Recipe: Barley Soup with Scotch...

...otherwise known as my New Favorite Recipe.

This recipe appeared in an October 2011 issue of Food & Wine and I'm horrified that I kept it this long without trying it.  That means I've lived TWO YEARS without this in my life.  It's the culinary equivalent of curling up under a warm blanket on the couch...or soft cashmere mittens on a chilly day...or warm mulled wine shared with a friend.

In my version below, I substituted chopped parsley for the celery leaves, adding them to the soup fresh at the last minute.  F&W's recipe also doesn't specify which Scotch to use.  Adam's a peat-y guy - he loves himself some Laphroaig - but I love my Scotch more toasty and woody so I used one of my personal favorites: Balvenie 12-Year Doublewood.

Barley Soup with Scotch
Adapted from Food & Wine
Serves 4

6 cups vegetable broth
1 cup barley grits (I found pearled barley on Fresh Direct)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon Scotch whisky
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 oz. dry salami, sliced paper-thin (about 20 slices)
Crème fraîche, for serving

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a boil.  Keep hot over low heat.  In a large skillet, cook the barley over moderately high heat, tossing, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.  Transfer to a plate to cool.
2. Add vegetable oil to the skillet and add the onion.  Cook over moderate heat, stirring a few times, until softened, about 10 minutes.  Add the barley and stir well.  Add 1 cup of the hot broth and cook over moderate heat, stirring often, until most of the broth has been absorbed.  Continue adding more broth, 1 cup at a time (yes, just like risotto), and stirring often between additions.  The soup is finished when all of the broth has been added and the barley is just tender, about 25 minutes.  Add the Scotch and then stir in the butter.  Season with salt and pepper (make sure to taste it!).
3. Ladle the soup into shallow bowls.  Top with the salami and dollop of crème fraîche.  Garnish with the parsley and serve hot.

Can you believe it?  That's it.  And I really don't think you lose a lot if you leave out the salami and make it vegetarian.  I do insist, however, that you keep that dollop of crème fraîche - it's the divine richness that just makes the entire dish.

And, yes, Isabell ate this.  I just "forgot" to mention the Scotch.  Seriously, guys, she would have gone on about how she's "too young to get drunk" and it would've been a big dramatic thing.  But at a single tablespoon for the whole dish, I hardly think she was in danger of getting sloshed under the dining room table.  (And I diced the onion so fine that there was no way she could even detect they were there.)

Make this dish ASAP while we're all still mildly entertained by winter's charms.  I can guarantee that you'll be flipping off recipes like this one come March...and then you'll have to wait until NEXT YEAR to try this amazing soup!

Eat, drink, and ACT NOW.

Cheers,
Laura

Orecchiette with Smoked Ricotta and Salami

I know, I know.  It's been a long, long, loooong time.  And I've so missed being here.  Sure, I could tell stories about how my life has been this or that...but that's boring.  So I won't.  My lovely online blogging friend, Carina at We Are All in the Gutter, said, "I hope you're simply busy living."  Indeed, I have been! XO

So let's get back to it, shall we?  You all may remember my French post - I received the most comments on it and many of you sent personal notes expressing support and divulging your own challenges with maintaining a healthy lifestyle (and being bien dans votre peau).  Well, I am SO THERE AGAIN (though not neeearly to the extent as before).  I've had many life changes recently - most important of which is going back to work full-time - and I just slipped a bit.  But I'm back and feeling so much better already after two weeks of Frenchification.

With that in mind, one thing I've been trying to do more of is eating at home.  Adam, Isabell*, and I got into a rather awful habit of eating out often - about 3 times a week.  No more!  I need to be back in the kitchen for my emotional well-being and my health!  I've been trotting out some favorites (such as the Robiola Wrapped in Mortadella), but I also winged it a couple nights ago (what's the past tense of "to wing it"?  I wung it?) and made this:

Orecchiette with Smoked Ricotta and Salami.

I don't have exact measurements; everything below is an approximation.  That's probably bad food blogging on my part, but how boring to measure everything exactly, right?  This is precisely the sort of recipe that lends itself to experimenting, tasting, and exploring.  Here is the list of ingredients:

• 8 oz. orecchiette pasta (you could substitute cavatappi, bowties, or even macaroni)
• 4 oz. smoked ricotta (we used Salvatore Bklyn's version available from Fresh Direct, but you can substitute regular ricotta, if you can't find smoked)
• 1/4 lb. thinly sliced salami (I particularly love Rosette de Lyon, but use any kind you like...spicy could be awesome if you're using regular ricotta)
• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 6 basil leaves, thinly sliced
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• Olive oil (high quality for drizzling)
• Olive oil (for sautéing)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook until al dente.

2. Meanwhile, heat small sauté pan over med-high heat and add olive oil.  Add tomatoes and cook until blistered and spitting.  Remove from heat.

3. Drain pasta into large bowl.  Add ricotta, salami, lemon zest, salt, and pepper; toss pasta.  Top with tomatoes, basil, and excellent quality olive oil.  

Serves 4.

I loved this dish.  It was light but satisfying, and it lends itself to improvisation (see spicy salami note above...it'd also be wonderful with thyme); the ricotta makes a creamy sauce all on its own, and the charred tomatoes help ward off the winter blues.  This also reheated well the next day for lunch.

Well, it's wonderful to be back and you should start seeing more of me!  Happy New Year, all!

Eat, drink, and start anew!



* Isabell was 6 years old when I started this blog, and now she's nearly 13.  It just seems silly to keep calling her Kiddo.  

Ham and Cheese Waffles

Happy Monday, all - how was your weekend?  Those of you who are following along with me, reading FRENCH WOMEN DON'T GET FAT, how did you fare?  I had a lovely weekend with many, maaany indulgences; my Friday night was positively Bacchanalian.  But that's one thing I love, among many, about Mireille Guiliano's philosophy: have fun now and compensate later.  I fared a bit better on Saturday, and Sunday I got right back on track with much more realistic portions of both food and drink.  This morning it's back to walking and light meals.  And I already feel a difference.  I do. I may not actually be lighter but I certainly feel it.  The biggest contributing factor to that, I think, is that I'm no longer eating until I'm full...I'm eating until I'm satisfied...which are two totally different things.  Even Adam said to me, "I forgot how great it feels not to be stuffed!"  Adam and I are thoroughly enjoying rediscovering flavors and textures, and Bug said that my walks along the river sound nice and she'd like to join me.  I feel like our household has come back online.

I'm fully engrossed in Chapter 6 of FRENCH WOMEN DON'T GET FAT where Mireille Guiliano is discussing the importance of seasonality.  Those of you who have tasted a summer tomato from the farmers' market and compared it to the flimsy things available from other countries in the winter will know what I'm talking about.  Eating foods in season is a key secret for the French woman (though, is it really a secret?) Here is a passage from FWDGF:

In the end, seasonality is the key to the French woman's psychological pleasure in food - the natural pleasure of anticipation, change, the poignant joy we take in something we know we shall soon lose and cannot take for granted.

Man, I love that.  Just...love.  I never embraced seasonality before "going French" and, once I did, it was a whole new world.  Now, am I major stickler for it?  No.  I have been known to buy a pint or two of cherry tomatoes to get me through the winter.  But asparagus or strawberries?  I never (seriously, never) buy them out of season because I feel like they are just that much better in season than out.  I'm very lucky in that I have the Union Square farmers' market a short walk from my apartment so I get a lot of my produce there.  But Fresh Direct (a grocery delivery service in NYC) also has a ton of seasonal, local options.  And I know other cities and towns around the U.S. are the same - when we lived in Olympia, WA, there was a gorgeous market, and my parents living in Folsom, CA also have great access to local, seasonal produce.  Seek out your local markets if you can.

So, speaking of seasons, this is the time of year when the California girl in me is freaking out: my friends and family on the West Coast are already enjoying asparagus and the like...and the Northeast is still in hard-core root vegetable weather.  I'm So Over Winter Produce.  It's this time of year that I question my decision to live in this region (don't worry; I get over it).  So I end up making things like Ham and Cheese Waffles:

These have the perfect interplay between salty and sweet and, with a little crunchiness on the outside, these waffles are intensely satisfying.  I served a little spinach salad on the side, and it was a lovely breakfast-as-dinner meal. (SEASONALITY NOTE: I get my spinach from Satur Farms through Fresh Direct.  Satur Farms is based in Long Island but they do grow in Florida during the winter months)

HAM AND CHEESE WAFFLES
Recipe from Bon Appétit (March 2012 issue)
Makes 12 waffles

1 3/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 large egg whites
3 large egg yolks
1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup soda water (I used seltzer, which worked fine)
1 cup thin strips of ham
1 cup sharp white cheddar, grated
Non-stick vegetable oil spray

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Heat waffle iron until very hot.
2. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.  Set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites in a medium bowl until medium-soft peaks form.
4. Whisk egg yolks, butter, buttermilk, and soda water in a medium bowl; gradually whisk into dry ingredients.  Gently fold in egg whites (don't overstir!).
5. Coat waffle iron with non-stick spray.  Pour small amount of batter onto iron (amount of batter needed will vary according to machine).  Scatter about 1 tbsp. ham and 1 tbsp. cheese over each waffle.  Add a small amount of batter to cover.  Cook until golden brown and cooked through.  Transfer to a baking sheet; keep waffles warm in oven between batches.  Serve with butter and warm maple syrup (I also liked jam on mine).

NOTE ON KID-FRIENDLINESS: It's waffles.  Always a hit.  I made one waffle with no ham or cheese for Bug.  But she finished it and wanted more...so she just ate a ham-and-cheese waffle and loved it.  She ate more leftovers the next day.  Instead of a spinach salad on the side, Bug got apple slices.

A NOTE ON FRENCHNESS: Yep, this is how we eat while we're embracing a French lifestyle and even losing weight.  The key is portion control.  Pre-2005...and even two weeks ago...I would have eaten two full squares, maybe more.  Not this time.  I had one square and stopped: was I satisfied?  I decided to have half of another one.  Delicious.  Then I stopped.  Eating only 25% less may not seem like much but it is little choices like this that add up over time.

WINE NOTES: Yep, I've got wine notes for waffles.  Treat it like brunch and go for bubbles: Prosecco, Cava, or Champagne.  I'm a particular fan of the Llopart Rosé Brut Reserve Cava 2008, which I get from Fresh Direct - the pink hue has such a celebratory feel to it.

Eat, drink, and embrace seasonality.

Jamie Oliver's Cauliflower Macaroni

I'm just going to say this now because I know it'll come through anyway as I keep talking: Jamie Oliver's recipes are, hands-down, the most frustrating that I follow.  With measurements like "a full wineglass of dry white wine", "a knob of butter", and a "glug of olive oil", don't expect a lot of guidance from him.  He's loosey-goosey, to say the least.

So why do I keep buying his cookbooks?  Well, for a couple reasons: 1) they're styled and designed beautifully and 2) I love his unique combination of flavors.  And the secret third reason is that he is one of the hot men of the cooking world.  With that, I happily bought a copy of his newest book MEALS IN MINUTES.

The book is laid out in a completely different way, and I haven't quite got used to it yet.  Oliver put together menus.  For instance, it's not just a recipe for Cauliflower Macaroni; instead, it's a menu of "Cauliflower Macaroni, Belgian Endive Salad with Insane Dressing, Lovely Stewed Fruit."  Then the instructions assume that you'll be making all three together: a step for the macaroni is followed by one for the fruit, then we're back to the macaroni; the salad follows behind.  For this recipe, I made the macaroni and the salad but I didn't make the fruit; I found it easy to just skip the fruit-related instructions and move forward with the rest.

That said, I had A LOT of other problems.  Oliver calls for "8 slices pancetta".  But it was like an itch I couldn't scratch: "HOW THICK?!?!"  When I buy pancetta at Eataly, they tend to slice it thin.  When I order it from Fresh Direct, they give me a choice of "standard" or "thick".  Which is it, Jamie?!  I went with Fresh Direct's standard slices, which are approximately 1/8" thick.

Another thing that I just didn't get was that, in both the macaroni and salad recipes, Oliver specifies that the garlic should be unpeeled.  But never does he say that the peel should be removed later.  So, with that in mind, he means that we just blend it in?  That we have peels floating around in the macaroni?  I couldn't get on board with that.  Could you?  I made the call and peeled them.  And I want you to have that confidence too: if it sounds "off" in a recipe, make your own decision.

That's one thing that can be said for Oliver's cookbooks: they encourage improvisation.  Or thrust it upon you.

Okay, I'm done ranting.  So let's get on with it.  See below for my adaptation of Jamie's recipes.

CAULIFLOWER MACARONI
Adapted from Jamie Oliver's MEALS IN MINUTES
Serves 8

8 slices pancetta (about 1/8"thick)
1 large head of cauliflower
1 pound dried macaroni (or similar shaped pasta)
9 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese
4 thick slices of country bread
a few springs of fresh rosemary
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup crème fraîche
Parmesan cheese, to serve

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Fill a pasta pot with water and boil on high heat.  If you choose to grate the Cheddar cheese using a food processor, put the coarse grater attachment into the machine.

2. Lay the pancetta in a 9 x 13 roasting pan (I used a Pyrex dish).  Put into the oven and bake for about 8 minutes until slightly golden and turning up at the edges.

3. Trim off the tough base of the cauliflower stalk and quarter the head.  Put in the pasta pot with the pasta, on high heat.  The water should be just a few inches over the cauliflower and pasta; drain some water, if needed.  Season water with about a tablespoon of sea salt, drizzle over about a tablespoon of olive oil, then stir and cook following the instructions on the pasta package, with the pot lid askew.

4. Grate the Cheddar in the food processor and tip into a bowl (or you can grate coursely with a hand grater).  Fit the standard blade attachment, then get your pancetta out of the oven and blitz in the processor with the bread, rosemary leaves, and drizzle of olive oil (approx 1 tbsp) until you have a coarse breadcrumb consistency.

5. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water and then drain the pasta.  Add the macaroni to the same roasting pan you cooked the pancetta in and add about 1 1/2 c. of the reserved pasta water.  Add finely chopped garlic cloves and mix in the crème fraîche and grated Cheddar, gently breaking up the cauliflower with tongs or a potato masher.  Taste for seasoning.  The pasta sauce should be loose and creamy; if not, add another splash of pasta water.

6. Spread the pasta out evenly in the dish and scatter over the breadcrumbs.  Put in the oven for about 8 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden and the pasta is bubbly.

NOTE: See the photo below?  That's all our leftovers.  Jamie says this dish is for 6 servings but, with the salad, I think it's closer to 8 servings.

ENDIVE SALAD WITH "INSANE DRESSING"
Adapted from Jamie Oliver's MEALS IN MINUTES
Serves 6

2 heads red endive, or 1 large radicchio
2 large heads Belgian endive
a small bunch of fresh basil (about 12 leaves)
1 clove garlic, peeled
3 anchovies, drained from jar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons natural yogurt (such as Fage)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil

1. Trim the bases of the endives and thickly slice them; scatter in a salad bowl or over a platter.  Tear 3-4 basil leaves and scatter over the endives.

2. Put the remaining basil leaves into a blender or food processor.  Crush in the garlic clove, then add a pinch of salt and pepper, the anchovies, mustard, yogurt, vinegar, and olive oil.  Add a tablespoon of water and whiz until smooth.

3. Taste the dressing for acidity; add more olive oil if you want to mellow it out a bit.  Pour the dressing into a jug or glass for serving.

A NOTE ON KID-FRIENDLINESS: This macaroni dish is perfect for kids.  I mean, you can't go wrong with crunchy breadcrumbs and nearly a pound of Cheddar cheese.  That said, Bug still managed to eat around all the bits of cauliflower.  Of course.  And I substituted the salad with the tried-and-true apple slices.

Sublime Pairings

I don't know what happened this past week but I was in a scheduling funk.  I hadn't planned a dinner menu, I hadn't gone grocery shopping, we had to keep eating out...  I was just out of sorts.  Menu planning for me is all about the routine: creating the menu, making the grocery list, doing the various shopping (Fresh Direct, farmers' market, Todaro Bros.), and then the actual cooking.  And when I don't go through every one of those rituals it just throws me off.  Ugh.  I'm getting stressed even recounting all this to you.  Last week wasn't my best.

It was in this mindset a few days ago that I decided we couldn't eat out another night; I was just going to have to create something from what I had in my kitchen already.  I had pasta because I always keep a package of fresh linguine in the freezer (another Fresh Direct stand-by).  I also had a butternut squash that I had picked up randomly a couple days earlier.  The squash was roasted, the pasta boiled.  I melted some butter, browning it and then adding some dried sage.  The last touch was to toss the pasta in the butter, put it in a bowl, and top with the squash, some freshly grated nutmeg, and Parmesan.

As usual, I checked WHAT TO DRINK WITH WHAT YOU EAT to see what they suggested as a wine pairing.  As luck would have it, Viognier was recommended with butternut squash and I just happened to have a bottle of Sobon Estate Viognier in my wine fridge.

It was, in every way, a divine pairing.  The earthy sage and salty Parmesan brought out all the warm butter and wood from the Viognier; together, it seemed to be autumn personified.  I actually gasped out loud; it was that perfect.  It's not to say that I don't enjoy most of my wine-food pairings because I do (thanks to Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page!)...but every once in a while you hit the perfect one and there's just nothing like it.

And what about a bad pairing?  We once had a young family friend - she was about 18 at the time - ask us how you know when a wine-food pairing is bad.  I responded, "It'll turn your face inside out."  If you've experienced it, you know exactly what I mean.  This pairing was the exact opposite of that.

Eat, drink, and pair up.


NOTE: Your kid(s) won't touch butternut squash?  Neither will mine.  So I didn't add any to Bug's bowl - she pretty much had just buttered noodles.  Then I sliced up an apple and put that on the side for her since that's about the only fruit/vegetable she eats gladly.



ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH PASTA
Recipe by Pinot and Prose
Serves 4

1 pound fresh linguine (dried is fine too)
1 medium butternut squash (about 1 1/2 lbs)
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 tsp dried sage (or to taste)
1/4 tsp freshly and finely grated nutmeg (or to taste)
4 tbsp finely grated Parmesan
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Peel butternut squash then cut in half.  Remove seeds.  Cut squash into 1/2-inch pieces.  Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Put onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and bake for about 30 minutes until squash is pierced easily with a fork and starting to brown.

2. In a large pot, boil water over high heat and then add 2 tbsp salt to the water.  Add pasta and cook according to package instructions (fresh pasta will take only about 2-3 minutes).  Make sure you try pasta before draining to make sure it's done.  Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

3. Melt butter in a large saute pan.  Add sage and the cooked pasta; toss.  If the pasta seems dry, add the reserved cooking water, 1/4 c. at a time.

4. Add pasta to individual bowls.  Garnish with roasted squash, grated nutmeg, and Parmesan.  Serve immediately.  With a big, buttery Viognier, of course.

Apple Tart

Despite the unseasonably warm weather we've had lately in NYC, we're still acting like it's autumn as much as possible.  And that included apple-picking this past weekend (note the flannel shirt on Bug...even though it was 75 degrees last Saturday).

We went to Masker Orchards, an apple farm we had never visited before but it came recommended from Time Out New York.

The selection was good: Empire, Jonagold, Macintosh, and the ubiquitous Red Delicious.  We filled a huge bag for $25 and bought a dozen amazing cider doughnuts.

On our way home, we stopped by a park to eat a picnic lunch and dip our toes in an ice-cold stream.

And while more than half of the apples ended up going to Bug's class for snack, we saved a few to make one of the few things I bake: Ina Garten's French Apple Tart.

Her recipe calls for handmade puff pastry which, of course, I don't do.  Heck, even Ina Garten says that you can cut corners by using store-bought pastry.  I buy my pastry from Fresh Direct but Pepperidge Farm's version would work just as well.

French Apple Tart
Recipe adapted from Ina Garten
Serves 6

4 Granny Smith apples (I used Empire apples this time, which worked well)
1/2 cup sugar
4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, small-diced
1/2 cup apricot jam (Ina recommends sieving it...but being less detail-oriented, I don't worry about it)
2 tbsp. Calvados, rum, or water

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

2. Make sure that the packaged puff pastry is thawed before rolling.  Dust working surface lightly with flour.  Roll the dough slightly larger than 10 x 14. Use a small kitchen to trim the edges of the pastry so that they're even.*  Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and refrigerate while you prepare the apples.

3. Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem.  Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife and a melon baller (I use an apple peeler for this task, instead of a knife - reference photo above).  Slice the apples crosswise in 1/4-thick slices.  Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the tart and continue making diagonal rows on both sides of the first row until the pastry is covered with apple slices.  Sprinkle with the full 1/2 cup sugar and dot with butter.

4.  Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apple start to brown.  Rotate the pan once during cooking.  If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out.

5. When the tart's done, heat the apricot jam together with the Calvados and brush the apples and the pastry completely with the jam mixture.  Loosen the tart with a spatula so it doesn't stick to the paper.  Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

It really is as easy as it sounds, maybe even easier.  See?  I even messed up the pastry dough:

And it all turned out fiiiiine.

The results were delicious, and I even ate a piece for breakfast the next morning with a steaming cup of coffee (from Joe: The Art of Coffee...since I'm trying to break myself of the Starbucks default).

Eat, drink, and bake sometimes.

* If you follow the recipe link for Ina's version, you'll see that not only does she cut the dough with a knife to make it even...she even recommends using a RULER.  For heaven's sake.  Yeah, I don't play like that.  Not only did I NOT use a friggin ruler...I didn't even cut it with a knife to make it even.  I rolled it out and considered it done, crooked lines and all.  If you're the type of person to use a ruler for something like this, then my blog must drive you crazy.  I'm so not that kind of cook.

NOTE: I'm going to make this again soon because there are some variations I want to try.  I think it could be awesome with crumbled bacon on top of the tart.  And I also think you could grate some sharp cheddar over the tart, stick it under the broiler, and have a savory treat.

Improvisation

I did something radical last night: I went to the store (Eli's Manhattan) to get ingredients for dinner.  And I had no idea what I was making.  I'm a list-maker and a recipe-follower; I don't generally just show up for the party without some sort of plan.

The key to spontaneous food shopping is to mentally catalog what you already have available at home and, if you can't remember for sure, hopefully you can call someone at home and have them check.  Adam regularly fields calls from me, asking if we have such and such ingredient in the fridge.  For instance, in this case, I knew I had pizza dough from Fresh Direct that I had put in the fridge to thaw just that morning.

So with pizza crust in mind, I went into Eli's.  As I perused, I thought about shrimp - what about a shrimp pizza?  Which then jogged my memory about a shrimp pizza I had at Ramblin Jacks in Olympia, Washington way back in 2000 when we lived there.  In my memory, it had shrimp, Brie, and apples on it; it looks like they're still serving something similar, sans shrimp.

Okay, so shrimp and Brie on the pizza.  Now what?  I was then reminded of shrimp skewers that Amy made when we were visiting them: bread cubes and shrimp tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper, and fennel seeds.  Shrimp and fennel seeds is a sublime combination.  But what about a vegetable?  Maybe baby spinach?  Sure, why not?  So I threw that in my cart too.

I generally like to have two separate pizzas - for variation - when I make them.  I also had two crusts.  Eli's had some gorgeous figs (from California, of course) so I grabbed those.  Blue cheese sounded too rich so I grabbed some ricotta - I thought they would be a good combination.  And I had ham in the fridge at home - maybe I could add that.

And I went home to put it together.

I shared all the above information just to illustrate my thought process.  It's all about thinking about tastes you've enjoyed before, putting them together, interpreting them differently.  And not being afraid to try something.  You might fail, but so what?  I still had cheddar cheese and a loaf of bread at home - if I made inedible pizza, we could always have grilled cheese.

Here's how it turned out:

The fig pizza wasn't great, I have to be honest.  Figs and ricotta?  Great.  But it needed something...  I initially thought about walnuts, but I don't think that was it.  It needed brightening.  Maybe lemon zest.  Maybe red pepper flakes.  The blue cheese might have been the way to go.

The shrimp pizza was absolutely fantastic, though.  Brie and shrimp is a wonderful combination, and the fennel seed added some pep.  You could even add some actual roasted fennel.  I do think that, doing this again, I would add lemon zest to this as well.  I believe it was Mark Bittman who said, "I never regretted adding lemon zest to anything."  I subscribe wholeheartedly to that way of thinking.

I'm not going to regularly experiment like this - I still enjoy the list-making, menu-planning, and premeditation.  But this was fun; I like pulling from my previous memories and experiences of great meals.  Not to mention that, when you improvise like this, you begin to gain more and more successes.  And your confidence in the kitchen grows.

Eat, drink, and step outside your comfort zone.

Rosé Parade

Ooh, ooh, I was SO THRILLED to read this New York Times article this morning on rosé: "A Rosé Can Bloom in Winter" by Eric Asimov.  Like most people, I too have relegated rosé to the back shelves and cupboards during the winter months.  It just seems so...summery.  


But recently, when I made Crab and Ricotta Manicotti*, I was at a loss for a wine.  Sauvignon Blanc?  Chardonnay?  So I consulted my handy-dandy WHAT TO DRINK WITH WHAT YOU EAT by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page (really, how many more times do I have to tell you about this resource before you'll pick it up?).  And rosé was listed as a match for both crab and ricotta.  My initial thought was an eye roll - I mean, come ON, it's January.  But I didn't have anything else that matched.  So I opened up one of my go-to rosés:

Fresh Direct**.  For under $20 per bottle.  And it went exceptionally well with the manicotti dish, giving it a brightness that it definitely needed.  It was a good foil.


My other favorite rosé is the Carpineto (forgive the glimpse of leg - this was a summer picnic photo):

While the first bottle is gone, thanks to the manicotti and a night with my Soul Twin, I'm still sitting on a Carpineto left over from the summer.  Thanks to the NYT article, I'm more tempted to drink it now, rather than wait until May.  So here are what Karen and Andrew are recommending with rosé that would work for the winter months:

• apertif and/or with canapés, especially dry rosé
• barbecue and barbecue sauce (I definitely do some stovetop grilling in the winter - this could work)
• beef, especially spicier dishes
• charcuterie, especially with dry rosé
• cheese, especially mild (I'm not sure about this one - I tend to go with the meatier, heavier, bluer cheeses in winter.  Good to keep in mind, though, in case I put together a cheese plate)
• cold dishes, especially meat (I wonder if this includes beef carpaccio...dang, I love beef carpaccio...)
• cranberries
• duck 
• eggs and egg dishes (am I the only one that reads this and thinks, "Yay!  Brunch wine!  Wine at 11 a.m. on Sunday!"  Oh...wait...I'm the only one?)
• peanuts and peanut sauces (yummmm...)
• pork, especially grilled or roasted
• quiche, especially with dry rosé (more brunch thoughts...)
• saffron
• sandwiches, especially beef and pork
• sausage, especially grilled
• soup (this is the verbatim listing: "soup".  Based on the other dishes, I'm thinking something seafood-based would be ideal)
• spicy food, especially with fuller-bodied rosé
• turkey, especially roasted 

So fun, right?  And I don't know about all of you, but this is the time of year - damn, February - when the winter doldrums start setting in and this is exactly the sort of thing I need to brighten up the dark days.

Eat, drink, and think outside the seasonal box.

* I should note that, in WHAT TO DRINK WITH WHAT YOU EAT, they mention that cream sauces should be avoided with rosé.  But it worked with this one.  My somewhat educated guess is that it is because the crab and ricotta were really the dominant flavors, rather than the béchamel sauce.

** I bought many, many bottles of this rosé from Fresh Direct in the summer.  It's not available right now but I'm hoping that it'll come back in a couple months?

Is Manicotti Passé?

Tonight I'm making Crab and Ricotta Manicotti for dinner, courtesy of Confections of a Foodie Bride.  I have saved the recipe for a very long time (two years!) and I'm finally going to give it a spin.

I used Manicotti with some regularity when Adam and I first got married.  I had a (very loose) recipe that a friend taught me in high school: it basically consisted of stuffing ricotta, grated mozzarella, salt, and pepper into uncooked Manicotti shells.  Place in glass baking dish.  Cover entirely with jarred pasta sauce - seriously, douse it.  Grate lots more mozzarella over it (to taste).  Cover with foil, bake until cooked through.  I couldn't tell you the temperature or timing, as it's been years since I have used this "recipe."  I'm guessing 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

But those days are long gone and now I find myself looking for Manicotti shells for this recipe.  Wouldn't think it would be so hard, would you?  But it has been for me.  Adam looked at Chelsea Market (at both Buon Italia and Manhattan Fruit Exchange) and came up with nothing.  I looked online at Fresh Direct - no luck.  I looked at Eli's Manhattan to no avail.  So I got desperate and, at Eli's, picked up flat lasagna noodles and figured I could wrap them up - almost like pasta spring rolls.

So what's the deal?  Is Manicotti passé?  Is the fancy-shmancy stores I'm shopping at?

All that searching and I probably would have been better off going directly to the closest store in my neighborhood, otherwise known to me as one of the most utter crap grocery stores I've ever known: Key Food.  Wouldn't that be ironic?

Eat, drink, and improvise.

Asparagus...Melon...Whatever.

Oh, Fresh Direct. This is NOT the asparagus I ordered.

Eat, drink, and flick that packing guy in the forehead.

Buying Wine

Most of you probably already know this...but I adore wine. I drink it every night with dinner (and usually a glass after dinner too). On the weekends, I'll even have a single glass with lunch. When I have dinner parties, we've been known to go through two bottles (or three, depending on the company). So, with the exception of Adam's passion for beer, it's safe to say that ours is a wine-drinking household.

But here's the thing: I don't really have a collection. I usually buy a couple bottles a week from Fresh Direct and sometimes I'll trek over to The Wine Room of Forest Hills, which is one of my favorite places to buy wine. If we're really low, we'll get a ZipCar and drive over to Jersey to the Total Wine. Even then, sometimes I'll buy two bottles of something I know I like but, mostly, I buy a lot of single bottles.

The idea is that I want one of everything so I always have something great to drink with dinner. I rely heavily on What to Drink with What You Eat by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, and few things frustrate me more than when they make a strong recommendation and I don't even have anything close. So I try to diversify when I buy wine.

Recently, though, I ran into a problem. I fell in love with a Rose that I bought at Total Wine a couple months ago. Here it is:

It was so well-balanced and refreshing. It was floral and herbal, but it also managed to be dry and grounded. I adored it.

But now what? I only bought one bottle. In Jersey. Wait until I go back? But then it'll be October or November and they most likely won't have the crazy-awesome selection of Rose. Go online? But then do I order six bottles? Go for the full case? Do I love it that much?

I also had a similar dilemma with Cubanisimo wines recently. As you'll recall from my previous post, I really love their Rose and their Pinot Noir. So I went to the Cubanisimo website to look into buying a couple bottles. It made sense to buy at least 6 bottles because of their discount. But my grand total was going to be $120+...and I couldn't bring myself to click the "Buy" button. I mean, $20 for a bottle is no big deal. But dropping more than a hundred? There's a mental hurdle that I can't seem to get over.

I've done a lot of wine reading (The Battle for Wine and Love...Red, White, and Drunk All Over...Educating Peter...The Wine Guy...these are some of my faves) and I don't feel any less confused on this issue. Does it make more sense to buy a half-case or full-case of something I love? But then I risk a lack of space and funds to have a wider selection. Or does it make better sense to diversify to make sure I always have the perfect wine-food pairing on hand? Have any thoughts on this issue?

Eat, drink, and when in doubt drink bubbly...

Weird Weekend

Like the post title says, it was a weird weekend. First, it was Saturday at NY Brewfest on Governor's Island (Kelso of Brooklyn was very good and Keegan's Mother's Milk was by far the best I tried) .
But we weren't fans of the event and probably wouldn't go again. The pictures from the ferry to the island were the best part. The company was great - me, Adam, our friend Josh (my friend-in-food, particularly the inspiration for Bacon Fest), and his friend Justin - but the thousands of other people at the Brewfest? Not so cool. Even in one of the best foodie cities in the world, you still get jerks that just want to slam beers and get drunk. Ugh.

Then Adam and I had squash blossoms on Sunday night that were unreal:

If you tell me that this is all namby-pamby fancy food, I'll dispute it 'til I'm red in the face. This was So Easy. First you mix fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary), salt, and pepper into ricotta. Then you stuff it into squash blossoms. Where does one find such fancy food? Either at your local farmers' market or, in this case, from Fresh Direct. Stuff the blossoms with the ricotta. Dredge in beaten eggs. Roll around in panko crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs. You could also use finely ground cornmeal or even regular bread crumbs). I seasoned my panko with lots of salt and pepper. Fry in vegetable oil until browned. Out of this world, melt in your mouth goodness. And paired with a flute of cava (or prosecco or Champagne)? Even better.

But we enjoyed it while Bug was in bed with a 103 fever. Weird, right?

Add to all this that I'm leaving for ALA in tomorrow. Even weirder.

So you'll probably get radio silence from me for awhile. I'm back from ALA for one day and then off to Hawaii and Oregon for two weeks after that. I'd love to blog from there...but I make no promises.

Eat, drink, and cheers to the end of the tunnel that is ALA...

But where's the joy?

In my last blog post, I mentioned this week's New York Times Magazine, which is the "Food Issue." Last year's issue starred Michael Pollan, and this year it was Jamie Oliver. Oliver is taking on the town that has been unflatteringly deemed the Unhealthiest In America. It was an interesting article because Oliver really is doing some wonderful work on behalf of promoting healthy eating and cooking - certainly more than most celebrity chefs - and yet there is still some smoke and mirrors about how he goes about it. He's going into a town that doesn't necessarily want him there, a proud group of people that won't take too kindly to some good-looking Brit coming in and telling them that they're bad parents and irresponsible people. There's the idea that obese people don't necessarily want to change their ways.

There is also a more scientific and, honestly, more snooze-worthy article about calorie restriction in aging humans, rats, and primates. Seriously, it was rather boring. I skimmed it. Not my cup of tea.

I really like Mark Bittman's short article about online food shopping. As a weekly devotee to Fresh Direct, I agreed with everything he had to say about how the experience in no way caters to the consumer; instead, online food shopping is all about pushing products to the consumer, whether he wants them or not. It seems ludicrous that the process isn't more user-friendly, especially when you consider sites like iTunes and Amazon. Both of those sites allow the user/client/customer to really tailor the selections to what he is interested in. Why not online food shopping?

"No Polenta, No Cry" offered a voyeuristic look at all the little rules and restrictions we give ourselves as eaters. I felt like the author was unhinged at first...but then I realized that I think everyone eats like this a little bit. Whether it makes good sense or not.

But here's the thing: where was the joy? The "Food Issue", eh? I get that we need to talk about calories and locavorism and the ethics of meat. Important topics, all. But where was the article about the wonder and beauty and happiness in food and meals and cooking?

I remember how much I loved watching Julie and Julia because it captured how magical food can be in forging relationships and making connections. Today, on this sunny and cool autumn Sunday, I feel exhausted and maxed out on all the politics and science and showmanship of the "Food Issue." I eschew it with a firm hand and, instead, I'm looking forward to dinner tonight with my family: we've been looking forward to duck fat fries all week. I'll pour wine, and I'll play music while I'm cooking. Adam will pop in and out of the kitchen, kissing my cheek as he walks by. Bug will occasionally come in to dance to a song. We'll gather together at the table and, instead of saying a prayer, we'll raise our glasses to toast. Most likely we'll be toasting "a wonderful family weekend." That is what food is about.

For articles that really capture this feeling, I refer you to Saveur's "Dinner in the Piazza" by Beth Elon, Food and Wine's "Farm-Fresh French" by Rebecca Rose, and - one of my all-time favorite food articles EVER - Saveur's "Soulful Crepes of Brittany" by Nancy Coons* (unfortunately, this article is not available through Saveur's website so you miss the take-your-breath-away photography by Jorg Brockmann). THIS is good food writing. These are examples of how food affects our lives, affects real people, inspires cooks of every skill level. Read these before you go reading the "Food Issue."

Eat, drink, and find the joy in both.

*I loved this article so much when I read it from my library's copy that I called Saveur and tried to buy the back issue. It wasn't available. So I "lost" my library's copy. Lest you think that is ethically wrong, hopefully you'll think better of me when you find out that it cost me $20 to buy it from the library.

Directions even I can understand!

Need a quickie snack?  Have last-minute dinner guests?  Just want a simple appetizer?  Look no further:

I cut up a baguette, which I always have on hand thanks to Fresh Direct's parbaked breads selection.  I didn't toast mine, mostly because Kiddo doesn't like "crunchy bread", but you could easily toast the bread beforehand.  Then I added fresh ricotta.  Don't have access to great-quality fresh ricotta?  Make your own!  I added a drizzle of my best extra-virgin olive oil as well as a sprinkling of my thick-as-honey best balsamic vinegar.  I finished it with salt, pepper, thyme, and parsley.  Seriously, that's it!  It just goes to show you that, if you use excellent quality ingredients, there's really very little you need to do to them.

Eat, drink, and don't be intimidated!

Lutz Budget Update

I have a Fresh Direct order coming tonight: $34 worth.  There's two loaves of their parbaked bread (seriously, this is a working parent's DREAM), some Ronnybrook milk, some Red Jacket Orchards apple juice, Apple & Eve juice boxes for the kiddo's lunch, seltzer water, and some Method cleaning products.

Argh!  Guys!  This brings my total for this week to $151.00 (so far)!

Not Good.  Not Good at All.

Eat, drink, and substitute water for the Kiddo's juice boxes.

Pasta with Balsamic Tomatoes & Jamie Oliver's Pan-Fried Steak with Olive Oil Mash

I've had a couple of successes lately, which is always a boost to one's ego. Especially since I've had quite a few misses, which I suppose is a sign that I'm growing confident enough to take more risks...thus creating more failures!

The weather is so deliciously wonderful here in New York, and I couldn't resist buying some Campari tomatoes at the nearby crappy grocery store the other day. The oddest thing was that the tomatoes came from Canada. Canada??? How can Canada produce such pretty jewels but I can't get anything local except for root vegetables and micro cilantro? Nevertheless, I bought the tomatoes, telling myself that buying tomatoes from Canada was better than buying them from Mexico or California - I mean, at least New York shares a border with Canada! So here' s what I made:

I marinated the tomatoes in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Then cooked up some fresh linguine. Tossed it all together, shaved some parmigiana reggiano on top, and - presto! - I had the most delicious meal on the patio to celebrate spring! And so easy!

Here's another good one:



This one is from Jamie Oliver's Cook with Jamie: Pan-Fried Sirloin Steak with Simple Chianti Butter Sauce and Olive Oil Mash (you can see the cookbook picture in the background). The dish was very good, but I think it could be better - I'll keep working on it. First, I used Yukon Gold potatoes so I didn't peel the potatoes, like Jamie recommends. I actually really like the texture of the skins so I try to keep them in mashed potatoes when I can. The potatoes turned out excellent. Here is what I would change: I didn't get a very good cut of meat (thanks again, Fresh Direct). Fresh Direct only had choice cut in the antibiotics-free steak, and the lower quality cut really showed here - it didn't have that buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture. It was too chewy. The other unfortunate thing was that I wasn't sure I would have enough sauce for both servings so I really skimped on my sauce but dumped it on Adam's plate (the picture above is Adam's). As a result, mine was a little bland and dry. Adam moaned over his serving. So I'll have to be a little less stingy with the sauce next time...or give the plate with less sauce to Adam!

Bon appètit!

Children, learn from my mistakes

I had a hideous kitchen adventure last night that completely irked me. Remember I talked about buying The French Market by Joanne Harris and Fran Warde? Well, last night I made a recipe from it: Monkfish with Chanterelles. Only there aren’t chanterelles to be had this time of year so Adam bought baby portabellas instead. And this is where I made a gargantuan mistake: I bought the monkfish from Fresh Direct. I know, I know. It was completely asinine of me. Especially when Adam works across the street from Chelsea Market and could go to the fish monger there. And there’s actually a very nice fish monger, Forest Hills Fishery, just down the street from me. I can only claim laziness in its basest form.

So I get the fish, wrapped up in paper and sitting in a Styrofoam tray, from the refrigerator. The first thing I notice is that there’s a ridiculous amount of fish for just me and Adam. Fresh Direct screwed up and gave me 2 lbs. rather than 1 lb. So the fish ended up costing me $30. No biggie – I’ll just freeze half of it. I unwrap it all and think to myself that the filets are awfully thin for monkfish; they didn't seem to have monkfish's typically firm texture or pink color. But I push the thought aside and cook it, searing it for one minute on each side, as the recipe dictates. And the fish is nearly fully cooked and just falls apart on me as I transfer it to a plate. What??? Okay, monkfish, the “poor man’s lobster”, most definitely does not behave that way. It should not have flaked apart like that. Hmmm…I don’t think this is monkfish. Needless to say, the taste and texture confirmed it. I’m all irritated with Fresh Direct but, really, it’s my own fault. This is what laziness about my food will get me: really expensive monkfish-that’s-really-more-like-cod. My only remaining issue is whether Fresh Direct knowingly jacked me (twice!) or if this was an honest mistake*.

The meal ended up not being too bad, but the flavors and textures were rather odd together. The recipe says that the fish and mushrooms can be served over rice, steamed potatoes, or shell pasta. I chose to serve the mushrooms and non-monkfish over rice, but portabellas have such a deep, earthbound flavor that they didn’t mesh well with the rice – it would have been more successful over steamed fingerlings. The non-monkfish didn’t help – it’s extremely light, flaky texture and flavor were a poor match with the portabellas. Oyster mushrooms would have been nice with the cod-like fish.

You know, as a full-time working parent, I need to take shortcuts while cooking on the weekdays. But now I know that taking a shortcut in the selection of my ingredients is not the way to go. Especially for such a fresh, simple recipe. I was left feeling like a schmuck for making such a novice mistake. Kids, don’t try this at home.


* Epilogue: Adam emailed Fresh Direct and they refunded us the full $30.00 for the non-monkfish.

This Week's Menu: The MLK Weekend Edition

So I was going to chat about today’s NYT Dining section, but I’m just not feeling like it. Because those posts are rather time-consuming, the Husband is working late, and the kiddo is in bed…I’m feeling like watching “House Hunters International” rather than sitting at the computer. I just finished a Fresh Direct order and made a grocery list for Adam to take to Chelsea Market. Here’s what I’m making this holiday weekend:

FRIDAY: All-Day Breakfast Salad. It’s an all-Jamie-Oliver-Cook-With-Jamie weekend, as it’s my newest cookbook and I’m having fun tinkering with it. This has salad greens, a poached egg, sautéed bread, bacon, and chives all mixed up together. Doesn’t sound too shabby for a Friday night meal!

SATURDAY: Fish Lasagne. Intriguing, no? Lots of veggies, shrimp, white fish (I’m going to try skate with this – god, I love skate), cherry tomatoes (I know they’re out of season, but I’m being sucked in…), Parmesan, pancetta…I’m telling you, this is going to rock. I can feel it.

SUNDAY: Potato rosti and salad. Like I said, all-Jamie-weekend. I’m intrigued by this – apparently it was a “classic potato dish of the 1980’s”??? But I assure you my mom never made this. It’s sort of like a very thin, crispy hash brown pie. With whole cloves of garlic. Need I say more? Doing a simple salad on the side with white balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and goat cheese.

MONDAY: Filet mignon with “Best Onion Gratin”. It’s a holiday so I can still go the more elaborate route. I’m doing the filet mignon, but the gratin is Jamie’s. Apparently I’m doing all the root vegetables to alleviate my guilt over the totally non-seasonal tomatoes in the lasagne. The gratin has red onions, white wine, garlic, Gruyere, crème fraiche, and Parmesan. How can I possibly go wrong?

Bon appetit!