Tag Archives: summer

May 10, 2013 · 8:12 pm

Indian-Spiced Roasted Cauliflower

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It’s just a typical afternoon.  5:00, and thinking about dinner.  It begins with an innocent little peek into the fridge.  I have all the ingredients for that Indian dish I like to make.  Great, let’s have that over rice.  Simple. Hmmm, rice is great, but it would be even better with that spiced rice I like to make.  Oh, I know, I know! I could make that dal recipe the mister likes so much.  I haven’t had naan in forever!  Let’s search in all my cookbooks to find a good recipe.  Darn it, I need yogurt for that.  I must have yogurt.  Now.  Wonder if it will work with soy yogurt.  Can you go to the store, dear?  The kitchen transforms from immaculate–who am I kidding– the kitchen transforms from relatively clean to spinning in chaotic fury within 30 minutes.  Two and a half hours later, dinner is served.

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I don’t know about you, but when I think Indian food, I know I’ve got my work cut out for me.  I expect to be chopping vegetables, toasting spices, making special pastes, and frying potatoes or cauliflower.  It’s usually worth the effort, but always takes way longer than anticipated.  Indian food is one of those cuisines that I crave on a regular basis.  Maybe it’s the collection of Madhur Jaffrey cookbooks on my bookshelf, or the lack of a go-to Indian place in our neighborhood, but “restaurant” usually isn’t on my radar.

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There could be a way to satisfy those Indian food hankerings without spending hours in the kitchen.  Whaaat?!?  Roasting is the tired cook’s secret weapon for busy weeknights or otherwise un-motivated evenings.  Add oil, some spices and shallots, put it in the oven, then fuhgettabowdit for a while.  The shallots will sweeten without a long saute, and take on a roasty, toasted spice flavor just by using the heat of the oven. This ain’t traditional, but it works. Just sayin’.

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You can eat it simply, over a bowl of basmati rice with a dollop of yogurt or raita, or…use it as a garnish for the curried coconut tomato soup (next post!).  And…I imagine some freshly baked garlic naan would go perfectly with the mix.  But…this is meant to be a simple meal…so don’t get carried away, now!

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Indian-Spiced Roasted Cauliflower

Serves 3-4 as a side dish, or 2-3 as a main dish

  • 1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 large shallot, very thinly sliced
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
  • 2 teaspoons tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Preheat the oven to 425˚F.  Whisk the olive oil, turmeric, garam masala, cayenne, mustard seeds, tomato paste, sugar, and salt together in the bottom of a large bowl.  Toss the cauliflower and shallot with the spice mixture until thoroughly coated.    Roast the cauliflower in the oven for 25 minutes, or until soft and golden brown in places.  Add the cilantro, squeeze the lemon to taste over top of the roasted cauliflower.  Toss to combine, and serve while hot.

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October 31, 2012 · 7:37 pm

Fragrant Dried Herb Salts

I’m forever trying to preserve the best of what the garden offers. and can’t bear to see my frost-bitten little babes giving me sad eyes from the compost pile.  At this very moment, jars of charred tomato and habañero salsa are boiling away in the canning pot. It’s enough to drive a girl crazy trying to figure out how to preserve 30 pounds of tomatoes that all decided (“okay, go!”) that it would be a good idea to ripen all at the same time.  I just keep telling myself that future me will thank present me.  Or maybe future me will be running around like a chicken with her head cut off too.  She’ll be convinced that future-future her will be able to relax due to all the forethought and industriousness.  I just love-hate food preservation!

At this point, in the frost-bitten apocalypse that was once my flourishing garden, only a few survivors remain.  The root vegetables, the leafy greens, and the cold tolerant herbs.  Normally, I use up as many of the herbs as I can for cooking, and make a feeble attempt at drying or freezing the rest, never completely happy with the results.  On a recent Splendid Table podcast, Sally Schneider (my favorite improvisation-friendly cookbook author) described the process for making dried herb salts.

Keep in mind that at the time I decided it was a good idea to harvest massive amounts of herbs to make my own dried herb salts, all surfaces of my kitchen and dining room were covered.  Baskets…and bowls…and sheet pans of green tomatoes were taking over the house, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes-style.  I am happy to report, that even in the midst of the green-tomato maze, bunches of herbs, and photography equipment, the process for actually making the herbs was quick and simple.

No fancy equipment required–just a good knife, a cutting board, and a little time–and I literally mean little.  Whether you use the hand chopping method or the food processor method, you’ll have fragrant herb salt ready to dry within 20 minutes.  This recipe is of my favorite type–the kind that teaches a skill that can be improvised upon, and used over and over again.

My herbs dried in a couple days, spread on parchment paper over baking sheets.  I experimented with different combinations of parsley, sage, thyme, and dill… the herbs I had growing in my garden.  Once dry, the herbs retained more of their color and fragrance than most of the herb mixtures I have bought.

If you can get your hands on some herbs, I can assure you that future you will be singing praises to present you (or would it be past you?) for your efforts as he or she sprinkles some fragrant sage salt on a fried egg sandwich, or pulls a beautiful herb-roasted chicken out of the oven.  The possibilities are endless!

 Fragrant Dried Herb Salts

Adapted from Sally Schneider and the Splendid Table

This recipe can be adapted to incorporate any herbs you may have on hand.  You can find the combinations I tried, plus a few extra ideas below.  The hand chopping method is quick, but if you prefer, the food processor method also yields a good-textured herb salt.  If incorporating shallot, use the hand chopping method only, as the food processor will cause the shallot to release too much liquid.  

Ingredients:

  • Scant 1/2 cup kosher salt
  • 2 cups loosely packed fresh herb leaves, such as thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley, etc…
  • 4-5 garlic cloves, peeled (optional)
  • zest from 2 lemons (optional)
  • 1 shallot, peeled and minced (optional)

Hand Chopped Method:

1. Cut the garlic cloves in half lengthwise, and remove the sprout, if there is one.  Mound the garlic on top of the salt on a cutting board.  Chop the garlic into the salt until the garlic is minced.  Mound the herbs on the cutting board and coarsely chop.  Add the herbs (and shallot and zest, if using) to the salt, and chop until it reaches the texture of very coarse sand.

2. Spread the herb salt in a thin layer on parchment paper covered baking sheets.  Set out in a well ventilated area (such as near an open window or underneath a ceiling fan) for 2-3 days, until dry.

3. Store in clean, dry jars.

Food Processor Method:

1. Cut the garlic cloves in half lengthwise, and remove the sprout, if there is one.

2. Put the garlic and 2 tablespoons of the salt into the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse until the garlic is chopped medium-coarse.  Add the herbs, and pulse until the mixture has the texture of very coarse sand.

3. Transfer to a parchment paper covered baking sheet and toss with the remaining salt.

4. Set out in a well ventilated area (such as near an open window or underneath a ceiling fan) for 2-3 days, until dry.

5. Store in clean, dry jars.

Herb Combinations:

The possibilities are endless, but here are some ideas to get you started!

  • Tuscan herb salt:  Rosemary + Sage
  • Herbes de Provence salt:  thyme, savory, rosemary, marjoram, lavender and tarragon
  • Egg salad mix:  dill + minced shallot + chive + lemon zest

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September 24, 2012 · 7:44 pm

Quick Bite: Pan con Tomate

You know those days where you forget to set your alarm clock, and when you get out of bed and hour late, your hair is sleep-sculpted into a style reminiscent to Flock of Seagulls?  Then, you can’t find your keys, and when you finally do, you’re running out the door wearing only one earring and stuffing a piece of raw toast (aka: bread) into your mouth?  Well, due to some fun reasons (Amsterdam, anyone?), and some frazzling reasons, this has been a month where I’ve felt like the treadmill is one speed too fast.  So, I’m happy to be back here, cooking and writing in one of my favorite places, with some of my favorite people (you!).

In order to get back into the swing of things, I wanted to share a quick bite with you. The Mister and I first discovered pan con tomate on our trip to Spain last year.  Our bus, from Madrid to Granada, had taken a pitstop in the countryside.  The service station there housed a long, diner-like counter.  The man behind the counter brewed espresso, and fixed quick bites for the travelers to eat.  I watched a girl, sitting at one of the rickety tables in the seating area, pour what looked like fresh crushed tomatoes from a syrup pitcher onto a piece of toasted crusty bread.  She drizzled olive oil over top and sprinkled it with salt.  I jabbed the Mister.  I want that.  That’s what I want!  We saw “Pan con Tomate” written in chalk on the menu board and ordered.

The Mister and I doctored up our bread like we saw the locals do, and crunched into our first bites. I couldn’t believe how simultaneously sweet, tangy and earthy the combination of the tomatoes were when drizzled with good olive oil.  In Spain, pan con tomate is served for breakfast, lunch and as an afternoon snack to hold you over until dinnertime, which is usually quite late by American standards.  Pan con tomate soon became my breakfast of choice.

Now’s the time of year when the tomatoes on my 16 massive plants are ready to harvest.  When I harvested a “Mortgage Lifter” tomato last week that weighed in at a pound, its destiny was already chosen.  I may be running around like the pigeon lady muttering to-do lists, with two unmatched socks, but at least I can rest assured that when I come home, during these early-autumn harvest days, simple soul-satisfying food is just steps away.

 Pan Con Tomate:

Makes 2 main course servings, or 4 side/snack size servings

  • 1 crusty baguette, halved lengthwise
  • 1 large, ripe beefsteak type tomato (about 1 pound), halved
  • good quality olive oil, for drizzling
  • sea salt or kosher salt to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and halved

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Slice the tomato in half, and grate with the large holes of a box grater, discarding most of the skin.

Cut the baguette halves into serving-size pieces (2 or 3 pieces each half).  Bake the baguette slices in the oven for 4-6 minutes until lightly toasted.  Rub the cloves of garlic on the bread.  Drizzle olive oil onto the bread, then spoon the grated tomato onto the bread.  Drizzle with more olive oil, sprinkle generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

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August 13, 2012 · 2:35 pm

Fresh Summer Tomato Pasta with Lemon, Garlic and Capers

Do you know Lynn Rosetto Casper?  I do, or at least I feel like I do.  The Mister and I have made a tradition of listening to Splendid Table podcasts on road trips.  We listen to her interviews with various chefs and random food experts, and daydream about the recipes she describes.  She’s the kind of lady I’d like to invite over for a summer barbeque, or to help make my Thanksgiving turkey.  I’d like to star her as a favorite on my phone, just to have a quick chat about recipe ideas when I can’t think of what to make for dinner.  This is why, not surprisingly, my favorite portion of the show is the call-in segment.  In one memorable episode, a listener called in asking Lynn for ideas of easy, make-ahead fresh Italian dishes to serve at a summer party. Lynn went on to describe various cold appetizers and a glorious fresh tomato pasta which inspired this recipe for one of my summertime go-to dishes.

Lynn is one of those teach-a-man-to-fish types of teachers, as every time I listen to the show, I come away with not only a recipe, but with new techniques to take back to my kitchen.  I had an enlightening moment when I heard her describe the process for the tomato pasta.  The idea is to create a light, fresh sauce out of the juice released from the tomatoes, melded with the onion, garlic, and other raw ingredients.

You’ll start by covering a chopped onion and a good amount of minced garlic with lemon juice and salt.  The key here is to wait ten minutes or so before adding the other ingredients.  It sounds simple, but this is the absolutely necessary magic step.  Lemon juice coaxes the onion and garlic to mellow, losing their otherwise harsh bite.  Then, you’ll add the tomatoes, capers, parsley and pepper, allowing the tomatoes to marinate and release their juices.  If your timing is right, you can start a pot of water to boil for the pasta while you mellow the garlic and onion, and throw in the pasta to cook while you marinate the tomatoes.  By the time the pasta is cooked, you’ll be able to drain it and toss it into your other ingredients, allowing the hot pasta to further encourage the tomatoes to release their juices.  A good drizzling of olive oil and some generous grindings of black pepper, and you will have yourself a meal that can be prepared in almost no time after work, or served as one of those beautiful dinner party dishes that tastes so good that nobody will know how easily it came together.

This recipe has turned into one of my summertime “gems”.  Do you have any summertime “gems” of your own?  If so, do share your favorites in the comments section!

Fresh Summer Tomato Pasta with Lemon, Garlic, and Capers

Inspired by the Splendid Table

Serves 6

A pasta for when you’d rather be sitting out on the patio with a light dinner and a glass of white wine than spending hours in the hot kitchen.  It can be eaten warm, cold, or my favorite, somewhere in-between.  August and September are prime tomato time, so be sure to use the sweetest and ripest tomatoes you can find.  If you start your water to boil right before you start prepping your ingredients, this recipe will come together in about the time it takes to finish cooking the pasta.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 6 medium lemons)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 pounds ripe tomatoes (about 5 medium), chopped
  • 1/2 cup (packed)  chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 jar (2 ounces) capers, drained
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound dried pasta, such as penne

Set a large pot of water on the stove to boil for the pasta.   Juice the lemons into a large bowl.  Chop the onion and mince the garlic, and place them in the bowl with the lemon juice.  Add the salt and stir to combine.  Allow the onions and garlic to sit for 10 minutes while you chop the remaining ingredients.

When the water has come to a boil, add 2 tablespoons kosher salt, and cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions.  Drain and set aside (do not rinse).

Chop the tomatoes and parsley, and add to the bowl with the onion and garlic.  Add the capers and pepper, stirring to combine.  Add the hot cooked pasta to the bowl, and stir to combine.  Drizzle the olive oil over the pasta, and toss to coat.  Add more salt and pepper to taste if desired.  May be served warm, room temperature, or cold (if serving chilled, remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before eating).

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July 6, 2012 · 3:15 pm

Veggie Crunch Wraps with Black Bean Hummus

First of all, thank you for all of the thoughtful and uplifting responses to my last post!  I was afraid to put it out there, but was comforted to be met by such an open-armed audience.  Now, without further ado, back to the food!

It’s time to get personal.  Today, I’d like to talk about a subject that often gets lost in the shuffle of everyday work, errands, chores, and even fun.  Let’s talk about lunch, ba-by.  Let’s talk about you and me, let’s talk about all the good things and the bad things that may be…and so on and so forth.  What do you eat for lunch?  If your lunch had a name, what would it be?  Ethel?  Or Lo-la???  Frank?  Or Fran-ci-sco?  Does your lunch say “meh,” or is it more like ooh la la?

I think all our lives could stand to have a little more ooh la la in them, so why not start with the forgotten land of lunch?  My kayaking trip got me thinking about lunches.  Each day, our chef and camp moms packed all of us “campers” a wrap, sandwich or pita each day, always with some sort of inventive spread.  One day, we had tortilla wraps with crunchy vegetables with red pepper-bean spread.  Another day, it was baba ghanoush with grilled vegetables.  Simple, but healthy and interesting–a nice change from the usual “leftover” lunches, repeats from the previous night’s dinner.

Here is my version of a smooth and crunchy little lunch wrap inspired by a creation by the chef on my kayaking trip.  In my opinion, every good wrap starts with a good spread.  I began mine with spiced black bean and chickpea hummus.  It really goes without saying that really any kind of fresh vegetables will do here.  I used carrot, kohlrabi, and purple cabbage, tossed in a splash of lemon juice and a pinch of salt, to wake up the flavors.  Last, I tucked in some roasted red pepper and avocado slices to add a smooth contrast in texture and wrapped it all up in a soft whole wheat tortilla.

Ironically, the mister and I noshed on these wraps for dinner, which I then saved for lunch the next day.   Go figure!

Veggie Crunch Wraps with Black Bean Hummus

Serves 4-6

These wraps are perfect for when the blazing summer heat makes cranking up the oven unthinkable–they’re cool and crunchy, perfect for a day by the pool or a low-key dinner.  The black bean hummus also makes a great appetizer or snack served with veggies or pita.  

For the wraps:

  • 4 cups julienned or thinly sliced vegetables, such as carrots, kohlrabi, cabbage, or bell pepper
  • 2 avocados, pitted and sliced
  • 1 roasted red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, to taste
  • salt to taste
  • black bean hummus (see recipe below)
  • large whole wheat tortillas or pita pockets

Combine the julienned vegetables in a medium bowl.  Add lime juice and salt to taste, and toss until coated.  Spread each tortilla with black bean hummus, and layer with julienned vegetables, avocado slices, and roasted red peppers.  Fold the side ends of the tortillas over the filling, and roll it up, burrito-style.

For the Hummus:

  • 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons chile powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
  • 1/4 cup tahini

Using a food processor, pulse together the chickpeas, black beans, garlic, water, olive oil, lemon juice, chile powder, cumin and kosher salt until blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed.  Add the tahini, and blend for an additional 2 minutes until very smooth.  Taste, and add salt to taste if needed.

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