{Eating}

Curds & Whey

2.8.10
photo by george billard

Not sure about the whey, but this little Miss Muffett definitely enjoys eating freshly made curds. And so will you, when you make your own paneer. It’s quite similar to making ricotta, if you’ve ever done that; even easier, really. Paneer is the soft white cheese you’ll find in creamy little cubes in your saag paneer, that Indian cousin of creamed spinach. Having done a bit of research and now made it at home, I understand that saag is actually any dish of spiced, stewed greens with a bit of yoghurt and cream or buttermilk stirred in. It’s traditionally made with mustard greens or spinach but you can really use any combination of greens you want, including chard, kale and collards. If you don’t want to make your own paneer (basically boiling milk, adding vinegar or lemon juice, and letting the whey drain away from the separated curds, as above), you can stir in cubes of firm tofu, chunks of fried potato, or even cooked chickpeas to your saag. I prefer to leave the greens on the toothier side, so the dish is a bit less like baby food, but you make it however you like. You can also enrich it with some cream, although I like the tangy taste of the buttermilk and yoghurt, and they have fewer calories. I imagine you could play around with soy or hemp milk, too.


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{Eating, Health}

Agent Orange

2.7.10

photo by george billard

Here I am, still carrying on about citrus. Have you bought any of those gorgeous Cara Cara oranges yet? These juicy, low-acid, virtually seedless navels are an excellent source of Vitamins C and A, fiber, potassium, and Lycopene, a disease-fighting antioxidant. Plus their bright coral flesh is super-sweet and delicious. They’re wonderful just peeled and eaten plain, or sliced with fennel for a simple salad, or squeezed for juice. But last night I used them to make a special treat: ice cream! I found a great recipe that Sheila Lukins (R.I.P.) managed to weasel out of Bill Gross, the former executive sous chef from Café Gray, Gray Kunz’s now sadly defunct dining palace in the Time-Warner building. (I’ve been a huge fan of Kunz’s since his glory days at Lespinasse in the St. Regis.) I really enjoyed making this ice cream. There are a couple of extra steps essential to its rich, complex taste, but the resulting adult creamsicle extravaganza (shades of Orange Julius if you grew up in California) is so worth it. Read the rest of this entry »

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{Eating}

Stick to Your Ribs

2.5.10
photo by george billard

G went hog wild in Dickson’s this week. Came home with some grass-fed beef stew meat, these two humongous short ribs (the butcher said they would be better if he didn’t cut them—why?), a couple of squabs, a red cockerel and a Boston butt. Most of it went into the freezer, to be doled out over many weeks, but the short ribs will be featured at dinner tomorrow night. We’ve got a couple of friends coming over. That’s exciting stuff up here in the boonies. I’m trying a new preparation with red miso, mirin and daikon radish. I’ll let you know how it turns out. Usually, I favor a more classic presentation, the one from Suzanne Goin’s Sunday Suppers at Lucques. (Yes, I’m droning on about her again.) I first had these at her Los Angeles restaurant on my 40th birthday. If you’ve never made short ribs, I suggest you start here. They are really quite simple: just a matter of assembling the ingredients, browning the meat and throwing it in the oven for 3 hours. Plan ahead, as these are at their best when you marinate them overnight, cook them, and then let them chill overnight again so you can easily remove all that fat from the pan juices. Trust me, it’s worth a little forethought. So if you want to serve them on Saturday, begin the recipe on Thursday. (It’s all part of my master plan to get you to start thinking about your meals in advance, planning, scheming, daydreaming, balancing your diet and getting into a rhythm of eating well…)

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Condimental: Whip It

2.4.10
mayophoto by george billard

Yet another reason why I want you to own a mortar and pestle: It’s so much fun to make your own garlicky mayonnaise. (Mayo-naze! Remember Lou Gossett Jr. hollering at Richard Gere in An Officer and a Gentleman?!) The one above is flecked with saffron, but you can have fun creating exactly the flavors you like—lemony, salty, herbal, garlicky… Hellmann’s certainly has its place (picnic potato salad, a BLT) but there’s nothing like the wonderful, satiny texture and rich taste of real homemade. What to do with it once you’ve got a cup of the glorious stuff? Make it the dipping sauce for a beautiful platter of fresh and lightly blanched seasonal vegetables. Stir it into boiled or roasted and chopped new potatoes. Dip your steamed artichoke leaves into it. Add chopped pickles, capers, parsley and a pinch of cayenne for a delicious adult tartar sauce. Pound some watercress or basil with it to make a green mayonnaise, great with cold roasted chicken or fish. Add mustard or horseradish and some pan juices and serve with a roast beef. Stir in some anchovy paste and serve with cold roast veal. Add half a teaspoon of ground cumin and slather on your lamb burger. Beginning to get the idea? You don’t really need a mortar and pestle to make this; it’s great for pounding the garlic, but not everyone wants their mayonnaise garlicky, and a bowl and whisk or fork will also work.


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{Eating, Health}

Ruminating (Goat vs Cow)

2.3.10
goatcheesephoto by george billard

One of the many nice things I’ve discovered in moving up to the country is that I can do a bit more ruminating. Not in the most literal sense, of course. I’ve only got one stomach (although sometimes it may look like two). And unlike cattle, goats, sheep, giraffes, bison, yaks, water buffalo, deer, camels, alpacas, llamas, wildebeest and antelope (I love lists), I am not required to chew my cud. But I do find that I now have time to tromp up an abandoned fire road in the rose-colored dusk, side-stepping slick patches of ice; or stare into the fire mesmerized as I absently stroke the cat’s underfluff; or lie on the couch in a rare pool of afternoon sunshine, daydreaming of shallot-beef broth with cheese dumplings or buckwheat crepes or lemon soufflé (all three coming soon, I promise). And during those moments, I can turn a few thoughts over in my mind. Like common pebbles in a tumbler, they start to lose their rough edges, give off a greater luster. Maybe. Anyway, one of the things I’ve lately been runimating on, if you will, is my estrangement from cow’s milk. Read the rest of this entry »

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