With the Best of Intentions

. . . so of course I meant to post while I was out visiting, but you know how those things work. So many people to see, so many things to do! I had a delightful little break from my normal life (the hausfrau life, if you will), and got to visit with people I love dearly.

I began my trip visiting the town we just moved from, and got to see the friends we most recently took for granted. Fun to eat all the various foods for which that town is famous, especially my very favorite lentil wraps at the local lesbian-anarchist diner.

From there, off to Indiana to visit with the BFF Forever (har), where I taught her that PIZZA DOESN'T HAVE TO HAVE MARINARA SAUCE. We enjoyed a very civilized leek-and-goat cheese "tart" and the banter that we somehow slip into every time we get together.

I then settled in for a long visit to my hometown and my parents, which was lovely and relaxing. Visited with friends, enjoyed the most amazing appetizer with Robu (Steak, gorgonzola, red onion, and tomato crostini). Delicious. My folks drove me back to SmallMountainTown, and we had a perfect long weekend together--hiking, food, drinks, a bit of shopping . . . very low-key, which is what we like.

We did take a day trip to the historically preserved miner's village where some of my ancestors emigrated to from Ireland and worked. It was haunting to walk those streets, imagining a thick coat of coal dust covering everything, and contemplating the nearly unthinkable poverty in which they lived. Really a day to remember.

After such a long stretch of traveling and company, I barely mustered the strength to cook dinner last night (especially after doing four loads of laundry). I have a ton of pasta recipes on here, but I strongly believe that a handful of infinitely variable pasta recipes can get anyone through the busiest (and budget-limited) of times.

My Mother-In-Law sent me a recipe for pasta with dried plums and pecans a while ago and I'd had it in the back of my mind. I substituted walnuts for the pecans (though pecans would have been lovely) and added sauteed kale for nutrition's sake and for its very complimentary bitterness.

Pasta with Dried Plums, Kale, Walnuts, and Gorgonzola
1 lb. whole-wheat pasta (short is good)
2 T. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs. kale, torn into bite-sized pieces, washed
1/2 cup dried plums (prunes), chopped
4 T. walnuts, toasted and chopped
1/2 to 2/3 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions, scooping out some of the pasta cooking water just before draining. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add kale, cover and steam, tossing occasionally until bright green and partially wilted. Season with salt and pepper, saute without lid to evaporate most of the excess liquid. Add the other ingredients and toss well, using pasta cooking water to moisten if necessary.

Hummousesque

I had a freezer bag full of chipotle chiles in adobo leftover from another recipe; I had two cans of chickpeas and a languishing lime. From these meager beginnings, I made perhaps one of the most addictive snacks ever to find its way out of my Cuisinart. This isn't really a hummous, more of a chickpea spread that doubles easily as a dip.

I have a sick love for both chickpeas and spice, which could be easily construed as an addiction, and this stuff really feeds my need.

Of late, I've been struggling with a herniated disc in my lower back, and have recently made a decision to try cutting sugar from my diet, which is an inflammatory and may be making my pain worse. As much as I am not a sweet-craver (I prefer salty on about a four-to-one ratio), having yummy snacks like this around make it a little easier to pass on a bit of frozen yogurt or honey-drizzled banana. I don't know how this whole no-sugar thing will work out, but if I keep getting to eat this stuff, I think I'll be able to cope.

Chipotle-Chickpea Spread
2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2-4 canned chipotle peppers (depending on your preferred level of spice)
1 T. adobo sauce
Juice from 1/2 lime
Salt
3 T. olive oil
Low-fat yogurt, as needed

Combine chickpeas, chipotle, adobo, lime juice, and olive oil in a food processor. Process until pureed. Season with salt to taste, add yogurt or olive oil as needed to reach desired consistency. Allow flavors to meld in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Fried Green Tomatoes

It almost seems silly to post a recipe for fried green tomatoes - they are so simple to make, anyone could probably come up with a reasonable version toying around in the kitchen for a short while. I will, however, post this recipe as a nudge to those who have not yet attempted this delicious snack (and perfect weekend lunch). Additionally, here in MyTown, green tomatoes seem more plentiful than locally-grown red ones (though I did manage to find some beauties) at our farmer's markets, so it's a practical recipe as well.

I have fond memories of my own fried green tomato discovery.

In college, I lived downstairs from a friend who, each Sunday, cooked up a mess of Soul Food. W would make chicken, greens, macaroni and cheese, cornbread, and potatoes as a matter of course each week. I was lucky enough to hang around and peek at the food all day long, before eating at dinnertime.

Having picked up a bunch of green tomatoes at the farmers' market, I decided to try my hand at the Southern treat. I brought the tomatoes up to W's apartment, and she passed along her recipe. Usually, W fried her tomatoes in bacon fat, and though mine are a little lighter, they make me smile and think of her.

Fried Green Tomatoes
2 medium green tomatoes, sliced (about 1/2-inch slices)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup medium-to-fine grind cornmeal
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Red pepper flakes
Cooking spray or olive oil

Mix cornmeal and seasonings to taste in a large shallow bowl or plate. Heat a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray or coat with olive oil. Dip each tomato slice in beaten egg on both sides. Dredge in cornmeal mixture, and place in skillet. Flip tomatoes when cornmeal is slightly browned and crisped.

A plateful of these beauties makes a perfect lunch, with a handful of seasonal fruit and a dollop of yogurt or sour cream.

Mix Up Your Cucumber Salad

Well, we're back from our housing search in SmallMountainTown, and boy is it a small town! I consider myself a city girl to the core, and it seems I'm in for a big change on August 1st. Even so, we will be only 70 miles outside HUGECity, which offers lots of amenities and lovely friend J!

Our housing search was a great success . . . we ended up taking an apartment in a turn-of-the-century Victorian mansion which is still in the process of renovation. The landlords are highly recommended by Our Hero's new colleagues, so we have every reason to believe things will turn out well. One of our landlords is a professional in the dining/hospitality field, and I've seen (and loved) his kitchen, so I am hoping and praying the kitchen will be wonderful. I think people who love to cook would have a hard time building a crappy kitchen. I'll provide pictures when available. The good news: the stove will be gas. Amen.

We've had a bit of a sticky heatwave these past few days in MyTown, and standing over a hot stove sounded absolutely hellish. Instead, I whipped up this cucumber salad from Eating Well, which served me well as a light, hot-weather supper. It's a nice change from my standard (and delicious) yogurt-cuke-red onion-dill combo. The beans and feta give this some protein. Our Hero preferred it as a side dish with a fat roast beef sandwich. Either way you use it, light meal or side, it is fresh-tasting and delicious.

Cucumber-Black-Eyed-Pea Salad
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 T. olive oil
Pinch dried or t. chopped fresh oregano
Black pepper
4 cups peeled, diced cucumber
14-oz. can black-eyed peas
1 cup diced sweet bell pepper
1/4 cup sliced red onion
1/2 cup crumbled feta (sheep's milk is best)
6-8 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped

Whisk together first four ingredients in a large bowl. Add other ingredients and toss well. Taste for seasoning. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving.

Oh yes, a personal note for a friend enduring a language pledge this summer (thank you google translator?):
انا نفتقدكم ، اندريا! لا استطيع الانتظار لاتحدث اليكم في عطلة نهاية هذا الاسبوع ، انه يرغب شخصيا.

Pearl Barley Risotto

I've wanted to make risotto with pearl barley ever since I read about the technique. I can't quite remember where I stumbled onto this suggestion, maybe Sally Schneider's A New Way to Cook? In any event, it had been on my short list of must-try dishes.

Since I've largely abandoned refined grains (aside from the occasional slice of pizza or wedge of yummy cake), I've missed risotto. Yes, I've made it more than a few times with short-grain brown rice, but the reason I haven't put it together more often is one in the same as the thing that kills me about whole-grain risotto. It takes SO frickin' long! With arborio rice, you're stirring, tops, 25 minutes. With short-grain brown rice or pearl barley, you're stuck by the stove for (perhaps over) 60 minutes!

The recipe I used from Eating Well lied and said it would only take me 35-45 minutes. HA! Thanks to another epiphany/kitchen hint from Mark Bittman, I knew constant stirring is not necessary for risotto. He recommends the heat at a rather high temperature and not to leave the risotto unstirred more than a minute. In this manner, I was able to take lots of mini-breaks from stirring. Thank you, Mr. Bittman.

Though it took more than an hour to reach al dente (mis en place plus one hour cooking time), it was a success, taste-wise. The mushrooms, red wine, and arugula gave this a very rich and woodsy flavor. I would recommend this recipe, but make sure to do it on a night with lots of time to spend in the kitchen. Even better, make it with a friend and chat away while you take turns stirring.

Pearl Barley Risotto with Wild Mushrooms and Arugula
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
2 t. olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups mixed wild mushrooms, chopped or sliced
1/2 cup red wine
6 cups baby arugula
1 T. butter
1/3 cup parmesan or pecorino cheese, grated
2 t. balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat stock and water to a simmer on the stovetop.

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent, 3-5 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and cook until they begin to give up their liquid, about 5 minutes. Stir in pearl barley and stir constantly, 1 minute, to coat with oil. Add wine and stir until liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring very frequently until liquid has mostly been absorbed. Be sure that you stir often enough that the risotto will not scorch on the bottom of the pan. Keep heat at medium to medium-high. Cook barley until al dente (you may not use all the liquid, but I did). Stir in arugula until wilted. Add butter, cheese, and vinegar. Season to taste.

Smothered

Sorry it's been a while. I've been attempting to be more spontaneous and less fascist about my evening plans. We're moving in (ohmydearlord) about eight weeks, and I want to spend as much time as possible with our terrific friends here. Being more spontaneous means dinner isn't as formally plotted out, which means often it's not so much fun to post. (I mean, a spinach salad with strawberries, pine nuts, Israeli feta, and balsamic dressing is delicous, but I pretty much just gave you the recipe in this sentence.)

You'll have to be patient with me over these next couple of months, with the crush of relocation fast approaching and a battery of "I want to do this before we leave MyTown" activity. Trust me, I am sure the computer and I will be attached at the hip come our move. YOU will be my social life. Sigh.

Still, I am very excited for lots of reasons about our move, though the closer it gets the more anxiety I feel about finding a place to live, deciding on activities to fill my time . . . But I am sure it will all work out. And I will (at least for the first couple of months) have more time to play in the kitchen! Very much looking forward to that.

In the meantime, we are enjoying my tabletop tinkering as often as possible. I found this recipe in Eating Well magazine. It was delicious, satisfying, and good enough to make again soon! I want to shout it from the rooftops: Our Hero likes tempeh!! For those of you who have yet to try this soyish delight, tempeh is a fermented soybean loaf that sometimes includes grains. It is chewy and hearty and very high in protein.

Smothered Tempeh Sandwiches
1 8-oz. block of tempeh, cut in half longways into two thin slices, then halved again (you will have four thin sandwich-sized slices)
10 oz. mushrooms, sliced (I used cremini)
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup red wine
4-8 slices of whole wheat bread, toasted (you could make this openfaced or "traditional")
4 thinnish slices provolone cheese
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Saute the mushrooms, onion, salt, and pepper in olive oil (just enough) over medium-high heat until golden (about 10 minutes). Stir in wine and reduce heat to medium. Add tempeh slices to the pan, spooning the wine-y mushroom mixture on top of each piece. Simmer until the wine has evaporated, 5-15 minutes. (You can fix a salad and cut up some fruit while you're waiting.) Remove from heat. Scoop mushrooms and onions equally onto each tempeh slice. Top with provolone slices, cover pan, and wait about a minute and a half until cheese has melted. Remove each "smothered" tempeh slice and place on toast to enjoy.

Spicy Chickpea Curry

Recently, friend R shared with me the magic of mole. He described that to make a mole, he mashed up various ingredients to pastes, then browned those pastes over heat to deepen the flavors. This process immediately made me think of an Indian curry recipe I make every once in a while from Neelam Batra's 1,000 Indian Recipes. I make the spicy curry sauce and simmer any variety of veggies and meats in it. In this case, cooked chickpeas and onion. The recipe does take a bit of time to cook, but I think it's absolutely worth it. Additionally, though this recipe makes a lot, this is one of those dishes which tastes even better as leftovers, so it's good to have it kicking around the fridge for a while.

You can use 3 cans of drained chickpeas for this recipe or cook your own from dried, which offer superior texture and flavor. To cook your own, soak chickpeas for at least 8 hours with water 2 inches above beans. Cook until creamy, about 30 minutes at a low boil/simmer with 1/4 t. baking soda and 1/2 t. salt.

Classic Spicy Curry Sauce
3 large cloves fresh garlic, peeled
4-6 quarter-sized slices peeled fresh ginger
1-3 fresh green chile peppers (like serrano or jalapeno), stemmed
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
3 T. neutral oil, like peanut or canola
1 T. ground coriander
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. dried fenugreek
1/2 t. paprika
1/4 t. turmeric
1 t. salt, or to taste
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth
4 cups water
1/4 t. garam masala
3 T. chopped fresh cilantro

In a food processor, puree garlic, ginger, chiles, and onion to make a paste. Put in a bowl and set aside. Separately, puree the tomato.

Heat the oil in a large wok or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onion mixutre, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until browned, 8-10 minutes (small beads of oil will appear on the top and sides).

Add the tomato, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until juices evaporate and drops of oil appear on the top and sides, 8-10 minutes.

Add the spices (except for the garam masala and cilantro) and the salt. Cook, stirring 2-3 minutes. Mix the yogurt in a little bit at a time, stirring constantly to keep it from curdling.

Add the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer until sauce is reduced to desired consistency 15-30 minutes. Chickpeas and sliced onion can be added when there's about 10 minutes left of cooking. Serve garnished with garam masala and cilantro.

I am a European Peasant

Um, obviously not really. It's just what I imagined as I cooked up this dinner. This is basic, country food at its best. Last Sunday I bought a whole mess of mushrooms to make quesadillas during the week, however I forgot to buy tortillas. Oops. Wanting to capitalize as much as possible on what was already in my refrigerator, I picked up a loaf of "French-Italian" bread at the Italian bakery a couple of blocks from my gym and decided to serve sauteed mushrooms on cheese toasts.

I cut up the mushrooms I'd bought, about two pounds' worth of shiitake, baby bella, and portobella, tossing them in a hot skillet with garlic and olive oil until their juices released and then mostly evaporated. I debated between using rosemary and thyme, choosing the latter for its less strident flavor, and added salt and freshly ground pepper for good measure.

After a taste, I knew something was missing. I dug in the pantry, brushing past balsamic (the old standby) to my rarely-used bottle of sherry vinegar. This did the trick, though of course any vinegar would work.

This is a nice casual supper with the addition of sliced fruit and a green salad, but would also work as an appetizer.

Wild Mushroom Toasts
1 loaf Italian or French bread (long and thin is best)
Extra-virgin olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
About 2 lbs. mixed wild mushrooms
3/4 t. dried thyme, crushed between fingers
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1-2 T. sherry vinegar
1 cup grated fontina cheese

Cut bread into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Top rounds with grated fontina. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms to the pan, cook until they release their liquid, then let liquid mostly evaporate. Add thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat. Stir in sherry vinegar to taste.

Meanwhile, toast bread rounds in the oven until crisp and cheese has melted, 8-10 minutes. Serve cheese rounds with a bowl of mushrooms and spoon.

My Thai

I've had an open jar of green curry paste knocking about in my refrigerator for a while, so I was motivated to use it this week. This is basically a veggie stir-fry without the fry (for the most part), served over whole-wheat fettucine. Rice noodles would have been more authentic, but I had to get in my whole grains.

Anyone could throw this together with whatever was begging to be used up in their crisper bins. Cabbage would have been lovely. As this was an improvisation, I'll point out where I could have improved:

Sauce was too thin! I added a whole can of chicken broth so I could be sure the veggies would have enough simmering liquid. Next time, I'll scale back on the broth (alterations made in this recipe). Also, might not hurt to stir in a bit of corn starch to thicken it up. "Lite" coconut milk does not have the body of the full-fat variety.

In spite of this, the flavor was nice, spicy and a bit creamy, with crisp peas and juicy peppers and onions. Maybe I've got warm-weather fever, but this seems like a great summer night dinner!

Green Curry Thai Stir-Fry
1 T. vegetable oil
1 block firm tofu, patted dry and cubed
1 lb. whole-wheat fettucine
2-3 T. Thai green curry paste
1/2 can "lite" coconut milk
1/2 can chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 large onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, halved
1/2-1 cup sugar snap peas
Generous handful cilantro, chopped
Fish sauce or soy sauce, for serving (optional)

Cook fettucine according to package instructions. Try to time it so the pasta is finished at approximately the same time as the sauce.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the tofu, stirring, until golden (7-10 minutes or so). Remove tofu to a plate, set aside. Add curry paste to skillet, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Stir in coconut milk and broth. Bring to a simmer. Add onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Cook, uncovered, until veggies are tender (5-7 minutes). Stir in peas, cook 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Serve over pasta, sprinkled with fish sauce (preferred) or soy sauce (for you vegetarians), if desired.

Go-to Recipes, Part II (plus a bonus recipe!)

Here’s another of our favorite dinners, out of the first adult cookbook I ever owned (the title is very 1999): 1,001 Low-Fat Vegetarian Recipes. This is a snap to put together, and good enough to make as an appetizer for company. (Actually, I think I recall having one of my favorite blondes over for dinner with this dish as the main course. Hi, duffpower!) Add a salad and some fresh fruit, and dinner is served. Whenever Our Hero finds out we’re having this for dinner, it’s sure to elicit an “Oh Boy!”

The fava spread is delicious on a sandwich or as a veggie dip, possibly with some lowfat yogurt stirred in to make a more dip-like consistency. This is great in the summer when light suppers that barely heat up the kitchen are ideal. I’m guiltily using these awful off-season plum tomatoes (still much better than other off-season fresh varieties). When incorporated as a part of a much bigger whole, it ends up working out quite well.

Fava Bean Bruschetta
One bakery loaf crusty whole-grain bread
Cooking spray or olive oil
1 clove garlic, halved
1/2 red onion, sliced into thin half-moons
2 plum tomatoes, sliced
1/4-1/3 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1/2-1 cup part-skim shredded mozzerella

2 T. grated parmigiano

Fava Spread:

One can fava beans, rinsed and drained
Generous handful parsley, cilantro, or basil (or a combo thereof - I've used all with success)
1-2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 T. lemon juice

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut bread in half lengthwise, spray with cooking spray or brush with olive oil, then rub with cut sides of the garlic clove. Toast bread in hot oven until crusty, about 8 minutes. Make fava spread by combining all ingredints in a food processor or mashing by hand. Divide fava mixture evenly between toasted bread halves, spreading into an even layer. Top with tomatoes, onion, cheeses, and olives. Bake another 10-15 minutes, until melty and delicious.

Good friend and good cook J sent me this recipe in response to my last post, and I thought it sounded tasty enough to share - enjoy!

Hi [Wellunderstood},
Since you are on the topic of easy regular dishes, here is a super easy soup that you can make for these last remaining days of damp cold winter weather that we can't seem to shake. This is one of those recipes for when you're feeling lazy or where you'll have all the ingredients around even if you are out of everything. It is quite delicious for how simple the ingredients are. (Although it could be easily jazzed up.) Don't feel obligated to make this - just keep it up your sleeve! I was looking for a soup recipe to make and realized I had neglected this one all winter when it used to be a cold-weather staple.

Creamy Dilled Potato Soup
1 diced onion
1 T butter
1 lb potatoes, peeled and diced
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp dill weed
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1.5 cups milk

Saute onion in butter (or oil) until golden. Add 2 cups water, potatoes, salt, dill weed, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender. Puree, return to saucepan, add milk and heat until hot.
*Forgot to mention - go ahead and double this to get a worthwhile amount!
Enjoy!!!!

J

Thanks, J . . . Keep the recipes coming!

Go-to Recipes

This month’s Cooking Light did a feature on the recipes people make again and again – go-to recipes on weeknights that are not fussy and please everyone. I’m always so tempted to try new recipes I find or dream up, so the ones that become “regulars” are really something special (and usually super-busy-weeknight-easy). I’ve already shared one of my favorites – Eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce. From talking to friends, it seems I've made some fans of this recipe through the blog. I make this quite often, and I always have the ingredients on hand. Spinach Brown Rice Bowl (last night’s dinner) is fast becoming a favorite.

I’d like to share a couple more of my “standards” with you, dear blog readers. You folks know how I feel about pasta. It’s near and dear to my heart and helps me put together rather composed dinners even on the most time-constrained evenings. I have to say, I have become a connoisseur of whole-wheat pasta, and have found the very best—hands-down—it’s called Bionaturae and it cooks up perfectly every time. It’s not gritty, it doesn’t get soggy, and it cooks in as much time as conventional pasta. Sure, it’s a bit more expensive than a box of refined-flour pasta, but when I cook pasta, I almost never cook meat—the pasta’s the star! It best be tasty and nutritious!

I found this pasta recipe a couple of late winters ago in Mark Bittman’s New York Times “Minimalist” column, and it makes regular appearances on our dinner table. The column attempted to satisfy winter-weary readers’ spring harvest cravings before the harvest could comply, focusing mainly on using frozen veggies. It’s one of those on-hand ingredient recipes that make it exponentially easier than pie to have a composed, healthy dinner in less than 30 minutes. I’ve made it with fresh peas instead of frozen, pecorino instead of parmigiano, added lemon zest, mint, dill, basil . . . it’s all great, but it’s just as good as written.

Our Hero loves it.

Penne with Ricotta and Peas
1 lb. whole-wheat penne pasta
8 oz. part-skim ricotta cheese
½ cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 to 1 ½ cups frozen green peas (not baby peas)

Put a large pot of water to boil. Salt water well, and cook pasta according to package directions. In a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta, grated cheese, salt, and pepper. When pasta has about 3 minutes left to cook, stir and scoop out about a cup of the cooking liquid. Whisk enough liquid into ricotta mixture to make a sauce consistency. When pasta is about a minute away from being done, toss in the frozen peas. Drain pasta and peas, then toss with ricotta mixture. Serve up with more parm, if desired.

Wish You Could Smell This Picture

Yeah, yeah, I'd heard it all . . . Chez Panisse this and Alice Waters that . . . New American cuisine . . . Yaddayaddayadda.

Not that I doubted her expertise or the monumental changes she and her cohorts brought to our neighborhood grocery stores - I just had a hard time believing her recipes were all that.

Well, I tip my hat (or do I eat it?).

While visiting A in PrettyLittleTown, I picked up Chez Panisse Vegetables at the most drool-inducing gourmet kitchen supply store your sweet eyes have ever seen. A then had to endure me reading recipe titles aloud to her while we were both supposed to be concentrating on Very Important Things (namely, TV so trashy you can only watch it with your best friend). I read the book cover to cover before I arrived home, and it is taking every fibre of self-control in my being to stop myself from ordering Chez Panisse Fruit from amazon.com. (Must. Control. Self. Hands! Clicking! Mouse! NO! Breathe. Breathe.)

But seriously, folks, this recipe is delicious. The flavors and textures are perfect, and the lovely toasty walnuts and smooth ricotta salata bring it all together. When I mentioned to Our Hero that I was making pasta with cauliflower, he made a face. After he tasted it and was headed back for a second heaping bowl, he admitted he was upset because he liked it so much. I suppose liking cauliflower pasta could ruin a guy's image.

The pictures do not capture the beautiful interplays of browns, golds, and yellows in this dish. It's not monochromatic at all, but full of very subtle, delicate contrasts. Lovely.

Alice Waters' Whole-Wheat Pasta with Cauliflower, Walnuts, and Ricotta Salata
2 heads cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 medium onion, sliced into thin half-moons
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. whole wheat pasta (something shorter would work best, like penne)
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Red pepper flakes
White wine vinegar
1/2 lemon
1/2 cup toasted walnuts (you can do this in the oven or on the stovetop)
4 oz. ricotta salata or feta cheese

Put a large pot of water on to boil. Saute the cauliflower in a healthy amount of olive oil in a large, shallow pan. When it starts to soften, season with salt and pepper, then add the sliced onion and red pepper flakes. Cauliflower and onion will brown. Saute over medium to high heat until veggies are tender and golden-brown. The cauliflower should still be slightly crunchy and not taste steamed. Add garlic and remove from heat. Stir, and do not let garlic brown (add water if necessary). Add a bit of vinegar and the lemon juice and the toasted walnuts. Taste and correct seasoning (add more salt, pepper, vinegar, etc.). When pasta is done, toss with the cauliflower mixture. Serve with crumbled ricotta salata.

Sssspicy

I have loved Indian food since the first time I tasted it. I was a vegetarian at the time, and maybe 17. I loved the flavors, the heat, the spices I'd never tried before! From day one, I was a convert. Our Hero and my first date included Indian food. In college, I went at least two times a month (and probably closer to once a week) with my buddies (hi J!). Several of them had spent time in Nepal and so we sometimes ate with our hands, as Nepali tradition dictated. (Caveat: the curry smell will outlast many, many handwashings.) At our Rehearsal Dinner for our wedding, Our Hero's family went all out with a beautiful and delicious Indian buffet (thanks, M!).

Suffice it to say, we're fans.

J got me the most wonderful book as a wedding gift: Neelam Batra's 1,000 Indian Recipes. I use it often and though my creations don't exactly mimic restaurants' dishes (due, I think to my not using pounds of ghee), they are delicious and the flavors are unmistakeably Indian.

Last night I made saag, or a spinach curry. This recipe is quite simple, and a nice way to ease into Indian cooking (I'm still easing!). I add plenty of cayenne to Batra's recipe to suit our taste for spicy, but do what pleases you best. Although I do have access to paneer cheese, an Indian cheese often simmered in curries (and a kind of cheese I can actually make!), I made this with tofu. One could simmer chicken, chickpeas, or a variety of other things in the sauce for dinner.

Spicy Pureed Spinach Greens
5 quarter-sized slices peeled fresh ginger
3 large cloves fresh garlic, peeled
1-2 green chile peppers, stemmed
2 (1-lb.) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2 T. melted ghee or a mixture of butter and vegetable oil
1 t. cumin seeds
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 T. ground coriander
1 t. garam masala
1/2 t. ground paprika
1 (15-oz.) can tomato sauce
1 T. unsalted butter, cream, or plain yogurt

In a food processor or blender, process ginger, garlic, and chiles until minced. Add spinach and puree.

Heat the ghee or oil in a wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle. Quickly add onion and cook, stirring, until golden. Mix in the coriander, garam masala, and paprika (and cayenne, if you like!) then add the tomato sauce and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes.

Mix in the spinach puree and cook until it comes to a boil, about 2 minutes (you may need to add a little water). Simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer about 5 minutes. Mix in butter or cream. Serve over brown rice or with fresh naan, if you're lucky.

Kitchen Sunday

In like a lion is right . . . after venturing out into the whipping wind and cold twice today, once to go to the gym and again to hit the drugstore for a few essentials, I knew today would be lovely for puttering around the kitchen while the snow flew.

I accomplished a lot: I roasted some garlic and shallots for a dish later this week (see left), baked some Irish brown bread for breakfasts, roasted and pureed a squash (for later use) that was about to go south, started a recipe for preserved lemons, and fixed a tagine dinner. Whew. It sounds like a lot, but it was a relaxing, wonderful Sunday.

I also made refrigerator pickles. I got the idea from this post on Everybody Likes Sandwiches (an exciting new discovery), and took it from there. I'm not a bread-and-butter pickle person, so I made mine the sour, salty dill variety.

I highly recommend these, as they offer both crunchy goodness and same-day gratification. The picture shows the pickle jars sandwiching my soon-to-be preserved lemons. I'll offer the recipe after I can gauge the success of the results. The summery colors and flavors are a welcome diversion from the endless gray days.

Refrigerator Pickles
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
2-3 T. kosher salt
1 T. dried dill (or a bunch fresh)
1 t. crushed red pepper
1 t. black peppercorns
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Pickling vegetables (I used the traditional cucumbers, but possibilities are endless)

Heat vinegar and water in a medium saucepan. When it comes to a boil, add salt and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat. Add dill, pepper, and peppercorns to liquid. Pour liquid into two jars already filled with sliced vegetables and one clove crushed garlic each. Add vinegar as needed to top off jars (I had plenty of liquid). Let cool to room temperature; refrigerate. Apparently, these should last about a month. I doubt they'll be around that long.

On the Cheap

In Michael Pollan's book The Omnivore's Dilemma, he notes that Americans spend a great deal less of their income (approximately 10%) on food than other nations around the world. It's (one part of) Pollan's argument that in order to eat better as a nation, we must commit to putting more value on what we put into our bodies and spending more money to do so. I think this makes a lot of sense, but does present a serious problem for all those people in the US who have trouble affording even "cheap" food. They may have trouble paying rent, so a shift in even 2% of income to the food budget would be impossible. I find it particularly confounding that whole grains, of which all of the grain-based foods in my kitchen are made (except for Our Hero's pumpernickel sandwich bread), are more expensive than grains that have been processed and stripped of their nutritional value. Makes no sense to me.

In any event, this dish is quite affordable and virtuous, a protein-and-fiber-packed vegetarian meal. Cucumber-cream dresses it up a bit. The original Cooking Light recipe (I told you this month's issue was good) called for baby spinach in the cream, which made no sense to me. I added flavorful cilantro, which was quite refreshing and tasty. And doesn't it look pretty?

Dal with Cucumber Cream
Cucumber Cream:
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 cup finely chopped seeded peeled cucumber
Dash of salt

Dal:
1 T. olive oil
1 1/2 t. cumin seed
1 t. yellow mustard seeds
1 cup chopped onion
2-3 cloves minced garlic
Equal amount minced ginger
1 t. crushed red pepper
1/4 t. turmeric
3 cups vegetable broth, chicken broth, or homemade stock
1 1/4 cups dried lentils
1 cup water
1/2 cup chopped tomato (plum would work, I used diced canned)
1/4 t. salt
2 T. fresh lemon juice

Prepare dal. Heat oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add cumin and mustard seeds, cook 2 minutes, stirring. Stir in onion, garlic, ginger, red pepper, and turmeric. Cook one minute, stirring. Stir in broth, lentils, and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until very tender, stirring occasionally. Uncover and simmer 20 minutes or until thick and creamy, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in tomato, salt, and juice. Serve with hot cooked brown rice and cucumber cream.

Prepare cucumber cream while dal simmers. Blitz all ingredients for cream in food processor. Cover and chill until time to serve.

Seasonal Pizza

Pizza is one of my favorite dinners to make. Dough recipes are easily divided in half and frozen for a busier day and topping options are only limited by your imagination. When Our Hero heard what was in this pizza, he wasn't so excited (OH: "Why can't we have pepperoni?" WU: "Because you ate almost an entire large pepperoni pizza from Leonardi's two days ago."), but when he tasted this one, it was declared a hit. There were no leftovers, a sure thumbs-up.

The toppings for this are certainly untraditional, but I urge you, TRY IT! It is the best pizza I've had since the mushroom-proscuitto version I made (and re-made) a few months back. The original Cooking Light recipe called for a 10-oz. Boboli-style premade crust. You could do that, or you could do what I did and make whole-wheat pizza dough of your own. I've made a couple of changes to the recipe.

Winter Greens, Pecorino, and Anchovy Pizza
Olive oil or cooking spray
1 sliced red onion
3 T. golden raisins
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 anchovy fillets, minced
6 cups torn or chopped white swiss chard or other winter cooking green (a bit over 8 oz.)
1/4 t. salt
1 t. crushed red pepper
Pizza crust option of your choice
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzerella cheese
1/4 cup pecorino romano cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees if making a premade-crust version. Follow the directions here if making your own crust. Cook red onion slowly over low-ish heat until onion begins to turn golden in places, 10-20 minutes. turn up heat to medium and add raisins, garlic, red pepper, and anchovies. Cook a minute or two, stirring. Add greens, toss, and cover. Cook until wilted. Uncover and cook until liquid evaporates. Stir in salt. Cool slightly. Top your chosen crust first with the mozzerella, then the greens mixture, and then the pecorino. Bake according to your chosen crust method, 12 minutes or so.

No-Oil Pesto

When I saw this recipe in this cookbook, from which I've been cooking a lot lately, I figured I had to give it a whirl. Literally. Our Hero pleased me boundlessly this Christmas by giving me a 14-cup stainless-steel Cuisinart food processor. And I have fallen deeply in love.

I was intrigued by this pesto recipe, especially because it did not call for the requisite extra-virgin olive oil. Instead, ingredients are blitzed in the food processor with low-fat cottage cheese or ricotta (I chose the former for its superior protein content). It was embarassingly easy to throw together. Its lovely pale green color and bright flavor helped to simultaneously cheer me and remind me that winter is not, in fact, interminable. I tossed together a quick green salad with orange segments (for color and sweetness), and it made a nice busy-evening meal. I served it with whole-wheat fettucine.

Garlic Parsley Pesto with Pasta
1 1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese or part-skim ricotta
5 T. Parmigiano Reggiano
1/2 cup very hot water
1/2 cup loosely-packed flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup loosely-packed fresh basil
2-3 large cloves garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot cooked whole-wheat pasta

Combine all ingredients (except pasta) in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add water a bit at a time to get the right saucy consistency. Toss with hot pasta quickly, as cheeses will melt. Could be used over veggies, chicken, rice, etc.

Incidentally, as Our Hero plugs away at his dissertation, I am widowed often on weekend evenings. This, from Orangette, made a perfect winter salad dinner. Our Hero enjoyed it as a snack when he returned home from school at 9:30pm. I used pecorino romano instead of the Parmigiano.

Dinner for One

Our Hero went out of town this weekend to visit his brother, so I did what I always to when he is out of town - I buy lots of broccoli.

Don't get me wrong, Our Hero is not a picky eater. I hate picky eaters. Our hero loves spicy food. In fact, he loves almost all food; even tofu, properly prepared. However, one thing he doesn't fancy is broccoli. He'll tolerate it on occasion, but doesn't enjoy it like I do.

So this Saturday night was a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a simple stir-fry, a semi-trashy movie, and a cup of tea.

After much-needed theraputic phone conversations with two of my favorite women - my mom and A - I got some brown rice simmering and chopped up a broccoli crown and half a block of tofu.

A couple years back, I used a bottle of store-bought stir-fry sauce. After following some basic recipes, though, I discovered that homemade stir-fry sauces taste much better and are easily made in less time than it takes for the rice to cook. This recipe makes enough for one, with leftovers for tomorrow's lunch. The sauce recipe isn't scientific - just add what you like, tasting as you go. In fact, same goes for all stir-fries.

Tofu-Broccoli with Peanut Sauce

1 broccoli crown
1/2 block firm tofu, cubed
Canola oil
2-3 T. natural peanut butter
2 t.-1 T. fish sauce (or soy sauce, if you prefer)
2 t.-1 T. rice vinegar
1 t. fresh ginger, grated on a microplane or minced
1 clove garlic, grated on a microplane or minced

Hot water
2 T. chili-garlic sauce
Brown rice, for serving

To make sauce, combine peanut butter, fish sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and chili-garlic sauce in a small bowl. Add hot water a little at a time and whisk until smooth. Add enough water to make a saucelike consistency. Heat oil in a skillet or wok over high heat. Add tofu and cook until golden. Add broccoli, saute until crisp-tender. Remove from heat, add sauce, and toss until coated. Serve with brown rice .

B.A.D. Strikes Again

This Christmas I got to spend a lovely, lovely day (and a night) with my buddy B.A.D. We shopped and ate and snarked our way through the too-short 24 hours. She is a lovely and crazy stylish and is one of the only people who tells me the unvarnished truth about whether or not this shirt makes my stomach look weird. (Our Hero can also be trusted for honesty, but his knowledge of what is stylish is more than questionable. A will also give it to me straight.) Anyway, I miss her lots. And she is in BigCity. And I am in MyTown. Sigh. Why are you all so far from me?

So anyway, B.A.D. got me this great cookbook for Christmas, since she works on farm policy issues and knows, like, everything there is to know about stuff like organic farming and CSAs and where to get goat's milk soap and whatnot. Recently I made this from the cookbook, which turned out deliciously. Maybe it's the weather (which was an impossible -1 degree when I left the house this morning), but hunching over a warm bowl of something thick and creamy keeps sounding just right to me.

This recipe has the utilitarian name "Spinach-Feta-Brown Rice Bowl." Aaaaand that's just what it is. I used short-grain brown rice, which gives this a creamier, more risotto-like texture (but without all the stirring). I also highly recommend trading your chalky "traditional" feta cheese for tangy, creamy Israeli feta, especially when it's a feature in a dish, like in this one.

Spinach-Feta-Brown Rice Bowl
2 T. olive oil, divided
1 cup short-grain brown rice

1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large bunch spinach or other fresh greens, finely chopped

Salt and pepper
1 large handful or bunch of fresh dill, finely chopped
2-4 oz. Israeli or other sheep's milk feta cheese, crumbled

Heat 1 T. olive oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add rice and cook, stirring, until all grains are coated with oil, about 1 minute. Add 2 1/8 cups water, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook 45-50 minutes, until tender.

About 25 minutes into the rice cooking time, heat the other tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a dutch oven or large skillet. Saute onion in oil until translucent. Add spinach and cook just until wilted. Season with a little salt and pepper. Stir in dill and remove from heat. Add rice mixture to spinach mixture, stir in feta until combined. Serve and enjoy!

COLLEGE!

We have a friend who, telling us a story of a bachelor party dominated by men in their mid-thirties, described how one particularly intoxicated partygoer shouted "COLLEGE!" at irregular intervals throughout their debauched evening. "COLLEGE!" apparently equalled "PARTY!" or, perhaps more likely, binge drinking. But better to say "COLLEGE!" because on top of it all, it's funny.

Far less reminiscent of Animal House is this soup, which takes ME back to college days. My buddy B.A.D. used to make this, her Mom's recipe, and invite a few of us over to relax and have dinner together, like grown-ups. Yes, there are elements of college life here: it's cheap, it is made from beans (as countless numbers of my college-years dinners were), and it makes enough to have several meals worth. But the whole is so much more than its parts, and who (I ask you, who?) doesn't need a good black-bean soup recipe?

I've tried other recipes, with success, but I like this one because of its restraint. It is not doused in handfuls of spices, just a generous amount of dried thyme. It surprises me how lovely the thyme is in this dish, as I'd certainly be tempted to go an oregano-cumin route. This way is much more interesting. The only change I've made is to add a half of a minced habanero pepper to the mix, though this could easily be omitted.

B.A.D.'s Badass Black Bean Soup

1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 habanero pepper (be careful handling this! VERY, VERY HOT!), minced
1 T. dried thyme
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes
4 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups chicken stock or 2 cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
Sour cream or yogurt, for serving
Tabasco sauce, for serving

Saute chopped onion and pepper in olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat until tender. Add garlic and pepper and cook 30 seconds, stirring. Add thyme, rubbing between fingers before adding to the pot. Add tomatoes, beans, and stock. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer at least 20 minutes. Puree soup, either with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender. Serve with desired toppings.