A Good Meal

The Winter Kitchen

2009-01-26T13:19:00.000-08:00

Ah, the smells of the winter kitchen: turkey and white wine in the slow cooker, warm bread cooling on the countertop, green tea steeping in your favorite mug, and fresh red peppers roasting under the broiler. Wait a minute--fresh red peppers? Let me explain. Two out-of-the-ordinary occurrences converged at our local, small town grocery store. First, an item in the produce department went on sale (sales are generally reserved for individually-wrapped processed cheese slices and generic canned goods). Second, the produce actually looked good. The peppers were deep red, their skin taught and firm. The usual arguments swelled in my mind, "They're out of season!" "They're all the way from Mexico!" "They'll taste sweeter in the summer!" Alas, I am weak. Also, the chance of stumbling across a similar circumstance of such serendipity seemed unlikely. I filled a bag, and now there are red peppers roasting in the oven.

It smells like summer, the aroma slicing through the dry air, and this sword is certainly double-edged. Already, I can hear the seeds in their paper packets, feel the cold earth under my fingernails, taste the first asparagus, smell the charcoal covered in a thin layer of ash at the bottom of the grill. It is wonderful. It is also January, and the winter stretches out long before us, long like the miles between my kitchen and a place where red peppers still grow.

-Zach

Menu for a Blue State

2008-11-05T08:23:00.001-08:00

For the first time since 1964, Indiana is blue. To celebrate, we gathered friends and family and dined on BLUE corn chips with homemade salsa, BLUE Devil Cheese and Bacon Dip with crackers, carrots, and BARACK-oli, Genzano Potato Pizza with all-BLUE potatoes, and some cookies for CHANGE. And, of course, we washed it all down with some Pabst BLUE Ribbon.

Ah, the sweet taste of change...

Stuffed Peppers, Anyone?

2008-07-28T08:28:00.001-07:00

My mom has been talking about stuffed peppers a lot lately, so I thought I'd try them out. She grew up on them, but I don't remember having them much as a kid so I don't have much to go on. As usual, I went to Cook's Illustrated for a recipe, and threw in some fresh veggies from the garden when the peppers went in the oven (I should have parboiled the veggies or started them earlier; they were a little crunchy).

Do any of you have a favorite stuffed pepper recipe?

(Zach)

What the kale!?!

2008-06-23T11:29:00.000-07:00

Whew, it's been a long time! It finally feels like Kira and I are coming up for air after two crazy months of opening up the coffee shop. We're almost finished dismantling the piles of laundry, dirty dishes, and junk mail that accumulated while we were spending 12-14 hours a day in the shop. And--thankfully--we're finding time to cook again. One can only live on veggie burgers and tater tots for so long.

*Side note: Actually, we can't complain too much about not eating well because every day we have a freshly-made, gourmet soup simmering away in the shop downstairs, thanks to our resident "soup-ster" named Katie. I hope all of you can come taste one of her creations. We should probably start a blog devoted entirely to her cooking. It's crazy good.

This summer, my dad has offered his farm as a pick-up place for vegetable shares from Country Gardens and Farm Market in Fort Wayne (we enjoyed some of their veggies and flowers at our wedding last summer). A family was unable to pick up their box this week, so Kira and I became the recipients of a whole slew of fresh turnips, beets, chard, lettuce, herbs, and kale. I must admit, with the exception of the lettuce and herbs, these aren't things you'll often find in our refrigerator. Isn't it great when your meals are determined by what's coming out of the garden? I haven't cooked much kale, and I was excited to see what it's like, so that's what we broke out first. After consulting From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce, and finding a recipe for "Wonderfully Easy Pasta with Kale," here's what I threw together for lunch:

Whole-Wheat Pasta with Sauteed Kale and Slow-Roasted Chicken

Your preferred amount of your favorite whole-wheat pasta
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1-3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pound chopped kale leaves
1-2 cups cooked chicken (I slow-roasted one of my dad's chickens last night, using Cook's Illustrated's Slow-Roasted Chicken method.)
Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Boil and salt your water. Cook your pasta. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the onions and garlic, and cook until tender. Add the kale and saute until wilted. Drain the pasta, toss it in with the onions, garlic, and kale. Add chicken and mix it all around. Serve, topping with Parmesan cheese.

*Another side note: The largest consumer of kale in the U.S. is Pizza Hut. Whaaaa, you ask? Don't worry--they aren't putting kale on any pizzas, even though it is nutritionally superior to most other veggies, chock full calcium and vitamins A and C. They use it to decorate the salad bar.

a nerdy quest resolved?

2008-05-12T04:16:00.000-07:00

While visiting Sam and Marja in Minneapolis a few weeks ago, I mentioned to Sam that I had made focaccia some time earlier. Little did I know that this particular bread had become such a holy grail for him. He convinced me to post the recipe. I hope it holds up to his high standards from Punch. This recipe is from Baking Illustrated, edited by the crew of Cooks Illustrated. The secrets, aside from blasts of 900 degree heat, are a sponge and a potato. If I remember Punch’s correctly, this has a higher rise, but I think that has to do with the lack of giant brick oven.

- Lilly Steinberg

Dough:
1 medium baking potato, peeled and quartered
1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast (I use active dry)
3 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling the bowl and pan
1 ¼ teaspoons salt

Topping:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
¾ teaspoons coarse sea salt or 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

1. Simmer the potato in boiling water until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain and cool until it can be handled comfortably. Press through the fine disk on a ricer or grate through the large holes on a box grater. Reserve 1 ½ cups lightly packed potato.

2. Meanwhile, mix the yeast, ½ cup flour and ½ cup warm water with a wooden spoon until combined. Cover the sponge tightly with plastic wrap and set aside until bubbly, about 20 minutes. (Since I used active dry yeast, I dissolved the yeast in the water before mixing with the flour.) Add 1 ½ cups of flour to the sponge, then beat with a wooden spoon 5 minutes. Add 1 ¼ cups flour, along with the remaining dough ingredients. Continue beating until the dough comes together. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead, adding the remaining ¼ cup flour as needed, until the dough becomes elastic and sticky, 4-5 minutes. (Step 2 can also be done in a stand mixer or food processor. Add all the remaining ingredients to the sponge at once and process until smooth and elastic: 5 minutes for the stand mixer, 40 seconds for the food processor).

3. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free area until the dough is puffy and doubled in volume (about 1 hour).

4. With wet hands, press the dough flat into a generously oiled 15 ½ by 10 ½ inch rimmed baking sheet. If the dough won’t stretch into the corners, cover with a damp cloth, let it relax for 15 minutes and try again. Alternatively, you can divide the dough in half and free-form two 8 inch rounds. Cover the dough with oil-sprayed plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free area until dough is puffy and doubled in volume, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

5. With two wet fingers, dimple the risen dough at regular intervals. Make sure the dimples are deep enough to catch pools of oil and salt.

6. Drizzle the dough with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and rosemary leaves.

7. Adjust an oven rack to a lower middle position. Bake at 425 until the bottom crust is golden brown and crisp, 23-25 minutes. Cool slightly on a wire rack. Best served warm.

Zach Hawkins (licensed in food service)

2008-05-07T12:29:00.000-07:00

Is Zach Hawkins truly licensed in food service, as this article (scroll to 4.24.08) in the North Manchester News points out? Well, I'll be.

Congrats on the opening of the coffeeshop - we're all dying to hear behind-the-scenes stories from KenapochoMocha! Perhaps Kira and Zach would share a secret or two about managing a coffeeshop (that's your lead-in, Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins)...

All Together Now

2008-04-22T05:15:00.000-07:00

Dear bloggers, it was excellent to be together for a weekend in Minneapolis!

Any meal is a good meal with y'all.

Instant Gratification: Fish Tacos

2008-04-21T19:44:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it gets tough live in Minnesota. We're impatient for spring's arrival. We want to eat season-appropriate food, but all we see around us these days looks barely-green and scrawny. Those chives we had on Sunday were the only edible thing I've seen around here in weeks... months!

So tonight we splurged and just went for it. Here's the account of our indulgence:

Fish Tacos with Salsa Verde
(recipes adapted from Bon Appetit, May 2008)

Salsa Verde

3 unpeeled garlic cloves
1 pound fresh tomatillos, husked, rinsed
1 small onion, halved
2 jalapeño chiles (hunt and peck for the red-orange ones)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Coarse kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill tomatillos, onion quarters, and chiles until dark brown spots form on all sides, about 9 minutes for onion, 6 minutes for tomatillos and chiles, and 4 minutes for garlic. Stem chiles and scrape out seeds for a milder salsa. Corsely chop onion, chiles, and garlic. Transfer tomatillos and all vegetables to blender. Add cilantro and 1/2 teaspoon sugar; puree until smooth. Season to taste with coarse salt.

Grilled Fish Tacos

2 cups chopped white onion, divided
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1/4 cup olive oil
5 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound tilapia, striped bass, or sturgeon fillets
Coarse kosher salt
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon milk
Corn tortillas
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, sliced
1/2 small head of cabbage, cored, thinly sliced
Salsa Verde
Lime wedges

Stir 1 cup onion, 1/4 cup cilantro, oil, 3 tablespoons lime juice, orange juice, garlic, and oregano in medium bowl. Sprinkle fish with coarse salt and pepper. Spread half of onion mixture over bottom of 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange fish atop onion mixture. Spoon remaining onion mixture over fish. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Turn fish; cover and chill 30 minutes longer. Whisk mayonnaise, milk, and remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice in small bowl.

Brush grill grate with oil; prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill fish with some marinade still clinging until just opaque in center, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Grill tortillas until slightly charred, about 10 seconds per side.

Coarsely chop fish; place on platter. Serve with lime mayonnaise, tortillas, remaining 1 cup chopped onion, remaining 1/2 cup cilantro, avocados, cabbage, Salsa Verde, and lime wedges.

A few housecleaning recipes

2008-03-02T15:27:00.000-08:00

As Marja and I near our moving date (we bought a house!), we are starting to realize that all of the stuff we have accumulated is going to have to move with us. To help cut down on boxes, we have decided to get ruthless with eating some of the foods we put up last summer, even though it means we'll run out sooner than we thought.

With that in mind, here are a couple of things I prepared today. The first I got from the magazine Cooking Light. The second I made up and haven't actually eaten yet, since it is still cooking. We'll see!

Glad the blog is back in action.

Roasted Garlic, Tomato, and Rosemary Dip

1 head garlic, paper membranes removed, roasted at 375 in a tinfoil wrapper for 45 minutes

1 cup water

3.5 ounces sundried tomatoes, not packed in oil (I used home dried and it worked great)

2 T olive oil

1/2 t minced fresh rosemary

1/4 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

Bring the water to a boil and drop in the tomatoes. Remove from heat and let soak ten minutes, then drain and reserve 1/4 cup water.

Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the membranes into a food processor. Add all the other ingredients and blend until smooooooth. Serve on fresh, crusty bread or crackers.

Frozen Tomato and Last of the Soymilk Soup

several frozen tomatoes

a bunch of onion

a few cloves of garlic

some oregano, rosemary, thyme and red pepper

the last of the plain soymilk (~1/4 cup)

Thaw the tomatoes, remove their skins, and put them in a food processor. Saute the onions, garlic, and spices in a soup pot until translucent, then transfer them to the food processor. Blend until as smooth as you like, then return to the soup pot. Add the soymilk and slowly heat to serving temperature. Add whatever spices you feel are needed.

I'm sure you could use canned tomatoes to make this soup, although I'm not sure you'd want to bother. I'll let you all know.

Confession

2008-02-27T07:59:00.000-08:00

I stole Jane's cookie recipe. Then I changed it a little, and became wildly famous. They're talking about giving me a Food Network show. I should be happy, but the sweet flavors of success quickly turn bitter when seasoned with your own ineptitude. Read it all here.

Can you see the sadness in my smile?

Up Yours, Punxsutawney Phil

2008-02-12T11:48:00.000-08:00

Last night, Kira and I finished the last of the purple basil pesto we froze during the summer. We've already made the mental note to make lots, lots more this year. Curse that groundhog and the cold shadow that he casts!

Purple Pesto Pizza with Roasted Red Peppers (thankfully, we still have more of these!)

A Nerdy Quest

2007-12-01T11:57:00.000-08:00

So Zach and I have been having a great nerdy conversation via email and phone over the last few days, and after realizing that our friends are nerdy too, we have decided to bring you all up to speed and ask for your input and help.

The subject of our conversation has been focaccia, or more specifically, Punch Pizza focaccia. For those of you who are not familiar with Punch, it is small chain of neopolitan pizza joints in the Twin Cities area. They make great pizza and better focaccia. So great is their focaccia, in fact, that I have become a little obsessed with replicating it in my own kitchen.

Before I tried making Punch-style focaccia, however, I thought I’d ask one of the Punch employees if I was chasing rainbows. You see, Punch uses a 900 degree wood-fired brick oven to cook its pizzas and focaccias in about ninety seconds, something I would not be able to do. I approached the manager, and the following conversation ensued:

Me: “Hi. I like your focaccia and I want to try making it.”

Friendly-Looking Manager: “We don’t talk about our recipe.”

Me (not surprised): “I figured that. I don’t want your recipe. I just want to know if it tastes so good because of how you cook it.”

Friendly-Looking But Not Really So Friendly Manager: “We don’t talk about our recipe.”

Me (a little annoyed): “I understand that. I’m not asking for your recipe. I just want to know if I need to buy or build a large wood-fired brick oven in my apartment.

Rat-Looking and Not So Friendly Manager: “We don’t talk about our recipe.”

Me (with an anger-twitch disfiguring my otherwise classic features): “Ok. Listen. Just answer this question: does your focaccia taste so good because of your UNAVAILABLE recipe or because of your giant oven?”

Rat Manager: “We don’t talk about our recipe.”

Me (looking at him like I look at the radio whenever I hear Matchbox 20 being barfed out onto the airwaves): “You’re an idiot.”

Ok, so I didn’t say that last line, but I sure thought it, and as I walked out I vowed to return someday knowing that I had defeated the Rat Manager and his stupid pre-recorded response by making my own delicious chewy Punch-style focaccia.

Well, the quest started with much fan-fare, as so many do, but quickly ran into trouble. The first attempts resulted in a thick, crispy focaccia that, while tasty, was nowhere near the tactile taste explosion ignited by the flat, chewy Punch version. After many failed loafs, I despaired of ever vanquishing the Rat Manager.

That is, until a chance encounter reignited the fire in my heart. I was explaining my love of the movie Army of Darkness in general and the character Ash in particular to my students. An Irish kid, who happens to resemble the Rat Manager, was not impressed and exclaimed, in his wonderful highland lilt, “Fock Ash! Ah!”

As I paddled the boy, I was struck by how eerily similar his epithet was to the word ‘focaccia’. Inspired, I contacted Zach and asked him some questions, hoping his vast knowledge of all things bread related would help me overcome the obstacles I had encountered in my previous attempts.

Zach responded quickly, and after spending a few days reading through his emails, I was ready to try again. This snowy Saturday has provided perfect conditions for some quest-inspired baking, and my first new attempts are in the oven right now. I know Zach gave set off on his own branch of the quest a few days ago, so perhaps the Rat Manager has already been defeated. Anyway, depending on the success of these loaves, one or both of us will post recipes. In the meantime, does anyone have any advice?

2007-10-31T14:42:00.000-07:00

my bread is never pretty, but it usually tastes good!

One in the Oven

2007-10-16T15:21:00.000-07:00

Today is World Day of Bread, and to honor it I'd like to encourage all of you to bake a loaf of bread this week (or perhaps this weekend) and post a picture of it on the blog! (Perhaps taking one step closer to that perfect focaccia, Sam?)

Here is a recipe for one of Kira's favorites, a simple Light Wheat Bread (from the Bread Baker's Apprentice by Peter Reinhart):

2 1/2 cups unbleached high-gluten or bread flour
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar or honey
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons powdered milk
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (2 1/4 active dry yeast)
2 tablespoons shortening or unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups water, at room temperature

1. Stir together the flours, sugar (if using), salt, powdered milk, and yeast in a 4-quart mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). Add the shortening, honey (if using), and water. Stir (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment) until the ingredients form a ball. If there is still flour on the bottom of the bowl, dribble in additional water. The dough should feel soft and supple. It is better for it to be a little too soft than to be too stiff and tough.

2. Sprinkle flour on the counter, transfer the dough to the counter, and begin kneading (or mix on medium speed with the dough hook). Add more flour if needed to make a firm, supple dough that is slightly tacky but not sticky. Kneading should take about 10 minutes (6 minutes by machine). The dough should pass the windowpane test (ask me about this if you don't know) and register 77 to 81 degrees. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

3. Ferment at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.

4. Remove the dough from the bowl and press it by hand into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick, 6 inches wide, and 8 to 10 inches long. Form it into a loaf.* Place the loaf in a lightly oiled 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch bread pan. Mist the top with spray oil and loosely cover with plastic wrap.

5. Proof at room temperature for approximately 90 minutes, or until the dough crests above the lip of the pan.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the oven rack on the middle shelf.

7. Place the bread pan on a sheet pan and bake for 30 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees for even baking and continue baking for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the oven. The finished loaf should register 190 degrees in the center, be golden brown on the top and the sides, and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.

8. When the bread is finished baking, remove it immediately from the loaf pan and cool it on a rack for at least 1 hour, preferable 2 hours, before slicing and serving.

*To form a sandwich loaf: Working from the short side of the dough, roll up the length of the dough one section at a time, pinching the crease with each rotation to strengthen the surface tension. The loaf will spread out as you roll it up, eventually extending to a full 8 to 9 inches. Pinch the final seam closed with the back edge of your hand or with your thumbs. Rock the loaf to even it out; do not taper the ends. Keep the surface tension of the loaf even across the top. Place the loaf in a lightly oiled pan. The ends of the loaf should touch the ends of the pan to ensure an even rise.

Putting Food Up Part II

2007-10-12T15:07:00.000-07:00

I'm glad you like this idea for a new discussion strand, Zach. I have been really into it lately, although I have to purchase my raw materials at the farmer's market. Even so, a big part of the joy I get from this activity is that I am prolonging the period during which I break the ol' industrial food chain a bit.

I have basically tried three types of long-term food storage this summer/fall: freezing, pickling, and drying. Freezing is easy but since our freezer is now completely full (no room for ice cream, even), I have focused more energy on pickling and drying.

Pickling is usually a one-time thing for me each summer. This year, I did a big batch of pickled cucumbers, beans, beets, and carrots in mid-August, which means they are ready about now. It is a deceptively simple process. Since the vinegar is such a strong acid, you don't need to worry at all about botulism. As long as you sterilize your jars and lids and get the brine in the jar, you pretty much can't go wrong. I use my Grandpa's brine recipe, which makes great, strong dills:

3 quarts soft water (Obviously, you'll want to adjust this to the size of your batch.)
1 quart white vinegar
1 cup pickling salt
1/2 cup sugar (Don't worry, they still come out dill.)
Bring this to a boil, then just keep it hot.

Clean whatever you are going to pickle, then stuff it in your sterilized jars along with a lot of dill and maybe a shallot or a garlic clove. Shake in a few red pepper flakes, more if you want a kick, then a just a pinch of Alum powder (optional). This last helps keep the pickles crunchy. I've heard rumors that it may contribute to Alzheimer's, but I can't remember where I read that.

Once you've stuffed your jar, fill them to about half an inch from the top with brine. Screw on the lids, then boil for five minutes. Set the jars out to cool and wait for the lids to pop down. If they don't however, they are still fine. I was worried about that last year, so when I tried a non-lid-popped jar, I made sure Marja was there to call 911 if I started dying. I didn't and the pickles tasted the same.

As far as drying goes, I'm still new. I too built a solar dryer, but it was so small it could do only one apple at a time. They turned out great, but I didn't want to eat them when it took 36 hours of drying time for four little apple rings. My newest purchase, which Marja immediately labeled my birthday present, is a Ronco electric food dryer. This little baby is worth 39.99 at most Target stores (probably cheaper on the internet).

So far, I've dried bananas, apples, tomatoes, and red peppers. The fruit is easy and is a superb pick-me-up at school. It is light and easy to store, too. The vegetables take a little longer to dry, but taste fantastic. The red pepper slices in particular are just packed with flavor. I had the dryer running for about the first week I owned it, but Marja cut me off when I started rooting around in the fridge for stuff to dry. This weekend I'm hoping to scrounge some apples from a neighborhood tree and get the dryer up and running again. Anyway, I highly recommend the little guy. It has no moving parts, just an electric coil, and it does a wonderful job. Pete and Jane, if you have any extra produce that you want me to dry for you, let me know.

Ok, I guess that is it for me. I'm thinking we might have missed our window somewhat on the food preservation front as the season is really winding down. Next year, though, I think we should at least have a big pickling party. It is a full-day affair to make a decent sized batch, so the more the merrier. I'd also be interested if anyone wants to try making sauerkraut. Apparently cabbage is one of the last vegetables regularly preserved by lactic fermentation.

Hope all is well with everyone.

Sam

Putting Food By

2007-10-08T09:20:00.000-07:00

Now that "National Eat Together Week" is long gone (and I must admit it ended a bit abruptly--on the final evening when Kira was gone and I was up all night baking bread I had a Pabst and an old muffin for dinner), it's high time we take Sam's suggestion and start a conversation about putting food up.

Despite today's high of 91 degrees in North Manchester, I have to believe that cooler days are on their way, and we won't be harvesting fresh produce all winter. The gardens on the farm, however, are loving this endless summer. The weeds seem confused and the bugs have given up, so we're left with some beautiful fall crops of lettuce, snow peas, and green beans. The cabbage and purple cauliflower are hanging on, too, much to our delight. I went out to the farm at the end of last week to pick a bunch of produce, and spent the evening freezing beans and cauliflower while Kira was at rehearsal.

We've got corn, zucchini (pre-shredded for breads and soups), purple pesto, tomato sauce, and roasted red peppers in the freezer. I tried drying some tomatoes in the oven at the end of the summer, so those are in their too. (Sam, I'd love to hear more about your food dryer. I made a rough--ok, very rough--solar food dehydrator using these plans, but never actually tried it out.) I had big plans to try my hand at pepperoncini, jam, and salsa, as well, but never got around to it. Next year, I suppose. Until then, Kira and I plan to freeze more of the fall crop, keep potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, parsnips, etc. in a cool, dry place, and keep pulling carrots out of the ground. Maybe we'll get fancy and try braiding some garlic like Barbara Kingsolver, but the old screen in the barn on which they sit at the moment may suffice through the winter.

I'm also going to try to extend lettuce season as long as possible using a cold frame (I just found out that my dad has a long, tunnel-like frame in the barn). We'll see how that goes.

Sam, will you talk more about pickling? I'd love to hear about your experiences. One day I plan to pick up the book Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz (I read his other book The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved this summer and really enjoyed it). Speaking of books, I have commandeered a book from my parents' bookshelf called The New Putting Food By by Ruth Hertzberg, Beatrice Vaughan, and Janet Greene and it has been a great resource in learning about food preservation.

Can't wait to hear about the different ways you guys are prolonging the harvest!

The end of the week . . .

2007-09-21T17:25:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are approaching the end of Nat'l Eat Together Week and Marja and I have posted one lousy recipe. We are going to try another one, but at the end of a long week it just isn't that likely that it will be too involved.

Annie's Macaroni and Cheese

You will need:
1 (one) box of Annie's Macaroni and Cheese
1 (one) small pot
Some (some) water
2 (two) tired nerds
Inability to gather the energy to do anything active or social (optional)

Directions:
Cook the pasta
Add the cheese
Eat
Fall asleep at 8:00 on a Friday night.

Notice the hastily torn open box of Annie's, the piles of tests and papers that await grading, and the vacant stares of the diners.

Happy Friday all. Safe travels to everyone who is flitting about. Safe sleeping to the rest of us.

Sam and Marja

Holy Mounds of Basil, Batman!

2007-09-20T19:14:00.000-07:00

It was a dark and stormy night when Pete and Jane entered their house to find a stranger lurking in their midst....

...however, after careful examination of the questionable character it was revealed that it was indeed their long lost Virginian friend, home for a weekend of celebrations, Smellin'.

She took instantly to her old nickname and began smellin' up the house by cleaning and picking through the mountains of fresh basil that Peter had brought home from the farmers' market.

Pete, Jane and Smellin' worked tirelessly (and fearlessly as the tornado sirens wailed around the neighborhood that was fast becoming a floodplane in the mid-September torrent). There was a schedule to adhere to, and a hungry Pete to feed before he had to brave the storm to attend to duties elsewhere.

The pasta was sacrificed on the uphill side of "al dente" yet the zucchini was cooked to perfection. The blender was taught a lesson that night by a mountain of basil. And the blender wept. It wept from being beaten up by a girl with some basil and 3 cloves of garlic. It shall never be the same again.

Once the parmesan cheese was garnished and the wine glasses ceremoniously clinked, the three hungry Oles sat down for a dinner together that had been more than two years in the making.

A better homecoming could not have been imagined as they seasoned their culinary teamwork to their individual perfection.

Soon the rain subsided, and Pete had to bid his farewell for the evening, but there was still more to come. After downing our wine and washing the dishes, those ginger bread cookies didn't even see it coming....

Tune it next time for another episode when Peter comes home from the market with excessive quantities of something else and another meal is inspired. Same bat time. Same bat channel. Brought to you by Northwest Airlines.

No really. Not shameless advertising. Helen wrote this post, and she was brought to Minnesota by Northwest Airlines...

[cricket. cricket. ehem. cricket...]

Fool proof poison testing.

Stew from a Nalgene

2007-09-20T17:43:00.000-07:00

It was a pastors day out at the farm...and we're reaping all the benefits. I biked some fresh bread out for their lunch, ate, and got sent home with leftovers (putting the beef stew in a Nalgene so it wouldn't make a mess of my backpack). Kira and I ate on the floor of the living room, surrounded by poster-making supplies. (Kira is making some signs for the Firehouse fundraiser this weekend--it's a big one: fundraiser Saturday, Farm Fest Sunday.)

Ah, leftovers are always sweetest when they're someone else's. They were bittersweet tonight, however, for this is my last meal with Kira during "National Eat Together Week." She leaves tomorrow for a weekend in Minnesota!

Soup for the Sick

2007-09-19T20:12:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about FunFest is the public library book sale. This year, I found a copy of The New Laurel's Kitchen for $12. I keep hearing about The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book, (which I hope to add to my collection soon), so I thought this would be worth picking up. It sure came in handy tonight. Kira woke up with a pretty nasty cold, so I turned to Laurel's Golden Noodle Soup. Mom came over to run lines before rehearsal, so that's the theme of the picture.

Golden Broth
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup yellow split peas
2 tablespoons oil

1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 quarts hot water

Saute onion, whole garlic clove, and split peas in oil until delicately brown. Stir in turmeric and add water. Simmer at least half an hour. Strain for a thin stock, puree for a thick one.

Green Broth: substitute green peas for yellow. Add a bay leaf and omit the turmeric. For a very full flavored broth, add a carrot and potato, cut up. Celery leaves are good too.

Golden Noodle Soup
2 quarts Golden Broth
big handful whole wheat ribbon noodles
1 cup each diced celery, potatoes, carrots
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

Bring broth to a boil in a heavy pan. Add noodles, celery, potatoes, carrots, and salt. Reduce heat and simmer gently until the vegetables are tender, about half an hour. Stir in the parsley, adjust seasoning, and serve. Makes about 10 cups of soup.

Timesaving variation: If you don't already have the broth, cook the noodles and vegetables in another pot whilt the broth simmers, combining them after you puree or strain the broth. Total cooking time is about half an hour.

Nat'l Eat Together Week Has One Flaw

2007-09-19T13:46:00.000-07:00

Though we all appreciate "National Eat Together Week" and the many social and sensational benefits it offers, it does leave one question unanswered: "What does one do when one is alone?"

Lucky for you, I'm here to provide the answer to that question. Last night, while both Jane and Ann were busy with their respective Tuesday night obligations, I was home alone. I considered surrounding the dining room table with my eclectic collection of stuffed dolls, but thought better of it. After all, our dining room window has no shades and it's situated close enough to the sidewalk that onlookers may mistake it for a display case in a museum. Instead I embraced my situation and made what I like to call: "Dinner for One."

How old is this granola?

2007-09-19T01:02:00.001-07:00

Hello friends,

Just wanted to let you all know how much I've enjoyed eating with you this week. For John and I, its moving week. This means going out for last meals with friends from Cardiff and trying to eat up the odds and ends of our cupboards before heading out. So we haven't had a chance to really intentionally prepare a meal together this week. But I'm glad to see all of your happy, well-fed faces, and share a cyber meal. Can't wait to do it in person soon.

Love to all,
Anne

Let's start a pizza farm

2007-09-18T17:23:00.000-07:00

In a comment on one of the posts of this blog, Jane made mention of Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Have all of you read it by now? What a book, huh? I wish she was our friend.

After reading the book, Kira and I were inspired by her family's weekly pizza nights, so we thought it would be fun to establish a similar tradition at our house. Tonight was the first night we actually got around to it, however. My mom and Kira travel to Wabash nearly every weeknight now to rehearse for "Hello, Dolly." Mom mentioned yesterday that she might swing by Mr. Dave's and get some dinner and eat it at our place before rehearsal tonight, so in the name of "Eat Dinner Together Week" I suggested that she and Dad come over for supper (and James Hersch, too, who is town performing for the week, but he had a prior engagement). Tuesday night party!

As we all know, it's not a party unless you learn something (ok, that's not true, but I needed a transition). I learned tonight that Gorgonzola cheese freezes pretty well. I put some leftover wedges from the wedding in the freezer to see how they'd do. I transferred one to the refrigerator earlier today, and it was soft by dinner time. After crumbling it up, I put some on fresh greens from the garden, along with apple pieces from a local orchard, cashews, and a balsamic vinaigrette. The texture was a little different, but it still tasted pretty good. The real lesson, however, is that frozen-then-thawed Gorgonzola seems to better suited for pizza then "fresh" Gorgonzola. Now, Sam, I know I'll need to put this up for peer review before it can be called fact, but tonight the cheese was more firm as it baked (rather than slide all over the pizza like it usually does). Kinda cool.

So, we had a Gorgonzola/pineapple pizza, a pizza margherita, and a pizza with some of Dave's tomatoes, mushrooms, and green and yellow peppers from the garden. I started another batch of tomato sauce to use tonight, but it wasn't ready in time, so I just put it in the freezer when it was done.

I've been a bit obsessed lately with the idea of an entirely local pizza. Soon (hopefully) I'll be making my own mozzarella with milk from a neighboring farm (I've been making my own yogurt...delicious!). Tomato, basil, and other toppings from the garden, obviously. I'm also looking into planting some wheat, or getting some from a local farm, for the crust. I suppose you could use a sourdough culture to leaven the dough. The only thing I can't figure out is salt. Any suggestions? Maybe extract some from my sweat?

Because of this obsession, it was serendipitous that Sam sent me a newspaper article about a farm in rural Wisconsin that hosts "Pizza Night" every week, serving up pizzas made with produce from their farm. It sounds great and I hope we can all go some time. And, if you ever want to start a similar project, please let me know. (I've already started talking about it with my dad.)

Anyway, I hope you guys are still having fun with this. We're having a blast!

Putting Food Up

2007-09-18T17:02:00.001-07:00

Pete, Jane, Marja, and I went on a hike on Sunday and, despite the severe case of explosive diarrhea I got from eating too many Buckthorn berries in an effort to prove to Jane that that is how it got its scientific name ('Rhamnus cathartica'), we talked about food a bit.

One topic that came up toward the end of our hike was how much fun it is to 'put food up'. I have been doing a little this summer (pickling cukes and beans and freezing beans, corn, tomatoes, soup, and pesto), but I want to do more. I tried my hand at building a food dryer and it worked, but I could only dry one apple at a time.

Anyway, I guess this is another request. I know we are in the middle of 'Eat Together Week', so don't interrupt that flow of recipes. However, when the week is over and we go back to eating alone (thank God), maybe we could share some ideas on how to put up food.

I love this blog, by the way.

Sam

A Late Addition: Tempeh Ruebens with Homemade Russian Dressing

2007-09-18T16:39:00.000-07:00

Well, I have to say I feel a little embarrassed. All these delightful recipes cropping up and I have not posted one for awhile. Thanks for the tip-off email, Zach. I might have let things go even longer if I hadn't been clued in. Jane and Pete, thanks for posting the soup recipe. We decided to hold off until it cools back down, but we can't wait!

Anyway, here is our contribution. Zach, what you said about having a busy Sunday and so needing a quick recipe is sort of the theme of our weekday lives right now. We usually don't get home til after six and we are both beat, so easy meals that don't involve beans, cheese, tortillas, and a microwave are always nice.

Materials:

-1 block Tempeh (I hope you can find this out in No. Man. land, Zach and Kira. Get it? Anne and John, I don't know what the availability of Tempeh is in Wales/India. I suppose good, huh?)
-A little bit of Saurkraut (You'll have to open a whole can, of course, but it keeps for a long time in the fridge. Good ol' lactic fermentation.)
-Rye bread
-Swiss Cheese
-Russian Dressing (see below)

Russian Dressing (this makes a large quantity, so it could probably be halved or . . . er . . . thirded?)
Mix together:
-1/2 cup mayo
-1/4 cup ketchup
-1 T minced onion
-1 T red wine vinegar or lemon juice
-dash dry mustard
-salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

First, make the dressing. This takes only a few minutes, but everything else is so quick that you want to do it first.

I like to fry or saute the Tempeh in a little oil, but it tends to break if the pieces are too big. So, I cut the flat brick in half through the broad side, then lay it on the just cut side and carefully cut it into two thinner slices. I end up with four slices of Tempeh that are about 2" x 3" x 0.5". Sorry for the techno-babble. You can marinate these in anything you'd like, or nothing.

While the Tempeh is cooking, warm a little saurkraut up on the stove or in the microwave, cut some swiss cheese, and toast some rye bread.

Once the Tempeh is done, make your sandwich: bread, cheese, Tempeh, dressing, saurkraut, bread. Be sure to eat it with chips and 'extra ingredients' from Beer-Cheese soup.

Sam and Marja

P.S. We were going to post pictures, but ate too fast. Next time.

P.P.S. I want a Squeezo!

Shall we move to the dining room?

2007-09-17T15:05:00.000-07:00

I failed to mention yesterday that Dave also brought a box of butternut squash to the farm with his tomatoes. This delighted me because I knew just the recipe for the squash: Sam and Marja's Butternut Squash Soup with Spicy Bourbon Sauce. I biked out to the farm around noon with a hot loaf of Pain de Campagne in my backpack for the HOPE CSA pastors that were meeting today, and made the return trip lugging some squash. When I got home I flipped through the pages of our Wedding Wine Shower binder to find the recipe, and after another bike ride around town for some errands (including a stop at the liquor store where the woman behind the counter called me "hon" a lot and made certain that I wasn't going to serve the soup cold) I was ready to cook.

I was also excited to make this soup because I think it could find its way onto the menu at the coffee shop (I wonder what the rules are about using liquor in cooking...). I may have to do a little tweaking, however. While the flavors were spot on, my soup came out extremely creamy, almost pudding-like. Sam and Marja (and anyone else who has made the soup), have you experienced the same thing? Do you have any suggestions? (I'm thinking a little chicken broth.)

Regardless of how it may work in the coffee shop, it was delicious tonight. Kira and I scooped it up with pieces of sourdough. And the best part is, now I've got some "leftover ingredients" to sip on while Kira is at rehearsal. Thanks Sam and Marja!

Guten Morgen!

2007-09-17T06:04:00.000-07:00

Nothing beats a Blue Monday like Whole Wheat Pancakes with Bananas and Pecans!

2007-09-16T20:32:00.000-07:00

Whoops. Let's try this again...

That's better. Cheers!

Here's a link to our delicious main course, brought to you by the National Pork Board: Pasta with Sausage, etc.

Happy National Eat Dinner Together Week! See you tomorrow night!

Love, Peter and Jane

Sunday Night Spaghetti

2007-09-16T19:26:00.000-07:00

Boxes of tomatoes keep showing up at the farm. It seems as though every time I stop out there I find another box or two filled with Romas and Big Boys. They're coming from Dave, a family friend who apparently has planted his entire property in tomatoes. Even though the shareholders take a few every time they come out to the farm, there are still tomatoes coming out of our ears. Dad brought out an amazing contraption called a Squeezo that skins, seeds, and sauces the tomatoes with the turn of a crank, and sent me home with a gallon of tomato puree. So, when it came time to think about dinner I knew we'd be seeing a little red.

We had a surprisingly busy Sunday, also, so we were looking for something that wasn't too involved. In other words, tonight was a definite spaghetti night.

I recently discovered a bulk food store run by Mennonites a few miles from Manchester, out in the middle of the country. They carry all sorts of great stuff, including organic whole wheat pasta. As long as we're here, we'll have a lot of that on hand. For the sauce, I wanted to use up the rest of the ground beef left over from our hamburgers last night (still raw) and some green peppers that I picked from the garden a few days ago. I also had garlic and onions from the farm, as well. I must admit, I'm more comfortable cooking from recipes--even when it comes to putting together a simple spaghetti sauce--so I sort of impressed myself when I just started putting one together. I soon realized that I was creating a hybrid of Mark Bittman's spaghetti and meatballs recipe from How to Cook Everything (a meal we had last week) and Cooks Illustrated's Quick Fresh Tomato Sauce (which I've been making to freeze). Another spinach salad with a vinaigrette by Kira and thick slices of the display miche from the farmer's market and it was time for dinner.

While we ate, Kira pointed out that I may not have been completely clear in my intentions for this National Eat Together Week segment of our blog. My hope is that you all will post a few words about your nightly meals (and perhaps some photos). In a way, then, it's like we're sharing in each other's meals. It might be a little annoying if it's just us doing it. If we all join in it might be...a little less annoying?

So, what did you have for dinner? Sam and Marja, how was the soup (it looks great, Jane!)? What time do we eat tomorrow?

Soupe au Pistou (Soup with Pesto)

2007-09-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

Pistou

True pistou is made by hand with a mortar and pestle. I prefer the easy way out: the blender.

4 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp kosher salt
4.5 cups basil leaves, torn
¼ cup diced tomato
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup finely grated parmesan (or slightly aged Gouda)

Blend/process all ingredients until creamy paste forms.

Soupe au Pistou

A Provencal version of minestrone; delicious hot or at room temperature.

Heat in large soup pot over medium heat:
4 Tbsp olive oil
Add and cook until tender but not browned, 5-10 minutes:
2 leeks, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped; celery tops
2 bay leaves
Stir in:
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (or 5 ripe tomatoes peeled seeded and chopped)
3 baby red potatoes, chopped
9 cups water
2 tsp kosher salt
2 pinches saffron threads
Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are just tender. Stir in:
2 15 oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 small zucchini
2 summer squash
2 cups chopped green beans & wax beans, cut into ½ inch pieces
Simmer until the vegetables are tender, 10-20 min.

Meanwhile, prepare the pistou (above) and bring pot of salted water to boil for pasta.
1 box pasta, such as rings, elbows or ditalini

When ready to serve, remove celery tops and bay leaves. Stir in pistou and season. Ladle soup over a small heap of cooked pasta, garnish with basil leaves and serve.

Yum,
Jane

Scarlet Nantes Carrot Soup

2007-09-16T13:13:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago I pulled up every last carrot in our garden. The recipe that follows yielded a colorful cauldron of carrot soup. Known for its sweet flavor and consistent abundance, Scarlet Nantes is an old, well-loved variety. But any carrot will yield delicious results. I happen to know Marja and Sam will be serving this up tonight - let us know how it turns out!

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 lg onion, roughly chopped
1.5 lbs carrots, scrubbed well and roughly sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1.5 inch piece of ginger, sliced
good pinch cardamom
pinch saffron strands
4 c. chicken broth/veg broth

salt, pepper
sour cream
chives

Saute onions over med-high heat until translucent. Add garlic, ginger, cardamom and saffron and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes.

Add carrots and stir until well integrated. Add chicken broth, bring to boil. Cover, reduce to simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until carrots are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Cool, then puree well. If you're feeling luscious, add a little heavy cream.

Serve with garnish of sour cream and chives.

Note: The soup can be served hot or cold. We first served it cold, with a dollop of sour cream and chopped chives. The next day we ate the leftovers hot with crusty bread.

Warmly,
Jane

National Eat Dinner Together Week

2007-09-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow marks the beginning of National Eat Dinner Together Week (brought to you by the National Pork Board). We'd like to invite all of you to dinner with us, every night this week. In fact, we're getting a head start by beginning tonight, serving up hamburgers, spinach salad, and a few potato chips, along with two questions. Will you reciprocate the invitation? And, would you like mustard on that?

Roasted Red Peppers

2007-09-12T17:40:00.001-07:00

I picked a peck of peppers today (well, not really a peck). Kira's off at rehearsal, so I decided to roast the red ones and freeze them. This isn't so much a recipe but a word of encouragement to get to the farmers market, partake in the harvest, and put some up for winter!

Fondly,
Zach

'Nana Puddin'

2007-07-18T11:49:00.000-07:00

Kira and I returned to the farm last night to be greeted by my parents sitting on the side porch--they promptly handed us each a kitten and a Pabst. We were also greeted by another batch of 'nana puddin' in the fridge (made for the pastor's group that was here on Monday). Kira and I just demolished what was left of it, and it seemed like an opportune moment to "share the love" by posting the recipe.

'Nana Puddin'

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
1/2 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (5 oz.) package instant vanilla pudding
3 cups cold milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 (8 oz.) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
4 bananas, sliced
1/2 (12 oz.) package vanilla wafers

1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in condensed milk, pudding mix, cold milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Fold in 1/2 of the whipped topping.

2. Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch dish with vanilla wafers. Arrange sliced bananas evenly over wafers. Spread with pudding mixture. Top with remaining whipped topping. Chill.

I especially like the last directive. More wedding recipes to come!

Butter and Buttermilk

2007-07-16T14:21:00.000-07:00

I haven't tried this yet, but am looking forward to it. Thought you all might want to have a go in the mean time. Thanks, Sam for the call for recipes. Look forward to seeing what everyone else has been cooking!

Anne

Homemade Butter and Buttermilk

6 cups organic heavy cream
Salt to taste (optional).

1. Pour the cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk. Tightly cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap and start mixer on medium-high speed. The cream will go through the whipped stage, thicken further and then change color from off-white to pale yellow; this will take at least 5 to 8 minutes. When it starts to look pebbly, it’s almost done. After another minute the butter will separate, causing the liquid to splash against the plastic wrap. At this point stop the mixer.

2. Set a strainer over a bowl. Pour the contents of the mixer into the strainer and let the buttermilk drain through. Strain the buttermilk again, this time through a fine-mesh sieve set over a small bowl; set aside.

3. Keeping the butter in the strainer set over the first bowl, knead it to consolidate the remaining liquid and fat and expel the rest of the buttermilk. Knead until the texture is dense and creamy, about 5 minutes. Strain the excess liquid into the buttermilk. Refrigerate the buttermilk.

4. Mix salt into the butter, if you want. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. Makes about 16 ounces (2 cups) each of butter and buttermilk.

A call for more recipes!

2007-07-15T10:07:00.000-07:00

Hey all-

I guess I am technically breaking the rules of this blog in making a post without providing a recipe, but I'm not sure anyone has been reading it anyway. In order to keep somewhat with the theme, however, I would like to make some recipe requests.

Zach and Kira, your wedding was wonderful in so many ways, and food played no small role. The local ingredients fantastically prepared made for some pretty memorable meals. If possible, I'd like to replicate parts of some of them. Could you post the recipes for the cornbread and 'nana puddin' that you served at your groom's dinner and, if possible, the (German?) potato salad from your reception?

I'd also like to encourage everyone to re-engage in this blog. Now that we are all becoming quite far-flung, I think it will be one good way to stay in touch. I'm not claiming to have been the postings leader (I think that title goes to Anne), but I do check the site from time to time hoping to see new stuff and it has been awhile.

Ok, so there is my call to arms. I hope to see some good new material soon. Keep eating!

Sam

Jim Lahey's No Knead Bread (from the Star Tribune)

2007-03-02T08:28:00.000-08:00

I've only tried this bread once and it came out pretty good, except that it stuck to the bottom of my corning ware dish. Jane has had greater success, although she keeps burning her fingers. The recipe calls for a dutch oven or other coverable, oven safe pot. Apparently you don't need to grease the pot, but I will be doing that anyway from now on.

Materials:

- 3 cups flour (up to 1/3 can be whole wheat and it works fine)
- 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast (you can also use active dry yeast without proofing it first, but I use closer to 1/2 a teaspoon)
- 1 teaspoon salt (the original called for 1 tablespoon, but Jane found that too salty)
- 1 5/8 cup water

Procedure:

- Stir ingredients until combined, then cover with plastic wrap and let sit 18 to 24 hours.
- Dump the dough out on floured surface and sprinkle it with a little flour.
- Fold the dough over on itself twice, then let it sit covered for 15 minutes.
- Shape the dough into a ball, place it on cornmeal-covered surface, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise another 2 to 3 hours.
- 30 minutes before you are ready to bake the bread, turn the oven to 450. Put your baking pot in to warm it up.
- After 30 minutes, dump the dough into the pot seam side up. Shake the pot to distribute the dough evenly. It may look like crap . . . that is ok.
- Bake according to the following schedule, which helps make a crispier crust:
...20 minutes covered
...10 minutes with the lid off
...10 minutes on a baking sheet
...5 minutes with the oven on and the door ajar
...5 minutes with the oven off and the door ajar

Good luck. I still say time is the painful part of breadmaking, not kneading, and this recipe sure takes a lot of time. However, it is tasty. I'll look forward to hearing our group's results.

Thanks for the recipe, Jane.

Sam

Mozzarella and Roasted Red Pepper Salad

2007-03-01T15:24:00.000-08:00

As Marja and I enjoyed our snow day today, I was reflecting on last weekend's snow storm. My mom was in town (Pete and Jane got wasted with her, in fact) and since we were snowed in, we basically ate and drank the whole weekend. Our final meal together before she took her (delayed) flight home included this delicious salad. It is oh so good.

Materials:

1 cup dry white wine
2 T white raisins (these could be left out, if you ask me)
3 lbs red peppers (or roasted red peppers in a jar)
1.5 - 2 lbs drained fresh mozzarella
Fresh basil
2 cloves garlic
3 T extra virgin olive oil
3 T balsalmic vinegar
Pinch red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Procedure:

Simmer raisins and garlic in wine until tender. Let sit 15 minutes.
Char peppers if using fresh peppers.*
Cut peppers and mozzarella into 1 inch squares.
Roughly chop basil.
Combine peppers, mozzarella, and basil.
Whisk together wine solution, olive oil, and vinegar.
Toss all ingredients together, then add salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste.

*To char peppers, I put them in the oven under broil and rotate them until the skin is blackened and blistered. You can also hold them over the gas flame of your stove until the same happens. Either way, once the skin blackens, put the peppers in a paper bag and close it to let the steam loosen the skins. Once they are cool enough to touch, peel the skin off.

This keeps fairly well, although the mozzarella may discolor. It is a perfect side dish to any Italian meal.

Thanks to Karin Maier for this recipe. Zach, she has our birthday, too, although it is a few years earlier.

Time for another recipe

2007-02-01T02:53:00.000-08:00

Hi friends. I thought a new recipe was overdue. This one isn't hard and it isn't fancy, but it is quick and tasty. I thought the Steinbergs would like this one.

Rice, Broccoli and Feta Chesse Saute
(from "Quick Vegetarian Pleasures" by Jeanne Lemlin)

1 cup rice (white or brown)
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves minced (this is too much, I'd use 2 cloves)
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 bunch broccoli, cut up
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup water
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
black pepper

Combine the rice, water, salt and vegetable oil in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to simmer and cook until all of the water is absorbed (20 mins for white rice, about 45 for brown). When done, remove from heat and keep covered.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the garlic 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomatoes and saute 2 minutes more. Add the broccoli and oregano, toss well, pour in 1/4 cup water, and cover the pan. Cook until broccoli is tender but not mushy. (Remove cover occasionally to toss the mixture.)

When vegetables are finished, mix with hot rice, and add feta cheese. Serve immediately.

The feta cheese adds a nice tang to this quick, easy dish. John and I make this often, and sometimes cut back the recipe a little, because it doesn't make great leftovers.

Hope all are well,
Anne

Let's hear it for the holiday party

2006-12-22T13:32:00.000-08:00

For the first time in my life, I am singing in my church's choir on Christmas Eve. This means that I am having to re-familiarize myself with reading music--bass clef, at that. It also means that I got to attend the choir Christmas party. It was crunk, yo. I took these Blue Cheese and Caramelized-Onion Squares, and they were a big hit. Dang, I love that stinky cheese!

Zach

Blue Cheese and Caramelized-Onion Squares

Makes 42 (it ended up being more like 30 when I tried it)

Crust
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Topping
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large onions (about 2 pounds), halved, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (about 6 ounces) crumbled blue cheese

For crust: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Make well in center of dry ingredients. Whisk milk, olive oil, and melted butter in liquid measuring cup to blend. Slowly pour milk mixture into well in dry ingredients, stirring until just blended and smooth. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 10x13-inch rectangle. Transfer dough to rimmed baking sheet. Re-form dough into 10x13-inch rectangle (dough will shrink when moved). Pierce dough all over with fork. Let dough rest while preparing topping.

For topping: Melt butter with oil in large skillet over high heat. Add onions. Cook until onions are soft and beginning to brown, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add rosemary, sugar, and salt. Season onions to taste with pepper. Reduce heat to medium. Continue to cook until onions are soft and dark brown, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes; cool.

Spread onion mixture evenly over dough. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake until crust is golden and cheese is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let cool. Cut into squares and serve.

from Bon Appetit, November 2006

Tabouli

2006-12-13T02:00:00.000-08:00

Hi friends.
As a new wife I get a strangely old-fashioned pleasure when John tells me that I cook something as well as his mother or grandmother. John's family has Lebonese heritage so when I made this tabouli and received that complement, I was especially happy.
This is a good dish to make at the beginning of a busy week- it keeps all week in the fridge and makes a good lunch. The recipe is a slight modification of the one from Cook Boldly, the Holden Village cookbook.

Enjoy!
Anne

Tabouli

1 1/3 cups dry bulghur
1 tsp. salt
2 cups water
1/2 tsp. dry mint (or 1 1/2 tsp. fresh mint if you have it)
2 medium tomatoes
some cucumber

Dressing:
3 Tbl. olive oil
juice from 1 large lemon
1 1/2 tsp. garlic (I usually just use 2 large or 3 small cloves)
1/4 cup dry parsley (or 1/2 fresh parsley)

Boil water.
Add bulghur, salt and mint to boiling water. Turn off heat, cover, and let stand for 20-30 minutes, fluffing after 15 minutes.
Whisk together the dressing ingredients.
Add dressing to bulghur mixture after liquid has been absorbed.
Add chopped tomatoes and cucumber.
Stir it up and serve chilled. Yum!

Chicken!

2006-12-12T10:38:00.000-08:00

I roasted a chicken for supper at the Lace's last night. Right now, I'm using the leftovers to make chicken stock. Thought I would share the recipes for both!

Shannon's Favorite Herb-Roasted Chicken
serves 4

2 tablespoons Chicken Herb Rub (see below)
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1 whole chicken, approximately 4 pounds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place Chicken Herb Rub in a food processor with the garlic and olive oil, and puree into a smooth paste.

Rinse the chicken, and pat it dry with paper towels. Rub the herb paste all over the chicken, being sure to get underneath as well as on top of the skin. Allow to sit for 2 hours in the refrigerator, or roast immediately, roughly 1 1/2 hours, until the legs are loose, or until the internal temperature of the breast reads 160 degrees F and the internal temperature of the thigh reads 165 degrees F to 170 degrees F. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

Chicken Herb Rub

1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried oregano

Basic Chicken Broth
makes about 3 quarts of stock

(If you don't plan to use the broth right away, store it in your freezer, and take it out when you want to make soup.)

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, scraped and cut into large pieces
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons white vinegar (draws more nutrients from the bones)
4 quarts water
1 leftover chicken carcass and pan drippings

Place all ingredients in a large stockpot. Allow everything to sit, with the heat off, for 30 minutes. Turn the heat on high, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the broth for a minimum of 6 hours--the longer the broth simmers, the richer it will be.

Strain the liquid, discarding the vegetables but reserving the carcass. Place broth in a container, cover tightly, and refrigerate. When it is chilled, skim the fat from the surface.

Pick off the remaining meat from the carcass, and either return the meat to the broth for chicken soup or use it to make something else (such as chicken and rice).

These three recipes are from The Grassfed Gourmet Cookbook by Shannon Hayes

Soup and Bread

2006-12-09T08:49:00.000-08:00

Hello friends,

Here are recipes for the French lentil soup and bread boules we had at Sam and Marja's last night. I call for a rematch of Cranium next time we are together, so we can k_c_ S_m's _ss. Enjoy!

Zach

French Lentil Soup
6 servings

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup celery stalks plus chopped celery leaves for garnish
1 cup chopped carrots
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 cups (or more) vegetable broth
1 1/4 cups lentils, rinsed, drained
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice

Balsamic vinegar (optional)

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, carrots, and garlic; saute until vegetables begin to brown, about 15 minutes. Add 4 cups broth, lentils, and tomatoes with juice and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until lentils are tender, about 35 minutes.

Transfer 2 cups soup (mostly solids) to blender and puree until smooth. Return puree to soup in pan; thin soup with more broth by 1/4 cupfuls, if too thick. Season with salt, pepper, and a splash of vinegar, if desired. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with celery leaves.

from Bon Appetit, December 2006

*Just a note: I didn't use the balsamic vinegar.

French Bread (Pain Ordinaire)
Makes 3 long baguettes or round boules

2 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
1 1/2 tablespoons (1 1/2 packages) active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
3 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon salt
About 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Cornmeal, for sprinkling
1 large egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water, for glazing

1. In a large bowl using a whisk or in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment: pour in the warm water and sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the surface of the water. Stir until combine. Let stand at room temperature until dissolved and foamy, about 10 minutes.

2. Add 2 cups of the bread flour and the salt. Beat hard until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1 cup bread flour and most of the all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a shaggy dough that clears the sides of the bowl is formed.

3. If kneading by hand, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until soft, silky, and resilient, 5 to 8 minutes, dusting with flour only 1 tablespoon at a time as needed to prevent sticking. The dough should not be sticky. If kneading by machine, switch to the dough hook and knead for 1 to 3 minutes, or until dough is smooth and springy.

4. Place the dough in a lightly greased deep bowl. Turn once to coat the top and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a cool area until tripled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. If you have time, punch down the dough and allow it to rise again for about 1 hour. The dough may also rise in the refrigerator overnight.

5. Gently deflate the dough. Turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Grease or parchment-line a baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal. Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. Knead in more flour now if the dough seems sticky. Shape the portions into tight roud balls for boules. Or flatten each portion into a rectangle for baguettes. Roll each rectangle up tightly with your thumbs to form a long sausage shape; roll back and forth with your palms to adjust the length. Place the loaves 4 inches apart on the baking sheet.

6. Quick method: Directly after forming the loaves, slash the tops diagonally no deeper than 1/4 inch and brush the entire surface with the glaze. Place in a cold oven on the middle or lower rack. Turn the oven thermostat to 400 degrees F and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until crusty and the loaves sound hollow when tapped with your finger. Eat immediately or transfer the loaves to a cooling rack.

7. Standard method: Preheat a baking stone at 450 degrees F for at least 20 minutes, if using; otherwise, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cover the loaves loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until puffy and doubled, about 30 to 40 minutes. Slash the tops of the loaves diagonally no more than 1/4 inch deep and brush the entire surface with the glaze. Spray a mist of water into the oven, or throw a few ice cubes onto a gas oven floor to crisp the crust, if desired. Turn the oven thermostat to 400 degrees 4 if using a stone and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until crusty and the loaves sound hollow when tapped with your finger. Eat immediately or transfer the loaves to a cooling rack.

from The Bread Bible by Beth Hensperger

*Note: To make the individual bread boules we had at Sam and Marja's, divide the dough into 6 equal parts in step 5, and shape the portions into tight round balls. Continue with the rest of the directions, and bake for 30 minutes.