Linguine with Creamy Red Cabbage and Corn

I can hardly complain about this winter so far; other than a freezing cold that has gripped the Northeast, New York has had little snow or rain to mention.  Nevertheless, I feel like I would give damn-near anything for a peach straight from the farm right now.  Don't we all feel that way this time of year?

So, as you can imagine, I struggle with my menu in February.  No more potatoes!  No more soups!  No more root vegetables at all!  Even...dare I say it?...no more Brussels sprouts!!!!  But how do I freshen up my dishes without buying, say, asparagus that's completely out of season?

When I saw a recipe for Egg Noodles with Creamy Red Cabbage and Sweet Corn in my Edible Brooklyn: The Cookbook (from the Edible Brooklyn magazine folks), I thought it would be perfect.  And what an interesting combination with pasta, right?  Actually, this whole cookbook is amazing; it's quickly becoming one of my go-to books.  Anyway, it's obviously not corn season in New York right now but I have no problem substituting with frozen corn in the winter months - frozen in the off-season is much better than fresh in the off-season, to my mind.

This recipe is, in a word, fantastic.  It mixes the sweet with the salty, and the red wine vinegar rounds it all out with a tart acidity.  The pasta gives the dish a heartiness you want in winter, but the corn is such a welcome change from the usual cold-weather fare.  To quote Adam, "this recipe's a keeper."

LINGUINE WITH CREAMY RED CABBAGE AND CORN

Adapted only slightly from Edible Brooklyn: The Cookbook, edited by Rachel Wharton

Serves 4-6

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 medium head red cabbage, cored and sliced into 1/2-inch strips
1 tbsp salt
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 lb fresh linguine
1 cup crème fraîche (or sour cream)
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic, and cook for a few minutes until the onion is softened but the garlic is not yet golden.

2. Add the cabbage and salt, and cook for 3-4 minutes; do not let the vegetables brown.  Add the vinegar and sugar, cover the pot, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Taste the cabbage - it should be tender but not mushy.  Adjust the salt, vinegar, and sugar to taste if needed, and set the cabbage aside.

3. In a large skillet, melt the butter and sauté the corn over high heat until it begins to caramelize.  Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Cook the pasta according to package directions (about 3 minutes for fresh pasta), reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, and drain.  In a large bowl, combine the pasta, corn, red cabbage, and crème fraîche.  Thin sauce with pasta water, if needed.  Let sit for 3-5 mintues to allow the pasta to soak up the sauce.  Serve in warmed bowls.  Top with pepper to taste.

KID-FRIENDLINESS NOTE: This dish is fairly adaptable for kids.  I reserved some corn and pasta in a bowl, tossed them with some crème fraîche, and Bug was perfectly happy to eat it.  She probably would have gone for the cabbage as well but, with the onions in there, she would have been scared off so I left those out of her bowl.

NOTE: The cookbook was given to me by the publisher.

This will absolutely be a recurring dish in our house.  In addition, to the unique mix of flavors, the colors are simple gorgeous - a sure way to cheer you up on a dreary winter evening.

David Chang's Roasted Corn

I've been rushing to get this damn post done because you've gotta try this dish before summer is over and fresh corn is gone for the season.  My friend Eric (of Moscow Mule fame) sent me a Facebook message back in July, and here's what he told me:

Have been thinking about your butter-sauteed corn with cilantro. Am sitting at the bar at Momofuku Noodle; Chang's doing the same thing with roasted corn, bacon, cotija, scallions, parsley. Superb. I LOVE summer. (Though as a jersey boy, I can say, still too soon for corn)

Um, yes, please.  Naturally, I was excited for anything involving corn and bacon but, more importantly, this was a corn dish I could make for MC (my mother-in-law) that didn't involve cilantro.  No one hates cilantro like MC, believe me.  So I made this first while at her place in Oregon, throwing in everything, measuring nothing.  Then I came home and came up with a recipe.

It manages to be hearty yet light, subtle yet flavorful.  I have to confess that if I didn't have a family to cook for and I was making something for just myself, I'd probably make this dish, put it in a bowl, and that would be it.  Drunk with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc in front of Downton Abbey...

David Chang's Roasted Corn* **

Serves 4 as a side dish

Ingredients:

5 ears of corn, shucked 

4 slices of bacon, roughly chopped

1 medium shallot, medium diced

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

1/2 c. cotija cheese, crumbled (substitute with ricotta salata or feta, if needed/desired)

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

• Heat a stovetop castiron grill (or for you lucky people in the 'burbs, heat your outdoor barbecue) on medium-high heat.  Rub corn lightly with olive oil.  Place on grill.
• Heat medium stainless saute pan over medium-high heat.  Chop bacon and add to pan.  Cook until just-crisp and browned.  With a slotted spoon, remove bacon from pan onto a plate lined with paper towels.  Lower flame to medium-low heat.
• Leaving the bacon fat in the pan, add shallots.  Saute until tender - be careful not to burn them.  Take off the heat.
• Meanwhile, once corn is browned and has a slight sheen to it, remove from the grill and let cool.  Using a sharp chef's knife, cut kernels from the cob and add to a large bowl.
• Add reserved bacon, scallions, parsley, shallots, lime juice, and cheese to the bowl.  Toss.  Taste for seasoning, and add salt and pepper as needed.

So easy, right?  We served this alongside seared tuna dusted with sweet paprika (recipe).

I'm seriously planning on making this two or three more times before the summer's over.  And I don't mean to be bossy, but so should you.

Eat, drink, and who needs a fancy restaurant?


(NOTE: After posting this, I found an actual recipe for Momofuku's corn: Corn with Bacon and Miso Butter. I'll try the miso butter next time, for certain...but I have to admit that I like my addition of lime.  And Eric was specific in Momofuku's use of cotija.  So, in summation, this is absolutely one of those recipes you can adapt to your own tastes and change up as you please!  Try anything - this is damn near foolproof.)

* That's what it has become known as in my house.  Better than those ridiculously long titles that everyone's using now that list every single one of the ingredients, right?  Can you imagine?  "Roasted Corn with Bacon, Shallots, Parsley, and Scallions"?  Um, no.

** This is officially the first recipe I've ever made up on my own, including all the notations and measurements.  So I'm a little nervous.  If you notice anything off here, let me know.  I'll use you as my official recipe testers!

Hello, Summer!

You guys!  I'm FINALLY home and I'm FINALLY done with conference season at work!  Most of you have been entrenched in summer for a few weeks but mine is starting now.  Um, to say I'm excited is an understatement to the nth degree.

But let's start at the beginning: as most of you know, I was at the American Library Association conference in New Orleans last week: 7 days and 6 nights.  That is a lot of eating out in restaurants, airports, and hotels.  So when I got home, all I wanted was a simple, fresh, home-cooked meal that was both satisfying and light.  And even a bit cleansing.

So I went with one of my favorites: Tuna with Butter-Warmed Corn Kernels.  Which I've actually posted here in the past.  What's funny is that when I initially posted this recipe, I was in the middle of a summer meltdown: it was late August and I was soooo over the heat and humidity.  I was trying to stick with no-heat meals and this one was perfect.  So isn't it wonderful that now I can post this in the opposite frame of mind?  Instead of fighting summer's heat, I am embracing all that summer entails: vacation, sunbathing, watermelon mojitos (because that's what I'm drinking while I write this), lounging on the roof deck, and...no conferences!

And in my joyous and celebratory frame of mind, I give you Tuna with Espelette Pepper and Butter-Warmed Corn with Cilantro, courtesy of Patricia Wells' Vegetable Harvest:

Click here for full recipes (you're clicking through to my original blog post).  Again, feel free to substitute smoked paprika for the espelette pepper.  And feel free to substitute and improvise!  Can't stand the taste of cilantro (Hi, MC and Gillian!)?  Try parsley or basil*.

When I initially posted this recipe, I drank it with a Riesling**.  But right now I am completely high on Vinho Verde and my particular favorite is this one:

It's Ouro Verde Vinho Verde (Portugal) and I get it from Fresh Direct for $6.99 - it's my summer go-to.  It's slightly effervescent,citrus-bright, and dry.  It paired perfectly.

I can't even tell you how thrilled I am to be back here with all of you, ready to start my summer, and sharing my favorite recipes and drinks.  Cheers!

Eat, drink, and celebrate summer!


* These recommendations are courtesy of the outstanding The Flavor Bible by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page.  I've mentioned it here a gazillion times but it needs to be mentioned again.  Just go buy it.


** Ditto for this one.  The Riesling recommendation came from What to Drink with What You Eat, also by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page.  Your personal cookbook library is NOT complete without either of these books, in my opinion.

More non-cooking...

Tonight's dinner wasn't strictly non-cook but, once again, I'm using Patricia Wells' Vegetable Harvest. It's a wonderful cookbook because it really celebrates fresh, seasonal, raw ingredients. So while I did apply heat for this meal, it was minimal.

I made Tuna Strips with Espelette Pepper on top of Butter-Warmed Corn with Cilantro. It's one of my favorite summertime meals and I'm so relieved, in the midst of my anti-summer pouting, that I didn't forget to make this before the leaves changed color. Here is the final product (note my heavily marked cookbook in the background:

Tuna Strips with Espelette Pepper

from Vegetable Harvest by Patricia Wells (Morrow, 2007)

1 lb. "ultra-fresh" tuna fillet

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp. ground Espelette pepper (Note: I found this by chance at the O & Co. shop in Grand Central Terminal...I had been looking ages for it. If you can't find it, I've used paprika in the past to great effect)

Fleur de sel (sea salt to the layperson)

1. Cut tuna into strips about 3/4 inch thick and 4 inches long (note: I'm never this exact - I quote PW directly here). In a large bowl, combine the strips of tuna, olive oil, and the pepper powder. Toss to blend. Marinate at room temp for 10 minutes.

2. Heat a large, dry skillet over high heat (I use nonstick - PW doesn't specify). When hot, remove the strips of tuna from the marinade, without draining, and place in the skillet. Working quickly (she does not kid here), sear the fish for about 15 seconds on each side for rare tuna, longer for well-cooked tuna. Immediately transfer the tuna strips to warmed plates. Season with fleur de sel and serve. Serves 4 - I halve for us.

Butter-Warmed Corn Kernels with Fresh Cilantro Leaves

from Vegetable Harvest by Patricia Wells (Morrow, 2007)

3 ears fresh corn, shucked

1 tbsp salted butter (I've used unsalted too)

1/4 c. fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Zesty lemon salt (Note: this is what PW calls for - there's a recipe for it in the book. It's a great salt and I use it on a ton of stuff. However, I have also used plain kosher salt and then grated lemon zest over the corn. Messing about with "zesty lemon salt" SO isn't necessary)

With a sharp knife, scrape the kernels of corn from the cob. Melt the butter in a large skillet (again, I use nonstick) over moderate heat and cook the corn just until warmed through, tossing the corn in the skillet for about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl, shower with the coriander leaves, and season with lemon salt. (Note: this is SO child-friendly because you can easily give them non-cilantro corn before dousing your own with the glorious green stuff) Serves 6. (Note: PW says this serves 6. Puh-leease. I make this full recipe for the 3 of us. And you'll want to as well.)

Lastly, I consulted What to Drink with What You Eat for the perfect wine to pair with this and ultimately chose (and I might butcher this) Weingut Jakob Schneider 2008 Riesling Kabinett. It complimented the meal perfectly. Thanks (again) to Karen and Andrew for their fantastic reference guide!

Eat, drink, and admit that summer isn't all bad!

NYT Dining and the food crisis in America

So it’s beginning to feel like I'm beating a dead horse (isn’t that how the horrible saying goes?). However, the issue keeps coming up over and over again, signaling to me that the “food crisis” in our country is relevant and important.

First, check out Nicole’s response to my posts: this brings the contrast between cultures into sharp relief. I was actually surprised by how many of the food displays included soda: U.S., Egypt, Mexico, Italy, Germany, Poland. I was particularly struck by Mexico – so much beautiful produce on display…and soooo much soda. Alas.

The Dining section of the New York Times has an article this week, “Good News About Rising Food Prices,” which discusses how the cost of food in the U.S. (is it happening elsewhere too?) is skyrocketing as a result of the rising cost of fossil fuels and ethanol. It’s costing a whole lot more to transport our food from Mexico to New York, from Holland to Chicago. Is this a blessing in disguise? Given the rising costs, will people really forsake their sodas? Will people turn to local produce and local purveyors of meat and dairy? Naturally, the article mentions Alice Waters, who has reportedly been a vocal advocate of higher food prices. I see her point: with food being more expensive, people will need to make smarter, healthier choices. If food costs more, people might eat less of it. On the other hand, lots of people argue her opinion is elitist and/or classist. Rising food costs makes me a little glad, I admit it. But what about the lower-middle class? People who are “on the fringe”? I honestly don’t believe they’ll suddenly see the light and start eating local, organic fruits and vegetables. It’s not as simple as that, as anyone will argue, I’m sure. You don’t have a paradigm shift in a single month or a single quarter. Heck, when we’re talking about an entire revolution in the way we think and we eat, that can’t even happen over the course of a single year. Eating is too emotional, too personal, too culturally entrenched. So do I think rising food costs are the magical solution? Absolutely not. But they just might be the impetus and, for that, I’m excited to see where we’re heading.

If you’ve read The Omnivore’s Dilemma, you know how Michael Pollan feels about corn. And he converted me to his way of thinking as well. So I read the Boston Globe’s headline, “Food Prices Might Increase as Farmers Plant Less Corn”, with a bit of warmth in my heart. Yay, less environmental impact! Yay, less high fructose corn syrup! Because that’s the kind of gal I am: I react first, think later. Which gets me in trouble sometimes. It was later that I realized this wasn’t going to magically cause meat producers to allow the cows to roam free and eat the grass they’re designed to eat. Nope, ain’t happening. And then two-thirds of the way through the article, the bomb is dropped: soybean planting is up 18 percent. Which, again, if you’ve read Omnivore’s Dilemma, you know this is still perpetuating the unhealthy, environmentally unsound monoculture issue. Where in the world are we heading?

Okay, this is getting depressing. Less doom and gloom, I think:

Since we’re sort of on the topic of healthy, seasonal food, let me take this moment to share with you an article from the San Francisco Chronicle, “Asparagus Fans Support the Delta’s Stalk Market” by Melissa Swanson. As a California native who grew up in the Sacramento valley, I got all warm and fuzzy reading this. Not to mention that I also felt bitter living in NYC where root vegetables are still the stars on parade at Union Square.

Lastly, given the name of my blog, it’s appropriate that I link to the NYT Dining section’s article on California Pinot Noir. I applauded the article because he’s right: California Pinots are so hit-or-miss and tend to be too big and fruit-forward for my tastes. I much prefer the Oregon Pinot Noirs, particularly King Estate. Nevertheless, Asimov includes a list of wines so feel free to have your own taste test on a beautiful spring afternoon!