Doldrums A period of stagnation or slump. A period of depression or unhappy listlessness So says the dictionary.
This time of year seems to have this atmosphere. Although I am aware that in some parts of the country January, February and March have more exciting weather than we do. In southern California mostly it is pretty blah. When we have what I call “real weather” it is not a good thing. Right now the calendar says it’s Spring. Really. officially a couple of days ago.
As relates to food, these months are also pretty uninteresting. I don’t have to try to impress anyone as chefs in restaurants do, but I do try to cook with what’s in season. Perhaps impressing myself is inspiration enough and I do become more inspired by seasonal produce. In midsummer when I walk through the farmer’s market and see stacks of ripe tomatoes I can’t help wanting to do something like a tomato tart or confit or as my friend Alice says,, just have big slices of ripe tomato on bread with mayonnaise. And then there are figs to have with good cheese, and fresh peas, asparagus…well, I could go on and on. But this time of year, particular creativity is called for.
Soup is always good now but not as interesting to me as other types of dishes like pastas or savory galettes. Luckily recently I did come upon a recipe that did not require any of the lovely produce of summer. What it did have is one of the more basic root vegetables that I could think of – carrots! I do like carrots but tend to think of them as a boring vegetable. We all have had carrots in our childhoods, usually limply overcooked. Yes, Bugs Bunny carried around a carrot which made you think it was special in some way. But the ubiquitousness made it, conversely, not stand out somehow. However, a recent issue of Eating Well tells us that carrots are good for memory, having something called luteolin which they explain is a flavonoid believed to reduce inflammation that can lead to cognitive decline. In these days that we are all trying to be aware of nutritional elements in our food, that would seem to be a plus.
Anyhow I found this recipe somewhere and thought Aha! Something different to do with carrots which are readily available year round and cheap as well as being colorful and good tasting.As for creativity, I think next time I will substitute another of my favorite root vegetables - parsnips - for a portion of the carrots. Could be interesting.
So I tried the recipe as it is, and it was easy and tasted good. What else can we ask for in a dish. Oh yes, Steve liked it too. That’s another thing I ask for. It's very colorful as you might expect with orange carrots.
Pasta with carrots- risotto style
>8 cups Chicken Stock
5 tbsp. butter
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 lb. gemelli or fusilli (uncooked) *
10 medium carrots, peeled, trimmed, and diced
1⁄2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Leaves from 4 sprigs parsley, chopped
1. Bring stock to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low to keep stock hot.
2. Melt 4 tbsp. of the butter in a medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, stir in until coated and then add,uncooked pasta and and cook, stirring often, until pasta is lightly toasted, about 5 minutes.
3. Add 1 cup of the hot stock at a time to the pasta, stirring constantly; wait until almost all the stock has been absorbed before adding more. Continue cooking and adding stock (you may have some stock left over) until pasta is tender but firm to the bite, 10–15 minutes.
4. Remove pot from heat and stir in the remaining 1 tbsp. butter and the parmigiano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a warm serving dish and garnish with parsley. Serve with more freshly grated parmigiano, if you like.
* I took the opportunity to try some whole grain organic fusilli in this, trusting that the sauce could hold up to a hearty pasta of that sort. It did. With new awareness and availability of this type of “good for you product”, why not?
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Greeting 2011 and Clearing Christmas
I have always loved the holidays. Thanksgiving is a lead-in for Christmas and lots of good food so what’s not to like? Christmas brings lots of things; festive décor, lighted houses and trees, cheery music and various sorts of traditions according to each person’s background. And, of course, food. We have lunches, dinners and other get-togethers specifically to touch base around the holiday. All involving special food. Many of us bake special things to give away as small, personal gifts. I know people (women) who attend cookie exchange parties – How fun is that?
Then there is the decorating the house for Christmas. This typically happens around Thanksgiving and everything stays up until New Year’s. I have to admit as much as I like Christmas, by the time this comes around I am generally ready to have it be done with. Over the years my decorating style has changed somewhat. I used to do a lot. Nowadays even though I still have the interest I have modified downward. Some of that comes from living in a smaller place than I have in the past. Space does not permit. Then there’s the getting older thing. And extreme decorating is most satisfying when you have young children to be in awe of it all. Steve does appreciate, but appreciate on an adult level. Not quite the same.
But at least I’m not like many people I know who move the tree out almost immediately after Christmas day. Too many messy needles on the floor, don’t you know. Or another friend who takes everything down a few days after Christmas so it’ll be clear when the cleaning lady comes. I can understand the inclination but I’m not that compulsive so far. I try to keep everything up until New Year ’s Day which has always signaled the official end to the season to me.
Now that a new year is here I can stop thinking about holiday food and concentrate more on the regular day-to-day stuff. This time of the year that consists of soups and stews and hearty pastas. Yum, yum, just thinking about the possibilities makes me hungry. Lasagna is always good, since having the oven on these cool evenings is a good thing. I don’t make lasagna as often as I could, for two of us it seems like a lot of trouble. And, doesn’t seem special enough for guests somehow. I will have to rethink that.
My inspiration for this writing is a recipe I spotted while browsing through magazines at Barnes & Noble recently. That’s another fun thing to do during these wintry days – visits to the bookstore and/or library. I always look through the cooking magazines even though many of them have recipes that are far too exotic for me. But, I like to look at the pictures.
So I was looking through a recent magazine and spotted a great looking pasta dish picture. As I read the recipe and saw how simple the ingredients and the preparation were, I determined that this would be my first recipe for 2011. It’s something I have heard of for years but never paid much attention to. Not a new trendy dish but one of the tried and true ones.and, after I trying it I am certain it is a “bread and butter” type of recipe. Not elaborate at all. Just sort of plain home food. That said, it is delicious and a worthy winter recipe. I made it with penne and think that next time I may try it with spaghetti. The eggplant cooks to a softness that becomes “saucey” and I think it will not overwhelm the spaghetti, which was my concern this initial time.
Pasta Alla Norma
Alla Norma after the composer Bellini's (born in Catania) Norma. This dish from Catania is usually made with Ricotta Salata cheese. The semi-hard salted ricotta gives it a distinctive flavor and should be available in specialty shops and some supermarkets. If need be, substitute pecorino for it, it will not be the same, but still delicious.
2 medium eggplants, cut into 2” cubes
1/2-cup olive oil (less if baking eggplant)
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 t fresh oregano leaves, chopped or 1/2 t dry oregano
5 or 6 leaves fresh basil, shredded
1/2 t red chili flakes, more to taste
2 lbs roma tomatoes, ripe, seeded and chopped or use 128 oz. canned Italian tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup grated ricotta salata or pecorino
1 lb spaghetti or penne rigate
Sprinkle the eggplant with salt.
Place in colander and let stand for an hour or so. (If not bitter, omit, salting removes bitterness.)Place on paper towels to drain.
toss eggplant with olive oil, place on cookie sheet, bake in a pre-heated 450º F oven for 15-20 minutes or till nicely browned.
Heat 2 T olive oil in a pan.
Add onion and sauté till golden.
Add garlic and sauté for 1 or 2 minutes.
Add the tomato, fresh oregano, pepper flakes and basil.
Raise heat so sauce cooks at a fast bubble.
Cook about 10 to 15 minutes; do not allow sauce to dry out.
While tomato sauce cooks, bring water to a boil.
Cook pasta and drain when done.
Place in a bowl, pour tomato sauce and 1/4 cup cheese and mix.
Add eggplant and toss again.pass grated cheese at table
.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
I have always loved the holidays. Thanksgiving is a lead-in for Christmas and lots of good food so what’s not to like? Christmas brings lots of things; festive décor, lighted houses and trees, cheery music and various sorts of traditions according to each person’s background. And, of course, food. We have lunches, dinners and other get-togethers specifically to touch base around the holiday. All involving special food. Many of us bake special things to give away as small, personal gifts. I know people (women) who attend cookie exchange parties – How fun is that?
Then there is the decorating the house for Christmas. This typically happens around Thanksgiving and everything stays up until New Year’s. I have to admit as much as I like Christmas, by the time this comes around I am generally ready to have it be done with. Over the years my decorating style has changed somewhat. I used to do a lot. Nowadays even though I still have the interest I have modified downward. Some of that comes from living in a smaller place than I have in the past. Space does not permit. Then there’s the getting older thing. And extreme decorating is most satisfying when you have young children to be in awe of it all. Steve does appreciate, but appreciate on an adult level. Not quite the same.
But at least I’m not like many people I know who move the tree out almost immediately after Christmas day. Too many messy needles on the floor, don’t you know. Or another friend who takes everything down a few days after Christmas so it’ll be clear when the cleaning lady comes. I can understand the inclination but I’m not that compulsive so far. I try to keep everything up until New Year ’s Day which has always signaled the official end to the season to me.
Now that a new year is here I can stop thinking about holiday food and concentrate more on the regular day-to-day stuff. This time of the year that consists of soups and stews and hearty pastas. Yum, yum, just thinking about the possibilities makes me hungry. Lasagna is always good, since having the oven on these cool evenings is a good thing. I don’t make lasagna as often as I could, for two of us it seems like a lot of trouble. And, doesn’t seem special enough for guests somehow. I will have to rethink that.
My inspiration for this writing is a recipe I spotted while browsing through magazines at Barnes & Noble recently. That’s another fun thing to do during these wintry days – visits to the bookstore and/or library. I always look through the cooking magazines even though many of them have recipes that are far too exotic for me. But, I like to look at the pictures.
So I was looking through a recent magazine and spotted a great looking pasta dish picture. As I read the recipe and saw how simple the ingredients and the preparation were, I determined that this would be my first recipe for 2011. It’s something I have heard of for years but never paid much attention to. Not a new trendy dish but one of the tried and true ones.and, after I trying it I am certain it is a “bread and butter” type of recipe. Not elaborate at all. Just sort of plain home food. That said, it is delicious and a worthy winter recipe. I made it with penne and think that next time I may try it with spaghetti. The eggplant cooks to a softness that becomes “saucey” and I think it will not overwhelm the spaghetti, which was my concern this initial time.
Pasta Alla Norma
Alla Norma after the composer Bellini's (born in Catania) Norma. This dish from Catania is usually made with Ricotta Salata cheese. The semi-hard salted ricotta gives it a distinctive flavor and should be available in specialty shops and some supermarkets. If need be, substitute pecorino for it, it will not be the same, but still delicious.
2 medium eggplants, cut into 2” cubes
1/2-cup olive oil (less if baking eggplant)
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 t fresh oregano leaves, chopped or 1/2 t dry oregano
5 or 6 leaves fresh basil, shredded
1/2 t red chili flakes, more to taste
2 lbs roma tomatoes, ripe, seeded and chopped or use 128 oz. canned Italian tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup grated ricotta salata or pecorino
1 lb spaghetti or penne rigate
Sprinkle the eggplant with salt.
Place in colander and let stand for an hour or so. (If not bitter, omit, salting removes bitterness.)Place on paper towels to drain.
toss eggplant with olive oil, place on cookie sheet, bake in a pre-heated 450º F oven for 15-20 minutes or till nicely browned.
Heat 2 T olive oil in a pan.
Add onion and sauté till golden.
Add garlic and sauté for 1 or 2 minutes.
Add the tomato, fresh oregano, pepper flakes and basil.
Raise heat so sauce cooks at a fast bubble.
Cook about 10 to 15 minutes; do not allow sauce to dry out.
While tomato sauce cooks, bring water to a boil.
Cook pasta and drain when done.
Place in a bowl, pour tomato sauce and 1/4 cup cheese and mix.
Add eggplant and toss again.pass grated cheese at table
.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
Saturday, December 18, 2010
TIS THE SEASON
It’s that time of year again. In November we give thanks for what we have. What we know. Part of that process is remembering to appreciate anew those that are present in our lives, and missing those that no longer are. Maybe we can be grateful for things too in addition to the people who add to our lives. An amazing sunset, a beautiful flower or piece of art or music can go a long way to helping to see how lovely life is. But since I retired and have the time to spend observing humanity I have to say that I just love the people! Oh not each individual and everything but the interesting and distinct personalities and thought processes. Wow! I am grateful for that!
But let’s face it; Thanksgiving is a holiday primarily about the food. A recent survey I saw stated that a large percentage of the respondents thought the side dishes were the best thing about the Thanksgiving meal. My reaction to that is “of course”. You can’t do that much with turkey. Okay, in recent years people have learned to grill, deep fry and stuff a turkey with duck and chicken (turducken?) Sounds fowl to me. So there is some added “creativity”, and I have heard people say they love the idea because it’s so unusual. Unusual is not always the best indicator of a good meal, I should think. In any case it’s usually still basically turkey and that is the preferred for the holiday.
What’s great about the sides is they do allow for a lot of variation. In this blog in past times I have featured a dish called root vegetable gratin. (Gastromusings ; Nov 22, 2008) It is wonderful tasting and everyone who has had it seems to love it. I love it because it not only utilizes vegetables that are currently in season and available, but also because they are vegetables that I normally don’t use that much. And I do love the different taste. So it’s a food holiday, really. One more reason to give thanks I suppose. That simplifies the whole process.
Speaking of simplification, desserts are pretty basic too. Regardless of how many types of ideas Gourmet, Bon Appétit, and Martha Stewart offer, the reality is most people prefer pie. And of that, pumpkin is the clear winner, backed up by other reliable favorites like pecan and apple pie. We always opt for pumpkin, since like so many foods associated with this holiday, it seems like this is the only time of year we have it. We and our dinner companions depend on certain things being the same year to year. It’s the tradition of course.
Here’s a mystery; why do we only eat those things on the holidays? Turkey, dressing, pumpkin pie are all available and good tasting all year round. I get it that when you rarely have something it makes it more special, but still, why not have dressing in say, June?
This year daughter Bonnie was prevailed upon to make her Harvest Pie. She made this pie for us some years ago before her life in the Bay area took her over and we have never forgotten how good it tasted. It qualifies as a fairly traditional dessert for the holiday, having apples, walnuts (or pecans) and cranberries, among other good things. Presumably I could have obtained the recipe and made it myself but I think it belongs to her and will only be good since she makes it.And, it definitely was!
Bonnie’s Harvest Pie
Serves 8
Pie crust for a 9” pie, unbaked.
For Filling
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch salt
2 lbs green apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼” wedges
2 cups fresh cranberries
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
For Topping
½ cup(1 stick) butter
¾ cup brown sugar
2 tbsp evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Preheat oven to 350
Mix first 9 ingredients in large bowl to blend
Add apples, cranberries, lemon juice and toss until well blended
Pour into pie crust, mounding in center
Bake, approx 1 1’2 hours until apples are tender, then cover with
Foil and bake 15 minutes more
Place on rack uncovered to cool.
Topping
Melt butter with sugar and milk in a heavy medium skillet over low heat,
Stirring frequently. Increase heat to simmer, mix in vanilla,
Then walnuts. Remove from heat and Pour into a bowl and let stand 10 minutes
Until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally, about another 10 minutes.
Spoon over pie, covering completely. Let stand until topping sets approx 30 minutes
Can be prepared up to 6 hours ahead. Store at room temperature
Christmas Cake
In December the eating continues. We are in agreement that it is a lovely time to get together with friends and family and almost always over a meal, formal or informal. There’s lots of food, and a lot of it is special stuff that we don’t always have so is hard to resist. This is a time to get into the spirit and just enjoy what comes, so I try to-do just that. I will get healthy again in January, I vow.
It is my tradition at Christmastime to make a small cake/bread to give to family and friends. I usually agonize over the idea that I should try something new and start looking at appealing recipes around September. Invariably I give up in confusion around this time and end up making the same thing –wine cake. It’s not for lack of desire to branch out and it’s not because I can’t find any new and interesting recipes. I can’t give out something I haven’t tried and really, the holidays seem to be the worst possible time to try new stuff. One of the reasons is that we are already eating a lot! So adding to that seems undesirable. Then there’s the time crunch. By the time I come to the point that I must get to baking somehow it has gone from early Fall to mid-December!
Even when you’re not employed and don’t have small children somehow the days get eaten up and run out quickly. So it is an act of supreme will to try to bake something that may or may not be acceptable to give as a gift. However, this year I did that. I found a recipe that piqued my curiosity enough since it is so different. I just had to try it! It is Olive Oil Cake and since it sounded so tempting and so different I gave it a try. I baked five min-loaves as my test.
I have to say it is interesting. Steve my in-house taster/tester was not enthusiastic. I, however, liked it. It’s not real sweet and has a nice texture, and as mentioned, is quite different. So the question is does “different” translate into good enough to gift? We decided yes for the ones that were already baked. So a few of the regular recipients will receive those, and the rest will get my traditional Wine Cake. Oh well.
Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients:
For cake:
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 cup good‐quality extra‐virgin olive oil
¼ cup limoncello
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 ½ cups all‐purpose flour
½ cup coarse‐ground cornmeal
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Powdered sugar, for garnish
Procedure:
For cake:
Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in middle. Coat a 9‐inch round cake pan with olive oil and flour; tap out the excess. Or use, as I did 5 min-loaf pans.
In a bowl of stand mixer, whisk together eggs and granulated sugar until well blended and light in color. Add milk, olive oil, limoncello, and lemon zest and mix well.
In another bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Switch mixer attachment to paddle and add dry ingredients, mixing until just blended (the batter will be slightly lumpy; do not overmix).
Pour batter into the prepared baking dish or pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with only a few crumbs, about 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
When the cake has cooled, run a knife around the perimeter of the pan and invert the cake onto a serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar.
The cake does benefit from a topping of fresh berries or a good jam spread.
Merry Christmas to all!
It’s that time of year again. In November we give thanks for what we have. What we know. Part of that process is remembering to appreciate anew those that are present in our lives, and missing those that no longer are. Maybe we can be grateful for things too in addition to the people who add to our lives. An amazing sunset, a beautiful flower or piece of art or music can go a long way to helping to see how lovely life is. But since I retired and have the time to spend observing humanity I have to say that I just love the people! Oh not each individual and everything but the interesting and distinct personalities and thought processes. Wow! I am grateful for that!
But let’s face it; Thanksgiving is a holiday primarily about the food. A recent survey I saw stated that a large percentage of the respondents thought the side dishes were the best thing about the Thanksgiving meal. My reaction to that is “of course”. You can’t do that much with turkey. Okay, in recent years people have learned to grill, deep fry and stuff a turkey with duck and chicken (turducken?) Sounds fowl to me. So there is some added “creativity”, and I have heard people say they love the idea because it’s so unusual. Unusual is not always the best indicator of a good meal, I should think. In any case it’s usually still basically turkey and that is the preferred for the holiday.
What’s great about the sides is they do allow for a lot of variation. In this blog in past times I have featured a dish called root vegetable gratin. (Gastromusings ; Nov 22, 2008) It is wonderful tasting and everyone who has had it seems to love it. I love it because it not only utilizes vegetables that are currently in season and available, but also because they are vegetables that I normally don’t use that much. And I do love the different taste. So it’s a food holiday, really. One more reason to give thanks I suppose. That simplifies the whole process.
Speaking of simplification, desserts are pretty basic too. Regardless of how many types of ideas Gourmet, Bon Appétit, and Martha Stewart offer, the reality is most people prefer pie. And of that, pumpkin is the clear winner, backed up by other reliable favorites like pecan and apple pie. We always opt for pumpkin, since like so many foods associated with this holiday, it seems like this is the only time of year we have it. We and our dinner companions depend on certain things being the same year to year. It’s the tradition of course.
Here’s a mystery; why do we only eat those things on the holidays? Turkey, dressing, pumpkin pie are all available and good tasting all year round. I get it that when you rarely have something it makes it more special, but still, why not have dressing in say, June?
This year daughter Bonnie was prevailed upon to make her Harvest Pie. She made this pie for us some years ago before her life in the Bay area took her over and we have never forgotten how good it tasted. It qualifies as a fairly traditional dessert for the holiday, having apples, walnuts (or pecans) and cranberries, among other good things. Presumably I could have obtained the recipe and made it myself but I think it belongs to her and will only be good since she makes it.And, it definitely was!
Bonnie’s Harvest Pie
Serves 8
Pie crust for a 9” pie, unbaked.
For Filling
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch salt
2 lbs green apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼” wedges
2 cups fresh cranberries
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
For Topping
½ cup(1 stick) butter
¾ cup brown sugar
2 tbsp evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Preheat oven to 350
Mix first 9 ingredients in large bowl to blend
Add apples, cranberries, lemon juice and toss until well blended
Pour into pie crust, mounding in center
Bake, approx 1 1’2 hours until apples are tender, then cover with
Foil and bake 15 minutes more
Place on rack uncovered to cool.
Topping
Melt butter with sugar and milk in a heavy medium skillet over low heat,
Stirring frequently. Increase heat to simmer, mix in vanilla,
Then walnuts. Remove from heat and Pour into a bowl and let stand 10 minutes
Until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally, about another 10 minutes.
Spoon over pie, covering completely. Let stand until topping sets approx 30 minutes
Can be prepared up to 6 hours ahead. Store at room temperature
Christmas Cake
In December the eating continues. We are in agreement that it is a lovely time to get together with friends and family and almost always over a meal, formal or informal. There’s lots of food, and a lot of it is special stuff that we don’t always have so is hard to resist. This is a time to get into the spirit and just enjoy what comes, so I try to-do just that. I will get healthy again in January, I vow.
It is my tradition at Christmastime to make a small cake/bread to give to family and friends. I usually agonize over the idea that I should try something new and start looking at appealing recipes around September. Invariably I give up in confusion around this time and end up making the same thing –wine cake. It’s not for lack of desire to branch out and it’s not because I can’t find any new and interesting recipes. I can’t give out something I haven’t tried and really, the holidays seem to be the worst possible time to try new stuff. One of the reasons is that we are already eating a lot! So adding to that seems undesirable. Then there’s the time crunch. By the time I come to the point that I must get to baking somehow it has gone from early Fall to mid-December!
Even when you’re not employed and don’t have small children somehow the days get eaten up and run out quickly. So it is an act of supreme will to try to bake something that may or may not be acceptable to give as a gift. However, this year I did that. I found a recipe that piqued my curiosity enough since it is so different. I just had to try it! It is Olive Oil Cake and since it sounded so tempting and so different I gave it a try. I baked five min-loaves as my test.
I have to say it is interesting. Steve my in-house taster/tester was not enthusiastic. I, however, liked it. It’s not real sweet and has a nice texture, and as mentioned, is quite different. So the question is does “different” translate into good enough to gift? We decided yes for the ones that were already baked. So a few of the regular recipients will receive those, and the rest will get my traditional Wine Cake. Oh well.
Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients:
For cake:
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 cup good‐quality extra‐virgin olive oil
¼ cup limoncello
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 ½ cups all‐purpose flour
½ cup coarse‐ground cornmeal
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Powdered sugar, for garnish
Procedure:
For cake:
Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in middle. Coat a 9‐inch round cake pan with olive oil and flour; tap out the excess. Or use, as I did 5 min-loaf pans.
In a bowl of stand mixer, whisk together eggs and granulated sugar until well blended and light in color. Add milk, olive oil, limoncello, and lemon zest and mix well.
In another bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Switch mixer attachment to paddle and add dry ingredients, mixing until just blended (the batter will be slightly lumpy; do not overmix).
Pour batter into the prepared baking dish or pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with only a few crumbs, about 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
When the cake has cooled, run a knife around the perimeter of the pan and invert the cake onto a serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar.
The cake does benefit from a topping of fresh berries or a good jam spread.
Merry Christmas to all!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
CAPIROTADA
I have had a lifelong love affair with bread. So it should be no surprise that bread pudding is one of my favorite foods. Actually, there is no real need to explain loving bread pudding. It’s got to be the ultimate comfort food; chunks of bread combined with milk and eggs and sugar. It can be leftover plain bread, French bread, coffee cake, croissants; any type of leftover bread will suffice. And then there are the enhancements. I have had bread pudding combined with dried fruit, fresh fruit, chocolate, remarkable sauces - any number of wonderful and sometimes unexpected things. I keep wanting to make a savory bread pudding and have collected recipes over the years, but still haven't tried that. Now that actually would be the ultimate; it would be the meal and dessert all wrapped into a bowl!
But like with so many foods, and I suppose many things we love, in general I think it all comes back to memories. Pleasant associations with particular foods stay with us all. My memory is of my mother making something called capirotada. A Spanish name, it is a bread pudding which in the past was traditionally made at lent, when meat was not consumed and some ingenuity was need for all the meatless dishes. Or it was a “clean up” dish, a way of using up foods in preparation for the Lenten fast. Both stories persist. Like any dish, and particularly regional dishes, the recipe varies from family to family, but the one I remember had very specific ingredients and although there are many bread pudding styles, no other recipes are, to me, capirotada.
Even though bread pudding is traditionally something that is made to use up the leftover bread, the reality is that once you get past the basics of bread and egg custard, what makes it memorable are the other enhancements, the interesting ingredients that make one version stand apart from another.
As a child who was only interested in food - at the eating part and not at the making part - all I remember of the recipe is that it had nuts and bread and some other stuff and then a sauce made from what I thought was candy because it was hard but crumbly, tasted sweet and was in a cone shape. I now know that it is called piloncillo which translates into cone shape and that it is a type of brown sugar pressed into that shape. Since it was hard it needed to be combined with a little water until it dissolved and became a sort of syrup which was poured over other ingredients. Then everything was mixed together and baked and when it came out was a delicious and an unusual treat.
Unfortunately, that particular dessert, like so many of the desserts I remember my mother making in my early childhood, disappeared by the time I was about 10 or 12. At that point all of the other kids in my family had grown up and mostly gone away. I am the youngest and was the only one left at home. It’s not the same to cook and bake for just one kid as it is for a bunch, I know. Not as satisfying I am sure and definitely not as necessary. No doubt other elements entered into it like my mother’s age and energy level. And, I now know that as you get older sometimes those sorts of foods don’t have the same appeal as they did in the past. Whatever the reasons, the end result is that there were none of those beautiful and delicious desserts being baked that I remembered from my childhood.
And then I entered my teenage years. Dieting into extreme thinness was not as common then as it is now and I think culturally my generation of girls were allowed to be a little more well-rounded than teens are now. So in my teens it was more about eating what I wanted to eat, and what my friends ate when we were out. It had nothing to do with the foods my mother was cooking. Teenage-hood took me into a time when all I wanted was store-bought stuff like Oreo cookies and bakery cokes and candy bars and oh deserter, hard shell tacos. Hard shell tacos are an American invention. Mexicans typically eat tacos on soft tortillas. But tacos with a hard shell, also known to some as deep-fried tortillas, was the way fast food restaurants offered their tacos, when they had tacos. Deep-fried, the round tortilla was bent in half to form a firm container to hold fried hamburger, shredded lettuce, some cheese and a little salsa. I thought it was pretty good and most people at the time thought it was authentic Mexican food. Luckily Americans have since evolved, with some help, into an appreciation of more authentic cuisine, be it Mexican or any other.
In any case the stuff I was eating was not home food. In fact no relationship existed to home-style food and that’s what I really wanted at that time. It was a way of distancing myself from family and my background as adolescents will do. So capirotada and other good things my mother made faded into the background. I went away, got married, she got older and with all the implication of those events, over the years capirotada was the last thing any of us thought of.
Now, a few years after my mother’s death, I kick myself for not having been more aware; more aware in so many large ways and small. The small ones being the lack of talking about things like cherished recipes which embraced a childhood. In search of that childhood food, I decided to research and find a capirotada recipe that most resembles the one I remember. Fortunately for me, these days we have the internet, and all manner of lost objects are possible to find. I did find the lost recipe with those ingredients from a memory I cherish. It was interesting to see how many versions of capirotada there are. Sort of like how many versions of bread pudding there are.
Having outgrown that childhood delight with sugary things and the capirotada, my current bread pudding favorite is a more simple one. It has all usual ingredients; good bread, eggs, cream, sugar, vanilla, but also has chunks of chocolate and just a hint of cinnamon. A confession - I do not make it; I purchase it from a nearby Pacific Whey cafe whenever I need a fix. I have asked for the recipe to no avail, but don’t worry about it too much. I know where to go to get it, at least for now.
CAPIROTADA
4 day-old bollilos* (or 1 baguette) sliced crosswise*
1 cup brown sugar or piloncillo, crushed
½ cup of peanuts
½ cup of raisins
1 cup of mild cheddar cheese
2 cinnamon sticks
(* or toast fresh bread in oven before using)
Place the sugar or piloncillo, cinnamon and water in a saucepan. Heat gently stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes without stirring. Remove the cinnamon sticks.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8" square baking dish with butter. Layer the bread, nuts, raisins and cheese in the dish, pour on the syrup letting it soak into the bread. Bake the pudding for about 30 minutes until golden brown.
Remove the dish from the oven, let stand at least 5 minutes, cut into squares. Serve the pudding cold with some cream or crème anglais poured on top. garnish with sliced almonds.
*Billilos are Mexican rolls sort of like a crusty French roll but with a little sweetness to them – They are great with butter and your morning coffee.
I have had a lifelong love affair with bread. So it should be no surprise that bread pudding is one of my favorite foods. Actually, there is no real need to explain loving bread pudding. It’s got to be the ultimate comfort food; chunks of bread combined with milk and eggs and sugar. It can be leftover plain bread, French bread, coffee cake, croissants; any type of leftover bread will suffice. And then there are the enhancements. I have had bread pudding combined with dried fruit, fresh fruit, chocolate, remarkable sauces - any number of wonderful and sometimes unexpected things. I keep wanting to make a savory bread pudding and have collected recipes over the years, but still haven't tried that. Now that actually would be the ultimate; it would be the meal and dessert all wrapped into a bowl!
But like with so many foods, and I suppose many things we love, in general I think it all comes back to memories. Pleasant associations with particular foods stay with us all. My memory is of my mother making something called capirotada. A Spanish name, it is a bread pudding which in the past was traditionally made at lent, when meat was not consumed and some ingenuity was need for all the meatless dishes. Or it was a “clean up” dish, a way of using up foods in preparation for the Lenten fast. Both stories persist. Like any dish, and particularly regional dishes, the recipe varies from family to family, but the one I remember had very specific ingredients and although there are many bread pudding styles, no other recipes are, to me, capirotada.
Even though bread pudding is traditionally something that is made to use up the leftover bread, the reality is that once you get past the basics of bread and egg custard, what makes it memorable are the other enhancements, the interesting ingredients that make one version stand apart from another.
As a child who was only interested in food - at the eating part and not at the making part - all I remember of the recipe is that it had nuts and bread and some other stuff and then a sauce made from what I thought was candy because it was hard but crumbly, tasted sweet and was in a cone shape. I now know that it is called piloncillo which translates into cone shape and that it is a type of brown sugar pressed into that shape. Since it was hard it needed to be combined with a little water until it dissolved and became a sort of syrup which was poured over other ingredients. Then everything was mixed together and baked and when it came out was a delicious and an unusual treat.
Unfortunately, that particular dessert, like so many of the desserts I remember my mother making in my early childhood, disappeared by the time I was about 10 or 12. At that point all of the other kids in my family had grown up and mostly gone away. I am the youngest and was the only one left at home. It’s not the same to cook and bake for just one kid as it is for a bunch, I know. Not as satisfying I am sure and definitely not as necessary. No doubt other elements entered into it like my mother’s age and energy level. And, I now know that as you get older sometimes those sorts of foods don’t have the same appeal as they did in the past. Whatever the reasons, the end result is that there were none of those beautiful and delicious desserts being baked that I remembered from my childhood.
And then I entered my teenage years. Dieting into extreme thinness was not as common then as it is now and I think culturally my generation of girls were allowed to be a little more well-rounded than teens are now. So in my teens it was more about eating what I wanted to eat, and what my friends ate when we were out. It had nothing to do with the foods my mother was cooking. Teenage-hood took me into a time when all I wanted was store-bought stuff like Oreo cookies and bakery cokes and candy bars and oh deserter, hard shell tacos. Hard shell tacos are an American invention. Mexicans typically eat tacos on soft tortillas. But tacos with a hard shell, also known to some as deep-fried tortillas, was the way fast food restaurants offered their tacos, when they had tacos. Deep-fried, the round tortilla was bent in half to form a firm container to hold fried hamburger, shredded lettuce, some cheese and a little salsa. I thought it was pretty good and most people at the time thought it was authentic Mexican food. Luckily Americans have since evolved, with some help, into an appreciation of more authentic cuisine, be it Mexican or any other.
In any case the stuff I was eating was not home food. In fact no relationship existed to home-style food and that’s what I really wanted at that time. It was a way of distancing myself from family and my background as adolescents will do. So capirotada and other good things my mother made faded into the background. I went away, got married, she got older and with all the implication of those events, over the years capirotada was the last thing any of us thought of.
Now, a few years after my mother’s death, I kick myself for not having been more aware; more aware in so many large ways and small. The small ones being the lack of talking about things like cherished recipes which embraced a childhood. In search of that childhood food, I decided to research and find a capirotada recipe that most resembles the one I remember. Fortunately for me, these days we have the internet, and all manner of lost objects are possible to find. I did find the lost recipe with those ingredients from a memory I cherish. It was interesting to see how many versions of capirotada there are. Sort of like how many versions of bread pudding there are.
Having outgrown that childhood delight with sugary things and the capirotada, my current bread pudding favorite is a more simple one. It has all usual ingredients; good bread, eggs, cream, sugar, vanilla, but also has chunks of chocolate and just a hint of cinnamon. A confession - I do not make it; I purchase it from a nearby Pacific Whey cafe whenever I need a fix. I have asked for the recipe to no avail, but don’t worry about it too much. I know where to go to get it, at least for now.
CAPIROTADA
4 day-old bollilos* (or 1 baguette) sliced crosswise*
1 cup brown sugar or piloncillo, crushed
½ cup of peanuts
½ cup of raisins
1 cup of mild cheddar cheese
2 cinnamon sticks
(* or toast fresh bread in oven before using)
Place the sugar or piloncillo, cinnamon and water in a saucepan. Heat gently stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes without stirring. Remove the cinnamon sticks.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8" square baking dish with butter. Layer the bread, nuts, raisins and cheese in the dish, pour on the syrup letting it soak into the bread. Bake the pudding for about 30 minutes until golden brown.
Remove the dish from the oven, let stand at least 5 minutes, cut into squares. Serve the pudding cold with some cream or crème anglais poured on top. garnish with sliced almonds.
*Billilos are Mexican rolls sort of like a crusty French roll but with a little sweetness to them – They are great with butter and your morning coffee.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
ROOTS
The invitation said “please come and join us in our annual celebration of Luzarica”. This is the event which Steve’s relatives refer to as Gospalazoria. Whatever the correct name, what I found out is the rough translation is Rosary or Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary which is typically observed on October 7th or the first Sunday in October.
That was two years ago and it would be our fifth year to attend this event put on by former residents of the Croatian village of Preko. It was to be the last time the event was held, which we didn’t know at the time. Our reason for being there was because of Steve’s family connection.
His grandparents emigrated from the the island of Preko Dalmatia, then part of Austria Hungary, today part of Croatia to the US in the early 20th century along with, seemingly, hundreds of others. Many ended up in Chicago, which is Steve’s birthplace and others ended up in San Pedro, California, the event location. The city is water close and many of the immigrants to San Pedro not surprisingly were from areas in their respective countries that were fishing communities. In that town, in addition to Croatia, the residents include transplants from Portugal, Italy and Mexico. San Pedro also is the location of Los Angeles Harbor and is primarily a blue collar enclave. Any other location in Southern California so close to the water and with such spectacular views would be totally unaffordable to most but perhaps the grittiness of the Harbor atmosphere has kept that from happening here. Every so often the city leaders try to revitalize the community but for the most part not too much changes. New buildings appear and then are somehow engulfed in the prevailing atmosphere. Driving there what is most apparent are the large cranes in the harbor, for all the world like giant tinker toys, which are used for unloading cargo ships from all over the world.
The party was held in a restaurant named Ante’s, owned by a man named Ante Perko and is hosted by Tony Mihatov both of whom are first generation Americans of Croatian descent. Ante's has been located in San Pedro since 1945 and is located, happily, on a street named Ante Perkov Way, not too far from the harbor but surrounded by industrial buildings and lots, for the most part. They bill themselves as presenting authentic Croatian cuisine prepared according to recipes carried by Ante from the sunny Dalmatian coast. The food and space are contributed so what the attendees pay for their luncheons become donations, along with any additional money they choose to give.
So this was the location for the gathering. It’s been an opportunity for the older folks to connect with each other since many of the attendees are of a generation that has fond memories of the old country. They remember that in the old country, the feast includes a procession through the village carrying a statue of Mary, for which everyone gathers.
Although Steve’s mom is typical of most of the attendees in age, she is one generation removed from the old country so the memories she has have handed down from her parents.
There is a food aspect to this of course, it being a luncheon. But it’s all about the family and nostalgia; it’s not about the food, which is the totally undistinguished standard banquet fare with the usual choices of beef, chicken or fish. It’s helpful for me to keep remembering that it’s for a good cause.
If there is a highlight to the food portion of the luncheon, at least for Steve and some others, it is the side dishes of pasta. This usually includes what I have come to know as Croatian dishes although they seem to have some other, Mediterranean influences. One is mostacolli, prepared with a tomato sauce which will sometimes include a touch of meat. It differs from an Italian version in that it feels more like a casserole dish than pasta. Steve’s greatest complaint about the mostacolli dish is that it always seems to be overcooked, made as it is as a casserole instead of what he would prefer, pasta tossed with light sauce. Then again there is the sauerkraut, which I personally have come to love. This is usually made with a prepared sauerkraut mixed with a tomato-ey sauce and sometimes includes sausage which flavors it only slightly. Then there is usually some sort of simple penne pasta with olive oil as a bone to the non-meat eaters, of which there are few, perhaps only one, me.
Normally I would be all for any event that is centered around food, but this is one I might have written off as a culinary disaster except for the grand finale - dessert. Or should I say desserts plural. At the appropriate time platters with a variety of the tantalizing bits are distributed to each table, something we all anticipate with delight. These aren’t your everyday regular desserts and they’re not fancy French style stuff either. This is down home stuff, not available anywhere else except the bakers’ kitchens and what can I say except they’re delightful. Like so many of these types of things for the most part they’re from a small circle of regulars, most of whom have strong accents as they are not that far removed from their roots. And, they do know their desserts. It’s a large selection, perhaps a dozen, and can include apple strudel which is brought in long rolls then sliced there just before serving. There’s a version of cheese strudel which is more like little individual pockets, small round fritters containing pine nuts and raisins and a baguette-sized ground-walnut-filled bread called oregnaca which is cut into slices and which would, in my opinion make an excellent breakfast bread. We all have our favorites it seems, although given how fast they disappear maybe they’re all everyone’s favorite or maybe it’s just that dessert always is. The most favored always seems to be the crustula, which is a light and airy cookie-like crunchy thing lightly dusted with powdered sugar. It’s hard to believe they’ve been fried to get to that lightness and airiness because they don’t taste fried. A tribute to the makers since it’s obvious that most of the desserts were made just that morning.
At some point before we disperse, some of the older folks, usually men will stand up and expound way too long about the old country and the beauty of Preko, the smell of the hills, etc. and our host will let us know how appreciated this event, and our money of course, is in the old country.
We don’t care at this point. We’ve had dessert, and some lucky ones even get to take some in a go-pack. Then it’s all done until next year.
As a sad footnote to this, unfortunately the planners of this event got to a point where they could no longer do it, and so it has been discontinued. I did want to honor the Festival by describing the celebration, and noting the date.
Mostaccioli
Mostaccioli is not something we usually make at our house. Steve has an aversion to it, probably because it’s not like the pasta he has come to love as an adult. That is to say, pasta that is cooked al dente and lightly sauced. That is not this dish. But to me this dish is the essence of a family staple, especially with kids. It is easy and quick to prepare, is filling, inexpensive and has a sort of mushy texture that many kids like, in my mom opinion.
There are a lot of recipes out there for mostaccioli, many of them baked which would also be worthwhile. The type that is served at Luzarica is more basic in that it might take something like a 16 oz size container of marinara or ragu style sauce, add ground meat or sausage and then is tossed with a pound of the cooked pasta. The sauce can be homemade or bought and more or less cheese can be added to the mix, as desired, then it can be put into the oven and heated or kept warm. That’s pretty much it.
Steve found a recipe for Crustula on line and here it is. I haven't tried it and maybe never will as I tend to stay away from making desserts. But who knows? Never say never, right?
For those who might be interested, here is the recipe.
CRUSTULA
• 3 eggs beaten
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon oil
• a pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons whiskey
• approximately 2 cups of flour
• ---
• what you do for crustula:
• combine eggs, sugar, oil, salt, and whiskey.
• mix in enough flour to make a mixture thick enough to roll out like thin pie crust.
• slice into strips about 1/2 inch wide by 6 inches long.
• fry in skillet in medium hot oil until puffy and golden brown.
• turn over once and brown the other side.
• drain throughly in a colander, or your preferred method.
• sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.
• ---
• please note: the cookies will brown quickly, so watch them closely.
The invitation said “please come and join us in our annual celebration of Luzarica”. This is the event which Steve’s relatives refer to as Gospalazoria. Whatever the correct name, what I found out is the rough translation is Rosary or Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary which is typically observed on October 7th or the first Sunday in October.
That was two years ago and it would be our fifth year to attend this event put on by former residents of the Croatian village of Preko. It was to be the last time the event was held, which we didn’t know at the time. Our reason for being there was because of Steve’s family connection.
His grandparents emigrated from the the island of Preko Dalmatia, then part of Austria Hungary, today part of Croatia to the US in the early 20th century along with, seemingly, hundreds of others. Many ended up in Chicago, which is Steve’s birthplace and others ended up in San Pedro, California, the event location. The city is water close and many of the immigrants to San Pedro not surprisingly were from areas in their respective countries that were fishing communities. In that town, in addition to Croatia, the residents include transplants from Portugal, Italy and Mexico. San Pedro also is the location of Los Angeles Harbor and is primarily a blue collar enclave. Any other location in Southern California so close to the water and with such spectacular views would be totally unaffordable to most but perhaps the grittiness of the Harbor atmosphere has kept that from happening here. Every so often the city leaders try to revitalize the community but for the most part not too much changes. New buildings appear and then are somehow engulfed in the prevailing atmosphere. Driving there what is most apparent are the large cranes in the harbor, for all the world like giant tinker toys, which are used for unloading cargo ships from all over the world.
The party was held in a restaurant named Ante’s, owned by a man named Ante Perko and is hosted by Tony Mihatov both of whom are first generation Americans of Croatian descent. Ante's has been located in San Pedro since 1945 and is located, happily, on a street named Ante Perkov Way, not too far from the harbor but surrounded by industrial buildings and lots, for the most part. They bill themselves as presenting authentic Croatian cuisine prepared according to recipes carried by Ante from the sunny Dalmatian coast. The food and space are contributed so what the attendees pay for their luncheons become donations, along with any additional money they choose to give.
So this was the location for the gathering. It’s been an opportunity for the older folks to connect with each other since many of the attendees are of a generation that has fond memories of the old country. They remember that in the old country, the feast includes a procession through the village carrying a statue of Mary, for which everyone gathers.
Although Steve’s mom is typical of most of the attendees in age, she is one generation removed from the old country so the memories she has have handed down from her parents.
There is a food aspect to this of course, it being a luncheon. But it’s all about the family and nostalgia; it’s not about the food, which is the totally undistinguished standard banquet fare with the usual choices of beef, chicken or fish. It’s helpful for me to keep remembering that it’s for a good cause.
If there is a highlight to the food portion of the luncheon, at least for Steve and some others, it is the side dishes of pasta. This usually includes what I have come to know as Croatian dishes although they seem to have some other, Mediterranean influences. One is mostacolli, prepared with a tomato sauce which will sometimes include a touch of meat. It differs from an Italian version in that it feels more like a casserole dish than pasta. Steve’s greatest complaint about the mostacolli dish is that it always seems to be overcooked, made as it is as a casserole instead of what he would prefer, pasta tossed with light sauce. Then again there is the sauerkraut, which I personally have come to love. This is usually made with a prepared sauerkraut mixed with a tomato-ey sauce and sometimes includes sausage which flavors it only slightly. Then there is usually some sort of simple penne pasta with olive oil as a bone to the non-meat eaters, of which there are few, perhaps only one, me.
Normally I would be all for any event that is centered around food, but this is one I might have written off as a culinary disaster except for the grand finale - dessert. Or should I say desserts plural. At the appropriate time platters with a variety of the tantalizing bits are distributed to each table, something we all anticipate with delight. These aren’t your everyday regular desserts and they’re not fancy French style stuff either. This is down home stuff, not available anywhere else except the bakers’ kitchens and what can I say except they’re delightful. Like so many of these types of things for the most part they’re from a small circle of regulars, most of whom have strong accents as they are not that far removed from their roots. And, they do know their desserts. It’s a large selection, perhaps a dozen, and can include apple strudel which is brought in long rolls then sliced there just before serving. There’s a version of cheese strudel which is more like little individual pockets, small round fritters containing pine nuts and raisins and a baguette-sized ground-walnut-filled bread called oregnaca which is cut into slices and which would, in my opinion make an excellent breakfast bread. We all have our favorites it seems, although given how fast they disappear maybe they’re all everyone’s favorite or maybe it’s just that dessert always is. The most favored always seems to be the crustula, which is a light and airy cookie-like crunchy thing lightly dusted with powdered sugar. It’s hard to believe they’ve been fried to get to that lightness and airiness because they don’t taste fried. A tribute to the makers since it’s obvious that most of the desserts were made just that morning.
At some point before we disperse, some of the older folks, usually men will stand up and expound way too long about the old country and the beauty of Preko, the smell of the hills, etc. and our host will let us know how appreciated this event, and our money of course, is in the old country.
We don’t care at this point. We’ve had dessert, and some lucky ones even get to take some in a go-pack. Then it’s all done until next year.
As a sad footnote to this, unfortunately the planners of this event got to a point where they could no longer do it, and so it has been discontinued. I did want to honor the Festival by describing the celebration, and noting the date.
Mostaccioli
Mostaccioli is not something we usually make at our house. Steve has an aversion to it, probably because it’s not like the pasta he has come to love as an adult. That is to say, pasta that is cooked al dente and lightly sauced. That is not this dish. But to me this dish is the essence of a family staple, especially with kids. It is easy and quick to prepare, is filling, inexpensive and has a sort of mushy texture that many kids like, in my mom opinion.
There are a lot of recipes out there for mostaccioli, many of them baked which would also be worthwhile. The type that is served at Luzarica is more basic in that it might take something like a 16 oz size container of marinara or ragu style sauce, add ground meat or sausage and then is tossed with a pound of the cooked pasta. The sauce can be homemade or bought and more or less cheese can be added to the mix, as desired, then it can be put into the oven and heated or kept warm. That’s pretty much it.
Steve found a recipe for Crustula on line and here it is. I haven't tried it and maybe never will as I tend to stay away from making desserts. But who knows? Never say never, right?
For those who might be interested, here is the recipe.
CRUSTULA
• 3 eggs beaten
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon oil
• a pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons whiskey
• approximately 2 cups of flour
• ---
• what you do for crustula:
• combine eggs, sugar, oil, salt, and whiskey.
• mix in enough flour to make a mixture thick enough to roll out like thin pie crust.
• slice into strips about 1/2 inch wide by 6 inches long.
• fry in skillet in medium hot oil until puffy and golden brown.
• turn over once and brown the other side.
• drain throughly in a colander, or your preferred method.
• sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.
• ---
• please note: the cookies will brown quickly, so watch them closely.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
LIFE IS BEAUTY FULL
And right now fruit full. I am grateful to see some signs of summer. The weather here by the beach has been dismal in all senses of the word – it is a record cool summer. However, it is late summer and very warm in the places where fruits and vegetables are grown here in California, so there are lots of beautiful choices at the farmer’s markets.
It seems that more farmers are growing heirloom tomatoes so I’ve observed that they are plentiful and cheaper than they usually are; almost down as far as regular tomatoes. And it’s officially fig season. The last couple of weeks the markets have had figs in abundance. The price doesn’t go down very much but the figs have been wonder full.
Then there are the peaches. I love peaches and fortunately for me, there are new varieties that extend their season. Admittedly some are better than others, but they are all good and in season here in California. No need to import from South America or New Zealand as they do during the winter months. I stay away from those. It just seems unnatural to have peaches in January.
But right now it is summer and with these beautiful fruits so available, I feel I must incorporate them into our eating as much as possible.
Peaches are just an eating fruit as far as we are concerned and really that’s the best way to appreciate their juiciness. The tomatoes either become a delicious pasta dish or grace a tomato galette, which was the centerpiece of a meal this weekend. We had some of our flag crew at our house on Labor Day. The flag crew is a dedicated group of volunteers who put out (what else?) American flags on each National holiday along the highway though the Corona Del Mar business district. The flags are put out at 6:00 am and gathered up by 6:00 p.m. The group varies; some are able to participate on the morning crew and others in the evening, although some do both. It’s a lovely sight to see all 100 or so flags fluttering in the breeze!
So, end of summer, lots of good tomatoes and the tomato galette is ideal for a get-together after an event; it can be baked ahead and doesn’t suffer for it.
We have used a lot more figs this season. Not sure why but they seem to be plentiful and delicious. I have put them into a small appetizer- sized salad with butter lettuce, good quality blue cheese and bits of prosciutto dressed with a honey, lemon and olive oil dressing.
For the Labor Day fete, we served them halved and wrapped with prosciutto as appetizers and everyone seemed to enjoy them, at least there were none left. That’s also a make-ahead item. We are enjoying them as much as possible.
If I was a pizza maker I would use them the way restaurant Sage does, on a pizza or flatbread with prosciutto. Alas, no pizza oven. And actually probably a good thing. I could become addicted.
Last week, looking for more uses, I found a pasta recipe where figs sort of substitute for raisins in a mix of garlicky spinach and are added to bow tie pasta. Wow what a great recipe and flavors. Life is beauty full and fruit-full.
Bowtie Pasta with Garlicky Spinach and Roasted Figs
4 servings
6 large ripe figs or 8 smaller ones cut in half lengthwise
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
½ lb bow ties
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
10 ounces fresh spinach, stems removed, washed and dried and
coarsely chopped
preheat oven to 450 line a small roasting pan or cookie sheet with aluminum foil or parchment; place the figs on the foil, cut side up. Roast until tender and just starting to brown, 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven, cover lightly and keep warm
cook bow ties per package directions
While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a medium sized skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and spinach. Cook, stirring until the spinach is tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta, add to the skillet with the spinach and toss well to combine. Transfer to individual serving bowls. Arrange roasted figs over each serving. Serve immediately
NOTES: I served this with freshly grated parmesan cheese which seemed to go well with it. I also used more figs than were called for since I had an abundance, and quartered them instead of halved. Be careful not to overcook the figs. I used packaged spinach for the convenience. You could probably add pine nuts or walnuts to this dish although I did not. The traditional recipe for garlicky spinach and raisins does call for pine nuts.
All in all this is a very simple to prepare dish and turned out delicious! This is from an old cookbook called Pasta Verde and now I wonder why I never tried this recipe before. If you like figs I highly recommend it.
And right now fruit full. I am grateful to see some signs of summer. The weather here by the beach has been dismal in all senses of the word – it is a record cool summer. However, it is late summer and very warm in the places where fruits and vegetables are grown here in California, so there are lots of beautiful choices at the farmer’s markets.
It seems that more farmers are growing heirloom tomatoes so I’ve observed that they are plentiful and cheaper than they usually are; almost down as far as regular tomatoes. And it’s officially fig season. The last couple of weeks the markets have had figs in abundance. The price doesn’t go down very much but the figs have been wonder full.
Then there are the peaches. I love peaches and fortunately for me, there are new varieties that extend their season. Admittedly some are better than others, but they are all good and in season here in California. No need to import from South America or New Zealand as they do during the winter months. I stay away from those. It just seems unnatural to have peaches in January.
But right now it is summer and with these beautiful fruits so available, I feel I must incorporate them into our eating as much as possible.
Peaches are just an eating fruit as far as we are concerned and really that’s the best way to appreciate their juiciness. The tomatoes either become a delicious pasta dish or grace a tomato galette, which was the centerpiece of a meal this weekend. We had some of our flag crew at our house on Labor Day. The flag crew is a dedicated group of volunteers who put out (what else?) American flags on each National holiday along the highway though the Corona Del Mar business district. The flags are put out at 6:00 am and gathered up by 6:00 p.m. The group varies; some are able to participate on the morning crew and others in the evening, although some do both. It’s a lovely sight to see all 100 or so flags fluttering in the breeze!
So, end of summer, lots of good tomatoes and the tomato galette is ideal for a get-together after an event; it can be baked ahead and doesn’t suffer for it.
We have used a lot more figs this season. Not sure why but they seem to be plentiful and delicious. I have put them into a small appetizer- sized salad with butter lettuce, good quality blue cheese and bits of prosciutto dressed with a honey, lemon and olive oil dressing.
For the Labor Day fete, we served them halved and wrapped with prosciutto as appetizers and everyone seemed to enjoy them, at least there were none left. That’s also a make-ahead item. We are enjoying them as much as possible.
If I was a pizza maker I would use them the way restaurant Sage does, on a pizza or flatbread with prosciutto. Alas, no pizza oven. And actually probably a good thing. I could become addicted.
Last week, looking for more uses, I found a pasta recipe where figs sort of substitute for raisins in a mix of garlicky spinach and are added to bow tie pasta. Wow what a great recipe and flavors. Life is beauty full and fruit-full.
Bowtie Pasta with Garlicky Spinach and Roasted Figs
4 servings
6 large ripe figs or 8 smaller ones cut in half lengthwise
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
½ lb bow ties
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
10 ounces fresh spinach, stems removed, washed and dried and
coarsely chopped
preheat oven to 450 line a small roasting pan or cookie sheet with aluminum foil or parchment; place the figs on the foil, cut side up. Roast until tender and just starting to brown, 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven, cover lightly and keep warm
cook bow ties per package directions
While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a medium sized skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and spinach. Cook, stirring until the spinach is tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta, add to the skillet with the spinach and toss well to combine. Transfer to individual serving bowls. Arrange roasted figs over each serving. Serve immediately
NOTES: I served this with freshly grated parmesan cheese which seemed to go well with it. I also used more figs than were called for since I had an abundance, and quartered them instead of halved. Be careful not to overcook the figs. I used packaged spinach for the convenience. You could probably add pine nuts or walnuts to this dish although I did not. The traditional recipe for garlicky spinach and raisins does call for pine nuts.
All in all this is a very simple to prepare dish and turned out delicious! This is from an old cookbook called Pasta Verde and now I wonder why I never tried this recipe before. If you like figs I highly recommend it.
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