Choy toys

My refrigerator is becoming a toy chest. If this keeps up, I am going to need a spare. Mine will be stuffed to the gills after tomorrow's trip to the market. Stuffed with greens that is. So stuffed, there will hardly be room for anything else. Look at what I brought home from a tree lighting ceremony last night...

This is tatsoi and this absolutely gorgeous bunch is about as big as a wreath. I almost hate to eat it, it's so pretty, but I am sure it will all soon be history, destined for the chopping block or wok like it's cousin bok choy below...

These greens are really fun to play with and they are so flavorful that "simple" does it. A quick little sauté and they are done and ready to eat. You can chop 'em up or leave the leaves whole. I made a favorite Pad Thai the other night and a nice big scoop of sautéed bok choy as a side just hit the spot. Have you played with these greens yet? Any favorite way you prepare them?

Sesame Bok Choy

Wash and slice at least one bunch of bok choy per person. Heat a splash of oil in a sauté pan or wok (use any oil you like...olive, sesame or coconut) and sauté a little sliced garlic and fresh ginger to flavor the oil. Add in black sesame seeds and let them sauté in the oil for a few minutes, too. Toss in bok choy and cook only until wilted, about 3 minutes. I like the stems still a little crunchy. Season to taste with soy sauce (I used a mushroom one...yum!) or with rice vinegar. Some many like to add a shake of red pepper flakes or fresh black pepper.

Obviously so set "rules" here. It's your toy! Just experiment and have fun!

Dirt Candy

Is the name of one of my favorite restaurants in New York (www.dirtcandynyc.com) and last week I was thrilled to read its glowing review in The New York Times. It got two stars!! The first veggie restaurant in 17 years to get such high praise. Dirt Candy is like a candy store for veggies and each dish is a playful mix of delicious tastes and textures. Just from a diner's point of view, in addition to the incredible flavors, Dirt Candy's real gift is its sense of food being all-out fun and, vegetables especially, being an adventure in humor and joy.

Genius-Chef Amanda Cohen presents her veggie dishes as a cast of A-listers: "Tomatoes!", "Carrots!", "Cabbage!" and so with that in mind, I approached the farmers' market with a little different eye. I bought a box of humble turnips and decided to turn them into "Turnips!". Quite a playful challenge as I bet I have only eaten a couple of turnips in my life, much less cooked them, and now I was looking at a whole box.

Then, right after the market I had to go to the grocery store and, oddly enough, the man ahead of me in the checkout line was singing the praises of all things...turnips! Some things are just meant to be. Game on!

And so, that is the thought for today...what sparks your sense of "play" and makes you feel like a kid in a candy store? Who inspires you?

For my own version of Candyland, I played three "games" with my box of turnips. The first, a traditional roasting. Once cooled, I sliced them up and used them as an earthy addition to a salad.

The second, mashed with fresh horseradish and scallions. Seriously, I couldn't even wait to plate them. A spoon in the pot made it a party.

The last game I tried was turnip "fries"...a real stretch for me as I am not crazy about fries in general but this was the recipe the man in the grocery store shared. Who needs candy canes when you can eat these instead? Oh my!

Here's how to make them...

Turnip Fries

Wash and peel 2 fresh, medium-sized turnips and slice into "fries". Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with herbs, sea salt and pepper. He used Italian herbs; I used Herbs de Provence. Bake at 350-375 about 30 to 40 minutes, turning once during baking. Because turnips are more watery than potatoes, they will be a moister kind of fry. No worries...gobble 'em up!

I served mine with veggie chili...

Get your hands on some "dirt candy" and have a happy play day!

Love being Rattled!

What a crazy week. First my computer issues then a bee in my bonnet that I was going to have a garage sale. Five friends talking-me-out-of-it later, I've given up. Maybe in the fall. And so, it is happily back to "foraging" this weekend!

My gal pals and I love going to our neighborhood farmers' market and I have a special fondness for the lovely organic produce at Rattle's Garden. It is beautiful and all nestled in between gorgeous bouquets of fresh flowers. So pretty...everything looks luscious. The green beans (now history) were a taste trip, so velvety and tender. Now the palate pleasers are squashes of all kinds, the first tomatoes and lots of other de-lish early summer veggies. Seriously, even their business card looks good enough to eat!

Here are some more pictures of Tara's lovely summer pickings and a super simple (just the way I like it!) recipe from her for squash. Thank you Rattle's Garden for all your hard work and delicious produce!

Have a great weekend...where are you off to foraging for weekend goodies?

Tara's Summer Squash

Tara wrote in an email that she has two favorite ways to prepare her beautiful squash. I am especially fond of her patty pan varieties! Look how pretty they are front and center in the above picture.

The first way is just to slice and sauté with a little garlic and olive oil in a skillet until done. The second way is to slice into 3/8 inch strips, brush with olive oil, season with a little sea salt and pepper and grill until those lovely grill marks appear and the squash is tender. Of course, squash lends itself to lots of tasty seasonings and so experiment with the fresh herbs that are also in the markets!

Hope to see you at Tara's! She is at the Hillcrest Farmers Market on Saturdays and Bernice Garden Farmers Market on Sundays. For more on her farm and family, go to here: Rattle's Garden. Who are some of your favorite farmers?

Winter's Bounties

This Saturday was glorious…full sun, warm wind and spring-like temperatures…in the 50’s in January! I stopped again at the farmers’ market for a quick peak and got an eyeful…lots of apples, winter greens and winter veggies like broccoli, carrots, beets and squash, all kinds of mushrooms, fabulous whole grains and breads, farm eggs, artisanal cheeses and pickles, hormone-free dairy (and even pasture-fed meats.) Quite a bounty for the dead of winter. There are several foods that taste remarkably different here…eggs, carrots and the greens…they are really amazing. Never tasted ones as delicious.

Here is another recipe from the market…adapted from Deborah Madison.

Green Chard and Slivered Carrots

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2-4 small dried red chilies, optional
1 bunch green Swiss chard, about 1 ½ pounds
3 medium carrots (try a mixture of orange, yellow and red)
Sea salt and fresh black pepper
Vinegar or slices of fresh lemon

Warm olive oil with garlic and chili peppers until the garlic is just lightly browned. Remove chili peppers and set aside.

Wash chard, remove thick part of stem and cut leaves into large pieces or ribbons. Wash carrots and slice into diagonal strips. I don’t ever peel them. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and gently blanch chard and carrots, 1-3 minutes or until al dente. Drain well and toss with the garlic-chili infused olive oil. Season with sea salt and black pepper and serve with vinegar or lemon slices.

After the farmers' market, to help the time pass (yes…still “waiting”), I took a walk and found a street as remarkably "bountiful" as the farmers’market. A beautiful Catholic church heads up a street of wonderful brownstones and two other churches, a Lutheran and a Reform. While brownstones are still flourishing in other parts of Brooklyn, the true ones near me are rare…much less a whole street full. Most streets are full re-do’s: “brickstones” and aluminum-sided rowhouses, like the one my apartment is in.

In addition to being excited about food, I am also excited about “vintage”architecture, especially doors. Let me share some beauties. Of course, my imagination took flight...filling each door with stories, vintage furniture, clothing and even a horse drawn carriage or two!

Branching Out

One of the fun things about being in a new “culture” is learning about and enjoying a new way of doing things. Branching out…trying out a new leaf so to speak.

And so, taking that thought literally...

I have always found there is something very comforting about cabbage. I love it gently stir-fried; I love it in soup. And, stuffed cabbage rolls…yum. I usually buy the green varieties of cabbage and every so often, the red or purple kind. However...I don't do much with red cabbage except eat it raw. Encouraged by my adventure here, I feel the need to branch out, try out that new leaf in a new way.

Last time at the farmers' market, I was quick to grab a recipe flyer hanging by the produce stand. Love new recipes! Enjoy this one. Warm Red Cabbage Salad is very similar to a yummy side I had along with mushroom and sauerkraut pierogies in a Polish restaurant, is chock full of nutritional gems and the vibrant color is just like the gorgeous garnet...the gemstone of January! Enjoy branching out a little this weekend, too!

Warm Red Cabbage Salad

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 cups thinly sliced red cabbage (about ¼ head)
¾ teaspoon caraway seeds
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 crisp, sweet apple (Gala or Braeburn)
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add cabbage, caraway seeds and salt. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add apple, shallot, vinegar, mustard and pepper and stir intil combined. Serve sprinkled with toasted walnuts.

Picture from Internet...great bowl, too!

Taking Comfort

Good 'Til The Last Drop

I hate leaving Halloween behind. Yes, I know...only 360 days 'til it's back BUT, I do love to linger in the afterglow. Putting everything away is painful.  It is nice to see that several neighbors are still in the linger mode as well. We had a fabulous time this year and a couple of new houses playfully joined in.

To me, Halloween is spirited in every sense of the word. Out of the 500 plus kiddoes we had brave our walk, I bet not more than 1-2 did not say "Thank You" or wish us "Happy Halloween!", too. Not that those salutations were solicited or expected either...all just uttered joyfully. The kids (of every age!) were amazing...so playful, so colorful, so creative, so sweet, so fun...the human spirit at some of its best. Even my daughter commented, "Are people always this polite and nice? This is impressive."

Yes...always. I believe that is our basic human spirit and what I experience every Halloween is impressive and reaffirms my faith.

Even Veggies Do It!

I was chagrined to come in and catch a news story on how parents are preventing their children from Trick or Treat-ing...saying Halloween is a fearful, scary hell-iday thay they don't want their kids to enjoy. As a matter of fact, they want their kids to be frightened of it. To me, it's the same as teaching your kids to be scared of life and the people you'll meet living it. That's just me.

Made me so sad that I needed some comfort food.

Apple Squash Gratin (picture and recipe from fellow reveler Martha Stewart)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium leeks, white part only, trimmed of roots and tough outer leaves, thinly sliced crosswise, well washed and dried
Coarse sea salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, plus leaves for garnish
1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 pound apples, such as Gala, Cortland, Baldwin, or Macoun, peeled*, halved, cored, and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices (toss in an Arkansas Black apple for color)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a 10-inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add leeks and 2 tablespoons water; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add sherry and sage and cook until liquid is reduced to a glaze, about 3 minutes; set aside.

In a 2-quart shallow baking dish, arrange squash in overlapping layers; season with salt and pepper. Spread leeks evenly over the squash.

Arrange apples in an overlapping layer over the leeks. Brush apples with remaining tablespoon oil. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake 45 minutes.

Uncover and sprinkle cheese over the top. Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees and bake 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is golden brown. The tip of a paring knife should easily pierce the gratin. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with sage leaves. Serves comfort to 4.

*I rarely peel anything. Too many goodies in the skins to toss in the garbage. It will make the gratin more "rustic" in appearance, too, which I like.

Mother's Day 2011

This Mother's Day, I am going to share a few thoughts and then repost what I wrote last year because it is still just as current as can be. First, I want to acknowledge Jon and let him know that his verve and joie de vivre are infectious and add a merry energy to all around him. He has a wonderful and engaging life force. I have really enjoyed the times I have spent with him and love seeing such happiness come into my daughter's life.

Melissa and Jon

Next, as a mom, one of the traits about my kiddos that delights me most is that they have surrounded themselves with people who encourage them and they encourage in return to become their fullest selves. While always a parent, there seems to be a time when the kids take over. That is as it should be. It is their time at bat. I am delighted that my sweeties have the courage to step up to the plate and start dancing, singing and creating their lives on their own terms in their own time. I am having a blast with a momma-bird's eye view from the bleechers! Love you with all my heart sweetest HB's xoxoxooxox

Resh and Christian

And then, today and every day, give this Mother your best...

Years ago, sweet daughter Melissa gave me the book "She Taught Me to Eat Artichokes".

It is a lovely story about finding treasures and friendship in the heart of something or someone who seems a very unlikely source of tenderness. It is also about taking a little different, less common path. Imagine if the title were, "She Taught Me to Eat Iceberg Lettuce". Nothing too special or interesting there. This book about "artichokes" is no ordinary tale. It shares unique discoveries that have enriched my life.

This Mother's Day, I will be eating an artichoke in honor of the beautiful friendship that I have with my children and my mom. I may be in what is called the "sandwich" of life but I am squeezed between the best people. I am lucky to have two amazing children, Christian and Melissa, and an equally amazing daughter-in-law Reshma and second son Sameer. All four of them have hearts of gold and are encouraging, enthusiastic, creative, playful, generous, kind, compassionate and, as only children can be, lovingly wise friends. And, they are each writing their own beautiful "artichoke" story, one leaf at a time.

Melissa and Sameer

Christian and Reshma

My mom is a very special lady and a wonderful, adventurous cook herself. Her cookbook collection runs in the 100's. Don't even try to count the recipes she's clipped. Stacks. I mean stacks. Over these past wild and crazy couple of years, she has shown such strength. I imagine she feels a combination of relief and frustration over my taking a larger role in her "story". She is letting me do so with grace...and just a few "If you'd do it my way, Pensy's". Like she says, once a mom, always a mom.

Mom

This bouquet is for all of you...each one of you makes my life better, one sweet artichoke leaf at a time. xoxoxoox and Happy Mother's Day to all moms everywhere!

And so appropriately, here is a recipe for Steamed Artichokes. For flavor, use the very best artichokes and sweet butter you can find!

Buy tight, fresh, moist looking artichokes, like the ones in the picture. Don't buy the ones that look dry or have their petals already starting to open up more than the others. Wash and cut off stems at the base. Remove any teeny leaves and any that are discolored. You can also snip off the thorny tips of the petals but I don't.

Place artichokes on a steamer rack in a large saucepan or place directly in pan with about 1/2 inch of water, just enough to come up to the base of the artichoke. I will often add a sprinkle of Herbes de Provence to the water and sometimes a fresh bay leaf. Bring water to a boil, cover pot and reduce heat to a simmer. Steam between 30 and 50 minutes, depending on the size of the artichoke. The way I test for doneness is to pull off a leaf midway up the flower. If it comes off easily and the meat is tender, it is done. Pour water from pot and turn artichokes upside down to let any excess water drain off. You can also turn the heat on again and let them dry a little that way.

To eat, invite me over or melt sweet butter and add a splash of fresh lemon juice. Place artichoke on plate and pull off leaves, one petal at a time and dip meaty part into butter. Scrape off the tender meat at the base of each petal with your front teeth. As you finish the larger petals, you will see smaller ones and then the fuzzy choke. Scrape those inedible petals off and now what you have is the "heart" of the artichoke. Absolutely delectable. Savor every bite and don't run out of butter!

A special hug to the "grandchildren" Roger and Allie and to all our "babies" xoxoxoxoxo

Roger

Allie

Stubug

Lights in their eyes Sisters, Annie and Lilly

The Abuse of Power

Say it fast and it is the abusive power. The same day as the heart-wrenching but inspirational memorial service in Tuscon there was a lot of other talk about "words" being spoken on the airways and I got an email that I will share.

There was a vocabulary primer that I remember from grade school called "Words are Important". Indeed they are. Here is the email which came originally from content in Self magazine:

The Power Of Words


It’s true, they are only words. But the problem lies in the fact that words have been proven to be extremely powerful tools in creating strong feelings that can lead to immense joy or profound sadness. For many, the continual, even jesting use of negative phrases can have the same effect as an abusive parent, spouse, friend or boss telling you repeatedly that you are stupid and worthless. Soon enough, you begin to feel that way, and what was once just a word can lead to a perceived reality. And that can lead to depression, anxiety, apathy, and an inability to achieve our goals. 
 

If you’re rolling your eyes right now, consider that the power of positive thinking is backed up by actual science. Just ask Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, a Kenan Distinguished Professor of Psychology and principal investigator of the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Laboratory (a.k.a. PEP Lab) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also the author of Positivity, a book about the science behind how positive emotions affect not only our general happiness, but also our health and ability to achieve goals that we may have previously thought impossible.

“Positivity doesn’t just change the contents of your mind—It widens the span of possibilities that you see,” says Fredrickson. 
As many emotions start with thoughts, and thoughts are mostly made up of words, it makes sense that we actually have the power to change our emotions and beliefs about who we are and what we are capable of accomplishing. We can do this by simply taking the time to consciously change our words and phrases from negative to positive." 



The article goes on to state that these words can be what you say to yourself as well as what is said to you. And so, here is the thought for the weekend...avoid a smackdown, of any kind, from anyone, unless it is an uplifting one involving food and Bobby Flay.

Here is a recipe of his that looks comforting and positively delicious! Have a great weekend!

Bobby Flay's Chipotle Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

2 cups heavy cream
1 heaping tablespoon chipotle pepper puree
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 1/8-inch thick
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Whisk together cream and chipotle puree until smooth. In a 9 by 9-inch casserole dish, arrange the potatoes in even layers. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the cream mixture and season with salt and pepper. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, cream, and salt and pepper to form 10 layers.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes, remove cover and continue baking for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the cream has been absorbed and the potatoes are cooked through and the top is browned.  Serves 4-6.

Not-so-photogenic sweet taters awaiting their Bobby Flay transformation!

Recipe Exchange

This morning I got an email inviting me to be part of a recipe exchange. How fun! It is always great to have on hand someone else's sure-fire, "works every time" recipe. It is also nice to have new taste twists for what you may already have in your recipe favorites. This The Red White and Food post is for the tasty fun of the recipe exchange!

Remember last week when I told you my mom was excited over a twist on the classic green bean casserole? Well, here is her new and improved version, a recipe she exchanged with me. I love the meatiness of portabello mushroom. Really nice and chewy. I would take this one step further, however, and look at a DIY version of the canned soup and use fresh green beans, but look how delish this is in the pix...

Better Than The Original Green Bean Casserole

1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup organic milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 (9-ounce) packages frozen cut green beans, thawed or fresh, blanched
6 portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed
3 to 4 medium red onions
Extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute mushroom caps until soft in 2 batches with olive oil to coat pan. Set aside. Mix soup, milk, sour cream and pepper in a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Stir in beans.. Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot.

While the casserole is baking, slice onions and saute in a little olive oil, on medium heat, until soft.  Add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Turn heat to low and continue heating until caramelized, about 30 minutes. Remove bean casserole from oven. Arrange onions on a cookie sheet and broil on high 4 to 5 minutes, or until crispy. Scoop casserole evenly into heated mushroom caps. Sprinkle crispy onions on top and serve. Makes 6 servings.

Sunny Friday...It's Gravy

I am not into Black Friday.The day after Thanksgiving used to be the day we had our family Thanksgiving and so I have never gotten into the madness of rushing out to go shopping. Nor do I even think about Christmas decorations. I hold fast to the "one holiday at a time" theory and don't let one overstep the other. Today is still the "day after" ...Thanksgiving gravy.

Speaking of gravy, I can count on one hand the times I have ever made it. Max 5...in almost 50  years of cooking and two of those times it has been Chocolate Gravy that I made in a cooking class. But for yesterday's dinner, I felt the urge and had some wonderful looking mushrooms just waiting.

And, the mushrooms will help me answer another question some of you asked, why I referred to my great-grandmother as "Aunty" Co. In a word: mushrooms.

Aunty Co was my "real" great aunt. Her sister, Stella, was my "real" great-grandmother. She and Papa Barnett lived on a lovely, seaside farm near Virginia Beach, Virginia. One afternoon Stella took a ride out to gather some goodies for dinner. Her horse came back. She didn't. Sampling her treasures, she ate a wild mushroom and died of mushroom poisoning.

Per the custom of the times, the 1890's, as the unwed sister, Aunty Co was called upon to become my great-grandfather's next wife and mom to the three little ones-Gram Jean and her two brothers. However, adventuress that she was, she was in India when her sister died, hot off the trail she had blazed living in Hawaii, Japan, China and other places.

I have the letter she wrote back to my great-grandfather, accepting his proposal. She mourns not only her sister but what she knows is the loss of her footloose, fancy-free existence. She tells him she "is making my way home to you and the dear children." What she forgot to tell him was "when". On her way home, she traveled the rest of the world and many months later, settled and settled well into her new role. She was a corker.

Here are some pictures of my first veggie Thanksgiving, starting with a peek inside the Stuffed Pumpkin ( see November 22 post)...and then, it's on to the Safely Wild Mushroom Gravy recipe. 

I am really getting into tarts. This is my Pumpkin Tart.

It was a dreary day here and so I kept things bright, casual and playful.

Stewed Lima Beans, Spiced Beans, Corn Pudding, Tangerine Cranberry Sauce, Stuffed Pumpkin, Rio Rancho Dressing with Safely Wild Mushroom Gravy

Safely Wild Mushroom Gravy (I may be tweaking this. Son Christian called this morning and said he made a fab vegetarian gravy yesterday...I will try to get his recipe!)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups sliced mushrooms (I used shiitake, baby bellas and chanterelles)
1/3 cup brown rice flour (Oddly enough I had some...not a lump anywhere. I am sure any flour would work.)
1/4 cup shoyu or tamari soy sauce
1-1/2 cups water, veggie broth or wine combo
3/4 teaspoon dried sage
3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

In a skillet, heat olive oil and saute onion and garlic. Add mushrooms and saute until softened, browned a little and having "sweat" out their liquid. Add flour to make a roux and brown flour mix for a few minutes. Stir in soy sauce, liquids of choice and herbs. Simmer until thickened, thinning with a little extra liquid if gravy gets too thick. Makes about 2 cups.

Now, tomorrow, I will have some hair-raising shopping news!!!