A Glutton With Brains

Boston!

2010-05-12T17:46:00.005-04:00

J and I recently spent a few days in Boston. We went to a Red Sox game at Fenway, walked the Freedom Trail, spent some time in Cambridge and Harvard...it was a great time!

Our hotel was gorgeous and perfectly located in downtown Boston. The first room they gave us, however, had very clearly been smoked in. We went downstairs to switch and the front desk was very apologetic and offered us a free meal in the hotel restaurant, Pairings. Unfortunately, it was the worst meal we've ever had. I took a bunch of pictures but I won't show them as it was so bad. We ordered a shrimp appetizer that came out with the heads still on. When J bit into his shrimp, some cold, fishy juice squirted into his mouth. It wasn't even cooked all the way. He quickly switched his entree from the scallops to a burger. I ordered three small plates, which on the bright side were cooked all the way through but tasted pretty bad. J's burger however, ordered medium, was very raw. He just ate his fries. I don't think we'll be accepting a free hotel meal again!

The next day we took a little detour off the Freedom Trail to venture into Boston's Little Italy to sample some cannoli.

Our first stop was Mike's Pastry. This pastry shop is locally famous and is a favorite of Bill Clinton.

We both really enjoyed this cannoli. The shell was nice and crisp and didn't crumble apart when we bit into it. The filling however was a little thick, but still delicious.

Conveniently located right across the street from Mike's is Modern Pastry. Modern offers fresh filled cannoli. You can choose a type of cannoli shell, filling and topping. In order to be consistent we ordered a plain shell with ricotta filling and chocolate chips.
Though both cannoli were very good, we both decided this was the winner. The shell was perfectly crisp and again didn't crumble when we bit into it. The biggest difference though was the filling. It was much lighter and not to sweet. Delicious.
After wandering around Cambridge for a while, and a enjoying a few beers at The Druid, we went to East Coast Grill for dinner. This corn and clam chowder was absolutely delicious. It was perfectly creamy with a little spicy bite and nice chunks of sweet potato.
East Coast Grill is known for its XXX spicy wings. I was a little afraid of the spice so we ordered them with a spicy rating of 7/10. I think we could have handled the 10 though. They had a nice kick but weren't, as the waitress warned, the spiciest thing I've ever eaten.
On our last day we took a drive out to Ipswich to go to the Clam Box. The fried clams were fresh and delicious. I had never had them before so I'm glad I got to try them but they weren't really my favorite.

Their clam chowder however was amazing. This cup was full when we got it but we both loved it so much that it was half gone before I had a chance to snap a picture. If you're ever around Boston, I would recommend taking a little side trip out to the Clam Box for some chowder.

Martha's Mac and Cheese

2010-04-21T16:26:00.007-04:00

So a few weeks ago, before I left for Ireland, I made a big batch of the best Mac and Cheese ever. There are many versions of mac and cheese but as far as I am concerned, Martha's trumps them all. Yes, it takes more time to prepare than a box of Kraft but the final product is so amazing, you'll be happy you put in the extra effort. Whenever my sister comes to visit, she requests this mac and cheese. The last time she was in town, we polished off half (6 servings worth) in a day...it's just that good. This time, I froze all of it in individual containers so J would have something to eat while I was gone.

This makes a ton of mac and cheese. Thankfully, this recipe is really easy to half and it also freezes really nicely. I like to serve it with some salad or a green vegetable; mostly to justify the buttery-cheesy-carby goodness I'm about to consume. I also like to split the mac and cheese between two baking dishes which yields more of the crunchy edges that I crave but you can just as easily put it all in one big dish.

Martha's Baked Macaroni and Cheese

12 servings

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for casserole
6 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4- to l/2-inch pieces
5 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons coarse salt, plus more for water
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 1/2 cups (about 18 ounces) grated sharp white cheddar cheese
2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated Gruyère or 1 1/4 cups (about 5 ounces) grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 pound elbow macaroni

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place the bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour the melted butter into the bowl with the bread, and toss. Set the breadcrumbs aside.

2. Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When the butter bubbles, add the flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.

3. While whisking, slowly pour in the hot milk a little at a time to keep mixture smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick, 8 to 12 minutes.

4. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyère (or 1 cup Pecorino Romano); set the cheese sauce aside.

5. Cover a large pot of salted water, and bring to a boil. Cook the macaroni (I used cavatappi) until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir the macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.

6. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyère (or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano), and the breadcrumbs over the top. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes (though we needed a bit more time to get it brown, but your oven may vary). Transfer the dish to a wire rack for 5 minutes; serve.

3. While whisking, slowly pour in the hot milk a little at a time to keep mixture smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick, 8 to 12 minutes.

4. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyère (or 1 cup Pecorino Romano); set the cheese sauce aside.

5. Cover a large pot of salted water, and bring to a boil. Cook the macaroni until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir the macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.

A culinary journey through Belfast, Galway, Dublin and Edinburgh

2010-04-12T16:52:00.013-04:00

At Maggie May's in Belfast. Fish and Chips with peas.

My first pint of Guinness in Belfast!

Irish coffee from the Bushmills Distillery

Hot Toddy from Bushmills Distillery

Hot Chocolate and Baileys, delicious!

Bushmills Distillery

Chicken Pot Pie, Belfast

Bangers and Mash, Belfast

Kilkenny cream ale...very yummy!

Kingshead Tavern, Galway

At the Kingshead Tavern in Galway. Seafood chowder, so amazing! There were bits of salmon and cod and mussels, some of the best chowder I've ever had. The brown bread looks kind of plain but is really good, especially when dipped in the soup. The butter is delicious. I know it's just butter and you wouldn't think it would be different but it really is. There's probably some kind of ridiculous health code in the U.S. about producing butter. If you're ever in Ireland, taste the butter. It's so much creamier and yummier than our butter.

Pizza from Spar, surprisingly good.

Vegetable soup at a small, nameless cafe on Inis Mor near Dun Aonghasa.

All of the soup I had was creamed in someway. When I inquired about the soup of the day I was told vegetable broth, and this is what came out. Not that I was disappointed, it was fantastic home made soup.

I am embarrassed to tell you that I am one of those American's that ate at a fast food chain while in another country. It was in the airport and I was incredibly hung-over and my butty and hashbrowns saved me from certain illness.

Falafel plate at a small Greek cafe in Edinburgh. I was in desperate need of some vegetables!

In Edinburgh we decided to cook in our hostel. Everything is fried somehow so I needed a break. I felt like there was a puddle of grease in my stomach. We bought some veggies and made a salad and some stir fry with curry and brown rice.

At the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin

Roasted Barley, it gives Guinness it's distinct flavor. It smells exactly like a pint of the black stuff.

Pour your own pint at Guinness Storehouse, Dublin

Letting it settle.

Our finished pints. I am now certified by Guinness to pour the perfect pint!

Ray's Pizza in Dublin. I didn't eat here but was comforted to know that I could get a crappy slice if I so chose.

The Witchery by the Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland

Haggis! I know, I know, it sounds disgusting. But is it anymore disgusting than eating a hot dog? I decided that I couldn't travel all the way to Scotland without trying some Haggis. So I went to the Witchery where their Haggis has won awards. It was actually quite delicious, much better than I was expecting. In all fairness, I was expecting to be revolted.

The Witchery by the Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland

I have always been strongly opposed to eating veal. I won't touch it, let alone try it. But everyone kept saying how yummy the lamb is this time of year so I had to try it. Besides, it doesn't count if you're in another country.

The Witchery by the Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland

Bakeswell Tart with clotted cream. Clotted cream sounds nasty but it's really a lot like whipped cream. The consistency is a little different but it's the same idea.

Ginger Beer, not an Irish or Scottish thing but it was really good.

Cod Goujons and chips at a small cafe by Loch Ness. There are many kinds of goujons on menus over there. Chicken, various kinds of fish, etc. I'm pretty sure it's like our fingers. Like when we say chicken fingers or fish fingers.

Here in NYC, I live a few blocks from a really good bagel shop, Essa Bagel. I have to limit my trips there because I know that bagels are bad for you. In Ireland where everything is battered and fried, a bagel really is a healthy alternative.

Last meal in Dublin, fish and chips from Leo Burdocks. This picture really doesn't do it justice. We were a group of 3 and each ordered our own but easily could have shared one. They practically give you an entire fish, battered and fried to perfection.

Chicken Soup

2010-03-24T11:25:00.005-04:00

Over the years, I have made many attempts at making chicken soup. The first was right after I moved out on my own. I had roasted a chicken, which went successfully, and wanted make soup with the leftovers. It went well until I added about 2 or 3 cups of rice and it absorbed all of the stock and I was left with chicken-y rice. Several times, I cooked all of the vegetables with the stock and used them in the soup. I wouldn't say it was bad but after boiling that long the vegetables lose all of the their flavor to the broth.

This particular version is particularly delicious, if I do say so myself. This is the kind of chicken soup I crave. The kind that cures a cold and warms your soul. It's comforting and reminds me of being home.

Chicken Soup

1 leftover chicken and any extra meat

1 onion, quartered

5 cloves of garlic, smashed

6 small carrots, peeled and halved

A handful of fresh dill

4 celery stalks, halved

Fresh ground pepper

Salt

1/2 lemon

1. In a large stock pot, combine chicken, onion, garlic, 3 carrots, dill and 2 celery stalks in a large pot. Fill with enough water to cover everything. Grind fresh pepper on top, cover and bring to a boil.

2. Once boiling, reduce heat to a low simmer. Let simmer for one hour. Taste the broth and salt to taste. Because there is already salt on the leftover chicken, it's good to wait and see how salty the broth is from the chicken. Otherwise, you may over salt.

3. Squeeze juice from lemon into broth. Continue to simmer for another hour. Taste and make any adjustments necessary (salt, pepper).

4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer all solids to a colander and reserve broth. Discard any vegetables or herbs. Separate meat from bone and return any meat to the broth.

5. While you are separating the chicken, let the broth stand on very low heat. The fat will separate from the broth and you can use a spoon to skim it off the top.

6. Slice remaining carrots and celery into discs and add to broth. Let simmer for about 20 minutes, until carrots and celery are soft. Serve and garnish with chopped dill.

Spring and Roasted Chicken

2010-03-22T21:46:00.005-04:00

Last week, after a serious, several day storm, we were blessed here in New York with a few nice, warm, sunny days. It started to look like Spring. Something about that warmer weather made me crave roasted chicken. So for St. Patrick's Day, I made J and I a roast chicken. I considered making something more in the holiday spirit but J said that the reason Irish people eat things like corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day is to remind them of how bad everything was, including the food, back in Ireland and how lucky they are to be living in America. So instead of trying to make something Irish, I made something spring-y. Though we didn't delight in all of the wonderful things about Irish cuisine, we enjoyed our chicken very much.

This chicken is so easy to make and wonderfully delicious. Not to mention, chicken is very budget friendly. One chicken will get you at least 2 meals. I made soup with the leftovers (next post). Many recipes will instruct you to truss the chicken, however I find that with such a small chicken, it's really unnecessary. Simply tuck the wings under the chicken. Though I'm sure you already know this, my days spent in class learning about food safety make me feel compelled to remind you to be extra careful with raw chicken. Wash your hands before touching anything else and sanitize anything that touched the raw chicken.

Roast Chicken

1 5lb whole chicken (giblets removed)

2 pads of butter

2 TBS olive oil

salt and pepper

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

1 lemon, ends trimmed off

6 cloves garlic

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Wash and pat dry the chicken, making sure all giblets are removed from the cavity.

3. Separate the skin from the flesh of the chicken and spread the butter on the flesh. You can simply place the butter between the skin and flesh and then move it around by pressing on the skin to spread it.

4. Rub olive oil all over the skin with your hands. Salt and pepper.

5. Place rosemary, lemon and garlic inside of the cavity.

6. Place in a roasting pan and tuck wings under the body.

7. Roast in oven for about 20 minutes. Using a spoon, gather any drippings and pour over the top of the chicken to keep the meat moist. Return to oven for an additional 20 minutes, until the chicken reaches over 165 degrees temperature on a meat thermometer. Let the chicken rest for about 15 minutes before carving.

Save the carcass for soup (recipe next post) or chicken stock.

Malted Blondies

2010-03-18T10:46:00.002-04:00

So I kind of have a thing for baked goods. It's really an intense sugar addiction. However, not just any sugar will do. I never crave a Snickers bar or processed cookies in a package. No, I prefer things that require more effort than that. I find that baked items I purchase are usually disappointing. I don't eat sugary foods for the sake of it, processed goods are not worth it. I guess I'm just high maintenance. I usually make various breads like banana bread, zucchini bread and pumpkin bread. But lately I've been interested in various bar type goods like the Toblerone brownies I made a few weeks ago. These are much lighter and not as rich as the Toblerone brownies were. Blondies are a nice alternative to brownies once and a while. These Blondies are malted, they have whoppers and malt powder. I think next time I would add more malt powder to really bring that flavor out more but the recipe below is how I made them.

Malted Brownies

adapted from "Baked: New Frontiers in Baking"

2 1/3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 TBS malted milk powder ( you could try with a little more if you like malt)

14 TBS unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 3/4 cups packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup malted milk balls, chopped

3/4 cup (9 0z) semi sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter or grease the bottom and sides of a 9x13 pan.

2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and malted milk powder.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until completely combined. Scrape down bowl, add eggs and vanilla, beat until combined.

4. Add the flour mixture in two batches and beat until just combined. Add the malted milk balls, chocolate chips, and walnuts. Beat until just combined. The mixture will be thick. Turn the mixture out into the greased pan and use a spatula to spread it evenly.

5. Bake in the center for about 25-35 minutes, until a tooth pick comes out clean.

6. Let cool completely before cutting. These would be great with some ice cream and are delicious warm.

Procrastination and A Sample Sale

2010-03-18T10:09:00.004-04:00

I have been working at a Dolce and Gabbana sample sale for the past week which is why I haven't posted anything new for a while. It was an exhausting experience but I'm really glad I did it. I was in a coat check room for most of it, 12 hours per day. I was reminded why I do not work in a customer service job. Because of the nature of the event, selling very high price designer items at a discount, customers were not permitted to bring in bags, jackets or umbrellas in an effort to prevent theft and damage to the products. To be fair, about 25% of people just handed over their belongings without complaint. The rest, though, complained, yelled, and just got generally nasty. I'm not exaggerating. One woman actually started screaming at a security guard who was calmly telling her that if she wanted to go in, she had to check her things. She eventually did but not before yelling at everyone in the hallway at the top of her lungs. My favorite was when she yelled "You need to behave yourself" at the security guard, I thought it was pretty funny and starting laughing at her ridiculousness. Some people just flat out refused to check their things. At first, I calmly explained to them that no one is allowed in with bags or jackets. By the second day, when I had a line of over 100 people outside waiting to get in, I started saying "The elevator is behind you, have a nice day. Next." At which point most of them relinquished and checked their belongings. When people were leaving, I would grab their jacket first to give them a chance to put it on while I grabbed their bag. Most of them would say "Um...I have a bag" with that snotty entitled tone so many of them had. Finally I just snapped at some woman who had 4 shopping bags, a purse, jacket and umbrella, "I only have two hands, you're going to have to give me a second." This whole experience shattered any ideas I once had about the kindness of humanity. This all may have been bearable if people were tipping, but very very few were. At one point a man pulled out a couple dollars to tip us and his girlfriend pushed his hand down and said "You don't have to tip them." Where did people get this idea? I am unemployed, I make no money. But still I tip my barista, cab drivers, coat check girls, everyone. The difference I have decided is circumstance. It can be assumed that if people are buying t-shirts that are $400 (after discount) they have probably never worked as a waiter, barista, etc. and therefore have no appreciation for the institution of tipping. Having worked many jobs where I depended on tips, I always tip for good service. Even mediocre service. Heck, I even tip for bad service, albeit less, but I still tip. One woman came out and was excited that she had bought 4 items for only $1200. Really? $1200.00??? I understand that at retail those items would have cost her closer to $8000 but $1200 is still a lot of money. The sample sale certainly draws a very interesting, privileged bunch.

I am sorry I haven't posted for so long. After standing for 12 hours and interacting with some of the rudest New Yorkers, I was in no mood to sit down and write a blog post. Most days I came home, showered and passed out. Now, I'll be back to my regular posting. Thank you for reading.

Tomato Soup

2010-03-07T16:57:00.004-05:00

We've had a very interesting winter here in New York. Not even two weeks ago, we were hit with a huge storm that left the city covered in snow. Now, it's sunny and about 55! I'm not complaining, mind you. So even though it's not quite summer yet and tomatoes won't be in season for a few months, I couldn't resist the big beautiful tomatoes at Costco last time I went and bought 5lbs of them. Sometimes I wonder what motivates some of my purchases but I know that they are usually driven by some kind of deal. $8 for 5lbs of tomatoes? That was one bargain I couldn't pass up. However, J and I live alone. 5lbs of tomatoes is a lot for only two people. I thought of making pasta sauce, but we've had a lot of pasta in these past few cold months and shorts and tank top weather is quickly approaching. So I made some delicious tomato soup instead. What really sets this tomato soup apart from other ones is the lemon and rosemary cream. It gives it a hint of sophistication and grown-upness. This isn't the Campbell's you had as a kid. Plus, the cream really doesn't add too much fat, because you really only need a small dollop. This recipe also uses a little bit of dried red chili flakes which gives it just the slightest hint of spiciness. I recommend making the cream first, even a few hours ahead of time so that the lemon and rosemary have a chance to infuse into the cream.

Fresh Tomato Soup with Lemon and Rosemary Cream

adapted from epicurious.com

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

zest from 1 lemon

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)

1 onion, diced

3 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

1 bay leaf

2.5 lbs of tomatoes (or 56 oz canned tomatoes)

6 cups low salt chicken broth

1. combine minced rosemary, cream and lemon zest in a small, sealable container. Whip with a fork for about 1 minute, until whipping cream just begins to thicken and froth. Cover and chill.

2. Melt butter in a heavy, large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, rosemary and crushed red pepper. Cook about 5 minutes, until onion is tender.

3. Add tomatoes, bay leaf and broth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for about 40 minutes.

4. Discard bay leaf. Puree with immersion blender or transfer in batches to a blender. Can be made ahead and reheated. Serve with a drizzle of lemon rosemary cream.

Eggplant Bharta

2010-03-05T12:51:00.005-05:00

Since my Freshman year in college I have gone through periods of vegetarianism. It all began with a few peta videos I had to watch for a class. I've had a complex relationship with meat ever since. Because of this, I have survived the last several years largely on tofu and eggplant. I know there are a lot of people who aren't crazy about eggplant but I've decided that if this is the case, you've probably had undercooked eggplant. Eggplant is terrible when it's not prepared well. Mainly, if it's not cooked all the way through. A half cooked eggplant is just nasty. I find this is often the case with most eggplant dishes I've ordered in restaurants. It often comes out undercooked and rubbery. But a well cooked eggplant is divine. It should be soft and luscious not hard and chewy.

Though this recipe comes from that same Ayurvedic cookbook I told you about, it's really a versatile dish. I've used leftovers on sandwiches with some veggies. You can use it like a dip. It goes well with chicken or pasta even. Plus, it's pretty easy. You can broil the eggplants while preparing other dishes.

Fit for a King Eggplant Bharta

from The Modern Ayurvedic Cookbook

2 large eggplants

olive oil to rub on eggplants

2 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 large onion

1 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced

3 medium tomatoes, diced

1 tsp salt

Set oven to broil.

1. Wash and dry each eggplant. Pierce all over with a fork. Coat with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Broil on a baking sheet or broiler pan for about 45 minutes total, rotate halfway through. It will collapse and look mushy when it's ready to come out. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

2. Make a slit down the center of each eggplant and scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Mash flesh with a fork. Discard peel.

In the meantime

3. In a large frying pan on medium high, heat oil. Add onions and cumin saute until onions are golden, about 5-7 minutes. Add tomatoes and salt. Cook until tomatoes soften, about 4-5 minutes.

4. Add mashed eggplant, reduce heat to medium low and cook for another 10 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Serve hot with rice. Garnish with cilantro for a little extra color.

Strengthening Dal

2010-03-02T16:50:00.005-05:00

I grew up thinking that I didn't like Indian food. I had this crazy thought in my head that I didn't like curry and therefore, I wouldn't like Indian food. Never mind that I'd never tried curry or Indian food, I just assumed I didn't like it. For the record, there are lots of Indian dishes without curry most in fact do not have curry. When I moved across the country to New York, my culinary horizons expanded drastically. I tried cuisines from all around the world. My international palate before then had been limited to Mexican, Chinese, Thai, Italian and Japanese. I have since discovered that in New York, if there is a group of people in the world that eats, they have a restaurant here.

I have been intrigued by Indian religions and practices for a very long time. My curiosity began with yoga when I went with my mom to her yoga class. I immediately fell in love and I've been practicing ever since. So when I found an Ayurvedic cookbook at a book sale, I immediately bought it. A very abridged version of Ayuveda: It is a healing system. The word comes from Sanskrit and means life science. It includes all aspects of life, including food. Followers aim to balance themselves through their actions and through what they eat. The following recipe comes from that book and this particular recipe is meant to be balancing for everyone. Not only is it balancing, it's delicious.

There are two main parts to dal, the dal and the vagar. Dal is just the lentils and the vagar is everything you put in them to make them taste good. Make sure you turn your fan on high! You'll know you are doing it right when you start coughing. The first time I made this, I didn't have my fan on and I inhaled the smoke from the mustard seed and chilis and I thought I was going to die. I had to hang my head out the window to catch some fresh air. Learn from my mistake! Turn your fan on high before beginning!

Strengthening Tur Dal

adapted from The Modern Ayurvedic Cookbook

Dal:

2 cups dried lentils ( I used green lentils, you can also use yellow lentils or split mung dal)

7 cups water

1 tsp salt

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 tsp olive oil

Vagar:

2 tsp olive oil

3 dried red chilies

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp fresh ginger, minced

1 tsp garlic

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

1 cup tomatoes, chopped

2 tbsp tomato paste

Dal

1. In a large pot on high heat, combine 7 cups of water and lentils, bring to a boil. Add turmeric, salt and oil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. The lentils will soak up all the water as it cooks, much like oatmeal.

Vagar

2. While the lentils cook, in a frying pan on medium-high, heat oil. Add chilies and saute until they turn black. Add mustard seeds and cover immediately. Let them pop for about 30 seconds, until they stop popping.

3. Immediately add remaining vagar ingredients. Saute for about 10 minutes. Let stand with cover on until lentils have finished cooking.

4. Combine the dal and vagar. Serve hot.

Serve with naan, steamed rice, eggplant(recipe tomorrow) and chutney. I used tamarind and mint chutneys.

Toblerone Brownies

2010-03-01T18:06:00.007-05:00

I have a serious crush on Toblerone. It's no laughing matter. Last September I had to take my baby sister to the airport to send her off to Europe for a year abroad. Though I was really excited for her, it was really hard to say goodbye for so long. To cheer me up, J bought me one of those giant Toblerones with five bars inside. A few days later, he asked if he could have a bite of one. I hemmed and hawed for a moment before admitting that in my depression, I had eaten the entire thing. I have since banned Toblerone from the apartment because I know that I cannot trust myself with a Toblerone bar. This morning I found a cookbook for 2.99 on the discount shelf called "The Best Bakesale Ever Cookbook". Of course I had to buy it. Though I thought the title was cute and the pictures looked appetizing, what really caught my eye was the recipe for Toblerone Brownies, sold.

I was tempted to buy an extra Toblerone bar, you know for later, but I refrained. These brownies are rich and delicious, definitely not for the faint hearted. I already ate two...then spent an hour in the gym. Tomorrow I will be sending some with J to work and some to my dad. Otherwise I would be spending the day in a sugar coma.

If Toblerone isn't really your thing then you have a problem. Just kidding. I was going to say if Toblerone isn't really your thing you could easily swap it for some other chocolate you prefer. I think Heath bars would work really well. Anything that you can chop up easily. I've been toying with the idea of swapping Almond Joys but I think a more solid chocolate is ideal.

Oh and don't worry, we didn't eat brownies for dinner. We're just catching up on leftovers so I thought I'd share this with you in the meantime!

Toblerone Brownies

adapted from "The Best Bake Sale Ever Cookbook"

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 oz unsweetened chocolate broken into pieces

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1 Toblerone bar

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray or grease an 8x8 baking pan

2. In a small microwave proof bowl, heat the butter and unsweetened chocolate in 20 second intervals, stirring in between, until fully melted. About 1 minute total. Let cool.

3. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat eggs about 2 minutes. Beat in sugar and vanilla. Beat in the cooled chocolate mixture. Blend in flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

4. Chop up Toblerone into smaller bits. I chopped each pyramid into 3 pieces.

5. Spread the batter evenly in the greased pan. Bake in the center for about 30-40 minutes (Original recipe calls for 30 minutes but it took 40 in my oven) until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool completely before cutting.

Pizza

2010-02-28T15:31:00.013-05:00

I grew up in a small town in Montana where good pizza was hard to come by. So I had to learn to make my own. When I went off to college I borrowed my parents pizza stone and started practicing with different dough recipes. There are hundreds of recipes out there for dough, many using fancy ingredients like honey and wine. I've tried those recipes and I feel like it's just creating extra work for no real reason except to be fancy. This is a very simple recipe with simple ingredients. The only thing you might not have already is the yeast. I recommend you use a pizza stone but if you don't have one already, a baking sheet will work just fine. The reason I use a pizza stone is that I think it makes for a better, crispier crust.

When I moved to NY many things were left behind, including the pizza stone. It was just too heavy to pack so I had to return it to my parent's kitchen. J loves pizza. He can go on and on for hours about why he loves pizza. He suggested we get a coal oven but I think our landlords, not to mention our renters insurance company, would have a problem with us bringing a coal oven into the apartment. So we bought a pizza stone instead. It has been sitting sadly in it's box for a few weeks now so I decided to finally use it.

I assure you that this pizza will be better than any you order from Pizza Hut, Domino's or whatever mega chain you order from. I like a simple pizza, just sauce, cheese and some basil. Pizza is very easy to personalize though so feel free to add toppings of your choice.

Yeast can be a little tricky and intimidating. One of the best things about this recipe is: It's hard to mess up. The recipe calls for warm water which you will mix with the yeast. I used a meat thermometer but if you don't have one, it's ok. The water should be warm to the touch but not scalding. Think a little warmer than a hot tub but it shouldn't be so warm that you can't stick your finger in the water. You need the water to be warm enough to dissolve the yeast but if it's too hot the yeast will die and your dough will not rise. This is why you have to let your dough sit and rise. As a yeast dough bakes, at a high temperature, all of the cells in the yeast die.

Pizza Dough

from Giada DeLaurentiis

3/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1 envelope active dry yeast

2 cups (or more) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

1. Pour 3/4 warm water into a small bowl, stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes.

2. Brush a large bowl (preferably metal or glass) lightly with olive oil.

3. Mix 2 cups flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add yeast mixture and 3 TBS olive oil. Mix until dough forms a sticky ball.

4. Transfer to a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth, add flour by tablespoonful if too sticky. Continue kneading for about 1 minute.

5. Place dough in oiled bowl. Turn dough once or twice to cover with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, draft free area until doubled in volume. You should be able to poke the dough with two fingers and the holes should not fill back up, this means the yeast has risen completely.

6. Punch dough down and roll into a ball.

You can either proceed with making pizza or you can store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. You can also wrap and freeze the dough.

Pizza a la Jessie

1 pizza dough

Small ball of fresh mozzarella (about 8 oz) cut up into chunks.

1 1/2 cups tomato sauce

1/4-1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese

Fresh Basil leaves

1. Preheat oven to 450. If using a pizza stone place the stone in the oven while preheating.

2. Roll out pizza dough. You can use your hands to stretch it out or use a rolling pin.

3. Fold the rolled out dough over your forearm and place onto the pizza stone. Bake for about 10 minutes.

4. Remove the pizza dough. Use a spatula to pull it onto a rimless baking sheet or an upside down baking sheet.

5. Top with mozzarella chunks first

6. Using a spoon, fill in empty space with sauce. Top with grated pecorino or parmesan.

7. Use the baking sheet to slide it back into the oven for another 10-15 minutes depending how dark you like your crust.

8. Top with basil leaves and serve.

P.S. Commenting should now work. When you click on comments you can use the drop down menu to use an existing account or your name to leave your comment. I'm still working on the follow button, still not sure why that's not working. Thank you for reading!

Confession

2010-02-27T15:16:00.001-05:00

I have a confession. I am ashamed to admit that only three days after I created this blog, I caved. This is going to be harder than I thought it would be.

Last night J and I went to an Ellis Paul concert, which was awesome by the way. One of J's friends joined us and we went to dinner afterwards. I am sorry to report that it wasn't even worth it. I ordered the special, orecchiette with broccoli rabe and sausage...it sounded much better than it was. I was underwhelmed. It didn't taste bad per se but it was dry and bland. J wisely chose lasagna.

Like any addict, I have spent the day justifying my relapse. Then I heard my dad's voice in my head saying a phrase that I heard countless times growing up. "Everything after but is B.S.". He would somewhat frequently call me or my sister and hand us over to whoever he was with. He would ask us what we say about but in our house. Whichever one of us was the fortunate answerer of the phone would then tell the poor guy on the other end. I always felt bad for them. I can't imagine that a grown man enjoys getting schooled by a young girl. They probably needed it though. In an effort to follow his sage advice, I'm not going to make any more excuses nor will I justify my relapse.

So I am back to square one and I am resetting the clock. I will eat in for the next month starting today. The past few days have just been a practice run. Now for the real deal.

I'm off to make some pizza...recipe to follow!

Meatloaf

2010-02-26T16:03:00.000-05:00

You may have seen the massive storm hitting the East coast on the news. We're getting hit with a NorEaster (No, I still don't know what that even means, something about a really big snow storm). With all of this snow and cold weather I decided it would be a good day to make up some meatloaf. Plus J had to go to the dentist yesterday so I knew he would be needing some soft food. There are so many ways to make meatloaf, you probably have a tried and true recipe you use at home. This is actually my first attempt at meatloaf and it turned out pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. Instead of baking it in a loaf pan, I formed it into a loaf and put it on a baking sheet. This allows some of the fat to drip off and you get a crustier edge, which I love. J's Mom uses a roasting pan and puts some water in the bottom to keep the loaf moist. But seeing as I live in a NY apartment (read: tiny kitchen) things like roasting pans get stored under the bed until Thanksgiving and I didn't feel like tackling the mess that lives under my bed. I saw a recipe online of a woman who uses a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet which is also a wonderful idea. If you're not really a crust kind of person, then the loaf pan will work great. I served it with mashed potatoes, corn and glazed carrots. The corn and carrots are optional but the mashed potatoes are completely obligatory when making meatloaf.

Ingredients

Mixed by hand

In a loaf before going in the oven

Just out of the oven

With mashed potatoes, corn and glazed carrots

Yum!

Meatloaf

¼ cup diced onions

1 tsp olive oil

1 ½ lbs ground beef (I used 1 lb ground chuck and ½ lb ground round)

½ cup bread crumbs

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp ground sage

2 eggs

1 TBS Worchester sauce

1 tsp dried oregano

black pepper

salt

1. Preheat oven at 350º

2. Heat olive oil in saucepan. Add onions and sauté for about 5 minutes, just until softened.

3. Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl with your hands or a spatula. Salt and Pepper to taste.

4. Form into a loaf and place on a baking sheet. You can also use a loaf pan.

5. Bake at 350ºF for about an hour or until the loaf reads 160º on a meat thermometer.

Brocolli and Caramelized Onion Tart

2010-02-25T16:57:00.000-05:00

Last night I made a really good tart that I want to share with you. I got the idea from one of my favorite food blogs, smittenkitchen.com. She made a Cauliflower and Onion tart, originally from Bon Appetit, but I didn't have a few of the ingredients so I decided to improvise. Plus, J doesn't really like cauliflower so I didn't want to torture him with an entire tart full of it. Not to mention the giant bag of broccoli I bought at Costco last week that I needed to use. The smittenkitchen version also had some pretty fatty ingredients like whole cream and mascarpone. Mascarpone is of course delicious but since we are trying to eat better I decided to change that too. I really love the versatility of this recipe. You can change a lot about it and it's still very good. There is a recipe for a pie crust below but you can use your own just as easily. Plus, it lasts for a few days in the fridge. I had some for breakfast this morning. So I will share with you what I did but feel free to experiment with this recipe. Sorry I don't have pictures for this one, I made this before I decided to start the blog but I still thought it was worth sharing.

1 lb of brocolli cut into 1-inch flowerets

4 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 refrigerated pie crust or a homemade tart shell (recipe below) 

1 large onion, halved lenghtwise and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 

2 large eggs 

7- to 8- ounces (about half a container) of part skim ricotta

1/2 cup milk (I used 1%)

1/4 teaspoon ground white or black pepper

Pinch of ground nutmeg

1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

1/3 cup Pecorino Romano cheese (Parmesan would also work)

Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 425°F. Toss broccoli with 2 tablespoons olive oil in large bowl. Spread on rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast 10 minutes before turning florets over and roasting until brown and tender, another 5 minutes in my oven. Cool brocolli and sprinkle with salt, if using. Reduce temperature to 350°F.

If using store bought pie crust, press it onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch diameter tart pan with removable bottom or pie pan. Line crust with foil, fill with pie weights (or dried beans) and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and weights then bake until crust is golden, about 5 additionally minutes. Press crust back with the back of a fork if bubbles form. Cool crust and maintain oven temperature.

If using recipe below, reduce cooking time to 10 minutes with foil and weights and then an additional 5 minutes with foil and weights removed.

Heat remaining 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until onion is a deep golden brown, stirring occasionally. This took me just shy of 30 minutes. Cool slightly.

Use a knife or brush to spread the bottom and sides of crust with mustard. Spread onion over crust. Arrange broccoli over the onion. Set the tart on a rimmed baking sheet (to protect against leaks). Whisk eggs, ricotta, cream and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in Cheddar. Pour mixture over filling in tart pan, sprinkle with Pecorino. Bake until tart is golden and center is set, about 40 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool 15 minutes before serving.

Do ahead: Onions can be caramelized, dough can be parbaked (or rolled and pressed into pan, if homemade) and broccoli can be roasted a day ahead. Store a parbaked crust at room temperature, a rolled-out unbaked crust and cauliflower and onion in the fridge. Broccoli and onion should be kept in separate containers. Whole tart can be made and baked a day in advance, reheated in a low oven before serving.

A Great Savory Tart Shell Adapted from Le Pain Quotidien,

1 1/4 cups flour 

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

6 tablespoons butter, diced 

1 egg

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch and one-fourth teaspoon salt. Cut the butter in with a pastry blender, fork or two knives until it is in very tiny bits. Add one egg and mix with a fork until a dough forms. If this does not happen easily, toss it out onto a counter and knead it together. This dough is rather tough but with a little elbow grease, it does come together nicely. (Dough can also be made in a food processor, or as the original recipe suggests, in a stand mixer.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a 12-inch circle. Place the dough in a 9-inch pie plate or tart pan and press to remove any air bubbles. Crimp the edges, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Proceed with recipe above.

Welcome!

2010-02-25T16:20:00.001-05:00

My fiancé, J, and I got back a week and a half ago from a great vacation in Puerto Rico. We live in New York and it was great to get away from the cold and snow here! We decided when we got back to eat in more, save some money and get healthier. Since we've been back, we have eaten in every night. I know this doesn't seem like much but, c'mon this is NYC.

There's a lot I don't like about this city: the noise, the people, you get the point. But it does have many redeeming qualities: shows, museums, concerts and most importantly, food. Oh the food. I love eating out. I love being able to call and have hot Lo Mein at my door 20 minutes later. I love that I can take a short stroll and go to (in my humble opinion) the best diner in NY, Veselka. Seriously, folks. What could be better than a bowl of homemade chicken soup with a slice of potato bread and mushroom and sauerkraut pierogies on a cold day? Nothing, that's what. I love going down to Grimaldi's to get the best pizza in the world. I love that no matter what type of cuisine I want: Chinese, Thai, Peruvian, Southern, Sushi, Lebanese, Ukranian...I can get it even if it's 3 am.

But I also love to cook. I have aspirations of someday being a chef who gets to wear a fancy hat. I have binders full of recipes I've clipped from magazines that I still haven't tried. I have cookbooks full of post-it notes on the pages of things that sound mouthwatering delicious.

So on this 10th day of eating at home, I have decided to make a challenge out of it. J and I will eat in for the next month. This will require some planning on my part as I do most of the cooking, save the occasional nana-nutter or grilled cheese which J does wonderfully. I won't be able to have one of those lazy days and just decide to call and have something delivered. But, I think it's worth it. There are so many recipes I've been wanting to try and now I will have a reason and I will share them with you.

Thank you for reading!