With a little planning . . .

What fun I had recently, mixing up my first batch of Ciabatta dough. Ciabatta is a rustic-looking, light textured oval loaf, perfect for splitting lengthwise to make a pan bagna—stuffed Italian sandwiches or panini—grilled Italian sandwiches.
I've been a novice bread baker for over 40 years. I remember standing in the kitchen after putting the boys to bed, mixing and kneading a cool rise white bread that rivaled Pepperidge Farm. I thought that was an accomplishment. Little did I know that there were far better, chewy, dense, fragrant artisan breads, lovingly kneaded then baked in brick ovens. I led a sheltered life growing up. White air bread was the norm in our house.

Americanized Italian Rustic Bread

After several bread baking classes at Harriet's Kitchen, in the early '90's, and after studying and practicing the methods and techniques of Nancy Silverton and The Village Baker, Joe Ortiz, I was well on my way to producing rustic, full flavored loaves with crunchy crusts and soft, moist interiors. Faithful to each episode of Baking with Julia on PBS, I watched pros measure, mix, knead, shape and bake a wide variety of the basic food that has been with us since man discovered fire.

Bread is served at every meal and in between. When there is nothing else to satisfy, a slice of bread, plain or toasted, slathered with everything from suet, to baked beans, to peanut butter and jelly have provided a fast, nourishing meal or snack. Man probably could live by bread alone, as long as it's made of whole food ingredients and not filled with air and synthetic chemicals. My bread doesn't have a very long shelf-life. It's eat it up or freeze it. Both are easy to do.

There is something so relaxing, almost therapeutic, about working with yeast dough. Is it the aroma or the sensual touch of kneading soft, yielding dough? Is it the miracle of putting together a little flour, salt, yeast and water and watching this blob of dough rise to the top of the bowl? Or the fun of poking a finger into that light airy bowl of dough and watching it deflate like a balloon that has lost its air? Or is it the sense of pride, the soul-satisfying accomplishment as we pull that handmade baked loaf from the oven, the whole house delightfully perfumed with a hot, yeasty aroma?

Millions upon millions of home bakers have mastered the art of baking bread. Some for the sheer joy of doing it; most to keep body and soul together. In this day and age, with so few healthy shelf choices, we bake bread for the sake of our health, but the sheer joy of accomplishment is in no way diminished.

Hot from the oven, Ciabatta dipped in first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil with Italian herbs and freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano, vine-ripened organic tomatoes and fresh basil from the garden is perfect for a light lunch or makes a great starter.

Two steps are required — plan ahead.

1. Starter, (sponge, biga) is mixed up the night before: Combine 1/2 tsp instant yeast; 1/2 cup of tepid water; 1 1/2 cups of King Arthur Organic Unbleached All Purpose flour or White Whole Wheat flour, in a mixing bowl (I used the bowl of the Kitchen Aid mixer). Cover the bowl and allow to rest 12 hours or overnight.

2. Dough: To the biga (above) add: 1 tsp instant yeast; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 3/4 cup + 3 TBS water; 1 TBS olive oil; 2 cups King Arthur Flour (same type as used in the biga).

Procedure: Mix/knead all of the dough ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer (10 minutes), a food processor (90 seconds), or a bread machine (dough cycle). The dough is much too slack to knead by hand, so you need to use a machine. Once mixed, let it rise, covered, for about an hour, it will easily double in size. Then flow the sticky dough into a rough 10 x 15 oval on a lightly greased baking sheet. Let it rise, covered, till very puffy, about 2 hours. Bake the Ciabatta in a preheated 425°F oven for about 25 minutes, until it's golden brown. Cool it in the turned-off oven with the door cracked open.

Till next time . . . keep on cooking.

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BOOK NOOK

Here's the list of books I read (finished) in April.

Burning Bright . . . . . . Tracy Chevalier

One Hundred Year Lie . . . . . . Randall Fitzgerald

The God of Animals . . . . . . Aryn Kyle

Deep Storm . . . . . . Lincoln Child

Obsession . . . . . . Jonathan Kellerman

Daddy's Girl . . . . . Lisa Scottoline

The Watchman. . . . . . Robert Crais

Sick Puppy . . . . . . Carl Hiassen

Body Surfing . . . . . . Anita Shreve

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Rice Bowl

I ran across a new veggie variety at the produce market yesterday, a golden zucchini, not to be mistaken for a yellow squash, or summer squash as we northerners call them. This was the identical size and shape of the familiar green zucchini but it was vibrantly yellow, not the pastel yellow of the familiar summer squash with its thin, tapered neck. Varieties of this yellow squash are called Golden Dawn or Golden Girl and I just had to have some.

Late in the afternoon, I was pleased to find a new posting from the top of my Blog Favorites list, Heidi Swanson's 101 Cookbooks. Heidi had made a great, fast rice bowl featuring the convenience food, frozen brown rice to which she added asparagus, slivered almonds and a piquant tahini dressing. Check it out.

And do check out Heidi's newly released book, Super Natural Cooking. It's a beautifully rendered compendium of information and easy to follow recipes that puts to rest the misconception that natural, whole foods taste like cardboard. As if any of us actually know what cardboard tastes like. When was the last time you had some for a snack?

Treat yourself to a copy of the book, and broaden your repertoire with whole food dishes that are fast and fabulous. It's only $13.60 at Amazon. The images, layout, information and recipes will provide big dividends for your small investment. Great for gift giving, too.

Spurred on by the lovely image of Heidi's rice bowl, I ran downstairs to the kitchen, intending to replace the rice with quick cooking quinoa, but when I opened the kitchen cabinet and saw several jars of different Lundberg Farms rices smiling back at me, I chose to cook a cup of Japonica (black & mahogany) rice, in two cups of homemade vegetable broth, even though it would take the best part of an hour. I was in no hurry actually, and the deep, rich aroma wafting through the house as the dark rice cooked, was an added bonus.

Tip: I make up a large stock pot of veggie broth on a day when I'm tackling other projects that keep me in the kitchen for a while. Then when the broth has cooled, I mete it out into one and two cup portions to freeze. I also fill a couple of ice cube trays (one tray, 16 cubes = 2 cups) and when the cubes are frozen, transfer them to plastic freezer bags. These are great when you need a couple of tablespoons of liquid to deglaze a pan, finish off a sauce, or thin down a stew or chili. I do the same with lemon juice when local lemons are plentiful. I have plastic bags of lemon cubes and broth, tucked away in the freezer to use at a moment's notice. Shortcuts like this make cooking a pleasure and give the most humble dish a professional finish.

To round out my rice bowl, I chose to include a cup of edamame, lightly blanched in salted water, to add color and protein, and a sliced yellow onion sautéed along with the diced Golden zucchini perked up its sweet, mild flavor. A handful of toasted, slivered almonds and a little freshly minced cilantro rounded out the dish.

and then I had to make a decision about how to dress it.

Let your imagination flow. I chose to use the juice and zest from half a lime, a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil, a couple of teaspoons of the juice from a jar of pickled jalepeños, for heat, and a tablespoon of Penzey's Raspberry Enlightenment, a magic potion that can add a je ne sais quois to a sweet or savory dish.

When the rice was cooked, I tossed it with the edamame, the zucchini and onions, and the dressing, then sprinkled the toasted almonds and minced cilantro over top.

This is the type of dish that lets your imagination run rampant. There are no right or wrongs. Quantities are arbitrary. Use what's on hand. Think color, not only for presentation, but to assure a variety of nutritional benefits. Use rice or bulgur or quinoa or even couscous or a whole grain pasta. Vary the herbs or use a combination. Use colorful veggie additions based on what's fresh at the market. Then experiment with different dressings from simple olive oil and lemon juice, to Heidi's suggestion of a tangy tahini dressing, to peanut sauce. Don't drown the ingredients. Use a light hand with any dressing, let the myriad of flavors from the grain and veggies shine through.

The choices are endless. Different combinations will provide a whole new dish and practice will form the basis for some super one dish entrées that come together quickly, yet give the appearance of hours spent slaving over the hot stove. Presentation is important in any dish, but the real treat is in the eating. Here's a wonderful windfall of flavors and textures combined with vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Healthy whole food eating at its best.

Till next time . . . keep on cooking.

Tropical Delight!

My friend, Helen, gave me a papaya from her neighbor's yard the other day. It was a big piece of fruit and still a bit hard. So I kept it on the counter for a few days to let it ripen.

To give you some perspective, the mango on the left is really a good sized piece of fruit, but look at that papaya! Wow. Some papayas grow to upwards of 20lbs. Among the different varieties of fruit, the papaya is known as a nutritional masterpiece. It's rich, not only in Vitamin C, but folate and potassium. The papaya actually contains a higher percentage of Vitamain C and potassium than oranges. It's also a good source of fiber as well as an excellent source of papain, which acts as a natural digestive aid, breaking down protein and cleansing the digestive track. Even the seeds are edible and will add a little peppery bite to salads, sauces or salsas.

As the days went by, I thought of several interesting things to do with this marvelous piece of fruit. The sweet, ripe flesh could star in a fruit or vegetable salad. Or I could purée it and serve over a rice or tapioca pudding. In the end, I puréed half and blended it with a frozen banana for the ultimate smoothie!

A ripe papaya has a golden yellow outer skin and the flesh is smooth, silky and a deep pinkish-orange color with a sweet musky flavor. It's easy to peel with a paring knife or a vegetable peeler works well, too. Scoop the seeds out with a spoon and the fruit is good to go, however you choose to eat it.

Mother Nature certainly does provide a feast of fabulous foods to tickle our palates and keep us healthy. Using a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables gives us the best shot at staying healthy.

Till next time . . . keep on cooking!

Lite Bites

It's been a week for quick, light meals. Even with a busy schedule, with limited time for kitchen duty, it's still possible to eat well. Any of the following makes a great light supper, a super lunch, or any one can be part of a larger repast.

Tomato Basil Soup

This is one of those 30 minute soups that requires very little culinary expertise, few ingredients and very little attention once everything is in the pot. The fresh, clean taste, lack of synthetic chemicals, preservatives and miscellaneous flavor enhancers makes it a sure-fire winner over canned soups any day. This recipe makes six generous portions.

Ingredients:

1/2 T olive oil, 1 large carrot, finely chopped; 1 celery stalk, finely chopped; one large onion, chopped, 8 - 10 ripe plum tomatoes, halved (or 4 tomatoes and one 14oz can diced tomatoes. Preferably Muir Glen fire roasted.) Salt and pepper to taste; 1 bay leaf; 1/4 tsp dried oregano; 3 cups vegetable broth or filtered water; 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves; 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over low-medium heat. Add the carrot, celery, onion and
tomatoes, season lightly with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Add the bay leaf, oregano and broth or water and bring to a boil quickly over high heat.
3. Lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are completely tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Remove the bay leaf and puree the soup in a blender. Strain if desired.
(I like a bit of texture so I don't strain it).
5. Serve the soup with a dusting of Parmesan and a sprinkling of basil strips or add the cheese
and basil to the pot, stir and then serve.

Salad Can Be Fun

Incorporating some novel ingredients makes a salad far more interesting. This salad starts with a base of dark green Romaine leaves and some slivered Vidalia onions. Then diced mango, diced avocado and a few raisins lend color and a bit of sweetness to offset the mildly hot Peppadew pepper. A few raw sunflower seeds add a bit of crunch as well as additional nutrition. The salad is lightly dressed with a tablespoon of ranch dressing thinned out with a drizzle or two of raw apple cider vinegar. There is no added oil in the dressing to compensate for the high calorie avocado. This salad would make a great first course, or a great lunch with a bowl of soup.

Salads with protein make a wonderful one dish luncheon or light supper meal. This salad incorporates tuna and edamame to provide an ample portion of protein along with an interesting combination of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Again, there is romaine, both dark and lighter leaves, a small stalk of celery, sliced and slivers of sweet onion along with some diced mango. To add a bit of crunch and a salty tang , a few roasted peanuts are sprinkled over top. This salad is very simply dressed with a little olive oil and rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper.

Pastabilities

Nothing could be more versatile than the many shapes of pasta. And nothing could be faster than a one dish meal that comes together as quickly as a pot of water can boil and the pasta cooks.

Here's some pappardelle (or wide egg noodles) with frozen peas, lightly sauced with a bit of butter, some crumbles of goat cheese and a generous portion of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and for a bit of color, as well as a little acid to offset the butter and cheese, a bit of fresh tomato, roughly diced. Fast and fabulous.

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil, then salt generously adding 2 cups of wide noodles (or pasta of choice). Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, defrost 1/2 cup of frozen petite peas and add to pasta in pot 3 minutes before pasta is done. Drain pasta and peas reserving a bit of the water.

Return pasta and peas to pot and stir in one tablespoon of unsalted butter until melted. Then add 2 -3 tablespoons of goat cheese crumbles and 1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. If pasta is dry, add a little of the reserved water to obtain the desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Peas and tomatoes are a nice combination, but asparagus and corn are another pastability. Use your imagination and come up with some quick pasta and veggie combinations of your own - fast food the healthy way.

Till next time. . . keep on cooking.

The Dollar Lunch

Not long ago, an article that was featured on the cover of a Family Circle magazine came to mind. The headline read: How to Feed A Family of Four For Forty Dollars a Week. That was in 1968 or 1969, I think. I tag these random memories based on where I was living at the time, or how old my kids were, or some unrelated bit of flotsam.

One of the thrifty suggestions was to have the stay-at-home mom split a can of Campbell soup for lunch. Eating half one day, the other half the next day. But when the dad came home, meat appeared at the table. I do remember chafing at the chauvanistic choice of having the protein appear with the bread winner.

The retail price of that same twenty-five cent can of soup is close to a dollar now. And it's not on my list of SuperFoods, by any means. Canned soup, in most cases, is a prime example of processed foods laden with synthetic chemicals, shelf life extenders and even sugar. Yet eating for pennies and eating well, at that, is not something that belongs only to the past. It's easily achievable with a few fresh ingredients and a well stocked pantry.

On a trip to the produce market the other day, I spent a dollar on 3 small ears of yellow corn, grown in South Florida. The silk was still moist and fresh prompting me to eat it right away. It would be the focal point of my lunch. I've been sautéeing the kernels instead of steaming or boiling the full ears. It only takes a few moments to cut the kernels from the cob and toss them into a little heated extra virgin olive oil, and dust them with a bit of French thyme, salt and pepper. The kernels cook up quickly over medium heat and are ready when they've browned a bit and have lost the raw corn taste but haven't become soggy - about 6 to 8 minutes.


The fridge offered up a leftover baked potato, which I peeled, sliced and fried up in a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter. I carefully turn the slices over until each side is brown and crispy. Then I spied half a Ruskin beefsteak tomato sitting on the counter, wrapped in plastic, unused from the night before. I diced it up, and sprinkled it with a little lemon zest, some salt and pepper and the juice from a wedge of lemon.

TIP: Have at least one lemon and one lime on hand in the vegetable bin. A little fresh citrus juice will tweak the flavor of everything from fish or chicken to any vegetable.

Within 10 minutes, I had a very tasty lunch, using my freshly purchased dollar's worth of corn and a left over potato and a half tomato. When the idea came to me to share this meal with you, I added a little cilantro to the plate to round out the colors. The flavor of each vegetable was unique and plated together provided a satisfying lunch for just a bit more than a dollar.


I read an article written about the illustrious retired chef, Frédy Giardet, that stressed, “What’s important to him is to amplify the flavors, not hide them. With nothing, he is able to make something exceptional. It’s easy to make something impressive if it’s complicated. It’s much harder to impress people with something simple.”

Using the best quality, fresh, natural ingredients, simply prepared is doable by the most modest of cooks. Not only is it economical and healthy, but it's fast and delicious. Try a few simple whole food combinations of your own. When you think there's nothing in the house to eat, there usually is plenty. It just takes a little imagination.

Till next time. . . keep on cooking.

Not Too Sweet

It's fun to tinker with recipes that have proven practically foolproof in their printed version. One gets far more cocky, canny and creative with the confidence that our little modifications will be as successful as its mother. And in this case, it worked.

Ever since I watched Mark Bittman whip up the savory dark loaf, leavened with the unique chemical reaction of baking soda meeting the acidity of buttermilk, I've been making light and dark loaves for myself and for gift giving.

The dark bread gets its deep color from molasses which also provides some sweetness to offset the robust whole wheat flour and corn meal. The molasses also assures a moist crumb. The light bread is made with white whole wheat flour. An egg and honey replace the molasses.

I recently baked a dark loaf for a neighbor's birthday, adding a dish of raspberry butter* to go with it. That was a hit. With another birthday to celebrate, I decided to experiment with the lighter version. I added a half cup of mini chocolate chips, a half cup of slivered almonds and a 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract. The sensuous almond flavor intensified as the loaf baked and the kitchen sooned smelled better than any commercial room deodorizer could offer. Natural's always better.

Both breads freeze well and toast beautifully in a wide slotted toaster. The dark bread is delicious with an herbed cream cheese and both are a treat with fruited compound butter.

* Raspberry butter. Cream together a quarter pound of soft(room temperature) unsalted butter with a half cup of defrosted frozen raspberries and a tablespoon of raw, unfiltered orange blossom honey. Once blended, works beautifully in a food processor, either scoop the pretty pink butter into a ramekin and chill or form into a roll using waxed paper, then chill. Once cold and solid, the roll makes slicing little pats simple and gives the servings a professional finish. Either way, the butter tastes the same—delicious.

Next gift giving time, think about giving a gift from the kitchen. It's much appreciated and sends the message that you care.

Till next time . . . keep on cooking.

Raw Almonds — An Endangered Species

A lot of us purchase raw, unprocessed almonds for snacks, to make nut milk or even almonnaise, a healthy substitute for egg based mayonnaise. Raw almonds are a source of superior nutrition. They provide an excellent source of plant protein, B vitamins, essential minerals, unsaturated fats and fiber. They have no cholesterol, are relatively free from pesticide residue, and are NOT PASTEURIZED.

Now comes the news from the Almond Board of California (ABC) that almonds will soon be pasteurized, subjected to heat, which makes them 'cooked' but the packaging will still proclaim them to be RAW. Excuse me? How can they do that?


Beginning this fall, pasteurized almonds will be packaged as raw. ABC can see no difference between a live food and one that has been depleted of its life force by being heated. Worse yet, an unsuspecting consumer will be duped. The world-wide hue and cry to "read the labels" loses all meaning when the labels lie.


Whether you eat raw almonds or not, speaking up about this disgraceful proposed practice is imperative. Today, almonds; tomorrow, who knows what? I don't want my almonds pasteurized, but more importantly, I want to know what I'm buying. The label can't lie.

Take a moment to send a comment to the Almond Board of California shaming them for thinking they can scam the buying public and no one will notice! Here's what I told them:

I've been using raw almonds to make almond milk for over 20 years. I purchase a lot of raw almonds, and I cannot understand the thinking involved regarding the plan to pasteurize almonds and continue to sell them as 'raw'. Where will all the nutrition be? Up in steam? No, thank you. If this is a CYA tactic because of an isolated case of contamination, it's extreme. Is big business so married to the bottom line that it has lost all sense of morals? Don't tinker with what nature intended us to eat! Leave my raw almonds, raw. Don't cook them, but if you do, don't tell me they're still raw.


Food industry giants have played around with our food supply, substituting synthetic chemicals for real food to the detriment of our health. The selection of live, whole foods dwindles daily. Unless we speak up for ourselves, corporate greed will continue, unchecked, cutting one corner after another. It's our food, our purchasing power and our lives at stake. Statistics show that the increase in debilitating and fatal diseases has risen to near epidemic proportions since we've allowed our grocery shelves to be filled with products devoid of nutrition and laden with synthetic chemicals, with all the life force cooked right out of them, all in the name of profit.
To blatantly deceive the consumer by mislabeling a product, as in the case of the almonds, is criminal.

Some Dare Call It Pizza

As I rummaged in the freezer compartment, moving various mystery packages, I must learn to use labels, I came across a ball of pizza dough. My little creative light bulb lit up like a beacon and I set about caramelizing onions, mincing olives and pre-heating the oven to a toasty 500°.

The French call it Pissaladiere (Provençal Pizza). I watched the crew at America's Test Kitchen prepare this a good while ago. I guess, stuff on a crust qualifies as pizza. This version calls for niçoise olives and anchovies. I hate to disappoint my readers, but I had to forgo the anchovies for lack of supplies! I didn't have any niçoise olives either, but I did find four Calamatas floating in a jar, a half dozen colossal blacks and a few tiny Spanish salad olives. What a way to clean the condiment shelves! I minced up all the olives together and had a generous 1/2 cup to use as topping.

Meanwhile, the onions were giving off a wonderful rich inviting aroma as they caramelized in extra virgin olive oil, salt and a teaspoon of brown sugar to speed the process along. I used one fist sized sweet onion and two medium yellow cooking onions, sliced thinly and sautéed in a tablespoon of good olive oil over medium heat and sprinkled with a half teaspoon of kosher salt and the brown sugar. Once the onions have released their liquid, lower the heat and keep an eye on them, giving them a good stir from time to time, scraping up from the bottom to release the fond (that's the browned bits). See, in no time, we can all begin to speak like an experienced chef!

Instead of rolling out the dough to a thin disk, I stretched it gently into a 12" stoneware dish that I normally use for baking foccacia. This seemed to be foccacia-esque enough to qualify. I brushed the dough with olive oil and then layered on the minced olives,* followed by the caramelized onions and then sprinkled on a couple of tablespoons of crumbled goat cheese. I distributed a generous pinch of Herbes de Provence over the top (just thyme will do). Gave it a good grind of pepper and popped it into the hot oven on the very lowest rack for about 25 minutes.
*If using anchovies, chop 8 fillets, and scatter over the olive layer. Use a few whole fillets to garnish, if desired. I never desire anchovies. But that's my provincial Provencal taste. Cosmopolitan types will want the depth of flavor these little fishies afford.

This was the perfect accompaniment to a salad, rounding out the meal with just the right mouth feel of chewy crust, and salty topping.

The salad has a marvelous variety: hearts of romaine, unwaxed cucumber, sweet onion, grape tomatoes, roasted beets, toasted walnuts and crumbled goat cheese. It's lightly dressed with a drizzle of very good olive oil and a sprinkling of unfiltered apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper. Eating healthy isn't hard — you just have to be determined.

Till next time . . . Keep on cooking!

Where Have All The Farmers Gone?

I headed out for the Orlando Farmers Market on Sunday, filled with excitement and packing several canvas bags to cart my wares. I arrived to see this sparse setting. Few vendors; fewer patrons. So much for buy local!

The sole vendor with produce had a nice selection of healthy looking products, allegedly from Plant City. I didn't want to challenge the bananas with the familiar label. Certainly doubt those were grown locally. But the strawberries, peppers, cabbages and oranges were at least grown within a 50 mile radius.

The DelMonte produce boxes neatly stowed underneath the display tables made me slightly suspicious that local might apply more to the vendor's supplier than the actual source of the produce.

The floral and plant people had some great bargains that the enterprising vendors had nursed from seed and seedlings. But you can't eat these.

I'm trying to support the local farmer. I'm trying to eat locally grown foods which are not only better for me, at least in theory, but purchasing items that haven't had to be transported all the way down this long peninsula is saving on petroleum usage, too. But the elusive farmers are making it difficult.

I spoke with the manager of the market, she wasn't very encouraging. She said there are very few local farmers to begin with and fewer still who are interested in carting their wares to this venue. I would add, this market has poor attendance. That, coupled with market day being Sunday, may have a big influence on the lack of interest by the farmers. The poor attendance may be because it's Sunday.

The Orlando Farmers Market not only moved from Heritage Square to Lake Eola about a year ago, but changed market day from Saturday to Sunday. The move and day change does not seem to have been a successful decision.

This was the produce selection at our Farmers Market

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BOOK NOOK

March reading included a lot of favorite authors and a couple of new ones, new to me, anyway. These are the books I finished!

Mercy Among the Children. . . . David Adams Richards

Bad Blood . . . . Linda Fairstein

Money As Sacrament . . . Adele Azar-Rucquoi

Nineteen Minutes . . . . Jodi Picoult

Whitethorn Woods . . . . Maeve Binchy

Christine Falls . . . . Benjamin Black (John Banville)

Till next time. . . keep on cooking!

A LITTLE SOMETHING ON THE SIDE?

Serving familiar vegetables in new ways adds interest and variety to meal time planning. The brussels sprouts pictured above have been sliced and sautéed with shallots and pancetta and finished with Dijon mustard, providing a little zip, and a unique look to an old time favorite. Well, a favorite for some, anyway. Brussels sprouts grow on a plant that is from the mustard family, using a little mustard in the preparation brings out the subtle cabbage flavor of the little heads. Slicing the sprouts from stem to stern allows the strips to sauté quickly, retaining a soft green color.

I sautéed a quarter inch thick slice of pancetta, minced, with a couple of sliced shallots in a tablespoon of olive oil. While that was browning, I washed, trimmed, then sliced about 8 good sized sprouts and added them to the pan tossing to mix with the pancetta and shallots. You may want to add a few drops of water to produce a little steam. Continue tossing and stirring to cook the strips quickly. Once they are done to your liking, crisp/tender but still retaining some green color, stir in a generous teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Check for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.

FENNEL

Fennel was brought to this country by the Italians. This anise/licorice flavored vegetable, with feathery greenery, always intrigued me but it wasn't something I ever had growing up. I admired it from afar, but never brought it home.

After reading about it in food magazines, curiosity got the best of me and I bought a head and shaved it thinly to use in a salad. Fennel is a member of the same family as celery. It provides a nice crunchy element in a salad along with its intriguing anise flavor. Branching out, I decided to give it a stir-fry treatment and after several complicated and disappointing ventures, I've decided this simple, quick sauté in olive oil, over fairly high heat, is perfect for a splendid side to serve with other veggies or a grilled piece of meat, chicken or fish.

Following Crescent Dragonwagon's advice in the Passionate Vegetarian, the mellow flavor of the anise is complemented with a tablespoon of tamari at the finish, along with a piquant burst from a generous dollop of Pickapeppa sauce.

The image above is just one fennel bulb sliced. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan. Let it get hot, so that the slices sizzle when added. Lower the heat slightly and cook until the fennel starts to get limp (4 - 6 minutes). Drizzle with the tamari and Pickappeppa and stir fry for another 2 - 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, if you feel it needs it, and freshly ground pepper. Garnishing it with a few of the feathery fronds adds a little upscale touch. One bulb serves two people or one, if greedy. Not mentioning any names.

Produce departments, farmer's markets and roadside stands offer many interesting fresh vegetables that add flavor and texture along with good nutrition to mealtime. It's fun to try new ones or use old favorites in new ways. And it's better still, if you use vegetables that are grown organically.

Till next time . . . keep on cooking!

Ah, The Many Possibilities

There they sat in the fridge, beckoning. Insisting that they be used while still firm and fresh and full of flavor. A little variegated eggplant, two crook neck squash, a zucchini and a red pepper. I invited a sweet onion and a handful of grape tomatoes to join the crowd and once washed and sliced, I marinated them in a little olive oil, raspberry vinegar, Mexican oregano, salt and pepper.

After coating all the pieces, I transferred the bowlful of veggies and liquid to a Ziploc bag and placed in the fridge for a few hours. Overnight would work well, too. I decided that a quick run under the broiler would be a nice change from all the roasted veggies I've had lately. Roasting caramelizes the sugars and produces a rich, depth of flavor. Broiling the veggies keeps them crisp-tender without the caramelization effect. Depending on how charred you let them get, it's a completely different flavor experience. I like to preserve as much of the nutrients and enzymes as possible without having them still raw. I found that ten minutes with the broiler pan about 4 inches from the element and with the oven door about 6" ajar worked well with my stove.These lovely young tender vegetables have taken on a grilled flavor from the marinade and the light broiling and are ready to take center stage in a variety of dishes. They can be served as a side dish to complement a meat entrée, used to enrich a chicken or vegetable soup, tossed with fresh greens and a lively vinaigrette, perhaps one using raspberry vinegar to enhance the marinade flavor. If these veggies topped pasta, it would be a marvelously colorful Pasta Primevera or they could simply be a great partner with some rich Lundberg Farms mahogany rice, like so:

The rich brown and black rice, cooked in homemade dark vegetable stock made a toothsome companion to the vegetables. And as you probably noticed, I gave the dish an Italian twist with some fresh basil from the patio and a few rasp strokes across a wedge of Parmesan cheese. I enjoyed a colorful light supper with a glass of Cabernet, some crusty peasant bread, a few brine cured olives—it would do any bistro proud.

Till next time . . . keep on cooking!

Potato Inspiration

A recent trip to the produce market turned up some marvelous little red new potatoes just begging to be made the center attraction. But starch alone isn't a wise menu choice so I added some protein with a couple of hard boiled eggs and a cup of lightly blanched soy beans (edamame).

If you're not familiar with edamame except, perhaps at your favorite sushi bar, these lovely little immature green soybeans are often referred to as the super or wonder vegetable. They're the only vegetable that contains all nine essential amino acids, making them a complete protein, similar to meat and eggs, but with the added bonus of no saturated fat and no cholesterol. On top of that, they taste great. You can find them shelled or unshelled in the frozen food section at the market.

It was a little like overkill to add both eggs and edamame to my little zingy potato dish, but I had two hard boiled eggs in the fridge and decided to add them for the flavor. Once the potatoes were cool enough to handle, after being scrubbed and boiled, I sliced them, then tossed them and the chopped eggs with a little diced sweet onion and a thinly sliced stalk of celery, a minced fresh jalepeño and a few slices of pickled jalepeños.

I whipped up a simple dressing with a teaspoon of dark mustard and 1/2 cup of mayonnaise thinned with a little of the pickled jalepeño juice, then topped the salad off with a sprinkling of minced fresh cilantro.

The added crunch of hearts of romaine provided some greenery along with a fresh crisp taste that complimented the warm potato salad. I've not included quantities. Plan on 4 - 5 little potatoes per person, which is what I cooked for myself and that turned out two generous servings. Increase the ingredients proportionately to the amount of potatoes you cook. The condiments are 'to taste'. Don't forget salt and freshly ground pepper. This is one of those lovely dishes that invites experimentation and will delight you with its versatility.

Fresh young produce at the market and farm stands is certainly a harbinger of spring and offers the promise of months to come of local, fresh from the garden offerings to please our palates and appease our consciences. Buying local is a habit we all should cultivate if future generations are to enjoy the rich rewards we've come to take for granted.

Till next time . . . keep on cooking!

Don't Throw Them Out!

My friend, Helen, and I went to the produce market and we each bought a lovely fresh bunch of red beets with the tops still crisp and green. Helen let me cut the tops from her bunch and then I had a lot of beet greens to use up quickly while they were still in their prime.

I trimmed off the bulk of the red stalks and tossed the leaves into a sink full of cold water, swished them around thoroughly and then drained the water and silt and filled up the sink again with fresh cold water to give them one more rinse. Then I stacked a dozen or so at a time, rolled them up and sliced them (chiffonade).

As a kid, most fresh greens at my house were cooked to death with salt pork and onion. The green turned a deathly black but I still loved them. We ate dandelion greens, fiddle heads, Swiss chard, and beet greens. Whatever was available for a short period of time. Spring did offer some great alternatives to the canned vegetables that showed up on our supper table most of the year.

Remembering how great a little fat tasted with the greens, while I was washing and slicing the beet greens, I sautéed a couple of slices of minced bacon along with two sliced shallots in a little olive oil, in a dutch oven. Once the bacon pieces were crisp and the shallots had released their wonderful aroma, I added the beet green chiffonade and let it wilt down into the bacon and shallots, turning to coat all the pieces, then added the lid to the pot to let a little steam do its magic. Watch the greens don't overcook. Once they've wilted and are tender remove the pot from the hot burner and season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and add a tablespoon of vinegar. I used unfiltered apple cider vinegar.

Meanwhile, put on a pot of well salted water to boil up some penne pasta(or any shape you have on hand). When the pasta is al dente, drain it and mix it into the dutch oven with the beet greens. A grating of fresh Parmesan and a drizzle of your best extra virgin olive oil adds a fine finish to a quick, healthy, delicious, economical meal.

Many would throw out those greens. What a waste that would be as they make a unique pasta topping.

Not all pasta needs to be dressed in red.

Till next time . . . keep on cooking!

Comfort Food Reigns

You've seen these individual components before, but here they are together providing a delightful supper dish. That's a little serving of quinoa with sautéed corn and grape tomatoes that have been doused with fresh lemon zest and a generous squeeze from a native Meyer lemon (don't let anyone kid you, they don't only grow in Californina) and taking pride of place, none other than my latest favorite veggie—roasted butternut squash with tamari and a light lacing of raw honey. That dark blob in the back? Slices of whole wheat quick bread that I told you about earlier, too.

The only modification I'd make in the future, if I were to assemble this same cast of characters, would be to add something green. The plate is certainly lacking something green. Remember the rule of thumb, fill your plate with colorful food items, avoiding anything white. That's a healthy approach to food selection. Next comes, don't overcook the food. Don't drown it in rich, fatty sauces, and for heavens sake, don't buy it already prepared in a jar, box, bag or can. Cooking from scratch doesn't take much longer than opening a package, and besides, it's healthier, less expensive and tastes so much better, it's worth the extra few minutes.

Find a food writer you enjoy. My new best friends are Mark Bittman , I check out his entries in the New York Times and Crescent Dragonwagon. They provide me with some great new ideas for preparing quick, easy, healthy meals. But my earlier tutors, Julia Child and Jacques Pepin and the local chefs I took classes with, have given me a good background for being able to peruse a recipe and make adjustments or just plain avoid it. Keeping food preparation simple, few ingredients and few steps, not only makes the process simple, but the end product tastes much better, too!

I like the fresh take on whole foods that Heidi Swanson provides in her blog and cookbooks. The savory bean dishes that Steve from Rancho Gordo suggests are high on my list of things to make and eat. Not to mention, purchasing the great heirloom beans and fresh grains Rancho Gordo provides.

Becoming familiar with the list of Superfoods and adding them to your daily/weekly diet will not only improve your health and trim your waist, but it will give you a variety of new foods to eat and fresh ideas to try.

Till next time . . . keep on cooking.

A TASTE OF THAI

Not to be confused with Tasty Thai, one of our favorite Orlando restaurants. This is a little coconut milk, peanut, basil, adorning some pretty straightforward veggies and rice. Jasmine rice cooked in a combination of homemade vegetable stock and coconut milk and some stir fried green beans, red pepper, sweet onion, garlic and jalepeño pepper finished with a little Thai slurry and a topping of peanuts and fresh basil. Easy, fast and very tasty.

Using familiar vegetables in unusual ways is a great way to perk up dinner time while getting in the daily requirements. This meal could easily add, sautéed shrimp, chicken or pork for the carnivores out there. Sauté the meat first, remove to a plate while you sauté or stir fry the vegetables starting with the hardest ones, onions, peppers, garlic and then the green beans or broccoli florets.

One cup of Jasmine rice, rinsed off and cooked in 1 1/2 cups of vegetable broth (use chicken if you like) and 1 cup of coconut milk with a teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring the liquid to a boil, add salt and rice. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes until all liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes before stirring. Finish with 2 TBS fresh lime juice and 1 TBS unsalted butter. Fluff with a fork to serve.

Sauté veggies in a 2 TBS olive oil, add in cooked chicken, pork or shrimp if using, stir fry until veggies are crisp tender 2 - 5 minutes. Meanwhile mix up slurry: combine 3/4 cup coconut milk; 1/4 cup veggie or chicken broth; 1 TBS fish sauce; 1 TBS fresh lime juice; 1 TBS soy sauce or tamari; 2 tsp brown sugar; 2 tsp cornstarch, salt and pepper to taste. Stir slurry into sauté pan and continue to sauté/stir fry for another 2 - 3 minutes. Stir in one cup sliced (chiffonade) basil and 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped. Serve over coconut rice.

This is a simple way to tweak a plain old meal of green beans and chicken. For those of us avoiding a lot of flesh, the combination of red peppers, onions, garlic and greens beans makes a delightful dish smothering the coconut rice. Try it; you'll like it.

Till next time . . . keep on cooking!

Lentils

Here's that old budget stretcher again. The lentils above are just getting started on their way to becoming a pot of tasty chili. It's amazing the mileage one can obtain from a bag of plain brown lentils. Four cups of lentils with six cups of water or veggie broth or a combination of both, along with some diced onion, minced garlic, a little diced tomato and a few spices, produces a huge pot of lentil chili that is guaranteed to warm the cockles of your heart, fill your tummy, provide much needed fiber and even supply the neighbors or better yet, the freezer, with containers for later use.

When the outside temperature dips down, even here in Florida we get chilly, I yearn for soups, chilis or chowders—those wonderful one pot meals that have the dual advantage of not only being good, but good for you. Earlier this year, I made a small batch of lentil chili, using Molly Katzen's recipe. It was so good that I promised myself I would soon make a full batch with containers for the freezer. This was the day.

With such a wide variety of lentils available, red, green, brown, etc., the choice is yours, but honestly for this recipe, the brown, grocery store variety is just fine. I continue to be surprised at how good a meal can be without high priced, hard to find items and also, how easy it is to put together a healthy, palate pleasing plate of food with no stress, no fancy techniques, just a genuine desire to eat well and inexpensively.

The 4 cups of lentils along with the veggies and spices cost about $2.00, yet produced a 5 quart pot of nourishing, tasty chili.

Serve the chili with a dollop of aged Balsamic vinegar, as I have, or top it off with freshly grated cheddar cheese. You might even care to serve it over noodles.

Legumes are a perfect way to cut cost without cutting nutritional corners. In fact, planning meals around beans, seeds and grains will give you a nutritional boost while saving plenty at the supermarket.

Rinse and drain 4 cups of lentils, place in large stock pot with 6 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a gentle simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile prepare veggies. Chop one large or two medium yellow onions; mince 4 - 6 cloves of garlic. Dice 4 ripe plum tomatoes or use a 16oz can of diced tomatoes. Measure out spices onto a small plate (mise-en-place). 1 tsp paprika; 2 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp thyme; 3 tsp chili powder. On a separate saucer, place 3 Tbs tomato paste and 2 tsp salt.

After the lentils have cooked for the first 30 minutes add the prepared vegetables and the spices (not the salt and tomato paste). Stir and continue to simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Watch the lentils, as they cook stir from the bottom from time to time. If they get too thick, add additional water or veggie stock in 1/4 cup increments. After the second 30 minutes of simmering, stir in the tomato paste and salt. Let cook for another 10 minutes or so. Taste for seasoning. You may want it spicier, saltier or thinner. Add additional water or seasonings to suit your taste. For a smaller quantity, use 2 cups of lentils and 3 cups of water and lighten up on the spices.

There you have it, a big pot of lentil chili for under $2.00.

Till next time . . . keep on cooking.

Quick Bread Image from the New York Times

Ah, the joys of modern technology! This week in the New York Times Dining section, Mark Bittman demonstrated how to make a savory quick bread via video. I couldn't wait to try it out. I've made sweet quick breads for years: banana, pumpkin, cranberry nut to name a few. While these all can be made with a minimal amount of sweeteners, they, in fact, tend to be made with quite a bit of sugar, either white or brown or some of each, and often additional sweets like raisins, dried fruit, or chocolate chips.

This bread does have a bit of a sweet component, molasses. The molasses lends the whole wheat flour a dark lush pumpernickel shade of brown and leaves just a hint of both pumpernickel and Boston brown bread on the taste buds.

I'm a big fan of homemade bread. But we don't always have the time to wait for the rise and often a second and third rise. This great little technique, using acid (buttermilk) and baking soda as leavening, provides a lovely loaf of moist, dense bread that is a perfect accompaniment to soups, salads and vegetarian entrées. I found it also makes a great breakfast treat, lightly toasted and slathered with soft Irish butter or an afternoon snack, topped with whipped cream cheese and perhaps a dab of pure wild blueberry preserves.

Take a quick lesson by watching Mark's video. They say, a picture's worth a thousand words, these short videos are perfect for seeing just how things are done.

Preheat the oven to 325°. Grease a standard loaf pan. Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl, the buttermilk or yogurt and molasses in another, when the oven is hot and the loaf pan is prepared, carefully and gently, mix the wet ingredients into the dry, being careful not to over mix. Bake until firm and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 45 - 60 minutes. It's simple, fast and delicious.

List of ingredients: 1 2/3 cups buttermilk or plain yogurt; 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour; 1/2 cup cornmeal; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 cup molasses. I used King Arthur white whole wheat flour with excellent results.

Here's Mark's additional instructions for a lighter bread: Use 1 1/2 cups whole wheat and 1 1 /2 cups all purpose flour; omit cornmeal. Substitute honey for molasses. Beat one egg into wet ingredients. Proceed as above. This might be nice to use for tea sandwiches with homemade jams.

Till next time . . . keep on cooking.