not exactly gnocchi; close enough.

sometimes i feel like gnocchi, but then i realise how much time and effort is required to make the dough.

(refridgeration is required, at some stage, otherwise one puts glop into boiling salted water instead of pasta.)

then i think harder:
all i really want is that potato taste.
so, why not?

for lunch today:
parboiled, braised potatoes in pasta sauce.

a quick veggie snack.

there's a scene in one of the episodes of "jamie @ home" (feat. jamie oliver) where he criticizes iceberg lettuce. at the end of the scene, he tosses it outside to feed the chicken hens.

i'm not a big fan of iceberg lettuce on salads,
but i wouldn't go that far.

for example: in an informal setting, they make great wrap covers.

lettuce hommos wraps:

* several leaves of iceberg lettuce, rinsed
* a tub of hommos (flavoured, if you like)
* pepper and olive oil, to taste
* some chopped salad vegetables, to be eaten raw:
      e.g. tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers

directions:
make, as you would a taco or burrito or any other sort of wrap.
just don't be afraid of getting a little messy.

---

to make this a meal, here's a side or two:

southwest salad, small pieces:
* (tinned) corn, rinsed,
* red onion, finely chopped
* chopped and peeled celery
* black and kidney beans, cooked and cooled
* coriander, finely chopped
* salt and pepper, to taste
* optional: diced tomatoes and/or finely chopped red chiles

directions:
stir together, serve in bowls.
this might be good with tortillas or chips.


corn bread: i don't know how to bake, so find your own recipe.

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.

"a quick one (while he's away)"

plain yoghurt,
ripe peaches,
a slight drizzle of honey,
a shake of cardamom ..


.. great stuff!

the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

i suppose that's true, from a certain point of view.
i should probably explain that.

in my last post, i celebrated a little victory over mother nature: my rapini did not rot to slime. instead, i enjoyed almost all of it through several meals.

i fared a little worse with the peaches i bought last week from that haven, the Produce Station. today i could walk through the living room and smell the intoxicating smell of peach: they were that ripe.

so i poked one. it gave, not sickeningly or putridly so ..for there remained a bit of resistance in the flesh under the peach skin.. but it was soft.

it wouldn't be long before the flies would come, in little sinister clouds ..i might have seen a few and panicked. maybe that's why i made what i made; there is a critical time for certain foods where one must cook them when they are their ripest, but not yet spoilt.

plantains are such foods, and i think i'll now add peaches to that list. so enough of this mystery:

spiced peach chutney/jam.

disclaimer: this is the first time i made this, and i'm not a jam expert. to be honest, i don't know how you would serve this, though i will try it tomorrow with good breakfast bread. i imagine it might be good atop of grilled foods, like a good fillet of flaky fish, or perhaps asparagus.

also, this is constant stirring ..just to warn you.


ingredients:
3 medium peaches, really ripe, cut into small chunks;
      (i peeled the skin off, without blanching them.)
a few glugs of olive oil;
a pinch of salt;
a little nutmeg, and a little cardamom;
two good teaspoons of brown sugar;
two glasses of port,
      the kind you'd drink by yourself
      but wouldn't serve to friends;
a few shakes of tolerable balsamic vinegar.


"directions" (what i tried): i didn't do much, actually, except saute the peaches and added liquids intermittently.

start a frying pan on high heat, enough to sizzle inadvertent drops of water on its surface, and add oil. about a half-minute later, add peaches. start stirring.

once liquid seeps out from the peaches, switch to medium or low heat. the idea is to let it simmer, but not spatter. add spices and sugar and keep stirring, but less often.

once the peach saute thickens and changes color slightly..

(i don't know if this is caramelisation, or whether the spices and brown sugar mixed very well, so use your judgment)

..add one glass of port, and stir well while sipping the other glass.

      ** be careful not to be directly above the pan;
      evaporating port fumes are a doozy!

now wait for the mixture to thicken again, and add the balsamic vinegar in the same way. once it thickens to the consistency of a wonderful, fresh fruit topping on hot, steaming pancakes, turn the heat off.

let cool, and spoon into a jar. now you have jam.

small victories.

i've had few things to feel good about, lately, or at least it seems that way. but today's small victory was:

i made a bunch of rapini last, for three meal servings.


as for why this is meaningful: i've been known to neglect my kitchen and let good produce rot in the fridge. this is always a terrible, guilty end.

in the end, only a few springs of it yellowed to rot .. so maybe there's hope in me, yet.

late night broccoli hits the spot.

man. a night on the town (with copious alcohol) is the sort of thing which builds a fearsome appetite!

preparation and planning is not often appreciated. in fact, often the forward-thinking i do is only appreciated at times like this .. at 1 or 2 am, between night and morning.

        i'd say it's kin to being a good teacher, to a class of college freshman, in the sense that they won't know until they are close to graduating how much it mattered to have a good class in the beginning of their college career ..

       .. and that kicking their @$$, giving them a hard time to teach them how to work: that it served a purpose. a teacher is a little like a parent, and often you don't appreciate how you grew up until you are grown up and realise what could have gone wrong ..

        which is not to say that a parent can do no wrong, but some things you can appreciate. anyway.

but i mean to say something about cooking, and cooking in advance:


tonight i am exceedingly glad that i made extra sauteed broccoli, because after an evening of bars and visiting the abodes of friends of pretty acquaintances, i felt a little hungry as i walked through my front door.

broccoli, and some good baked bread: a solid combination. the former dish, a vegetable, is not hard to make, but i'm glad there was some left over from lunch. here is the ingredient list if you want to make it in a way similar to mine.

• 2-3 broccoli heads
  
• as many cloves of garlic, medium-sized, as heads of broccoli
  
• salt & pepper
  
• dried herb lemongrass
  (it's a drysaute anyway; fresh bruised lemongrass will be a waste)
  
• a bit of rice vinegar
  
• a drizzle of honey, at the end
  
• water, to re-wet the veg.
  

if there is a lingering, light gravy from the pan of broccoli, do not deem it waste: you'd be surprised how tasty it can be on warmed bread.

on some days, i forgo the intrinsic taste of bread to what it can inherit from its tasty environs: think of good tomato sauces, or curries, or in this case, slightly tart and woody broccoli residue ..

.. maybe i was a vegetarian in another life, then an omnivore, and i cannot distinguish my karmic legacies. alas! but broccoli, when understood, is a fine, fine thing ..

breakfast, you are MINE.

breakfast is my foe, but i wouldn't call it an arch-nemesis. it is my foe in the way that mr. mxyzptlk [1] annoys superman, but means him no real harm.

but this week, i've made my peace with breakfast .. if only in the sense that i have strategised to overcome it and make it do my bidding. oh, let me count the ways [2], oh yes ..

1. i have 1/3 of a round of italian paesano bread left, safely in the fridge so it may not rot. its fate is toast, but not french toast: not spongy enough and too many holes.
   
   then again, holes in french toast mean more crevices for honey and syrup, but no matter: it's still not spongy enough. ):
   
   
2. i am prepared for an approximation to muesli. you see, i have gone to trader joe's today, and now i have:
   
   dried orange(?) cranberries,
   old-fashioned oats,
   lowfat yogurt,
   dry-roasted peanuts,
   
   and a leftover peach from last week's sojourn to the produce station.
   

then there are enough coffee grounds to last me into august, even if i do go on a bender.

it's a plan, at any rate. maybe it will even work.


[1] speaking of which, i love google search sometimes. i didn't even have to know how to spell "mxyzptlk" and instead, started with an approximation. you see,

[2] admittedly, i was torn between choosing an ordered list <ol> and an unordered list <ul>, but then that cliche came to mind and i was sold.

borrowed recipe: spaghetti with .. strawberries?

.. as found in the New York magazine page.

Sfoglia’s Spaghetti with Strawberries
1 pound good-quality dried spaghetti (like Setaro)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
1 pound ripe strawberries, cleaned and halved
2 tablespoons good aged (eight-year-old) balsamic vinegar
1 cup San Marzano tomato purée
4 ounces reserved pasta water
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

(for directions, see link)


i haven't made it yet, but it sounds promising. by themselves, strawberries would be too tart for pasta (in a fruity sort of way, unlike tomatoes) but the balsamic vinegar probably mellows out the sharpness in tart.

then again, why risk your strawberries? why not save them for strawberry-lime vinaigrette, for salads ..

(olive oil, juice of lime, balsamic vinegar, chopped herbs, salt and pepper, and strawberries crushed with your bare hands into a sort-of puree!)

.. or mull them in slices, with port wine and honey, and have a dessert sauce over cheesecake or vanilla ice cream?

(be sure not to use very good port; that's not worth the risk, either)

eggplant shumai

I'm not sure how genuine these are in terms of Chinese cooking, since that's not my area of specialty, but these tiny dumplings are awfully tasty and more importantly they're very easy to make.

I also think that the dumplings would be super delicious with okra instead of (or in addition to) eggplant, but that is mostly because I am in love with okra.

Note: If you're using regular gyoza (jiao zi) wrappers as the recipe recommends, I will warn you that they're extremely tiny when done. Also, you can only fit about half the stuffing the recipe recommends in each wrapper. I wasn't sure how exactly they get wrapped up either, but I pinched the sides up to a point at the top and it seemed to work pretty well.

Note: This is from Vegetarian Times, February 2006.


This recipe makes approx. 20 - 30 little dumplings, and is vegan.


Ingredients:
2 tsp. canola oil
4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.)
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 lb. eggplant, peeled and finely chopped (4 cups)
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. black bean sauce
1 tsp. dark sesame oil
4 Tbs. minced cilantro
Cornstarch
A package of gyoza ギョーザ (jiao zi 餃子) wrappers (they are round)


Instructions:

1. To make dumpling fillings: Heat oil over medium-high heat in wok or nonstick skillet. Add garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add eggplant, and stir-fry over high heat 4 - 5 minutes or until very soft; add a little water if needed. Add soy sauce, bean sauce, sesame oil, and cilantro; cook, stirring, until thick, about 1 minute. Let cool. (*Note: I did all this a day before I actually made the dumplings, so I had the filling and wrappers chill in the fridge overnight.)

2. Dust baking sheet (*note: I used a cutting board) with cornstarch. Arrange several gyoza wrappers on work surface. Put 2 tsp. filling in the center of each; pull up sides into pleats, and plop on baking sheet, flattening bottom. Cover tightly with plastic; chill up to 24 hours or freeze. (*another note: I didn't chill or freeze them.)

3. To cook dumplings: Lightly oil heat-proof plate or metal steamer insert. Steam shu mai on oiled surface 8 minutes. Serve.


Here is a sauce that I didn't make, but was part of the original recipe. Just mix everything together and dip.

Ingredients:
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. dark sesame oil
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 red jalapeno pepper

courtesy of flickr.

broccoli is good by katia

today: quick recipe with a mystery ingredient.

i came home starving today after a trip to the grocery store.

(no, it isn't wise to shop for groceries while hungry, but believe or not, i didn't realise that i was hungry at the time.)

anyways, i found this concoction quick and hearty. it reminded me of something between a chili and a minestrone, of all things.

as a heads up, one of the ingredients is NONSTANDARD.

ingredients.

1/2 block firm tofu, diced,

1/2 can black beans,

1 clove garlic, smashed beyond recognition and chopped,

either
    (a) leftover sauteed veggies
(i used extra green bell peppers, mushrooms, and red onion from an earlier omelette)
    (b) 1 cup frozen veggies, defrosted in warm water and drained

a big spoonful of sofrito [1] sauce;
store-bought is fine, and i used the Goya brand.

salt/pepper to taste,
frying oil; canola will do.

directions (10 minutes).

saute tofu with garlic in oil and a little salt: medium heat. include the veggies if they were previously frozen, otherwise when the contents seems a little dry, add the black beans (with a little of the liquid) and leftover veg.

** it should always look like a stew; add a little water if things look a little dry.

when the contents are simmering, make a shallow hole in the middle, and add sofrito. wait for gratifying sizzling smell, then stir and add pepper. if dry, add more water, and at the next simmer, shut off heat.

feeds one starving person, or two normal people.
enjoy with warm bread.


[1] i found a jar of spanish sofrito [wiki] on sale at the produce station, and it tastes like concentrated minestrone flavor, in sauce form.

today's lunkfast, in 3000 words ..

.. or equivalently, 3 photographs.

( i didn't take a close-up of the banana; it may be ripe and sweet, but it remains brown spotted and unpretty \: )

left: toasted paesano bread of the zingermann variety, but bought cheaply at the produce station. yes, that is drizzled honey on top!

right: a rustic 2-egg omelet made from ..

1/2 roma tomato,
3 asparagus stalks, chopped,
a sprig of curly parsley and a sprig of cilantro (both coarsely chopped)
a garlic clove, smashed,
salt and pepper to taste.

i was deliberately cracking the eggs into a pan on medium heat, stirring them sparingly for the sake of additional color. (:

the importance of food bases.

this morning's mathematics was .. confusing. i came up with ideas, though i ended up chasing absurdities.

[if you're really that curious,
i wrote about it here]

at any rate, i thought to make myself lunch, but then one thing led to another, and it became a lengthy cooking session. among other things, i simmered a decent vegetable broth.

---

i never consciously realised it, but when cooking it's key to do several things at once. for example, one chops tomatoes and onions while the pasta is boiling, or stirs the muffin mix while the oven is preheating: simple enough.

the thing is, you can simmer broth while doing something else. for example, you could chop vegetables or yams. afterwards, you can simmer broth AND make a brown rice and yam porridge in the rice cooker .. while doing something else.

in fact, as long as there's liquid in the big pot at a simmer, you can throw in potatoes to parboil for hash browns, and fish them out when you need them.

or you can toss in a few roma tomatoes for less than a minute, so that you can peel them and then dice them for a pasta salad. you can also toss in a few peeled cloves of garlic, because the flavor mellows with boiling .. similar but not the same as roasting garlic, but equally easy to make into paste and stir into pasta.

better yet, you can toss in the stems from spinach leaves for extra flavor into the broth, because you need the spinach both

* for a pasta salad .. the same pasta salad which uses the tomatoes,
* and for a spinach omelette, which will accompany the hash browns to come.


the moral: never underestimate a big pot of water. it gives and it takes, fairly and understandably.