Wanting to use up the small, tender zucchini I received in last week's share, I decided to experiment. Shredded zucchini, finely chopped kale, ricotta, and eggs and I found myself enjoying something between a frittata and that spinach and artichoke dip every restaurant now makes (from a can, I suspect). I ate it with some whole grain bread, but it stands up pretty well once slightly cool. I'm thinking I'm going to try it again and use it in a sandwich, maybe with some fresh tomatoes and basil. (I just ate lunch and am hungry just thinking of this).
Zucchini and Kale "Frittata"
3 small zucchini, shredded
salt
1 tbsp bacon grease (or olive oil)
6 c finely chopped kale
2 eggs
1 c ricotta
1/4 c green onion, sliced
2 tbsp fresh basil, minced
2 tbsp fresh oregano, minced
large pinch each of salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Toss shredded zucchini with a sprinkle of salt and let stand in a sieve.
Melt bacon grease in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat.
Add kale and cook until wilted and not watery; remove from heat.
In a bowl, beat eggs well, then mix in ricotta, green onion, basil, oregano, salt and pepper and mix until smooth.
Squeeze excess moisture out of the zucchini, then mix into the egg and cheese mixture.
Add kale to bowl, mix, then pour ingredients back into the skillet and spread evenly across the bottom.
Place skillet in oven and let bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until set and starting to just brown on the edges.
Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before cutting into pieces and serving.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Where My Ego Takes Over
This past weekend was practically perfect. I went to a friend's camp on Thursday night and we had some wine, enjoyed the weather, and built a fire. Friday started off warm, but overcast, so we read for a while on the dock. Once the sun came out, it was hot and lovely; perfect for sunning and swimming! In the afternoon, a storm rolled in and we went inside to watch the pouring rain. On Saturday, I biked to the beach with another friend. Even though we didn't do much swimming (the water was thick with tiny red seaweed), we laid in the sun. It was very hot, but the wind kept us from getting overheated. Sunday I went back to camp for more sun (slightly less humid and definitely more windy) and swimming. I am now more than relaxed; it's almost like I was on vacation.
I also picked up my farm share on Friday. This week I received:
1 gallon tatsoi
1 quart green beans
1 very full gallon of lettuce
3 small zucchini
1 gallon kale
1 gallon chard
1/2 gallon carrots
fresh herbs (cilantro, basil, marjoram, thyme, oregano, parsley, chives)
fresh cut flowers
The farm also raises sheep, pigs, and chickens; so I picked up some lamb steaks, bacon and eggs. I made some bacon on Saturday morning. It's interesting, not quite as salty and smokey as bacon usually is, but still really good. This was my breakfast on Saturday:
Herbed Scrambled Eggs, Greens and Bacon
3 strips bacon
2 cups mixed greens (spinach, tatsoi, and kale)
1 tsp butter
2 eggs, beaten
pinch of salt and pepper
1 tbsp fresh basil, cut into thin strips
toast
strawberries
In a heavy skillet, place the bacon strips and turn to medium-high heat.
Once bacon starts cooking, turn the heat down to medium-low and continue cooking, turning frequently.
While bacon is cooking, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat.
Beat eggs well, then beat in salt, pepper and basil.
Once butter is melted, pour eggs into skillet. Allow to cook for a while, then stir gently, allowing uncooked egg to reach the bottom of the pan. Continue this method until eggs are cooked but not dry. Remove to a plate.
Once bacon is done to your liking, remove to a cooling rack (put paper towel under the cooling rack to catch any drippings).
Drain most of the grease from the pan (put in a heat-safe pyrex dish to save for later use).
Add greens to the pan and cook until wilted, then transfer to plate.
Serve bacon, eggs, and greens with toast and fresh fruit.
Besides my wonderful breakfast, I also experimented with carrot soup. I really like cooked carrots and raw carrot sticks are a great snack, but with all the carrots I got this week, I knew I was going to have to try something new. I decided to try making a ginger-carrot soup, but since it's so hot, I wanted to chill it. I ended up with a fresh tasting, simple soup that is perfect for a hot summer day. Served with a plain green salad and bread with butter, it was another mark of happiness in a wonderful weekend.*
Chilled Ginger Carrot Soup
1 tbsp bacon grease (or olive oil)
2 to 3 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1/4 c red onion, grated
2 c carrot, grated
3 c water
1 tsp chicken Better than Bouillon
salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp cilantro, rinsed and chopped
In a soup pan, melt bacon grease over medium heat.
Add ginger and onion and cook until onion is translucent.
Add carrot and cook, stirring for 3 minutes.
Add water, bouillon, salt and pepper and turn heat up to high.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Pour soup into a blender and blend on high until smooth.
Pour soup into a serving bowl, stir in cilantro, then place in the refrigerator until chilled.
Serve with green salad and bread.
*As noted, I forgot the ego bit. I meant to say how I couldn't believe the amazing deliciousness of the soup. It was just so perfect! And I made it without starting from another recipe. It's all me and all wonderful. (There, ego boost).
I also picked up my farm share on Friday. This week I received:
1 gallon tatsoi
1 quart green beans
1 very full gallon of lettuce
3 small zucchini
1 gallon kale
1 gallon chard
1/2 gallon carrots
fresh herbs (cilantro, basil, marjoram, thyme, oregano, parsley, chives)
fresh cut flowers
The farm also raises sheep, pigs, and chickens; so I picked up some lamb steaks, bacon and eggs. I made some bacon on Saturday morning. It's interesting, not quite as salty and smokey as bacon usually is, but still really good. This was my breakfast on Saturday:
Herbed Scrambled Eggs, Greens and Bacon
3 strips bacon
2 cups mixed greens (spinach, tatsoi, and kale)
1 tsp butter
2 eggs, beaten
pinch of salt and pepper
1 tbsp fresh basil, cut into thin strips
toast
strawberries
In a heavy skillet, place the bacon strips and turn to medium-high heat.
Once bacon starts cooking, turn the heat down to medium-low and continue cooking, turning frequently.
While bacon is cooking, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat.
Beat eggs well, then beat in salt, pepper and basil.
Once butter is melted, pour eggs into skillet. Allow to cook for a while, then stir gently, allowing uncooked egg to reach the bottom of the pan. Continue this method until eggs are cooked but not dry. Remove to a plate.
Once bacon is done to your liking, remove to a cooling rack (put paper towel under the cooling rack to catch any drippings).
Drain most of the grease from the pan (put in a heat-safe pyrex dish to save for later use).
Add greens to the pan and cook until wilted, then transfer to plate.
Serve bacon, eggs, and greens with toast and fresh fruit.
Besides my wonderful breakfast, I also experimented with carrot soup. I really like cooked carrots and raw carrot sticks are a great snack, but with all the carrots I got this week, I knew I was going to have to try something new. I decided to try making a ginger-carrot soup, but since it's so hot, I wanted to chill it. I ended up with a fresh tasting, simple soup that is perfect for a hot summer day. Served with a plain green salad and bread with butter, it was another mark of happiness in a wonderful weekend.*
Chilled Ginger Carrot Soup
1 tbsp bacon grease (or olive oil)
2 to 3 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1/4 c red onion, grated
2 c carrot, grated
3 c water
1 tsp chicken Better than Bouillon
salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp cilantro, rinsed and chopped
In a soup pan, melt bacon grease over medium heat.
Add ginger and onion and cook until onion is translucent.
Add carrot and cook, stirring for 3 minutes.
Add water, bouillon, salt and pepper and turn heat up to high.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Pour soup into a blender and blend on high until smooth.
Pour soup into a serving bowl, stir in cilantro, then place in the refrigerator until chilled.
Serve with green salad and bread.
*As noted, I forgot the ego bit. I meant to say how I couldn't believe the amazing deliciousness of the soup. It was just so perfect! And I made it without starting from another recipe. It's all me and all wonderful. (There, ego boost).
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Bonus Day
I have tomorrow off, so I thought I would post two things today (ooo). Last night I had breakfast for dinner, but without any syrup requiring breads (I don't have any syrup at the moment, bummer). Instead I made an omelet and a potato-kale scramble. Do you call it a scramble if it doesn't include eggs? Hmm... Anyways, it was delicious and accomplished 2 goals: finish the last of the spinach from the share the week before last and knock down one bag of kale from last week's share. I didn't have any bread for toast (should probably go shopping), but I found a large boiled Yukon Gold potato in my refrigerator. Ah leftovers, how you save the day more often than not.
Spinach and Cheddar Omelet with Potato-Kale Scramble
2 tsp butter, divided
3 eggs
3 tbsp green onion, sliced thin
1/2 c spinach, washed and chopped
1 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1/2 c cubed cooked potato (cold)
3 c kale, washed and torn into pieces
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
In a pan over medium heat, melt 1 tsp butter.
In a bowl, beat eggs well.
Mix green onion and a pinch each of salt and pepper into the eggs.
Spread butter in pan evenly, then pour in eggs.
Once the eggs are well set, but still slightly wet on the top, use a spatula to flip.
Sprinkle spinach and cheese on one half of the omelet, then turn other half over to cover. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.
Place 1 tsp butter in the same pan and add garlic.
Once garlic is fragrant, add potato and kale.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then stir while cooking (using spatula to scrape any browned potato from the bottom of the pan).
Once potato is hot and kale is wilted, transfer to plate and eat while warm.
I think I also mentioned that I was going to make some coleslaw with all the cabbage I had left from two weeks ago. I researched a variety of recipes in my old cookbooks. I find, when you're looking for something classic, the old cookbooks are always the best. Too many cookbooks today try to make things less fat (eat less) or time (I enjoy cooking, so I don't necessarily need all my meals done in 10 minutes) or are trying to reinvent recipes (which I have no problem with, I do that a lot, but again, looking for classic). Also, if I'm looking to experiment myself, I like to know how people typically make something and to think of variations all on my lonesome.
After digging around, I found that a "boiled dressing" was a classic for coleslaw. It's not actually boiled, but it is cooked in a pan and then allowed to cool before dressing the vegetables. I took ideas from a few different recipes and settled upon adding mustard seeds and celery seeds to the dressing. For the vegetables, I added shredded zucchini, kohlrabi, and carrots. I also met someone once who salted the vegetables and allowed them to weep before adding the dressing, so I also did that. After a few days, it's gotten a bit watery, but the first couple days it was delicious. Eaten with some cold cooked chicken, it was a nice summery meal.
Classic Coleslaw
6 c finely shredded cabbage (mixture of green and napa cabbages)
2 zucchini, shredded with a grater
1 kohlrabi bulb, peeled and then shredded with a grater
1 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tsp celery seeds
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp flour
2 egg yolks
2 tbsp butter
3/4 c half and half
1/4 c vinegar
1 c onion, sliced paper thin
2 c carrot, shredded with a grater
Place cabbage, zucchini, a kohlrabi in a salad spinner and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and toss.
While vegetables are sitting, place other 1/2 tsp salt, mustard seeds, celery seeds, black pepper, cayenne pepper, sugar and flour in a sauce pan and whisk together.
Add egg yolks to seasonings and mix well with a whisk.
Slowly add half and half, whisking smooth.
Add butter and vinegar, then turn on heat to medium-low.
Stirring constantly, cook dressing until it starts to thicken.
Remove from heat, then pour into a Pyrex measuring cup and put in the refrigerator to cool.
When dressing is cool, rinse the vegetables with water and spin dry.
In a large mixing bowl, combine these vegetables with the onion and carrots. Stir well.
Pour dressing over the vegetables and mix well.
Place in the refrigerator and allow to sit for at least 2 hours before serving.
Spinach and Cheddar Omelet with Potato-Kale Scramble
2 tsp butter, divided
3 eggs
3 tbsp green onion, sliced thin
1/2 c spinach, washed and chopped
1 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1/2 c cubed cooked potato (cold)
3 c kale, washed and torn into pieces
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
In a pan over medium heat, melt 1 tsp butter.
In a bowl, beat eggs well.
Mix green onion and a pinch each of salt and pepper into the eggs.
Spread butter in pan evenly, then pour in eggs.
Once the eggs are well set, but still slightly wet on the top, use a spatula to flip.
Sprinkle spinach and cheese on one half of the omelet, then turn other half over to cover. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.
Place 1 tsp butter in the same pan and add garlic.
Once garlic is fragrant, add potato and kale.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then stir while cooking (using spatula to scrape any browned potato from the bottom of the pan).
Once potato is hot and kale is wilted, transfer to plate and eat while warm.
I think I also mentioned that I was going to make some coleslaw with all the cabbage I had left from two weeks ago. I researched a variety of recipes in my old cookbooks. I find, when you're looking for something classic, the old cookbooks are always the best. Too many cookbooks today try to make things less fat (eat less) or time (I enjoy cooking, so I don't necessarily need all my meals done in 10 minutes) or are trying to reinvent recipes (which I have no problem with, I do that a lot, but again, looking for classic). Also, if I'm looking to experiment myself, I like to know how people typically make something and to think of variations all on my lonesome.
After digging around, I found that a "boiled dressing" was a classic for coleslaw. It's not actually boiled, but it is cooked in a pan and then allowed to cool before dressing the vegetables. I took ideas from a few different recipes and settled upon adding mustard seeds and celery seeds to the dressing. For the vegetables, I added shredded zucchini, kohlrabi, and carrots. I also met someone once who salted the vegetables and allowed them to weep before adding the dressing, so I also did that. After a few days, it's gotten a bit watery, but the first couple days it was delicious. Eaten with some cold cooked chicken, it was a nice summery meal.
Classic Coleslaw
6 c finely shredded cabbage (mixture of green and napa cabbages)
2 zucchini, shredded with a grater
1 kohlrabi bulb, peeled and then shredded with a grater
1 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tsp celery seeds
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp flour
2 egg yolks
2 tbsp butter
3/4 c half and half
1/4 c vinegar
1 c onion, sliced paper thin
2 c carrot, shredded with a grater
Place cabbage, zucchini, a kohlrabi in a salad spinner and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and toss.
While vegetables are sitting, place other 1/2 tsp salt, mustard seeds, celery seeds, black pepper, cayenne pepper, sugar and flour in a sauce pan and whisk together.
Add egg yolks to seasonings and mix well with a whisk.
Slowly add half and half, whisking smooth.
Add butter and vinegar, then turn on heat to medium-low.
Stirring constantly, cook dressing until it starts to thicken.
Remove from heat, then pour into a Pyrex measuring cup and put in the refrigerator to cool.
When dressing is cool, rinse the vegetables with water and spin dry.
In a large mixing bowl, combine these vegetables with the onion and carrots. Stir well.
Pour dressing over the vegetables and mix well.
Place in the refrigerator and allow to sit for at least 2 hours before serving.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Love Those Greens
Looking in my refrigerator last night I realized:
1) I have 2 gallons of kale to eat.
2) I forgot to store my last kohlrabi bulb properly and it was starting to get soft.
So, with those two vegetables in mind and a craving for pepperoni, I whipped up a quick meal. Oh, I also had a craving for olives, which... if you really like olives (which I do), you can add. But, to be honest I felt they overpowered everything else. The olive-less bites were very tasty all on their own. So, if I was to do this again, I'd just have the olives on the side. I added some whole grain crackers, slices of cheddar cheese, and some fruity red wine. When finished with some dark chocolate, it was a great (fast) meal.
Kale and Kohlrabi with Pepperoni
1 tsp black pepper olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thick
1 medium kohlrabi bulb, peeled and julienned
2 inches link pepperoni, quartered lengthwise and then sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 c kale, washed and sliced into 2 inch strips
1/2 c green onion, cut in 2 inch long pieces
salt and pepper to taste
In a cast iron pan, heat the olive oil and garlic over medium heat.
When garlic is fragrant, add kohlrabi and continue cooking, stirring rarely.
Once kohlrabi starts to turn golden, add pepperoni and continue cooking until kohlrabi is very golden.
Add kale, green onion, and salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until kale is wilted, but not soggy.
Serve while warm with cheese, crackers, and olives.
1) I have 2 gallons of kale to eat.
2) I forgot to store my last kohlrabi bulb properly and it was starting to get soft.
So, with those two vegetables in mind and a craving for pepperoni, I whipped up a quick meal. Oh, I also had a craving for olives, which... if you really like olives (which I do), you can add. But, to be honest I felt they overpowered everything else. The olive-less bites were very tasty all on their own. So, if I was to do this again, I'd just have the olives on the side. I added some whole grain crackers, slices of cheddar cheese, and some fruity red wine. When finished with some dark chocolate, it was a great (fast) meal.
Kale and Kohlrabi with Pepperoni
1 tsp black pepper olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thick
1 medium kohlrabi bulb, peeled and julienned
2 inches link pepperoni, quartered lengthwise and then sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 c kale, washed and sliced into 2 inch strips
1/2 c green onion, cut in 2 inch long pieces
salt and pepper to taste
In a cast iron pan, heat the olive oil and garlic over medium heat.
When garlic is fragrant, add kohlrabi and continue cooking, stirring rarely.
Once kohlrabi starts to turn golden, add pepperoni and continue cooking until kohlrabi is very golden.
Add kale, green onion, and salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until kale is wilted, but not soggy.
Serve while warm with cheese, crackers, and olives.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Simple Pleasures
One of the things I love about living and working in Portland is that it doesn't take a lot of effort to find a quiet place to enjoy the weather. After work, I take my dog for a walk that meanders through green neighborhoods or around the cove. On the weekends, I can go for a bike ride and see the ocean crashing against the rocks, bluebirds flying through fields, or cranes and ducks enjoying a marsh. And at lunchtime, I can take a simple salad, pick up something from the Standard Baking Company next door and go sit on the pier to soak up sun and let my brain relax.
I've found that some of my favorite salads are the most simple. A bunch of salad greens, some fruit, and a basic vinaigrette eaten with fresh bread is refreshing and satisfying. The key to a great salad (besides fabulous vegetables) is the dressing. I've done a lot of experimenting with dressings over the past couple years and have found that simple is many times the best. I usually use a little oil, vinegar and a sweetener (and occasionally some salt and pepper). The variety comes from the type of oil, vinegar and sweetener you use and then the proportion of vinegar to sweetener. For oil, I've used hazelnut, olive oil, and many flavored oils (like lemon rosemary, black pepper, or basil). For vinegar, I'll use rice, balsamic, white balsamic, or cider. And for sweeteners, I'll use white sugar (rare), honey, molasses, maple syrup, or fruit or fruit juices. I tend to like my dressings tangy, but when I have company, I'll make them sweeter, so anywhere from 3 parts vinegar to 1 part sweetener to 1 part vinegar to 1 part sweetener (or for my more sensitive friends, I'll put more sweetener than vinegar). Below is the vinaigrette (and salad) that I had for lunch today.
Salad with Basic Vinaigrette
4 cups mixed salad greens (baby lettuce, radicchio, spinach, tatsoi, arugula)
3/4 c blueberries
Vinaigrette:
1 tsp lemon rosemary olive oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp maple syrup
pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Wash lettuce and tear into bite sized pieces, place in sealable container.
Put blueberries in an 8 oz glass jar with lid.
Place vinaigrette ingredients in a 4 oz glass jar with lid.
When ready to eat, add blueberries to the salad greens; shake vinaigrette to mix and pout over salad.
I've found that some of my favorite salads are the most simple. A bunch of salad greens, some fruit, and a basic vinaigrette eaten with fresh bread is refreshing and satisfying. The key to a great salad (besides fabulous vegetables) is the dressing. I've done a lot of experimenting with dressings over the past couple years and have found that simple is many times the best. I usually use a little oil, vinegar and a sweetener (and occasionally some salt and pepper). The variety comes from the type of oil, vinegar and sweetener you use and then the proportion of vinegar to sweetener. For oil, I've used hazelnut, olive oil, and many flavored oils (like lemon rosemary, black pepper, or basil). For vinegar, I'll use rice, balsamic, white balsamic, or cider. And for sweeteners, I'll use white sugar (rare), honey, molasses, maple syrup, or fruit or fruit juices. I tend to like my dressings tangy, but when I have company, I'll make them sweeter, so anywhere from 3 parts vinegar to 1 part sweetener to 1 part vinegar to 1 part sweetener (or for my more sensitive friends, I'll put more sweetener than vinegar). Below is the vinaigrette (and salad) that I had for lunch today.
Salad with Basic Vinaigrette
4 cups mixed salad greens (baby lettuce, radicchio, spinach, tatsoi, arugula)
3/4 c blueberries
Vinaigrette:
1 tsp lemon rosemary olive oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp maple syrup
pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Wash lettuce and tear into bite sized pieces, place in sealable container.
Put blueberries in an 8 oz glass jar with lid.
Place vinaigrette ingredients in a 4 oz glass jar with lid.
When ready to eat, add blueberries to the salad greens; shake vinaigrette to mix and pout over salad.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Caution: Hot
It's been hot and humid here in Maine, which is unusual. For example, for a good portion of June I still needed to wear a jacket and leggings on my bike ride to work. I'm enjoying the heat and hope it lasts long enough for me to want it to go away. I have to say, this summer has been absolutely beautiful. While it may not have been hot in June, it didn't rain all month like last year. I'm not sure if a lack of rain (well, it's rained, but not constantly, day after day) is affecting the farm. They mentioned in the last newsletter that it's been dry enough for them to dry and bale hay. And the vegetables are still coming. They think next week they will also have flowers in the pick-your-own section, which is cool.
So, where am I with my vegetables from last week? Mostly gone, though I still have some napa cabbage, a small cabbage, some lettuce, and the zucchini left. Perhaps I'll make some coleslaw inspired salad this weekend. Most of the remaining vegetables went into my dinner last night, a hot and sour soup inspired stew. The hot and sour soup recipe I use is from Ken Hom's Fool Proof Chinese Cooking. If you've never made Hot and Sour soup, you really should pick up a copy of this book and try his out. I've never been a fan of the glutinous vibrant red variety in most Chinese restaurants in the US. Hom's recipe, however, is a proper soup and the only vibrant red comes from the hot pepper oil. It's absolutely delicious.
I was already considering using his marinade for some ground pork I had and as I got going I decided to make a stew that I could put over rice. His recipe has tofu, egg, pork, woodears and shitake mushrooms. I used the egg, pork, and shitake mushrooms and added broccoli, baby bok choy leaves, napa cabbage and some spicy red peppers. It's important, when making his soup, to make a chicken stock. I didn't have any, so I used bouillon and simmered it with slices of ginger, crushed garlic, and onion to make the base. After making that, the rest of the soup went together rather quickly. And despite the heat, it was a perfect meal.
Vegetable Hot and Sour Stew
6 c water
2 tsp chicken bouillon
4 inches of ginger, sliced
6 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
1/2 c sliced red onion
12 shitake mushrooms, stems and tops separated; slice tops
1/2 lb pork
4 tsp soy sauce
4 tsp rice wine
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp sugar
12 napa cabbage leaves, washed and sliced into 1 inch strips
8 to 10 baby bok choy, leaves separated from stems
3 c broccoli pieces*
2 hot peppers, sliced into rounds
2 eggs
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
8 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tsp chili oil
1/4 c cilantro
2 tsp sesame oil
cooked rice
In a stock pot, combine water, bouillon, ginger, garlic, onion, and stems from the shitake mushrooms.
Bring to a boil, turn down a tad and let cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
While the base is boiling, mix the 4 tsp soy sauce, 4 tsp rice wine, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp sugar and pork.
Use a wire strainer to remove the ginger, garlic, onion, and shitake stems from the base.
Turn down heat so base is simmering, then slowly add the pork, breaking it into small pieces. Allow to simmer for a few minutes.
Once pork is no longer visibly pink, add the cabbage, bok choy, broccoli, shitake caps, and red pepper. Allow to cook until broccoli is bright green and cabbage and bok choy are wilted.
In a small bowl, beat the eggs with the 1 tbsp sesame oil.
Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan, clearing a space where there is mostly broth in the center. Slowly pour the egg into this space, stirring with a fork to break it up, then stir.
Add the remaining ingredients and allow to simmer for a few minutes.
Remove from heat and serve in a bowl over cooked rice.
*I typically cut the long stemmed florets off the sides, until I reach the heart of the top. Then I cut this from the stem and break into pieces. I then cut off the bottom of the stem, peel the skin off the main stem at the bottom, and then quarter lengthwise and cut into 2 inch lengths.
So, where am I with my vegetables from last week? Mostly gone, though I still have some napa cabbage, a small cabbage, some lettuce, and the zucchini left. Perhaps I'll make some coleslaw inspired salad this weekend. Most of the remaining vegetables went into my dinner last night, a hot and sour soup inspired stew. The hot and sour soup recipe I use is from Ken Hom's Fool Proof Chinese Cooking. If you've never made Hot and Sour soup, you really should pick up a copy of this book and try his out. I've never been a fan of the glutinous vibrant red variety in most Chinese restaurants in the US. Hom's recipe, however, is a proper soup and the only vibrant red comes from the hot pepper oil. It's absolutely delicious.
I was already considering using his marinade for some ground pork I had and as I got going I decided to make a stew that I could put over rice. His recipe has tofu, egg, pork, woodears and shitake mushrooms. I used the egg, pork, and shitake mushrooms and added broccoli, baby bok choy leaves, napa cabbage and some spicy red peppers. It's important, when making his soup, to make a chicken stock. I didn't have any, so I used bouillon and simmered it with slices of ginger, crushed garlic, and onion to make the base. After making that, the rest of the soup went together rather quickly. And despite the heat, it was a perfect meal.
Vegetable Hot and Sour Stew
6 c water
2 tsp chicken bouillon
4 inches of ginger, sliced
6 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
1/2 c sliced red onion
12 shitake mushrooms, stems and tops separated; slice tops
1/2 lb pork
4 tsp soy sauce
4 tsp rice wine
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp sugar
12 napa cabbage leaves, washed and sliced into 1 inch strips
8 to 10 baby bok choy, leaves separated from stems
3 c broccoli pieces*
2 hot peppers, sliced into rounds
2 eggs
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
8 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tsp chili oil
1/4 c cilantro
2 tsp sesame oil
cooked rice
In a stock pot, combine water, bouillon, ginger, garlic, onion, and stems from the shitake mushrooms.
Bring to a boil, turn down a tad and let cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
While the base is boiling, mix the 4 tsp soy sauce, 4 tsp rice wine, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp sugar and pork.
Use a wire strainer to remove the ginger, garlic, onion, and shitake stems from the base.
Turn down heat so base is simmering, then slowly add the pork, breaking it into small pieces. Allow to simmer for a few minutes.
Once pork is no longer visibly pink, add the cabbage, bok choy, broccoli, shitake caps, and red pepper. Allow to cook until broccoli is bright green and cabbage and bok choy are wilted.
In a small bowl, beat the eggs with the 1 tbsp sesame oil.
Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan, clearing a space where there is mostly broth in the center. Slowly pour the egg into this space, stirring with a fork to break it up, then stir.
Add the remaining ingredients and allow to simmer for a few minutes.
Remove from heat and serve in a bowl over cooked rice.
*I typically cut the long stemmed florets off the sides, until I reach the heart of the top. Then I cut this from the stem and break into pieces. I then cut off the bottom of the stem, peel the skin off the main stem at the bottom, and then quarter lengthwise and cut into 2 inch lengths.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Sun, Fun, and no writing
You'll have to forgive me, but over the holiday weekend I decided accepting invitations to camps* was more appealing than staying in town where there is Internet access. I spent three glorious days sunning myself, swimming, and eating grilled food. Pretty awesome. Before heading out of town I took stock of what remained to be eaten from last week's CSA (a head of red leaf lettuce) and then went to pick up that week's share. I now have gallon size Ziploc bags, so I can give you a more accurate account of what I picked up:
1 gallon baby lettuce mix
1/2 gallon mixed salad greens (including spinach, radicchio, and tatsoi)
1 1/2 gallons mixed braising greens (including kale, baby bok choy, and chard)
1 small head each of cabbage and napa cabbage (they are a little bigger than a softball)
1 quart of pea pods (This time I picked more snow peas than snap peas.)
2 zucchini
1 large napa cabbage
2 heads broccoli
And given my being out of town over the weekend and then being sick at the beginning of the week, I still have quite a bit left (1/2 the baby lettuce, all of the salad greens, the bok choy, 1 small head of cabbage, 2 zucchini, most of the large napa cabbage, and the broccoli). I'm thinking I'm going to try finding a recipe for kimchi. The broccoli I'm going to try freezing. The zucchini might be made into bread that will be brought to work (or frozen).
I used up the chard, kale, and small head of napa cabbage last night (which turned into today's lunch, or maybe afternoon snack). Wanting to change up my stir fried greens, I decided to add some Moghul Masala to it. What is Moghul Masala? It's an Indian spice mixture I found in one of my cookbooks (The Book of Curries & Indian Foods). It's a mixture of cardamom pods, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, and nutmeg, so it adds a warm flavor to foods. After adding that, I felt that the dish needed a little sweetness, so I threw in a good handful of raisins during the last few minutes of cooking. I was really pleased with the results. While it's not a combination many people would think of, it's a balanced combinations that completely changes the flavor of typical stir fried vegetables.
Spiced Greens with Raisins
1 tbsp oil
1/3 c chopped red onion
1 tsp Moghul Masala
6 cups mixed greens (such as chard, cabbage, kale), rinsed and dried
1/4 c raisins
cooked rice
Put a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add oil.
When oil is shimmering, add onion and masala, and cook while stirring.
When onion is translucent and spices fragrant, add greens. Use tongs to turn the greens and mix with the onion and masala. Cook, turning frequently until mostly wilted.
Add raisins and continue cooking until greens are cooked to your liking. (I found that the chard and kale cooked quickly, while the cabbage was still not quite done. In this case, I kept cooking until the cabbage was tender and the other greens were very soft).
Remove from heat and serve with rice.
* Camp: the Maine term for a small cabin on a lake or ocean.
1 gallon baby lettuce mix
1/2 gallon mixed salad greens (including spinach, radicchio, and tatsoi)
1 1/2 gallons mixed braising greens (including kale, baby bok choy, and chard)
1 small head each of cabbage and napa cabbage (they are a little bigger than a softball)
1 quart of pea pods (This time I picked more snow peas than snap peas.)
2 zucchini
1 large napa cabbage
2 heads broccoli
And given my being out of town over the weekend and then being sick at the beginning of the week, I still have quite a bit left (1/2 the baby lettuce, all of the salad greens, the bok choy, 1 small head of cabbage, 2 zucchini, most of the large napa cabbage, and the broccoli). I'm thinking I'm going to try finding a recipe for kimchi. The broccoli I'm going to try freezing. The zucchini might be made into bread that will be brought to work (or frozen).
I used up the chard, kale, and small head of napa cabbage last night (which turned into today's lunch, or maybe afternoon snack). Wanting to change up my stir fried greens, I decided to add some Moghul Masala to it. What is Moghul Masala? It's an Indian spice mixture I found in one of my cookbooks (The Book of Curries & Indian Foods). It's a mixture of cardamom pods, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, and nutmeg, so it adds a warm flavor to foods. After adding that, I felt that the dish needed a little sweetness, so I threw in a good handful of raisins during the last few minutes of cooking. I was really pleased with the results. While it's not a combination many people would think of, it's a balanced combinations that completely changes the flavor of typical stir fried vegetables.
Spiced Greens with Raisins
1 tbsp oil
1/3 c chopped red onion
1 tsp Moghul Masala
6 cups mixed greens (such as chard, cabbage, kale), rinsed and dried
1/4 c raisins
cooked rice
Put a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add oil.
When oil is shimmering, add onion and masala, and cook while stirring.
When onion is translucent and spices fragrant, add greens. Use tongs to turn the greens and mix with the onion and masala. Cook, turning frequently until mostly wilted.
Add raisins and continue cooking until greens are cooked to your liking. (I found that the chard and kale cooked quickly, while the cabbage was still not quite done. In this case, I kept cooking until the cabbage was tender and the other greens were very soft).
Remove from heat and serve with rice.
* Camp: the Maine term for a small cabin on a lake or ocean.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
The Goodness of Garlic
I was pretty much famished by the time I got down to making dinner last night. Due to some exercise related protesting from my legs, I decided to take it easy last night. So instead of the planned bike ride, I took my pups for a long, leisurely walk (read: I was in too much pain to walk fast). While this did result in a great deal less pain today, it also meant it was late when I got home. Whilst on the walk, I was dreaming of pizza and wine (having to walk by a pizza parlor did not help). Knowing the state of the vegetables in my refrigerator (many), I passed up pizza and instead made pasta. I whipped up a garlic cream sauce, sauteed some kale and parboiled some pea pods, mixed it all, and topped it with a little bit of shredded cheddar cheese before eating. It definitely hit the spot and made me happy that I didn't cave to the enticing pizza perfume.
Pasta with Garlic Cream Sauce and Vegetables
2 c pea pods, washed, cut in half
1 tsp oil (I used a basil olive oil)
1 1/2 c kale, washed and chopped
2 oz pasta (I used dried because I didn't have any fresh)
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil (again, I used the basil olive oil)
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
4 tsp flour (this is a reduction, I actually used 5)
salt and pepper to taste
1 c milk
cheddar cheese, shredded
Put pea pods in a pot, cover with water and place over high heat.
Bring to a boil, cook for about 2 minutes, then drain.
In the same pot, put a generous amount of water and bring to a boil over high heat.
Add a large pinch of salt, stir, then add the pasta to cook. Cook to al dente as directed on the package.
While pasta is cooking, heat a skillet over medium high heat and add 1 tsp oil.
When oil is shimmering, add kale and stir fry until wilted, then remove from heat.
Once pasta is done cooking, pour into a sieve and let drain.
Place that same pot over medium low heat and add butter and 1 tbsp oil.
Once the butter has melted and is crackling, add garlic and cook, stirring, until garlic just starts to turn golden.
Add flour, salt and pepper and stir until smooth. Let this bubble, stirring, for about a minute.
Slowly add the milk, whisking until smooth.
Cook until sauce thickens, then add the pea pods, kale, and pasta and toss.
Before serving warm, top with cheddar cheese.
Pasta with Garlic Cream Sauce and Vegetables
2 c pea pods, washed, cut in half
1 tsp oil (I used a basil olive oil)
1 1/2 c kale, washed and chopped
2 oz pasta (I used dried because I didn't have any fresh)
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil (again, I used the basil olive oil)
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
4 tsp flour (this is a reduction, I actually used 5)
salt and pepper to taste
1 c milk
cheddar cheese, shredded
Put pea pods in a pot, cover with water and place over high heat.
Bring to a boil, cook for about 2 minutes, then drain.
In the same pot, put a generous amount of water and bring to a boil over high heat.
Add a large pinch of salt, stir, then add the pasta to cook. Cook to al dente as directed on the package.
While pasta is cooking, heat a skillet over medium high heat and add 1 tsp oil.
When oil is shimmering, add kale and stir fry until wilted, then remove from heat.
Once pasta is done cooking, pour into a sieve and let drain.
Place that same pot over medium low heat and add butter and 1 tbsp oil.
Once the butter has melted and is crackling, add garlic and cook, stirring, until garlic just starts to turn golden.
Add flour, salt and pepper and stir until smooth. Let this bubble, stirring, for about a minute.
Slowly add the milk, whisking until smooth.
Cook until sauce thickens, then add the pea pods, kale, and pasta and toss.
Before serving warm, top with cheddar cheese.
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