i learned two things today.

1. never make a salad with savoy cabbage. it's like chewing ribbed, mildly good-tasting rubber.

2. strawberries make fine vinaigrettes. here is a quick recipe, which can be made with a mini food processor, or possibly a blender.


* 6 ripe strawberries, stems removed,
* guts of 2 on-the-vine tomatoes,
* salt & pepper to taste,
* enough balsamic vinegar as you see fit,
* enough extra virgin olive oil, as you see fit.

serves: 4 medium salads.

CAUTION: if you plan to make some and save the rest for later, blend everything EXCEPT the olive oil. measure what you will serve, then add it.

as for why, olive oil will congeal into lumps when left in the fridge, and thawing takes a while.

late night canned "salad"

1 tin chickpeas / garbanzo beans
1 tin diced tomatoes
1 fistful of cilantro, chopped
olive oil
fresh ground pepper
salt:

stir well, and eat. q:

(toasted pita bread might be a nice add, here)

is there anything broccoli can't do?

huh. i wouldn't have thought of it, but it makes sense: lately i've been inclined to add rice wine vinegar to my stir-fry broccoli, and leftovers are succulent.

so i might try this; sometimes you gotta love the NYT food section.

It’s made from uncooked broccoli tossed with an assertive garlic, sesame, chili and cumin-seed vinaigrette slicked with good extra-virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar. The acid “cooks” the florets a little like ceviche. After an hour, the broccoli softens as if blanched, turning bright emerald, and soaking up all the intense flavors of the dressing. Fresh, crunchy and deeply garlicky, it’s easily the most addictive vegetable in my repertory.

from "Raw Broccoli by Another Name" by Melissa Clark [link]

in which i criticize other people.

i've lately spent much time procrastinating on goodreads. among other diversions, i've written a few reviews for some cookbooks i've browsed.

[here's the link]

a rice bowl recipe.

the following recipe is simple, but tasty. it's quick to make, and good after a long day of staring at small font on a computer screen. i like to think of this as the rice bowl equivalent of an omelette.

caveat: you'll need some spices which may be non-standard, and we will denote them with an asterisk (*). also, if you don't own a rice cooker, then i hope you know how to make stove-top rice.

flavored rice with tomato, mushroom, and egg (like i said: simple)

ingredients for rice:

• 1-2 servings of brown rice
  
• a few sprinkles of dried lemongrass*
  
• a dash of garam masala* (nutmeg will also work)

ingredients for tomato-egg sauce:

• 1 medium tin raw crushed tomatoes,
  
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed and minced,
  
• 2 large eggs, beaten
  
• 1 handful of your favorite mushrooms**
  
• 1 dollop of cream, milk, or soy milk,
  
• i green onion stalk, thinly sliced (any angle is fine)
  
• sprigs of cilantro* or parsley, well-chopped (optional but good)
  
• salt and pepper to taste,
  
• oil for stir-fry.

** i suggest against anything too delicate, like chanterelle or field mushrooms. you shouldn't stir-fry them anyway. standard white mushrooms are fine and so are portobellos. i used chinese straw mushrooms from a tin can.


directions:

1. the rice is simple if you have a rice cooker. wash the rice first, drain, add spices, add the right amount of water, and let the cooker do its work.
   
   as for the rest ..
   
   
2. beat the eggs, add the milk, beat some more, and set aside. then start chopping the veg. as i've learned from bakers, warm eggs cook more evenly than cold eggs.
   
   
3. i like to stir fry in the following order: first garlic,
   then mushrooms with salt/pepper (until they show some color),
   then green onions (for a few seconds; don't overcook them),
   then egg mixture (until it starts to hold its shape, but NOT dry),
   then cilantro/parsley (for a few seconds; again, don't overcook),
   then tomatoes.
   
   stir well; the final mixture should be stew-ish, so add water if it looks too sticky and dry (and stir very, very well). when the tomatoes start to simmer, then remove from heat, and let cool.
   
   
4. spoon out rice, top with tomato-egg-mushroom. if you have leftover green onion and herb, sprinkle some on top, take a photograph, and email it to me.
   
   it usually makes for a fine picture!

modifications: like omelettes, you can rearrange the ingredients to your liking. for instance, you can wilt spinach instead of frying mushrooms, or perhaps sear up some well-chopped eggplant or asparagus.

as for a variant on tomato, i haven't thought it through: i suppose something like coconut milk could work, but that might taste rather rich and more like a curry. this also comes to mind: pureed eggplant?

the eggs are there for protein and a cohesive. imitation eggs would work if you're a strict vegetarian. i suppose leftover cooked and smashed lentils could also work, but the texture wouldn't be the same.

back.

potatoes are roasting in my oven,

and i'm eating bowtie pasta, al dente,
topped with raw tomato and sauteed kale (with garlic).

last night i ate leftover mujaddhra,
topped with eggs fried with chopped curly parsley.

it's nice to be back in my own kitchen. q:

new years, with rapini.

happy new year, everyone.

last night was mellow and drunken and we ate much italian food. giancarlo made gnochhi and kelly made these wonderful meatballs, the size of a fist.

yes, it's not terribly vegetarian,
but then again, i'm not much of one.

also, tucker brought some panettone, an italian type of christmas bread (think: challah bread + fruitcake). it would have made decadent french toast, had we not run out of eggs ..

at any rate, a veggie appetizer would fit perfectly to this sort of thing. so here's what i made:

RAPINI & PORTOBELLO TAPENADE [1]

for those in the know, rapini is an italian analogue to chinese gai lan, and is cooked similarly in italian cooking! some traditions are universal, i guess. (:

ingredients:

• 1 bunch rapini (or broccoli rabe), chopped (see below)
  
• 1 pack baby portobello mushrooms, chopped in quarters
  
• 1 medium red onion, diced.
  
• salt, red pepper flakes, dried lemongrass [2]
  
• olive oil
  
• water (or vegetable broth; your choice).
  
  
• 1 regular baguette
  
• 1 wedge of a hard cheese with mellow flavor;
      i used parmesan reggiano, myself

instructions: this is essentially chop, saute, & simmer, but just to avoid any confusion ..

1. preparing rapini: since this will be a topping on toasted baguette, i suggest chopping the stems more finely than the leafy tops. the leaves will wilt like kale, but not as intensely as spinach, so use your own judgment.
   
   ** also, these greens can somewhat bitter for the uninitiated; if you're cooking for such a crowd, then before the saute you might want to blanch the chopped rapini for 20-30 seconds, but no longer. otherwise, all the nutrients will be drained away from those wonderful greens.
   
   
2. saute order: if you choose to chop as i have chopped, then i suggest SAUTEING THE STEMS first, because they are tougher and will take longer cooking times.
   
   the full order: rapini stems, then salt & pepper, then mushroom, then oil, then lemongrass, then onion, then rapini tops. lastly, add liquid and let simmer at low heat.
   
   
3. toasting bread: it doesn't matter if you cut the baguette lengthwise or in slices. (i find it easier to eat the first way, myself, because the texture is more uniform: in slices, one bites through the crust, and then the soft bread flesh tends to fall apart on you.)
   
   at any rate, warm the pieces of bread in a tray and into the oven -- no need to brown it. when they look crisp, white, and warm, remove from oven, sprinkle with cheese, and return into the oven for 1/2 to 1 minute -- just enough time to soften the cheese, maybe melt it a little.
   
   then pat bread&cheese pieces with the saute, and serve. top with olive oil, if the saute looks dry.

modifications (which i didn't try)

1. any recipe for kale can be used for rapini, so you can saute more coarsely chopped rapini with bacon or parma ham or pancetta, or even thinly sliced beef. i chose otherwise, because when someone else is making fist-sized meatballs, it might be good to balance the meal with a lighter dish.
   
   
2. i forgot to add any (minced) garlic to this, which would have added even more flavor. then again, with the sweetness of the red onion, the savory flavor of the mushrooms, and the heat from the red pepper, this ended up having plenty of taste anyway.

[1] if you trust the wiki, then i should have added olives in this. myself, i use the word tapenade rather liberally.

[2] this can be found in many asian groceries and occasionally, in international foods sections of large supermarkets. if you still can't find it, then zest the skin of a lemon, which is probably better; i chose not to do this because .. well, i'm lazy.