Musings on Food

Raviolis!

2009-12-30T17:34:28Z

Cooking in Manhattan is truly an exercise of mind over matter, or mind over batter. My kitchen, for example, is 4 by 8, when wet. So there is not much to work with and it makes cooking a challenge. I moved into my apartment about 6 months ago and have only just recently felt comfortable in it to start experimenting. The problem, I found almost immediately, is that it must have been built for a southpaw. Everything seems oddly imbalanced, or mirrored. I have felt out in left field, so to speak. So I have parried Mary's requests to guest host her awesome kickass blog (that and, of course, my vastly inferior cooking skills).

Nevertheless! I accept your challenge Mary! Sort of.

I am a vegetarian. Have been for 23 years. So, Thanksgiving, Christmas meals have been more about the family than about the food. But this Christmas I decided to make one of my favorite meals, Spinach-Ricotta Ravioli. Yum! I know!!
For dough, I of course went straight to Mary's recipe. Having been at the receiving end of this recipe on more than one delicious occasion (even having my hand in it as well!), I know how good her pasta dough is. Simple! Done! well, not that simple. I don't have room for fancy appliances and so I don't have a pasta maker. But never fear! Just put on some good tunes (in this case Ella Fitzgerald!), and go at that dough! Bam!

After letting the dough rest for about an hour, I chopped up 3 cups of frozen spinach and mixed it with 1 and 1/2 pounds of Ricotta. I cut the dough in half and started rolling out one half. And rolling out. And rolling out. And rolling out. Actually, I had even to roll out the dough even after I cut it in strips (but don't tell anyone...).

I used a pizza cutter to cut the dough. I am not sure if that is the right implement, but it worked well. As this was my first time making Ravioli myself, I did have a beautiful image of perfectly square, Mary-esque raviolis...unfortunately, they were more like polygons and flattened jellyfish but I got better with time. So, I cut the strips, into squares, added a dollop of yummy spinach/ricotta, sealed 'em up, sprinkled some flour on them, and started piling them up in my tupperware for transfer to my parent's house. I saved one and boiled it up for a trial run. You can tell when they are ready because they float.

YUMMMM, I can't wait for dinner! Pretty darn good, if I say so myself. But the real test comes in a couple of hours, when the family digs in...
Thanks Mary! I miss you, hope to see you soon!

Turkey on My Mind

2009-11-22T21:18:09Z

I have a confession to make. I take Thanksgiving seriously. A couple of years ago, we flew to my sister-in-law's house in Phoenix. I volunteered to cook. Not only did I bring various kitchen utensils, I flew out the free range, hormone and antibiotic free turkey I bought at the farmer's market in DC. The TSA people looked at me as though I was crazy, but we both made it through security and the flight intact. My husband's suitcase wasn't so fortunate... In case you are wondering, they do have turkeys in Phoenix, but, I still think bringing my special bird was worth it.

Lucky for me, we're not traveling this year. As a self-proclaimed Thanksgiving expert, here are some tips.

1) Plan Ahead: I've been planning the Thanksgiving dinner menu for a few weeks now. For appetizers, we're having homemade onion dip; spiced nuts; guacamole; sweet onion, sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese crosatinis; and prosciutto palmiers. First course is chestnut soup followed by Turkey (of course), stuffing (technically dressing because it's roasted outside of the bird), garlic mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce. Oh and of course Pumpkin and Apple pie for dessert. I'm gaining wait just thinking about the menu.

2) Do as much ahead of time as possible. The good thing about this menu is that I can make a lot of the food ahead of time. I'm taking Wednesday off to cook, but I already started preparing! My house smells sweet from the combination of roasted chestnuts and chicken broth. I usually buy pre-made broth, but I decided to make my own since it's a key ingredient to the soup. Broth is incredibly easy to make; it's just time consuming (it takes about 4 hours to make). I plan on making everything except the gravy, dressing, mashed potatoes, guacamole, and of course the turkey before Thursday.

3)Brine the Turkey. I use a huge stockpot, but turkey brining bags are available in the grocery store or at Williams-Sonoma. You can also use a garbage bag. For good tips on preparing turkey, see the Alton Brown Episode "Romancing the Bird."

4) Smaller is Better. A big turkey might look dramatic, but it will probably make all of those stereotypes of a dried out bird come true. If you have a lot of people coming for dinner, make two smaller (no larger than 13 pound) turkeys. Smaller birds also cook faster so you don't have to spend the entire day in the kitchen.

I hate potatoes

2009-10-24T17:32:39Z

Sweet Potato GnocchiSorry tubers, but I've never been a fan. I do have fond memories of growing potatoes as a kid, especially the harvesting (i.e. digging in the dirt) part. I just don't like eating them. I think it's a texture issue--they are too mushy and starchy. This attribute makes potatoes a great ingredient to use in soups, sauces (potato starch is a good thickening agent), and of course dumplings.

Besides using potatoes to make pie, I love making gnocchi. Gnocchi are actually a bit challenging to make. You have to add enough flour and knead them enough so that they don't fall apart when you cook them. Yet, if you add too much flour or over knead them, you get lead sinkers instead of light, fluffy dumplings. My advice is don't be afraid to get up close and personal with the dough. It should be somewhat moist, but not too sticky. Knead it to activate the gluten, but remember, you aren't making bread!Duo of Gnocchi with Roasted Red Pepper Pesto and Blue Cheese Sauce

Gnocchi are great vessels for delicious sauces. I made two different sauces--roasted red pepper pesto and a blue cheese sauce--for my sweet potato gnocchi. It was delicious.

So maybe I don't hate potatoes. I just strongly dislike them.

A Perfect Day for Chicken Soup

2009-10-17T17:54:19Z

Homemade Chicken SoupIt's a pretty miserable day in Washington. Maybe it's the cold and wet and cold weather, or maybe I'm just trying to procrastinate changing my closets from summer to winter clothes, but I gave into a craving and decided to make chicken soup. My grandmother was a terrible cook except for her chicken soup. I still use her recipe with a few additions. Here are some keys to good chicken soup:

Don't add too much water--since chickens vary in size, only add enough water to cover the chicken. The vegetables you add to the soup give off a lot of water (and flavor)
Parsnips are crucial--parsnips look like a white carrot, but they are much, much sweeter. They add a lot of flavor to the broth.
Make the soup the day before you want to eat it--ok, I cheated today and had some for lunch, but it does taste better the next day once all of the flavors come together. It also allows you to skim the fat off the top of the soup once it solidifies in the refrigerator.
The soup is done when the lima beans are cooked-- seriously.
Always add flanken when you make the soup--flanken are beef short ribs cut from the center of the rib. If you can't find flanken, use beef short ribs. They add a lot of flavor to the soup.
Don't be afraid to use salt--You don't want the soup to be salty, but salt adds a ton of flavor.
Chicken Soup always makes you feel better!

MMMMM......Doughnuts

2009-10-14T23:06:23Z

I don't know if it is my favorite season, but I do love fall. I made a trip up North to visit my mom. The pre-trip conversation went something like this. Mom, "Make sure you pack warm clothes because it's going to be 50." Me: "at night?" Mom, "no that is the high." If she hadn't promised to get me cider donuts, I'm not sure I would have traded in the 70 degree dc Indian summer for true fall.

It was worth it. I don't even like doughnuts, with the notable exception of cider donuts. Cider donuts are (shockingly) made with apple cider. The donut is only as good as the cider used to make it. It should be light and fluffy, not greasy, and not too spicy so that you can really taste the apple flavor. If you are in NY in the fall, I recommend stopping at Golden Harvest Farms for a donut and a glass of cider. Your waistline will forgive you.

Panko Crusted Veal Medallions with Prosciutto, Tomato and MozzarellaBecause one can't live on cider doughnuts alone (or can they?) my mom and I made Panko Crusted Veal cutlets with tomatoes, prosciutto and mozzarella. I had seen Panko crumbs used on TV shows before, however I never experimented with them. What a mistake. Panko crumbs are Japanese style bread crumbs made from the center piece of the bread so they are bigger and fluffier then normal bread crumbs. I dredged the veal in a mixture of flour, garlic, salt, and thyme followed by a quick dip in an egg bath and then the panko crumbs. The crust was flavorful, but the most significant difference was the light yet crunchy texture. Thanks mom for introducing me to a fun new ingredient!

By the way, I am dedicating tonight and tomorrow night to updating the recipe page!

The Demise of Gourmet

2009-10-05T23:39:43Z

I was pretty surprised today to learn that Conde Nast will no longer publish Gourmet magazine. As of October 20th, instead of browsing through the articles about food and cooking, you can read "Details Magazine," a new magazine that Conde Nast is launching which advertises, "More Celebs. More Styles. More Douchebags." Seriously. I'm not joking.

I am not a subscriber to Gourmet, although I have purchased the magazine on occasion. However, I hope that this closure doesn't harken the end of the food magazine. One reporter, who clearly has not heard about the newest exciting addition to the Conde Nast family, speculated that Gourmet is ceasing publication after 68 years because more people get their recipes on line. While this may be true, and as a blogger there is a part of me that hopes this is true, this commentary misses the point of food magazines. Food magazines aren't simply about the recipes. It's about about looking at the pictures, reading about new ingredients, and learning about new chefs and restaurants. Above all else, it's about inspiring cooks to create new dishes and be passionate about food.

Gourmet Magazine, rest in peace. I hope that Klutz in the Kitchen will survive for half as long!

Luck

2009-10-03T21:16:40Z

I'm definitely a lucky person. I have a great family, great friends, and a great life in general. Good things seem to just happen to me. That is until I get on my bicycle. It all started several years ago, when the most reliable bike shop in New Mexico improperly installed the rear derailleur on my bike. There I was practicing clipping in and out of my new pedals when all of a sudden the bolt fell out of the derailleur and the derailleur lodged itself into the back wheel of my bike, leaving me and my bike in a tangled heap on the ground. Since then there have been multiple crashes, one including a Mac truck (I won't go into details) and a particularly spectacular crash today while I was biking with my husband, enjoying the beautiful day and the WO&D trail. Since the incident with the truck, I prefer bike trails to the open road. My mistake. We were under a bridge biking along a pastoral little stream when a biker shoots around a blind turn IN MY LANE heading straight for me. There was nothing I could do except yell several profanities and brace for the head on impact. It wasn't pretty.

MoussakaSo what does any of this have to do with food? Absolutely nothing except for the fact I really need to cook dinner tonight to decompress. I purchased some beautiful eggplant at the farmer's market this morning, so I think I am going to make moussaka with roasted garlic pasta. I love moussaka. It is a lot of work--not difficult, but just involves many steps. The results, however, are worth it. Instead of frying the eggplant, I bake it in the oven. It's less greasy and the results are just as good. For my filling, a use a combination of lamb, tomatoes, red wine, cinnamon, mint, nutmeg, cloves, garlic and onions. It is savory and delicious. I bought some nice looking mushrooms in the market, so I think I will throw those into the filling as well. As is traditional, I place a layer the eggplant on the bottom of the pan. I then add all of the filling followed by another layer of eggplant and then bechemel sauce on top. You cook the moussaka until it is golden and bubbly.

It's already 5:30! Unless we want a midnight snack, I better go cook!

Celebrating the Last Day of Summer

2009-09-21T22:02:22Z

Chili with Homemade CornbreadI am sad to say goodbye to summer, especially the long days. However, I am excited about fall foods--apples (I prefer mine firm, not overly juicy, slightly sweet with a pronounced apple flavor), winter squash (delicatas are among the best), and local potatoes. I am also excited about cold weather cooking--soups and stews and of course chili. It was sunny and in the 80s in DC today, not exactly cold weather, but for some reason I was craving chili. I make my chili with dried heirloom beans. You have to soak the beans overnight which adds an extra step, but I think these beans have so much more flavor. I use either beef or buffalo, but you could absolutely use turkey as well. And yes, for you vegetarians out there, you can skip the meat at the expense of flavor and texture, however. Other secrets to my chili--chipoltle chili pepper, a bottle of dark beer, a mixture of spices, and maple syrup. Chipoltle is a smoked jalapeno. I love the smokiness it imparts to the chili. The beer speaks for itself, but I find that the sweetness of the maple syrup both dulls the spice and enhances the smokiness of the chipoltle. I made homemade cornbread and I serve it with sharp cheddar cheese and some chives. yum.

Triathalon Food

2009-09-17T00:37:13Z

My husband and brother competed in the nation's triathalon last Sunday. I promised both of them I would cook whatever they wanted for dinner the night before the race. To all of you cooks out there, beware of what you promise. I ended up making two different meals (meat for my brother, pasta for my husband) and a sweet potato pie for dessert.

I decided to make a rack of lamb for my brother. I love lamb. Rack of lamb is delicious and actually is easy and quick to make. I rubbed the lamb with olive oil, mint, garlic, thyme and rosemary and roasted it in the oven for 45 minutes until the lamb reached 140 degrees. I made my favorite pasta with mushrooms (with homemade noodles of course).

Sweet Potato PieThe highlight of the meal was probably the sweet potato pie. I was actually going to make a spiced pear crisp for dessert, but I bought local sweet potatoes at the farm market and the boys were carbo loading. I use a Culinary Institute of America recipe, with a couple of modifications. I added a Tbs of vodka to the pie crust. The alcohol evaporates and makes the crust incredibly delicate and flakey. The key to a good sweet potato pie is of course delicious sweet potatoes. This may seem obvious, but it is important that you use real sweet potatoes and not yams. Sweet potatoes and yams look similar but they are not related. Sweet potatoes are starchier, but not as sweet (and most importantly not as watery) as yams. I also modified the recipe by using maple syrup instead of sugar and fresh ginger.

After all the calories I consumed, I need to run a couple of triathalons.

Making Leftovers New Again

2009-09-10T11:37:05Z

With a few notable exceptions (turkey after Thanksgiving, cold roast chicken which sometimes tastes better than hot chicken, leftover macaroni and cheese) I really don't like leftovers! However if you can figure out how to make one dish into a new dish, technically the resulting creation is no longer left over.

I had a lot of leftover roast goat (See "Mary Had a Little Goat" for that recipe). It has been living in my freezer for over a month. I was thinking about making "pulled goat sandwiches" by reheating the goat in bbq sauce and serving it on rolls with homemade coleslaw. I still think that would have been good, but instead I decided to make goat curry.

Enjoying some Goat CurryThere is a curry plant, but what most of us think of curry is a mixture of spices, usually with coriander, cumin, and turmeric as a base. I also added fresh ginger, Chinese five spice powder (cinnamon, cloves, star anise, ginger, and something else, but I forget what spice). The curry blend I used was kind of mild, so I also added garam masala, another pungent blend of spices. I always cook my spices before adding the liquid. I find it reduces any bitterness in the spice and enhances the flavor. I love coconut milk in curry--it adds some sweetness to this savory dish--so I used light coconut milk as a basis for the broth. To offset the sweetness and the spice, I added the fresh grated peel of one lemon and about a cup of low fat plain yogurt. The yogurt increased the viscosity of the sauce and the depth of flavor of the curry. I served the curry over homemade pasta, but rice of course would have been delicious.

Now what to do with all of this leftover curry...