Around 5:15 I was getting ready to leave work when I received a text from Jacob. "Dinner??" it said.
Not really wanting to spend money eating in a restaurant, I texted back, "Sure. My house, 6:30."
I was peeling potatoes and talking to my brother on the phone when Jacob arrived at 6:30 on the dot with a 6-pack of 2-Below New Belgium. Honestly, as far as dinner went, I wasn't totally sure what I was doing. I knew I wanted to involve the potatoes and also clean out my vegetable bin, but I had no idea what the end result would be.
I started with 4 Russet potatoes that were getting ready to start sprouting in my pantry. I peeled and diced them and plunked them in a pot with salted water. In went onions, orange bell peppers, half of a sweet potato, a few cloves of garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika. I sipped a beer with Jacob as the vegetables cooked to the point of softness, and then I went in with my favorite tool: a stick blender. I swirled the blender around the pot until my vegetables were transformed into a velvety puree. I stirred in a few tablespoons of half-and-half, a little fresh flat-leaf parsley and some pepper and before I knew it I had a delicious, vegetable-based soup. I served it with a garnish of more parsley, a sprinkle of paprika, and warm flatbread, that I rolled some red onions into.
After dinner we watched The Office and a few funny YouTube videos. Jacob, who does not have cable, is watching Burn Notice on my television as I write this. Having zero interest in the show, I could think of no better use of my time than to blog about a nice evening of impromptu, colorful cooking. Here's my recipe:
Veggie Bin Soup
4 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
3 cloves garlic, whole
1/2 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
2 orange bell peppers, cut int 1" pieces
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 small bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped--a bit set aside for garnish
1/4 cup half-and-half
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp paprika + more for garnish
salt and pepper to taste
Cook the potatoes, garlic, peppers, sweet potato and onion covered with 3 cups of liberally salted water for about 20 minutes. Blend with stick blender (or remove from pot and blend in a food processor or blender) until smooth. To finish, stir in the half-and-half and Parmesan and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Ladle into bowls and sprinkle the top with a dash of paprika, a leaf or two of parsley, and more cracked pepper.
Love,
Gabi
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
apples and oranges
The other day an old friend called me from Texas to ask my advice about a romantic situation she is in. My opinion of the relationship she was referring to happens to be that it should end. The parties involved are simply wrong for each other. It's not a matter of one of them being "good" and the other being "bad," but rather that their respective needs and wants just don't work very well together. In an attempt to gently explain myself, I used oranges an an analogy: I explained to my friend that if she were having people over for brunch and she wanted to squeeze fresh orange juice, but the only citruses at the store were limes and lemons, she wouldn't buy them anyway just because they were available and then try to make them work. No. She would either go to another store where she might be able to find the fruit she wanted--or she would opt for no orange juice at all. She sighed and said, "Thanks for the cooking analogy, Gab."
After we hung up, it occurred to me that, though the essence of the advice I gave was relevant to her situation, it isn't necessarily true in cooking. There are so many opportunities to get creative with food and so few circumstances where the absence of a called-for ingredient actually ruins a recipe--it just ends up different. In fact, if I were throwing the aforementioned brunch and ran into the same citrus dilemma, I probably would buy the lemons and limes and also some seltzer and superfine sugar and make a tasty limeade sparkler. *Note: that is not to say that I would do the same on the romantic end. The situations are like apples and oranges. Ha.
But getting back to my point...
As a child I was obsessed with rules. I was terrified of getting into trouble at school and was something of a tattle-tale on my misbehaving peers. The only arena in which I delighted in taking risks and straying from the defined was in the kitchen. And that may still be my favorite part of cooking today.
Take for example, the dinner I had last night. Since my Salvadorean breakfast adventure with Andrew on Sunday I have been wanting to try making pupusas, the thick little stuffed tortillas served in Central and South America. They are traditionally made with a dough made from masa harina (a very finely ground corn flour) and water and filled with beans, vegetables, cheese and/or meat. Well, I didn't have any masa harina, nor did I feel like scouring the streets of San Francisco to find some (OK, I live in the Mission so it wouldn't be hard, but still...). I did have some leftover pizza dough though. And some cheese. And some black beans and vegetables and an avocado. And you know what? While my creation did not taste exactly like a traditional pupusa, it did taste good. And it was fun to make and satisfying and something I would make again. Here's how to do it:
Pizza Dough Pupusas
1/2 recipe pizza dough
1 cup cooked black beans
1/2 cup shredded cheese (jack, cheddar, or queso quesadilla)
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup fresh baby spinach, cleaned and dried
1/4 cup uncooked white corn
1 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Meanwhile, combine beans, cheese, cilantro, onion, corn, chili powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. Toss lightly to combine and set aside.
On a floured surface, divide the dough into 6 circles. Roll out into 6" circles. To make pupusas, put about 1/2 cup filling in the middle of a dough circle and top with another circle. Fold the edges to seal and then gently roll both circles together with the filling inside using a rolling pin until it become one thick disk.
Cook pupusas in the pan for 2-3 minutes on each side (turning down the heat if necessary). Cut into wedges like a quesadilla and serve with sliced avocado and hot sauce.
Love,
Gabi
After we hung up, it occurred to me that, though the essence of the advice I gave was relevant to her situation, it isn't necessarily true in cooking. There are so many opportunities to get creative with food and so few circumstances where the absence of a called-for ingredient actually ruins a recipe--it just ends up different. In fact, if I were throwing the aforementioned brunch and ran into the same citrus dilemma, I probably would buy the lemons and limes and also some seltzer and superfine sugar and make a tasty limeade sparkler. *Note: that is not to say that I would do the same on the romantic end. The situations are like apples and oranges. Ha.
But getting back to my point...
As a child I was obsessed with rules. I was terrified of getting into trouble at school and was something of a tattle-tale on my misbehaving peers. The only arena in which I delighted in taking risks and straying from the defined was in the kitchen. And that may still be my favorite part of cooking today.
Take for example, the dinner I had last night. Since my Salvadorean breakfast adventure with Andrew on Sunday I have been wanting to try making pupusas, the thick little stuffed tortillas served in Central and South America. They are traditionally made with a dough made from masa harina (a very finely ground corn flour) and water and filled with beans, vegetables, cheese and/or meat. Well, I didn't have any masa harina, nor did I feel like scouring the streets of San Francisco to find some (OK, I live in the Mission so it wouldn't be hard, but still...). I did have some leftover pizza dough though. And some cheese. And some black beans and vegetables and an avocado. And you know what? While my creation did not taste exactly like a traditional pupusa, it did taste good. And it was fun to make and satisfying and something I would make again. Here's how to do it:
Pizza Dough Pupusas
1/2 recipe pizza dough
1 cup cooked black beans
1/2 cup shredded cheese (jack, cheddar, or queso quesadilla)
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup fresh baby spinach, cleaned and dried
1/4 cup uncooked white corn
1 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Meanwhile, combine beans, cheese, cilantro, onion, corn, chili powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. Toss lightly to combine and set aside.
On a floured surface, divide the dough into 6 circles. Roll out into 6" circles. To make pupusas, put about 1/2 cup filling in the middle of a dough circle and top with another circle. Fold the edges to seal and then gently roll both circles together with the filling inside using a rolling pin until it become one thick disk.
Cook pupusas in the pan for 2-3 minutes on each side (turning down the heat if necessary). Cut into wedges like a quesadilla and serve with sliced avocado and hot sauce.
Love,
Gabi
Monday, January 26, 2009
home alone
I really like my roommates. They're both sweet, fun people. Christine has lived with us for about 5 months and Theresa (whom you may remember from nookie cookies) and I have lived together for nearly three years. We all have a good rapport and get along well. Coincidentally, it just so happens that they are both away for the next two weeks.
Theresa and her boyfriend Marcos have traveled to his country of origin, Chile, and will stay until early February. Christine is in New Hampshire until the same time. For the first time ever, I have the whole apartment to myself for a nice little chunk of time. But more importantly, I have the whole kitchen to myself.
Oh the ideas that have been running through my head! "I should have a dinner party!" "I should spend the weekend learning how to bake sourdough bread!" "I should have a roll-your-own sushi party!"
But first things first. Before I turn my little kitchen into a restaurant/bakery/sushi joint, I'm going to indulge in some serious luxury: I am going to spend tomorrow morning uninterrupted, drinking the most perfect cup of French roast coffee while reading the New York Times and writing. I will comment aloud if something in the paper particularly excites or offends me, without worrying that I might wake someone up. When I take my shower, I will play cheesy 90's pop music and sing along to it. Loudly.
And when I come home tomorrow, I am going to make a fabulous, messy, complicated dinner with many different ingredients that will take up a lot of space in the refrigerator. The next two weeks will be an unmatched culinary extravaganza here on Dorland Street and I will relish writing about it.
And when they come home, I will be happy because I will have missed them.
But get ready because what is going to be happening in this kitchen is going to be good.
Love,
Gabi
Theresa and her boyfriend Marcos have traveled to his country of origin, Chile, and will stay until early February. Christine is in New Hampshire until the same time. For the first time ever, I have the whole apartment to myself for a nice little chunk of time. But more importantly, I have the whole kitchen to myself.
Oh the ideas that have been running through my head! "I should have a dinner party!" "I should spend the weekend learning how to bake sourdough bread!" "I should have a roll-your-own sushi party!"
But first things first. Before I turn my little kitchen into a restaurant/bakery/sushi joint, I'm going to indulge in some serious luxury: I am going to spend tomorrow morning uninterrupted, drinking the most perfect cup of French roast coffee while reading the New York Times and writing. I will comment aloud if something in the paper particularly excites or offends me, without worrying that I might wake someone up. When I take my shower, I will play cheesy 90's pop music and sing along to it. Loudly.
And when I come home tomorrow, I am going to make a fabulous, messy, complicated dinner with many different ingredients that will take up a lot of space in the refrigerator. The next two weeks will be an unmatched culinary extravaganza here on Dorland Street and I will relish writing about it.
And when they come home, I will be happy because I will have missed them.
But get ready because what is going to be happening in this kitchen is going to be good.
Love,
Gabi
Sunday, January 25, 2009
desayunos
After an extremely fun night staying out way too late (combined with the fact that I probably had one too many gin and tonics...) I was in serious need of a good breakfast this morning. As it turned out, Andrew, my beloved friend and neighbor, was too.
Like me, Andrew loves interesting food, which makes him such an ideal dining companion. I also appreciate that he is a total Yelp addict. I can literally track nearly every meal I've eaten in a restaurant with Andrew since I moved to San Francisco in 2005 by scrolling through his Yelp reviews, so I was particularly excited about trying a new place with him. We sauntered down Mission Street and ended up at La Sanateca de la Mission. There were about 8 tables and it was very cute in an 80's diner kind of way, complete with those yellowish short water glasses. The sign out front said that they serve Mexican and Salvadorean food. We ordered coffee and water and decided on our breakfasts. I had plantains, eggs with vegetables and beans. Andrew went for a Salvadorean-style omelette with shrimp and green onions. When our beautifully-presented and very tasty meal arrived, along with warm corn tortillas, it occurred to me that this meal was exactly the kind of simple, affordable meal that would be perfect to serve the next time I have people over for brunch. Of course, I couldn't resist tinkering around in my kitchen when I returned from running errands and came up with the following menu:
Salvadorean Vegetable Frittata
6 eggs
1/4 cup half-and-half
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 small white onion, chopped
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup jack cheese or queso quesadilla (Mexican melting cheese), shredded
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375. Grease an 11"x 7" rectangular pan or an 8" diameter pie pan. In a medium-sized bowl, beat eggs and half-and-half together. Stir in cilantro, both peppers, both onions, cheese and salt and pepper. Pour mixture into your pan and place in oven on the center rack for 25-35 minutes, until eggs have set and top is very lightly brown.
To serve, allow to cool for a few minutes. Cut into squares or wedges and serve with a small dollop of Mexican crema or regular sour cream.
Pan Fried Plantains
4 plantains, peeled and sliced on the bias into two-inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or light olive oil
a couple of pinches of kosher salt
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan (ideally a cast iron) over high heat. Using tongs, gently place half of the plantain slices into the pan. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. The flesh of the plantain should develop a dark caramel color with charred bits. The inside of the plantain should be soft but not mushy. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle lightly with the salt.
Repeat with the remaining oil and plantain slices. Serve hot.
Black Beans
2 14-oz cans of whole black beans, rinsed and drained.
2 T cilantro, chopped
Heat black beans in a small pot over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of water to prevent sticking.
This brunch menu will serve 2-3 people generously. Make the frittata first, as it will take the longest. While the frittata is cooking, wrap a stack of 6-8 small corn tortillas in aluminum foil and put them in the oven along with the frittata. The technique of closely packing them in a sealed package will steam them and make them soft and pliable. Serve wrapped in a warm kitchen towel with fresh butter on the side. Encourage your guests to butter tortillas and wrap bites of frittata and black beans with a little crema and hot sauce (I like Tapatio).
I also recommend serving this breakfast with cinnamon coffee. To make, sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon into the coffee filter holding your coffee grounds before you run the machine. Turn on the drip as usual and serve with milk and sugar. Your whole kitchen will smell like warm cinnamon.
What a delicious, inspring day. Happy cooking.
Love,
Gabi
Like me, Andrew loves interesting food, which makes him such an ideal dining companion. I also appreciate that he is a total Yelp addict. I can literally track nearly every meal I've eaten in a restaurant with Andrew since I moved to San Francisco in 2005 by scrolling through his Yelp reviews, so I was particularly excited about trying a new place with him. We sauntered down Mission Street and ended up at La Sanateca de la Mission. There were about 8 tables and it was very cute in an 80's diner kind of way, complete with those yellowish short water glasses. The sign out front said that they serve Mexican and Salvadorean food. We ordered coffee and water and decided on our breakfasts. I had plantains, eggs with vegetables and beans. Andrew went for a Salvadorean-style omelette with shrimp and green onions. When our beautifully-presented and very tasty meal arrived, along with warm corn tortillas, it occurred to me that this meal was exactly the kind of simple, affordable meal that would be perfect to serve the next time I have people over for brunch. Of course, I couldn't resist tinkering around in my kitchen when I returned from running errands and came up with the following menu:
Salvadorean Vegetable Frittata
6 eggs
1/4 cup half-and-half
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 small white onion, chopped
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup jack cheese or queso quesadilla (Mexican melting cheese), shredded
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375. Grease an 11"x 7" rectangular pan or an 8" diameter pie pan. In a medium-sized bowl, beat eggs and half-and-half together. Stir in cilantro, both peppers, both onions, cheese and salt and pepper. Pour mixture into your pan and place in oven on the center rack for 25-35 minutes, until eggs have set and top is very lightly brown.
To serve, allow to cool for a few minutes. Cut into squares or wedges and serve with a small dollop of Mexican crema or regular sour cream.
Pan Fried Plantains
4 plantains, peeled and sliced on the bias into two-inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or light olive oil
a couple of pinches of kosher salt
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan (ideally a cast iron) over high heat. Using tongs, gently place half of the plantain slices into the pan. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. The flesh of the plantain should develop a dark caramel color with charred bits. The inside of the plantain should be soft but not mushy. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle lightly with the salt.
Repeat with the remaining oil and plantain slices. Serve hot.
Black Beans
2 14-oz cans of whole black beans, rinsed and drained.
2 T cilantro, chopped
Heat black beans in a small pot over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of water to prevent sticking.
This brunch menu will serve 2-3 people generously. Make the frittata first, as it will take the longest. While the frittata is cooking, wrap a stack of 6-8 small corn tortillas in aluminum foil and put them in the oven along with the frittata. The technique of closely packing them in a sealed package will steam them and make them soft and pliable. Serve wrapped in a warm kitchen towel with fresh butter on the side. Encourage your guests to butter tortillas and wrap bites of frittata and black beans with a little crema and hot sauce (I like Tapatio).
I also recommend serving this breakfast with cinnamon coffee. To make, sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon into the coffee filter holding your coffee grounds before you run the machine. Turn on the drip as usual and serve with milk and sugar. Your whole kitchen will smell like warm cinnamon.
What a delicious, inspring day. Happy cooking.
Love,
Gabi
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
celebrity chef crush
Brad Pitt never did all that much for me. Neither did George Clooney, Matt Damon, Johnny Depp or anyone else in their peer group. Given the choice, I'm much more likely to go for the dorky-cute, slightly nerdy, funny guy--both in real life and in the case of hypothetical celebrity boyfriends.
One such hypothetical celebrity boyfriend happens to be my latest crush, cookbook author and cooking show host, Dave Lieberman. He's smart (Yale grad), handsome, funny, and, though I've never heard him explicitly mention it, his last name combined with his penchant for making cabbage rolls and apple cake suggests to me that he might be OK with raising the hypothetical Moskowitz-Lieberman children Jewish.
But what I really love the most about Dave Lieberman is that his recipes are simple, fresh, and very doable for cooks of all abilities. They're perfect for people who are intimidated by/new to cooking because, in addition to making it look like so much fun (oh the times we would have, just the two of us puttering around the kitchen...), he calls for ingredients that are easy to find and inexpensive. If you keep a well-stocked kitchen, most of his dishes can be created with what you have on hand.
I do have one teensy-tiny issue with some of Dave's recipes though: he uses a whole lot of cream and butter. While I certainly don't object to such ingredients on principle, I do know what will happen to my thighs if I make a habit of eating large quantities of said ingredients. Luckily for Dave I'm a good compromiser--and a very creative chef. Below, see my take on his recipe for Creamy Lemon-Almond Linguine. I seriously decrease the fat by using half-and-half instead of the heavy cream and fewer egg yolks. The double-boiler technique of cooking the sauce keeps it rich and creamy even though the fat is decreased, and the nuts add a delightful texture that is uncommon in pasta dishes. Also, the chopped flatleaf parsley is a fresh addition that really brightens up the flavors of the dish. I like to serve it with plenty of fresh cracked pepper.
Lemon-Almond Linguine
Love,
Gabi
One such hypothetical celebrity boyfriend happens to be my latest crush, cookbook author and cooking show host, Dave Lieberman. He's smart (Yale grad), handsome, funny, and, though I've never heard him explicitly mention it, his last name combined with his penchant for making cabbage rolls and apple cake suggests to me that he might be OK with raising the hypothetical Moskowitz-Lieberman children Jewish.
But what I really love the most about Dave Lieberman is that his recipes are simple, fresh, and very doable for cooks of all abilities. They're perfect for people who are intimidated by/new to cooking because, in addition to making it look like so much fun (oh the times we would have, just the two of us puttering around the kitchen...), he calls for ingredients that are easy to find and inexpensive. If you keep a well-stocked kitchen, most of his dishes can be created with what you have on hand.
I do have one teensy-tiny issue with some of Dave's recipes though: he uses a whole lot of cream and butter. While I certainly don't object to such ingredients on principle, I do know what will happen to my thighs if I make a habit of eating large quantities of said ingredients. Luckily for Dave I'm a good compromiser--and a very creative chef. Below, see my take on his recipe for Creamy Lemon-Almond Linguine. I seriously decrease the fat by using half-and-half instead of the heavy cream and fewer egg yolks. The double-boiler technique of cooking the sauce keeps it rich and creamy even though the fat is decreased, and the nuts add a delightful texture that is uncommon in pasta dishes. Also, the chopped flatleaf parsley is a fresh addition that really brightens up the flavors of the dish. I like to serve it with plenty of fresh cracked pepper.
Lemon-Almond Linguine
- 1 pound linguine
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- zest and juice of 1 lemon--reserve a little zest for garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup ground whole almonds-- reserve a little for garnish
- fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
Combine the egg yolks, half-and-half, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste in a heatproof bowl. Place over a pot of boiling water and whisk until the mixture thickens into a pale yellow, smooth sauce.
Remove from the heat, stir in the almonds, and toss with the linguine.
Garnish with more lemon zest, ground almonds, flat leaf parsley and more ground pepper.
Gabi
Monday, January 19, 2009
picnic in the park
Rachel and I are both really busy. We each have demanding work schedules, crowded social calendars, and a few respective hobbies as well. So you can understand that when we hang out, it needs to be well-planned and executed. And usually there needs to be wine.
Since we both had today off, we decided to capitalize on both the gorgeous sunshine today in San Francisco and the fact that I live 2 blocks from Dolores Park, possibly the sunniest, most happening daytime spot in SF. It was decided that she would bring wine, cheese and bread and I would put together a picnic lunch to go along with it.
We lunched on spicy rice noodle salad, flatbread sandwiches, carrots with hummus, bread with Cambozola and a pungent sheep's milk semi-soft cheese and of course, a gorgeous zinfandel. We got in a good three-and-a-half hours of serious gossip, laughing, and catching up. Plus, the people-watching in Dolores Park is unbeatable (hello gold sequin Speedos!), and there's something inherently decadent about drinking wine in the middle of the day.
Picnicking is an inexpensive, fun way to spend an afternoon. Here's what I made:
Spicy Rice Noodle Salad
6 oz. thin Vietnamese rice noodles, cooked and rinsed until cold
1/2 bell pepper, sliced thin
2 green onions, sliced thin
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small bunch mint, chopped
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp. hoisin sauce
1 tbsp sriracha sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
Whisk hoisin, sriracha, rice vinegar and sesame oil together. Toss with all other ingredients until well incorporated. Store in an airtight container and serve with chopsticks.
Flatbread Sandwiches
1/2 recipe pizza dough (Keep the other half in a plastic ziplock bag in your fridge. I promise you'll find a use for it by the end of the week)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups chopped pears and/or apples
2 sliced, cooked sausages (I used vegan apple-sage sausages)
2 cups arugula or baby spinach
spicy mustard
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Divide the dough into 6 equal-sized balls. On a floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll them out into 6" circles. Gently transfer the circles, one at a time, to the frying pan and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until bubbly and brown, somewhat resembling Indian naan. Add a little more oil between dough circles if needed. Drain on paper towels and wrap in foil until ready to use.
Arrange the pears/apples, sausages, greens and mustard in little containers. On your picnic, spread a little mustard on a piece of flatbread and top with the fruit, greens, and sausage. Roll up like a burrito or in half like a quesadilla or pita and enjoy.
Love,
Gabi
Since we both had today off, we decided to capitalize on both the gorgeous sunshine today in San Francisco and the fact that I live 2 blocks from Dolores Park, possibly the sunniest, most happening daytime spot in SF. It was decided that she would bring wine, cheese and bread and I would put together a picnic lunch to go along with it.
We lunched on spicy rice noodle salad, flatbread sandwiches, carrots with hummus, bread with Cambozola and a pungent sheep's milk semi-soft cheese and of course, a gorgeous zinfandel. We got in a good three-and-a-half hours of serious gossip, laughing, and catching up. Plus, the people-watching in Dolores Park is unbeatable (hello gold sequin Speedos!), and there's something inherently decadent about drinking wine in the middle of the day.
Picnicking is an inexpensive, fun way to spend an afternoon. Here's what I made:
Spicy Rice Noodle Salad
6 oz. thin Vietnamese rice noodles, cooked and rinsed until cold
1/2 bell pepper, sliced thin
2 green onions, sliced thin
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small bunch mint, chopped
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp. hoisin sauce
1 tbsp sriracha sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
Whisk hoisin, sriracha, rice vinegar and sesame oil together. Toss with all other ingredients until well incorporated. Store in an airtight container and serve with chopsticks.
Flatbread Sandwiches
1/2 recipe pizza dough (Keep the other half in a plastic ziplock bag in your fridge. I promise you'll find a use for it by the end of the week)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups chopped pears and/or apples
2 sliced, cooked sausages (I used vegan apple-sage sausages)
2 cups arugula or baby spinach
spicy mustard
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Divide the dough into 6 equal-sized balls. On a floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll them out into 6" circles. Gently transfer the circles, one at a time, to the frying pan and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until bubbly and brown, somewhat resembling Indian naan. Add a little more oil between dough circles if needed. Drain on paper towels and wrap in foil until ready to use.
Arrange the pears/apples, sausages, greens and mustard in little containers. On your picnic, spread a little mustard on a piece of flatbread and top with the fruit, greens, and sausage. Roll up like a burrito or in half like a quesadilla or pita and enjoy.
Love,
Gabi
Saturday, January 17, 2009
nice to wheat you
Last night, after a particularly long and grueling day, I stopped off at my favorite locally owned health food store, Golden Market to pick up a few things for dinner. I had worked late and was so hungry I could barely think, so I sort of blindly wandered up and down the aisles, attempting to reach for the items I knew I wanted. Somehow, when I reached the check-out counter, my basket contained a bell pepper, seitan jerky, half-and-half, vegan apple-sage sausages, and fresh Chinese wheat noodles (gan mein). The noodles caught my distracted eye as the cashier rang them up--did I actually want those? But I was too tired to put them back and besides, they were only $1.25 for a whole pound--I would figure something out.
After temporarily easing my hunger with a strip of seitan jerky (try it--you'll be surprised by how good it is), I set about figuring out my dinner. I ended up tossing together the noodles, fresh spinach, tofu, bell peppers and carrots with a quick peanut sauce and topping it all with fresh mint, green onions and cilantro. Sort of a spinach-praram-meets-pad-thai-meets-chow-mein. I could not get over how ridiculously good it was.
Pad Praram Mein
1/2 lb fresh gan mein, boiled until al dente and drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 cup tofu, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 carrot, julienned
2 cups fresh baby spinach
2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, sliced thinly (i like to use kitchen scissors for this)
2 tbsp peanut butter
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp sriracha
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Heat the oil over high heat in a large skillet. Add the tofu and cook 2-3 minutes on one side. Move the tofu around with a spatula and cook on another side for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and onions. Cook for 1-2 minutes until translucent. Add the bell pepper and carrots and cook for another minute.
While the veggies cook, quickly whisk together the peanut butter, hoisin, sriracha, and rice vinegar. Taste and adjust flavors as necessary. Set aside.
Add the noodles and toss with the vegetables. Toss with the peanut sauce, making sure all the noodles and veggies are well-coated.
Gradually add the spinach, allowing it to wilt as it combines with the hot noodles and vegetables. Divide into bowls or plates and top with green onions, cilantro and mint.
After temporarily easing my hunger with a strip of seitan jerky (try it--you'll be surprised by how good it is), I set about figuring out my dinner. I ended up tossing together the noodles, fresh spinach, tofu, bell peppers and carrots with a quick peanut sauce and topping it all with fresh mint, green onions and cilantro. Sort of a spinach-praram-meets-pad-thai-meets-chow-mein. I could not get over how ridiculously good it was.
Pad Praram Mein
1/2 lb fresh gan mein, boiled until al dente and drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 cup tofu, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 carrot, julienned
2 cups fresh baby spinach
2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, sliced thinly (i like to use kitchen scissors for this)
2 tbsp peanut butter
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp sriracha
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Heat the oil over high heat in a large skillet. Add the tofu and cook 2-3 minutes on one side. Move the tofu around with a spatula and cook on another side for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and onions. Cook for 1-2 minutes until translucent. Add the bell pepper and carrots and cook for another minute.
While the veggies cook, quickly whisk together the peanut butter, hoisin, sriracha, and rice vinegar. Taste and adjust flavors as necessary. Set aside.
Add the noodles and toss with the vegetables. Toss with the peanut sauce, making sure all the noodles and veggies are well-coated.
Gradually add the spinach, allowing it to wilt as it combines with the hot noodles and vegetables. Divide into bowls or plates and top with green onions, cilantro and mint.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
food/mood
I've noticed a marked change in my mood lately--for the better. Truth be told, until recently I've been feeling a little down. Nothing too serious--I've still been getting things done, socializing and such, but I just didn't feel quite like myself. Maybe I should blame it on a minor case of Seasonal Affective Disorder, as the days became gradually darker, or the fact that the cold weather left me less inclined to pull on my running shoes and get some exercise, and more inclined to stay under the covers with warm and carbohydrate-laden take-out. As I assessed my status quo, it was clear what changes needed to be made: I needed to get my ass to the gym (where chilly weather could not be an excuse), and I needed to start cooking healthy food at home again.
It's been a few weeks since I revamped my lifestyle, and the changes in how I feel are clear. Unsurprisingly, I have significantly more energy during the day, sleep better at night, and feel more like myself. I haven't given over to my neighborhood taqueria in lieu of healthy food in weeks, nor have I especially missed it.
More than anything, cooking at home fulfills me on more levels than almost anything else I do--creatively, spiritually, and sensually, and that makes me feel good physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Here is one of my latest creations. It's full of protein, vegetables and good carbs.
Salmon-Spinach Burgers With Cilantro Brown Rice
For the Burgers:
1 uncooked 4-oz salmon fillet, chopped coarsely
1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/4 medium red onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise
2 tbsp flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 tsp salt
a few grinds of black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil for cooking
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Divide into 2 patties and set on a clean plate or parchment paper. Sprinkle both sides of the patties with a little flour until evenly coated with a thin layer.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan. Cook the patties for 4-5 minutes on each side until they are firm to the touch and nicely browned on the outside. Serve hot over Cilantro Brown Rice.
For the Cilantro Brown Rice:
2 cups freshly cooked, hot long grain brown rice
1/8 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
salt to taste
In a large bowl (or the pot you cooked the rice in), stir the cilantro into the rice. Add salt to taste.
To serve, divide the rice onto 2 plates and arrange the burgers atop the rice mounds. Garnish with a little extra cilantro if desired.
Love,
Gabi
It's been a few weeks since I revamped my lifestyle, and the changes in how I feel are clear. Unsurprisingly, I have significantly more energy during the day, sleep better at night, and feel more like myself. I haven't given over to my neighborhood taqueria in lieu of healthy food in weeks, nor have I especially missed it.
More than anything, cooking at home fulfills me on more levels than almost anything else I do--creatively, spiritually, and sensually, and that makes me feel good physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Here is one of my latest creations. It's full of protein, vegetables and good carbs.
Salmon-Spinach Burgers With Cilantro Brown Rice
For the Burgers:
1 uncooked 4-oz salmon fillet, chopped coarsely
1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/4 medium red onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise
2 tbsp flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 tsp salt
a few grinds of black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil for cooking
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Divide into 2 patties and set on a clean plate or parchment paper. Sprinkle both sides of the patties with a little flour until evenly coated with a thin layer.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan. Cook the patties for 4-5 minutes on each side until they are firm to the touch and nicely browned on the outside. Serve hot over Cilantro Brown Rice.
For the Cilantro Brown Rice:
2 cups freshly cooked, hot long grain brown rice
1/8 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
salt to taste
In a large bowl (or the pot you cooked the rice in), stir the cilantro into the rice. Add salt to taste.
To serve, divide the rice onto 2 plates and arrange the burgers atop the rice mounds. Garnish with a little extra cilantro if desired.
Love,
Gabi
Sunday, January 11, 2009
fun at trader joe's
This morning I woke up to my cell phone ringing. As it was 9 AM on a Sunday morning, I figured it was surely my mother.
But it wasn't. It was a 415 area code number I didn't recognize.
"Hello?"
"Is this Gabi?" asked the caller.
"Yes. Who is this?"
"This is Mike from Trader Joe's at 9th and Bryant. You won our bag raffle! Congratulations!"
"Who? What raffle?"
"You brought your own grocery bag to our store on and you were given a raffle ticket, which you wrote your name and phone number on, and when we drew a ticket, it was yours! You won a $25 gift to Trader Joe's and you should come to our store and pick it up!"
"Oh! Cool! Thank you!"
$25 to Trader Joe's! What a fantastic surprise! I had been planning on shopping today anyway so this was perfect. I called my friend Andrew and we made plans to pick up groceries together later that day and then cook dinner.
At Trader Joe's, I picked up my gift card from the customer service counter and then Andrew and I shopped separately, planning to meet up in the checkout line. We decided not to plan our dinner, but rather to pick a menu based on a blend of our respective grocery choices after we shopped individually. He took off with a cart and I strolled up and down the aisles with a shopping basket. As I shopped, it occurred to me that I was actually saving much more than $25; by stocking my kitchen with healthy, fresh food, I was significantly increasing the probability that I would cook at home this week and thus avoid eating out. As I picked up coffee beans (Extra Dark French Roast, $4.49 for 12 oz.), I thought about both the money I'd save and the trees I'd spare by avoiding trips to coffee shops. I filled my basket with baby spinach ($1.99 for 12 oz.), tortillas ($2.29 for 6), firm tofu ($1.19 for 14 oz.), salmon fillets ($4.49 for 16 oz.) Greek yogurt (2.29 for 16 oz) and much more, and imagined the delicious and healthy breakfasts, lunches and dinners I'd be eating this week. I also picked up a bottle of Charles Shaw Valdiguie ($1.99 for a bottle!) and Bartlett pears ($2.49 for 4) to make poached pears for dessert that night.
When we looked at our combined groceries, we determined that we'd make penne with gorgonzola, shrimp and broccoli, broiled brussels sprouts with crushed almonds and poached pears for dessert. We headed to Andrew's apartment, started some laundry, and got cooking.
Penne with Light but Creamy Gorgonzola Sauce, Shrimp and Broccoli
2 T crushed garlic (or 4 cloves, minced)
2 T olive oil
3 T grated Parmesan
2 oz crumbled Gorgonzola
8 oz penne pasta
1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets
6 oz frozen cooked shrimp, deveined and tails removed
1/2 cup half-and-half
salt and pepper to taste
Cook the pasta according to directions in salted water. Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic (we used crushed jarred garlic from TJ's). Allow the garlic to cook for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly, then stir in the half-and-half, Parmesan, Gorgonzola, and salt and pepper and reduce heat to low. The sauce should have a creamy consistency but not be too thick. Thin out with a little half-and-half if necessary. Add shrimp and broccoli and allow to cook over low heat for another 2-3 minutes. Drain pasta and toss with sauce. Serve hot.
Broiled Brussels Sprouts with Crushed Almonds
16 Brussels Sprouts, cleaned and sliced in half
2 T crushed garlic (or 3 cloves, minced)
1 T olive oil
2 T roasted almonds, crushed
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to broil, placing the oven rack 6" from the heat source (if you have a top broiler). Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, use your hands to toss the brussels sprouts halves to thoroughly coat with the garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Lay the sprouts sliced-side-up on a baking sheet and place under the broiler for 6-8 minutes, checking frequently. Once cooked, toss in a bowl with the crushed almonds. Very good hot or cold.
Red Wine-Poached Pears
1 bottle inexpensive but drinkable red wine
4 Bartlett or Bosc pears
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves
1 T honey
2 T sugar
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 T orange marmalade
Peel pears and set aside. In a large pot, combine wine, honey, cinnamon stick and cloves. Add pears and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and allow to cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to distribute all flavors. Once pears are cooked to the point that they could be easily pierced by a fork, remove using a slotted spoon and set aside. Leave wine mixture in pot, turn up heat, bringing the wine to a boil, and whisk in the sugar and marmalade until both are dissolved. Allow mixture to cook until mixture reduces to a syrupy consistency. Stir in Greek yogurt, and serve over the pears in small bowls.
Trader Joe's is an amazing company for so many reasons, but I especially love how they make being enviromentally responsible such a priority. Their bag raffle is just one example of how they are spreading the message that Green=Good. I also want to give a little plug for the bags I use when I go grocery shopping--and the reason I got to enter the Trader Joe's raffle in the first place. They're called Envirosax and they can be rolled up, thanks to a handy snap, and take up less room than my wallet. I always try to carry at least one with me.
Love,
Gabi
But it wasn't. It was a 415 area code number I didn't recognize.
"Hello?"
"Is this Gabi?" asked the caller.
"Yes. Who is this?"
"This is Mike from Trader Joe's at 9th and Bryant. You won our bag raffle! Congratulations!"
"Who? What raffle?"
"You brought your own grocery bag to our store on and you were given a raffle ticket, which you wrote your name and phone number on, and when we drew a ticket, it was yours! You won a $25 gift to Trader Joe's and you should come to our store and pick it up!"
"Oh! Cool! Thank you!"
$25 to Trader Joe's! What a fantastic surprise! I had been planning on shopping today anyway so this was perfect. I called my friend Andrew and we made plans to pick up groceries together later that day and then cook dinner.
At Trader Joe's, I picked up my gift card from the customer service counter and then Andrew and I shopped separately, planning to meet up in the checkout line. We decided not to plan our dinner, but rather to pick a menu based on a blend of our respective grocery choices after we shopped individually. He took off with a cart and I strolled up and down the aisles with a shopping basket. As I shopped, it occurred to me that I was actually saving much more than $25; by stocking my kitchen with healthy, fresh food, I was significantly increasing the probability that I would cook at home this week and thus avoid eating out. As I picked up coffee beans (Extra Dark French Roast, $4.49 for 12 oz.), I thought about both the money I'd save and the trees I'd spare by avoiding trips to coffee shops. I filled my basket with baby spinach ($1.99 for 12 oz.), tortillas ($2.29 for 6), firm tofu ($1.19 for 14 oz.), salmon fillets ($4.49 for 16 oz.) Greek yogurt (2.29 for 16 oz) and much more, and imagined the delicious and healthy breakfasts, lunches and dinners I'd be eating this week. I also picked up a bottle of Charles Shaw Valdiguie ($1.99 for a bottle!) and Bartlett pears ($2.49 for 4) to make poached pears for dessert that night.
When we looked at our combined groceries, we determined that we'd make penne with gorgonzola, shrimp and broccoli, broiled brussels sprouts with crushed almonds and poached pears for dessert. We headed to Andrew's apartment, started some laundry, and got cooking.
Penne with Light but Creamy Gorgonzola Sauce, Shrimp and Broccoli
2 T crushed garlic (or 4 cloves, minced)
2 T olive oil
3 T grated Parmesan
2 oz crumbled Gorgonzola
8 oz penne pasta
1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets
6 oz frozen cooked shrimp, deveined and tails removed
1/2 cup half-and-half
salt and pepper to taste
Cook the pasta according to directions in salted water. Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic (we used crushed jarred garlic from TJ's). Allow the garlic to cook for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly, then stir in the half-and-half, Parmesan, Gorgonzola, and salt and pepper and reduce heat to low. The sauce should have a creamy consistency but not be too thick. Thin out with a little half-and-half if necessary. Add shrimp and broccoli and allow to cook over low heat for another 2-3 minutes. Drain pasta and toss with sauce. Serve hot.
Broiled Brussels Sprouts with Crushed Almonds
16 Brussels Sprouts, cleaned and sliced in half
2 T crushed garlic (or 3 cloves, minced)
1 T olive oil
2 T roasted almonds, crushed
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to broil, placing the oven rack 6" from the heat source (if you have a top broiler). Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, use your hands to toss the brussels sprouts halves to thoroughly coat with the garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Lay the sprouts sliced-side-up on a baking sheet and place under the broiler for 6-8 minutes, checking frequently. Once cooked, toss in a bowl with the crushed almonds. Very good hot or cold.
Red Wine-Poached Pears
1 bottle inexpensive but drinkable red wine
4 Bartlett or Bosc pears
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves
1 T honey
2 T sugar
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 T orange marmalade
Peel pears and set aside. In a large pot, combine wine, honey, cinnamon stick and cloves. Add pears and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and allow to cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to distribute all flavors. Once pears are cooked to the point that they could be easily pierced by a fork, remove using a slotted spoon and set aside. Leave wine mixture in pot, turn up heat, bringing the wine to a boil, and whisk in the sugar and marmalade until both are dissolved. Allow mixture to cook until mixture reduces to a syrupy consistency. Stir in Greek yogurt, and serve over the pears in small bowls.
Trader Joe's is an amazing company for so many reasons, but I especially love how they make being enviromentally responsible such a priority. Their bag raffle is just one example of how they are spreading the message that Green=Good. I also want to give a little plug for the bags I use when I go grocery shopping--and the reason I got to enter the Trader Joe's raffle in the first place. They're called Envirosax and they can be rolled up, thanks to a handy snap, and take up less room than my wallet. I always try to carry at least one with me.
Love,
Gabi
Thursday, January 8, 2009
heart and sole
I taught a cooking class tonight and one of the dishes I demonstrated for the group was sole fillets with lemon, garlic and parsley. As I seasoned the fish and prepared it for the saute pan, I found myself expounding aloud upon the merits of this simple white fish. It's just fantastic for so many reasons--yet so often overlooked. Flavorful seafood stars like Alaskan Salmon (which is quite overfished) and Tuna always seem to get all the attention, but sole (which is relatively sustainable) is a star in its own right for so many reasons. See below.
1. It freezes very well and will keep (wrapped tightly or in a vacuum-sealed package) for a long time, which makes it a wonderful ingredient to have on hand for impromptu entertaining as well as easy dinners at home.
2. It's CHEAP! Depending on where you shop, Petrale sole fillets are available for as little as $6 per pound.
3. Sole has a presence of flavor, but it's delicate enough that it will love whatever you dress it with. It's delicious simply pan-fried with a little olive oil and garlic, but will also stand up to bigger flavors, like mango-avocado salsa or lemon-caper sauce.
4. It's very low in fat and calories, which gives you some wiggle room in how you decadently you decide to prepare it. You might broil some sole fillets with lemon for a very healthy supper, but if you're craving a buttery sauce, sole is an ideal fish to make it with, since it contributes little in the fat/calorie department.
If you've never made sole before, start with this recipe:
4 medium sole fillets
1 tblsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
zest and juice of one lemon
2 tbsp Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Pat the fillets with a paper towel to absorb any liquid.
Sprinkle salt and pepper liberally on both sides of the fillets.
Heat the oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat.
Cook the garlic, parsley and lemon zest in the saute pan for 2-3 minutes, minding the garlic so as not to burn it.
Add the sole fillets, keeping space between them.
Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until the sole's flesh begins to flake.
Transfer from pan to plate using a spatula.
Garnish with more parsley and sliced lemon.
Love,
Gabi
1. It freezes very well and will keep (wrapped tightly or in a vacuum-sealed package) for a long time, which makes it a wonderful ingredient to have on hand for impromptu entertaining as well as easy dinners at home.
2. It's CHEAP! Depending on where you shop, Petrale sole fillets are available for as little as $6 per pound.
3. Sole has a presence of flavor, but it's delicate enough that it will love whatever you dress it with. It's delicious simply pan-fried with a little olive oil and garlic, but will also stand up to bigger flavors, like mango-avocado salsa or lemon-caper sauce.
4. It's very low in fat and calories, which gives you some wiggle room in how you decadently you decide to prepare it. You might broil some sole fillets with lemon for a very healthy supper, but if you're craving a buttery sauce, sole is an ideal fish to make it with, since it contributes little in the fat/calorie department.
If you've never made sole before, start with this recipe:
4 medium sole fillets
1 tblsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
zest and juice of one lemon
2 tbsp Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Pat the fillets with a paper towel to absorb any liquid.
Sprinkle salt and pepper liberally on both sides of the fillets.
Heat the oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat.
Cook the garlic, parsley and lemon zest in the saute pan for 2-3 minutes, minding the garlic so as not to burn it.
Add the sole fillets, keeping space between them.
Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until the sole's flesh begins to flake.
Transfer from pan to plate using a spatula.
Garnish with more parsley and sliced lemon.
Love,
Gabi
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
a neighborhood gathering
Some people are naturally good with finances. Others are natural athletes. Some people--like Andrew, one of my dinner companions last night--are geniuses on the social networking front. We all have to find our niche. My particular brand of brilliance, I have found, is turning simple, inexpensive ingredients into a culinary masterpiece (or at least a very tasty meal). I love the challenge of concocting something special with limited ingredients and tools, and find myself beaming like a fifth-grader with an A+ book report as whoever I'm feeding tastes my creations...
...which brings me to the dinner I made last night for my friends Andrew and Jacob. Andrew and Jacob both live in my neighborhood and the plan was to have a casual, relaxed dinner together. I wanted to make something warm and hearty, but not inherently filling. I also wanted to try out the delicious-looking LuLu cherry balsamic vinegar that my Aunt Caroline and Uncle David had recently given me. (OK, I will concede that cherry balsamic vinegar does not fall into the category of simple and inexpensive, but everything else I used does! Plus, any of the recipes below can be recreated using regular balsamic vinegar.) Here's the meal I decided on:
Cherry-Balsamic Cabbage Slaw
California-Style Shrimp Cakes with Sriracha-Lemon Aioli
Rosemary-Potato Sourdough (from Grace Baking Co.)
Greek Yogurt with Balsamic-Orange Reduction and Fresh Strawberries
The slaw is an unconventional take on coleslaw. It's light and tangy as opposed to creamy, and bursting with fresh flavors. It's also ridiculously easy and quick to make, and makes a perfect bed for the shrimp cakes.
1 16-oz bag tri-color coleslaw cabbage mix, available where pre-bagged salad mix is sold
2 green onions, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp cherry balsamic vinegar (or regular balsamic)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp honey
Whisk olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and honey together. Drizzle over cabbage green onions in a large bowl. Toss to thoroughly coat and refrigerate until ready to serve. This slaw is best if given 20-30 minutes to rest with the dressing on before serving.
I invented this recipe for shrimp cakes one day when I was craving crab cakes but only had shrimp on hand and couldn't be bothered to go out and procure some fresh crab. The result was a tasty, slightly meatier cake--in a category all its own. These cakes are also delicious made with salmon or halibut.
For the Shrimp Cakes:
1 lb boiled shrimp, tails removed, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small white onion, chopped
2 tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 green onions (white and green parts), sliced
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tbsp mayonnaise, if needed
2 tbsp olive or canola oil, for frying
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in one large frying pan or divide into 2 medium pans. Combine all ingredients except the oil in a bowl, using your (clean!) hands to combine the ingredients. If the mixture seems too dry, add a little mayonnaise. Shape into 3" patties, about 3/4 inch thick. Place a few patties carefully in the oil and cook 2-3 minutes on each side until brown on one side. Use a spatula to flip (they may crumble a bit--it's OK) and cook on the other side for 2-3 minutes. Transfer the cooked cakes to a baking sheet and keep in a warm (200 degree) oven until ready to use. Add the remaining oil to the pan(s) and repeat with the remaining cakes.
For the Aioli
1-2 tsp Sriracha (depending on your tolerance for spicy food)
1 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
Whisk all ingredients together to form a thin aioli. Add a little water if needed to thin out into a drizzle-able sauce.
Serve 2-3 cakes per person, atop the slaw or a salad, drizzled with the aioli and a little fresh chopped parsley.
Unfortunately Andrew couldn't partake in this dessert, as I completely forgot that he recently developed an allergy to strawberries, but Jacob and I enjoyed it quite a bit. It was reminiscent of an ice cream-and-warm-sauce dessert but far healthier thanks to the rich-yet-light non-fat Greek yogurt.
2 cups nonfat Greek yogurt (of course, you can use a higher fat content yogurt if you desire)
4 large, clean strawberries, sliced and tops removed
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar (I used the cherry, you can use whatever you have)
2 tbsp orange marmalade
2 tsp unsalted butter
In a small pot over medium-low, whisk together the vinegar, marmalade and butter, allowing the butter and marmalade to melt. Allow to cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or so, until the mixture becomes thick and syrupy. Add the strawberries and cook for only another minute or so, just until the fruit's flesh absorbs the sauce slightly.
Divide the yogurt into 2 small bowls and pour half of the strawberry-sauce mixture over each.
It was a warm, happy evening, replete with good food, reality television and awesome friends.
Love,
Gabi
...which brings me to the dinner I made last night for my friends Andrew and Jacob. Andrew and Jacob both live in my neighborhood and the plan was to have a casual, relaxed dinner together. I wanted to make something warm and hearty, but not inherently filling. I also wanted to try out the delicious-looking LuLu cherry balsamic vinegar that my Aunt Caroline and Uncle David had recently given me. (OK, I will concede that cherry balsamic vinegar does not fall into the category of simple and inexpensive, but everything else I used does! Plus, any of the recipes below can be recreated using regular balsamic vinegar.) Here's the meal I decided on:
Cherry-Balsamic Cabbage Slaw
California-Style Shrimp Cakes with Sriracha-Lemon Aioli
Rosemary-Potato Sourdough (from Grace Baking Co.)
Greek Yogurt with Balsamic-Orange Reduction and Fresh Strawberries
The slaw is an unconventional take on coleslaw. It's light and tangy as opposed to creamy, and bursting with fresh flavors. It's also ridiculously easy and quick to make, and makes a perfect bed for the shrimp cakes.
1 16-oz bag tri-color coleslaw cabbage mix, available where pre-bagged salad mix is sold
2 green onions, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp cherry balsamic vinegar (or regular balsamic)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp honey
Whisk olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and honey together. Drizzle over cabbage green onions in a large bowl. Toss to thoroughly coat and refrigerate until ready to serve. This slaw is best if given 20-30 minutes to rest with the dressing on before serving.
I invented this recipe for shrimp cakes one day when I was craving crab cakes but only had shrimp on hand and couldn't be bothered to go out and procure some fresh crab. The result was a tasty, slightly meatier cake--in a category all its own. These cakes are also delicious made with salmon or halibut.
For the Shrimp Cakes:
1 lb boiled shrimp, tails removed, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small white onion, chopped
2 tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 green onions (white and green parts), sliced
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tbsp mayonnaise, if needed
2 tbsp olive or canola oil, for frying
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in one large frying pan or divide into 2 medium pans. Combine all ingredients except the oil in a bowl, using your (clean!) hands to combine the ingredients. If the mixture seems too dry, add a little mayonnaise. Shape into 3" patties, about 3/4 inch thick. Place a few patties carefully in the oil and cook 2-3 minutes on each side until brown on one side. Use a spatula to flip (they may crumble a bit--it's OK) and cook on the other side for 2-3 minutes. Transfer the cooked cakes to a baking sheet and keep in a warm (200 degree) oven until ready to use. Add the remaining oil to the pan(s) and repeat with the remaining cakes.
For the Aioli
1-2 tsp Sriracha (depending on your tolerance for spicy food)
1 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
Whisk all ingredients together to form a thin aioli. Add a little water if needed to thin out into a drizzle-able sauce.
Serve 2-3 cakes per person, atop the slaw or a salad, drizzled with the aioli and a little fresh chopped parsley.
Unfortunately Andrew couldn't partake in this dessert, as I completely forgot that he recently developed an allergy to strawberries, but Jacob and I enjoyed it quite a bit. It was reminiscent of an ice cream-and-warm-sauce dessert but far healthier thanks to the rich-yet-light non-fat Greek yogurt.
2 cups nonfat Greek yogurt (of course, you can use a higher fat content yogurt if you desire)
4 large, clean strawberries, sliced and tops removed
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar (I used the cherry, you can use whatever you have)
2 tbsp orange marmalade
2 tsp unsalted butter
In a small pot over medium-low, whisk together the vinegar, marmalade and butter, allowing the butter and marmalade to melt. Allow to cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or so, until the mixture becomes thick and syrupy. Add the strawberries and cook for only another minute or so, just until the fruit's flesh absorbs the sauce slightly.
Divide the yogurt into 2 small bowls and pour half of the strawberry-sauce mixture over each.
It was a warm, happy evening, replete with good food, reality television and awesome friends.
Love,
Gabi
Sunday, January 4, 2009
'dilla idea
If you've been following this blog for awhile, you probably know how I feel about burritos. The vegetarian burrito is my go-to dinner when I am either too-tired to cook, looking for an inexpensive treat, or, most likely, simply craving a burrito. I never really gave much thought to the caloric content of a burrito, because I always figured it was relatively healthy. Hey, beans, rice, a little avocado--what could be bad? Then I found this. and wanted to cry. My "relatively healthy" burrito--though not from Chipotle, but containing the same ingredients--contains over 1000 calories. More than half the calories I need for the day. Now, I love burritos, but not enough to spend the entire day at the gym to merit consuming them, so yesterday, I set about creating a new go-to meal that is quick, satisfies my burrito cravings, and, most importantly, won't cause my waistline to expand or my arteries to give out.
After puttering about my kitchen playing with different techniques and ingredients, I came up with the following recipe. I won't totally abandon taqueria burritos, but hopefully this will help me limit my habit a bit.
By the way, you'll notice I call for a Mission low-carb tortilla. I highly recommend these. Not only are they lighter and higher in fiber than traditional flour tortillas, but they mysteriously become flaky and crisp when cooked in a pan.
You'll need:
1 Mission low-carb tortilla
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup cooked black beans, drained
1 T chopped cilantro
1 T chopped white onion
1/8 avocado, mashed
1 T light sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
Tapatio or other hot sauce to taste
1 t olive oil
1. Drizzle the olive oil in a medium-size frying pan. Turn heat to medium-high.
2. Meanwhile, lay your tortilla flat on a clean surface. Layer cheese first and then beans. Fold in half and transfer to your now-hot frying pan. Cook 1-2 minutes on each side until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is golden brown.
3. Once your quesadilla is cooked, transfer to a cutting board. Carefully open it and add the onions, cilantro, avocado, hot sauce, and sour cream or yogurt. Cut into halves or quarters and transfer to a plate. Delicious with a light Mexican slaw or salad.
4. Feel smug about how virtuous you are.
5. Repeat when craving strikes again.
Love,
Gabi
After puttering about my kitchen playing with different techniques and ingredients, I came up with the following recipe. I won't totally abandon taqueria burritos, but hopefully this will help me limit my habit a bit.
By the way, you'll notice I call for a Mission low-carb tortilla. I highly recommend these. Not only are they lighter and higher in fiber than traditional flour tortillas, but they mysteriously become flaky and crisp when cooked in a pan.
You'll need:
1 Mission low-carb tortilla
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup cooked black beans, drained
1 T chopped cilantro
1 T chopped white onion
1/8 avocado, mashed
1 T light sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
Tapatio or other hot sauce to taste
1 t olive oil
1. Drizzle the olive oil in a medium-size frying pan. Turn heat to medium-high.
2. Meanwhile, lay your tortilla flat on a clean surface. Layer cheese first and then beans. Fold in half and transfer to your now-hot frying pan. Cook 1-2 minutes on each side until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is golden brown.
3. Once your quesadilla is cooked, transfer to a cutting board. Carefully open it and add the onions, cilantro, avocado, hot sauce, and sour cream or yogurt. Cut into halves or quarters and transfer to a plate. Delicious with a light Mexican slaw or salad.
4. Feel smug about how virtuous you are.
5. Repeat when craving strikes again.
Love,
Gabi
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