November Project: Saturation Point, Brief Respite

 

 A few years ago, I spent several weeks traveling in India on my own. After my very first parantha breakfast, my first thali dinner, I was smittenly blissed out. Why have I not been eating only Indian all my life!?!? I thought to myself. The cardamon-scented biryanis, the rich butter sauces, the ubiquitous lentils, the spicy pickles. And a thali was the perfect way to try a little of everything. I ate at street stands (having been thoroughly warned not to), local hole-in-the-walls, and more upscale Indian-for-tourist type restaurants. But something happened around day ten: I wanted a pizza. I wanted pasta. I wanted a cheeseburger. I wanted anything that did not have a trace of cardamon, garam masala or nutmeg and for God's sake, NO LENTILS. 

Yesterday, exactly 17 days in to the November Project, I hit my no lentil point. No more squash, in any of it's lovely variations. No stuffing, no gravy, no root vegetables, nothing gratin. I needed something so completely different, Gegenteil, 180 degrees, several thousand miles and many different languages away from foods that are associated with a cornecopia. And hence, this simple but delicious pad thai recipe, for a change of pace.

(Make no mistake, the November Project will continue apace tomorrow - still have to share the world's best stuffing recipe, port cranberry chutney and spicy harissa carrots with you. And Smash has got a few tricks up her sleeve as well.) 

Shrimp Pad Thai by Mtlabor, courtesy of (who else?) Food 52

Serves 2

• 1-2 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 8 ounces thick rice noodles
• 2 eggs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• small handful honey roasted peanuts, chopped
• small handful cilantro, chopped

In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, 2 tablespoons oil, and tamarind concentrate. Stir until sugar is dissolved and set aside. (Jiff's note: mmmm Tamarind! So fragrant!)

Soak the rice noodles in hot tap water for about 20 minutes, or until they start to soften but not fully tender. Drain and set aside. (Jiff's note: I thought these noodles were too think. I will look for thinner ones next time. Also, make sure they are thoroughly cooked; mine were a little too al dente, which works better with Italian pasta that Thai - in my opinion.)

 

 

Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt in a small bowl and set aside. (There's lots of things to set aside, aren't there? Makes it easier in the end because the cooking of this dish is fairly quick).

 

 

In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil under high heat for about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the shrimp start to turn pink with browned edges. Remove shrimp and set aside.

 

 

Add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to skillet. Add garlic, shallot, and jalapeno. Cook over medium heat and stir continuously for about 1 minute. Add eggs to skillet and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until scrambled, about 30 seconds. Add the egg noodles and toss with tongs to combine. Pour the tamarind/fish sauce mixture over the noodles and increase the heat to high, continuing to toss the ingredients with the sauce.

 

 

Add 1/2 of the chopped peanuts and cooked shrimp. Toss noodles for about 2 more minutes. Dish out onto hot plates and top with remaining peanuts and garnish with cilantro. Enjoy! (But remember, it's back to (Thanksgiving) tomorrow!)

 

 

 

November Project: Just Trust Me On This One

Image via Sarah Shatz, Food 52

So, by now you have noticed a pattern. I confess: I am a serial Food52 user. But the recipes, 99% generated by home cooks and food bloggers are so well written, straightforward and do not contain a mile long list of ingredients. As I have already said, Smash is the trained chef. I am a food enthusiast and very amateur-at-best cook. I have never said I am a very good cook - but I love to do it. I love to create something that makes the entire house smell like home, that makes my guests swoon and that is simply enjoyed and then gone. A sort of Buddhist-like ritual. And Food 52, under the direction of the inspirational Amanda Hesser and Merril Stubbs, is powered by people who share this philosophy.

This Butternut Squash and Roasted Garlic Galette is something I have earmarked, "make this after The Kitchen dinner and before Thanksgiving". And last night I did. And it was diiiiiivvvviiiine. Make this for Thanksgiving. Make this for lunch. Make this for company. Make this for yourself. It is simple in practice, complex in flavor and impressive on the table. It took me a bit longer to do because I had two cranky kids under foot but otherwise, it was piece of cake. Or, ahem, galette.

Butternut Squash and Roasted Garlic Galette by lorinarlock

Serves 4 to 6

Pastry:

• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup semolina flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Filling:

• 1 butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 10 cloves, garlic whole and unpeeled
• 1/2 cup fresh ricotta
• 1 cup grated fontina
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan

To make the dough: Put the flour, semolina, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse to form a mixture that looks like small peas. Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough sticks together (to test, remove the top and gather the dough in your fingers. If it sticks together without crumbling, it’s ready). Add the ice water while pulsing, until the dough comes together, being careful not to over mix. Transfer to a lightly floured board and shape the dough into a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. 

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

To make the filling: Cut the squash into two pieces to separate the rounder part from the narrower section. Peel the entire squash, cut both parts in half and remove any seeds. Cut all four pieces into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Put in a large bowl and add the olive oil, chopped garlic and thyme. Toss to coat evenly. Spread out on one of the prepared baking sheets. Set the bowl aside. Sprinkle the squash with the salt and pepper. Put the garlic on the baking sheet and bake until the squash and garlic are tender, about 25-30 minutes. Let cool Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll out the dough into a large circle about 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to parchment paper–lined baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use. 

When the garlic is cool enough to handle, peel and put in the reserved bowl. Mash with the back of a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in the ricotta. (Jiff's note: this roasted garlic is so sweet and fragrant without being pungent, it's dreamy.)

Remove the pastry from the fridge and spread the garlic-cheese mixture over the top, leaving a 1-inch border. Spread the squash over the garlic-cheese mixture and fold the edges toward the center of the galette. Sprinkle the fontina over the center of the galette. (Jiff's note: I think I used more than a cup of fontina; I operate under the "more cheese is always better" premise). Sprinkle the edges of the crust with the parmesan and bake until the crust is crisp and golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Let cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Serve with a small side salad of some sort and a glass of Riesling and savor.

November Project: Roasted Butternut Squash Coconut Curry Puree/Soup

  Image via Sarah Shatz, Food 52

For me, and perhaps for many, soup is the quintessential fall food. A bowl of seasonal vegetable(s), roasted, simmered or sautéed with herbs, pureed with a homemade stock that has perfumed the house when you made it yesterday and perhaps mixed with cream or topped with a bit of gooey melted cheese. Throw a crusty baguette in the oven for 10 minutes before you are ready to eat and watch the butter melt on the bread as you spread it on. Dip in and mmmmm, heaven. 

Fall for me is often associated with root vegetables like parsnips, rutabega, celery bulbs and Jerusalem artichokes. And of course squash. This recipe for a roasted butternut squash coconut curry puree/soup intrigues me - the coconut and curry are more South Asia than traditional Thanksgiving but I do like to serve a few dishes that people might not be expecting. I have never served soup at Thanksgiving dinner before mainly because it's a hassle - it means I have to add bowls and spoons to the list of dishes and cutlery - and when this means I need to round up an extra 30 bowls and spoons, the idea quickly becomes a fleeting thought, relegated to the pile of recipes to come back to one day. 

BUT, for the Thanksgiving dinner I am preparing as a three-course sit-down, it may be more feasible. My only concerns: Is soup a boring starter? If I am planning on a dessert that involves pumpkin in some form, would this soup/puree be overkill? If I used this as a puree instead of a soup, what could I set on top or along side it? Readers - I ask for your advice.

Roasted Butternut Squash Coconut Curry Puree/Soup by Testkitchenette

Serves 6

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2.5 medium butternut squashes, cut in half and seeded
• 2 large yellow onions, chopped
• 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon naturally brewed soy sauce (tamari)
• 1 tablespoon red curry paste
• 2 teaspoons garam masala (preferably) or curry powder
• 1 14 oz. can coconut milk
• 2 cups low sodium/no sodium vegetable broth
• salt and pepper to you taste
• 1 handful cilantro, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 375F and lightly coat a large cookie sheet with olive oil. 
2. Sprinkle each half of butternut squash with salt and pepper and lay cut side down on cookie sheet. Bake for about an hour until fork tender. Let cool for a bit and peel skin off, I used an old grapefrut spoon but you could use a paring knife. Cut into chunks.
3. While butternut squash is roasting you can get started on the soup. In a large heavy bottomed pot heat up coconut oil at medium heat. Add in onions, garlic, and ginger and saute till onion turns transluscent (about 8 min.). Add in red pepper, jalapeno, season with salt and pepper and cook for about another 10 minutes (stirring and taking care not to burn). I started with 1 tsp of salt and a few grindings of black pepper.
4. Add in soy sauce, red curry paste, garam masala/curry powder and stir to coat. Add in coconut milk, veggie broth, and 2.5 of the roasted butternut squashes and stir to combine. I used my potato masher to further mash up the butternut squash.
5. Bring to a boil and simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Puree if desired in batches in blender. Return to pot and add extra broth depending on how thick/thin you want it to be and season to taste. When ready to serve, sprinkle the cilantro over it.

November Project: Two Thanksgivings

Ok, y'all. It is even more dringend - urgent. I am cooking two Thanksgiving dinners this year: my traditional family and friends dinner and a pre-Thanksgiving dinner with a few modern twists. Recipe testing begins immediately. And I think I am going to start here: Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese.


Image via Sarah Shatz, Food 52

They look pretty amazing, no? I am drooling. But would they go well with turkey? Or would they be too tangy? Would it be better to stick to something more traditional, buttermilk, garlic.

Sonali's Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese from Food 52

Serves 4

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided use
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1.5 pounds yellow onions (approximately 2 large onions), thinly sliced
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 3 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1.5 cups half and half
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 ounces goat cheese
• Black pepper

1. To make the caramelized onions, heat 2 tablespoons of butter and the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and stir them to coat with the fat. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and the sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are golden brown and caramelized, about 30-40 minutes. If the onions get too dry, add a small amount of water to deglaze the pan. Set aside.
2. Place the potatoes in a large pot of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender.
3. While the potatoes are cooking, heat the half and half, garlic, bay leaf, and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
4. Drain the potatoes and return them to the hot, dry pot. Stir them over low heat for 2 minutes until they are dry. Pass the potatoes through a ricer into a large bowl. Gently stir in the hot cream mixture a little at a time until the potatoes are smooth and creamy (discard the garlic and bay leaf). You may not need to use all of the liquid. Set aside a small amount of the caramelized onions for garnish and stir the remaining onions into the mashed potatoes. Crumble the goat cheese into the potatoes and stir to combine well. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
5. Spoon the mashed potatoes into a serving bowl and garnish with the remaining caramelized onions. Serve hot.

The World Cup 2010 Series: Deutschland v. Australia

We interupt the regularly scheduled (Georgian) series and interject with the WORLD CUP 2010 SERIES!! I like soccer/football, but to be honest, I am no more of a soccer fan than I am a basketball or (American) football fan. That is to say, I enjoy watching a good game, I have the concepts down although some of the rules I still find confusing (Offsides?? Why? I still don't get it). But I loooove the World Cup. Soccer is the world's game and the World Cup is the world's tournament in a way that kicks the Olympic's ass. If you were to walk down the street in any German town last night from 8:30 - 10:30 p.m., you would find the streets barren and the sidewalks full. Every other front yard, bar, wine shop, kiosk, municipal building etc had a TV set up in front and a makeshift row of chairs arranged before it. There is a certain commaraderie of the World Cup that happens when Germany plays here that is infectious. And it's not only when Germany plays. In the Portuguese quarter when Portugal and Brazil play, in the Italian and Greek restaurants when Italy and Greece play, at the Ghanaian church when Ghana plays. And whether you are a fan of one of these teams or not, you might head over to one of these communities when their team is playing just to be part of that atmosphere. Just to drink whatever is being passed around and scream and blow on the ubiquitous vuvuzela (love them or hate them, they are as omnipresent in Germany as they are in South Africa).

So, to kick off Germany's first game of the tournament, we filled our front yard with fans and our table with meat and salads. I have to bow to Food 52 for the salad recipes: lemony green bean salad with feta, red onions and marjoram, the asparagus and radish salad with spring herb dressing and the BLT panzanella. I also whipped up some of my own American-style potato salad (i.e. with mayo, celery, green apple, hard-boiled egg and dill) and Judith fixed some German-style potato salad (i.e. with oil and gherkin). There were also green salads and crudité. And for dessert, everyone dug into Frauke's delicious strawberry quark (thick German yogurt) and Nicola's smashing rhubarb-strawberry rote grutze and a few handfuls of black, red and yellow gummi bärchen. 

And of course the centerpiece of any bar-be-que - the grill. In addition to the various shades of würsten, Susanne made her famous (at least in our house) miso lachs spies (salmon skewers marinated in a mixture of miso, mirin, sake and brown sugar - faaaabulous).

And I threw some American-style bauch rippen or ribs on the barbie, in the parlance of the team that Germany thrashed 4-0 in their World Cup opener. The bbq sauce is a work in progress and I hope to glean insight into the subtleties and nuances of the perfect sauce when we are in the States later this summer.

Well played and well fed - Germany's first World Cup game and our first World Cup cook-out were successes on both counts. SCHLAND!!!!