Archive for ‘Savory’

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February 24, 2012

Doling Out a Dose of Summer with Pineapple

by Jen Wanous

It’s a bit premature to be anticipating warm and sunny skies, but taking a bite of pineapple can sure have you believing in the promise of summer. Below is a video on how to tackle the task of cutting up a pineapple, including how to tell when they are ripe. Go ahead, pick up that regal fruit, there is a lot of sunshine in each sweet bite.

Beef Teriyaki with Broccoli and Bell Pepper

This is a recipe from Vivian Sicherman, it is one of her family’s favorites. The meat is marinated and then broiled, imparting a nice charred flavor. Of course, if you have a barbeque, now would be a good time to use it. In light of my current focus on pineapple, I went ahead and added some of the sweet n’ tangy fruit to her recipe. More specifically, I pureed the tough and chewy center – which would normally be tossed and composted – to the marinade.

The enzyme in the core, bromelain, is a natural meat tenderizer. This quality is what makes it a great addition to a steak marinade, breaking down the chewiness of skirt steak. However, if eaten on it own and in great quantities, it will also start work it’s magic on the inside of your mouth. The lesson here, kids, is to take caution when idly gnawing on the woody center of your freshly cut pineapple! The powerful enzyme is concentrated in the core – so, though it might leave your hunger for protein-eviscerating enzymes sated, it will probably leave your mouth feeling like the bio-hazard bin outside of one of Dexter’s charming ‘workspaces.’ Simply put, having a technique for taking it out is key when preparing.

You can use the marinade on planks of extra firm tofu too for a vegetarian version. Serve with rice. Serves 3-4.

Ingredients

2 lbs skirt steak

1 lb broccoli, chopped

1 red bell pepper, sliced

½ cup pineapple, large dice

2 tablespoons olive oil

For the Marinade

Core of a pineapple, pureed

¼ cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons brown sugar

¾ teaspoon ground ginger

1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons white vinegar (apple cider or rice vinegar is fine)

3/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Combine all ingredients for the marinade in a small dish or large Ziploc bag. Add the steak, coat well. Marinade in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.

*If you don’t have a food processor to puree the pineapple core, you can combine all marinade ingredients in a blender.

2. Toss the broccoli, bell pepper, and pineapple with olive oil (or sesame oil if you have it), salt and pepper. Bake 30 minutes, flipping half way.

3. Turn your broiler on high (that part of your oven, on the bottom, that you hardly ever use). On a rimmed baking sheet, place the pieces of meat (retain extra marinade). Broil for 12-15 minutes, flipping half way, until you get some black charring.

4. Pour the extra marinade in a small saucepan. On high heat, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Cut meat, combine with vegetables, and pine apple, top with marinade reduction and serve with rice.

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February 5, 2012

Guacamame: A Favorite Dip Reinvented

by Jen Wanous

We all know and love our dear, dear friend: guacamole. Why would anyone mess with a classic like that? Here are two good reasons: 1) avocados are dang expensive and 2) guacamole oxidizes, turning brown quickly. Enter, Guacamame. I had the fine fortune of meeting Guacamame at the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco and was wowed by how closely this soybean-based dip resembled the real deal. I came home to Brooklyn determined to figure out how to make this to share with you all.

Mimicking the flavor profile of guacamole was pretty easy since soy, lacking a strong flavor of its own, is a blank slate for all the usual add-ins of guacamole: red onion, garlic, cilantro, salt, pepper, lime, tomato, jalapeño and a little cumin.

My challenge was clear: without using any avocado, how would I achieve the rich, green creaminess of guacamole?

To achieve the signature guac texture, I started with a foundation of thawed and shelled edamame (soy) beans. For the creamy element, I thought firm tofu would do the trick. I blended these together and added the distinctive acid of limejuice. I also added some olive oil to help with the richness and ensure a smooth texture.

With my food processor on high, I let that baby roll for a while, hoping to blend it to the max, for an ultra smooth, creamy consistency. What I ended up with was a stiff rendition that was pale green. The flavors were spot on, but the texture and color left more to figure out.

If firm tofu wasn’t working, maybe sour cream or a firm silken tofu would. I tried both. The sour cream batch, looked too wet and soupy, the one with firm silken tofu was much closer to what I was looking for, however, it still lacked a little creaminess. Why not add a dollop of sour cream? The base of well-blended edamame beans, firm silken tofu and a tablespoon of sour cream was the winning combo for the creamy consistency.

The last puzzle now, how to infuse the necessary green color into this concoction?  I first thought to add a drop of green food coloring but wanted to push beyond that easy way out. The other green elements that I had to work with were cilantro and jalapeño. I decided to add these two ingredients during the blending process, hoping that the pigment in the green herb and pepper would diffuse and lend a greener shade to my guac. Turns out, this easy solution added both green and an even stronger guac flavor. Bonus.

Now, with some frozen edamame on hand, a creamy, delicious dip, reminiscent of your favorite Mexican topping, is always close at hand. The pluses of guacamame: it’s about a quarter of the cost of traditional guacamole, you don’t have to wait until you have a perfectly ripe avocado and the – biggie – it lasts for a week or more, not that it will with how tasty it is.  

Guacamame

This dip mimics a beloved favorite. It can easily be doubled or tripled. Will last for at least a week.

Yields 2 cups

Ingredients

1 cup thawed edamame

¾ cup firm silken tofu (6oz)

1 tablespoon limejuice (half a lime)

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup cilantro

½ jalapeño

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon salt

ground black pepper to taste

hearty pinch of cumin

2 tablespoons tomato, small dice

2 tablespoons red onion, small dice

1 tablespoon sour cream

Procedure

1. In a food processor or blender, add edamame, tofu, limejuice, olive oil, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, salt, pepper and cumin. Blend on high for three minutes, scrapping sides half way.

2. In a small bowl add the blended mixture with the tomato and onion. Stir in sour cream.

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January 13, 2012

Tikka Masala: Bringing the Spice of Life

by Jen Wanous

There is a local DJ who is somewhat of a celebrity here in Brooklyn and she goes by the name DJ Tikka Masala. A few years back I signed up for her text message updates in order to get free admission to a party. Now I feel like we’re buddies because she texts me every Friday night without fail. It’s nice to have a “friend” in the know. Maybe one day we’ll actually meet.

In the meantime, it was no surprise when I got a hankering for the creamy, savory Indian dish of Tikka Masala. I had the major bases covered: meat, onion, garlic, ginger, rice. I ran to my local bodega to grab yogurt, canned tomato and cilantro.

What I didn’t have was the signature spice mixture of Garam Marsala. With some quick research, I realized that I could just make it myself with whole spices I had on hand and my coffee grinder. Exciting!

The mixture varies greatly from region to region. Here is the combo that I used:

Garam Marsala
1 cinnamon stick
5 cardamom pods
2 whole white peppercorns
8 whole black peppercorns
2 whole cloves
2 whole star anise
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon whole cumin*
1/2 teaspoon whole coriander*

* Try making this mix without the cumin and coriander and add a teaspoon to banana bread or sprinkle on top of vanilla ice cream. It lends a sophisticated flare.

A note on what separates spices from herbs:

Herbs are leaves from an aromatic plant.
Spices are aromatic (and often pungent) plant substances.

– seeds (like nutmeg)
– bark (like cinnamon)
– buds (like cloves or peppercorn)
– pods (like cardamom)
– stalks (like lemongrass)

Use your spices within one year. Store in a cool, dark place.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Despite what you might think about the origins of Tikka Masala, it is not actually a dish that has been passed down through countless generations originating in a remote village in India. The dish does not come from India at all, but from a kitchen in an Indian restaurant in London in the 1970’s. It since has become a favorite in India as well as internationally, not to mention the name of a hip DJ here in Brooklyn. The version of this dish is modified from a Cook’s Illustrated recipe I found. Since I’m lactose challenged, I used soymilk creamer and it worked great. You can serve with plain rice or rice pilaf.

Serves two. Cooking time aprox 1 hour.

Chicken Tikka

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground coriander

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes

½ cup plain yogurt

1 tablespoons oil

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, pressed

Masala Sauce

2 tablespoons oil

1 small onion, minced

1 carrot, small dice

salt

2 teaspoons Garam Marsala (see above)

1 clove garlic, pressed

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 14-oz can diced tomatoes

½ cup heavy cream (or soy cream alternative)

mince cilantro to garnish

Procedure

1. For the chicken: combine the salt, cumin, coriander, cayenne. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Press the spice mixture into the chicken. Refrigerate for 30 mins. Combine yogurt, oil, ginger and garlic in a bowl, set aside.

2. For the sauce: heat oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and a couple pinches of salt. Cook until soft, about 5 mins. Stir in the garam marsala, garlic and ginger and cook for about 30 secs. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 15 mins. Stir in the cream, simmer again, stirring often.

3. While the sauce is simmering, set the oven to broil. Line a cookie sheet with foil or wax paper. Dip the chicken pieces in the yogurt mixture and place on the lined cookie sheet. Throw away the left over yogurt. Broil the chicken pieces until they are 160° and well charred, about 15-20 mins. Flip after ten mins.

4. Let the chicken sit for 5 mins (to lock in its juices), then add to the sauce. Garnish with cilantro and add salt to taste. Serve with rice.

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December 29, 2011

My Grandma Clea on How-To Make Raviolis

by Jen Wanous

Ah, the holidays. It’s a time like none other to come together with relatives and chosen friend families alike. We risk our cozy comfort zones for the promise of the magic we find in connecting with others. There is so much hope (and quite a lot of pressure, too). There is the gift-giving, the long travel days, the money issues, the inevitable tensions and, of course, the self-medication (food, alcohol, shopping, TV-watching, Xanax, you name it). Congratulations, you have survived!

Through all of the stress that surrounds holidays, perfect moments peek out. So many times I’ve wished I had a camera in my hand to capture these moments: my niece growing from a toddler into a Justin Beber-obsessed girl, for instance, or my mom recounting stories of my family’s history. In 2004 I spent the last Christmas with my grandmother and happened to record one such moment. We made our traditional raviolis for Christmas Eve dinner. In the video, my grandmother explains how to make the pasta and (with some prying) the filling—as well as how not to dry out the “noodle dough.”

As the oldest of two in a first-generation Italian family in New York City, my Grandma Clea thrived, survived her many bumps in life’s road, and still managed to answer the phone with a cheery, “Good afternoon!” As a career seamstress and master chef she took homemaking to a professional level. After she moved to Florida, I visited her in the summer months and we spent time mapping out road trips, exploring new places, and visiting friends and family. If I was lucky, we would stop and get Reese’s peanut butter cup sundaes at Friendly’s. We packed lunches with plums and nectarines wrapped in paper towels. We made homemade ice cream with rock salt. And the special treat for breakfast was always French toast.

Multiple sclerosis slowly claimed her active life. I was so blessed to be with her the day she passed in the 84th year of her life. I miss the times when I would call her to ask how to make a meatloaf or other times just to hear about how she was feeling. My grandma Clea is my greatest culinary inspiration and her raviolis are perfection stuffed into a pocket of pasta, memories of which will always fill me.

My grandma Clea would always bring people together with her food and it’s her spirit of culinary adventure and culinary love that continues to inspire me on my path.

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November 30, 2011

Why Kale is Such a Super Food

by Jen Wanous

If you’ve been to my house for dinner, chances are that you have had my kale chips. They are like caramelized brussels sprouts–you feel like it’s too good to be good for you. For my final cooking demonstration in school, I deep fried kale in coconut oil. It was a brave move for a natural foods school, but it lent the perfect hight and crunch I was looking for.

With winter quickly ushering in, let’s be thankful for one of the season’s best bounties: kale. Rich in nutrients and available all winter, this is one staple you won’t want to leave behind.

Kale is part of the Brassica oleracea family and shares kinship with cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts and collard greens. (What a healthy family!) Now, we all know that leafy green things are good for you…but here is what makes kale so super fantastic: it’s rich in beta carotene, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin K, calcium and lutein. Kale also has a super food chemical called sulforaphane that gives it cancer fighting power. As if that weren’t enough, kale also has a chemical called indole-3-carbinol that boosts DNA repair in cells and blocks the growth of cancer cells. Pretty good stuff, I’d say!

When shopping for kale, there are a few different varieties at our local grocery stores. I personally like the lacinato (or Tuscan) and curly leaf kales. Look for the brightest, biggest and perkiest bunch you can find. It will usually keep in the fridge for a week or so. If it goes floppy on you, you can still use it (just don’t use if it turns yellow). When you prepare kale, always remove the stem. The stem has a bitter flavor and tough texture.

Below is a simple recipe for my kale chips. You can also add things like parmesan, smoked paprika, tamari, curry powder, garlic powder–go crazy with your kale! I have used kale in a couple other posts like tuscan kale soup and a bacon sandwich with kale. Enjoy.

Kale Chips

Ingredients:

5-8 stems of kale

2-3 teaspoons olive oil

generous sprinkling of salt and pepper

optional: add ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

Procedure:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°. Rinse kale and shake off excess water. Tear approximately 2” x 2” pieces of kale away from the stem. Arrange on a large, rimmed cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper (and smoked paprika, if using). Toss vigorously with your hands, making sure that each leaf has some oil.

2. Bake for 8 minutes then shuffle the leaves around and pop back in for 8-10 more minutes. They should be just slightly browned and perfectly crisp.

Eat alone or as a topping for any main course.

Here is a quote from my Aunt Arlette, who has a great raw kale recipe to share:

Hi Jen,
Read you Kale blurb.  Very informative, I like the info.  Wanted to tell you I’ve been into whole raw foods lately.  Kale makes a wonderful salad with fresh garlic, olive oil, fresh lime squeezed and whatever else I have in the frige to make a nice salad.  I remove all stalks and a friend told me to crunch it up with fingers to soften it, but I find by removing all stems, it is great as is.
Love reading your blogs.  You are a special person.  I love you.
 Auntie Arlette

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November 22, 2011

The Story of How I Recovered Ruby – plus a Turkey Day leftovers recipe

by Jen Wanous

There is nothing like pumpkin pie that gets you thinking about all the things you are grateful for.

This year, one thing I am thankful for is a stolen item being returned to me. You see, this past summer, my 1980’s red bike, Ruby, was stolen from her U-locked spot on a busy Brooklyn street. I was so bummed; my gem of a bike was gone. Walking was way overrated and slow. Since the theft happened two weeks before my birthday, I had a: “Get Jen a New Bike for Her Birthday” fundraiser. The outpouring of support from friends and family heartened me. With over a dozen supporters backing me, I found Dusty Rose my new pink rider, the exact same make and model as her darker hued predecessor, Ruby. With summer in full effect, I was back on two wheels, cycling through the city.

I would sometimes think of Ruby and wonder where she was. My eye would catch on red bikes, and I even perused Craig’s List thinking someday I would find her. Well, that day came when one night I was walking on Flatbush Ave., one block from where she was last parked. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her. She mustered out a wink from the grime-covered stars on her handlebars. I stopped dead in my tracks, hardly believing my eyes. Much more dirty and now with a thick link chain wrapped around her, there was no doubt about it, that was my Ruby!

Overjoyed, I thought through the options that were before me. I could either a) get the cops involved and get her back, b) stake out the location and confront the thief, or c) let it go, and avoid any potential drama. I posted these options on Facebook and had an overwhelming response for option A. With friends and family urging me along, I marched into the local precinct, proclaiming that I had recovered stolen property! The uniformed woman at the desk hardly looked up, scoffing in that beastly bureaucratic way, where you know the odds are against you. She didn’t want to hear about how the bell is the same silver one or see the picture of my dog in the basket. She said that I had to have a receipt with a serial number to prove ownership. Since that didn’t exist, I decided to take the law into my own hands.

With the best lock money can buy, I went over to Ruby and reclaimed her as mine, locking her frame to a pole. I left a note that read: “Hi-this is my bike that was stolen. I want to avoid getting the cops involved. Remove your lock if you want to save it.” Low and behold, the next day, I went back and the bulky chain of conquest had been removed. Ruby was mine again!

Reconciling loss is no easy task. Even with replacements, you still miss the original that your heart fell for. With a deep tenacity of spirit and the support of loved ones, it is possible to discover hope in new openings of opportunity. And when the rare opportunity presents itself to take back what is yours, you fight for it. I have learned many lessons about loss in my life and I am so thankful to have this experience of recovery as part of my story.

Pumpkin Curry with Turkey

Here is an answer for what to do with some of your leftover turkey. This Asian-inspired dish gives a spicy American nod to the festive season. You can use any left over vegetables to add in. You can also easily use baked tofu for a veggie alternative.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, diced

16 oz coconut milk

16 oz pumpkin puree

½ cup broth or water

2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 hearty pinch ground nutmeg

1 hearty pinch cayenne (could be more, up to you:)

ground pepper to taste

juice of one lemon

1 cup cooked, pulled turkey

1 cup kale (or other green vegetable)

cilantro for garnish

Procedure:

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until glassy, to really release the flavor. Add coconut milk, pumpkin, and broth until combine. Add seasonings: curry paste, salt, soy sauce, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne, pepper and lemon. Then add the turkey and kale. Bring to a boil, simmer for five minutes.

2. Serve with brown rice or soba noodles. Garnish with cilantro.

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November 14, 2011

A Birthday Brunch

by Jen Wanous

Scorpio season is in full effect! I spent the weekend celebrating these passionate and piercing people. Being the Gemini that I am, I accidentally double booked my Saturday night with two birthday dinners. Dang. As much as I have tried in my life, I actually can not be in two places at once. What’s a girl to do? Well, host a birthday brunch of course!

We feasted on both savory and sweet dishes. That morning, I found the most fragrant bunch of mint at the farmer’s market. Adding some slivers of the mint made for a special fruit salad with apples and persimmons.

~ Pumpkin Bread (gluten free)

~ Kale and Goat Cheese Frittata

~ Yam Home Fries with smoked paprika

~ Lemon and Thyme (star :) Biscuits

~ Apples and Persimmons with Mint

Jealous? Don’t be. Plan a brunch for your next special occasion. If you would like other brunch ideas or recipes, just ask, I’m happy to post them. A friend had requested a gluten-free, sugar-free pumpkin bread recipe. I took a try and it turned out soft and full of seasonal flavor. It stays moist in the fridge, thanks to the pumpkin puree. You can substitute gluten-full flour (2 1/2 cups ww flour) and real sugar if you would like. This recipe makes two small loafs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pumpkin Bread ~ Gluten Free

1 ½ cup brown rice flour

½ cup coconut flour

¼ cup tapioca flour

¼ cup ground flax meal

2 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

(or ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom)

 

¾ cup melted butter (unsalted)

1 cup maple crystals (or date sugar, or any dry sweetener)

¼ cup agave syrup

6 eggs

2 tablespoons molasses

1 ½ cup pumpkin puree

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

zest of one lemon

Procedure: 

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°. Grease a small loaf pan (7 x 4 x 3 inch).

2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flours, flax, baking powder, spices and salt.

3. In a large bowl, combine butter, sweeteners, eggs, molasses, pumpkin, vanilla and lemon zest.

4. Add the dry mixture to the wet. Stir until combine. Pour into the greased loaf pans. Bake on 350° for 35 minutes rotating the pan midway through baking. Let cool in the pan for 20 mins after baking. If you’re feeling pro-sugar, frost it! If not, make a pot of tea and enjoy!

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October 9, 2011

On a Chilly Morning: Granola

by Jen Wanous

A fellow friend from California just told me that she is in denial about winter coming. We walked out of a dinner party, it was brisk out, but she didn’t put on her sweater. She said that if she put it on then it would actually mean that the season is changing–and she wasn’t ready.

I hear you sister! Winters are scary for us West Coasters. This will be my fourth galosh-wearing winter on the East Coast. Though my jacket that resembles a sleeping bag does give me great me peace of mind, I’ll never quite adjust. My mom has never owned an umbrella. I saw snow fall for the first time when I was 22. On a San Diego Christmas morning, I’d be playing on the driveway with my new toys, no jacket required.

Like my post from last week reminded me, there is magic that happens when you’re outside of your comfort zone–and by golly, if winter doesn’t get you out of your incubated comfort zone, then I don’t know what would. The gift of magic that comes with that trade off is a big one. Serenity, glitter and introspection. I’ll have to keep these things in mind as I zip up. For now, I know we’re not quite there yet, with an entire fall to savor.

Here is a recipe to make when you get up in the morning and it’s chilly but you don’t want to turn on the heater yet because that would mean that the cold has really come. It uses olive oil as the base, which I find I always have on hand, and the health benefits are far better than other commercial oils. You can switch it up to use different sweeteners like agave or brown sugar. You can also switch up the additions, like pistachio and apricot or cashew and cranberry.

Olive Oil Granola With Walnuts and Raisins

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup raw walnuts

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom or nutmeg

1/2 cup dried raisins

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, combine oats, walnuts, maple syrup, honey, olive oil, salt, cinnamon and cardamom/nutmeg. Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes, until golden brown and well toasted.

2. Transfer granola to a large bowl and add raisins, tossing to combine.

Yield: About 6 cups.

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October 3, 2011

Where the Magic Happens

by Jen Wanous

It’s not everyday that you have the opportunity to meet a star. Friday night I went to the Food Network’s Food and Wine Festival in New York. I was there as a culinary volunteer for their annual “Burger Bash”. There, twenty of the city’s top restaurants were set up in stations and served bites of their burgers for a ‘best in show’ award. I was set up with a Brooklyn staple, Bark. I was working with a small crew flipping buns and cranking out burgers for 600 people an hour!

It is in the places where we push ourselves outside of what is comfortable that really special things happen. I barely motivated to ride my bike down to the event on that dreery Friday night. It would have been a whole lot easier to stay home with my puppy and watch Project Runway–but I rallied and tried something new–and look–magic happened–I met Whoopi!

The challenge then is to be open to the opportunities around you; say yes a little more and have radical trust that the universe will take care of you (usually with magical things).

Here is a quote that a friend recently shared with me. It was a good reminder for me and I hope it is for you too. Of course, “God” can be replaced with whatever serves you.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

I have included a recipe for a warming soup to fill you and ground you through this change of season. As always, be gentle with yourself too. Enjoy.

Tuscan White Bean and Kale Soup

Serves: 6 – 1 cup servings

Preparation Time: 8 hours  Cook Time: 1 hour 

Ingredients:

1 cup dried white beans, (Great Northern or Cannellini)*Soak for at least 8 hours

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

2 onions, small dice (1½ cup)

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 sprig rosemary, minced (1 teaspoon) or 1 heaping teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning

5 cups chicken or vegetable stock

3 carrots, small dice (1 pound)

2 stalks of celery, small dice (½ pound)

1 pound kale, remove the stems, coarsely chop

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Parmesan, grated to taste (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1.  In a medium pot, cover the beans with water and soak over night, or at least eight hours.  Drain and rinse the beans then return to the pot.  Cover with two inches of water, add salt and bring to a boil.  Turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

2.  While the beans are cooking, in a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onions and some salt stirring until the onions look glassy.  Add the garlic and rosemary, cook for 3-5 minutes more, being careful not to brown the garlic.

3.  Add in the stock, carrots and celery.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add in the beans.  Cook for 20 more minutes.  The beans should be tender.  In the last 10 minutes, add kale.

4. Top with fresh parsley and parmesan and serve with warm crusty bread.

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August 28, 2011

I Left My Heart in San Diego

by Jen Wanous

Safely nestled in Annie’s apartment, I waited out the monstrously destructive Hurricane Irene (note: read sarcastically) by enjoying Dark and Stormies made with fresh ginger beer. From this day forward I will come to regard all natural disasters as an opportune time to consume drinks that are closely associated with some environmental catastrophe. Mud Slide, anyone?

I almost didn’t make it home for hurricane cocktail hour as I am freshly back from a trip to visit my family in Southern California. With my shiny new “Chef” title, I thought that I would be asked to whip up meals for my near and dear but turns out; I hardly picked up a knife. Instead, I was still just “Jeni” to everyone back home and was thusly served lovely home cooked meals for much of my visit.

Living 3,000 miles away from my California heart is hard. People are going through hard and momentous times alike, babies are turning into kids and kids are turning into teens. I left feeling a longing, like I didn’t do quite enough catching up with friends and family. The days flew by and I savored all that I could, mostly through meals. There were BBQs, dinners, my mom’s pancakes and, of course, Peppertree, my high school stomping ground for the best chocolate peanut butter shake ever.

My life is very different from the lives of my friends who sling kids from their hips, juggle careers and manage a mortgage. One friend asked me about my Food Network audition, her eyes big and full of curiosity. After I told my tale, I asked about her due date and how she will balance having two children. Who can say what path is better? We each have our own unique life to live. Ideally we should all be able to commit ourselves to following our passions along the way, in both little and in big ways. As I write, I am reminding myself of this.

So many of us are away from loved ones. We communicate in our individual, meaningful ways, whether through thoughts or prayers, phone or Facebook. We all are connected to a broad network of people who care for us. I am so thankful to be a part of my particular network. I trust that the many ways we stay connected will fill each of us with the hope and courage it takes to follow our hearts in this world full of obstacles.

Fig, Arugala and Goat Cheese Salad with Balsamic Reduction Vinaigrette

Here is an easy end of summer salad for your next BBQ or family affair. My mom and I hosted a BBQ on the beach and I made a version of this salad. This is a Trader Joe’s friendly dish.

Ingredients:

1 bag washed arugala

6 oz goat cheese, crumbled

1 pint fresh figs, quartered

1 bag of salty and sweet pecans

Dressing:

½ cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar (or maple syrup)

½ cup good olive oil

Generous Salt

Fresh ground pepper

Procedure:

To make the dressing, combine the balsamic and sugar in a small saucepan. Simmer over low for 15 mins, or longer, until the consistency is like thick syrup. Pour this mixture into a bowl, then with a whisk and a slow drizzle, add in the olive oil. Whip vigorously. Add S&P. Toss with all other ingredients.

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