Something with Mushrooms

I am trying to do these meal things, and with each one show something that can be adapted to other food items.  For example, that foil container could be used to cook other types of fish if one were so inclined. Just after you've gotten comfortable with how done your fish should look, check it and see if the cooking time varies, but it won't be by much. 

This time, we'll do some sautee-ing, but we'll also do some roasting. To keep the rest simple, we'll just make a salad to go along with it. That will also let us do a quick dressing, which can be made whenever you have a a spare moment, and can be easily tweaked to suit your mood. 

So, this mushroom business...At first I didn't want to tell you to just sautee a bunch of mushrooms. Then I started to think that you could adapt them several different ways---try to keep in mind that these mushrooms don't have to be eaten by themselves. You could eat them like a steak. You could combine them with bell pepper and onion to be the foundation of a burrito (or bowl, as it were). You could also mix multiple varieties, and with minor adjustments, serve them over a risotto or noodles. 

Think about it like the Beatles. Sometimes John sang, sometimes Paul sang. Sometimes they traded off different instruments like a flexible web of combinations. Depending on the goal, you can use the same four ingredients in nearly infinite variety. Hell, you could even add some Yoko if you want. Just sayin'. 

Your key ingredients will be olive oil, red potatoes, portobello mushroom, a little red wine vinegar (or some fresh lemon juice), and some spring mix. For seasoning, you will need salt and pepper, thyme, parsley, and garlic powder. Make sure you have a good chopping knife, or you will NOT be a very happy camper.

Thing one will be to preheat your oven, 375 is usually a reliable medium temperature. You can leave the skins on your potatoes--they will crisp nicely and add some texture + nutrient value. While the oven is heating, chop your potatoes. You can season them in a bowl or go straight to the pan (which I often do, one less frakking dish to wash). For the pan, it can be glass or aluminum or whatever. You just want it to be big enough so your potates aren't all crowded and laying on top of each other. That will increase your cooking time too much. 

With your olive oil, you're going to drizzle it on like this: 

It's a funky gesture, and it's kindof dependent on you keeping the bottle in motion. Then sprinkle two three finger pinches of salt from up high. Shake out some garlic powder, thyme, and (somewhat less of this) parsley. Keep in mind while you're doing this, you're about to toss the potatoes to distribute these goods. So it's going to look like a little bit more than you want at first, and then come out just right. The picture below is on the light side. 

These aren't red potatoes, but you get the idea. 

While those are in the oven (~25-30 mins), we shall do other things. Now would be a good time to do the salad business, because it's not as if it's going to get hot or cold. I like to dump however much spring mix I want into a really big bowl, grind some fresh pepper over it (think ~5 turns? Adjust as needed), sprinkle a small  amount of your chosen acid (lemon or vinegar), and finally drizzle a small amount of olive oil. Toss to distribute. Tadar!

Now, we're going to do mushrooms. I'm just describing this with 'bellas, but you could use a combination here, too. Just make sure when you're slicing they're roughly the same thickness, or it will screw with the cooking time. The other important thing is not unlike the potatoes: make sure that they have enough space in the pan. If they're too close together, the moisture won't evaporate quickly enough, and they will not brown properly. They might taste ok, but they won't have the carmelized surface that you  really want.  You can also add a small amount of garlic and/or onion, which would add some texture and sorta complete the flavor profile. I tend to think of it like a harmony, with the other flavors as supporting notes. 

This whole mushroom business should take ~13 mins, and you really don't have to be super nitpicky about stirring it, because it is going to need to be almost sticking to the pan. You'll probably be able to smell when the magic happens. If you can, it will mean you don't have to keep staring at them. But either way, peek in on your potates at some point. They should wind up being finished about the same time. 

However, if your potatoes get done before the mushrooms, just turn off the oven and crack the door. They'll stay warm in there. If your mushrooms get done before the potatoes, turn off the burner and throw some tinfoil on top. When you're all set, maow down :-)

Surrendering Summer

I had been back from the beach for a few days...In fact, I hadn't even been at the beach very long. About two days, including one scalding sunburn, several large cigars, and much much booze. I came home a salty pickled lobster, still basking in the afterglow. I was unpacking and pulled out this shirt, which sent a tiny breeze of ocean and sand scent through the room. I was loathe to put it away, hanging it  up on my closet door, pretending that the intensity of that remembrance wouldn't fade.

Sometime before that, I had planted carrots and leeks. The carrots look slightly like cilantro leaves, but they seem to be doing much better than my cilantro ever did. I know that's a sad admission, but I think I overwatered them..or perhaps they were missing something from the soil. Anyhow, these little leeks are slow growers, but it seems they are trucking along. I should plant many, many more of them, but I don't know if I will have time. 

I don't want to quite admit that a new part of my life is about to start. I am kinda, really, scared. I keep thinking that if I hadn't been so foolish or wasteful; if I had just been a little smarter with my money, a little better at managing my time...I would be in a much better spot. But I suppose all of that doesn't really matter now, and I can't keep dwelling on it.

It's like this house I live in: It's good in that it is my space, I have spread out all over it. I have painted some, and made music, and food. I have shared it with other people and leavened much time with humor and conversation. Yet it is never clean enough, I can never fix it up to my satisfaction or even feel like something more than crazy teenagers live in it. It is peeling and on a slant and I am constantly evicting spiders from every corner. But it just is.  I have to accept that, for now, and stop wasting energy fighting what really isn't going to matter in the long run. Sigh.

Food is For Challenges

A dear, frustrating friend of mine is going through something difficult right now. This breaks my heart on his behalf, but also because I saw it coming and decided it was best to bite my tongue and not say the unpleasant thing. After that, I saw it coming again...and maybe did say the unpleasant thing, but he makes his own decisions.  I am too far away to bring over noodle soup and pat his head like a 'poor little bunny' (If you don't get this reference click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbmbMSrsZVQ)... But I am close enough to call after work and suggest recipes. So I am going to give some ideas for those who are short on time, short on a cooking partner, or both. I think this will be an ongoing project...but we shall see.

My local grocery store, which I affectionately call "The Weg,"  likes to sell pretty darn good farm raised salmon in two pound bags. These little guys inside the bag are single-serve, vacuum sealed portions. This means you can thaw one at a time, without a giant pain in your behind arising. They tend to be about $7 a pound, which means that you get about 6 main courses for $14.

Anyhow, the easiest preparation I've found just involves the portion of salmon, your choice of seasonings, a little butter or olive oil, and some tin-foil. If you're short on time, the quickest way to thaw a piece would be to fill a large bowl with hot tap water, and weight down the piece of salmon inside its plastic wrap for about 15 minutes. This should fully thaw the serving with minimal struggle. Meanwhile, pre-heat your oven to 375. Unwrap your salmon, salt both sides, use a little freshly ground black pepper too. I like to sprinkle the salmon with coriander and dill, and squeeze a little lemon on top. However, you could also do a garlic-ginger-parsley combo, or whatever else your heart desires. Make a little packet for the salmon with the tin-foil, lay the salmon inside and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil or a thin slice of butter. It seems like the sweet spot is about 20 minutes, but don't hesitate to check. Even if you've turned the oven off, as long as you don't stand with the door open for an excessive amount of time, it will still retain a good amount of heat.

If you're going for sides,  Some fluffy quinoa seasoned with the coriander, parsley and lemon. It should take about 20 minutes, so start it immediately after your salmon is in the oven. You can follow the package directions to prepare the quinoa, and then sprinkle the seasonings as you fluff it up.

 I'd say spaghetti squash would be another nice complement. From mid-summer to fall, you should be able to pick up smallish ones that will halve easily into two servings. Once your quinoa is rolling, scoop out the seeds and goop. Throw a little butter and salt in there, with a sprinkling of savory-sweet tarragon and parsley. Run a small amount of water in the bottom of the bowl (just big enough for your squish), put your half of squash on top, and nuke it for 7-8 minutes. That should give you enough time to check each thing in order, and plate it at a good temperature.

It's rather simple, but you'll feel better. I promise.

The Weekly Twitter Recap

This first one will be a catching up to the present, so it might be a bit long. Your incentive for seeing this one might be: a) it's filtered. and b) it's all in one spot. And if you're like soooome people that follow me on Twitter, I wonder if you actually sign in to Twitter.

These were the zucchini sprouts, after about a week or so. I did thin them down on their little hills, but this is just the beginning ...

I planted the string beans a good bit later, after I had already had some success in the rest of the garden. But I now understand 1) why they are called string beans (Not only are the beans themselves stringy, they send out many long leafy strings attaching to anything. And everything.) 2)Why in the heck people trellis these things. They are like children... They need structure!

Sometimes I am trying to show you what I see. With photos, I do my best to take the best shot possible while not manipulating it unnecessarily. This is one exception---where the filter adapted the photo to more of what the camera couldn't capture. 

I commented when I posted this about the lack of eggplants in the local landscape...whyever wouldn't we plant this lovely little plant. As you can see, the foliage itself has a soft color transition from a cool purple to minty green. 

I saw a pair of praying mantises hanging out on the spinach. I hear they eat mostly insects, so this is good news. Maybe they came for the beetle buffet?

These pepper plants were an unexpected gift from a friend, and neither of us expected them to grow in as nicely as they did.

Peas are pretty too! Why is it not cool to plant veggies for pretty??

 This just happened by accident, and said : summer is here.

 And you can see by comparison how large the zucchini plants have grown. To be fair, there are four of them. But they've been making foot-long fruits in no time flat.

 

Baby chard...Which has done very well with the heat. If you leave the central growing tip intact, they will keep putting out more leaves. Every week or so, I have 1-2 new batches of noms.

Baby spinach...When they say 'bolts in the heat' ...they meant it. Straight up, leggy as all get out, and full of tiny purple blooms. 

Balsamic Radish Slaw

When I planted zucchini and cucumbers, I had a small space left between the three hills. Looking at the back of my radish seeds, I noticed that they would come to maturity very quickly. Hopefully, they would be ready before the zucchini devoured their sunlight. I surmised correctly. What I didn't expect was for the zucchini to grow over the 36" that was recommended for them...pushing dinner plate sized leaves two feet onto the concrete patio next to the garden.

The radishes quickly produced two full bunches, part of one is still lingering in my fridge. I think the best answer is to make another round of this slaw. Each time I've made this, the slightly spicy, mild sweetness and bright balsamic have been half-eaten before they could make it to the table. In addition, it's been an excellent motivator for me to improve the rudiments of my knife skills.

If you're like me, you sometimes just want to figure out what you're going to have, and find the shortest route there. Especially, if (like me) you are the dishwasher. It doesn't seem to matter so much if dinner has a perfectly julienne-d  vegetable medley. Maybe these knife things are something we have to learn, but it is more time to spend. Chopping. Slowly. Positioning and re-positioning. Believe me, I hear you. You might think, as I did, that inconsistency has some value. While I can't entirely argue with that, I will say this.

Like an artist, we sometimes develop curious habits that define our style. For example, some of us have a hard time seeing how objects relate to each other in space---it's fine when we're looking at them, or if we want to reach for them. But when we go to draw or paint them, they float airily or space warps around them. If we can learn how and why, we can float when and where we choose. If we never learn how to choose, we're trapped forever...limited by our inconsistency.

Learning knife skills opens the door to more dishes, faster, more consistency, and better presentation. Even I can't get away with fuggalicious all the time. It is also much easier and less stressful to chop the needed ingredients, making you feel much more in control of your cooking process. I can break this down into several important elements. Firstly, choose a weapon suited to your task. Please, for the love of all that is good, stop chopping with a paring knife! Find an inexpensive 7 inch santoku, which is much less intimidating than a chef's knife. Grasp it properly in your dominant hand. Always protect your fingers on the opposite hand by keeping your fingertips curled under. I also find it quite helpful to never let the tip of the knife leave the cutting board. Finally, I am not a doctor, and these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. I am more than happy to answer questions, too. I have a feeling that will be something to talk about more in the near future.

 Ingredients, to your taste (of course!)

1 medium size bunch of radishes, the fresher the better
1-2 medium sized carrots
1 teaspoon of shallot, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon of garlic

For the dressing:
mayo
salt
blackpepper
balsamic vinegar

In short, I sliced these radishes long-ways first, so that I could stack up the thin layers to cut again. I grated carrot directly into the bowl. Precise measurements aren't necessary here, but I estimate about a quarter of a cup. I also finely diced about a teaspoon of shallot and half as much fresh garlic. Be cautious with your garlic. In a cold dish like this, you can always add more, but you can't take it out. If you like, make the dressing in a small bowl to your taste. You don't need much here---I think I used about three tablespoons' worth. Mix mayo, a generous poinch of sea salt, a few turns of freshly ground black pepper, and a splash of balsamic. In my speak, splash means that you've put your finger over the top of the bottle so that you can control the flow. You allow your desired amount, which for me is a few shake's worth. Once you've mixed everything together, feel free to adjust to your taste. Devour.

Simple breakfast lentils: For one, easily doubled

Half a can of organic brown lentils
a teaspoon of coarse grey sea salt
a teaspoon of dry rosemary
a swirl of walnut oil ( or a bit of butter)

If you have a mortar and pestle, it will show its worth here. It will transform from a medieval looking, curious, useless paper-weight to a meal transformer in a moment.

I think I am more than normally particular about my lentils. I prefer the brown ones, for this. They must be organic vegetarian ones, rinsed thoroughly. Ignore this, and they will prove to smell like canned dog food left out on your back porch all afternoon---and inedible in this lifetime or the next. After I have rinsed them under cool running water, I let the resulting murky liquid drain into the sink. I hate waste---despise, actually. But I have found no use for this particular nonsense.

While they're draining, I turn to the mortar and pestle. I combine equal parts coarse sea salt and dried rosemary. Fresh would be adaptable, I am sure, but have not yet ventured. I am in mourning for the young rosemary pot; it was kicked over by brash neighbor children who also stepped in my spinach. Luckily the young spinach was still so tiny and elastically energetic that it bounced back in a few days. The rosemary was not so energetic. It clung, trembling, to the side of the gaping open pot. I did plant them early, and they can be restarted.

For a short explanation of my absence: My mother board died. This prompted a replacement of said motherboard, processor, and ram. If you've never put together your own "rig" (as we nerds affectionately call it), you're in for a treat. This was my first time doing much more than removing and re-inserting my video card. Or watching, bemused, as two good nerd friends were buried, arms'  deep in a PC case like some sort of butchery. It requires, in the words of one of the aforementioned nerds: "a blood sacrifice." To you, this means that the inside of your desktop is crammed together full of all sorts of pointy, stabby, and otherwise sharp corners and edges. And it is unyielding. After that, my ancient hard drives started deciding that they were either not recognizable, or used a file system which windows doesn't like. Either way, between that, final exam week at school, an exceedingly verbose house-guest, my boss leaving our store, our full timer being on military orders and general stress, I was demotivated.

But baby spinach plants, beside Sugar Daddy snow peas, and the tiniest of chards have started to bring me back. There is also this wonderful book which I've been devouring, called Heat. I believe Mr. Buford might be the only person to whom I would not have to explain my mostly vegetarian-ness (though he is certainly NOT one). At any rate, it is helping me to understand the levels to which food connects.

Anyhow, grind up the sea salt and the rosemary together. If you don't have a mortar and pestle...break up the rosemary with your fingers a bit and shake it together with the salt. Throw a generous sprinkling into the lentils, and mix them casually. You can reserve the rest of the salt for later. It has plenty of uses. I promise.  Drizzle a little bit of walnut oil or a dollop of butter on top. Microwave ( I know! Blasphemy!) for one minute and let stand briefly. You'll know why if you try to take a bite....Yes, it seems strange, but the truth is that the pan can dry out the lentils too quickly. You could use steam to heat them if you were cooking something else, I suppose...But this is breakfast we're talking about. By yourself. No one is looking, and it will be simple, and easy to clean up, and taste better than oatmeal. Or, as my inner voice calls it...goatmeal.

Balsamic, Protein, and More

Starting where we left off last time, we'll talk about protein. It's something that often takes up one third or more of plate-space, yet for whatever reason we don't pay much attention to it. We often buy large quantities of the same chicken or ground beef cheaply, and pay little attention to sourcing. 

 The first, and most important thing is the quality of ingredients. You can make much out of relatively small amounts or simple preparation provided that what you're cooking is fresh (I mean a recent purchase, not necessarily un-frozen.) However, freezing affects the texture and sometimes the flavor of the food.
I know this is really basic stuff, but you have to start from the ground up. Also, if you're eating meat, where it comes from and what the animal ate are important. I'm not trying to beat that horse, plenty of other writers have done it better than myself. Keep in mind that on some level, you get what you pay for...and you should pay for the kind of industry that you want to see flourish. If I have learned one thing, it's that we must be the person outside that we are on the inside. If you say that you want to support small farmers and small business, you have to invest in them.

Think about different forms, too. Beans, seafood, eggs, and tofu can add a lot of variety. Beans can be the side, a tasty additive, or even smushed and seasoned into a burger. Eggs aren't just for breakfast either. If you need proof of that, take one look at their large chapter in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Fish can be extremely low maintenance while fitting in every category...fun in the form of baked fish and chips to fancy in the form of salmon en papillote.

Salt while cooking, and use sea salt if possible. I love French Grey, and babble about it ceaselessly. There is a chemical reaction that takes place while the food is cooking with the salt that can not, not, not, be done later. Don't neglect the spice cabinet. Garlic powder, and onion powder go a very long way. Cumin and coriander can be wonderful, on beef, pork, or chicken. Combining them with greek yogurt can make a marinade. Thyme, tarragon, sage, and dill are wonderful with chicken or with eggs. Basil and oregano have been traditionally put a tomato base, with beef or chicken.

I bought a bottle of balsamic, and it's definitely proven itself useful over the past weeks. I know that it's probably not the most authentic stuff, but in terms of marinating and dressing, it gets the job done. I paired it with mushroom broth, garlic powder, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, shallots, and thyme.  I soaked my extra firm tofu steaks in there before crisping them up in the pan a bit.

I'm getting back into the swing of life again, and a big part of that is cooking. Another big part is making art, and writing poetry. In time, I will be sharing some of that with you. Since we talked about the big strokes, it's time for a little application, too.

It's been a while

Every time someone sees my mortar and pestle, they look at me as if I have three heads and ask: "What is That for?"

Well, children, it isn't for witchcraft...but it is magical.

The list is actually quite long and quite practical. Pesto, with all the glorious scent of crushed basil; garlic butter; grinding whole cloves and aniseed for Swedish meatballs; and this morning: freshly ground coffee that went into the French press. I am drinking it now, and jammin' with my Elmo-meets-lawnmower hair to some Yo-Yo Ma.

I am alone in the house this morning. The coffee is rich and aromatic as only coffee can be. I have the sun behind me, and I know a good friend of mine will be here later. This moment, one of so few, feels zen to me. This last year and change has been anything but balanced. I have moved twice, realized I could fit almost everything I own in my car, watched people come and go in my life, and finally followed my feet. No, I didn't go home. I have one now, though.

In the course of writing that paragraph, I became completely un-zen. It's taken a while to come up for air from the last year, and now that I have, I realize some things. I am much older. I have grey hairs now. Food is a different proposition, and we'll talk about that. But after all that, I may never be able to divest myself of the intense caring which has been both a cement block on my feet and Mary Poppins' umbrella.

The act of cooking is still an act of love to me. However, not everyone is able to accept the same kind of love in the same kind of way. They may just be meaties, and that's ok. I'm not offended. This is just teaching me to really be independent, to make decisions, to take care of myself in a way that I relied on certain Big Cats to do. This is freeing, too.

But! To the matter at hand. For a while, we were talking about vegetables, grains, and trying to get a grasp on the underpinnings of home cookin. This still feels like a place to start, and so I think we will talk about proteins next time. This is a challenge that many face, veggie or not, and one that can lead to either joy or utter, stonegrinding boredom. Because, who wants bland ____ing chicken again?? Really. Insert your own choice of expletive there.

 Since I haven't shared any experiments lately, I'll leave you with one I intend to repeat. Over Christmas break, I concocted Huckleberry Muffins. These are pretty staple muffies, with white-whole-wheat flour, oatmeal, applesauce, etc. The huckleberries, however, are anything but staple. They're wild, glorious, tart, complex, better than blueberry currant-sized morsels. I know, I know, pics or it didn't happen. Soon. I promise.

Volume Effect: Vegetables

For those of us who have both cooked and played Mass Effect: we know that calculations in Newtons won't be necessary. In fact, vegetables will counter-act a protein bomb in most dire situations.

As with the grains, I'm going to attempt to restrain myself to categories. As it stands, this will be a multi-part sub-sector, anyway...

There are quite a few that cross over in use from vegetable to starch, or vegetable to protein. We'll talk about those as they come at us. Firstly, major types and thus, cooking styles.

Water-Based, Fleshy: Green/String beans, cucumber, Zucchini, eggplant, other summer squashes (like those ubiquitous yellow ones), to some extent peas and their like, and I'm putting mushrooms here. Generally speaking, these don't require much cooking. Often you lose by over cooking; their texture suffers and they are mushy, all the nutrients wind up in the surrounding liquid, which is often ignored. Sometimes, as in the case of eggplant...over-cooking results in bitterness. As far as seasoning goes, keep it simple. A little butter and salt after steaming, a little bit of fresh herbs (or a pesto) is complementary as well.

Also worth noting! Some of these are warm weather crops (zucchini: Italian, summer. Peas, spring...), so they'll be disappointing this time of year in the supermarket. (Indeed, and very unpleasantly priced).

Mushrooms are a cross-over: They're just as much protein as they are vegetable. They're great if you're looking for something other than chicken (again, right?), and provide high nutrient value for their low calorie density compared to things like ..chicken.

Water-Based, Leafy: Spinach, salad greens, endive, dandelion, kale. We can even go so far as to include things like cabbages and Brussels sprouts. These range in flavor from the light and savory, sweet (sprouts), to nearly meaty in the Tuscan Kale department.

In leaf form, these cook even faster than the fleshy guys (a few minutes on a relatively warm pan). With a variety like spinach, you can eat them both ways, obviously..but when you cook them they make excellent flexible additions to a pasta, or accomp... accompan..the fellows who sit next to our potatoes.

Some things like radicchio don't always cook well. Greens can tend towards bitterness, so a light blanching (super-short pre-cooking boil) can really make those more palatable if you want to use them in that way.

D'accord, if you want brussel sprouts, they're going to take a bit more than sauteeing some leaves. They're very tasty when they've just crisped themselves on the edges. Or, in the case of Belgian Endive...gratineed a la Julia Child.

 As always, pick them over, discard tough and woody parts. Cut off stem-ends. Same goes with peeling: If you have to choose between peeling it and eating (and enjoying), or not peeling because you're "supposed to eat the most nutritious part"...You're better off missing a little peel and eating the thing. It's better for you than not at all. 

Sub-Sector: Grains

Last time we talked about the different categories which will generally make up the meal. I realize this won't be every meal; some days you might want a plate full of eggs and potatoes for breffast. I have those too. Toast? Maybe...Maybe not. Maybe all there is in the house is a stale heel which you want to feed to the geese.

Back to the matter at hand, we have grains. In this category we will also discuss semi-grainish things (such as things made from grains) or things that aren't quite as explicit as a nub of barley. Obviously, when one thinks of these there are the blatant ones: Rice, quinoa, oatmeal (or by the lesser known moniker "goat-meal"), and the like. Semi grainish things include pastas, breads, polenta, and more.

If you're looking for most nutrient value and/or fiber you will most likely look to whole foods. These include, but are not limited to:

~rice which still has the outer "layer"
~oatmeal which is cut or ground (ex Scottish and Irish styles). Instant oats don't count in this case:  they're stripped of part of their fiber, which makes them faster-cooking.
~other whole grains like quinoa, or millet.

 A bowl of brown rice underneath your stir-fry is remarkably filling. It's nutty, with a little tooth, and it's got something to make you feel good too. These sorts of things are not as quick to prepare, but you're able to take them and get a lot of different combinations. For example, a humble grain of rice can be slathered in tomato sauce; it can be catching some cheese; it could be buttered and seasoned lightly as a side. I'm sure that you can see were this leads.

On the other hand, you could have a Big Cat meowing in the background. He's telling you that he can see the bottom of his food bowl, and is not happy. So you are looking at the spaghetti you have in the cupboard, or the bread you can toast for a sandwich. These are quicker, and they're tasty too. In either case, you'll find that they won't completely make you full. If you're a hard core carb fiend (and believe me, I have my days) they make even make you hungrier. Balance is needed to enjoy the virtues of these:

~Breads
~polenta
~pastas
~quick cooking rice
~ quick cooking oatmeal

I list these in two categories because it's important to note the differences... In taste, texture and in cooking time. I think we're all familiar with the tamer flavors of bread and pastas. Aside from the fact that they're shaped to work with the rest of the food (think : a shell noodle is shaped to catch sauce), they're also intended not to fight with it. Even a whole wheat pasta cooked al-dente is going to step aside and let your garlic-sauce shine. So if you're looking for a more delicate flavor, go for a rice noodle instead of a hearty brown rice.

The final, extremely important consideration is texture. I've left this to the side until now, however it will make--and break--your meal. There aren't any hard and fast rules to this..But generally speaking, mushy is bad. Unless you're making Indian food, there shouldn't be any question about what utensil to use for eating.

Ok, this is long. More, more, more, to come.

The Undertaking

I apologize about the delay in posting; I have several bad excuses which you may or may not want to hear. One is that between getting ready for Christmas, family, harassing financial aid to do their job, and various other things...I've been hesitant to post.

But, excuses aside, we have an undertaking in front of us. I'm sure this has been done before, and better. And my ideas may not be comprehensive, nor canon.  Nonetheless, the Big Cat requires it. So it must be.

What I'm talking about is a semi-General theory of Foodstuffs. Why oh why, dear Demeter, do your carrots go with your peas? What makes something Greek or Italian? And what is this curious thought of balance so important?

This is going to take some time, so bear with me. I'll begin..in the middle (not as David Copperfield...).

Foods come in three categories: Grains (and starchy things), Protein, and veggies/fruits.

Grains are often the blank canvas of your meal; They provide something to pull the other aspects together, and they can provide some fiber. There is a large scope here: anywhere from bland oatmeal to more processed forms, such as bread or pasta. I will certainly go into more detail about this and our other groupings in future posts. There are going to be crossovers between categories, which we will discuss. Overall, I'd suggest these being about 1/4 to 1/3 of the meal if possible.

Protein is sometimes the filling element, sometimes the garnish. Beans, cheeses, and meats do fall into this category, as well as some other mysterious items. In the scope of a meal, this should be one fourth or so of the total meal. I'm making a distinction between protein "foods" like beans, and grams of protein per meal. So  remember other foods do contain protein, and it's important to consider it from a nutritional standpoint as well.

And lastly, but certainly equal in my mind..are veggies! (And fruits). These should be about half your plate, and you will feel full if you do. They're great sources of fiber and nutrients, and can add a lot of diversity to your diet. Starchy veggies will sometimes cross over and fill the role of grains when you're planning a meal (think: potatoes in a frittata or corn in polenta.).  On the other end of the spectrum, fruits can make fantastic deserts.

 Hopefully, keeping these three categories in mind will bring the "balance" into perspective, and simplify it a bit.

A Few Things at Once

I don't know if you do this, but I often think about flavors in combinations. For example, basil and oregano are to me what peanut butter and jelly are to somebody else. There are a lot of "normal" things, like peas and carrots, dill and lemon, on and on. These have always been good, reliable, and hard to mess up.

On the other hand, there are some ingredients which seemed to be...very strange at first. After having given them a chance, my mind was changed. Here are a few which I highly recommend. Some you might have tried already...others probably not.

1) Chocolate, tomato and chili---primarily in the form of mole. There's a lot more to the sauce than that (HUGE understatement there), and the whole is equally more than the sum of its parts. It's a regional Mexican sauce/dish that is well worth seeking out.

2) Pumpkin seeds. This is sort of a part 2 to the first one, since in Mexico they are referred to as pepitas. They're often included in mole and other dishes. Not a sunflower seed, not a nut...Just interesting. Very tasty on their own when lightly seasoned and baked in the oven!

3) French feta. I thought...Feta is Greek, right? Yes, but this is something else which is salty, briny, complex, crumbly and creamy all at the same time. It's great on a tomato sandwich, with just a little coarse ground pepper.

4) Course ground pepper and sea salt. This was another "I think it's the same" as that stuff we all have in the cupboard.

NO, it's not. I must be adamant about this. It's one of the cheapest, quickest, most effective ways to bring out the flavors in almost everything you cook. For the more experienced, you're sitting there telling yourself you've read this in every cookbook since Mastering the Art of French Cooking....The rest of us are in for something profound. 

Sea salt has mineral flavors which are vastly underrated. Most of what you taste is stripped out in your average table salt...Especially that stuff with the spout at the top of the cardboard container. I found that as soon as a experimented with sea salt (I use a French grey) I needed less to do the same amount of flavoring. Bonus: interesting crunching texture, or easily ground into smaller grains for whatever.

Freshly ground pepper was a new world to me. It's not nearly as bitter, and it has an interesting bite and fragrance. Plus, it doesn't have that odd dusty consistency, and it's fun to grind it into whatever you're working on.  And for as much as you'll use it---it's pretty inexpensive, even if you go for organic. 

5) Speaking of which, organic herbs/seasonings. From my experience: Fresher, better color, better flavor and cheaper. It's really surprising given the reputation of organic products being "expensive" and indistinguishable. 

I'm not going back on that one. 

6) Here's a really old one! We're going medieval on your... Dill in your eggs (preferably fresh dill). Chop the dill up a bit, and it works for scrambled, omelettes, whatever. 

7) Tomato and chevre. I know that we all like tomato and cheese...and it comprises a hefty portion of my own diet. I'm not going to pretend I don't do that at on a weekly basis, in some form or another. But this sauce really hit the spot, and it was kinda out of left field.

I sauteed up a little onion and tarragon, and then mixed that with my tomato base. Added a little (about a teaspoon to 1/2 a cup) basic white sugar, some salt, some pepper, and let it simmer for a few minutes. (This dish also included small brown mushrooms, peas, and tortellini. Adjust at your whim). 

When I was ready to put the sauce in, I combined about 2 ounces of chevre into my tomato sauce. This was enough for two, with a little bit left over. It came out creamy, tart, and clung to the tortellini in a pleasing way. Snarfed. 

Also really old, and unknown: the French Press. All you need is coarse ground coffee and boiling water. Then  four minutes later, you have an excellent pot of coffee. Keep in mind the most wondrous part: You can do this anywhere, no electricity required.

I'm sure there will be more things soon. These have been on my mind, and I always like to share tasty. Who doesn't, after all?

Banana Bread

So since this is a long-awaited post, I decided to make it something of a treat. I had posted a casual pic of this on facebook, and received quite a response. 

The Big Cat has a very large sweet tooth, and he's madly in love with breakfast. I deflected the incessant cookie monster for a week or so with this, as it covers both bases. 


The recipe has been a long time coming. Originally, I'd been scrounging on Cooks.com...Looking for something. It's really either hit-or-miss... You get a fantastic recipe for pizza dough, then go back for croissant to wind up with butter-mush. 


Anyway, I took those basic components I saw over and over, and fashioned this.After a couple of good loaves, I wrote it down. It's a relatively small batch, but does double well if you need, but you'll need to bake it for probably 15 mins longer. 

Ingredients:

1 to 1.25 cups flour ( I use white whole wheat. King Arthur's organic has always treated me well)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt (I used sea salt, more mineral flavor)
a tiny dash of baking powder

About 1 cup mashed banana
1/2 cup granulated white sugar 
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
about 6 tablespoons cultured butter (could add more if you like)
2 eggs

Preheat your oven to 350.

Lightly beat your eggs first, then add your butter and sugars. I melted the butter slightly to make that go more quickly and evenly. Then I put in the banana, so it will stay a little chunky.

Combine your other dry ingredients, and slowly add them to your wet mix. I do this in a separate bowl and stir them with the other end of my spoon. You could be truly persnickety and sift it, but it's not necessary. Stir until just combined. 


At this point, you can add some walnuts, chocolate chips, or a small (very small) amount of rum. If you're using chocolate chips, you may want to wait. I like to put the mixture into my butter dish first, and drop the chips on top. This keeps them from sticking to the bottom (in a most annoying manner!)

I prefer the square glass-type baking dish, but metal would work also. Might have to watch your baking time more, however. 



Use with caution, or you might get some unwanted guests. 

A Day of Caramel (and Caramelizing!)

Let it be known, I have always called it car-mel. I'm not sure where this "a" in the middle came from, but the modestly classless sunburnt neck in me is protesting. BUT, aside from my down-home-with-a-slight-slurring-twang...I adore this stuff.

We've just had the Apple Festival here, which is sort of ..like the fair. Except...there's more food, no rides, and the parking is even more atrocious. On the good side, there were quite a few little tents sprung up with home-made organic BBQ sauce and various sauces. And holy Lord Almighty, there were caramel apples. I took two home with me yesterday; both were devoured before 6 PM today.

This evening has been balmy and beautiful, and we feasted at our little sushi joint up the road. And then, after making some green tea and reading ..I made some French Onion Soup. This isn't your canon-style soup, but the basic elements are there.  We've really been avoiding the beef lately, so I needed to experiment to get around the beef-stock problem.  (This is the caramelizing part).

First:

See that brown sugar! It's big, and sweet, and moist.

Here's what I used. You'll see some brands here, I'm not necessarily advertising. This is what's working for me, and easy enough to get your hands on. 

This is my staple, since it has a rich enough flavor to work with the onion. I used about a whole box, maybe a little more, plus a good glug of wine. 

That's what was on my fingers..........

Since rosemary is best fresh, I sizzled it in the pot with the garlic, before I added the stock.

 I got pretty excited with the rosemary, and used about two stems' worth, chopped finely and tossed in first with two small cloves of garlic. Normally, I'd include some bay, but I though it might be overwhelming with everything else going on here.

Modestly above average wine on it's own, but very forgiving and balanced. Drank some of it, threw some in the stock. Smelled up the whole house lovely!

Now whilst that is going, choppy choppy:

Add another half of one, because you want some extra to pick out of the pan.

I just sliced up both buggers, with the onion halved first. Then I took the slender cuts and made them into thirds. Nothing scientific about it, just don't cut your hands off. If you need knife skills, Gluten Free Girl and the Chef will get you rolling. 

I did a mixture of olive oil and butter in the pan. On medium heat, I softened up the onions for a few minutes and then added the brown sugar:

It takes them a good while to be soft and sweet, and they should be browning before you take them off the heat. 

I know I'm not talking much about proportions, but I think one shouldn't be married to the measuring cup. Even flour will absorb more or less water depending on so many factors...even in the perilous world of baking, which is closest to chemistry! Before I stop preaching, here's my point---

You have to know what you want your food to taste and look like. We've all had French Onion before, so the magic is in which lovely ingredients you decide on, and how they balance. Be patient and attentive, get a second opinion if you need it. 

Here's what it looked like:

Of course, tomorrow I'll put on the crouton + cheese and throw those munchkins in the oven. But that's the easy part. 

AH! and here also, since I was hungry...the long aggrandized tomato sandwich! This time with mozza, and on the rosemary-sea salt bagel (I'm sure you can tell, I've been on that train lately).

Please don't mind the mess. Or the lumpy bagel...

I wound up eating it in pieces, so that I could get the most out of both ends of the bagel. By the time I was done with it, it was more lasagna than sandwich. But I was really in food stupor by that point!

A Rice Project

I've been thinking about rice lately.  Specifically, right now, I'm thinking about organic rice in bulk.

With all my new-found time, there is a ..stricter grocery budget. Being the borderline foodie personality that I am (I mean borderline nuts, in case you hadn't already guessed), I need certain things. I need to cook; I need freezer burritos that I'm not going to feel guilty about, plenty of mushrooms, and even more cheese.

So I'm sure you've seen the question before: How many things can you do with rice? This may or may not include beans. Of course you have risotto, and paella, and dirty rice, and stir fry on top of the fried kind. Honestly, I'm only moderately interested in those things.  Be warned: There will be experiments. You may even be subjected to pictures of questionable outcomes.

Firstly, I am going to bulk the freezer burritos. Who doesn't enjoy a cheesy hot mess, made in 1.5 minutes? It seems a little bottom of the barrel, but it beats the pants off most freezer food. And, if I can (sort of) replicate the organic variety we're all so fond of, I could take burrito cost sub $1.50, which would be ideal.  The Big Cat of the house (as I call him, you'll see why) is disturbed by this burrito project. He's trying to warn me that it might not come out well, but I'm really too into the idea to stop now.

My other obsession has been The Tomato Sandwich.  (I'll have to come up with pictures soon--it's just been eluding the camera due to voracious consumption by yours truly.) Why don't you take my hand, as we journey into the land of fantasy here for a bit?

Imagine: You have fresh rosemary and sea salt bread, sliced generously. You also have some Greek yogurt which you've lightly lined your slices with, soaking into the bread slightly. Some French feta is crumbled over it, and they're warmed together. Finally you thickly slice a perfectly ripe plum tomato, graze it with sea salt and course black pepper.

Altogether, this is perfect for eating at 2:30 AM. Then slide cozily to sleep with a kitten who is very curious about that sandwich, and very determined to sleep exactly where you'll roll onto him.

Looking forward...

I don't know if this has happened to anyone else...but for me, right now, food is about the future. Since I am currently in the half-way house of kitchens, there's been a lot of thinking and planning. I've been thinking about pruning roses, what we'll plant in the garden next year, where my herb bushes will be grown. Most importantly, I've been wondering:

 When WILL I get to start those little plant children??


In the present, there have been simple things.  For our going away party, some work-friends had us over for dinner. I wanted to bring something, since my friend Lee and I were conspiring to get more veggies into this meal-outing. I had this zucchini, some basil, some miscellaneous hard cheeses, and an oven. After I started the zucchini and sautéed it with a few other things...It just came together.

I would have taken some pictures, but this happened:

Kitten running interference.

It was a moment where you're standing in the kitchen, smelling something you know is going to be tasty. And you know that it wasn't all you. There's the organic zucchini, that a family grew. There is the basil that released it's lovely juices into the pesto; and the cheeses that you couldn't leave the store without.  And with a little luck, and divine providence...it happens.

There are also fingerling potatoes, sugar snap peas, and lovely sockeye salmon:

Yes, I know about the blue plate. I'm working on it.

And I'll leave you with that.

This week...

Right now, I'm in mourning for my kitchen. Due to circumstances out of my control, I've had to make a move back with some family. So I'm slowly, quietly, plotting a hostile take-over.

I would even use my grief as a cloak!

Sure, I have my spices, my precious non-stick pan. But the disappearance of my knives has been heartrending. I've been digging through every box I can find, cursing to high heavens for that little Japanese chopper. I'm a simple creature; I just want a good chopping knife, a good pan, and ve-ge-tables.


On the upside, I'm sneaking more organic vegetables into Grandma's kitchen. She's looking at me quite confusedly, as she says: " I'm not as fussy as you are. I just like my corn and my ham." Okay, sure. But in my snobbery, I'm thinking about the little Turkish place, the Indian food, the bread that I used to bake. I'm envious of cupboards and silverware drawers. I'm digging, digging, and sorting.

I'm trying to take this as a test of my constitution...more specifically, my endurance and patience. I realized that I've had a good two years. My kitchen which once felt too small, too disorganized, and frankly alien became my bat-cave. It is the symbol of Home and the labor of my loves.

Also, there is this:

The Back is me, the kitten is Deimos. 

In my kitchen I tried to make goodness for those people in my life, as well as use it to support what I chose. I would buy as much organic dairy as I could (to support healthy cows, as well as my cheese addiction!) and I would eat lots and lots of mushrooms and fewer chickens. When I went to clean a chicken or bake a fish,  I'd try to be grateful.

 This is now a new form of growth--reaching out, compromising, and explaining why it is good to grow one's own herbs, and how much better raspberries can taste. Sharing garlic, sea salt and rosemary bread :

I really can't say anything more than yum! 

And this, too, shall pass.

Obsessed With Stuffing Things

So at my place, we're obsessed with stuffing foods with tasty things, and then stuffing ourselves with stuffed food. And, we also have a mushroom ...problem. I go to the store and buy four or five different varieties, and then worry over the cart that we're going to run out. The worst part is...

We do.

This is mostly because we're ...mostly vegetarian. Except for those nights of the week when I feel like mac'n'tuna. Or when I just can't help myself at the local Turkish place. And instead of eating "textured vegetable protein", we usually do other things.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing TVP, and I eat tofu-turkey sausage on my veggie pizza.  But I've stopped kidding myself that a non-meat item will taste like meat, or that it should, or that I should want it to. So I go with what I know we will eat and feel full with, and get what we expect and/or possibly wanted.

Which leads to the subject of this post: Stuffed Mushrooms.

We've eaten these each week for three weeks solid, so far. As a main course. It's doesn't take long to chop up the stems, sautee them with some other stuffs, and slide them into the oven.

I get a big pack of "stuffing mushrooms". Just regular white buttons, but larger than average. You could even do it with normal sized ones, but I like that these guys are two bites.

For two of us, I do about 12 mushrooms for stuffing. Wash them, remove and reserve the stems. You can decide what you want these to taste like...But I've had success with a combination of garlic, red onion, fresh parsley, feta, and bread crumbs from whatever loaf-ends I have around.

Most of the time I'll want to add another mushroom or two to make sure that I have enough stuffing. The stems don't seem like quite enough, and I want to have that nice rounded top spilling over the caps.

 I don't want to overdo the bread crumbs, and I don't usually use the store bought kind. I crumble up some leftover soda bread, or whatever I have around. You could put it in the food processor and make them bitty, but I like them a little fluffy.

Here's a rough list of proportions:

Stems of 12 mushrooms
2-3 whole mushrooms
1/3 cup diced red onion
2 medium cloves garlic, diced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, don't worry about packing it
4 (or maybe more!) oz cheese, I used feta
1/2 a cup (or more) of breadcrumbs (better if they're not toasted)
1-2 tbs olive oil for the pan

I'll sometimes put in other fresh herbs that I have on hand, such as chives or rosemary, but you may want to adapt your cheese selection if you do. I found fresh oregano will go well if you use some mozza, and maybe a little basil or rosemary.

I will probably revise this the next time I put it all together, so don't freak out if you need to adjust this.

Sauté your stems and other filling ingredients until the mushroom bits release their juices and your cheese mixes in. Mushrooms and onion in first, they'll take longer. Throw your cheese in before the garlic and herbs, and be attentive; you'll want to add the breadcrumbs while it's melting so that it will absorb the other flavors.

Heat your oven up to 400 or so, and while that's going, pull your filling off to the side and let it cool a bit. Then, when you can manage it, stuff it into the mushrooms so they're laying with their caps down on  your baking sheet.

They will bake for around 13 mins, but my oven could be smoking something when I'm not around. Your clue will be that moisture collects under the caps. Don't let them stay in too long, or they'll get wrinkly!

Anyways, eat them with whatever you want.

Getting Messy as Usual

Today I'm trying to get some art-related work done, and this is one thing I've committed myself to work on. And with my new found free time, I should be able to take pictures of plenty of food ideas, while still trying to get the masters' soap out and not contaminate the food.

So this is a step at both organizing and sharing a continual fascination with food. I'm not pretending that anyone would want to read this, but the pictures might look tasty. Or you would wind up like me: crazy, covered in paint, looking like a tornado hit half your apartment, but with plenty of good things to fill your time (and stomach.) It's not so bad, really.

To dispense with the formalities:

These are pan fried potatoes. Oh yes, French as all get out. I say French because I had them first at this darling little cafe, and I am French-ish via my father's side, who taught me to make them later. They've been   relatively ignored and are perhaps forgettable by modern standards. But with fresh rosemary, cultured butter, and sea salt....It's breakfast. Or whatever you feel like.

I prefer some moderate sized red potatoes. You'll have to forgive my non-specific nature, as I've never really cooked from a recipe book. So I apologize in advance for what may be confusing and/or require more than one attempt to enact.

Slice the potatoes thin enough so that they will cook to be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Probably around an eighth of in inch...like so:

 Slice more than you think you'll need because they will lose volume during the process. The amount I'm showing there is slightly more than enough for two (as a side).

You can start heating your pan while you're slicing. Put a tablespoon or so of butter in there, to get melted and coat the pan well. Be prepared to add more, as this is not pretending to be..fully healthy and does need to be well lubricated.

Once the pan is heated to about medium, your butter is coating the pan well, and your potatoes are sliced...throw 'em in there. Put whatever seasoning suits you.. Fresh herbs do well, particularly dill or rosemary. Or, just throw a little salt and garlic powder in there.

Don't turn the potatoes too quickly; you'll want them to go golden and crispy in patches. Evenness isn't really important, just so long as all the slices are soft to the tooth and partially crispy. This should take around 25 minutes overall. Snatch one out with your spatula, blow on it, and nibble to make sure they're ready.

I'd serve them with an omelette and some fruit, but that's your call.