Sweet indulgences

When the mercury drops, I find my pantry suddenly filled with cozy veggies, mostly those from underground or that can last a winter in an oaken barrel in a cellar. Except I don't have any barrels or subterranean storage. But you get the picture: squash, onions, potatoes, carrots, apples...the cozy stuff.

I invented this next dish as a spicy awakening for the senses when you just want to hunker down for a long autumn's nap. I will be making this side dish ALL the time because it's the perfect balance of flavorful, satisfying, and special.

Glowing Sweet Potato Fries (with Garlic-Pesto mayo)

1. Preheat the oven to 375

2. Slice two medium sweet potatoes lengthwise into thin matchsticks, about 1/4" on each side. Spread on jelly roll pan and toss with:

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp paprika (smoked is awesome if you have it on hand)

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

3. Bake until thoroughly cooked and a the skins begin to crackle (you don't want them soft and mushy- a little over-done is OK). Takes 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10 or 15.

4. Meanwhile, combine 1/2 c plain yogurt with 1/8 c mayo (more if you like), 2 Tbsp pesto and 1 large clove finely minced garlic. Let this sit while the fries bake so the flavors really come through.

These are incredible, I've had them with tomato soup on a rainy day or with any range of entrees. Happy spicy munching!

Feelin' crunchy

This weekend was our first taste of autumn. We went for a run in the woods looking for five features of fall (and yes, in April we sought seven signs of spring because we are alliteration nerds). My favorites: squirrels gathering nuts, a Japanese maple in brilliant display, and the cool breeze by the water. It was all I needed to turn on the oven and get some cinnamon baking. Inspired by my new find, gluten free oats (!), I decided to try my hand at granola.

This one is peanut-buttery and perfect for studying. I'm a crunchy snacker when I have papers to write, so this treat was gone a little too fast :) I hope you enjoy!

Study Break Granola

1. Preheat oven to 275

2. Toast on a baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, careful not to burn:

1/4 c each: sunflower seeds, chopped walnuts, and almonds

3. Melt together over low heat in a small saucepan:

1/4 c. crunchy peanut butter

1/4 c. honey

2 1/2 T canola oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4. In a large bowl, combine toasted nuts and seeds with:

1 1/4 c. GF oats

1/4 c coconut flakes

1/4 c ground flax seeds

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

5. Add wet to dry and combine well.

6. Spread onto jelly roll pan and bake about 30 minutes, turning every 10-15 minutes to prevent burning.

7. Remove from oven when golden and toasty and let cool at least 20 minutes while it firms up.

Happy munching

Breathing fresh air

For the first time in three years, I spent the day in the countryside, with no agenda and no schedule for weeks behind or in front of me. And for the first time in nine years, I am on summer vacation! I realize that this may be my first and last true summer break since high school, so I am (gently) trying to make the most of it.

Alex and I have been focused on setting up our new apartment, but also on sleeping in, taking naps, and eating delicious foodie. So much so that a drive to the country to acquire even more foodie was the perfect way to spend our Friday. We loaded up our (new!) car with homemade guacamole and chips and drove north to a farm somewhere on the Maryland/Pennsylvania border. Even on the highway we were struck by the incredible lushness of our environment, how all of the trees and wildflowers seemed to be concentrated versions of what we were used to in Upstate New York. Everything oozed green.

When we arrived at the farm, we purchased some of their famous salsa and had a picnic in the shade of pine trees before setting out for the blueberry patches. The fields that awaited us were dotted with blue, purple and green.

I come from a long line of women who are great "pickers," as my mom says, so I took the job pretty seriously, sampling each bush for flavor before cleaning it of ripe berries and plunking them into my mixing bowl. Alex took a more relaxed approach. But with nowhere to be and nothing on our plates but blueberries, we were in no hurry.

We ended up with twelve or fifteen pounds of the most delicious, sun-warmed berries. Nothing compared to the forty pounds I would pick each summer with my mom, but we are a much smaller family with a much smaller freezer.

The farm is a working orchard and sold peaches, plums, apricots as well as green beans, corn, tomatoes, summer squash and canteloupes at the stand out front. We bought bags of everything and spent the ride home fantasizing about the many dishes we would prepare to showcase our produce. We both love the combination of peaches and blueberries, so we chose a crisp recipe that is easily GF and seemingly failsafe.

Look at that combination...I mean, fugetaboutit!

Peach-Berry Crisp

I tossed about 5 cups of blueberries and 5 peaches (thinly sliced) into a large glass baking dish with about 1/4 cup of GF flour mix (brown rice, potato starch, and tapioca flours), 1/4 cup of sugar, the juice of one lemon, one tsp. of cinnamon, and a dash of nutmeg. After letting that macerate for a few minutes, I topped it with a mixture of 1 cup GF flour mix, 1/3 cup softened butter, 2/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 cup ground flax seeds, and 3/4 cup chopped almonds. I just mushed the butter into the dry ingredients until it was well combined and could crumble in my hands, then sprinkled the mixture atop the fruit. Note: This could easily be modified to be vegan with some margarine or vegetable shortening.

I baked this at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes, until the juices bubbled and the topping was nicely browned. It's best to let this sit for a while to thicken, but if you must eat it right way, be prepared for a very juicy dessert with a serious crunch from the almonds on top. It's also delicious cold for breakfast. For dessert, I had mine with frozen yogurt and Alex ate his with ice cream to sweeten the berries (I love tart foods so this recipe does not have much sugar. Definitely add more if you are a sweet pie kind of person).

The next morning, I piled leftovers on top of yogurt but Alex preferred his straight up with a glass of milk. Warm or cool, plain or sweetened, this crisp is one of the best things about summer.

We still have at least ten pounds of blueberries left. How have you been using up your summer berries?

Fun in the sun- grilling "in"

Sorry I have been MIA the past few weeks. I have been cooking and eating delightful, fresh-off-the-farm produce and savoring every bite (privately), but I guess it's time I got back to sharing my goodies.

Last weekend was a perfect preview to summer: sunshine, bar-b-que, sales! We took advantage of the incredible long weekend and broke out the (stovetop) grill, joining the millions of families who charred up their Memorial Day. Saturday night, after a mega-Coop shopping trip, we created incredible sandwiches with all the flavors of the season: fresh pesto, heirloom tomatoes, grilled onions and portabellas.

I marinated the mushroom caps for about an hour in a simple dressing of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. I then grilled them alongside slices of sweet vidalia onion and brushed them with the remaining marinade, as needed, for about 20 minutes (flipping and rotating for that perfect grilled "x").

The pesto is a new creation each time, but roughly followed the recipe I posted last year: just a bunch of fresh basil, half a lemon, a couple ounces of parmesan, and a handful of nuts (EVOO, sale, pepper, of course). We spread the pesto on both slices of toasted (millet) bread, then layered the mushrooms, grilled onions, drunken goat cheese (one of my favorites), and lettuce and tomato. It was scrumptious!

Afterwards, we went out for a much-deserved scoop of "Louie G's" ice cream from our local shop. Waiting in line outside the blue and white striped awning with all the adults and kids brings huge summer flashbacks of dashing to get a cone after a day of swimming at the pool or running around at summer camp. This ice cream was just as delicious, and deserved. Alex models mint chip on a green T-shirt:

More from our "grill" soon: pancakes that almost made me weep for joy (I'll explain...) Also, we're expecting a whole lot more summer afternoons at the pool when we make the big move southward.

Hope you're outside enjoying the birdsongs and BBQ smells. Isn't this season amazing?!

Wild rice sald

It's been raining almost non-stop for what feels like weeks. The trees have burst into green and the grass is deliciously lush, but the humans aren't feeling so happy. Even the dogs at the park are glum.

To shake us out of some London-esque spring blues, I concocted a hearty and savory wild rice salad this weekend. It was one of those recipes I wake up with, as my final dream of the morning, giving subconscious direction to my culinary moves for the day. The same thing happened earlier this spring when I awoke with the NEED for a watercress and radish salad. I've never eaten watercress and I don't care for radishes, but on that morning, I knew it was the right thing.

So this wild rice salad of my dreams exceeded my expectations and warmed our house with its simmering scents. And now it's filling our bellies at our cold drowsy offices as we wait for the sun to shine through. It only gets better as it soaks up the juices.

This is a version I made with strawberries and peaches, which are perfect with the toasted pecans.

Wild rice salad of my dreams (all measurements are approximate, use your judgment)

In a medium sauce pot, combine and simmer 45 minutes:
1 c. wild rice (rinsed)
1 c. long grain brown rice
4-5 c. water (I can never get the amount just right)
1/2 stick cinnamon
2 bay leaves
1 star anise
3 cloves
1/2 tsp. peppercorns
1/4 tsp. allspice balls

When it's cooked, remove all the spices and leaves and let sit for a few minutes with the lid on. Then fluff and let cool while you prepare the mix-ins:

1 carrot, peeled and sliced to thin medallions
Zest of an orange
Juice of 1/2 an orange (more to taste, as needed)
EVOO (as needed)
1 bunch scallions, minced
2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 c. pecans, chopped (throw in more, to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

Toss all parts together, adding other veggies, cheeses (feta and goat are both good options) or dressing components and let sit as long as you're willing. The spices add a subtle aroma that melds really well with the orange juice and the hearty crunch of the wild rice.

What recipes have you dreamed of lately?

On a baking frenzy

I love the creative, spontaneous nature of cooking dinner each night, the free-flowing way vegetables enter the pan, followed by complimentary spices and sauces, inspired by the weather, a novel, or a recent trip. Sometimes, however, I require a little more structure. The focus, attention to detail, and precision involved in baking can be really therapeutic for me, especially when my life feels a bit out of my control. I think that's why my last four posts have all been about baked goods (and why I've been running my oven overtime). These confections bring comfort (a melty, steaming slice of banana bread with gooey chocolate chips), shared joys with friends (a basket of crisp coconut macaroons passed around the birthday table), and fill our souls (corn bread on a rainy Tuesday night, served up with BBQ tempeh and collards).

These past fourteen months I have researched, studied, written to, interviewed with, and visited dozens of graduate programs. The hundreds of hours preparing for exams, writing essays and talking with professors, as well as the astronomical costs of the application process have finally come to fruition. This summer, Alex and I will finally be moving to a town where he can pursue his passions with international sociology (including food systems and "green" economies) and where I can explore my interests in the law (workers' rights, environmental justice and civil rights.) After the many harried late nights on the subway plotting essay outlines on the back of advertisements found in am New York, I am finally DONE with the process! Last week, Alex and I officially accepted our offers from our respective graduate programs, and we will be relocating to our new town in just a couple of months.

The denoument of our quest to find "just one good option together" has finally played out, somewhat anti-climactically given the length of our seaerch. Just a couple of weeks ago, we visited the town to make certain it was the right choice, and after a day of torrential rain, the clouds parted for our first truly beautiful day this year. It was a warm welcome from our future home, whose brick townhouses smiled down at us. I snapped this parting shot from a passing window to remind me of the new town's charm. It will be hard to leave Brooklyn and her many offerings, but we hope to set up a more comfortable, greener home in our new place.
Until then, I will be scanning Craigslist each day for the best postings and coming home each night to vent my creativity in a spontaneous dinner concoction. This means, of course, that my baking run is most likely over :) On to light spring vegetables and delicate fruits, presented as purely and simply to showcase their natural beauty.

This recipe is my last from the oven for a while. Its flavors and textures are a perfect balance for a savory meal, and it will definitely make an appearance come autumn. Autumn, when I will once again see the swirling fallen leaves from a student's perspective. I can't wait.
Cheddar Corn Bread
(Adapted from Gluten Free Baking Classics)
1 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup brown rice flour
2/9 cup potato starch flour (no, that's not a typo, the recipe calls for 1 cup "mix" which is 2 cups brown rice flour, 2/3 cups potato starch flour, 1/3 cup tapioca flour, so I divided it by three)
1/9 cup tapioca flour
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1/4 cup sugar
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup milk minus 1 Tablespoon
1 large egg, well beaten
3/4 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Pinch or two of red pepper flakes

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease muffin pan (makes 9) or 8" round cake pan.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, mix wet ingredients, then add to dry and stir gently to combine. Do not over-mix. Stir in cheddar cheese and pepper flakes.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake about 25 minutes (pan) or 20 minutes (muffins). Remove from pan and serve immediately.

This is best warm and fresh, but leftovers can be sliced thinly and grilled with melted cheese or fried egg for a delicious brunch treat. We liked melting additional cheddar cheese inside, and served it with grilled BBQ tempeh and collard greens. I hope it brings you comfort too!

Gobbled up banana bread

Inspired by Gluten-Free Girl's awesome post about a recent dinner party with her friends, I decided to try a loaf of her sweet and cakey banana bread to see what everyone was raving about. It was absolutely the best banana bread I've ever eaten, and was the perfect snack for our impromptu road trip to Baltimore to check out grad schools (more on that later). Banana bread is the perfect disguise for the often light and crumbly gluten free flours because of its dense, moist texture and lush banana flavor. This is definitely a make-again, a nice gift for the holidays or for a little dinner party. Thank you Gluten Free Girl!
The gooey extra large Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips are my favorite, and the candied ginger adds an unexpected and spicy kick to the confection. I was out of the teff flour, so I improvised with brown rice and ground flax seeds. I don't think it compromised the integrity of the dish, so to speak.

Famous Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup ground flax seeds (for texture and Omega-3s)
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed banana (about 3 large bananas)
1/4 cup yogurt (I used fat free vanilla and it was fine)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup semisweet dark chocolate chips
1/3 cup crystallized ginger

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a loaf pan. Melt the butter on low heat. Set it aside to cool.
2. Sift together the flours and add xanthan gum, sugar, baking soda, and spices in a large bowl. Mix well.
3. Mix together the mashed bananas, eggs, yogurt, butter, and extract in a large bowl until just combined. Now sift the dry ingredients into the wet, avoid over-mixing. Stir in chocolate chips and candied ginger pieces (I chopped mine to 1/4" bits). Smooth out the top of the loaf.
4. Bake about 45 minutes, or until knife inserted comes out clean and the top is golden. Let set 10 minutes before removing from pan, then cool before slicing. As GF Girl notes, it's pretty hard to wait.

Parchment Paper and Martha

There's something so clean, crisp, and correct about parchment paper. Its smooth waxy surface and the satisfying crunch it makes when torn are so inviting. While aluminum foil feels crass, plastic wrap trashy, and wax paper excessive, parchment paper is just...right. I didn't understand its uses and merits until I began really baking and following cookbooks several years ago. A meltdown (painful pun intended) with a batch of chocolate chip cookies and some wax paper was my wake-up call. Overnight, I became parchment paper's biggest advocate.

This month's Martha Stewart Living has a delicious recipe for coconut macaroons--featuring, of course, parchment paper--which just seemed right for this blustery nigh-on-spring Saturday afternoon. The crisp exterior and chewy insides of these little morsels are both light and indulgent. I made a double batch to bring to a friend's birthday party, wrapped in a brown paper box with dotted tissue paper.
I am huge fan of Martha Stewart, although I know many love to hate on her, but I really admire her sensibility, creativity, and vast knowledge of all things domestic. She's also incredibly outspoken and doesn't take any b.s. And she knows her cookies. Trust me, these are incredible! The crunch from the almond pieces and the little spots of coarse sea salt add a refined texture to this simple dessert. I highly recommend them, just in time for Passover, and they are super simple to make.

Martha's Coconut Macaroons
(makes 16)
2/3 cup sugar
2 egg whites
2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract (my addition)
Pinch coarse sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together the egg whites and sugar in a large bowl until well combined.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir well.
4. Form into 2 Tbsp-sized mounds (you can really pack it together in your hands) and place 8 on each cookie sheet.
5. Bake about 15 minutes until golden on the bottoms and sides.
6. Cool 5 minutes on the cookie sheets and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Spring is here!

We had a small gathering last weekend in honor of this miraculous season. Crisp asparagus, spicy spinach-garlic pesto, delicate baby greens straight from (someone’s) garden. Tulips and irises graced our table and set the perfect backdrop for dessert: carrot cake. Because what is more springy than carrot cake? Can you believe this decadent, delicious dessert is totally gluten-free? I brought the leftovers to work where it was devoured in less than an hour (at 10:00 in the morning). No one knew it was GF and all plates were cleaned. I think it’s the combination of brown rice flour and walnuts and carrots that gives this dense cake the substance often lacking in GF baked goods. And lemony cream cheese frosting doesn’t hurt either.

Read up and enjoy! It’s simpler than the long ingredients list makes it seem. However, starting with the best, freshest organic produce and dairy really "puts the pants on it," as my mom says. Look how healthy these free range organic eggs are, so richly colored. I remember when we had white, uniform Eggland's Best eggs with the red stamp on them. I hate to think the lives those chickens lived. These eggs look like they came from my grandmother's farm.
Carrot Cake – makes 2 layers from Gluten Free Baking Classics, by Annalise Roberts—my new favorite cookbook for all things previously forbidden
2 cups brown rice flour
2/3 cup potato starch flour
1/3 cup tapioca flour
1 ½ tsp xanthan gum
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
2 cups granulated sugar
1 ½ cups canola oil
4 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup shredded coconut
2 cups peeled, grated carrots (about 6 medium carrots)
Check out the vibrancy of my juicy organic carrots!
1. Preheat oven to 350. Line two 9” round pans with parchment and lightly oil.
2. Combine dry ingredients, flour through nutmeg, in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, and oil about 1 minute. Add vanilla and mix well.
4. Add dry to wet and beat on medium about 4 minutes. Fold in carrots, coconut, and walnuts.
5. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake about 40 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool on rack for 10 minutes (in the pans). Use a knife to separate from pans and flip layers onto rack to finish cooling (peel off parchment).
7. DO NOT frost warm layers, as the icing will ooze and run all over the place. It’s delicious but not so pretty. Once it’s completely cooled, place bottom layer on a cake stand and frost its top. Then lay the second layer on top and frost the top and sides. Sprinkle an additional 1/2 cup toasted coconut flakes (spread in a pan and baked 3 minutes at 350) over the top and sides. Cream Cheese frosting
The real reason we all eat carrot cake. I made mine with a Meyer lemon and it was heavenly, fit for a queen.
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup low fat cream cheese, also room temp
3 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 lemon, zested and juiced

1. Beat butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in sugar at low speed until blended, then add vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. I immediately frosted my cake, but I think it would have been easier if I had chilled the icing so it stayed put between the layers. Be sure to add lots of icing to the middle, as that really makes the look of each slice. This is both very sweet and fairly tart, so balance the flavors to taste.
The cake has a beautiful moistness and a satisfying crunch from the walnuts and coconut. I would definitely make it again, but might do only one layer since two was far more cake than Alex and I could manage in the 3-4 days it keeps in the fridge. It would be a lovely brunch piece or dessert for a baby shower or daytime event. I would like to try it in mini cake pans for individual servings, since it avoids the messy slicing process. It’s not crumbly, like traditional GF desserts though. I think I just need a cake server :)

A Classic New York Birthday

For my big 2-5, Alex treated me to a full day of NYC tourists' delights, in honor of our final months in this historic city.

He started us off with a cozy champagne brunch at home (featuring my favorite GF waffles) and mimosas, while I opened presents and revealed the days' itinerary (it had been a surprise. When Alex asked what I wanted for my birthday, I asked for "a day of fun.")

We bundled up for the frigid February gusts and rode up to Central Park for a horse-drawn carriage ride. I know, it's kinda cheesy, but it's the kind of thing you really have to try once and embrace for the experience. And I loved it.
Alex knows that my head is often in the clouds--dreaming of magical lands and times past--so he led me through the park to Belvedere Castle, a wonderful "medieval" structure designed early in the Park's history. We wandered through the airy rooms to several rooftops and balconies canopied with stone carvings and impish sculptures before winding our way down the stairs to the pond below.
We played tourist and helped others take photos, exchanging cameras at scenic locations. The crisp air and hints of spring, along with the (finally!) muffled noises from the city were so transportative, we could have been in an Old World forest. It was perfect.
Of course, all that walking and fighting the chill made us pretty hungry, so we headed downtown to a famous gluten-free restaurant I'd been dying to try, Risotteria. As the name implies, they speicalize in Italian foods, and almost everything can be made gluten free. Imagine my delight when, after almost a year of abstention, I could indulge in breadsticks, pizza, and cake! It was a memorable meal, made more delightful by the fact that I could order anything on the menu and not worry, and I didn't have to ask the server a million questions about ingredients (they are very up-front about vegetarian ingredients too). Charming, delicious, relaxing...everything a restaurant experience should be.
I was grinning all over at this point, and we still had more birthday to celebrate. We dashed Uptown to catch Chicago on Broadway, in all its Fosse splendor, and danced in our seats throughout the production. While the night drew to a close, Alex had two more surprises for me: a (very generous) trip to see the Martha Stewart Show (air date 3/13/09-- you can pick us out in the audience shots at the beginning-- I'm wearing a bright turquoise dress and black wrap) and tickets to the top of the Empire State Building! I'm breathless just from writing it all down.

My favorite birthdays are the ones that last the longest, and Alex did an amazing job of packing my day full of beautiful things, as well as giving us more to look forward to in the Ides of March. My family and friends also filled my house with love (several bountiful bouquets), cards, gifts, and a general outpouring of joy that really makes the day so memorable. So thank you to everyone for their birthday wishes! I have a good feeling about this one.

(photos coming soon)

Warmth from winter veggies

After my "Week of Soups" in the middle of February, I had to concoct a new way to stay cozy and well-fed in the dregs of winter. For me, it's the bright, bitter-sweet taste of rainbow chard, layered with a savory bit of protein. Last night, I came up with a combination that really zaps my winter blues away and warms my heart. The colors, textures, and subtle flavors of each component meld so well, it's definitely a beautiful and satisfying medley of winter veggies.

1. First, I roasted a delicata squash (beautiful yellow oblong squash about 5" long with green veins running down like a pumpkin) with some olive oil in a covered pan for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Just halve the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds before roasting face down on the pan.

2. I sauteed a bunch of rainbow chard (a bundle containing white, pink, and golden-stemmed varieties) with a load of onions, garlic, and a healthy grind of fresh black pepper. This is seasoning enough for the gorgeous greens.

3. I shoved the greens to one side of the pan when they needed to simmer more and sprayed some EVOO and Bragg's liquid amino acids on the spot for some thinly sliced (1/4") tofu. This seared the skin, browned it nicely, and when I turned the slices, I added a fine layer of dijon mustard to give a kick to the protein and imitate fish.

I just put half a squash on my plate, loaded it with greens, and lay the tofu on top. I wish I had a picture of the pink, green, and golden dish, but I ate it all before I thought to snap a shot. Alex was reading an article in Cooking Light about the benefits of fish (and we were having a debate about the ethics of eating fish) when I took my first bite. It was so reminiscent of fish, I immediately served him a layered forkful, and he remarked that he would have believed it was fish. So, for fish lovers out there, this is a decent substitute as well.

It's so simple and delicious for a weeknight, helps me recharge for the next day. And I made leftovers for lunch!

A Homemade Valentine's Day

Last year, Alex and I were in Paris for Valentine’s Day, strolling arm in arm through Montmartre as we lunched on crepes and pan au chocolat. This year, having already gone on our annual adventure (to the Caribbean!), we knew it would be low-key. However, despite my plans to do nothing, Alex insisted we make each other a gourmet meal, and that was hard to turn down. In a nice role reversal (that turned into some baking catastrophes for me), Alex took on dinner and I took on dessert.

Craving something spicy, romantic, and succulent, we selected a puttanesca sauce based on a Jamie Oliver recipe, ripe with crushed red chilies, fresh olives, and tart capers. We simply made both normal and gluten-free pasta so we could both enjoy the main dish (and doubled the recipe for plenty of leftovers--note the reused mason jar of deliciousness below).

Puttanesca Sauce (minus the anchovies)
EVOO to coat the pan
2 cloves of garlic
2 handfuls black and/or kalamata olives, pitted and halved
½ a jar of capers, drained
2 dried chili peppers, crushed
½ tsp. dried oregano
1 (28 oz.) can of diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper, to taste
Large handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
Drizzle of EVOO to top off each portion

Heat the EVOO in a large saucepan, then saute the garlic through oregano for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and toss in the basil, stir and drizzle with olive oil. The salty, sexy olives just burst in your mouth, and the spicy tomato base makes this a delicious romantic meal. The handfuls of freshly torn basil leaves tossed in at the end bring a light finishing flavor to the rich sauce (which we quickly cleaned from our plates). A simple spinach and goat cheese salad balanced our meal and prepped us for the richness of dessert.

In keeping with the rustic Italian theme, I found a recipe from the Ottolenghi cookbook(in Gourmet Magazine) for an orange polenta cake that uses almonds and polenta as the main flours. With a minor substitution of ½ GF flour for all-purpose wheat flour, I easily adapted it to be gluten free and just as delicious. The rustic quality of the flours and polenta combined with the heady flavors of orange and almond make it a perfect mid-winter treat.

The cake is layered with first a rich caramel, then juicy slices of navel oranges, then the batter (it comes out like an upside-down cake). Once it is cooked and inverted, you drizzle a marmalade glaze over the top which seeps in, infusing every bite with a moist orange flavor. To top it off, Alex made fresh whipped cream with orange extract, and we served a bit of glaze on the plates. It was phenomenal, if a bit of a sugar overload. This morning, we had slices for breakfast, and it was a perfect scone-like delicacy. Definitely a make-again, especially for brunch or an elegant tea time (which I've never had, but which I'm sure some people put on).

Orange Polenta Cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9” cake pan and line it with parchment paper.

For the caramel layer, simmer together in a small saucepan:
½ cup superfine sugar (process granulated sugar for a minute or so)
2 Tbsp. water
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut to bits
2 oranges, zest reserved for cake batter, sliced horizontally (peel and pith cut off)

Simmer the sugar and water together over med-hi heat, swirling and washing down any sugar crystals that form on the sides with a pastry brush dipped in water. It will take a few minutes before the sugar dissolves and the mixture colors amber, but watch it carefully (my first batch burned and I had to start all over, what a waste!) When the mixture turns to caramel, remove from the heat and add the butter and swirl to combine.

Quickly and carefully pour into the prepared pan and tilt to coat the bottom. Spread orange slices in concentric circles across the caramel layer. This will be the top of the cake, so arrange them carefully for a nice design.

For the cake:
1 ¾ sticks butter, softened
1 cup superfine sugar
3 eggs
zest of both oranges
1 tsp. orange extract (or 2 tsp. orange flower water)
½ cup all purpose (GF) flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt.
2 cups of ground almonds (I put raw almonds in the food processor so they were still a bit coarse, which worked well with the texture of the polenta)
2/3 cup quick-cooking polenta

Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, until well mixed. Add the orange zest and the orange extract. Whisk together in a dry bowl the flour, baking powder, and salt. At a low speed, add the dry ingredients into the butter/sugar mixture. Blend in the ground almonds and the polenta to just combine.

Spread batter evenly over the orange slices in the cake pan and bake until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean and the top is golden, 1- 1¼ hours. Let cool 5 minutes and then invert onto a cake plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

For the glaze, melt in a small saucepan:
¼ cup orange marmalade
2 Tbsp. water.
Drizzle a bit over the top and sides of the cake. It’s pretty sweet, so go easy if you don’t want a very sugary dessert. You could also cut back on the sugar in the cake, if needed. A tart marmalade would work really well too.

For the orange whipped cream, mix on hi:
Whipping cream, powdered sugar, and orange extract, to taste.

It was a perfect, if gluttonous Valentine's Day, enhanced by the joy of selecting and preparing our meal together, and savoring each bite without the hectic or hurried atmosphere of a NYC restaurant. Although I believe it's silly for Americans to focus on only one day each year to be romantic, I did enjoy our celebration and look forward to many other weekend nights where we can take time out to share our joys (and food).

(Beneath the Arc du Triomphe 2/14/08)

Building a meal

When Alex and I pulled up to our house on Sunday in the spring-like warmth, our four-foot "car"t packed high with boxes of groceries lovingly hauled from the Coop, I considered the process that goes into constructing a meal. For me, it starts with a spot of inspiration--a movie set in France featuring irresistible cheeses, snowfall at dusk, the cover of a food magazine, a crisp bunch of fresh asparagus at the store--and the first dish follows.

Usually, I have a theme in mind, which could obviously center around a regional cuisine, but which often take its cues from a particular vegetable or spice that I'm craving, and develops from there.

Last night, for example, I wanted something soothing and loaded with veggies, and I had been browsing through this month's Gourmet magazine (courtesy of the Brooklyn Public Library), which featured simple takes on flavorful soups. While at the Coop, I loaded up on hearty ingredients-- dragon kale, sweet potatoes, Yukon golds, organic carrots, fresh cilantro--so that when I got home, I'd have lots of options.

As I rooted through our newly stocked fridge, I grasped a bunch of the lush, almost waxy kale, and decided to build from there. A quick search in the index of two fail-safe cookbooks, Moosewood and Crescent Dragonwagon's vegetarian bible, revealed a yummy Italian soup with polenta, beans, and lemon juice and a saute of mixed greens. Option 1 sounded just right.

To begin construction, I usually pull all my ingredients, do a quick check through the recipe for how each should be prepped, and go about chopping, mincing, dicing, and blanching each part in its own container, so that I can easily add each ingredient to the pot in turn. Of course, I can't seem to stick to any recipe religiously, so I ended up substituting French green lentils for cannelini beans (and cooked them with kombu to help with digestion), and then decided that the pasta e fagioli soup on the next page sounded REALLY good. Enter carrots, celery, onions, diced tomatoes, and a whole lot of spices.

What started out as a simple kale soup turned into a "mother's medley" stone soup amalgamation. With the list of veggies running close to ten, and the lentils and polenta adding a satisfying depth, I ended up way over my head with a huge pot of very hearty vegetable Italian-y soupy mush that stood alone as a meal. I threw some grated parmesan on top, popped a bottle of Chardonnay from the Finger Lakes, and plopped on the couch for a cozy evening watching a childhood favorite, Willow. A couple slices of parmesan later, my bowl was empty and the soup beckoned again, in all its muddled glory.

While my soup was not a meticulous study in recipe-following or creation, it was a creative endeavor undertaken with love for each ingredient and a general sense of where I was going.

But I'm curious if I'm alone here. How do you build your recipes and what inspires you?


Vegetable stone soup
For the lentils:
1 cup dried lentils
3-4 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 stick dried kombu seaweed
pinch of salt

Throw it all in a pot, cover, bring to a boil, then simmer 40 mins until almost tender and water is absorbed. Set aside for later addition to the soup.

For the soup:
2 Tbsp EVOO
2 carrots, sliced in half moons
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch kale, rinsed and chopped to 1/2" strips
14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
Cooked lentils
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
5-6 cups water or broth, to taste
1/2 cup ground polenta, mixed with 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice and 1/2 c. cold water

Substitute any greens for the kale, any beans for the lentils, any grains for the polenta (like pasta), and you have a new version on this medley.

1. Saute EVOO through onion, 5 mins.
2. Add garlic through basil, saute 5 mins until kale is wilted.
3. Add water and tomato paste, stirring well. Return to a simmer
4. Slowly add polenta, mixing gently to prevent lumps.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add hot pepper flakes if it needs a punch.
6. Serve hot with freshly grated parmesan, or over a bowl of pasta. Buon appetito!

Divorce is the worst

My parents divorced when I was a child. And now the union I work for is headed in that direction.

But this, this goes beyond anything I've experienced. That Prop 8 would effectively "divorce" 18,000 couples in the state of California, that is something beyond tragic. Please watch the video, and take action if you are so moved.

"Fidelity": Don't Divorce... from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.

Making the most of tofu

I get stir crazy in the winter. November and December are okay because I can focus on holiday decorating and feasting, but January is just cold. This year, we went to Cinnamon Bay, returning just in time for February, my favorite month. It's bookended with Alex's and my birthdays, nestling Valentine's Day in the middle. But that said, sometimes I have to spice up the cold, seemingly endless winter days to make it to February, and then to see myself through to the first crocuses in March.

So I made ground "beef" tacos.

Which I turned into scrambled tofu two days later.

And led to the perfect holed-up-in-the-cold game, Scrabble. Check out my hand!

Ground "Beef" Tacos with Guacamole

1 block of medium-firm tofu, drained

3 gloves garlic, as you like it, minced

Tsp or so of each: cumin (for a meaty flavor), turmeric (for the color), curry powder (for spice), cayenne pepper (for fire), and hot sauce or red pepper flakes (if it ain't hot enough)

Soy sauce or Bragg's liquid amino acids

1. Heat a large skillet on med-hi and add the tofu (no oil needed, I found). Spritz the tofu with the Bragg's or soy sauce and mash it with a potato masher. This gives it the crumbled texture of ground meat and works much faster than a fork.

2. Add the spices and garlic, to your taste, and just mash them all together until you like the flavors. More soy sauce may be needed to moisten the tofu and deepen the color.

3. Pile onto a hard corn tortilla with salsa, cheese, and homemade guacamole.

Never-fail Guacamole

The amounts of each ingredient may vary, depending on the size and flavor of your avocado, but these are my approximate ratios. I am a guac purist, so I only add these four ingredients, although you can try adding onions, cilantro, salsa, smoked paprika, etc for a different effect.

1 Haas avocado, ripened (indents when you press the skin)

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 a fresh lime, juiced over the avocado

Salt to taste

I just halve the avocado and score it so it's already broken up when I scoop it into the mixing bowl. Then I add the lime to keep it from turning brown (the acidity blocks the oxidization), and then toss in the garlic. After mixing this up, taste to see if you need more lime juice or garlic, and then add the salt. Every drop of this that I have ever made was consumed within one sitting, hence the name.

Scrambled Tofu

To convert my ground "beef" leftovers for a brunch-ready meal, I just tweaked a few things and got rave reviews from the coffee table.

Mashed, seasoned tofu (see above)

1 yellow onion, diced

Leftover roasted potatoes (I just sliced them up for rustic homefries)

Turmeric

Saute onions in EVOO. Add the potatoes and tofu. Season as desired and serve piping hot.

Happy February!

Paradise

Last week, Alex and my family and I dropped everything and dashed down to the Virgin Islands for an impromptu celebration of my mom's 50th birthday and Alex's 25th. It was the PERFECT escape from 1) the cold 2) work stress and 3) the grad school admissions saga. We realize it's our last indulgence for a few years as we buckle down under student loans etc, so we made the most of our amazing week.We soaked up the sun at Cinnamon Bay, a campground in the national park land on St. John, USVI. My family has been there four times because it really is the best beach in the world, and it's not too far away.

A typical schedule: wake up at 9, go for a (barefoot!) run on the beach, jump in the ocean to cool off, grab a quick breakfast back at the campsite, and then head to the beach and sun or snorkel until 5 or so, when it's time to make dinner on the camp stove. We were in bed by 9 because something about lying in the sun all day tires you out (and the lack of electricity may be a contributing factor). We might read in bed by flashlight for an hour and then turn on on our cots for a cozy night, serenaded by spring peepers and the crashing waves!

We ate incredibly well, despite having to cook on four propane burners and hauling our own water from a faucet by the beach. My mom and grandma are so prepared, they brought spices, oils, garlic, a grater(!), plastic cutting boards, and so many other little necessities that we've learned over the years really make camping easier. We made latkes the last night with our leftover potatoes, eggs, and onions, and my mom rigged a batch of bread pudding in a kettle set on empty cans of condensed milk in a water bath inside a large pot. Everyone who walked by our site was jealous.

On the one night that we didn't cook, we hiked over to Maho Bay eco-camps for my mom's birthday dinner. Like true budget travelers, we timed our arrival with happy hour, and savored (free!) rum punches and old fashioned popcorn. If you have been reading this blog, you know how much I love popcorn, so this was a real treat. In the islands, they serve it with salt and hot sauce on the side, so I loaded up on refills.

I am so blessed to have a loving and adventurous family and partner, and so fortunate to have been able to go on this trip (which was an early birthday present from my mom and stepdad). Thanks to everyone for making it a January respite in paradise.

Winter wonderland

On Martin Luther King Day, we were blessed with an incredible snowfall, the second of the season, which is pretty rare for NYC these days. We celebrated, true to our Upstate nature, and thoroughly enjoyed our snow day.We headed straight for Prospect Park. It was very wet snow, and not at all chilly, so it clung to the trees and outlined the various ponds and lakes with delicate precision. My favorite spot in the park is near the Audubon House where swans, ducks, and geese hunker down for the winter.These kids were so excited, but they could barely walk for all their layers. It was adorable watching all the tykes getting hauled around on sleds, their parents doing all the work. We saw one dad pulling a string of kids on a single line uphill. The babies were just lying back and enjoying the scenery. Seems like things have changed from when I used to go sledding...After our romp through the park, we bought some fresh tulips for the table and cozied up at home with some homemade Indian food (courtesy of the Moosewood cookbook) and a snowy salad. More recipes and photos to follow.
(The tulip vase is a vintage milk glass piece I picked up at a thrift store in Philly...trying to build my collection Martha-style. Also, the tablecloth is a vintage, hand-embroidered piece from the 1950s I got at a garage sale some years back. It really charms up our living/dining room).

Snowfall salad
On a bed of arugula or mixed baby greens, place:
1 pink grapefruit, peel removed and segments detached from membranes
1 avocado, cubed
1-2 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (my favorite is the creamy French feta)

Dressing
Whisk together:
2 parts EVOO
1 part fresh lemon or pink grapefruit juice (from the remaining core)
A squirt of Dijon mustard (about 1 tsp for a 2-person salad)
A pinch of dill seed, cumin, or other spices which match your main course
Cracked black pepper and sea salt to taste

This light salad was a delicious accompaniment to the Indian meal (with echoes of mustard, cumin, and citrus in the dressing) and the crumble feta topping matched the snowfall outside. The citrus and avocado are decisively wintry flavors, which really rounded out our snow day.

After dinner, we snuggled under a huge quilt and watched Mongol, a Chinese film about the rise of Genghis Khan, which I highly recommend. The epic storytelling and incredible scenery made it a memorable treat. Yes, it was a pretty awesome snow day in Brooklyn!