Winter pleasures

December dinner party with my folks, sister and brother-in-law, featuring kitchen muse pizza and five current winter obsessions...


#1 Swiss chard, cut into ribbons and ready for saute action

#2 Cara-Cara pink fleshed oranges, seen here with baby chioggia beets, and citrus vinaigrette for green salad. If you see Cara Cara in your grocery store, go for it! You won't be sorry! They're ruby red like a grapefruit but with an intense, sweet orange flavor.

#3 The antipasti tray. The Italians are really on to something, here. How could any party guest resist a little salty bite with their vino or brewski?



Pizza with Swiss chard, beet greens, and bacon (YUM!) and three-cheese white pizza with sage oil, both made possible by winter obsession #4: the pizza pan. Golden, chewy crust not possible without one. Mom brought hers so we could make two pies.

And for dessert, can you believe it? I actually baked. It's #5 chocolate peppermint crackles, the old family recipe with peppermint extract instead of vanilla. Wait, that one in the front looks wonky. I can't possibly serve it to my guests. I better eat it before it causes problems... Ah, that's better.

So much fun! Best dinner party yet. We'll have to do this more often. Hope you are rounding off the year with people you love and good things to eat!

Salut! L'chaim! Cheers!

Baby, it's Cold Outside

Sunday, the rain raged against the panes of the house, and the sky was dark. In past years at this time, I've felt storm clouds inside myself, as if winter was something to be swallowed, as if my whole body absorbed the gray from outside. This year, I am determined to fight off any pending winter chills with good vibes in a warm house. And on dark and stormy afternoons, wouldn't you like to come home to this? It's Portuguese-style potato kale soup with garlicky, spicy sausage and it warmed my soul on Sunday.


Seasonal beverage? Certainly. This means I should add some to the soup, right? (My mom is laughing right now because she knows I am notorious for drinking half my bottle of beer.)

It all started because I've been volunteering at this garden in the city: http://www.thefreefarm.org/ Earlier this year, some folks started a garden where anyone can come volunteer and they give the produce away for free in needy neighborhoods without grocery stores. It's run by a guy named Tree--no kidding! Anyway, my three hours of weed pulling and seedling planting was rewarded with two bags full of purple kale and collard greens. Naturally, I was excited because I had never before worked with either of these ingredients.

A lesson I learned a long time ago from my folks--nothing chases the blues quite like a hot soup. First of all, soup makes your place smell warm and inviting. This one's packed with vital nutrients too. I checked--collard greens and kale are super foods; they've got iron, calcium, all the B vitamins, plus they fight cancer, clean your house, and fold your laundry. Okay, maybe not the last two. But I'm more in the mood to do those things when full of stick-to-your-ribs comfort food like this. Makes the rain outside not seem quite so angry, while inside I am curled up and content.

Giving Thanks: Part III

I am thankful for all the things I've done

and even for the things I haven't.

Giving Thanks: Part II

I am thankful for my family.

Giving Thanks: Part I

I am thankful for the earth.


S'up, first potato sprout?

Obsession: Chili

Let me tell you, I am obsessed with chili. (Cornbread too, but that's another post for another day). It's the American standby that's ridiculously good for you. It's the wild west, the desert, the mountains, the redwoods. It's my parents' house. It's my house. And this time of year, when the air bites you a little, I could eat this every night. It's that good.

Now, I prefer my chili without meat, so I sought out a recipe that relied on beans and veggies. Have a little time to cook tonight? It's totally worth it.

Another thing I love about a big pot of chili--it uses ingredients you probably already have in your house. Great way to use up those veggies from the bottom of the fridge or from the garden!

From the last of the summer harvest--tomato, black cherry tomato (small green ones), jalapeno. Poblano peppers and zucchini from a friend's garden.

I love these flavors--chili powder, ground cumin, fresh garlic, oregano, kosher salt.


Actually, studies have shown that it cooks faster if you're drinking a beer...

Okay, not really. But I always recommend enjoying alcohol while cooking. And maybe a little music while you're at it. Bill Withers or The Band seems appropriate. Enjoy!


Favorite Chili
(recipe adapted from Cooking Light)

1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 chopped carrots
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups water
1 large or 2 small chopped red bell pepper
1 large or 2 small chopped zucchini
2-4 chopped jalapenos (remove seeds for less heat)
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp kosher salt
3-4 chopped tomatoes or a 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
*1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
*1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp rice vinegar

*Note: Canned beans are great and easy. Lately, I prefer to cook my own beans from scratch. If cooking from scratch, just make sure beans are fully cooked beforehand.

Saute onion and carrot in 2 Tbsp butter or olive oil for 5 min or until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic and saute 1 minute.

Stir in the rest of the ingredients (except the vinegar--that's at the end) and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in vinegar. Taste it and see if it needs more salt.

Serve with rice, cornbread, or on its own. I like mine topped with a little Greek yogurt, avocado, and scallion. Meat lovers could easily brown some ground turkey, beef, or lamb to spoon on top. Reheats great the next day for school lunches.

Finding Peace

I had a nasty thing happen at work today.

It angered me, then upset me, then kicked me when I was down. My only hope this afternoon was finding a peaceful state where I could be distracted enough to forget about it and then content enough not to care. And when days are warm and evenings are dark and cool, or on days like today when I want to get in my car and drive away from it all, I find peace here:

Peace like the last salsa of the season...

(um, remind me in a future post to share my dad's famous salsa recipe which will kick your ass, it's so good)



Peace like enough to share with good friends!



Peace like sorting dry heirloom beans,



that will simmer on your stove for dinner



Peace like heaps of tortillas and avocado that go perfectly with the beans and salsa you just made.



Peace in beer.



No, wait, even better--peace in familiar beer, when you know what the first swig will feel like.




Peace like when you make oatmeal coconut almond cookies or breakfast rice pudding...




...and then your whole house smells sweet and cozy.



Peace like curling up with a kitty!




Peace like sitting still long enough to work on a new silk winter pullover.

Peace in crime drama tv shows that make me yell at the television.

And the ultimate reward:


Man that hits the spot.


And maybe, just maybe, peace will be enough to make you go back to work and face it all tomorrow.

Flashback

When I was a kid accompanying my mom on grocery shopping trips, I would make a beeline for the produce section, grab a bunch of scallions, press the cold white ends up to my nose and sniff. Luckily, my mom usually purchased scallions, so it's not like I was sticking them up my nose and then putting them back. Stay with me, this story leads to something appetizing, I promise...I just have this specific memory attached to scallions and their mild warm oniony smell. So you can imagine my delight when my friend and fellow garden enthusiast Albert Kuo told me that if you stick green onions in the earth they will grow and you can cut them like chives. Um, how did I not know about this brilliant scheme sooner?

Which brings me to another childhood legend:
Grandma Evelyn's macaroni salad.
That's right, boofs, you know what I'm talkin' about.

Man, it was so simple, so classic. So not the gloppy elmer's glue concoction that passes in grocery stores for macaroni salad. I'm making this batch with really bright flavors--scallion, celery, red jalapeno...

...chives, of course, 'cause they go in everything.

Childhood me was too busy scarfing it with beans and vignadiles at family picnics to notice how she dressed it so I'm going with salt, pepper, a little oil, vinegar, scant spoon of mayo...



Just like Grandma used to make! When I was invited to my friend's annual pumpkin carving party and bbq, there was only one side dish that would do. How good will this be later with grilled chicken and cold beer? I mean, who could resist?

Early Fall Harvest

Northern California (at least the SF area) has a weird growing season compared to the rest of the nation. Summers are cold, September and October are hot, and we can have gardens all winter. Basically, as with politics and everything else, we make our own rules. But enough talk. I'm on the verge of yanking up my summer garden and putting in plants for winter. Thus I'm eating up everything left out there:

I had great success with Japanese eggplant and cucumbers...limited success with tomatoes, cherry or otherwise. What's in this colander was everything I got this summer. Believe me, I am going to savor every last bite, so help me. My mom & sister came over for lunch and we broiled slices of those little eggplants to go in roast chicken gyros. YUM.

And then there are my jalapeno plants. This was kind of an experiment because I've never successfully grown peppers before. These plants LOVE my new place--I can't pick the peppers fast enough.

My theory? These plants (and the eggplants too) really benefited from being planted with my new favorite thing ever, African blue basil. Unlike other basils, it's an annual, so you leave the blue blossoms on instead of furiously pinching them off. Flavor wise, it's a little sharper than the Italian sweet basil most are used to. It's closer in flavor to a spicy Thai basil. But best of all, honeybees go bananas for the flowers on this plant--every time I went out to the garden it was a bee party, I swear. And if honeybees come for the basil, maybe they'll stay for a taste of everything else and pollinate my whole garden.


So, what do you do with the jalapeno plant that keeps on giving? Um, what don't you do! Apparently jalapeno goes with everything.

Salsa fresca.
Mexican rice.
Whole beans.
Scrambled egg with goat cheese.
Asian-style sauteed eggplant.
Veggie chili.
Tortilla soup.
Give them away to fellow spicy food enthusiasts.
Have your dad throw them on the grill. Or shoot, grill 'em yourself. I just happen to have a dad who loves hot food and grilling things.

First Pizza

First pizza of my new house:

featuring mixed garden herbs, fresh mozzarella cheese, homemade yeast dough,



and starring sauce from July's sauce party.

By the way, thank you to whichever Westmont faculty member grew those gorgeous monster heirloom tomatoes and double thank you for leaving them in the mailroom where I could help myself. They were unreal on this pizza.



Spectacular!

Toro! Toro! Toro!

This evening I had what I'll call the great sushi dilemma (thanks, Michael Pollan). Cut to my usual sushi dinner at Sushi Tomi on Dana Street, at which I have had the same order once a week for 4 years: regular chirashi with no suzuki (seabass) and a lunch size beer. It's consistently fabulous, featuring old faves like salmon, egg omelet and seaweed salad and I know I like it. So this evening, my favorite waitress was shocked when I told her I wanted to try something different. I was curious about the chef's special--for $35 the chef brings you ten pieces, most of which had names I did not recognize. Shoot, I'm feeling adventurous! Why the hell not?

The chef lays this plate in front of me with ten glistening gorgeous pieces of sushi and tells me what each one is. I am so engrossed with my plate of food I am only half listening. Blah blah giant clam...blah blah snapper...and these two at the end here are bluefin tuna.

I love tuna, I really do. I have shamelessly proclaimed my love for diner tuna melts, made with canned Albacore, and my usual sushi order comes with albacore or yellowfin. Needless to say, this kind would be a new experience.

The first piece was spectacular and dissolved like butter in my mouth. So this was the fish that was prized by ancient Mediterranean fishermen.

I mean this thing is built like a torpedo.


The second piece was from a different cut because it was marbled like roast beef and had a red meat texture, which, well, perturbed me. Mid-chew, this chain of images and panicked thoughts flashed through my head. See, that's when I remembered that blue fin is an endangered creature, at the top of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's list of red alert do not eat fishes. You can't so much tell from that photo, but bluefin are enormous, powerful beasts that are being fished to the brink of extinction. It's like eating a rhinoceros or a giant panda. Oh sweet chopsticks, I was eating a panda! I nearly barfed right there at the sushi bar. (This would have been especially embarrassing because after 4 years of eating at Sushi Tomi the sushi chef himself knows who I am. He noticed my new haircut! I'm just saying.)

What's that Simpsons gag where schoolyard bully Nelson has a spotted owl in a headlock, taunting between noogies, "Stop endangering yourself! Stop endangering yourself!" Seafood is so damn good and (despite me being a sometimes vegetarian) sushi in particular is one of my favorite treats. I want to kick the sushi counter and scream at the bluefin far away in the ocean, who I'm sure are not listening, Nice one, you jerks. If you tasted like banana slugs, you wouldn't be over harvested, you stupid, stupid giant tuna!


But all kidding aside, that brings me to this idea about what it means to be a conscious consumers. When I was a little kid, no one knew about recycling, and then one day everyone was methodical about separating bottles and cans. I mean, the waste management in my folks' neighborhood now picks up food waste. It's wonderful. Or think about the organic food movement--ten years ago, organic produce was not on everyone's shopping list or even in our grocery stores. The only reason I even know not to eat bluefin in the first place is because I looked at a conservation website. Perhaps making wise, informed choices is one of the most responsible things you can do as a consumer.

And then there's the ethics of food. I couldn't swallow the bluefin nigiri only when I remembered that the animal was endangered. What makes us choose to eat something or not eat something for personal reasons? Case in point, once in awhile I'll order veal piccata in an Italian restaurant (read: once a year) but have refused to eat octopus ever since my dad gave me this whole spiel about how they're highly intelligent and are good to their partners or whatever (not that I was a huge octopus fan to begin with, so, yeah, it wasn't really a sacrifice). Someone else might be horrified at the plight of a young cow but not think twice about some squishy sea creature. And who is to say which should be worth more than the other one? I don't know...there is no right or wrong answer. The only answer that makes any sense to me is trying to be responsible in your choices, whatever that means to you.

Funny thing was, hands down the most delightful thing on that plate was the sardine sashimi with chopped scallion on top. Delicious. If I saw it on a menu again, I would order it, and I cannot say the same about bluefin, which I will continue to boycott. Also, I am smugly satisfied knowing that sardines multiply like crazy and are a sustainable choice. And I have to say, they really are beautiful in this photograph, aren't they?

So what's an omnivore to do?