Big cities are reknowned for their great food. Paris. New York. Toronto.
Except if you're a 26 year old articling student working 12-14 hours a day, and have to feed yourself (mostly) from what comes from the lower level of your 60 storey high-rise office tower.
Had a coffee with Sarah on Tuesday morning. After our usual catching up, I couldn't help but ask how she was eating. Not in a "how are you, dear" kind of way but in a "how the hell can you even find food in this jungle of cement and black suits? kind of way". I was in food culture shock after only three days of it.
People from TO must think I am delusional, writing about a farmstand! She tells me that her commute is 18 minutes, and she was really hoping for 12. She tells me that it's worth it to her to walk another 6 blocks (city blocks, probably in fabulous heels to boot) to go to a grocery store, rather than the convenient but uber-limited stall in her building, but that it's really hard and takes much longer than she has time to spend.
And then there's the issue of cost. Living and working in a busy city centre is like being in an airport. You have to pay what they say, because there are no other options. And just when my worry was reeling out of control, I spotted a green pepper in her purse! It probably cost her 12 bucks, but it was at least a vegetable!
Green Pepper notwithstanding, it has to be incredibly excruciatingly difficult to eat properly or well in that context. Law is a time-demanding profession where every minute counts. The commute bugs her because she "loses point one" for those extra six minutes. Both ways! That's an extra hour a week!
So - here's my revised TO menu plan for the busiest and best articling students but especially for my friend Sarah.
Making an extra half hour for yourself once a week can add up to more time for yourself, more money in your wallet and some calm at the end of a long workday.
Proteins are expensive, heavy and perishable.
Proteins (especially fresh fish, meat, eggs) are at a premium, both because of how much time they cost you to get, and how expensive they must be. So. We'll use these first, working from the kind that must be eaten immediately, to those that can wait a day or two. Plus, they're heavy and that is hard for a walking or subway commute.
Time is crucial in a young lawyer's day and time is money.
Walking (out of your way) to the store can easily take 1.0 and probably can't happen more than once a week. SAVING time must be the ultimate goal here. Adding more billable time to a young lawyer's workday can add to their leverage and credibility at their firm.
Organization is also a top priority to reduce the stress of doing this.
Pleasure should at least rate on the list. Giving all you have for clients can lead to one or two bouts of crap food just because it may be all you have at the 8:00 juncture of a long day with no sleep in the near future, so it might be nice to have something really really delicious to help.
Don't cook on the day you shop.
This is always my downfall, but here's my logic. Once I've actually lugged eveything home, unloaded it, put it away, and done the prep for the next week, I am ravenous, irritated and just ready for it all to be over. AND I LOVE COOKING!
I can only imagine what a chore this is for someone who hates it. So BUY one of those fresh dinners at the store. If the sushi looks good,get some! Maybe a fresh broccoli salad and a grilled chicken breast? Maybe even something you wouldn't ever attempt like a sage butter squash ravioli. This day is your one get-out-of-premade-jail-free card. Enjoy the fruits of someone else's labour.
I will keep each recipe to three main ingredients.
Fresh Fish Day: DAY 2 Day you are exhausted and overtaxed
The partners: FISH, LEMON, SWEET POTATO
The goal: Set up breakfast for the week, side dishes for the next few days and make a homemade dessert for fun.
Boil 3 different pots of boiling water: One is for rice, one for your steel-cut oatmeal for the week, and the other small one is for the sweet potatoes.
Make some rice, and more than you need
Cut up the sweet potato, or buy it already cut up.
Boil the sweet potato until tender (10 minutes?)
Put a pat of butter in a medium (7) pan
Rinse the fish under cold water
S + P fish
Put the fish in the pan pretty side down - wait 7 minutes and flip it.
Grate the zest and then squeeze lemon juice over the fish
In 10 seconds, slide it on the plate over the rice. Sprinkle the sweet potato around, and enjoy.
Juice the rest of the lemon into a tbsp of melted butter.
Divide rice into two containers. One is going to be savoury, one is going to be a great healthy dessert for tomorrow night.
Day 3: If you are having a friend over during the week, this is the meal.
The associates: PORK, KIDNEY BEANS, TOMATOES
The goal: Entertain a friend or a date, and remember what life is like outside of the office
Salt and pepper the rinsed pork tenderloin
EVOO in a deep pan, brown the tenderloin on all sides and then take it out to wait.
Add shredded carrots, can of tomatoes, cut up celery, cut up onion and chopped garlic to a pan with some evoo, and sautee till soft.
Rinse the red kidney beans while the veggies are softening
Dump the big can of crushed tomatoes and the beans
Add a tsp of cajun or creole spice
Cut up the pork in slices on a cutting board, then add the pieces back in the pot to simmer until they are not pink in the centre.
Serve over the (warmed) leftover rice. This meal can be made, cooled, and reheated for at least a few days, and makes a great desk lunch.
For Dessert? Add the leftover rice to a skillet, a few good glugs of maple syrup, some cinnamon and even some butter or cream if you have some. Add the sweet potato until it comes together like a yummy sweet risotto. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. YUM.
Day 4: Chicken Day
The triumverate of cases: CHICKEN, NEW POTATOES, CARROTS
The goal: Comfort food (for everyone except the chicken:)
In a ceramic dish, dump the new potatoes and shredded carrots at the bottom, glug some evoo on top.
Put the chicken breast over the veggies, bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until it smells like home.
Day 5 : Pasta Day
The practice group: PASTA, TOMATOES, FETA
Today's goal: use up items in your pantry and fridge
Make the whole wheat whole grain pasta.
In a pan, sautee some garlic with some evoo, and a pat of butter
Add in the small can of tomatoes
Zest lemon, then add the juice
Take the pasta out of the water, and add directly to the pan.
Put on the plate and sprinkle with cubed feta cheese.
Day 6: Leftovers?
Day 7: Chili
The department: BEANS, PEPPERS, TOMATO SAUCE
The goal: A cheap, healthy, and convenient meal
3 cans of rinsed red beans, black beans and lentils
1 can of Bravo Spaghetti Sauce
1 diced red pepper
1 tbsp chili powder
Simmer and serve with whole grain brown toast and cheddar cheese
Printable grocery list:
STAPLES:
Greek Yogurt, honey, seeds, dried cranberry, blueberry
Whole Wheat crackers and light babybel cheeses
Steel cut oatmeal or red river cereal
A delicious jam that you made
I wish I could write apples, but I am not a fan during the workday - too sticky. Having said that, they do last a long time, and are quite good for you, lots of fibre, are sweet, and very portable. Ok, so,
Apples.
Garlic
PERISHABLE HEAVY THINGS:
Some fresh fish that looks really good, and is already skinless and filleted.
A free range grain fed, formerly happy chicken. Stressed out animals from a factory really do not belong in your body. Organic or free range antibiotic free are absolutely worth the higher price (especially when you make a lawyers' salary!). Skin on or off is your call, but ON is cheaper and will make up for the cost of the more expensive chicken.
A pork tenderloin
Organic eggs
Cheddar Cheese, Feta Cheese
Non-Perishable Heavy Things:
Can of red kidney beans
Can of chickpeas
Two cans of crushed tomatoes, one big, one small
Organic brown rice
Perishable Lighter Things :
Pre-cut, preshredded carrots.
Celery Stalks
Onion
Lemons and Limes
Sweet potato
New potatoes
Friday, September 25, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Countdown to First Day of School
I promised a few friends that I'd do a "back to school week" survival menu for everyone who will not be able to think straight with their kids heading back to class.
1 whole chicken
2 onions (any kind, size of a baseball)
2-4 celery sticks (the length of a ruler)
8 carrots (the size of a large highlighter)
20 new potatoes
Organic spinach, washed
Canadian Bacon
Cheddar Cheese
1 bag of whole wheat tortillas
1 loaf of your favourite bread
1 package of fresh pasta (ie: soft, and not from the shelves...)
1 package cherry tomatoes from a farmstand, or at the very least from Canada, and ABSOLUTELY NOT FROM MEXICO... (*lecture alert*) Have you ever been to Mexico? Did you drink the water? NO, OF COURSE NOT! So don't eat tomatoes irrigated with that water, especially when you live seconds from the Tomato Capital of the World here in Essex County....
Roast Chicken: In a large lasagna pan dump the potatoes at the bottom and pour a bit of olive oil over them. Shake the pan around so the oil coats both the potatoes and the bottom of the pan. Cut up the onion and sprinkle on top of the potatoes. Salt and pepper this layer. Put the chicken on top. Dry the skin, and then rub just a bit of olive oil on it, salt and pepper the chicken. Add any herbs you like (steak spice is my fave, because everything is in there!).
Bake for an hour and 10 minutes until juices run clear (internal temp should be 160 - 170). Take out of the oven, cover with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes for the juices to reabsorb. To stretch the chicken meal, take the best parts of the meat off the bones before serving, and slice into smaller pieces - cut the breasts into 4-5 slices each, and pull the thigh meat off in shreds.
Did you know that an appropriate serving of meat is 4 ounces, or the size of a deck of cards? Cutting up the meat helps everyone in your family meet this challenge, because most chicken breasts are 8 - 10 ounces AT LEAST.
To make this dish Vegetarian? Substitue the chicken for a large squash, butternut and acorn squashes are so incredibly plentiful now - and cheap! - and they roast beautifully. Add some cut up zucchini and red onion for balance, and colour because we eat with our eyes first.
Chicken and Vegetable Soup: Throw the leftover carcass of the chicken into a large soup pot. Cut up another onion, add a carrot, a stick of celery and any leftover veggies lurking in your fridge. Simmer on low-med heat for an hour. Add salt at the end, and not too much. Pull the chicken off the bones (this is absolutely the worst part, but there is usually a lot of chicken remaining) Murray LOVES this part. Then breathe a sigh of relief as you throw the veggies and soup in a blender.
Return the puree to the pot and add chicken pieces. It's a great way to sneak veggies into your kids. You can add any little pasta you like (when you are ready to eat it) because if you add it now the soup will turn to paste in 14 hours.
To make this dish Vegetarian? Add some fresh tomatoes when you are pureeing the soup.
Tortilla wraps with black bean salsa: Add some fresh corn with a can of black beans to some salsa, grate some lime zest in there and a bit of cheddar. If you have leftover chicken, add some here too. If you don't have an issue with dairy, you could add some cream cheese which will help bind the "roll-up" together, but don't overdo it.
To make this dish Vegetarian? (Come on! I was just testing you...)
Tomato Basil Panini:
Take pieces of your favourite bread and grab your George Foreman Grill. Either that or use the same method to make a grilled cheese sandwich. Put a bit of olive oil or butter on the bread slices, add in the fresh tomatoes after you salt and pepper them. Add some basil and press. Flip. Press. Eat. Yum. Serve with a salad or some vegetable soup.
Lemon Garlic Pasta with Feta and cherry tomatoes: I refer to this as Sarah's favourite because I made it once when I had literally nothing in the fridge, and had invited a friend for dinner! It turned out so well, that we both make it often now, as well as having shared it with all of our friends!
Boil water. Add pasta. Turn on a large skillet, add some olive oil or butter. Add cherry tomatoes and a bit of salt and pepper. Zest lemon over the skillet. Cut the lemon in half and add the juice to the skillet - inhale while it's sizzling! Say out loud "Yay Lemons!".
When the pasta is done - 4-5 minutes MAX - drain over a collander. Dump the pasta into the skillet with the tomato and lemon. Crumble some feta cheese over top and put in a large bowl. Expect to see absolutely no leftovers whatsoever.
IF, however, there are leftovers, this dish is gorgeous cold as well. You could add some steamed asparagus and eat it for lunch.
I have got to get to the store to put this plan in place, because it's 10:53 on Monday of Labour Day Weekend and I need to be organized this week.
One last thing? I saw in the new Food Network Magazine a recipe for breakfast pizzas on english muffins and they sounded like a great idea! I love savoury breakfasts... Here's my modification.
Get a whole wheat english muffin, cube some canadian bacon, shred some cheddar. As a sauce base and to add some veggies, puree some spinach with just a touch of olive oil and salt. Use this as the sauce, get the bacon on, and cover with the cheese. I'm going to leave these in the freezer for quick breakfasts this week which I know will be crazy. You could also use tomatoes and feta. You could also use hard boiled egg underneath.
Countdown to the first day of school has officially begun, but at least I have a plan.
1 whole chicken
2 onions (any kind, size of a baseball)
2-4 celery sticks (the length of a ruler)
8 carrots (the size of a large highlighter)
20 new potatoes
Organic spinach, washed
Canadian Bacon
Cheddar Cheese
1 bag of whole wheat tortillas
1 loaf of your favourite bread
1 package of fresh pasta (ie: soft, and not from the shelves...)
1 package cherry tomatoes from a farmstand, or at the very least from Canada, and ABSOLUTELY NOT FROM MEXICO... (*lecture alert*) Have you ever been to Mexico? Did you drink the water? NO, OF COURSE NOT! So don't eat tomatoes irrigated with that water, especially when you live seconds from the Tomato Capital of the World here in Essex County....
Roast Chicken: In a large lasagna pan dump the potatoes at the bottom and pour a bit of olive oil over them. Shake the pan around so the oil coats both the potatoes and the bottom of the pan. Cut up the onion and sprinkle on top of the potatoes. Salt and pepper this layer. Put the chicken on top. Dry the skin, and then rub just a bit of olive oil on it, salt and pepper the chicken. Add any herbs you like (steak spice is my fave, because everything is in there!).
Bake for an hour and 10 minutes until juices run clear (internal temp should be 160 - 170). Take out of the oven, cover with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes for the juices to reabsorb. To stretch the chicken meal, take the best parts of the meat off the bones before serving, and slice into smaller pieces - cut the breasts into 4-5 slices each, and pull the thigh meat off in shreds.
Did you know that an appropriate serving of meat is 4 ounces, or the size of a deck of cards? Cutting up the meat helps everyone in your family meet this challenge, because most chicken breasts are 8 - 10 ounces AT LEAST.
To make this dish Vegetarian? Substitue the chicken for a large squash, butternut and acorn squashes are so incredibly plentiful now - and cheap! - and they roast beautifully. Add some cut up zucchini and red onion for balance, and colour because we eat with our eyes first.
Chicken and Vegetable Soup: Throw the leftover carcass of the chicken into a large soup pot. Cut up another onion, add a carrot, a stick of celery and any leftover veggies lurking in your fridge. Simmer on low-med heat for an hour. Add salt at the end, and not too much. Pull the chicken off the bones (this is absolutely the worst part, but there is usually a lot of chicken remaining) Murray LOVES this part. Then breathe a sigh of relief as you throw the veggies and soup in a blender.
Return the puree to the pot and add chicken pieces. It's a great way to sneak veggies into your kids. You can add any little pasta you like (when you are ready to eat it) because if you add it now the soup will turn to paste in 14 hours.
To make this dish Vegetarian? Add some fresh tomatoes when you are pureeing the soup.
Tortilla wraps with black bean salsa: Add some fresh corn with a can of black beans to some salsa, grate some lime zest in there and a bit of cheddar. If you have leftover chicken, add some here too. If you don't have an issue with dairy, you could add some cream cheese which will help bind the "roll-up" together, but don't overdo it.
To make this dish Vegetarian? (Come on! I was just testing you...)
Tomato Basil Panini:
Take pieces of your favourite bread and grab your George Foreman Grill. Either that or use the same method to make a grilled cheese sandwich. Put a bit of olive oil or butter on the bread slices, add in the fresh tomatoes after you salt and pepper them. Add some basil and press. Flip. Press. Eat. Yum. Serve with a salad or some vegetable soup.
Lemon Garlic Pasta with Feta and cherry tomatoes: I refer to this as Sarah's favourite because I made it once when I had literally nothing in the fridge, and had invited a friend for dinner! It turned out so well, that we both make it often now, as well as having shared it with all of our friends!
Boil water. Add pasta. Turn on a large skillet, add some olive oil or butter. Add cherry tomatoes and a bit of salt and pepper. Zest lemon over the skillet. Cut the lemon in half and add the juice to the skillet - inhale while it's sizzling! Say out loud "Yay Lemons!".
When the pasta is done - 4-5 minutes MAX - drain over a collander. Dump the pasta into the skillet with the tomato and lemon. Crumble some feta cheese over top and put in a large bowl. Expect to see absolutely no leftovers whatsoever.
IF, however, there are leftovers, this dish is gorgeous cold as well. You could add some steamed asparagus and eat it for lunch.
I have got to get to the store to put this plan in place, because it's 10:53 on Monday of Labour Day Weekend and I need to be organized this week.
One last thing? I saw in the new Food Network Magazine a recipe for breakfast pizzas on english muffins and they sounded like a great idea! I love savoury breakfasts... Here's my modification.
Get a whole wheat english muffin, cube some canadian bacon, shred some cheddar. As a sauce base and to add some veggies, puree some spinach with just a touch of olive oil and salt. Use this as the sauce, get the bacon on, and cover with the cheese. I'm going to leave these in the freezer for quick breakfasts this week which I know will be crazy. You could also use tomatoes and feta. You could also use hard boiled egg underneath.
Countdown to the first day of school has officially begun, but at least I have a plan.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
A Buffet of Thoughts
I have had some serious downtime this weekend - OK, not really downtime - I've been cleaning, and driving, and thinking. So here is literally a BUFFET of thoughts I've had about the blog this weekend.
Wallets, Locations and Fridges, OH MY!
Dorothy, you're not in Kansas anymore! (So what if I changed the words?) Here's the truth as I see it. Your wallet, your location of eating and ultimately your fridge will determine what you put in your mouth. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GOOD EATING.
Wallets? You will have to open your wallet to buy any type of food you are going to consume. Here is the absolute square one starting point. What you buy determines what kind of body you ultimately wear.
Locations? Where you choose to consume your food has a HUGE impact on your choices. Fast food? Farmstands? Vending Machines? The platter of cookies at the office? The snack you brought from home? Location. Location. Location. You know what they say - location is everything.
Fridges? At some point you will also find yourself at home, and hungry. Is your meal going to come from a factory? A box? Delivery? Or from the ingredients in your home? Keep the go-to's in your fridge so you can access them in a hurry, or whenever you are exhausted, or both.
Make a Healthy Choice, or WAIT!
I just got back from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. What a rocking spot to visit on Labour Day (I loved the Bruce Springsteen exhibit!).
Except when it came time to eat. The travel hours didn't jive with us, so we were eating at odd hours. HAD TO go to the cafeteria just to find something. On the menu? Crap, crap, FATTY CRAP, processed crap, fake factory crap, and then a platter of fruit for 8 bucks. This was almost going to be my choice, until I spotted a three decker whole wheat bread peanut butter and grape jam sandwich. There was only one, waAAAaaay in the back of the case. The peanut butter was a nice thick layer, and the jam was just thin enough to show. A HIT - at least one that would make American Top 40. It was filling, yummy, whole grain, protein - probably a lot of sugar, but at least it stopped me from the meatloaf mac and cheese elvis heart attack on a plate.
STOP INSTANT CRAPIFICATION
Good eating begins with good shopping. Even if you're hungry there is nothing forcing you to eat crap. What would happen if you were nowhere near a food stall? You'd wait! You'd be hungry, you might even get irritable, but you would have to wait until there was food in front of you. It is no wonder that some populations have a food stall on every corner for instant crapification. Seriously, even if you use the expression "I'm starving" you are not really starving. I'm Ukrainian. Starvation was a reality for 7 million Ukrainian folks in the thirties under a Stalinist regime. You are NOT starving -you are hungry. So grab onto your wallet, and don't open it until there is a healthy choice in front of you. Either that, or stop complaining that you look fat in pictures.
A FAST GO-TO in your Fridge : Eggs
This is a serious way to incorporate time, funds and delicious into your week. If you have kids - try an "eggs" style buffet. Try a bunch. PROPERLY scrambled eggs, omlettes, quiches, frittatas, and poached. I can help you with the recipes if you comment and maybe with a bit more time, but an egg dish, at about .35c per organic free range egg, this is a serious budget booster. Find the one your family likes most. Add veggies. Cheese. Sauces (and against my better judgment, I will include Kechup in this category, but I'm more of a hot sauce girl) breads, muffins, croissants, even hams and crisp bacons, and you all know my fondness for crumbling proscuitto. Even salamis. I'll paraphrase John Lennon, "All I am saying is give EGGS a chance".
Concluding Thoughts?: You may not like what you just read, or think that you don't really eat fast food very often, or think that it's easier said than done, or whatever other excuse popped into your mind if something I've said touched a nerve.
As a lawyer, we are always being presented with the "opposing case". It happens in pleadings, in discussions, when negotiating and at pre-trials. When another lawyer used to pierce a hole in my bubble I could do one of two things for my client. I could disregard a serious angle that I might not like and address it head-on, or delude myself into thinking that a judge would NEVER see the other guy's point.
But if the other side had a point, I'd go back to my desk and reconsider.
So reconsider your wallet. Reconsider your location of food consumption. And reconsider what it takes to keep proper food in your fridge.
Wallets, Locations and Fridges, OH MY!
Dorothy, you're not in Kansas anymore! (So what if I changed the words?) Here's the truth as I see it. Your wallet, your location of eating and ultimately your fridge will determine what you put in your mouth. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GOOD EATING.
Wallets? You will have to open your wallet to buy any type of food you are going to consume. Here is the absolute square one starting point. What you buy determines what kind of body you ultimately wear.
Locations? Where you choose to consume your food has a HUGE impact on your choices. Fast food? Farmstands? Vending Machines? The platter of cookies at the office? The snack you brought from home? Location. Location. Location. You know what they say - location is everything.
Fridges? At some point you will also find yourself at home, and hungry. Is your meal going to come from a factory? A box? Delivery? Or from the ingredients in your home? Keep the go-to's in your fridge so you can access them in a hurry, or whenever you are exhausted, or both.
Make a Healthy Choice, or WAIT!
I just got back from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. What a rocking spot to visit on Labour Day (I loved the Bruce Springsteen exhibit!).
Except when it came time to eat. The travel hours didn't jive with us, so we were eating at odd hours. HAD TO go to the cafeteria just to find something. On the menu? Crap, crap, FATTY CRAP, processed crap, fake factory crap, and then a platter of fruit for 8 bucks. This was almost going to be my choice, until I spotted a three decker whole wheat bread peanut butter and grape jam sandwich. There was only one, waAAAaaay in the back of the case. The peanut butter was a nice thick layer, and the jam was just thin enough to show. A HIT - at least one that would make American Top 40. It was filling, yummy, whole grain, protein - probably a lot of sugar, but at least it stopped me from the meatloaf mac and cheese elvis heart attack on a plate.
STOP INSTANT CRAPIFICATION
Good eating begins with good shopping. Even if you're hungry there is nothing forcing you to eat crap. What would happen if you were nowhere near a food stall? You'd wait! You'd be hungry, you might even get irritable, but you would have to wait until there was food in front of you. It is no wonder that some populations have a food stall on every corner for instant crapification. Seriously, even if you use the expression "I'm starving" you are not really starving. I'm Ukrainian. Starvation was a reality for 7 million Ukrainian folks in the thirties under a Stalinist regime. You are NOT starving -you are hungry. So grab onto your wallet, and don't open it until there is a healthy choice in front of you. Either that, or stop complaining that you look fat in pictures.
A FAST GO-TO in your Fridge : Eggs
This is a serious way to incorporate time, funds and delicious into your week. If you have kids - try an "eggs" style buffet. Try a bunch. PROPERLY scrambled eggs, omlettes, quiches, frittatas, and poached. I can help you with the recipes if you comment and maybe with a bit more time, but an egg dish, at about .35c per organic free range egg, this is a serious budget booster. Find the one your family likes most. Add veggies. Cheese. Sauces (and against my better judgment, I will include Kechup in this category, but I'm more of a hot sauce girl) breads, muffins, croissants, even hams and crisp bacons, and you all know my fondness for crumbling proscuitto. Even salamis. I'll paraphrase John Lennon, "All I am saying is give EGGS a chance".
Concluding Thoughts?: You may not like what you just read, or think that you don't really eat fast food very often, or think that it's easier said than done, or whatever other excuse popped into your mind if something I've said touched a nerve.
As a lawyer, we are always being presented with the "opposing case". It happens in pleadings, in discussions, when negotiating and at pre-trials. When another lawyer used to pierce a hole in my bubble I could do one of two things for my client. I could disregard a serious angle that I might not like and address it head-on, or delude myself into thinking that a judge would NEVER see the other guy's point.
But if the other side had a point, I'd go back to my desk and reconsider.
So reconsider your wallet. Reconsider your location of food consumption. And reconsider what it takes to keep proper food in your fridge.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Blossom Breakfast : Summer on a Plate
The cat is polishing off the tiny fragments of egg and hollandaise clinging to a ramekin. All four of us are going to go back to Sunday morning "stuff" - I'm going to do the dishes when I finish writing, the boy is watching TV, and Bill is in the garage cleaning. Murray will probably take a nap. And I don't think that among the 4 billion taste buds that make up the four mouths in this home that there is a solitary one that is not just satisfied as it possibly could be.
I am really proud of breakfast today. For years now I watch chefs cook with squash blossoms. And I've never eaten one until today. I tried to once (in Rome) but they neglected to tell me that the beautiful squash blossom panini was lathered with anchovy paste and instead I traded for Bill's proscuitto and mozzarella. So August 30 was really day 1 for squash blossoms and I.
We literally planted a hundred plants in July just to eat the squash blossoms when they came. Today, despite an incredibly busy weekend, time, blossom and opportunity intersected with gorgeous result.
I picked 10 gorgeous blossoms (closed up so they'd stuff better) from the garden and washed them for dirt and critters. I shredded various cheeses in a bowl, including a divine piave vecchiu, added two eggs, some minced shallots, some dijon and some lemon zest. Then I took one of the mature squashes, sliced it and lined the bottom of a ceramic dish with the discs - underneath was a hint of garlic butter so nothing would stick. I pumped the egg and cheese filling into a ziploc bag and loaded up the blossoms.
If you ever find you want to pipe something (like icing, or sauce, or hummus) you don't need a fancy pastry bag. Grab a plastic sandwich bag, and fold it over a cup. Don't try to fill it directly or you will end up with goo all over the bag, and your hands. The cup allows you to fill it evenly, and then just to fold up the ends. EASY!
I basted the blossoms with a bit of butter, salted them and shaved some cheese over the top. I baked them in a ceramic dish inside a lasagna pan, and then poured hot water into the lasagna pan. This is known as a water bath, and it insulates the ceramic dish from heat that can be too harsh. It is a great way just to make a plain egg too...
The fresh squash (the end product) and the gorgeous blossom (the beginning) were like summer on a plate. The garlic, shallots, dijon and cheese added a richness to the fresh tender flowers. Of course, I made a hollandaise to go over it but they would have been good just on their own. They were soft, floral, fresh, tender.
Thoughts are creative. In July, I hoped that a bunch of little seeds would become edible blossoms. On August 30, they exceeded my expectations, but now I'm hungry for more. Fortunately there is a whole bouquet to eat our way through this month!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Know what you do well... and be known for it.
We had dinner with friends last night, four couples. My friend Lillian made the two most delicious salads I've eaten all year. They had the perfect balance of crunch, sweetness, acidity, smoothness, softness and texture. There were lots of ingredients - at least 15 - but the sunflower seeds, cranberries, cabbage and red onion were standouts. The overall effect was not simple, but delicious.
Each of the women in these couples are such great entertainers... And here are the lessons I've learned from being hosted at their homes.
The Signature Cocktail: Jay and Lill always have a signature drink when you go to their house, a habit which I've adopted for years now. It is a tremendous perk to the host since that first bit of event chaos can easily be taken up by the first three people that you ask "Would you like something to drink?". Boy, can that question ever catch up with you!
Be careful what you wish for, or offer your guests! At so many parties I have found myself immediately swamped with "I'll have a white wine, with half Perrier and a twist of lemon, if you have it" or "I'll have a Rum and Coke" followed by "What kind of red have you got?". Jay + Lillian's cocktail resolves all of this - at least until those last few items are dealt with AFTER company is already arriving.
A Menu You Know Will Work: A dinner party at Maureen and Don's home is always a treat because Maureen puts together a menu that she knows - exactly. Have you ever seen a movie where a wizard pulls out a magic wand, and suddenly everything appears? Being at Maureen's is like watching a scene from "Bewitched". I have never ever been to a dinner party where everything was so perfectly timed, where the food just magically seemed to float onto the plates, and where the hostess appeared so at ease. This can only be achieved through lots of advance preparation, really solid planning, and a properly timed menu where the cook is comfortable.
The same goes for appetizers. I can not attend a party where I know Maureen will be, and not instantly crave her baked brie with maple, cranberry and walnuts. She is reknowned for this dish, we all love it, and I can only speculate that is why she always looks so flawless at parties, while I barely have makeup on because I lost so much time to running around trying something new....
Enjoy The Company You Invited: At Maria and Ozzy's house, ambiance is everything, and great company is really what it's about. Their entire atmosphere is welcoming - like you've just gotten off a plane and been transported to a beautiful villa for a vacation with your friends. The meal was luxurious (the steaks were perfect) but as a guest, we felt like we had all evening to talk about wine, about each other, and just enjoy getting together.
Have you ever been to a party where you felt sorry for the hostess? She might have been complaining that something wasn't clean enough, that there was no ice, or lemon, that some dish was overcooked, or some other "calamity" that you wouldn't even have noticed if she hadn't pointed it out? The guests feel uncomfortable - like they're intruding, like they were responsible for putting her out, or that she just isn't having any fun. I am sure at some point I've been "that" girl (Thanksgiving 07 ring a bell, familigia?). But I really really really try not to be.
As one french chef used to say "Never apologize".
If you've been the one doing the inviting, remember that the event is supposed to be just that - inviting.
Last but not least, my two friends Alicia and Anne Marie each have a fail-safe recipie that they rely on. It's their go-to "thing" that they know will always go well.
Alicia's Stuffed Mushroom Caps are so good they should require a pleasure permit. I have got to call her for the how-to tonight. I remember simple and delicious creaminess - was it cream cheese, parmesan, onion, garlic? Baked to perfection, it's an absolutely perfect one bite appetizer. Lish, when you read this, can you pass on the recipe in "comments" or email me?
Anne Marie's Frozen Blueberries with Hot White Chocolate Sauce is amazing too. She pours frozen blueberries in a wine glass or other beautiful conversation piece - martini and champagne would probably work wonders as well. In a stovetop pan go some cream and a few cubes of white chocolate until it swoons! I love the simple flavours, the dark blueberries and the white chocolate, and the feeling of both hot and cold, of tart and sweet, and of firmness and liquidity.
I watch a lot of Seinfeld, and my last word on the subject is that there is a difference between a rerun and a classic.
Not that there's anything wrong with that!
Each of the women in these couples are such great entertainers... And here are the lessons I've learned from being hosted at their homes.
The Signature Cocktail: Jay and Lill always have a signature drink when you go to their house, a habit which I've adopted for years now. It is a tremendous perk to the host since that first bit of event chaos can easily be taken up by the first three people that you ask "Would you like something to drink?". Boy, can that question ever catch up with you!
Be careful what you wish for, or offer your guests! At so many parties I have found myself immediately swamped with "I'll have a white wine, with half Perrier and a twist of lemon, if you have it" or "I'll have a Rum and Coke" followed by "What kind of red have you got?". Jay + Lillian's cocktail resolves all of this - at least until those last few items are dealt with AFTER company is already arriving.
A Menu You Know Will Work: A dinner party at Maureen and Don's home is always a treat because Maureen puts together a menu that she knows - exactly. Have you ever seen a movie where a wizard pulls out a magic wand, and suddenly everything appears? Being at Maureen's is like watching a scene from "Bewitched". I have never ever been to a dinner party where everything was so perfectly timed, where the food just magically seemed to float onto the plates, and where the hostess appeared so at ease. This can only be achieved through lots of advance preparation, really solid planning, and a properly timed menu where the cook is comfortable.
The same goes for appetizers. I can not attend a party where I know Maureen will be, and not instantly crave her baked brie with maple, cranberry and walnuts. She is reknowned for this dish, we all love it, and I can only speculate that is why she always looks so flawless at parties, while I barely have makeup on because I lost so much time to running around trying something new....
Enjoy The Company You Invited: At Maria and Ozzy's house, ambiance is everything, and great company is really what it's about. Their entire atmosphere is welcoming - like you've just gotten off a plane and been transported to a beautiful villa for a vacation with your friends. The meal was luxurious (the steaks were perfect) but as a guest, we felt like we had all evening to talk about wine, about each other, and just enjoy getting together.
Have you ever been to a party where you felt sorry for the hostess? She might have been complaining that something wasn't clean enough, that there was no ice, or lemon, that some dish was overcooked, or some other "calamity" that you wouldn't even have noticed if she hadn't pointed it out? The guests feel uncomfortable - like they're intruding, like they were responsible for putting her out, or that she just isn't having any fun. I am sure at some point I've been "that" girl (Thanksgiving 07 ring a bell, familigia?). But I really really really try not to be.
As one french chef used to say "Never apologize".
If you've been the one doing the inviting, remember that the event is supposed to be just that - inviting.
Last but not least, my two friends Alicia and Anne Marie each have a fail-safe recipie that they rely on. It's their go-to "thing" that they know will always go well.
Alicia's Stuffed Mushroom Caps are so good they should require a pleasure permit. I have got to call her for the how-to tonight. I remember simple and delicious creaminess - was it cream cheese, parmesan, onion, garlic? Baked to perfection, it's an absolutely perfect one bite appetizer. Lish, when you read this, can you pass on the recipe in "comments" or email me?
Anne Marie's Frozen Blueberries with Hot White Chocolate Sauce is amazing too. She pours frozen blueberries in a wine glass or other beautiful conversation piece - martini and champagne would probably work wonders as well. In a stovetop pan go some cream and a few cubes of white chocolate until it swoons! I love the simple flavours, the dark blueberries and the white chocolate, and the feeling of both hot and cold, of tart and sweet, and of firmness and liquidity.
I watch a lot of Seinfeld, and my last word on the subject is that there is a difference between a rerun and a classic.
Not that there's anything wrong with that!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Soupe a L'Oignon
The kitchen smells incredible now, even though both of our eyes were watering quite a bit as a really large onion was being chopped. I'm on page 43 - and the onions are browning in butter. They're slowly sweetening and softening - kind of like when I left law practice.
Two quarts of beef stock were $2 each. The onion was $1.59, and when it was sliced it came to exactly the five cups that I needed for the soup. There is a baguette, on top of which will go a mountain of real gruyere from Switzerland. I hope it's worth it - it was $13! But real is always better than fake, right?
Carmelizing is where an ingredient's natural sugars come out, browning them. It happens with meat, but is MAGICAL with onions. I'm 20 minutes into this soup, and the onions are now brown. Stiring, the sticky onions lift off the pan, marrying with the butter.
Then it's time to add the stock. I'm reading out loud from the cookbook "add boiling stock to the onions" and mutter out loud - "sorry Julia" it's going in cold". From the living room comes the voice "Julia says boiling, so it should be boiling. Scientific workability, remember?".
OK, I'll meet Julia in the middle and microwave the stock so it's hot. While it's counting down, I realize that cold stock would halt the cooking process, and simmering of the onions. OK, fine. In goes a half a cup of wine (the exact amount left in my fridge) and as the steam wafts over the pot, I inhale the alcohol evapourating...what cooks call the "angel's share".
I open the gruyere - and am immediately hit with the smell of something less than magical. In fact, my immediate reacion is "yuck". I should like it! It's the natural match! But I don't want to ruin my soup even though Bill assures me that the tang will probably balance out with the sweetness of the onions. But mine gets garnished with a 2 year old cheddar instead.
This onion soup was a really solid dish, with a baguette slice browned in butter, topped with grated cheese. The soft onions merge with the doughy bread, and the occasional cheesy crisp bite.
This dish made for a perfect Sunday evening. Now, laundry.
Two quarts of beef stock were $2 each. The onion was $1.59, and when it was sliced it came to exactly the five cups that I needed for the soup. There is a baguette, on top of which will go a mountain of real gruyere from Switzerland. I hope it's worth it - it was $13! But real is always better than fake, right?
Carmelizing is where an ingredient's natural sugars come out, browning them. It happens with meat, but is MAGICAL with onions. I'm 20 minutes into this soup, and the onions are now brown. Stiring, the sticky onions lift off the pan, marrying with the butter.
Then it's time to add the stock. I'm reading out loud from the cookbook "add boiling stock to the onions" and mutter out loud - "sorry Julia" it's going in cold". From the living room comes the voice "Julia says boiling, so it should be boiling. Scientific workability, remember?".
OK, I'll meet Julia in the middle and microwave the stock so it's hot. While it's counting down, I realize that cold stock would halt the cooking process, and simmering of the onions. OK, fine. In goes a half a cup of wine (the exact amount left in my fridge) and as the steam wafts over the pot, I inhale the alcohol evapourating...what cooks call the "angel's share".
I open the gruyere - and am immediately hit with the smell of something less than magical. In fact, my immediate reacion is "yuck". I should like it! It's the natural match! But I don't want to ruin my soup even though Bill assures me that the tang will probably balance out with the sweetness of the onions. But mine gets garnished with a 2 year old cheddar instead.
This onion soup was a really solid dish, with a baguette slice browned in butter, topped with grated cheese. The soft onions merge with the doughy bread, and the occasional cheesy crisp bite.
This dish made for a perfect Sunday evening. Now, laundry.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Top 10 Things you should ALWAYS have in your fridge, pantry and kitchen
Here's something I've been thinking about a lot. The top 10 list of what my fridge always always always contains... I am NEVER ever without them for more than a day.
MUST have fridge items:
10. Whole grain super healthy bread.
9. Parmeggiano Reggiano cheese for spectacular-ifying any dish or salad
8. Lemons for freshness, zing and acidity
7. My favourite fresh herbs (cilantro, basil, rosemary, etc...)
6. Fresh linguini or spaghetti pasta.
5. Proscuitto
4. Dijon Mustard
3. Skim Mozzarella cheese or Feta cheese
2. Spinach
1. Butter
Pantry top 10:
10. Soup stock
9. Fresh Garlic
8. Canned legumes like chick peas, black beans, white beans and red kidney beans.
7. A can of crushed tomatoes.
6. Olive oil
5. White or black balsamic vinegar
4. 70 or 80% dark chocolate
3. Brown rice
2. Black peppercorns
1. Kosher or sea salt
Must-have tools:
10. A slow cooker
9. A non-stick skillet with a heavy bottom to distribute heat. (Skinny warped pans should be fired immediately from your kitchen.)
8. A good large cutting board - one side for fruit, the other for veggies and garlic.
7. A separate plastic cutting board for any proteins.
6. Long Tongs
5. A deep soup pot
4. Magic Bullet
3. A great paring knife (thanks Anne Marie for my Global paring knife - I love it!)
2. Microplane
1. A good sharp chef's knife that feels like an extension of your own hand.
MUST have fridge items:
10. Whole grain super healthy bread.
9. Parmeggiano Reggiano cheese for spectacular-ifying any dish or salad
8. Lemons for freshness, zing and acidity
7. My favourite fresh herbs (cilantro, basil, rosemary, etc...)
6. Fresh linguini or spaghetti pasta.
5. Proscuitto
4. Dijon Mustard
3. Skim Mozzarella cheese or Feta cheese
2. Spinach
1. Butter
Pantry top 10:
10. Soup stock
9. Fresh Garlic
8. Canned legumes like chick peas, black beans, white beans and red kidney beans.
7. A can of crushed tomatoes.
6. Olive oil
5. White or black balsamic vinegar
4. 70 or 80% dark chocolate
3. Brown rice
2. Black peppercorns
1. Kosher or sea salt
Must-have tools:
10. A slow cooker
9. A non-stick skillet with a heavy bottom to distribute heat. (Skinny warped pans should be fired immediately from your kitchen.)
8. A good large cutting board - one side for fruit, the other for veggies and garlic.
7. A separate plastic cutting board for any proteins.
6. Long Tongs
5. A deep soup pot
4. Magic Bullet
3. A great paring knife (thanks Anne Marie for my Global paring knife - I love it!)
2. Microplane
1. A good sharp chef's knife that feels like an extension of your own hand.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)