I am, I admit, a bit of a cinematic neophyte. I was working over the summer back in DC and didn't get the chance to go to the movies as much as I'd liked, and so I missed the critic's darling of the summer, the animated film Ratatouille. However, as it was a Pixar film (all of which I have, without exception, adored) and a movie about cooking, I decided that I would order it to own on DVD, rather than simply renting it. It came in the mail today.
Let me first say that my accolades about its general perfection are needless - I don't think I read a single review of the movie that had anything bad to say. More importantly, however, were three (for lack of a better term) takeaways from the movie that I wanted to mull over.
"Anyone can cook" is the motto of the protagonist's spectral mentor. And this is, in fact, true. While the movie makes it seem like some are born to greatness while others are not, I think that's actually the wrong approach. I think that, if so inclined, it is possible for anyone (okay, 99% of people - my stepdad may be beyond help, but that's another story) to learn to cook competently and to refine their palette. More importantly, I think it's possible for anyone who wants to to learn to cook for their own palette - after all, the foods that I love (risotto, anything with goat cheese or spinach) may be the opposite of what others love. My friend Adam, for instance, hates cheese. We have learned to disagree (and always order different appetizers).
Another theme in the movie is the role of criticism as the discoverer and defender of the new. I think this is something that is applicable not only in my culinary life (oh, that there were more people challenging me to get outside my comfort zone!) but in my academic life as well. Isn't that what we all strive for, as students? Not only to know what has already been discovered but to find the new insight that no one has thought of yet? If not, then I would really like to dispense with all this preemption research nonsense that one is forced to endure if one wishes to be on a law journal. Ugh.
Finally, the movie also reminds us why we, as humans, are so tied to food and strive so hard for what is sometimes sarcastically called "culinary greatness." What is magical about food is the way that it can anchor or bring back a memory. Olfactory (smell-based) memories last five times as long as sight- or sound- anchored memories. More on this in a later post (or posts), but I was just struck by how true that is. There is a reason that the NYTimes Food section has a column entitled Eat, Drink, Memory. It is because food is a visceral reminder of where we are, where we come from, and who we want to be.
Speaking of the ghosts of flavors past, here is a recipe based on a salad at my favorite high-school fast food restaurant - Everything Salad & Yogurt. This salad goes well with a strawberry-banana yogurt smoothie, fyi...
Pasta Tuna Veggie Salad
1 can chunk light tuna fish in water
1 bag mixed salad greens (romaine-based, though spinach would also work)
2 cups fresh broccoli florets (TJs sells them by the bag, pre-cut)
2 cups baby carrots, thinly sliced (1/8" thick is ideal, but everything is relative)
1 cup fresh green beans, sliced into thirds
1/2 cup frozen green peas
2 cups uncooked whole wheat or wheat-blend pasta
1/3 cup light ranch (or other creamy) dressing. I like Newman's Own, myself.
1. Put a pot of salted water on to boil.
2. Open and drain can of tuna.
3. Mix veggies together in a large bowl.
4. Using a fork, gently flake tuna out of can, separating larger chunks with a forl -tuna should look almost fluffy.
5. Cook pasta until al dente; drain and cool for about 15 minutes.
6. Toss pasta into salad. Bit by bit, toss in dressing until all elements of salad are lightly coated (and to your taste).
7. Chill 15-20 minutes before serving (allowing the flavors to meld but not letting the lettuce get soggy).
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Everyone Can Roast a Chicken
It is unfortunate but true that blogging is a fantastic way to procrastinate. Unfortunate because I love to procrastinate, and even more unfortunate because, as a blogger, I have almost unlimited outlets for procrastination.
Today's post is entitled "Everyone Can Roast a Chicken." Why, might you ask, is today's post labeled this? Because everyone CAN roast a chicken. It's not scary, I promise. So, to my friend Bridget, who worries about the complexities of chicken roasting, I give you my roast chicken recipe from last year's seder....
Simple Roasted Chicken
1 6/12 to 7-pound roasting chicken, rinsed, patted dry
Coarse kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup fresh sage leaves or 1/2 tsp. dried ground sage
¼ cup fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
¼ cup fresh rosemary leaves or 1 tsp. crumbled dried rosemary (these three herbs often found together as "poultry mix" in veggie section of supermarket)
¼ medium sweet onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 head garlic, cloved and peeled, half of heads sliced
1 1/2 cups (kosher) white wine
5 tbsn pareve margarine, at room temperature
Preheat oven to 450°F. Rinse chickens; pat dry. Gently loosen skin over breasts and thighs. Rub softened margarine under the skin, concentrating most of the margarine over the breast meat. Slide garlic slices and fresh herbs under skin as well, concentrating on breast and thigh meat. Sprinkle skin and inside cavity with salt and pepper. Place onion pieces and remaining garlic cloves in chicken cavity. Place chicken breast side down, on racks in large roasting pan. Roast 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
Turn chickens breast side up. Deglaze bottom of pan with wine and baste chicken with accumulated pan juices. Continue to roast until cooked through and deep brown, basting with any juices in pan and brushing with additional honey occasionally, about 55 minutes longer. Transfer chickens to platter. Tent loosely with foil to keep warm and let stand 15 minutes before serving.
I particularly like this chicken with the following potatoes, though the potatoes, plus a salad and a glass of wine, can be great as a veggie main...
Dad’s “James Beard” Potatoes
My dad calls these “James Beard” potatoes but I have searched for and never found a James Beard recipe for these, so I think my dad may have made that label up. They are great with the chicken above but are also good as a light dinner if you top them with chevre and serve them with a green salad.
3-4 cups coarsely sliced Yukon Gold or other thin-skinned potatoes
1 tbsn dried rosemary, crumbled in your hand
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, coarsely chopped
6-8 smallish garlic cloves, peeled
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss potatoes, onions and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat with olive oil (may need less oil, so add it bit by bit until all the potatoes/onions/garlic are coated). Spread in a single layer over baking sheet and roast 45-55 minutes, turning potatoes over after about 25 minutes (the bottoms will be browned and crispy). Add salt and pepper as necessary.
Today's post is entitled "Everyone Can Roast a Chicken." Why, might you ask, is today's post labeled this? Because everyone CAN roast a chicken. It's not scary, I promise. So, to my friend Bridget, who worries about the complexities of chicken roasting, I give you my roast chicken recipe from last year's seder....
Simple Roasted Chicken
1 6/12 to 7-pound roasting chicken, rinsed, patted dry
Coarse kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup fresh sage leaves or 1/2 tsp. dried ground sage
¼ cup fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
¼ cup fresh rosemary leaves or 1 tsp. crumbled dried rosemary (these three herbs often found together as "poultry mix" in veggie section of supermarket)
¼ medium sweet onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 head garlic, cloved and peeled, half of heads sliced
1 1/2 cups (kosher) white wine
5 tbsn pareve margarine, at room temperature
Preheat oven to 450°F. Rinse chickens; pat dry. Gently loosen skin over breasts and thighs. Rub softened margarine under the skin, concentrating most of the margarine over the breast meat. Slide garlic slices and fresh herbs under skin as well, concentrating on breast and thigh meat. Sprinkle skin and inside cavity with salt and pepper. Place onion pieces and remaining garlic cloves in chicken cavity. Place chicken breast side down, on racks in large roasting pan. Roast 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
Turn chickens breast side up. Deglaze bottom of pan with wine and baste chicken with accumulated pan juices. Continue to roast until cooked through and deep brown, basting with any juices in pan and brushing with additional honey occasionally, about 55 minutes longer. Transfer chickens to platter. Tent loosely with foil to keep warm and let stand 15 minutes before serving.
I particularly like this chicken with the following potatoes, though the potatoes, plus a salad and a glass of wine, can be great as a veggie main...
Dad’s “James Beard” Potatoes
My dad calls these “James Beard” potatoes but I have searched for and never found a James Beard recipe for these, so I think my dad may have made that label up. They are great with the chicken above but are also good as a light dinner if you top them with chevre and serve them with a green salad.
3-4 cups coarsely sliced Yukon Gold or other thin-skinned potatoes
1 tbsn dried rosemary, crumbled in your hand
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, coarsely chopped
6-8 smallish garlic cloves, peeled
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss potatoes, onions and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat with olive oil (may need less oil, so add it bit by bit until all the potatoes/onions/garlic are coated). Spread in a single layer over baking sheet and roast 45-55 minutes, turning potatoes over after about 25 minutes (the bottoms will be browned and crispy). Add salt and pepper as necessary.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
OMG Pot Pie and Posting
I am the worst blogger EVER!
I have been interviewing, dear readers, and I have found that it is much easier to lose weight when one is not cooking (or eating) on a regular basis. However, I also recommend against the no-eating weight loss regime, as it is not a fun process. In the meantime, some notes:
1. I love Lara Bars. I discovered the Cherry and Apple Pie flavors at Trader Joe's. People, these things are amazing. First of all, they don't have a weird chemical aftertaste like almost all other food that comes in a bar shape. Second, they have 20% of one's daily fiber intake and lots of vitamins. Third, they are kosher and parve - which means they satisfy a sugar fix after a meat meal, which drives me CRAZY when I eat meat (i.e. twice a month).
2. Don't go to law school. Maybe I should have put this first, but let's be honest, I don't even want to think about it right now. Even writing about it makes me feel itchy all over. Ugh.
3. I. Love. The. Bowery. I visited back in August while I was staying with my friend Danielle, and OMG it is the most heavenly place on earth. Deliciousness everywhere.
And, finally, last but not least, a recipe for my weary reader. I have not forgotten you, I promise. I will be blogging more regularly now that the interview process is drawing to a close.
Kosher Turkey Shepherd's Pie
I guess it's not "shepherd's" pie unless there is mutton in it. On the other hand, when I was growing up, my mother used ground beef, and I can safely say that I don't need any additional fat calories from the ground beef, so I substituted ground turkey. This is pretty basic comfort food. On the bright side, it freezes beautifully and can (and should!) be made in batches.
Makes two loaf pans (6 generous servings)
1 box parve instant mashed potatoes (plus water in the amount recommended in the cooking directions)
3-4 tbsn parve margarine
1 package tofutti or other soy cream cheese (hechshered parve)
1 bag frozen peas and carrots
1 package lean ground turkey
1/2 small onion, diced
1 small box "creamy" mushroom soup (I like "Imagine" brand, which is available at Whole Foods in 16 oz containers)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 aluminum loaf pans (and foil, if freezing).
1. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare instant mashed potatoes. Overcome your probable guilt at even considering USING mashed potatoes by remembering that you don't have time to be making this anyway, so why not save the 15 minutes it takes to peel, boil and mash real potatoes. In the meantime, boil water and make a full box of instant potatoes, using not only the margarine as called for on the box (3-4 tbsn) but also half of the soy cream cheese and salt and pepper to taste. If you like adventure, add other herbs and spices.
2. Meanwhile, in a large, thick-bottomed skillet, saute onion in a little bit of olive oil (one turn of the pan) until translucent. Add ground turkey, breaking up the pieces as you brown it. When the turkey is more or less totally cooked through, add the soup and the other half of the soy cream cheese, blending well.
3. Spoon half of turkey mixture into bottom of loaf pan. Top with half the peas and carrots, then spoon the mashed potatoes over top. Place on a baking sheet and bake until potatoes are brown on top and veggies are hot, about 30-35 minutes. Serve with a salad or steamed green beans.
Alternatively, prepare the dish through the layering of ingredients, then wrap each package in two layers of aluminum foil and freeze for later use. (Since this recipe makes two loaf pans, you can bake one and freeze one for later).
I have been interviewing, dear readers, and I have found that it is much easier to lose weight when one is not cooking (or eating) on a regular basis. However, I also recommend against the no-eating weight loss regime, as it is not a fun process. In the meantime, some notes:
1. I love Lara Bars. I discovered the Cherry and Apple Pie flavors at Trader Joe's. People, these things are amazing. First of all, they don't have a weird chemical aftertaste like almost all other food that comes in a bar shape. Second, they have 20% of one's daily fiber intake and lots of vitamins. Third, they are kosher and parve - which means they satisfy a sugar fix after a meat meal, which drives me CRAZY when I eat meat (i.e. twice a month).
2. Don't go to law school. Maybe I should have put this first, but let's be honest, I don't even want to think about it right now. Even writing about it makes me feel itchy all over. Ugh.
3. I. Love. The. Bowery. I visited back in August while I was staying with my friend Danielle, and OMG it is the most heavenly place on earth. Deliciousness everywhere.
And, finally, last but not least, a recipe for my weary reader. I have not forgotten you, I promise. I will be blogging more regularly now that the interview process is drawing to a close.
Kosher Turkey Shepherd's Pie
I guess it's not "shepherd's" pie unless there is mutton in it. On the other hand, when I was growing up, my mother used ground beef, and I can safely say that I don't need any additional fat calories from the ground beef, so I substituted ground turkey. This is pretty basic comfort food. On the bright side, it freezes beautifully and can (and should!) be made in batches.
Makes two loaf pans (6 generous servings)
1 box parve instant mashed potatoes (plus water in the amount recommended in the cooking directions)
3-4 tbsn parve margarine
1 package tofutti or other soy cream cheese (hechshered parve)
1 bag frozen peas and carrots
1 package lean ground turkey
1/2 small onion, diced
1 small box "creamy" mushroom soup (I like "Imagine" brand, which is available at Whole Foods in 16 oz containers)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 aluminum loaf pans (and foil, if freezing).
1. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare instant mashed potatoes. Overcome your probable guilt at even considering USING mashed potatoes by remembering that you don't have time to be making this anyway, so why not save the 15 minutes it takes to peel, boil and mash real potatoes. In the meantime, boil water and make a full box of instant potatoes, using not only the margarine as called for on the box (3-4 tbsn) but also half of the soy cream cheese and salt and pepper to taste. If you like adventure, add other herbs and spices.
2. Meanwhile, in a large, thick-bottomed skillet, saute onion in a little bit of olive oil (one turn of the pan) until translucent. Add ground turkey, breaking up the pieces as you brown it. When the turkey is more or less totally cooked through, add the soup and the other half of the soy cream cheese, blending well.
3. Spoon half of turkey mixture into bottom of loaf pan. Top with half the peas and carrots, then spoon the mashed potatoes over top. Place on a baking sheet and bake until potatoes are brown on top and veggies are hot, about 30-35 minutes. Serve with a salad or steamed green beans.
Alternatively, prepare the dish through the layering of ingredients, then wrap each package in two layers of aluminum foil and freeze for later use. (Since this recipe makes two loaf pans, you can bake one and freeze one for later).
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Conquering My Fear of Tofu
August is one of my favorite times of year to cook - I am not yet sick of the summer produce (as I sometimes get in September) and it is still available. When it is hot, as it is in DC right now, I tend to cook in batches to minimize the discomfort of a hot kitchen on an already hot day.
So, on Sunday, I made 4 dishes. I had three eggplants, so I used 1 1/2 eggplants for baba ghanouj (see a recipe similar to what i used here). I used the remaining eggplant in a parve pepperless ratatouille (recipe to follow) that was delicious when paired with roast chicken and brown rice. I also made pasta salad (see previous post) with feta, pine nuts, grape tomatoes, roasted garlic and homemade pesto. Yum!
Finally, I tried to recreate a dish I often order at Thai restaurants - a Penang curry with tofu. It turns out that this dish was a LOT easier to make than I thought, and required only one bowl and one pot. Two variations on the recipe follow. Enjoy!
Caitlin's Penang Curry with Tofu (Parve)
Sauce
1 jar peanut satay sauce or peanut sauce mix (parve) (A Taste of Thai is not hechshered but is ingredient-kosher)
1 can light coconut milk
2 tbsn chunky peanut butter (or smooth if that's all you have)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp curry powder or cumin
Tofu
2 eggs, beaten with a little water (optional, see below)
1 cup flour (optional, see below)
1 block extra firm tofu, drained in a sieve for 30 minutes
1 broccoli crown, broken into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsn oil (optional, see below)
Cooked white or brown rice (there are hechshered frozen rice packets available at most grocery stores, or you can cook ahead and freeze in bags yourself - alternatively, you can use Uncle Ben's microwaveable shelf-stable rice, though am not sure about hechsher status).
Directions:
(1/2. If you are making fresh rice from scratch, put the rice on to cook).
1. Heat half the oil in skillet over med-high heat. Drain tofu, cut into 1" cubes, dip in egg wash, dredge in flour. Throw in skillet and cook, turning frequently, until brown on all sides. Remove from skillet and set aside (this will take two batches at least, depending on the size of your skillet). Drain and wipe out skillet.
ALTERNATIVE: Cute tofu into 1" cubes.
ALTERNATIVE: Cute tofu into 1" cubes.
2. To the same skillet add the coconut milk and stir over medium heat. Gradually whisk in the satay sauce, then the peanut butter and spices, stirring until dissolved. Bring sauce to a simmer and stir until slightly reduced.
3. Add broccoli (and, if using the non-fried version, the tofu). Meanwhile, heat rice, if necessary. When sauce is reduced and sticks slightly to the back of a spoon (or is otherwise "saucy" in consistency), remove from heat. If you used the breaded tofu, add to the pot and stir. In either case, allow to sit (and thicken) for a few minutes to cool and thicken.
Spoon tofu mixture over rice. Garnish with fresh basil leaves or, if you have it, a few threads of lemongrass.
The tofu mixture can be kept (separate from rice) in a covered container for 4-5 days. It is actually better the second day (flavors meld).
3. Add broccoli (and, if using the non-fried version, the tofu). Meanwhile, heat rice, if necessary. When sauce is reduced and sticks slightly to the back of a spoon (or is otherwise "saucy" in consistency), remove from heat. If you used the breaded tofu, add to the pot and stir. In either case, allow to sit (and thicken) for a few minutes to cool and thicken.
Spoon tofu mixture over rice. Garnish with fresh basil leaves or, if you have it, a few threads of lemongrass.
The tofu mixture can be kept (separate from rice) in a covered container for 4-5 days. It is actually better the second day (flavors meld).
Thursday, August 2, 2007
My Cup(board) Runneth Over
Hello folkses,
Well, I am officially three weeks away from returning to Beantown.
YAY!!!!
So advantages of living in Boston, as opposed to DC:
1. It's cooler and less humid.
2. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is there - my favorite museum in the world.
3. They have good sports teams.
4. They have Wagamama (swoon)!!!
5. Haymarket provides cheap produce!!!
Sadly, Boston does not have a consolidated market that sells great local produce (well, maybe they do in the summer, I haven't been there). The growing season there is shorter, and the sprawling, neighborhoody nature of town means each town has a little farmstand, but (other than Haymarket, which isn't local) there isn't one overwhelming one. However, I am hopeful that I will be able to squeeze out a few weeks of tomatoes, cukes, zukes, and fruits before it gets too cold for good produce.
In the meantime, I am working hard to clean out my parents' cupboards and create some semblance of order - despite my mother's best efforts. My mother believes that looking in the refrigerator before going to the grocery store is a waste of time, which is how we end up with 3 dozen green onions, half of which are wilting, but no milk. I don't understand it at all. Meanwhile, the pantry shelves are full of things that expired in 2004 or that have multi-generational families of moths. Seriously gross.
So, I am trying to find a happy medium, throwing out what needs to be thrown out and cooking what needs to be cooked. The green onions, along with some garlic, will be added to a quart of goat's milk yogurt (a terrible experiment on my mother's part) to become going to become oniony/yogurt cheese tomorrow.
I have a bunch of baking to do, but to do that, I need to buy some yeast. For some reason, every time I buy yeast at my parents' house, it disappears. Very strange.
In the meantime, I tried one of Mark Bittman's 10-minute mains (or, at least, a riff on one) last night, and it was delish! I highly recommend it...
Asparagus in a Soft-Boiled Sauce
1/2 bundle fresh asparagus (leftover, btw)
2 eggs
1 tsp kosher parmesan cheese
1 tsp butter
sea salt and fresh pepper
1. Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, rinse the asparagus and cut off the bottom 1 1/2" of stalk (my asparagus were thin and didn't require peeling), then chop into 1 1/2-2" sections.
3. When water comes to a boil, carefully add eggs, then asparagus. Boil for about 2 minutes. Turn off burner.
4. With a slotted spoon, remove asparagus and place in bowl/on plate. Toss with butter and cheese until well-coated. Allow to cool about 5 minutes.
5. After 5 minutes, remove eggs from pot and run under cold water until cool enough to handle. Remove shell and chop/mush eggs over asparagus, allowing yolk to form a sauce.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve warm with some crusty bread.
Well, I am officially three weeks away from returning to Beantown.
YAY!!!!
So advantages of living in Boston, as opposed to DC:
1. It's cooler and less humid.
2. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is there - my favorite museum in the world.
3. They have good sports teams.
4. They have Wagamama (swoon)!!!
5. Haymarket provides cheap produce!!!
Sadly, Boston does not have a consolidated market that sells great local produce (well, maybe they do in the summer, I haven't been there). The growing season there is shorter, and the sprawling, neighborhoody nature of town means each town has a little farmstand, but (other than Haymarket, which isn't local) there isn't one overwhelming one. However, I am hopeful that I will be able to squeeze out a few weeks of tomatoes, cukes, zukes, and fruits before it gets too cold for good produce.
In the meantime, I am working hard to clean out my parents' cupboards and create some semblance of order - despite my mother's best efforts. My mother believes that looking in the refrigerator before going to the grocery store is a waste of time, which is how we end up with 3 dozen green onions, half of which are wilting, but no milk. I don't understand it at all. Meanwhile, the pantry shelves are full of things that expired in 2004 or that have multi-generational families of moths. Seriously gross.
So, I am trying to find a happy medium, throwing out what needs to be thrown out and cooking what needs to be cooked. The green onions, along with some garlic, will be added to a quart of goat's milk yogurt (a terrible experiment on my mother's part) to become going to become oniony/yogurt cheese tomorrow.
I have a bunch of baking to do, but to do that, I need to buy some yeast. For some reason, every time I buy yeast at my parents' house, it disappears. Very strange.
In the meantime, I tried one of Mark Bittman's 10-minute mains (or, at least, a riff on one) last night, and it was delish! I highly recommend it...
Asparagus in a Soft-Boiled Sauce
1/2 bundle fresh asparagus (leftover, btw)
2 eggs
1 tsp kosher parmesan cheese
1 tsp butter
sea salt and fresh pepper
1. Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, rinse the asparagus and cut off the bottom 1 1/2" of stalk (my asparagus were thin and didn't require peeling), then chop into 1 1/2-2" sections.
3. When water comes to a boil, carefully add eggs, then asparagus. Boil for about 2 minutes. Turn off burner.
4. With a slotted spoon, remove asparagus and place in bowl/on plate. Toss with butter and cheese until well-coated. Allow to cool about 5 minutes.
5. After 5 minutes, remove eggs from pot and run under cold water until cool enough to handle. Remove shell and chop/mush eggs over asparagus, allowing yolk to form a sauce.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve warm with some crusty bread.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Another 10-Minute Main, and a Call for Blueberry Recipes
I'm hungry.
I have been interning this summer, and, as many of you know, intern is code for "pee-on" or, in some cases, "slave." Thus, I have been saving my pennies by packing lunch and saving time by putting together my lunches on Sunday (and minimizing the work I have to do while half-away in the morning).
However, instead of making lunches this past Sunday, I read Harry Potter Book 7. I managed to scrape by with leftover asparagus-mushroom risotto yesterday, but today I was totally skunked. And now I'm hungry and having an extended case of the Mondays and really NOT wanting to either spend money or go outside to get food. And I don't know what I want. Harumph!
In any case, last night I made another of my favorite 10-minute mains. This one is actually semi-healthy and dairy (as 99% of my meals are). Maybe if I just cut cheese out of my diet...
Nah.
On another note, does anyone out there have a good blueberry-peach recipe besides cobbler? I'm a little desperate to get rid of a bunch of blueberries and peaches and need some ideas. Please send help!
Open-Faced Egg and Tomato Toasts
2 slices sourdough bread (large boule)
1 tbsn olive oil
1/2 tsp salt-free garlic and herb seasoning
fresh sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 eggs
1 tbsn reduced fat fresh chevre (TJ's is kosher)
1 medium tomato, cored and thinly sliced.
1. Preheat the broiler to high with the oven rack in the highest position. As the oven heats up, line a baking sheet with foil and spray the foil with cooking spray. Lay bread slices on top.
2. In a small cup, combine oil and herb mix. Brush both sides of bread with oil mix, seasoning the top side with salt and pepper. Place under broiler for 2-4 minutes to brown the top side (vent the oven and watch closely to avoid burning!!), then turn the bread over to brown the other side LIGHTLY (~2 minutes).
3. Meanwhile, in a non-stick or pre-seasoned cast iron pan, fry the eggs over med-high heat to your desired level of doneness (I like mine over easy).
4. Remove baking sheet from oven. Spread less-browned (face-up) side of toast with chevre and top with tomatoes. Place back under broiler for about ~1 minute (to warm through tomatoes and slightly melt cheese). Again, watch carefully to avoid burning, esp. around edges.
5. Remove from broiler and transfer to plate. Top with eggs and sprinkle lightly with a little more salt and pepper. Enjoy while hot.
Note: would also be good with a sprinkling of chopped chives or green onions as a garnish.
Tonight I am also going to explore some adventures in making yogurt cheese. Wish me luck!!
I have been interning this summer, and, as many of you know, intern is code for "pee-on" or, in some cases, "slave." Thus, I have been saving my pennies by packing lunch and saving time by putting together my lunches on Sunday (and minimizing the work I have to do while half-away in the morning).
However, instead of making lunches this past Sunday, I read Harry Potter Book 7. I managed to scrape by with leftover asparagus-mushroom risotto yesterday, but today I was totally skunked. And now I'm hungry and having an extended case of the Mondays and really NOT wanting to either spend money or go outside to get food. And I don't know what I want. Harumph!
In any case, last night I made another of my favorite 10-minute mains. This one is actually semi-healthy and dairy (as 99% of my meals are). Maybe if I just cut cheese out of my diet...
Nah.
On another note, does anyone out there have a good blueberry-peach recipe besides cobbler? I'm a little desperate to get rid of a bunch of blueberries and peaches and need some ideas. Please send help!
Open-Faced Egg and Tomato Toasts
2 slices sourdough bread (large boule)
1 tbsn olive oil
1/2 tsp salt-free garlic and herb seasoning
fresh sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 eggs
1 tbsn reduced fat fresh chevre (TJ's is kosher)
1 medium tomato, cored and thinly sliced.
1. Preheat the broiler to high with the oven rack in the highest position. As the oven heats up, line a baking sheet with foil and spray the foil with cooking spray. Lay bread slices on top.
2. In a small cup, combine oil and herb mix. Brush both sides of bread with oil mix, seasoning the top side with salt and pepper. Place under broiler for 2-4 minutes to brown the top side (vent the oven and watch closely to avoid burning!!), then turn the bread over to brown the other side LIGHTLY (~2 minutes).
3. Meanwhile, in a non-stick or pre-seasoned cast iron pan, fry the eggs over med-high heat to your desired level of doneness (I like mine over easy).
4. Remove baking sheet from oven. Spread less-browned (face-up) side of toast with chevre and top with tomatoes. Place back under broiler for about ~1 minute (to warm through tomatoes and slightly melt cheese). Again, watch carefully to avoid burning, esp. around edges.
5. Remove from broiler and transfer to plate. Top with eggs and sprinkle lightly with a little more salt and pepper. Enjoy while hot.
Note: would also be good with a sprinkling of chopped chives or green onions as a garnish.
Tonight I am also going to explore some adventures in making yogurt cheese. Wish me luck!!
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
I (HEART) the NYTimes Food Section
There are few things in the world that I gush about. My puppy. Good cheese. And Mark Bittman (aka The Minimalist).
Mark is my buddy and we hang out every Wednesday morning, when I read the food section of the New York Times before beginning work. This week, however, he has outdone himself.
One of the things that drives me crazy about being a student/young adult is that there never seems to be enough time to make a proper meal from scratch. Since eating out for me is a limited option, this either means buying prepared (or semi-prepared) foods and doctoring them, or (my usual tactic), taking Sunday to make food for the rest of the week and then reheating as needed.
My buddy Mark, however, has put together a BRILLIANT list of 10 minute mains. Some of them are very simple, like blanched asparagus and hard-boiled eggs. Others, alas, are not kosher (but the scallops sound so GOOD!). However, they do have some great ideas. As I move forward, I am going to try to put together a list of other good 10-minute mains (because otherwise, I may starve during recruiting season).
In addition to my spinach quesadilla recipe, here is another one I like:
10-Minute Faux Coq-au-Vin
1 kosher chicken breast, pref. butterflied, pounded very thin (I use two pieces of plastic wrap and a rolling pin - this tenderizes the mean AND reduces cooking time)
1 cup button or baby bella mushrooms, washed, trimmed and sliced (not to sound too much like Rachael Ray, but it really does keep weeknight cooking time down if you do the prep work when you get home from the store or buy pre-sliced foods. Yes, this does mean planning ahead. No, it is not a problem for me.).
1 tbsn diced sweet onion
1 clove garlic sliced, or 1/2 tsp jarred minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup kosher red wine (BH cabernet works well)
1 tsp white flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsn sundried tomatoes (TJ's has a hechscher), coarsely chopped 1 pinch saffron threads
1 cup plain couscous (uncooked)
Heat a cast iron frying pan over medium high heat (I love cast iron. More on this later) and set a small saucepan full of lightly salted water on to boil (amount of water to be determined by couscous package directions - usually about a 2:1 ration of water to couscous, I think - so, about 2 cups?).
Pour half the oil into the hot pan and shake on some salt and pepper, then throw in the flattened chicken breasts and shake on more salt and pepper. After about 2 minutes or so (bottom side will be opaque and beginning to brown), turn over chicken breasts and throw in another 1/2 tsp oil (onto the exposed areas of the pan, not the chicken), garlic, mushrooms and onions and reduce the heat to medium. Toss the mushrooms and onions around as they begin to brown. Tongs are a useful tool for this recipe (and generally, in the kitchen).
Meanwhile, the water in the saucepan should be coming to a boil. Into this water, dump couscous, sundried tomatoes, and saffron. Boil for about 1 minute, then remove from heat.
At this point, the chicken should be done and the mushrooms and onions should be starting to reduce. Remove the chicken from the pan, cut into 1" wide strips, and put on plate. Add 1/2 tsp oil and flour to pan and mix together with onions and mushrooms. Deglaze the frying pan with the wine (scraping any chicken residue off the bottom) and allow mushrooms and onion sauce to reduce and thicken slightly before turning off heat (pan heat will continue to reduce).
Fluff the couscous, making sure that the saffron and tomatoes are evenly distributed, then put on plate. Top chicken and couscous with mushroom-onion-wine reduction and enjoy.
And now, back to a memo about FEC rules on advertising disclaimers. Goody.
Mark is my buddy and we hang out every Wednesday morning, when I read the food section of the New York Times before beginning work. This week, however, he has outdone himself.
One of the things that drives me crazy about being a student/young adult is that there never seems to be enough time to make a proper meal from scratch. Since eating out for me is a limited option, this either means buying prepared (or semi-prepared) foods and doctoring them, or (my usual tactic), taking Sunday to make food for the rest of the week and then reheating as needed.
My buddy Mark, however, has put together a BRILLIANT list of 10 minute mains. Some of them are very simple, like blanched asparagus and hard-boiled eggs. Others, alas, are not kosher (but the scallops sound so GOOD!). However, they do have some great ideas. As I move forward, I am going to try to put together a list of other good 10-minute mains (because otherwise, I may starve during recruiting season).
In addition to my spinach quesadilla recipe, here is another one I like:
10-Minute Faux Coq-au-Vin
1 kosher chicken breast, pref. butterflied, pounded very thin (I use two pieces of plastic wrap and a rolling pin - this tenderizes the mean AND reduces cooking time)
1 cup button or baby bella mushrooms, washed, trimmed and sliced (not to sound too much like Rachael Ray, but it really does keep weeknight cooking time down if you do the prep work when you get home from the store or buy pre-sliced foods. Yes, this does mean planning ahead. No, it is not a problem for me.).
1 tbsn diced sweet onion
1 clove garlic sliced, or 1/2 tsp jarred minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup kosher red wine (BH cabernet works well)
1 tsp white flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsn sundried tomatoes (TJ's has a hechscher), coarsely chopped 1 pinch saffron threads
1 cup plain couscous (uncooked)
Heat a cast iron frying pan over medium high heat (I love cast iron. More on this later) and set a small saucepan full of lightly salted water on to boil (amount of water to be determined by couscous package directions - usually about a 2:1 ration of water to couscous, I think - so, about 2 cups?).
Pour half the oil into the hot pan and shake on some salt and pepper, then throw in the flattened chicken breasts and shake on more salt and pepper. After about 2 minutes or so (bottom side will be opaque and beginning to brown), turn over chicken breasts and throw in another 1/2 tsp oil (onto the exposed areas of the pan, not the chicken), garlic, mushrooms and onions and reduce the heat to medium. Toss the mushrooms and onions around as they begin to brown. Tongs are a useful tool for this recipe (and generally, in the kitchen).
Meanwhile, the water in the saucepan should be coming to a boil. Into this water, dump couscous, sundried tomatoes, and saffron. Boil for about 1 minute, then remove from heat.
At this point, the chicken should be done and the mushrooms and onions should be starting to reduce. Remove the chicken from the pan, cut into 1" wide strips, and put on plate. Add 1/2 tsp oil and flour to pan and mix together with onions and mushrooms. Deglaze the frying pan with the wine (scraping any chicken residue off the bottom) and allow mushrooms and onion sauce to reduce and thicken slightly before turning off heat (pan heat will continue to reduce).
Fluff the couscous, making sure that the saffron and tomatoes are evenly distributed, then put on plate. Top chicken and couscous with mushroom-onion-wine reduction and enjoy.
And now, back to a memo about FEC rules on advertising disclaimers. Goody.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
To Carb or Not to Carb (that is the question)
I am feeling...big. Not terribly big, but big enough that I am not looking forward to going to my good friend's wedding and getting up in front of a church full of people to sing. Come to think if it, now that I'm Jewish, I should also be concerned about lightning striking me down as I stand in front of an altar. Hmm.
Anyway, I am feeling big, and so the question is: what to eat?
My weakness is definitely carbs. If it involves pastry, potatoes, or pasta, I am smitten - in fact, to quote Mike Myers, I am in deep smit. And this, reluctantly, I am trying to cut the refined carbs out of my life.
I successfully tried Atkins a couple of years ago (pre-Conversion), but I just don't think a full low-carb diet is either possible or healthful at this point my life. However, the cutting out of pasta, bread, chips, cookies, pies, etc. has gone well so far - I definitely feel better about myself when I'm eating lots of fruits and veggies, which is what replaces the carbs in my diet. On the other hand, I'm going to feel guilty about eating a ton of blueberry pancakes when I go over to my friend Rachel's on Thursday.
In any case, I'm very excited about feeling better and eating more veggies, and if that translates into better weight management, that would be ideal.
In the meantime, my lunch:
1 ripe peach (yum!!)
1 cup baby carrots with Sabra roasted garlic hummus (double yum!!)
1 kosher chicken breast, sauteed in olive oil, salt and pepper (made ahead of time), cut into 1/2" wide strips
2 cups salad greens (washed and bagged - I like baby arugula)
1/2 an avocado in 1/2" dice
1 tbsn finely chopped sweet onion
1/2 medium tomato, coarsely chopped.
Mix the ingredients together; top with dressing below. :0)
Kosher Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/2 cup kosher balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbsn maple syrup
1/2 tsp. salt-free garlic and herb seasoning (or can use fresh thyme, basil, oregano, and minced garlic)
Put the ingredients in a shaker and shake 'em all about. Can keep up to 2 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.
Anyway, I am feeling big, and so the question is: what to eat?
My weakness is definitely carbs. If it involves pastry, potatoes, or pasta, I am smitten - in fact, to quote Mike Myers, I am in deep smit. And this, reluctantly, I am trying to cut the refined carbs out of my life.
I successfully tried Atkins a couple of years ago (pre-Conversion), but I just don't think a full low-carb diet is either possible or healthful at this point my life. However, the cutting out of pasta, bread, chips, cookies, pies, etc. has gone well so far - I definitely feel better about myself when I'm eating lots of fruits and veggies, which is what replaces the carbs in my diet. On the other hand, I'm going to feel guilty about eating a ton of blueberry pancakes when I go over to my friend Rachel's on Thursday.
In any case, I'm very excited about feeling better and eating more veggies, and if that translates into better weight management, that would be ideal.
In the meantime, my lunch:
1 ripe peach (yum!!)
1 cup baby carrots with Sabra roasted garlic hummus (double yum!!)
1 kosher chicken breast, sauteed in olive oil, salt and pepper (made ahead of time), cut into 1/2" wide strips
2 cups salad greens (washed and bagged - I like baby arugula)
1/2 an avocado in 1/2" dice
1 tbsn finely chopped sweet onion
1/2 medium tomato, coarsely chopped.
Mix the ingredients together; top with dressing below. :0)
Kosher Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/2 cup kosher balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbsn maple syrup
1/2 tsp. salt-free garlic and herb seasoning (or can use fresh thyme, basil, oregano, and minced garlic)
Put the ingredients in a shaker and shake 'em all about. Can keep up to 2 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Blogger Guilt and Down-Home Cooking
Up until last week, I did not have a full appreciation for the phenomenon known as blogger guilt. After all, I didn't have a blog until recently. My friends who had blogs (be they little blogs or big blogs) lamented their lack of free time and berated themselves for failing to blog with appropriate ardor and frequency. Their blogs had become afterthoughts in their busy lives, more of an identity than a hobby, something for which they don't have much heart anymore but from which they can't seem to untangle themselves.
Sounds a lot like my current romantic relationship, actually. :-)
Anyway, last week was busy at work and I was consumed by reading newly-discovered foodie blogs all over the internet, pursuing my blogger identity...and neglecting to post. Not that anyone is reading my blog. But for the two of you who might be reading it, my apologies.
So, now that I'm here and blogging, I should probably post something, yes? I was out at the Shore this weekend and put together two big tubs of potato salad. I like potato salad in the summer, especially when it can be made ahead and left overnight. The flavors meld and mature and it is lovely and creamy and delicious. I am also not a huge fan of mayo, so I try to minimize the mayo in my potato salad. Thus, two recipes (a double-whammy!) for potato salad below:
Traditional Dilly Potato Salad
8 large russet potatoes, washed, trimmed, cut in half (skin on)
1 1/2 c. light sour cream
1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2 medium spring onions, finely chopped
1 tsp. dill
salt and pepper to taste (about 1/4 tsp. pepper and 1/2 tsp. salt, for my taste)
1. In a medium stock pot, bring salted water to a boil. Boil potatoes about 20 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the largest of the potatoes. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, mix together the sour cream, mayo, vinegar, onions and dill.
3. When potatoes are cool to the touch, cut them into 1" chunks and toss them with dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill at least 1 hour (preferrably overnight).
Southern-Style Potato Salad (pareve)
8 large russet potatoes, washed, trimmed, cut in half
2 medium spring onions, finely chopped
1 tbsn sweet relish (I use Heinz)
3 large eggs
3/4 c. light mayo (I use Hellmann's)
1 tbsn apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste (same proportions as above).
1. In a medium stockpot, bring lightly salted water to a bowl. Gently drop in eggs (I lower them into the bottom of the pot with a ladle). Boil 4 minutes and remove (also with ladle). Set eggs aside to cool.
2. Add potatoes to boiling water and cook ~20 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the largest of the potatoes. Drain and set aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients (less salt/pepper) together in a small bowl and set aside.
4. When eggs and potatoes are cool enough to handle (usually about 30 minutes), peel and quarter eggs. Add dressing to potatoes and toss to coat, then add eggs and toss again. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill at least 1 hour (preferrably overnight).
I ate the dilly potato salad with grilled salmon and served the southern-style potato salad with BBQ chicken. The southern-style salad matches well with other strong flavors. Both salads get more intense on the second (or third) day, so be warned when tweaking the recipe to taste.
Enjoy! Have a great 4th of July. :0)
Sounds a lot like my current romantic relationship, actually. :-)
Anyway, last week was busy at work and I was consumed by reading newly-discovered foodie blogs all over the internet, pursuing my blogger identity...and neglecting to post. Not that anyone is reading my blog. But for the two of you who might be reading it, my apologies.
So, now that I'm here and blogging, I should probably post something, yes? I was out at the Shore this weekend and put together two big tubs of potato salad. I like potato salad in the summer, especially when it can be made ahead and left overnight. The flavors meld and mature and it is lovely and creamy and delicious. I am also not a huge fan of mayo, so I try to minimize the mayo in my potato salad. Thus, two recipes (a double-whammy!) for potato salad below:
Traditional Dilly Potato Salad
8 large russet potatoes, washed, trimmed, cut in half (skin on)
1 1/2 c. light sour cream
1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2 medium spring onions, finely chopped
1 tsp. dill
salt and pepper to taste (about 1/4 tsp. pepper and 1/2 tsp. salt, for my taste)
1. In a medium stock pot, bring salted water to a boil. Boil potatoes about 20 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the largest of the potatoes. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, mix together the sour cream, mayo, vinegar, onions and dill.
3. When potatoes are cool to the touch, cut them into 1" chunks and toss them with dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill at least 1 hour (preferrably overnight).
Southern-Style Potato Salad (pareve)
8 large russet potatoes, washed, trimmed, cut in half
2 medium spring onions, finely chopped
1 tbsn sweet relish (I use Heinz)
3 large eggs
3/4 c. light mayo (I use Hellmann's)
1 tbsn apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste (same proportions as above).
1. In a medium stockpot, bring lightly salted water to a bowl. Gently drop in eggs (I lower them into the bottom of the pot with a ladle). Boil 4 minutes and remove (also with ladle). Set eggs aside to cool.
2. Add potatoes to boiling water and cook ~20 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the largest of the potatoes. Drain and set aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients (less salt/pepper) together in a small bowl and set aside.
4. When eggs and potatoes are cool enough to handle (usually about 30 minutes), peel and quarter eggs. Add dressing to potatoes and toss to coat, then add eggs and toss again. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill at least 1 hour (preferrably overnight).
I ate the dilly potato salad with grilled salmon and served the southern-style potato salad with BBQ chicken. The southern-style salad matches well with other strong flavors. Both salads get more intense on the second (or third) day, so be warned when tweaking the recipe to taste.
Enjoy! Have a great 4th of July. :0)
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Must Stop Eating Cookies
As Oscar Wilde said, I can resist anything but temptation. This is particularly true of pastry. I mean, I barely glance the way of the dessert cart at a restaurant, and I rarely buy sweets of any kind when I'm out at the grocery store. However, my office hosted a lunch catered by Corner Bakery yesterday and OMG there is a plate of cookies and brownies and yummy sweet things and I can't. Stop. EATING. THEM!
As pennance, I will be eating vegetables for dinner. Last night I made risotto with 4 veggies - baby spinach, baby peas, yellow squash and cremini mushrooms (see basic recipe below). In the interim, I roasted (at 425 for about 40 minutes) several quartered (lengthwise) baby yellow squash in salt, pepper and olive oil, and separately wrapped and roasted a head of garlic. The squash came out yummy - soft and caramelized on some parts, firm on others, but with a thin, flavorful crustiness all over. Yum!
As pennance, I will be eating vegetables for dinner. Last night I made risotto with 4 veggies - baby spinach, baby peas, yellow squash and cremini mushrooms (see basic recipe below). In the interim, I roasted (at 425 for about 40 minutes) several quartered (lengthwise) baby yellow squash in salt, pepper and olive oil, and separately wrapped and roasted a head of garlic. The squash came out yummy - soft and caramelized on some parts, firm on others, but with a thin, flavorful crustiness all over. Yum!
Friday, June 22, 2007
It's Not Easy Being Green
If I were forced to live on a desert island (or in an underground bunker, or, G-d forbid, somewhere in Ohio) and could only take two kinds of food with me, the obvious choices would be bread and cheese. Once you get out of that duo, however, things get complicated. Would I rather have, for instance, fresh raspberries or fresh tomatoes? What about avocados? Sugar snap peas? Veggie sausage? Vidalia onions? Pesto!?!?
Too many choices.
One thing is certain - I like grain-derived products. (Sorry to the gluten-sensitive among you - them's the breaks). And this recipe, which I made last night, brings together bread(ish), cheese and another top-10 food, fresh baby spinach. Yummy. :0)
Spinach Quesadillas with Salsa and Sour Cream
4 10" tortillas (I use a fat-free, whole grain number from TJ's).
1 medium bag (~8 oz?) baby spinach, washed (again) and torn into pieces
~1 tbsn finely chopped sweet onion
salt and pepper
1 large ball fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2" thick sticks (best done while still cold) (kosher)
1/2 cup shredded light cheddar-jack blend (I mix a bag each of Miller's brand cheddar and Cabot's shredded monterey jack or pepper jack in a bowl, then divide amongst the original bags.
1 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1. Heat 1/2 tsp olive oil in a pan. Add the chopped onions and cook until translucent and beginning to brown.
2. Rinse the spinach and shake to remove excess water. Throw the spinach into the skillet with the onions and toss around until wilted (2 minutes). Remove from heat.
3. One at a time, take the tortillas and, dividing the spinach into quarters, spoon spinach onto tortillas. Add fresh mozzarella and sprinkle lightly with shreds, then grind some fresh pepper and add a little salt (if you use salted mozzarella or salted the spinach & onions while they were cooking, adjust accordingly).
4. Returning the skillet to the heat, add about 1/4 tsp oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high. Add one quesadilla at a time and cook until bottom is brown and cheese begins to bubble. Flip and repeat, then set to drain on paper towels.
5. Serve with salsa and sour cream. I like to mix them together in a 2:1 ratio to make a creamy, spicey sauce.
Happy Weekend!
~KG.
Too many choices.
One thing is certain - I like grain-derived products. (Sorry to the gluten-sensitive among you - them's the breaks). And this recipe, which I made last night, brings together bread(ish), cheese and another top-10 food, fresh baby spinach. Yummy. :0)
Spinach Quesadillas with Salsa and Sour Cream
4 10" tortillas (I use a fat-free, whole grain number from TJ's).
1 medium bag (~8 oz?) baby spinach, washed (again) and torn into pieces
~1 tbsn finely chopped sweet onion
salt and pepper
1 large ball fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2" thick sticks (best done while still cold) (kosher)
1/2 cup shredded light cheddar-jack blend (I mix a bag each of Miller's brand cheddar and Cabot's shredded monterey jack or pepper jack in a bowl, then divide amongst the original bags.
1 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1. Heat 1/2 tsp olive oil in a pan. Add the chopped onions and cook until translucent and beginning to brown.
2. Rinse the spinach and shake to remove excess water. Throw the spinach into the skillet with the onions and toss around until wilted (2 minutes). Remove from heat.
3. One at a time, take the tortillas and, dividing the spinach into quarters, spoon spinach onto tortillas. Add fresh mozzarella and sprinkle lightly with shreds, then grind some fresh pepper and add a little salt (if you use salted mozzarella or salted the spinach & onions while they were cooking, adjust accordingly).
4. Returning the skillet to the heat, add about 1/4 tsp oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high. Add one quesadilla at a time and cook until bottom is brown and cheese begins to bubble. Flip and repeat, then set to drain on paper towels.
5. Serve with salsa and sour cream. I like to mix them together in a 2:1 ratio to make a creamy, spicey sauce.
Happy Weekend!
~KG.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Food Section Day, Comfort Food II
It is Wednesday and, as many of my friends know, Wednesday is my favorite weekday. Why, you might ask? No, it's not because it is hump day. It's because Wednesday is the day that major national newspapers publish their food sections. Today's sampling includes an article about the growing concern over Chinese food products and the role of China in garlic production. Another article discusses the rise of dessert-centric restaurants. And, of course, I took the opportunity to add some yummy recipes to my burgeoning collection (for that cookbook I'll write one day when I'm a famous blogger).
However, it is a gray and cold(er) day outside, and while the prospect of creamy roasted garlic dressing is enticing, what I'm really in the mood for is something warm and easy on my (slightly queasy? must have been the three glasses of wine last night) stomach. So, I've included Meryl Junik's fabulous noodle kugel recipe below. I am not a raisin person - I see them as a necessary evil in some recipes, but avoidable in most. This recipe makes a nice smooth kugel that tastes great hot or cold.
Warning: this recipe makes a LOT of kugel.
Meryl's Delicious Noodle Kugel
1/2 lb medium egg noodles
1 bar regular or reduced fat cream cheese, cut into small cubes
1/4 c. sour cream (light works well)
1/2 c. butter or margarine, cut into cubes
3 large eggs, beaten
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 9 or 8 x 11 deep glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil and cook noodles.
3. Drain noodles and return to pot.
4. Add cream cheese and butter and stir until melted and distributed throughout.
5. Add remaining ingredients, stirring, and pour into baking dish.
6. Bake 45 minutes until bubbling and lightly browned.
7. Serve warm or cold (actually a great cold dessert with a dairy shabbat lunch - excellent use for leftovers).
However, it is a gray and cold(er) day outside, and while the prospect of creamy roasted garlic dressing is enticing, what I'm really in the mood for is something warm and easy on my (slightly queasy? must have been the three glasses of wine last night) stomach. So, I've included Meryl Junik's fabulous noodle kugel recipe below. I am not a raisin person - I see them as a necessary evil in some recipes, but avoidable in most. This recipe makes a nice smooth kugel that tastes great hot or cold.
Warning: this recipe makes a LOT of kugel.
Meryl's Delicious Noodle Kugel
1/2 lb medium egg noodles
1 bar regular or reduced fat cream cheese, cut into small cubes
1/4 c. sour cream (light works well)
1/2 c. butter or margarine, cut into cubes
3 large eggs, beaten
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 9 or 8 x 11 deep glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil and cook noodles.
3. Drain noodles and return to pot.
4. Add cream cheese and butter and stir until melted and distributed throughout.
5. Add remaining ingredients, stirring, and pour into baking dish.
6. Bake 45 minutes until bubbling and lightly browned.
7. Serve warm or cold (actually a great cold dessert with a dairy shabbat lunch - excellent use for leftovers).
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Comfort Food
It is hard to go back to school after you have been out in the workplace. First of all, there is the money; going from having quite a bit of income and little debt to quite a bit of debt and little income is a hard adjustment. Especially when you have a weakness for organic raspberries and Lodge cast iron pans. But I digress.
Second, there are the grades. When I first graduated from college and went to work at a business research firm, it came as something of a shock that I wasn't going to get specific, concrete feedback on every project I completed. Sometimes, I would send off a report or a brief off into the ether, never to be heard from again.
After a while, I realized that sometimes the work itself was testiment enough - or the "thank you thank you!" emails that I got back from clients. Whether I got good feedback or bad feedback or no feedback at all, I never equated my performance with a sense of self-worth or with my ability to do the job. And, if I got negative feedback, there was almost always an opportunity to fix the project or please the client in another way because the relationships were iterated - it was never a one-shot deal.
After two and a half years of that, I am now back in an environment where everything gets feedback and the feedback that matters most is a set of little letters that say very little about what, if anything, one could do better. To top off the absurdity of the situation, the grades are on a curve, which means it doesn't matter how well I did on my own - it matters how well I did compared to other people, compared to my friends and colleagues against whom I would really rather not compete. And, while I've done just fine (knock on wood - one grade still to come!) in my classes, I've certainly talked to friends who are now questioning their decision to go to law school and/or whether they "deserve" to be at the law school we attend (a relatively prestigious one, as these things go). And that, my friends, is crap. How well you did on a 3-hour, open-book exam has practically no correlation to how well you will practice law.
All this by way of saying that I need a little comfort food at the moment. And, when I'm talking comfort food, I want (a) starch and (b) cheese. Now, when I was younger, that meant Ledo's pizza or a grilled cheese sandwich. However, as my foodie-ness has evolved, so has my comfort food.
My latest comfort food is risotto. I love the way it requires a bit of patience - if you try and make it fast, it doesn't turn out right. And, I love the way that it can have different personalities depending on the veggies one adds. So, here is my basic recipe with three veggie variations.
P.S. I promise that, true to the blog name, I will eventually write an entry that involves kosher meat. I just don't eat much of it - so I have to come up with something great.
Comfort Food Risotto
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsn olive oil (or 1 tbsn olive oil and 1 tbsn butter)
1 cup Arborio or Carnolini rice
2 cubes vegetarian bouillon or 1 20-oz container vegetable stock
Pinch saffron threads, gently crumbled
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup kosher Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/2 cup kosher dry white wine
Add-ins as discussed below.
1. In a medium saucepan, and following the directions on the package, dissolve bouillon cubes in water (or pour broth into saucepan) and bring to a simmer.
2. Meanwhile, over medium-high heat, saute onions in oil (or oil and butter) until fragrant and beginning to brown. Add garlic and saute about 30 seconds. Add rice and toss to coat rice with oil-onion mixture. Stir around for 1-2 minutes.
3. Pour in wine and cook, stirring regularly (once every minute or so), until wine is absorbed. Reduce heat slightly to medium.
4. Ladle in about 1 1/2 cups stock and, stirring regularly until broth is absorbed. Repeat. Test the rice to check how done it is. Continue adding broth and stirring until rice is tender but still slightly toothy. Ladle in about 1/2 cup more broth (remember, the rice will continue to cook and absorb for a bit after you take it off the heat) and add most of the cheese, reserving a small amount for garnish. Add salt and pepper to taste (remember, both broth and cheese are salty - do not add salt before tasting!).
5. Serve warm, topped with remaining cheese.
Add-in Combo 1: 1/3 cup dried mushrooms OR 1 1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms, such as cremini, AND 1 cup frozen green peas. If using dried mushrooms, break them up slightly and add to broth as it's heating. When the mushrooms are soft, add them to onions/garlic when sauteeing and proceeding with recipe. When the risotto is almost done, stir in the peas (can even be done after the risotto is finished cooking, so long as you do not serve it that very second).
Add-in Combo 2: 1 large bunch asparagus, divided, washed and cut into 2" pieces (or, if cheating, 1 cup frozen asparagus pieces, such as those from TJ's). Saute half of asparagus with the onions. Add remaining half when ladling in the second cup of stock. The first half of the asparagus should sort of fall apart into the sauce, whereas the second half should be crisp-tender.
Add-in Combo 3: 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced into 1/2" pieces (again, if cheating, 1 pkg pre-diced butternut squash pieces), 1 pkg fresh sage leaves, washed and finely chopped, and a tsp brown sugar. Add squash, sugar and sage in with the onions and cook as directed.
Second, there are the grades. When I first graduated from college and went to work at a business research firm, it came as something of a shock that I wasn't going to get specific, concrete feedback on every project I completed. Sometimes, I would send off a report or a brief off into the ether, never to be heard from again.
After a while, I realized that sometimes the work itself was testiment enough - or the "thank you thank you!" emails that I got back from clients. Whether I got good feedback or bad feedback or no feedback at all, I never equated my performance with a sense of self-worth or with my ability to do the job. And, if I got negative feedback, there was almost always an opportunity to fix the project or please the client in another way because the relationships were iterated - it was never a one-shot deal.
After two and a half years of that, I am now back in an environment where everything gets feedback and the feedback that matters most is a set of little letters that say very little about what, if anything, one could do better. To top off the absurdity of the situation, the grades are on a curve, which means it doesn't matter how well I did on my own - it matters how well I did compared to other people, compared to my friends and colleagues against whom I would really rather not compete. And, while I've done just fine (knock on wood - one grade still to come!) in my classes, I've certainly talked to friends who are now questioning their decision to go to law school and/or whether they "deserve" to be at the law school we attend (a relatively prestigious one, as these things go). And that, my friends, is crap. How well you did on a 3-hour, open-book exam has practically no correlation to how well you will practice law.
All this by way of saying that I need a little comfort food at the moment. And, when I'm talking comfort food, I want (a) starch and (b) cheese. Now, when I was younger, that meant Ledo's pizza or a grilled cheese sandwich. However, as my foodie-ness has evolved, so has my comfort food.
My latest comfort food is risotto. I love the way it requires a bit of patience - if you try and make it fast, it doesn't turn out right. And, I love the way that it can have different personalities depending on the veggies one adds. So, here is my basic recipe with three veggie variations.
P.S. I promise that, true to the blog name, I will eventually write an entry that involves kosher meat. I just don't eat much of it - so I have to come up with something great.
Comfort Food Risotto
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsn olive oil (or 1 tbsn olive oil and 1 tbsn butter)
1 cup Arborio or Carnolini rice
2 cubes vegetarian bouillon or 1 20-oz container vegetable stock
Pinch saffron threads, gently crumbled
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup kosher Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/2 cup kosher dry white wine
Add-ins as discussed below.
1. In a medium saucepan, and following the directions on the package, dissolve bouillon cubes in water (or pour broth into saucepan) and bring to a simmer.
2. Meanwhile, over medium-high heat, saute onions in oil (or oil and butter) until fragrant and beginning to brown. Add garlic and saute about 30 seconds. Add rice and toss to coat rice with oil-onion mixture. Stir around for 1-2 minutes.
3. Pour in wine and cook, stirring regularly (once every minute or so), until wine is absorbed. Reduce heat slightly to medium.
4. Ladle in about 1 1/2 cups stock and, stirring regularly until broth is absorbed. Repeat. Test the rice to check how done it is. Continue adding broth and stirring until rice is tender but still slightly toothy. Ladle in about 1/2 cup more broth (remember, the rice will continue to cook and absorb for a bit after you take it off the heat) and add most of the cheese, reserving a small amount for garnish. Add salt and pepper to taste (remember, both broth and cheese are salty - do not add salt before tasting!).
5. Serve warm, topped with remaining cheese.
Add-in Combo 1: 1/3 cup dried mushrooms OR 1 1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms, such as cremini, AND 1 cup frozen green peas. If using dried mushrooms, break them up slightly and add to broth as it's heating. When the mushrooms are soft, add them to onions/garlic when sauteeing and proceeding with recipe. When the risotto is almost done, stir in the peas (can even be done after the risotto is finished cooking, so long as you do not serve it that very second).
Add-in Combo 2: 1 large bunch asparagus, divided, washed and cut into 2" pieces (or, if cheating, 1 cup frozen asparagus pieces, such as those from TJ's). Saute half of asparagus with the onions. Add remaining half when ladling in the second cup of stock. The first half of the asparagus should sort of fall apart into the sauce, whereas the second half should be crisp-tender.
Add-in Combo 3: 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced into 1/2" pieces (again, if cheating, 1 pkg pre-diced butternut squash pieces), 1 pkg fresh sage leaves, washed and finely chopped, and a tsp brown sugar. Add squash, sugar and sage in with the onions and cook as directed.
Monday, June 18, 2007
A Shore Weekend Primer
To paraphrase an old nursery rhyme, when I am good, I am very, very good, and when I am bad I am horrid.
That was the general theme of this weekend's Shore excursion - at least from a culinary perspective. My "moderation and portion control" mantra went flying out the window.
My parents and sisters, G-d bless them, are on vacation in Greece and I am working and taking care of the new puppy. On the bright side, I get the summer house in St. Michaels all to my self until they get back. Thus, I had about 8 people out to the Shore this weekend - a mix of law school folks and former co-workers. It was a great group and I think everyone had fun (people? fun?).
I fall into the category of host(esse)s who are always afraid of running out of food. This means that, when planning for 8, I cook for 12 (what if someone brings a friend? or three?). And when I say 12, what I mean is 12, if 4 of them played tackle in the NFL. Needless to say, I had a lot of leftovers, though not as many as I could have. My friends took one for the team and ate lots. Thanks friends!
On the menu: the caprese pasta salad in my last post; various baked goods; grilled meats/veggie burgers; and an excellent Shabbat-friendly berry tiramisu (recipe below). Lesson learned: do not assume that the grocery store carries ladyfingers (kosher or otherwise).
We'll be repeating this endeavor in a couple weeks, so we'll have to see if additional experimentations yields similar positive results.
Berry Tiramisu
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
1 pints fresh raspberries
2 8 oz tubs mascarpone cheese at room temperature
1 pint heavy whipping cream, chilled
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 box Nilla wafers (told you I couldn't find lady fingers)
1 jar Bon Maman red raspeberry preserves (hechshered)
1/2 c. sugar, divided
1 10-oz bag frozen red raspberries, thawed
1 tsp. lemon juice
1. Wash the berries and set them aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat the whipping cream (by hand, in my case) and 1/4 c. sugar, until soft peaks form. Fold in the cinnamon and vanilla, then gradually fold in the mascarpone.
3. Combine the preserves, previously frozen raspberries, lemon juice and sugar and stir until well-blended.
4. In a shallow 9 x 13 baking dish, spoon a thin layer of the preserve mixture to coat the bottom. Place wafers in a single layer on top of the preserves (I found that it took about 8 rows of 5 cookies each to cover the bottom.
5. Carefully spoon 1/3 of the cream/cheese mixture in small drops over the wafers. Using your clean fingers, gently spread the cream/cheese mixture over the wafers until even. Sprinkle with half of fresh berries.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5.
7. Utilize the last 1/3 of the cream/cheese mixture and spread over the last fresh berries/preserve layer.
8. Take the cookie pieces/crumbs at the bottom of the wafer box and crush them into crumbs, then sprinkle the crumbs on top.
9. Chill overnight and serve cold (you can sprinkle with fresh berries immediately before serving, should you be so inclined).
Enjoy. :-)
That was the general theme of this weekend's Shore excursion - at least from a culinary perspective. My "moderation and portion control" mantra went flying out the window.
My parents and sisters, G-d bless them, are on vacation in Greece and I am working and taking care of the new puppy. On the bright side, I get the summer house in St. Michaels all to my self until they get back. Thus, I had about 8 people out to the Shore this weekend - a mix of law school folks and former co-workers. It was a great group and I think everyone had fun (people? fun?).
I fall into the category of host(esse)s who are always afraid of running out of food. This means that, when planning for 8, I cook for 12 (what if someone brings a friend? or three?). And when I say 12, what I mean is 12, if 4 of them played tackle in the NFL. Needless to say, I had a lot of leftovers, though not as many as I could have. My friends took one for the team and ate lots. Thanks friends!
On the menu: the caprese pasta salad in my last post; various baked goods; grilled meats/veggie burgers; and an excellent Shabbat-friendly berry tiramisu (recipe below). Lesson learned: do not assume that the grocery store carries ladyfingers (kosher or otherwise).
We'll be repeating this endeavor in a couple weeks, so we'll have to see if additional experimentations yields similar positive results.
Berry Tiramisu
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
1 pints fresh raspberries
2 8 oz tubs mascarpone cheese at room temperature
1 pint heavy whipping cream, chilled
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 box Nilla wafers (told you I couldn't find lady fingers)
1 jar Bon Maman red raspeberry preserves (hechshered)
1/2 c. sugar, divided
1 10-oz bag frozen red raspberries, thawed
1 tsp. lemon juice
1. Wash the berries and set them aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat the whipping cream (by hand, in my case) and 1/4 c. sugar, until soft peaks form. Fold in the cinnamon and vanilla, then gradually fold in the mascarpone.
3. Combine the preserves, previously frozen raspberries, lemon juice and sugar and stir until well-blended.
4. In a shallow 9 x 13 baking dish, spoon a thin layer of the preserve mixture to coat the bottom. Place wafers in a single layer on top of the preserves (I found that it took about 8 rows of 5 cookies each to cover the bottom.
5. Carefully spoon 1/3 of the cream/cheese mixture in small drops over the wafers. Using your clean fingers, gently spread the cream/cheese mixture over the wafers until even. Sprinkle with half of fresh berries.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5.
7. Utilize the last 1/3 of the cream/cheese mixture and spread over the last fresh berries/preserve layer.
8. Take the cookie pieces/crumbs at the bottom of the wafer box and crush them into crumbs, then sprinkle the crumbs on top.
9. Chill overnight and serve cold (you can sprinkle with fresh berries immediately before serving, should you be so inclined).
Enjoy. :-)
Friday, June 15, 2007
First Post: A Pesto Quest(o)
Hello blogosphere!
This is my first of what I hope will be many posts. My name is Cait and I'm a recently kosher (~2 years) cook and eater. I moonlight, between cooking sessions, as a law student in the Boston area. I am currently writing from my satellite location in Washington DC, where I am working for the summer (and where I am originally from). To learn more about me, click here.
Recently, I invited a bunch of friends, including a couple MOTs (that's members of the tribe, for those of you in my non-existent viewing audience) out to my parents' shore house in St. Michaels. And, of course, when you go to the beach, what do you want to make? Pasta salad. And what is the perfect pasta salad? Cold Caprese Pasta Salad (recipe below). And what does kosher caprese salad require? Kosher mozzarella and kosher pesto.
There in lay my dilemma, gentle readers. Kosher mozzarella is actually pretty easy to come by - I use Trader Joe's, which has a Tablet-K hechsher for both its large balls of mozzarella and its medium-sized balls ("ciliegine"). So, that was easy enough.
However, the pesto proved particularly problematic. If you buy commercially-made pesto (in a jar or from the deli counter at Whole Foods or TJ's, as I discovered), it is made with regular parmesan cheese, which contains treif animal-derived rennet. Sabra makes a nice pareve pesto but none of my local grocery stores stock it.
Thus, I headed to KosherMart (WHY do they not have one of these in Boston???) in search of kosher pesto. I was brutally rebuffed (though did find a nice kosher Australian Sauvignon Blanc). So, I decided to make my own (see recipe below - both pareve/vegan and kosher-dairy variations). In addition, I've included my pasta salad recipe. Happy eating and Shabbat Shalom!
Kosher Basil Pesto
1/3 cup kosher Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup kosher Romano cheese (I used Miller's Romano - it comes pre-grated and it has more "bite" than parmesan, IMHO)
2/3 cup pignoli (pine nuts), lightly toasted (in a dry skillet over med-low heat)
3-5 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed and checked for bugs (can also use Sabra frozen basil cubes, about 2 packages)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper (about 5 turns of my pepper mill)
In a food processor or blender, pulse the pignoli, garlic, cheese, basil, salt and pepper until combined. Add about half the oil and blend the ingredients together until a smooth paste forms (adding more oil as necessary).
To make pareve/vegan, omit the cheese and increase the salt from 1/4 to 3/8 tsp.
Cold Caprese Pasta Salad
1 lb short pasta (I use penne or shells)
1 jar roasted red peppers
1 handful (about 1/2 cup) sundried tomatoes, chopped into 1/2" pieces
1 16-oz container fresh mozzarella (I use TJ's ciliegine, but large balls cut into pieces or smaller "perlini" would also be good)
1 cup Kosher Basil Pesto
1 tbsp kosher Extra Virgin Olive Oil
kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste.
1. Boil a large pot of lightly salted water and cook pasta. During the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, add the sundried tomatoes to soften. Drain and return to pot to cool, ~20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, drain the red peppers and mozzarella. Roughly chop the peppers into ~1" squares. If using large balls of mozzarella, chop into 1/2"-1" pieces.
3. Toss olive oil into pasta to coat slightly and season lightly with pepper (reminder: you already salted the pasta water, so don't add salt at this point). Gently blend in pesto, tossing to coat.
4. Add cheese and peppers, tossing again until thoroughly incorporated.
5. Taste, then salt if necessary.
Enjoy!
This is my first of what I hope will be many posts. My name is Cait and I'm a recently kosher (~2 years) cook and eater. I moonlight, between cooking sessions, as a law student in the Boston area. I am currently writing from my satellite location in Washington DC, where I am working for the summer (and where I am originally from). To learn more about me, click here.
Recently, I invited a bunch of friends, including a couple MOTs (that's members of the tribe, for those of you in my non-existent viewing audience) out to my parents' shore house in St. Michaels. And, of course, when you go to the beach, what do you want to make? Pasta salad. And what is the perfect pasta salad? Cold Caprese Pasta Salad (recipe below). And what does kosher caprese salad require? Kosher mozzarella and kosher pesto.
There in lay my dilemma, gentle readers. Kosher mozzarella is actually pretty easy to come by - I use Trader Joe's, which has a Tablet-K hechsher for both its large balls of mozzarella and its medium-sized balls ("ciliegine"). So, that was easy enough.
However, the pesto proved particularly problematic. If you buy commercially-made pesto (in a jar or from the deli counter at Whole Foods or TJ's, as I discovered), it is made with regular parmesan cheese, which contains treif animal-derived rennet. Sabra makes a nice pareve pesto but none of my local grocery stores stock it.
Thus, I headed to KosherMart (WHY do they not have one of these in Boston???) in search of kosher pesto. I was brutally rebuffed (though did find a nice kosher Australian Sauvignon Blanc). So, I decided to make my own (see recipe below - both pareve/vegan and kosher-dairy variations). In addition, I've included my pasta salad recipe. Happy eating and Shabbat Shalom!
Kosher Basil Pesto
1/3 cup kosher Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup kosher Romano cheese (I used Miller's Romano - it comes pre-grated and it has more "bite" than parmesan, IMHO)
2/3 cup pignoli (pine nuts), lightly toasted (in a dry skillet over med-low heat)
3-5 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed and checked for bugs (can also use Sabra frozen basil cubes, about 2 packages)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper (about 5 turns of my pepper mill)
In a food processor or blender, pulse the pignoli, garlic, cheese, basil, salt and pepper until combined. Add about half the oil and blend the ingredients together until a smooth paste forms (adding more oil as necessary).
To make pareve/vegan, omit the cheese and increase the salt from 1/4 to 3/8 tsp.
Cold Caprese Pasta Salad
1 lb short pasta (I use penne or shells)
1 jar roasted red peppers
1 handful (about 1/2 cup) sundried tomatoes, chopped into 1/2" pieces
1 16-oz container fresh mozzarella (I use TJ's ciliegine, but large balls cut into pieces or smaller "perlini" would also be good)
1 cup Kosher Basil Pesto
1 tbsp kosher Extra Virgin Olive Oil
kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste.
1. Boil a large pot of lightly salted water and cook pasta. During the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, add the sundried tomatoes to soften. Drain and return to pot to cool, ~20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, drain the red peppers and mozzarella. Roughly chop the peppers into ~1" squares. If using large balls of mozzarella, chop into 1/2"-1" pieces.
3. Toss olive oil into pasta to coat slightly and season lightly with pepper (reminder: you already salted the pasta water, so don't add salt at this point). Gently blend in pesto, tossing to coat.
4. Add cheese and peppers, tossing again until thoroughly incorporated.
5. Taste, then salt if necessary.
Enjoy!
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