sriracha brussel sprouts

my brussel sprout world has been officially rocked.

since sriracha brussel sprouts have entered my life at places such as joseph leonard (roasted brussel sprouts with sriracha and the vanderbilt (brussel sprouts with honey and sriracha), i think of them in a completely different way.

after last week's pasta, i wanted to put my leftover brussel sprouts to good use so decided to attempt to combat a similar dish. i have to say that i am amazed the results were as wonderful as they turned out. add a turkey bacon, swiss, leek omelet and you've got a downright delicious dinner (or lunch, or breakfast, or hearty snack...)

honey sriracha brussel sprouts

• 1/2 lb brussel sprouts, washed, trimmed and halved
  
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons sriracha
• 2 tablespoons oil
• juice from 2 limes
  
• salt

• preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  
• mix oil, honey, sriracha and lime. start with equal parts of each and adjust to taste. salt to taste.
• toss brussel sprouts with sauce. cook about 20 minutes, or until tender but still crisp. the outer shell of the sprouts should crisp up and brown.
  

winter market pasta

aka the winter version of one of my favorites


another one of my favorite ingredients: turkey sausage. more specifically, dipaolo's hot turkey sausage (available at nyc farmers markets). throw it together with pasta and practically any veggie(s) and you get one of my ultimate comfort foods.

this particular day, i also decided to combat one of my new food appreciations: brussel sprouts. which also meant the first time i have ever actually cooked them. i know (gasp! horror! i know!) i might have to blame this one on my mom (hi, mom!) since she hates the little buggers. right? but given the right cooking method, brussels sprouts crisp up beautifully and will take on the magic of many flavors.

i wanted to throw them in with some other winter veggies, which ended up being fennel and leeks. it seems as though we've finally made it to spring weather wise but the veggies are still in winter mode.

winter market pasta

• 1/2 lb brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 3 large cloves garlic, chopped
  
• 2 shallots, chopped
  
• 1/2 bulb fennel, quartered then thinly sliced
• 1 large leek, trimmed, halved and sliced
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• red chili flakes
• juice from 1 lemon
• parmesean cheese, grated
  
• parsley, chopped
  
• 1/2 lb turkey sausage
• 1/2 lb pasta (i went with fusilli)
• splash of white wine and/or chicken broth
  

• toss brussel sprouts with some olive oil, salt, pepper and a little chopped garlic. roast at 400 for 25 minutes, or until crispy and just cooked through.
  
• while the sprouts are roasting, heat olive oil, garlic and shallots in a large skillet. add fennel, leeks and cook until everything until it begins to soften. add sausage and break up in the pan. cook until turkey is cooked through and veggies are softened. add a generous splash of white wine and/or chicken stock and stir.
  
• while veggies and turkey are cooking, heat a pot of water and cook pasta.
  
• when everything is cooked, throw together in the pan. add parsley, red chili flakes, cheese, lemon juice and stir.
  

the gogozo detox: the recipes

so, i think there are 2 ways to look at this whole cleansing thing. the major thing i wanted to focus on was to make it actually realistic. this meant a whole lotta food prep over the weekend. i'm not quite sure i can say it was worth it but we'll wait and see...in addition to the recipes i'm using for the week, i'll try to point out how i've simplified along the way...

breakfast: oatmeal with berries and walnuts
i prefer steel cut oats but in the time trap of the weekday, the easiest thing to do seems to be instant oatmeal. HOWEVER, i'm not talking about the sugar filled, random crap packed kind. i'm talking about normal oatmeal, with nothing else in it (except a bit of salt in this case). but what can i say? it's the plainest version i've been able to find.
add a 1/4 cup of frozen or fresh berries and 1 tblspn walnuts. i've been adding a tiny splash of vanilla almond milk, just for an extra flavor boost.

lunch: quinoa salad with grilled chicken
4 servings
if this looks familiar, it's because it's slightly modified from a quinoa salad i've made many times

• 1 lb chicken
  
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 bunch kale
• 1 1/2 cups cucumbers, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons parsely, chopped
• salt and pepper
• juice from 1/2-1 lemon
• tiny drizzle of sesame oil
  

• cook quinoa (a rice cooker is perfect for this!)
  
• while quinoa is cooking, sautee 1 bunch kale with garlic and small amount of olive oil
• allow quinoa to cool slightly, then mix in veggies, lemon juice, sesame oil, salt and pepper
• grill chicken with salt and pepper
  

dinner: miso soup with 1/2 cup brown rice and 4oz fish
dashi (adapted from epicurious)
4 servings

• 6 cups water
• 1 12-inch piece kombu (dried seaweed)
• 3/4 cup loosely packed bonito flakes

• place water and kombu in a pot and cover. allow to sit for 20 min.
• slowly heat up water. just before it comes to a boil, remove kombu.
• add bonito flakes and lightly simmer until they sink, about 4 minutes. do not stir.
• remove bonito flakes.

to make miso soup:

• 1 small bunch bok choy, sliced and steamed
  
• 1 cup snow peas, sliced and steamed
  
• handful dried sliced shitake mushrooms
  
• silken or soft tofu, sliced into cubes
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  

• place dashi, mushrooms, bok choy, snow peas, tofu, scallions in a pot and bring to a simmer until heated through
  
• turn off heat and stir in about 8 tablespoons of miso paste (start with less and add to taste)
  

stay tuned for grocery list and cooking prep plan...

the gogozo detox: the meal plan

i've just about made it through day 1 (without chocolate), so i thought it would be a good time to present the food plan


mon-fri (assuming i don't get too bored...i may have to switch it up a bit):

before breakfast: water with lemon

breakfast: 1 cup oatmeal with ¼ cup berries and 1 tbspn walnuts
or 4 egg whites, 1/2 sweet potato
green tea

snack: ½ cup edamame

lunch: quinoa salad with 4oz grilled chicken

snack: apple w/ 1 tblspn almond butter

dinner: miso soup, 4 oz grilled fish, 1/2 cup cooked brown rice

snack: 4 oz yogurt, 1 fruit (3/4 cup Berries or 1 citrus), herbal tea

since i wrote about the general idea, here's some background on the specifics:

• lemon water in the morning is one of those classic diet cleanse things. lemon is supposed to give your system a jump in the morning as well as be an antiseptic, so why not? thought i'd throw it in and see how it feels. green tea throughout the rest of the day provides some caffeine (that i don't feel the need to live without) and also provides some appetit supressing.
• breakfast: needs to be hearty enough so that i'm not starving first thing in the morning through the rest of the day. personally, when i eat oatmeal, i feel full longer than when i eat dry cereals or other items, which is why i chose to put it in the plan. however, something else that's just as lean, such as egg whites, seasoning and sweet potato works too.
• snacks: are lean as well but substantial and high in protein (soybeans, almond butter).
• proteins: super lean and organic (chicken, fish, tofu)
• veggies: super foods! think kale, artichokes, broccoli, asparagus, all those dark leafy greens. also, mostly cooked veggies just to be easier on the system. organic when possible.
  
• miso soup (with miso and mushrooms): umami! for a satisfying taste and to feel more substantial.
• a word on seasoning: i definitely used some olive oil (minimal), garlic, salt and pepper, other spices and herbs in the preparation of my food because there's no need to lose flavor here! however, i'm trying to stay low on the salt, spicy flavors and other things that are just a little tougher on the body than i'm trying to be right now.
  

more reading about specific detox foods here!

recipes to come...

the gogozo detox

subtitle: get ready (the setup)

food prep, complete

the last time i tried to do something like this it was known as "the lifestyle makeover." aka, no more high fructose corn syrup, frozen mac and cheese for dinner, nor bowls of cocoa krispies as an after work snack.

i decided to try something a little more drastic this time: my version of a cleanse. what does that mean? no stupid juice diet or colon busting lemon juice and hot sauce mixes. that's not the point. i wanted something that gave me high quality and healthy food; something that would make me FEEL better, not drop 5 pounds in a week. plain and simple, just to give the binge eating a rest. the goal is to start with 5 days (monday-friday), then re-evaluate come the weekend...and decide whether to go 5 more days. the basic idea is to stick as natural, organic, whole-grain, super veggie & fruit, low dairy, and lean protein as possible. NO processed foods whatsoever and to stay portion controlled. and i'm also going to try and stay low on caffeine and alcohol (not cut it out completely).

i did some internet research and ended up with a combination of my own ideas, a random detox diet i found from women's health magazine and food lovers cleanse that bon appetit ran this year. my meal plan is the same each day (until i get bored). let's see how many days i can survive without chocolate...stay tuned.

baked eggplant casserole thingy (YUM)

subtitle: eggplant moussaka, minus the moussaka

subtitle II: eggplant parmesan--no it isn't really that either...

you will second guess the ingredients. and if you haven't by the time the cashier slowly glances up at you as she rings up the 2nd pound of mushrooms and the 3rd eggplant...you better double check your ingredient inventory. because chances are, you forgot something. then you'll feel knocked over the head yet again as you swipe your credit card to pay for all these groceries you have to lug home
when you realize 1 of the 4 guests doesn't like mushrooms. but what are you going to do? 2lbs of them are already weighing you down and you're wishing you didn't do that last set of curls at the gym.

seeing as i have my own food issues, i tend to freak out a little bit when "vegetarian" gets thrown into the mix. now, granted, i pretty regularly happen to eat vegetarian but when it involves cooking for a crowd, i feel the pressure. no longer! a thoughtful gift of the new moosewood cookbook is the perfect remedy for this kind of situation. the original recipe that caught my eye as i was flipping through was eggplant moussaka. the only problem was that i really don't like dairy-y sauces (a bechamel in this case). i blame it on the lactose intolerance. go ahead and try to fight that. so i skipped it.

what resulted was a delicious crowd-pleasing dish--even the non mushroom person! and, she doesn't like eggplant either! "you know, i don't like mushrooms or eggplant but this is good." pre-baking the eggplant dries it out some so that you don't get any sort of that slimy eggplant texture. and the tomato sauce is actually quite dry (has so much stuff in it) that it doesn't re-slime the eggplant.

eggplant _________

• 3 medium eggplans (abt 7" long), peeled or not
• salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 5 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 14 1/2-oz can tomatoes, including all liquid
• 1 6-oz can tomato paste
• 1 tsp cinnamon (i did not use)
• black pepper
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 - 1 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 packed cup freshly minced parsley
  
• 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs, plus extra for top (1/4 cup) (gluten-free)
  
• 1/2 cup grated parmesean
  

• slice the eggplant into quarter-inch-thick rounds. sweat the eggplant: salt the slices lightly on both sides, then layer them gently in a colander, and place over a sink or bowl. let stand for 20-30 min
• lightly oil a baking sheet, and preheat oven to 375. pat eggplant dry with a towel and spread slices on the baking sheet (it's okay if they overlap a little) and bake until tender (20-25 min)

mushroom tomato sauce:

• heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet or dutch oven. add onions and salt and cook over medium heat, stirring, for 8-10 min, or until the onions become translucent. add mushrooms and garlic, stir and cover. cook over medium heat another 8-10 minutes (until mushrooms start to cook down).
• add tomatoes, tomato paste, pepper, oregano and basil. crush tomatoes. bring to a boil then lower heat, and simmer, uncovered, another 12-15 minutes. remove from heat, stir in parsley bread crumbs and parmesan. set aside
  

• preheat oven to 375 degrees. oil a very large casserole or deep baking pan at least 9"x13." place a double layer of eggplant on the bottom, add half mushroom sauce, add the rest of the eggplant and then add the rest of tomato sauce. dust lightly with bread crumbs and some parmsean.
• baked uncovered for 35-40 minutes, or until bubbly on the bottom and lightly browned on top.
  

shakshouka and pita!

a recent trip to israel means many yummy food posts to come. a good place to start is the celebratory meal i cooked when i got back: shashouka and pita bread! i wanted to use the spices i brought back with me, paprika and za'atar right away.

so the deal is that there are a lot of ways to make shakshouka. i'm sure everyone has their preferred method. i went for something quite simple to keep things easy but also to let my newly acquired paprika shine. i looked up a bunch of different articles online and just used them as a guide to go at it myself. this is one of those dishes that is quite hard to mess up. really, no matter what you do, it's going to taste good.

the pita bread was surprisingly easy to make. especially considering i was making it while doing loads of laundry...i'm sure i messed up somewhere along the way. and yet, delish.

shakshouka

• 1 28-oz can tomatoes
  
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 large red pepper, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon paprika
  
• salt
• pepper
• parsley, chopped
• feta cheese
• 6 eggs
• olive oil

• add a couple of tablespoons to a large pan
• add garlic, onion, red pepper and cook until softened
• add tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, pepper, paprika
• cook until sauce slightly thickens, about 15 minutes
• make 6 indents in the sauce and crack eggs onto top of sauce
• cover and cook until the whites set, about 5 minutes
• top with parsley and crumbled feta
  

pita bread
adapted from mark bittman's how to cook everything and the mollie katzen's new moosewood cookbook

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
  
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 3 cups flour (i used spelt)

• mix yeast into warm water and let sit for a few minutes. it should foam.
• mix oil, salt, sugar, honey into water
• add flour and mix, 1 cup at a time. by the end, you'll probably need to use your hands.
  
• knead a bit and form dough into a ball. cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1-2 hours (or less, if you're rushed).
• punch down dough. cut into 6 pieces and cover. allow to rest for 15 minutes. apparently this helps them puff...
  
• flatten and roll each ball so that they're about 1/4-1/8" thin and somewhat circular. cover. allow to rest 15 minutes.
• bake on a baking sheet 5-10 minutes, flipping once, until lightly browned on both sides.
• good warm. or cold.
  

root vegetable shepherd's pie (february csa)

this one was a weekend project. project meaning it took over 3 hours to make. save your groaning and moaning for later. this recipe was perfectly paced for some weekend meditative cooking, which was ideal since i planned my entire saturday around it. think multiple steps, lots of chopping, and nothing too fast paced: things won't start smoking if you turn your head for a moment too long.

this recipe came about as i was craving sheppard's pie and wanted to use a butternut squash topping. i stumbled across this one from the la times for a root vegetable shepherd's pie from rustic canyon in santa monica. i had been dying to try the restaurant, so it seemed like the perfect option.

the effort was worth it. the butternut squash shone in this dish. it was sweet and rich. the apples contributed a great deal. i used granny smith ones and would suggest doing the same as the tartness was welcome with the rest of the sweet root vegetables. i made a few more substitutions (tofutti cream cheese instead of crème fraîche) as is usually the case when i'm making something that calls for lots of dairy. i also took some liberties with the amounts of veggies (seriously, i need to separately cook 1/4 cup of potatoes?!)

also to note: celery root is extremely underrated. read: smells like CANDY when you cook it in milk.

root vegetable shepherd's pie

serves: 8-10

from the latimes (adapted from rustic canyon wine bar & seasonal kitchen)

• 1 large butternut squash
• salt
• 7 1/2 tablespoons butter, divided (i used half butter and half olive oil)
• sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/4 cup fingerling potatoes, diced (i used 1/2 cup)
  
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 sprig thyme plus 2 tablespoons chopped thyme, divided
• 1 sprig rosemary plus 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary, divided
• 1 celery root, peeled and diced
• 2 cups heavy cream (i used low fat milk)
• 2 tablespoons chopped sage
• 4 carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 parsnips, peeled and diced
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 apples, cored and diced (peels left on) - i suggest granny smith
• 1 kohlrabi, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 cup sliced leeks
• 3 small turnips, peeled and diced
• 1 cup chopped shallots
• 1/4 pound spinach
• 1 cup diced fresh brioche or challah (i just used some spelt bread that i had)
• 1/2 cup crème fraîche (i used tofutti cream cheese)
  
• 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (i used packaged gluten-free ones)
  

• heat the oven to 400 degrees.
• halve the squash lengthwise, then scoop out and discard the seeds and fibers. place the halves on a baking sheet, cut side up, and season each half with one-fourth teaspoon salt. place one-half tablespoon butter in the hollow of each half, then cover the sheet with foil and bake until the squash are tender, about 1 hour. set aside to cool slightly, then scoop the flesh out of each half and discard the outer shell.
• brown the butter: place 2 tablespoons butter (or 1 butter, 1 olive oil) in a large, heavy-bottom sauté pan and cook over medium-high heat until the butter browns and has a nutty aroma, about 3 minutes. be careful not to burn. stir in the squash and sprinkle over the nutmeg. reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly to break the softened squash into a purée. watch carefully so the squash does not burn on the bottom of the pan. remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• while the squash cools, cook the potatoes. bring a small saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. stir in the potatoes, garlic and 1 sprig each of thyme and rosemary. cook until the potatoes are just tender, about 8 minutes. drain the potatoes, discarding the garlic and herbs and set aside in a large bowl.
• in the same saucepan, combine the celery root with the cream and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the celery root is tender, about 10 minutes. strain out the celery root and place in the large bowl with the potatoes. reserve 1/4 cup of the cream in a separate container.
• place 1 tablespoon butter in a large sauté pan and brown over medium-high heat. stir in the sage, carrots and parsnips and season with one-fourth teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. remove the vegetables to the large bowl and set aside.
• clean the sauté pan and brown 3 tablespoons butter (or half butter, half olive oil) over medium-high heat. stir in the chopped thyme, apples, kohlrabi, leeks and turnips. season with one-half teaspoon salt and a pinch each sugar and pepper. increase the heat to high and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. remove the vegetables to the large bowl.
• clean the sauté pan and melt the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. stir in the shallots and brown slightly. stir in the spinach and cook just until wilted. season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. remove from heat and add to the large bowl.
• add the diced brioche (spelt bread), chopped rosemary, reserved cream and crème fraîche (tofutti) to the vegetables and stir gently but thoroughly to combine. taste and adjust the seasoning as desired.
• place the mixture in a baking dish so the filling reaches approximately one-half inch from the top of the dish. using a rubber spatula, spread the butternut squash purée evenly over the top. sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the top.
• place the baking dish on a baking pan (to catch any drippings) and bake until the breadcrumbs are lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. remove from heat and serve hot.

faux roast chicken and veggies

subtitle: sunday supper in a pinch


sometimes you just need some comfort food. comfort food on a sunday? that's sunday supper! i honestly can't believe i haven't done this before because it's so darn easy and delicious. seriously, it really is AND it even gives lunch leftovers for the week (something i try to plan). so what is this wonder dinner? faux roast chicken. i'm only calling this faux because there isn't the need to roast an entire chicken. however, there's nothing actually faux about the results. simple concept really: choose some vegetables and grab some chicken parts (whole breasts in my case but you could use thighs or drumsticks as well) and basically throw it all in the oven. my veggies of choice were sweet potatoes, leeks and whole garlic cloves as well as a few mushrooms and a little bit of onion since i had it in the fridge. i washed, peeled and chopped my veggies, placed them in the bottom of a baking dish, splashed on some olive oil, salt and pepper and tossed around to coat. then i seasoned the chicken with olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme and paprika (all completely based on what i had on hand) and put it right on top of the veggies. i stuck the whole dish in the oven at 450 degrees until the chicken was done and the veggies were nice and roasted. this took about an hour but will totally depend on the chicken you use. if you use smaller chicken pieces, you might want to give the veggies a head start before adding the chicken. you could also use any combination of vegetables that you want (potatoes, turnips, parsnips, carrots, the list goes on and on).

literally within minutes of this entering the oven my roommates were ooing and aahing about the wonderful smell that had filled our apartment. and then i got to eat the results. 5 days in a row. sweet.

sweet potato biscuits

since she is a loyal follower, (if not my most loyal) visits to my mom result in her request for me to cook. which is exactly why i got so excited when i saw this recipe in bon appetit on the plane, on my way to visit. what's more, they even seemed like they would be the perfect accompaniment to solstice dinner. i admit that i was a little intimidated by the term biscuit. after all, i hear homemade biscuits and i think of someone's grandmother somewhere (preferably in a southern state) taking all day to roll out dough with lard. i decided to take a more rustic biscuit approach. i also skipped the ham component of this. but that goes without saying.


sweet potato biscuits (originally sweet potato biscuits with ham, mustard, and honey)
from bon appetit

• 1 3/4-pound red-skinned sweet potato (yam), peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour (i used spelt)
• 1 tablespoon (packed) dark brown sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/3 cup chilled buttermilk *NOTE: begin my rustic approach...i didn't have buttermilk so i added some lemon juice to regular low fat milk and allowed to sit for a few minutes.

• cook sweet potato in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. drain, cool, and mash.
• position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 425°F. butter bottom and sides of 9-inch cake pan with 1 1/2-inch-high sides.
• whisk flour and next 5 ingredients in large bowl. add cubed butter to flour mixture; toss to coat and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal.
  
• whisk 3/4 cup mashed sweet potatoes and buttermilk in medium bowl. add to flour mixture; toss with fork.
  
• gather mixture in bowl, kneading until dough comes together. turn dough out onto floured work surface and pat into 1-inch-thick round. Using 1 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits, flouring cutter after each cut. gather scraps; pat into 1-inch-thick round. cut out additional biscuits (do not reuse scraps more than once). *NOTE: continue rustic approach...i didn't roll out or cut my biscuits, i just grabbed pieces of dough and gently shaped them and patted them down.
  
• arrange biscuits side by side in prepared cake pan. brush with melted butter. bake until puffed and golden on top and tester inserted into center biscuit comes out clean, about 22 minutes. cool 10 minutes in pan. turn biscuits out and gently pull them apart.
• makes about 24 biscuits
  

weeknight dinner: eggplant, two ways (csa week 5)

a beautiful eggplant sat in my fridge. this was enough to conjure up thoughts of the book alone in the kitchen with an eggplant (read it). the problem was, that after the last eggplant (baked eggplant parmesan), i wasn't quite sure what to do with it. i was feeling antsy enough that i didn't really want something italian and didn't just want to roast or grill it. better yet, i wanted it to be easy. do i even have to say his name anymore?

so what actually happened was that i was having a rough week and to make myself feel better, decided to hang out in my kitchen alone with my eggplant and cook it two different ways (dinner for different nights). i chose to do a simple eggplant stir-fry with some csa bok choy and mark bittman's microwaved honey eggplant. and then i made a cobbler.

first the stir fry: i briefly sauteed the eggplant in some canola oil (careful, it will absorb however much you throw in there) until it was slightly soft. then i sauteed the bok choy with lots of minced garlic and some ginger. then i thew the eggplant back in, mixed everything together, threw in some oyster sauce and let it all cook for a couple more minutes. voila, how's that for instant gratification?

then the bittman recipe. this one attracted me because it had a bunch of interesting ingredients that seemed like an easy mix as well as a bit of an unusual combination. basically, you slice and score the eggplant and then coat it with a mixture of chopped parsley, honey, olive oil, garlic, and breadcrumbs. yummmmm, right?! then you sprinkle lemon juice on top and if your bittman, serve with yogurt, if you're me, goat cheese and toast. instant gratification part II. if you haven't already, definitely take a look at the microwave minimalist column.

mark bittman's microwaved honey eggplant

• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (gluten-free)
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 2 tbs honey
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• salt
• 1 large eggplant
• lemon juice
  

• combine parsley, breadcrumbs, olive oil, honey, garlic, and a pinch of salt.
• cut eggplant crosswise into 1-inch slices; score the top of each. put slices in dish and spread breadcrumb mixture over eggplant tops, pressing it into slits.
• loosely cover with waxed paper and microwave on high power for about 5 minutes. remove paper and cook another 2 or 3 minutes, until very soft. sprinkle with lemon juice and serve with yogurt (or goat cheese!) on the side.
  

csa week 2

csa week 2. ladies and gentlemen, we already have kale! so please, send me some kale recipes because otherwise i will be lost (aka be cooking it with olive oil and lots of garlic). it's been another 2 rainy, non-spring like weeks in new york. outlook not so fabulous for the week's bounty but here we go.

1. the bounty

• 1 lb spinach
  
• 1 bunch kale
  
• 1 pint snow peas
  
• 5 garlic scapes
• 1/2 lb mesclun
• 1/3 lb baby bok choi braising mix
• 2 small zucchini

• 2 quarts strawberries
  

2. cost analysis (comparison costs courtesy of freshdirect):

veggies:

• spinach: $3/lb (organic)
• kale $3/bunch (organic)
  
• snow peas $4 (not organic)
  
• garlic scapes: $1.50 (as per csa estimate)
  
• mesclun: $4.50 (as per csa estimate)
  
• baby bok choi: $1.99 (not organic)
  
• small zucchini: $2 (csa estimate)

= $19.99
actual csa cost per week = $22

fruit:

• strawberries: $3.50/quart (organic)
  

= $7.00
actual csa cost per week = $11.67

fingers crossed for better weather! come on, summer tomatoes!

csa week 1: when all else fails, stir-fry

subtitle: words to live by from go go

if you haven't learned this cooking rule by now, you really should. especially if you've ever found yourself with a fridge full of veggies that need to be used-helloooooo csa. this isn't the first time and certainly will not be the last time that a stir-fry saves the day.

some things to keep in mind when stir-frying:

1. you don't need a wok; a large pan will do
2. high heat is key. food cooks quickly yet retains color and flavor and doesn't turn to mush.
3. for veggies that take longer to cook i usually steam or boil them briefly first, drain them, and then give them a quick stir fry to get all of the moisture out.
4. you really can throw anything in there.

in this case, there was asparagus and pea shoots from the csa and mushrooms from the refrigerator.

this was my first adventure with pea shoots and there was an uh, issue, with some tough stems involved. so don't forget to trim your pea shoots! but otherwise, they seem to be rather user friendly. treat them as you would any other sort of green. (stir-fry, saute, eat raw, etc.) more ideas from my favorite pals at chowhound here. and if you're feeling super into the stir-fry thing you might want to do some rice reading.


pea shoot and other things stir-fry

• one bunch pea shoots, trimmed
• mushrooms
• small bunch asparagus, cut into small pieces
  
• couple cloves of garlic, minced
  
• one shallot, minced
  
• salt and pepper
• vegetable oil (it does better than olive oil over high heat)
  

• put some olive oil in a large pan.
  
• once oil is heated, throw in garlic, shallot, mushrooms and asparagus.
• a few minutes later, add pea shoots.
• cook until slightly wilted. add salt and pepper.
• serve over rice.
  

csa week 1: leeks with ginger and shrimp

it sure seems like the majority of my csa recipes are going to come from mark bittman. my goal is to really enjoy the produce i'm getting. to me, this means not hiding the flavors of vegetables but cooking dishes that really feature them and bring out their flavors rather than downplay them. however, at the same time, i'm also trying to cook in a way that isn't just eating the vegetable plain (always a good option). bittman is undoubtedly the simple food/simple flavors master (the minimalist).

i always think of leeks as a winter food undoubtedly because of potato leek soup. and this is how i mostly use them. ok, 90% of the time, that's how i use them so it was quite exciting to get some last week and figure out a way to use them outside of soup. so back to bittman. his leeks with ginger and shrimp seemed like the perfect, simple recipe for my leeks and a weeknight dinner. i have to be honest in saying that i didn't actually cook this. i was going to be home late, etc, etc, etc, so the boy took over cooking as per my and bittman's instructions.

this dish turned out delicious. major props to the boy, bittman AND trader joe's jumbo frozen raw shrimp. seriously, they are going to be added to my regular grocery shopping list. the leeks got all crunchy and combined perfectly with the strong but not at all overwhelming ginger flavor. we ate it over toast, as per bittman's instructions.

mark bittman's leeks with ginger and shrimp

• 1/4 cup peanut or olive oil
• 4 large leeks (light green and white parts only), about 3 pounds, thoroughly washed and chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds peeled shrimp
• 1/4 cup minced ginger
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon good stock, dry sherry or soy sauce, optional (didn't do this)
  

• put half the oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, and turn heat to high. when a bit of smoke appears, add the leeks, all at once. let sit for a couple of minutes, then cook, stirring only occasionally, for about 10 minutes. when the leeks dry out and begin to brown, remove them from the pan and set aside.
• with the heat still on high, add the remaining oil to the pan, immediately followed by the shrimp. sprinkle with the ginger. cook for about a minute, then stir. cook, stirring every minute or so, until the shrimp are almost all pink, about 5 minutes. add the leeks, along with some salt and pepper. when the shrimp are done (no traces of gray will remain), stir in the liquid if desired, taste and adjust seasoning, and serve.

csa week 1: strawberry rhubarb crepes

truth be told, before last week, i had never actually had rhubarb before. i know some of you out there are probably in disbelief and i'm really not sure why this was. we were a cookie, brownie and cake family. not a lot of pies. maybe that explains it?! i thought there was a good chance of getting some with the first week's csa pickup and was excited to take it on. cooking it down with sugar seemed like the obvious solution but i didn't want to completely stew out the flavor of the rhubarb. however, it did seem like a dessertish recipe would be a good first introduction to it. after tasting the rhubarb raw, my thoughts were confirmed. someone please tell me, sour and bitter, what? i don't get it. couldn't do it.

although i went the classic cooked with strawberries route, i tried to make my version a bit more on the savory side. not too much sugar and i added some orange, ginger and apple cider vinegar. i also didn't cook the strawberries but just folded them into the cooked rhubarb mixture at the last minute. no need to cook or sweeten a perfectly good strawberry, i say!

strawberry rhubarb crepes

the filling:

• 2 rhubarb stalks, trimmed and chopped
  
• 1/2 pint strawberries
• large piece of ginger, quartered (so you can remove it at the end)
  
• zest of an orange
• juice of 1/2 orange
• 1/4-1/3 cup of sugar (depending on your desired sweetness): part brown, part white
• 2-3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• throw everything except the strawberries into a pot with a little bit of water. stir.
  
• bring to a simmer, let the rhubarb soften and the liquid reduce.
• remove from heat, fold in strawberries.
  

the crepes (from the food network and alton brown):

• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk (or soy milk)
  
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup flour (i of course used spelt)
• 3 tablespoons melted butter

• whisk ingredients together (yes, i put all of them into the bowl together and mixed. no separation here).
• alton says to refrigerate the batter but i didn't do this...
• grease a pan of desired size.
• pour enough batter into the pan to thinly coat it. swirl the pan around to cover the surface.
• cook 30 seconds and flip. cook another 10 seconds and remove.
  

csa week 1

the long awaited first csa pickup! sadly, i couldn't actually pick the bounty up myself due to a prior engagement but lucky for me, i have willing friends who are happy to be paid in strawberries. so, without further adieu, CSA WEEK NUMERO UNO!

1. the bounty

• 1 bunch asparagus
• 2 large leeks
• 1 small head red lettuce
• 1 bunch pea shoots
• 1 bunch arugula
• 1 bunch radishes (french breakfast and easter egg)
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 2 quarts strawberries
  
• 2 stalks rhubarb

2. cost analysis (comparison costs courtesy of freshdirect):

veggies:

• asparagus: $4.99/bunch (organic)
• leeks: $3.99/bunch (organic)
  
• red lettuce: $2.99 (organic)
  
• pea shoots: unavailable
  
• arugula: $1.49/bunch (organic not available)
  
• radishes (french breakfast and easter egg): $0.99/bunch (organic not available)
  
• cilantro $1.99 (organic)

= $18.44 (assuming $2/pea shoots)
actual csa cost per week = $22

fruit:

• strawberries: $3.50/quart (organic)
  
• rhubarb: $3.99/ 3 stalks (organic not available)

=10.99
actual csa cost per week = $11.67

so i came out a little short this week but the weather around here has been cold, rainy, and not spring like at all. it seems the season is just off to a late start. what did i do with all of this yummy produce? stay tuned. i'll post recipes of what i made in the upcoming days. don't see a recipe for a particular veggie or fruit? chances are it didn't make it to an actual formal dish and i just had to eat it plain.

csa time!

after a couple of years of hesitation, i finally took the leap to join a csa. if you're saying "cs-what?" let me take a moment to explain.

csa stands for community supported agriculture. it is a partnership between a farm and a group of supporters. basically, you invest a certain amount of money in this local farm at a time when costs are the highest for them (at the beginning of the season). in return, you receive oodles of fresh, local produce weekly (full share) or biweekly (half share). in addition, the csa brings together a community of people, often hosting events, including farm visits. my CSA is the greenpoint williamsburg CSA via the garden of eve farm, on long island. i have a half vegetable (7-10 items per pickup; $265), fruit (2-3 items per pickup; $140), and egg share (1/2 dozen per pickup; $35).

for a couple of years i've toiled with the idea of joining a csa but i was nervous about the cost and the amount of food i would be getting. it seems expensive when you look at it upfront but given that my weekly grocery shopping involves mostly fruits and vegetables, i figured now was as good a year as any to try it out. the most exciting thing about this, to me, is that i will have to use all sorts of items i never usually buy. i imagine ramps, rhubarb, turnips, and kale, to name a few. i will learn to like kale!

every other week, i'll post the week's pickup, try to give a cost analysis (is it REALLY worth it?!) as well as let you know how i use each item. i'm going to try my darnedest not to just enjoy each fruit or veggie in it's natural, unadulterated, raw state, just for kicks. although, these versions seem to usually taste the best...

so get ready for week number 1!

a brief announcement

i have been accepted into the greenpoint williamsburg csa!!!! (after lots of poking, prodding, and wait-listing).

get ready for a veggie/fruity summer, everyone!!! it's gonna be awwwwwesome.