll update here). The sherry worked, but I have a feeling the flavors will be markedly different with sake.<br />
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A few notes:<br />
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1) "Smashing"<br />
<b>If you've never taken a meat tenderizer to a cucumber, it is surprisingly satisfying.</b> Beyond that, Deb Perelman swears it helps the cucumbers absorb the flavors, so who am I to argue? I'm not totally sold on the trend of getting rid of cucumber seeds--I happen to like them. So, I kept whatever didn't fall out during the smashing process.<br />
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2) "Marinating"<br />
Perelman does a pre-salting/marinade step in a colander over a bowl. I'll be curious to try everything together than just the salt and sake, which is how I approach cucumber salad. The pre-marinated cucumbers then get tossed in the remaining ingredients. Deb is on the fence about dressing the salad ahead of time. After eating leftovers the day after, if you are ok with slippery cucumbers, I say go for it...let them stew a bit! That said, I'd probably go with thin slices in that case, because you lose the whole mouthfeel of the <b>crunchy crushed cucumbers</b>.<br />
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3) Toppings!<br />
Do know that the wasabi peas lose their oomph after a bit, so if you do plan on having leftovers, sprinkle the crunchy stuff per serving, not in the bowl.<br />
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OVERALL: Really lovely salad--I made it as the only side to accompany some grilled arctic char. That was perfect and made for a light and healthy summer dinner! I'll be curious to try it with the sake to see how it compares, but mostly I just longed for a slightly more acidic taste, so I'll have to customize the amounts and experiment.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-xuWecMm3FJGVbrKt4Pxiiri03vDM3wHL2GPZ7XvYJ6Dq4P_IMC2U32doP9waVD8_2Er4yMou1LLwJUic6JjwcxhjdxMJgqA4uezOZYTTEs86e-9SL7Q5x7i01secLCcKd6LXOvB5D4iB/s1600/IMG_4806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-xuWecMm3FJGVbrKt4Pxiiri03vDM3wHL2GPZ7XvYJ6Dq4P_IMC2U32doP9waVD8_2Er4yMou1LLwJUic6JjwcxhjdxMJgqA4uezOZYTTEs86e-9SL7Q5x7i01secLCcKd6LXOvB5D4iB/s400/IMG_4806.jpg" width="400" /></a>Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-20937821551936287792017-06-24T13:42:00.000-07:002017-06-24T13:42:29.421-07:00Summer of Salads: Cucumber-Honeydew Salad with Feta<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVO0EW2CXl_M7Xw0qk74BRCEB89lCxOjtcNA-tnbLQRIcRK1mPkNTPbCNnjYBJhWcvAvU0miuIRE81hmTTUgk1sqiT-8wliVJR8HLWEcd9w88-vs_8Vin3XY_iSEOsVgw7kVR0vGd7RmhK/s1600/IMG_3238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVO0EW2CXl_M7Xw0qk74BRCEB89lCxOjtcNA-tnbLQRIcRK1mPkNTPbCNnjYBJhWcvAvU0miuIRE81hmTTUgk1sqiT-8wliVJR8HLWEcd9w88-vs_8Vin3XY_iSEOsVgw7kVR0vGd7RmhK/s320/IMG_3238.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Honeydew</span> is always hit and miss with me, usually because it is either too sweet (overripe) or not ripe enough. I came across this recipe from <a href="http://rikkisnyder.com/blog/13806210" target="_blank">Rikki Snyder</a> (via Pinterest) however and was intrigued, because I was looking for something that would accommodate honeydew at almost any level of ripeness. It did not disappoint!<br />
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I did find that I didn't have the patience to use the melon baller on the entire thing, so that's why you see chopped honeydew in my salad. I'm sure there is some home economics maven out there who is incredibly disappointed in me. I'm sorry. However, I did find the strength to make just enough for a wonderful cocktail of my own devising:</div>
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I made this with gin (Sapphire (TM))--I'd use Hendrick's (TM) next time---I muddled the honeydew and it is basically a G & T with muddled honeydew. Very subtle. And the thyme garnish? Well, I've become a big fan of garnishing my cocktails with whatever herbs I have on hand. I had a nice martini at <a href="http://evoorestaurant.com/" target="_blank">EVOO</a> last night that featured torched rosemary. I'm not quite up to torching my garnishes...yet.<br />
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Served with grilled halibut and asparagus. The arugula is a must, in my opinion, and the entire salad would not be the same without it. I'd DEFINITELY use it if the honeydew is very sweet and you don't want fruit salad. The dressing is really wonderful and works well with the feta cheese. This will be a summer staple.</div>
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<br />Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-89280322181848581842017-02-12T05:07:00.003-08:002017-02-12T05:07:52.378-08:00Other Cultures Cooking Project: Cannellini and Lamb Soup (Ottolenghi/Tamimi)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cannellini and Lamb Soup from <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Jerusalem-Cookbook-Yotam-Ottolenghi/dp/1607743949" target="_blank">Jerusalem</a>, </i>p. 135,<i> </i>photo by RM</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This is probably one of the best soups I have ever made and was absolutely perfect for the snowy wintery weather we've been having.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">A few things.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It calls for 20 cloves of garlic.</span><br />
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<b>KITCHEN GADGET ALERT: GARLIC EDITION!</b></h3>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Electronic4sale-Garlic-Skin-Remover-Green/dp/B00Y0FII1E/ref=pd_lpo_79_lp_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GHSVXXTFW4VK3DS18VRE" target="_blank">This</a> is my favorite tool to peel garlic. It shouldn't cost more than 2 bucks. You don't need anything fancier. All you need is a clean, stable, and dry surface. The older the garlic, the easier it is to peel.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Steel-Soap-and-Holder/dp/B0067FQUGA/ref=pd_lpo_201_bs_lp_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GDJYPSSQVMRWR1ZK2YX5" target="_blank">This </a>actually works, believe it or not, in removing garlic odors from your hands. Yes, I know, you can rub your hands all over your stainless steel kitchen faucet, but forgive me if I think this is more graceful. And a shout out here to Katie (over at <a href="https://cookthebookfridays.wordpress.com/about/" target="_blank">Cook The Book Fridays</a>) who sent me my steel soap one year for Christmas!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I made no substitutions, except that I used canned cannellini beans because planning ahead enough to soak dried ones never happens. I threw them in with the potatoes in the last 20 minutes of cooking time. I recommend letting your taste, smell, and sight guide you, rather than following the cooking times exactly. I didn't need a full hour to simmer the meat and the potatoes were done in about 15.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Also, if you've never used <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardamom" target="_blank">cardamom</a> pods, you are missing out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This particular recipe reflects the culinary influence Jews in <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Yemen/@15.3699622,39.1366394,5z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x1603dbac7c34bc5f:0x92f129377eae77ae!8m2!3d15.552727!4d48.516388" target="_blank">Yemen</a> who settled there in the 1950s. I'm not interested in getting political here on this blog, but I am interested in a cultural exploration of food. The cardamom, turmeric, and cumin were beautifully balanced. Ottolenghi notes that adding cinnamon would make it more in the tradition of Aleppine Jews.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5diVyG-hf1C_w6OgzTJ7toMxCBYNkfUFwCVd9tmzYMvYQ_6UxgKdLe-xBrOb8dZuRHDjKRMYaKG8dJIWyj3Xj6Qg0pHVNW7oPi0BXvQBAvTVEF1PAkB6K91DbrCectdX4Wjyc1E0GYb-v/s1600/IMG_2371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: x-large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5diVyG-hf1C_w6OgzTJ7toMxCBYNkfUFwCVd9tmzYMvYQ_6UxgKdLe-xBrOb8dZuRHDjKRMYaKG8dJIWyj3Xj6Qg0pHVNW7oPi0BXvQBAvTVEF1PAkB6K91DbrCectdX4Wjyc1E0GYb-v/s200/IMG_2371.JPG" width="150" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We paired it with a good and relatively inexpensive red blend from South Africa. I suggest decanting and letting it breathe. My husband says I always say that, but with this wine, I really mean it! It was heavy on the berries and fruit, but became a much more interesting wine by the end of the glass.</span></span><br />
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Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-19760207158610651222017-01-10T18:42:00.000-08:002017-01-10T18:42:06.900-08:00Other Cultures Cooking Project: Monks' Salad with Garlicky Dressing (Malouf)I will start this post with a pseudo-apology to the <b>O</b>hio<b> C</b>ollege of <b>C</b>linical <b>P</b>harmacy. Yes... in the unlikely event that my <b>O</b>ther <b>C</b>ultures <b>C</b>ooking <b>P</b>roject becomes more a more popular choice in Google algorithms, I apologize pre-emptively to anyone more interested in Zocor (TM) than za'atar.<br />
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With that out of the way...welcome to the first official Other Cultures Cooking Project Post! I did spend ample time agonizing over the name--I hesitate to use "other" as I am "other" to other others, but setting aside academic navel-gazing, I think we understand that it is contextual: "other cultures foreign to me." And we can understand that I'm not even sure what constitutes my "culture" so there's that too.<br />
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What started this is that I believe food is one of the most important (and enjoyable) ways to learn about people--culturally, socially, economically. I like to learn. I like to cook. I like to eat. So, a no-brainer, in other words.<br />
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I will still feature occasional recipes that are fairly close to home, but I'm making a concerted effort to break out of my culinary comfort zone (sometimes named "Ina Garten") to learn about the larger world, especially as we become increasingly and frighteningly insular in this country. Yes, that is political commentary. <br />
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For Christmas I received Greg and Lucy Malouf's <a href="http://a.co/6OFEjgu" target="_blank"><i>Saha: A Chef's Journey through Lebanon and Syria</i></a>. It seemed a perfect place to start this journey. The book itself is gorgeous and informative. I'm enjoying reading the prose and learning about a part of the world about which I know little, save for the horrific images on the TV and in newspapers right now. The recipe featured in this post comes from a section of the book that illuminates the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beqaa_Valley" target="_blank">Bekaa (Beqaa) Valley</a>, one of the major agricultural regions in Lebanon. In contrast to the lovely photographs of greenery and produce, the Maloufs describe a poor and unsupported sector that never fully recovered from the civil war. The valley is home to a variety of Christian, Catholic, and Orthodox sects so in this respect, the name of the recipe is not surprising.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Monks' Salad with Garlicky Dressing</b> (<i>Saha</i>, p. 137)</span><br />
<b>Recipe</b>: 4/5 stars<br />
<b>Ingredients*</b>: baby turnips, baby carrots, baby leeks, shallots, cauliflower, baby green beans, olive oil, sherry vinegar, garlic, cilantro, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, allspice berries, red bird's eye chili <br />
<b>Good as leftovers</b>: YES! See below. <br />
<b>Ease</b>: 5/5<br />
<b>Challenges/Surprises:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Obtaining certain ingredients at local grocery store (namely allspice <i>berries</i> and a red bird's-eye chili).</li>
<li>Using half my body weight in olive oil (slight exaggeration)</li>
</ul>
<b>Alterations/Substitutions:</b> Baby veggies were hard to come by in New England winter, so I used fully grown carrots, turnips, and leeks--chopping them to more manageable size.<br />
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<b>Notes for next time:</b> The recipe calls for one clove of garlic. Perhaps
my Italian-American heritage will not allow me to appreciate the
subtlety in a single clove. I'll be using at least two next time,
particularly if we claim that the dressing is "garlicky." <br />
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Evidently, "boiled vegetable salads" are common to the eastern Mediterranean. My mouth does not water when I hear "boiled vegetables," but this was a delightful surprise. First, the vegetables are "boiled" in olive oil, not water. The thought of using this much oil for anything other than frying has never occurred to me, but I can see the benefits! The oil infuses the vegetables with the subtle spices of the bouquet garni (or Malouf's far less pretentious "spice bag") and the sherry vinegar dressing highlights--rather than competes with--the natural flavors of the vegetables (in particular the leeks). <br />
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Better yet--storing the vegetables (out of the oil) in the fridge overnight yields a wonderful chilled/pickled salad for the next day!<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*Quantities of ingredients are left out in order to protect copyright</span>Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-33346707410265978872015-01-03T11:23:00.001-08:002015-01-03T11:23:48.683-08:00Cooking in 2015 & Bittman's Mini MinimalistHappy New Year! I'm not a big one for resolutions, but I've realized that I've been slacking on cooking, and that has to change (for both budget and health considerations). I do love Blue Apron, but while I'm on break from teaching I'm trying to plan meals and cook more often. <br />
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Santa was kind enough to bring us Mark Bittman's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Mini-Minimalist-Recipes-Satisfying/dp/0307985555" target="_blank">The Mini Minimalist</a> set, as well as Ottolenghi and Tamimi's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jerusalem-Cookbook-Yotam-Ottolenghi/dp/1607743949/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1420311451&sr=1-1&keywords=ottolenghi+jerusalem" target="_blank">Jerusalem</a> cookbook.<br />
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Thus far in the new year, I've made Bittman's "Broiled Bluefish or Mackerel with Green Tea Salt" (The Mini Minimalist: Meat, Fish & Poultry, 20-21). We had to substitute sea bass as that was the fish that was available and least likely to compete with the green tea (something told me salmon would be funky).<br />
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The neat part of this recipe is the green tea powder with coarse salt. Bittman recommends grinding one's own green tea, but I went for Matcha powder since I had it on hand.<br />
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The recipe worked out fairly well, except that I'd cut the salt down to 1/2 tablespoon next time. You will have to adjust how much salt you want according to your taste. I served it with "Stir-Fried Leeks with Ginger" (Bittman, The Mini-Minimalist: Vegetables, 48) and "Rice Salad with Peas and Soy" (Bittman, The Mini-Minimalist: Pizza, Pasta & Grains, 86). The rice salad was really excellent as were the leeks. With the latter, the recipe doesn't make a lot, so I recommend more than two leeks.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Broiled Sea Bass with Green Tea Salt; Rice Salad with Peas and Soy; Stir-Fried Leeks with Ginger</span></div>
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Feeling more adventurous, I tried the "Slow-Cooked Lamb with Fresh Mint Sauce" the next day. I toyed with the idea of doing this in the slow cooker, but I think the cooking time would be much longer as most slow cookers seem to fall under 250 degrees at their highest temps. The recipe is for a six pound leg of lamb, and I should have cut the cooking time--probably in half. Bittman doesn't provide a temperature guide. But aside from being well-done, it was very very good. The secret is poking holes in the lamb and stuffing those holes with a paste of minced garlic and salt. If you enjoy spackling, you'll enjoy this process:<br />
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Not so beautiful at this point, but you get the idea. The good news is, I'm glad I chose to do it in the oven because I don't think it would have looked like this in the slow cooker:<br />
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It was supposed to be accompanied with a green beans and tomato dish, but I forgot to buy the green beans. So, quick n' dirty salad to the rescue. The mint sauce would have been better if I had remembered to make it sooner--I didn't have the patience to let the sherry vinegar and sugar become more viscous, so all the mint floated to the top of the "sauce." That's what you see scooped on the finished product below:<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Slow-Cooked Leg of Lamb with green salad</span></div>
RECIPES USED:<br />
Broiled Mackerel (Sea Bass) with Green Tea Salt (Bittman): 4 stars<br />
Rice Salad with Peas and Soy (Bittman): 4.5 stars<br />
Stir-Fried Leeks with Ginger (Bittman): 4.5 stars<br />
Slow-Cooked Leg of Lamb (Bittman): 4 starsRebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-72124082365262673632014-04-26T04:34:00.000-07:002014-04-26T05:46:14.344-07:00Blue Apron: A Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5-Spice Pork Buns with Red Cabbage, Carrot & Thai Basil Salad (4/4 stars)</td></tr>
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A friend was kind enough to send me a free trial of <a href="http://www.blueapron.com/pages/learn-more" target="_blank">Blue Apron</a>, a subscription cook-it-yourself service. I was skeptical at first, based on some of the criticisms I have below, but after three weeks, I'm quite hooked. It has been perfect for this busy end of the semester as it removes the parts I hate most: planning and shopping. I don't plan on using it much this summer when I have access to farmer's markets, and time to think about something other than my career, but since many have asked, I thought I'd do a little review here.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_qBk0ddxExu10DIMP8QeY_xrYrjq20pviKiIKuwD3wx-bDCowLFX_c32DayAApelFvSCc9bn3vgk1FxUlu1YTb3HA9dQ9ztcrojgxuYhz3UAehdjVthTLMkgHdMh6cF3fb1jbZxw06fB/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_qBk0ddxExu10DIMP8QeY_xrYrjq20pviKiIKuwD3wx-bDCowLFX_c32DayAApelFvSCc9bn3vgk1FxUlu1YTb3HA9dQ9ztcrojgxuYhz3UAehdjVthTLMkgHdMh6cF3fb1jbZxw06fB/s1600/photo+1.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orange-glazed Chicken Drumsticks with Mashed Yucca and Arugula Salad (4/4 stars)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>PROS:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>not having to plan the meals (which I like to do occasionally, but not for the entire week)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>no food waste, as they send you only the amount that you need for the recipe </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>no food shopping other than to pick up staples (breakfast stuff, etc) for the week</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>geared
toward people who don't know how to cook a whole lot, so, for example, a recipe will direct you to "peel a lemon, avoiding the pith, then cut the peel into zest
with a sharp knife." Glory hallelujah was I ever excited to have my
Microplane zester. (I have this under "pros" though because they
really are serious when they say you just need salt, pepper, and olive
oil). </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>there's no minimum commitment, so with 6 days notice, you can do it, or not do it, for the week. Cancelling the service involves writing an e-mail.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>The price runs $55-$65 for three meals a week for 2 people. That's very reasonable considering how much money I spend eating out at restaurants and paying for food that is sustainable and organic. </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVs5_hT09wXuFMtTRnWfVx8Fn_kt4ZGzU5Uu_DfvYJrwsCNOSNvWXn-Fd3cBmtJ1X8_fZteCem8Oi4JeAVDEpUu-mg21lt5sTklorYAzIRBpjjgX6-JVbGmWitiGuQItaNqN9e_sHUglYY/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVs5_hT09wXuFMtTRnWfVx8Fn_kt4ZGzU5Uu_DfvYJrwsCNOSNvWXn-Fd3cBmtJ1X8_fZteCem8Oi4JeAVDEpUu-mg21lt5sTklorYAzIRBpjjgX6-JVbGmWitiGuQItaNqN9e_sHUglYY/s1600/photo+2.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>CONS</b>:<br />
<ul>
<li>packaging. Supposedly it is all
recyclable and/or biodegradable, but there is A LOT of it, as
you might imagine. It comes with these huge monstrous ice packs which can be re-used
(by you), or defrosted and emptied of their gel. This is a pain. And my freezer can hold maybe one or two of these things...so if I'm getting one every week...</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>not knowing where the food came from. I will
say this---the produce is quite beautiful,
actually. The meat seemed to be high quality, but I have no idea about
its sustainability. Their website says "emphasis on sustainable practices" but that doesn't really tell me anything. I appreciated the organic soba noodles, but my primary concern is <i>not</i> the soba noodles.</li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdY9-ICMNl4zYrLmZzBLCwzascimlAhAbD1Me06pOmABXIIE4wLVrbpvn5QIj3lamN2HmpWMBY_xU2A4fy23a2l3PKtdaeWTBl_FAaHu_FG2fpmk9iw8bbNP4DG3SbtMCQVKORw7OZVFUN/s1600/photo+1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdY9-ICMNl4zYrLmZzBLCwzascimlAhAbD1Me06pOmABXIIE4wLVrbpvn5QIj3lamN2HmpWMBY_xU2A4fy23a2l3PKtdaeWTBl_FAaHu_FG2fpmk9iw8bbNP4DG3SbtMCQVKORw7OZVFUN/s1600/photo+1.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cod over Linguine with Fresh Peas, Meyer Lemon & Spring Herbs (3.5/4 stars)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
SO...<br />
<br />
<b>In a perfect world, this is what I'd love to see</b>:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Less packaging: Have key ingredients for the week and the cook has to be responsible for portioning the parsley or scallions, for example. This is part of learning how to cook!</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Packaging Pick-Up: If there was some way to pickup the boxes, liners and ice-packs when the food gets dropped off, that would be fantastic. I'd even be willing to pay a bit extra to have some way to plop a return label on the box, seal it, and send it back with those materials that the company can reuse.</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSO8b4J-MQGUhp18089KZV1R7Y4jHfjV0k7P7wmvXqm9c1qKQ-9QhuE8abRI-ybZdF5AkXzTRiyeN9JUdzeP6WlEKL5bRvJ2wqdBE_j47vj49OGfP4ILBrx-KOACfAvaSihX0zhEei3G3W/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSO8b4J-MQGUhp18089KZV1R7Y4jHfjV0k7P7wmvXqm9c1qKQ-9QhuE8abRI-ybZdF5AkXzTRiyeN9JUdzeP6WlEKL5bRvJ2wqdBE_j47vj49OGfP4ILBrx-KOACfAvaSihX0zhEei3G3W/s1600/photo+5.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fennel-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Grapefruit, Mustard Greens & Japonica Black Rice (4/4 STARS)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I think Blue Apron is really a great service and very well-suited toward:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>People who are very busy but don't want to eat take out or go out every night.</li>
<li>People who want to learn how to cook</li>
<li>People living on their own (3 meals = 6 meals, as there is a 2 person minimum)</li>
</ul>
If you wind up using the service, I do recommend buying a <a href="http://us.microplane.com/microplaneclassicserieszestergrater.aspx.aspx" target="_blank">Microplane zester</a> as almost every recipe has some sort of zest in it! That zester is my absolute favorite kitchen tool. <br />
<br />
More Info:<br />
<a href="http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2014/03/24/exclusive-blue-apron-serves-up-half-a-million-meals-per-month/" target="_blank">This article</a> in from Fortune Magazine (online) reports that Blue Apron is doing quite well. It also mentions how it contrasts with Plated, a similar service.Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289771341917706519.post-78348346583582637952014-01-18T11:31:00.000-08:002014-01-18T11:31:32.074-08:00Leftover Peas: A Triple Threat (Couscous, Purée, Risotto)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEuQ9UReySPxLiRosftBT-vRgclmPFU1NcW5OJ_r5TSrYnFxj7rOHi9KYKiDOzQ_h9iEt8Rdq-ZsduJjWjKrvkhClpz5IAEfyy6g7byeIdKeV7V3EG01VHNqeAKlA6Dyp_GqzNn9hniBX/s1600/couscous.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEuQ9UReySPxLiRosftBT-vRgclmPFU1NcW5OJ_r5TSrYnFxj7rOHi9KYKiDOzQ_h9iEt8Rdq-ZsduJjWjKrvkhClpz5IAEfyy6g7byeIdKeV7V3EG01VHNqeAKlA6Dyp_GqzNn9hniBX/s1600/couscous.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Ina Garten's Couscous with Peas and Mint: </i>3.5 stars </div>
<br />
Sometimes you make couscous for 15 people (Ina Garten's "Couscous with Peas and Mint" from her <i>Foolpoof: Recipes You Can Trust</i>) and convince yourself that you need to double the recipe. Then you find that it probably wasn't necessary to buy TWO bags of frozen peas. Now you find yourself staring at a whole lot of leftover defrosted peas. What to do?<br />
<br />
Here's one idea! How about lamb sausage (more specifically, lamb-apricot sausage from <a href="http://www.savenorsmarket.com/web/" target="_blank">Savenor's</a>) with a mint-pea purée? (It is winter, so I used <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2013/06/lamb-sausage-pea-puree-pea-sprouts-recipe.html" target="_blank">this recipe</a> for the purée and left off the pea shoots, etc). Do remember that a little bit of fresh mint goes a long way, so you may want to adjust the amounts depending on your preferred pea-taste to mint-taste ratio.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZZXYyTz4xBwMl7ivCaDddLrEKS_tDqiXyzRZRPX7Kqd-PQnefnleCAdhGYXp4ahSX1ijgq4Z67uwmcOMjM4GiGDiEBzSiQ2xRlammCvYLV2JVI-9ecihVdjcZGFMQhEs56x8Ze0TZ7ql/s1600/lambsausage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZZXYyTz4xBwMl7ivCaDddLrEKS_tDqiXyzRZRPX7Kqd-PQnefnleCAdhGYXp4ahSX1ijgq4Z67uwmcOMjM4GiGDiEBzSiQ2xRlammCvYLV2JVI-9ecihVdjcZGFMQhEs56x8Ze0TZ7ql/s1600/lambsausage.jpg" height="216" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i> Serious Eats' "Lamb Sausage with Pea Purée"</i>: 4 stars</div>
<br />
But one can only make/eat so much mint-pea purée. I was excited to try Food52's <a href="http://food52.com/recipes/3094-peas-porridge-hot-oat-risotto-with-peas" target="_blank">Peas Porridge Hot </a>recipe until I discovered I only had "quick-cooking-but-not-instant" steel cut oats. So, I threw together this simple risotto for lunch, and finally used up the rest of the peas!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsAV9xstZEwtCYvzm-ZgVj_iCDdsUgOs22ykPwv5ZhP64HJ8aMH9IRpMJAJMN6ecCC0w8uBPhiXaZwK2xSPjmneN9rqEdsCGNu5eTRgBIKZXsE2qgT6KeSEUaaNB7zxaolDlKyOyA6FPw/s1600/risotto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsAV9xstZEwtCYvzm-ZgVj_iCDdsUgOs22ykPwv5ZhP64HJ8aMH9IRpMJAJMN6ecCC0w8uBPhiXaZwK2xSPjmneN9rqEdsCGNu5eTRgBIKZXsE2qgT6KeSEUaaNB7zxaolDlKyOyA6FPw/s1600/risotto.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Peas Risotto Hot</span><br />
<br />
2 tablespoons unsalted butter<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
2 large chopped shallots (of course) <br />
1 cup arborio rice<br />
3 cups heated chicken stock (you may need more, depending on your preferred consistency)<br />
1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano<br />
1 to 2 cups frozen peas (defrosted)--yes, fresh are better if they are seasonal<br />
1/8 cup heavy cream<br />
freshly ground pepper<br />
prosciutto (4 slices, shredded)--optional<br />
<br />
In a medium saucepan or heavy-bottomed dutch oven, melt the butter and oil over medium heat.<br />
Add the chopped shallots and cook until translucent (3-5 minutes). <br />
Add the arborio rice and coat all the grains with the butter/oil mixture.<br />
<br />
Add the heated stock 1/2 cup at a time. Wait for the liquid to be absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup. (You may be able to add more at a time, so watch it carefully to gauge the rate of liquid absorption). Be sure to stir from the bottom (I like using a bamboo spatula) to prevent the rice from sticking. The adding-liquid process will probably take about 20-25 minutes.<br />
<br />
When you have used all the stock, the rice should have a bit of a bite, but also a creamy consistency.<br />
<br />
Add the peas, and remove from heat. Stir in the cheese and cream, and add pepper to taste. Add the shredded prosciutto at the very last minute, stir and serve.Rebecca Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356712338959918065noreply@blogger.com0