I'm always on the lookout for good cheap wine. After all, good wine is easy to find if you're willing to drop a couple bucks, but there's plenty to drink in the under $15 a bottle range. During this holiday season I've been checking out some of the large size offerings, and I've found two favorites:
Pinot Evil This wine comes in a box. It wasn't too long ago that box wine was a joke. In fact it often wasn't even pure wine, often having to be labeled "wine with other natural flavors". Awful stuff, but cheap. Times have changed, and Pinot Evil, which my brother has been drinking for a while now is a nice example. It's a Pinot Noir that comes in a box with cheezy "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" monkey graphics, defying my prejudice against "critter wines". It's sourced from two places, Ile-de-Beaune, France and Hungary. Both are light bodied, as one expects wine from this grape to be. Unlike New World Pinots these wines aren't very soft and plummy. They don't have the bright cherry and refreshing acid you'd find in a good Burgundy, but they are both restrained and simple, which is all I can ask for a budget wine. My experience has been the Hungarian version has a bit more spice, but both are fine for quaffing or accompanying lightish meals. And at about $20 for a 3L box this wine works out the be the same as $5 a bottle, making it one of the cheapest wines I've found this year that's actually some kind of a pleasure to drink.
Barefoot Merlot I'm sure you've seen this one around, in magnums for under $10. (As cheap as Pinot Evil above). This soft, jammy Merlot is just a bit too light on the acid and slightly too heavy on the residual sugar to be anything like a fine wine, but it is drinkable, with no off flavors. It's a blast of soft fruit, but not as heavily extracted as many inexpensive Argentine and Australian wines. Perfect for parties and casual fans of California Merlot.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Winter Udon
Back to the Northeast and snow, and guess what? Noodle soup is perfect for it! This particular one is both easy and delicious, not to mention economical. As with any soup remember how easy it is to get more of the stuff than you were planning on making. I always make too much and end up having the leftovers for lunch the next day. This soup is not like a stew that improves from an overnight rest in the fridge, so best not to go crazy with the quantities unless you're feeding a group.
For the noodles I use 1lb packages of cooked udon that I get in Chinatown for just over a dollar. Since this is the kind of item that could get expensive in a fancy supermarket I'd recommend a trip to an Asian market for the noodles. A pound of cooked udon will feed two very hungry people or as many as four or five with more modest appetites.
Here's what you need to make this at home:
1 small head Chinese Cabbage, cut up (or more to taste)
2-3 shitake mushrooms per person, stems removed and tops scored in a criss-cross pattern
meat of 1 chicken thigh per person
1-2oz tofu cut into bite size cubes per person
1 soup bowl of water per person
Soy sauce
Chinese cooking wine (optional)
pinch sugar
3 scallions per person, cut in 1/2 inch lengths
1 package cooked udon noodles
Start off with the water in a pot, adding soy sauce until the water picks up a light brown color and is a little less salty than you want your soup to be. In goes a generous glug of the cooking wine (if using) and every other ingredient except the tofu, scallions and noodles. Slowly bring to a boil. Add tofu and scallions, then reduce to low heat. You know everything is cooked through when the mushrooms are soft. In a separate pot bring some water to a boil, and toss the cooked noodles into it for a minute or so to get them ready to serve. Drain noodles, place a serving in the bottom of each serving bowl and ladle in the hot broth, veggies, meat and tofu. Eat with both chopsticks and a spoon.
For the noodles I use 1lb packages of cooked udon that I get in Chinatown for just over a dollar. Since this is the kind of item that could get expensive in a fancy supermarket I'd recommend a trip to an Asian market for the noodles. A pound of cooked udon will feed two very hungry people or as many as four or five with more modest appetites.
Here's what you need to make this at home:
1 small head Chinese Cabbage, cut up (or more to taste)
2-3 shitake mushrooms per person, stems removed and tops scored in a criss-cross pattern
meat of 1 chicken thigh per person
1-2oz tofu cut into bite size cubes per person
1 soup bowl of water per person
Soy sauce
Chinese cooking wine (optional)
pinch sugar
3 scallions per person, cut in 1/2 inch lengths
1 package cooked udon noodles
Start off with the water in a pot, adding soy sauce until the water picks up a light brown color and is a little less salty than you want your soup to be. In goes a generous glug of the cooking wine (if using) and every other ingredient except the tofu, scallions and noodles. Slowly bring to a boil. Add tofu and scallions, then reduce to low heat. You know everything is cooked through when the mushrooms are soft. In a separate pot bring some water to a boil, and toss the cooked noodles into it for a minute or so to get them ready to serve. Drain noodles, place a serving in the bottom of each serving bowl and ladle in the hot broth, veggies, meat and tofu. Eat with both chopsticks and a spoon.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Lox Without Bagels
I've been in LA for a little while, and this New Yorker is suffering from the lack of easily obtainable good bagels. That doesn't mean I'm going without smoked salmon. I've just had to vary my presentation of the stuff. Here are two recipes that have been getting some play in my Los Feliz kitchen to good effect.
Bagel Topping Omelette
I'm not kidding - this is delicious. To serve two make a three egg omelette filled with chopped lox, chopped red onion, dollops of cream cheese and capers. I'm dumbfounded this isn't a standard brunch item.
Lox Pasta
Cook half a pound of pasta to al dente and drain. In the pasta pot over medium heat toss olive oil, chopped garlic, chopped parsley and capers with chopped lox and pasta. I use 2-3 ounces of lox. A squeeze of lemon juice doesn't hurt, nor does a small amount of finely chopped lemon zest added with the garlic. Serve with a salad and white wine. (Yes, this dish is equally good with canned tuna in olive oil instead of lox, but the salmon makes for an unexpected twist. Try it.)
Bagel Topping Omelette
I'm not kidding - this is delicious. To serve two make a three egg omelette filled with chopped lox, chopped red onion, dollops of cream cheese and capers. I'm dumbfounded this isn't a standard brunch item.
Lox Pasta
Cook half a pound of pasta to al dente and drain. In the pasta pot over medium heat toss olive oil, chopped garlic, chopped parsley and capers with chopped lox and pasta. I use 2-3 ounces of lox. A squeeze of lemon juice doesn't hurt, nor does a small amount of finely chopped lemon zest added with the garlic. Serve with a salad and white wine. (Yes, this dish is equally good with canned tuna in olive oil instead of lox, but the salmon makes for an unexpected twist. Try it.)
Saturday, October 24, 2009
As American as Olive Oil and Wine
Roze, of the blog MorelsAndMore (www.morselsandmore.blogspot.com) started a discussion a couple weeks ago of just what constitutes American food. It got me thinking about the history of our cuisine, including recent changes in how we eat. I personally couldn't imagine surviving without olive oil and wine, but these are recent arrivals on many American tables. Here's my take on how they got there. Apologies to Fussell and Pollan.
America is a frontier nation that turned middle class aspirant after the Industrial Revolution and never looked back. The frontier mentality viewed any attention turned toward refining cuisine as effete. How could anyone possibly do better than a steak and a piece of pie? There was a time in our history where if you weren't a farmer or a member of the gentry you were probably living on beans, fatback and corn bread (and corn whiskey). That was American cuisine, and if that wasn't good enough for you, you were a snob! When we finally grew into an affluent nation capable of turning it's attention toward cuisine we'd developed a deep class anxiety. Everyone was out for the comfort and constraint of a middle class lifestyle. This reached its height in the postwar boom.
The definition of "classy" in America mostly came from Anglophilic Northeasterners. They ate bland food, and a nation aspiring to better themselves took the cue from them. (Think of those bland warhorse dishes that were the height of American cuisine until the latter part the last century: Beef Wellington and Lobster Thermidor). After all, who was eating spicy, boldly flavored food? Poor people, mostly immigrants and the descendants of slaves. Ethnic foods were spicy. Prejudice against bold flavor has only recently begun to unravel in American cuisine. We still have a way to go.
But we've made progress, as evidenced by our choices of wine and salad dressing.
Ranch dressing is incredibly popular in America. What is it, really? A buttermilk riff on German yogurt dressing. Mayo based dressings have been equally popular here. The default in most of the Western world is vinaigrette. Why is it only recently catching on in America? First, vinaigrette has a sharp flavor. Sharp flavors traditionally don't do well with us unless they're offset by sweetness, like in ketchup or BBQ sauce. (When vinegar was used to dress American salads it was often offset with sugar, hence my lack of surprise over the recent popularity of balsamic vinegar). Also, vinaigrette contains a ethnic ingredient that Americans have only very recently embraced: olive oil. Not very Anglophilic stuff. C.E. Edgar naming Popeye's love interest Olive Oyl sent a very clear class signal about her: she was the daughter of immigrants - a woman from the lower rung of society. A perfect fit for his free-swearing sailor character.
Wine is equally telling. Until very recently who in America was drinking wine? The elite, drunks, Italians, Jews and those wacky Californians. American wine was sweet (much of it still is). Makes sense, as both the Germans and the English traditionally had an affinity for sweet wine, and our food culture owes more to them than we realize. (The American affinity for sweet drinks was unparalleled, though. In the past only the most dirt poor would drink water. Summertime soft drinks were lemonade or sweet tea. It's no surprise that Pemberton's temperance era creation has become as much a symbol of America as our flag). The elite may have been drinking dry wine, but it was, of course, imported. And they were considered snobs, so their opinion didn't count, anyways. I'm old enough to shudder over the memory of wine coolers and white zinfandel.
How did both olive oil and drier wines lose their stigmas and gain American acceptance? In a uniquely American manner: food fads. As a nation with shallow food roots we're given to food fads. As a capitalist country there's incentive to encourage such fads because there are pots of money to be made from them. 1970's lipophobia transformed olive oil from an ethnic novelty to a mainstay of the American kitchen, but only here would we market "lite" olive oil for those who found its flavor too bold. More recent studies that showed the health benefits of wine led to it becoming commonplace on the American table. Still, most American wines are fruity and less than dry. But drier wines that pair well with food can now be found just about anywhere in America. I think that's a good thing.
There you have one benefit of our current obsession with eating our way to health; we're starting to get over some longstanding food prejudices. (Of course this obsession is ironic, given how much of our food is anything but healthy). We even seem to be on the edge of spicy food losing its stigma, which is exciting, but that will be a later post.
America is a frontier nation that turned middle class aspirant after the Industrial Revolution and never looked back. The frontier mentality viewed any attention turned toward refining cuisine as effete. How could anyone possibly do better than a steak and a piece of pie? There was a time in our history where if you weren't a farmer or a member of the gentry you were probably living on beans, fatback and corn bread (and corn whiskey). That was American cuisine, and if that wasn't good enough for you, you were a snob! When we finally grew into an affluent nation capable of turning it's attention toward cuisine we'd developed a deep class anxiety. Everyone was out for the comfort and constraint of a middle class lifestyle. This reached its height in the postwar boom.
The definition of "classy" in America mostly came from Anglophilic Northeasterners. They ate bland food, and a nation aspiring to better themselves took the cue from them. (Think of those bland warhorse dishes that were the height of American cuisine until the latter part the last century: Beef Wellington and Lobster Thermidor). After all, who was eating spicy, boldly flavored food? Poor people, mostly immigrants and the descendants of slaves. Ethnic foods were spicy. Prejudice against bold flavor has only recently begun to unravel in American cuisine. We still have a way to go.
But we've made progress, as evidenced by our choices of wine and salad dressing.
Ranch dressing is incredibly popular in America. What is it, really? A buttermilk riff on German yogurt dressing. Mayo based dressings have been equally popular here. The default in most of the Western world is vinaigrette. Why is it only recently catching on in America? First, vinaigrette has a sharp flavor. Sharp flavors traditionally don't do well with us unless they're offset by sweetness, like in ketchup or BBQ sauce. (When vinegar was used to dress American salads it was often offset with sugar, hence my lack of surprise over the recent popularity of balsamic vinegar). Also, vinaigrette contains a ethnic ingredient that Americans have only very recently embraced: olive oil. Not very Anglophilic stuff. C.E. Edgar naming Popeye's love interest Olive Oyl sent a very clear class signal about her: she was the daughter of immigrants - a woman from the lower rung of society. A perfect fit for his free-swearing sailor character.
Wine is equally telling. Until very recently who in America was drinking wine? The elite, drunks, Italians, Jews and those wacky Californians. American wine was sweet (much of it still is). Makes sense, as both the Germans and the English traditionally had an affinity for sweet wine, and our food culture owes more to them than we realize. (The American affinity for sweet drinks was unparalleled, though. In the past only the most dirt poor would drink water. Summertime soft drinks were lemonade or sweet tea. It's no surprise that Pemberton's temperance era creation has become as much a symbol of America as our flag). The elite may have been drinking dry wine, but it was, of course, imported. And they were considered snobs, so their opinion didn't count, anyways. I'm old enough to shudder over the memory of wine coolers and white zinfandel.
How did both olive oil and drier wines lose their stigmas and gain American acceptance? In a uniquely American manner: food fads. As a nation with shallow food roots we're given to food fads. As a capitalist country there's incentive to encourage such fads because there are pots of money to be made from them. 1970's lipophobia transformed olive oil from an ethnic novelty to a mainstay of the American kitchen, but only here would we market "lite" olive oil for those who found its flavor too bold. More recent studies that showed the health benefits of wine led to it becoming commonplace on the American table. Still, most American wines are fruity and less than dry. But drier wines that pair well with food can now be found just about anywhere in America. I think that's a good thing.
There you have one benefit of our current obsession with eating our way to health; we're starting to get over some longstanding food prejudices. (Of course this obsession is ironic, given how much of our food is anything but healthy). We even seem to be on the edge of spicy food losing its stigma, which is exciting, but that will be a later post.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Trader Joe's - The Supermarket for People Who Don't Cook
The Trader Joe's near me in Manhattan is a crowded nightmare, with queues frequently stretching to the back of the store. I can't even go in it. So I'm kind of late in coming to the party, as far as the Trader Joe's love fest is concerned. I've been in friends' apartments and seen quality products they've purchased for cheap at TJ's. I understand how their Aldi-like business model allows this to happen. Skip the middle man, brand it yourself and pass the savings on to the customer. Makes sense. But I never got to wrap my head around the phenomenon that is Trader Joe's... Until now, having just returned from a lovely, spacious, rock and roll themed location on Sunset in West Hollywood.
I get it. It's as clear as day, now. I know why so many rhapsodize about this place. I understand.
You know how the Food Network on TV started out doing cooking shows, then realized that home cooks were a pretty small audience to target? What did they do? They took a cue from popular Japanese television shows, and started airing programs about food geared toward people who didn't actually cook. And what happened? They got huge. My father, who has probably cooked no more than ten meals in his life (other than grilling, of course) watches the Food Network all the time. He loves it. He loves food.
What does this have to do with Trader Joe's? They've pulled off a similarly brilliant move: They've positioned themselves as the supermarket for people who love food, but don't really cook. Most of what they carry could be described as "ready to eat" or "heat and eat" foods - it's a sea of "value added" products. They offer a wide variety, the quality is pretty high and the prices vary from fair to downright cheap! Need your hand held in the kitchen? How about vacuum sealed bags of cooked rice? How about several varieties, variously seasoned and ready for the microwave? That'd go great with that vegetarian Indian entree in aisle four, wouldn't it? (The place is pretty vegetarian friendly - they know their demographic. Like in Whole Foods, young women are disproportionately represented among the shoppers). Looking for the upscale, world-beat, modern versions of the TV dinner, canned soup, snack foods, frozen entrees, dump and stir, heat and eat? Look no further! What about those who might scoff at such processed foods? Lure them in with organic processed foods! Let's see them scoff now! And for the cherry on top of the sundae: unbelievably cheap wine. No wonder the place is a goldmine.
I'll admit I admire it. I wish I'd thought of it. Hell, I wish there had been one near me when I was in college. Then again, I might never have learned to cook if a Trader Joe's had been part of my young life. It might never have occurred to me that a little bit of effort in the kitchen would allow me to do so much better. What motivation would I have had? Some of the stuff they sell is really good, as far as convenience food goes. Yeah, a love of food is part of what got me into cooking, but being a starving musician who wanted to eat a greater variety of foods than I could afford to go out for was an equally big motivating factor. There's so much inexpensive variety at Trader Joe's it's almost scary.
So what's there for me? Not much. I like cheap olive oil, basmati rice, pine nuts, etc, but I can find those things elsewhere. And elsewhere I don't have to wade through mountains of unnecessary packaging, all emblazoned with the Trader Joe's brand name. I'm not going to be tempted by the chicken chipotle wrap sitting next to the plastic container of seven layer dip. Sorry. I'm looking for ingredients from which I'll make my own meals, thank you very much. You can't even buy a bunch of parsley there! What they sell is a few sprigs in a rigid plastic box for the greater part of two dollars. The lion's share of what I bought today was a loaf of bread, some smoked fish, some sliced ham, salad makings and a bag of pasta. Like I said, it's a supermarket for people who don't really cook.
I get it. It's as clear as day, now. I know why so many rhapsodize about this place. I understand.
You know how the Food Network on TV started out doing cooking shows, then realized that home cooks were a pretty small audience to target? What did they do? They took a cue from popular Japanese television shows, and started airing programs about food geared toward people who didn't actually cook. And what happened? They got huge. My father, who has probably cooked no more than ten meals in his life (other than grilling, of course) watches the Food Network all the time. He loves it. He loves food.
What does this have to do with Trader Joe's? They've pulled off a similarly brilliant move: They've positioned themselves as the supermarket for people who love food, but don't really cook. Most of what they carry could be described as "ready to eat" or "heat and eat" foods - it's a sea of "value added" products. They offer a wide variety, the quality is pretty high and the prices vary from fair to downright cheap! Need your hand held in the kitchen? How about vacuum sealed bags of cooked rice? How about several varieties, variously seasoned and ready for the microwave? That'd go great with that vegetarian Indian entree in aisle four, wouldn't it? (The place is pretty vegetarian friendly - they know their demographic. Like in Whole Foods, young women are disproportionately represented among the shoppers). Looking for the upscale, world-beat, modern versions of the TV dinner, canned soup, snack foods, frozen entrees, dump and stir, heat and eat? Look no further! What about those who might scoff at such processed foods? Lure them in with organic processed foods! Let's see them scoff now! And for the cherry on top of the sundae: unbelievably cheap wine. No wonder the place is a goldmine.
I'll admit I admire it. I wish I'd thought of it. Hell, I wish there had been one near me when I was in college. Then again, I might never have learned to cook if a Trader Joe's had been part of my young life. It might never have occurred to me that a little bit of effort in the kitchen would allow me to do so much better. What motivation would I have had? Some of the stuff they sell is really good, as far as convenience food goes. Yeah, a love of food is part of what got me into cooking, but being a starving musician who wanted to eat a greater variety of foods than I could afford to go out for was an equally big motivating factor. There's so much inexpensive variety at Trader Joe's it's almost scary.
So what's there for me? Not much. I like cheap olive oil, basmati rice, pine nuts, etc, but I can find those things elsewhere. And elsewhere I don't have to wade through mountains of unnecessary packaging, all emblazoned with the Trader Joe's brand name. I'm not going to be tempted by the chicken chipotle wrap sitting next to the plastic container of seven layer dip. Sorry. I'm looking for ingredients from which I'll make my own meals, thank you very much. You can't even buy a bunch of parsley there! What they sell is a few sprigs in a rigid plastic box for the greater part of two dollars. The lion's share of what I bought today was a loaf of bread, some smoked fish, some sliced ham, salad makings and a bag of pasta. Like I said, it's a supermarket for people who don't really cook.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Leftover Maintenance
None of us want to waste food, yet we do. A big culprit when it comes to wastefulness is your fridge, notably leftover dishes or ingredients that get pushed to the back and forgotten about until they're inedible. People simply don't get excited about eating the same thing two days in a row, especially when it's likely to have suffered from time spent in the fridge. So instead they figure they'll get to the leftovers later, and that day never comes.
How did generations of grandmothers who never wasted a scrap of food get around this? They'd transform leftovers from one meal into an entirely different meal the next day. They had a whole repertoire of dishes created for the sole purpose of using up leftover this or that. Some of these were on the humble side, but humble and delicious are not mutually exclusive! Here are a few of my favorite leftover transformations:
Italian Bread Soup
This is something to do with leftover Italian (or French) bread that's gone stale overnight. Cut the bread into cubes and fry in olive oil with a pinch of crushed red pepper. Throw in some chopped garlic and fry for another minute. Cover with chicken broth (or stock), break up a few canned tomatoes into it, and gently simmer for ten minutes. Add a finishing herb (Italian parsley, basil or even chopped fresh rosemary leaves) and serve topped with grated Romano cheese.
Fritatta of Leftover Pasta
Any leftover long pasta will work here, regardless of how it's been sauced. To serve two heat olive oil (or a small amount of butter) in the bottom of a 10" pan. Add just enough leftover pasta to cover the bottom of pan. Grate some cheese (I use Romano) over it, then pour in three beaten eggs. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for ten minutes (or until eggs have set on top). Serve pasta side up, with a salad.
Fried Rice
Hot oil + whatever veggies you have lying around (garlic, onion, celery, carrot, green peas, bell pepper, whatever) + any leftovers (meat, fish, poultry, sausage, ham, whatever) + cold leftover rice + an egg + soy sauce (or fish sauce) = fried rice. That's the order it goes down in the wok. Keep things moving quickly once the rice hits, and make sure the egg fries a bit on the bottom of the wok before it gets stirred into the rice. Garnish with chopped scallions or cilantro if you have any lying around. Hot sauce works, too.
Cold Shoulder Francais
Cold leftover roast meat can be served thinly sliced with Dijon mustard (or horseradish for beef), cornichons, bread and butter. Just plate it attractively. Add a salad and a glass of wine and forget you're eating leftovers.
Open-faced Sandwiches w/Gravy
Here's an Americana classic for leftover roast meat and gravy. Reheat the sliced meat in gravy, and use it to top a slice of bread. (Any bread will do, but rye works really well). Eat with knife and fork. Both my mother and grandmother used this to stretch extra meals out of a roast. It's superb with turkey or pot roast. If you're a little shy on the gravy, thin it down with a little water and a pinch of salt. If it looks too damn brown and plain garnish with some chopped chives, so it looks classy.
Soup
Leftover bird carcasses and ham bones make excellent soups. Like many, my grandmother made turkey noodle soup from the leftovers of the holiday bird. She added a big can of tomatoes to it, which I've never seen anybody outside my family do. Try it, it's delicious!
Omelettes
Many leftovers can make surprisingly good omelette fillings. I've had luck with garlic mashed potatoes, ratatouille and sauteed veggies. If all you have leftover is a small amount of something ask yourself: Could this make a good omelette filling?
Red Sauce
Many leftovers can get a new lease on life as part of a red sauce for pasta. My wife particularly likes using leftover grilled meat and veggies. Leftover red sauce can be frozen and added to the next one you make. I knew a guy whose red sauce always contained the frozen remains of the last one he'd made. His sauce never tasted the same way twice!
How did generations of grandmothers who never wasted a scrap of food get around this? They'd transform leftovers from one meal into an entirely different meal the next day. They had a whole repertoire of dishes created for the sole purpose of using up leftover this or that. Some of these were on the humble side, but humble and delicious are not mutually exclusive! Here are a few of my favorite leftover transformations:
Italian Bread Soup
This is something to do with leftover Italian (or French) bread that's gone stale overnight. Cut the bread into cubes and fry in olive oil with a pinch of crushed red pepper. Throw in some chopped garlic and fry for another minute. Cover with chicken broth (or stock), break up a few canned tomatoes into it, and gently simmer for ten minutes. Add a finishing herb (Italian parsley, basil or even chopped fresh rosemary leaves) and serve topped with grated Romano cheese.
Fritatta of Leftover Pasta
Any leftover long pasta will work here, regardless of how it's been sauced. To serve two heat olive oil (or a small amount of butter) in the bottom of a 10" pan. Add just enough leftover pasta to cover the bottom of pan. Grate some cheese (I use Romano) over it, then pour in three beaten eggs. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for ten minutes (or until eggs have set on top). Serve pasta side up, with a salad.
Fried Rice
Hot oil + whatever veggies you have lying around (garlic, onion, celery, carrot, green peas, bell pepper, whatever) + any leftovers (meat, fish, poultry, sausage, ham, whatever) + cold leftover rice + an egg + soy sauce (or fish sauce) = fried rice. That's the order it goes down in the wok. Keep things moving quickly once the rice hits, and make sure the egg fries a bit on the bottom of the wok before it gets stirred into the rice. Garnish with chopped scallions or cilantro if you have any lying around. Hot sauce works, too.
Cold Shoulder Francais
Cold leftover roast meat can be served thinly sliced with Dijon mustard (or horseradish for beef), cornichons, bread and butter. Just plate it attractively. Add a salad and a glass of wine and forget you're eating leftovers.
Open-faced Sandwiches w/Gravy
Here's an Americana classic for leftover roast meat and gravy. Reheat the sliced meat in gravy, and use it to top a slice of bread. (Any bread will do, but rye works really well). Eat with knife and fork. Both my mother and grandmother used this to stretch extra meals out of a roast. It's superb with turkey or pot roast. If you're a little shy on the gravy, thin it down with a little water and a pinch of salt. If it looks too damn brown and plain garnish with some chopped chives, so it looks classy.
Soup
Leftover bird carcasses and ham bones make excellent soups. Like many, my grandmother made turkey noodle soup from the leftovers of the holiday bird. She added a big can of tomatoes to it, which I've never seen anybody outside my family do. Try it, it's delicious!
Omelettes
Many leftovers can make surprisingly good omelette fillings. I've had luck with garlic mashed potatoes, ratatouille and sauteed veggies. If all you have leftover is a small amount of something ask yourself: Could this make a good omelette filling?
Red Sauce
Many leftovers can get a new lease on life as part of a red sauce for pasta. My wife particularly likes using leftover grilled meat and veggies. Leftover red sauce can be frozen and added to the next one you make. I knew a guy whose red sauce always contained the frozen remains of the last one he'd made. His sauce never tasted the same way twice!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Toasted Walnuts
Sorry I've been away for so long. Been doing the rock and roll thing: a couple weeks rehearsing in LA, then a week in Tokyo playing shows with Julian Casablancas. It's a pretty top gig: great music, travel and incredibly cool people to work with. (Not to mention how good LA and Tokyo were to a spoiled New Yorker out looking for a bite to eat, even on the cheap). Upon arriving home to the Lower East Side NYC's summer had faded, with the specter of autumn in the night air. I was ready to eat something other than Mexican or Japanese food, of which I'd freely indulged in during my travels - preferably something home cooked and reflective of the changing season. My wife insisted on stepping up to the plate (pardon the pun).
Even though I'd been looking forward to playing around in my own kitchen after weeks on the road, I was too jet lagged to protest leaving the cooking in her capable hands. The smell of the beets roasting while we caught up over a glass of wine made for wonderful anticipation. The play of flavors - roasted beets (sweet), toasted walnuts (mellow), goat cheese (rich and sharp), salad greens in Balsamic vinaigrette (sharp and sweet)- was perfect as the evening cool set in. A couple heirloom tomatoes she'd picked up from my brother's garden even found their way onto the plate. Lucky me, I didn't have to lift a finger.
This salad isn't exactly breaking news in the food world. I remember scoffing at it as "yuppie chick food" back in the 1980's. (What can I say? Back then sushi, arugula and dry wine were considered pretentious. Goat cheese didn't stand a chance). Between the cheese and the toasted walnuts there's just enough substance to stand as a meal on its own, though it also makes an excellent first course. The classic cheese to use here is chèvre, but lower moisture goat cheeses can be substituted. If using a lower moisture cheese use less and slice it very thin (a cheese shaver works well for drier types).
As far as wine goes, this salad is friendly to many: crisp whites with good acidity and light to medium bodied reds work well. If you like whites with more residual sugar than is currently fashionable bust them out. Sparklers are a good call, too. We went with a lighter bodied red (a St Laurent from Germany). It was a great pairing.
This recipe will serve two for a light supper or a weekend lunch.
2 large beets, peeled and cut into just bigger than bite sized cubes
2 oz chèvre (or other goat cheese - see above)
handful of walnuts, roughly chopped
salad greens for two
heirloom tomato, sliced (optional)
1/2 clove garlic, finely chopped
extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss beets in a bowl with a little olive oil (about a Tbs), salt and pepper. Place in baking dish (or tray) and roast. Depending on how tender the beets are to begin with they will cook in 40 min to an hour. (Start checking them with a fork after 40 min). They're done when they've shrunk a bit and are easily picked up by being speared with the fork. Let them cool for a few minutes (they can be served warm, but not hot).
While beets are roasting you have plenty of time to get everything else ready: Toast the walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat, shaking them around every couple minutes so they don't burn. Once they've picked up a little color cut the heat and set aside. Toss the salad greens in a bowl with a drizzle each of oil and vinegar, the chopped garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Arrange greens on one side of each serving plate and top with tomato slices (if using). Arrange beets on the other side of the plate, drizzle lightly with vinegar and top with walnuts and small dollops of chèvre. Serve immediately.
Even though I'd been looking forward to playing around in my own kitchen after weeks on the road, I was too jet lagged to protest leaving the cooking in her capable hands. The smell of the beets roasting while we caught up over a glass of wine made for wonderful anticipation. The play of flavors - roasted beets (sweet), toasted walnuts (mellow), goat cheese (rich and sharp), salad greens in Balsamic vinaigrette (sharp and sweet)- was perfect as the evening cool set in. A couple heirloom tomatoes she'd picked up from my brother's garden even found their way onto the plate. Lucky me, I didn't have to lift a finger.
This salad isn't exactly breaking news in the food world. I remember scoffing at it as "yuppie chick food" back in the 1980's. (What can I say? Back then sushi, arugula and dry wine were considered pretentious. Goat cheese didn't stand a chance). Between the cheese and the toasted walnuts there's just enough substance to stand as a meal on its own, though it also makes an excellent first course. The classic cheese to use here is chèvre, but lower moisture goat cheeses can be substituted. If using a lower moisture cheese use less and slice it very thin (a cheese shaver works well for drier types).
As far as wine goes, this salad is friendly to many: crisp whites with good acidity and light to medium bodied reds work well. If you like whites with more residual sugar than is currently fashionable bust them out. Sparklers are a good call, too. We went with a lighter bodied red (a St Laurent from Germany). It was a great pairing.
This recipe will serve two for a light supper or a weekend lunch.
2 large beets, peeled and cut into just bigger than bite sized cubes
2 oz chèvre (or other goat cheese - see above)
handful of walnuts, roughly chopped
salad greens for two
heirloom tomato, sliced (optional)
1/2 clove garlic, finely chopped
extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss beets in a bowl with a little olive oil (about a Tbs), salt and pepper. Place in baking dish (or tray) and roast. Depending on how tender the beets are to begin with they will cook in 40 min to an hour. (Start checking them with a fork after 40 min). They're done when they've shrunk a bit and are easily picked up by being speared with the fork. Let them cool for a few minutes (they can be served warm, but not hot).
While beets are roasting you have plenty of time to get everything else ready: Toast the walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat, shaking them around every couple minutes so they don't burn. Once they've picked up a little color cut the heat and set aside. Toss the salad greens in a bowl with a drizzle each of oil and vinegar, the chopped garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Arrange greens on one side of each serving plate and top with tomato slices (if using). Arrange beets on the other side of the plate, drizzle lightly with vinegar and top with walnuts and small dollops of chèvre. Serve immediately.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Bean Thread Noodles
When it's hot and humid I pine for South Asian food. Jennifer Brennan's excellent book, One Dish Meals of Asia, helped me get over my initial trepidation over approaching this cuisine in my own kitchen. (It's also a good read, which can't be said about all cookbooks). Her recipe for Laotian Odds and Ends Noodles was my first experience cooking bean threads (also called glass noodles), which are made from bean starch. I've been making variations of Ms Brennan's recipe for almost two decades - it's become one of "my" signature dishes. This is exactly the kind of dish I love: easy to make, inexpensive, practical home cooking that's good enough to serve to guests. It's also perfect hot weather food.
These noodles are no longer only found in Asian markets; recently I've seen them in supermarkets. They should not be difficult to track down, depending on where you live. That goes double for fish sauce, which is easy to find these days. At the table I offer any of the widely available Asian style hot sauces (Sriracha aka "Rooster" sauce, sambal oelek, chili garlic sauce) so each diner can adjust the heat to their taste. Those are the only "exotic" ingredients you'll need for this dish.
I use ground pork (preferably coarse ground), but ground beef, chicken, shrimp or any leftover meat you have will work; the meat is a supporting player here, not the star of the show. The cooking will go pretty quickly, so be sure to do all your prep work (cleaning, chopping, etc) in advance.
Bean Thread Noodles, Laos Style
This will make dinner for two with leftovers. If a third shows up you'll have enough. If you like your food on the salty side go a little heavier on the fish sauce.
large onion, cut in crescents
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
small piece fresh ginger, peeled, smashed and chopped (optional)
oil for frying (a few Tbs)
at least 1/2 lb ground pork (or other meat)
just over 1 Tbs fish sauce
4 50g hanks bean thread noodles (about 7 oz)
2 cups chicken broth
bunch cilantro, washed and chopped
bunch scallions, sliced into rounds
To garnish:
lemon and/or lime wedges
sliced cucumber (optional)
Asian style hot sauce, to taste
2 eggs
oil for frying (1 Tbs)
Heat oil in wok or large pan. Add onions and fry for a minute or two. Add garlic and ginger (if using) and fry for another minute. Add meat and continue to fry until meat is partially cooked. Add fish sauce and stir. Add bean thread noodles and broth, shifting the contents of the wok to make sure the noodles are covered with liquid. Lower the heat as the noodles absorb the liquid. Heat a small pan with a little oil. Beat the eggs and pour into small pan to make a simple omelette while noodles are finishing in the wok. When the omelette has set flip it in the pan and cut the heat. Once the noodles have absorbed all the liquid check to see if they're tender (if not add a little water). Turn the heat off the wok and stir in the scallions and cilantro. Transfer noodles to serving dish. Use a spatula to cut the omelette into strips, and lay them out attractively on top of the noodles. Garnish with lemon/lime wedges and cucumber slices (if using). Serve with hot sauce. If you prefer it saltier a squirt or two of fish sauce at the table will do the trick.
These noodles are no longer only found in Asian markets; recently I've seen them in supermarkets. They should not be difficult to track down, depending on where you live. That goes double for fish sauce, which is easy to find these days. At the table I offer any of the widely available Asian style hot sauces (Sriracha aka "Rooster" sauce, sambal oelek, chili garlic sauce) so each diner can adjust the heat to their taste. Those are the only "exotic" ingredients you'll need for this dish.
I use ground pork (preferably coarse ground), but ground beef, chicken, shrimp or any leftover meat you have will work; the meat is a supporting player here, not the star of the show. The cooking will go pretty quickly, so be sure to do all your prep work (cleaning, chopping, etc) in advance.
Bean Thread Noodles, Laos Style
This will make dinner for two with leftovers. If a third shows up you'll have enough. If you like your food on the salty side go a little heavier on the fish sauce.
large onion, cut in crescents
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
small piece fresh ginger, peeled, smashed and chopped (optional)
oil for frying (a few Tbs)
at least 1/2 lb ground pork (or other meat)
just over 1 Tbs fish sauce
4 50g hanks bean thread noodles (about 7 oz)
2 cups chicken broth
bunch cilantro, washed and chopped
bunch scallions, sliced into rounds
To garnish:
lemon and/or lime wedges
sliced cucumber (optional)
Asian style hot sauce, to taste
2 eggs
oil for frying (1 Tbs)
Heat oil in wok or large pan. Add onions and fry for a minute or two. Add garlic and ginger (if using) and fry for another minute. Add meat and continue to fry until meat is partially cooked. Add fish sauce and stir. Add bean thread noodles and broth, shifting the contents of the wok to make sure the noodles are covered with liquid. Lower the heat as the noodles absorb the liquid. Heat a small pan with a little oil. Beat the eggs and pour into small pan to make a simple omelette while noodles are finishing in the wok. When the omelette has set flip it in the pan and cut the heat. Once the noodles have absorbed all the liquid check to see if they're tender (if not add a little water). Turn the heat off the wok and stir in the scallions and cilantro. Transfer noodles to serving dish. Use a spatula to cut the omelette into strips, and lay them out attractively on top of the noodles. Garnish with lemon/lime wedges and cucumber slices (if using). Serve with hot sauce. If you prefer it saltier a squirt or two of fish sauce at the table will do the trick.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Canned Tuna For Dinner Again?
I only eat canned tuna once a week, but I enjoy it. The stuff is healthy in moderation, easy to deal with and it's cheap. The best stuff seems to come from Italy (not so cheap), but an excellent inexpensive choice is out there: Genova Tonno in Olive Oil. It's quality yellowfin from Tri Union, the same people who bring us Chicken of the Sea. That means your supermarket can get it if they don't already carry it. At just over two bucks a can the stuff is a wonderfully cost-efficient indulgence: meaty, salty, rich and delicious. The olive oil is a perfect foil for the clean tuna flavor. It's good enough you can forgo the mayo on a sandwich; just drain and put the fish on a good sliced roll, like they do in Spanish cafes.
If you're feeling slightly more ambitious try this:
Salade Niçoise
This classic French recipe transforms a tuna salad into an elegant (and complete) meal. Like anything simple, the quality of the ingredients is the difference between good and great. If creamy new potatoes, fresh green beans and perfect salad greens are available at your local farmer's market they'd be the way to go. If you're at the mercy of your supermarket so be it, the result will still be delicious. This recipe serves two for lunch, but you can just add more stuff to make it substantial enough for a supper. A glass of white wine doesn't hurt, either.
For the salad:
6-10 small new potatoes, scrubbed and cut into bite sized pieces
big handful of string beans, cleaned and broken into bite sized pieces
salad greens for two
For the toppings (tuna is a must, with any combination of the rest):
5 oz can quality tuna in oil, drained
hard-boiled egg, cut in half
2-4 anchovy fillets
Niçoise olives
cornichons
capers
chopped parsley
For the vinaigrette:
small clove garlic, finely chopped
pinch salt
ground black pepper, to taste
3-4 Tbs red wine vinegar
6-8 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Boil potatoes in lightly salted water. When they start to soften (test with a fork) add the green beans, cooking until potatoes are tender. Drain and cover with cold water for a couple minutes. Drain again and place potatoes and beans in the bottom of a salad bowl. Cover with salad greens and toppings. Mix together vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl. Dress the salad with the vinaigrette just a little wetter than your taste, as the potatoes on the bottom will soak up some of the dressing. Serve immediately.
I promise to blog about something other than canned tuna next time.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Italian White Bean and Tuna Salad - My Kind of Fast Food
Chefs (with the exception of obvious shills) have been telling us for years that fresh food is where it's at - a matter of pride for any cook. That's hard to disagree with, but equally hard to live up to on a daily basis. Plenty of people come home exhausted from work at 8PM knowing they ought to be in bed by 10:30. They don't feel like doing any cooking, regardless of how quick the recipe might be. Can't they just open a couple cans and get something delicious and healthy for supper without having to cook?
In general I'd say the answer is no, but I've found a very few recipes that almost work that way and give a good result. Here's a favorite:
Italian White Bean and Tuna Salad
Cutting corners like this flies in the face of Italian cooking; it's a miracle this dish works. It will serve two for lunch. For supper I'd add more tuna and serve with good bread and white wine. The freshness comes from the parsley and red onion. I don't add any salt since the canned beans and tuna (not to mention the capers) are already heavily salted. This takes five minutes to make.
15 oz can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
5 oz can quality tuna in oil (or more, to taste), drained
small bunch Italian parsley, washed and chopped
up to 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 tsp capers in vinegar (optional)
2 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 Tbs olive oil
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Mix all ingredients together in a serving bowl. Serve. Congrats!
In general I'd say the answer is no, but I've found a very few recipes that almost work that way and give a good result. Here's a favorite:
Italian White Bean and Tuna Salad
Cutting corners like this flies in the face of Italian cooking; it's a miracle this dish works. It will serve two for lunch. For supper I'd add more tuna and serve with good bread and white wine. The freshness comes from the parsley and red onion. I don't add any salt since the canned beans and tuna (not to mention the capers) are already heavily salted. This takes five minutes to make.
15 oz can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
5 oz can quality tuna in oil (or more, to taste), drained
small bunch Italian parsley, washed and chopped
up to 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 tsp capers in vinegar (optional)
2 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 Tbs olive oil
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Mix all ingredients together in a serving bowl. Serve. Congrats!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Vin Ordinaire 3
Cheap Spring/Summer Pleasures
I've heard people say that life is too short to drink cheap wine. Nonsense. Life is too short to drink bad wine. Cheap wines that aren't at all bad have their place. For me that place is breaking the heat of the day before a light meal. Here are three serviceable daily drinkers that are very easy on the wallet and perfect for the season:
Tasca D'Almerita, Regaleali, Le Rose, Sicilia, 2007: This wine is pink - shocking pink. You can't help but notice the moment you remove the shockingly red synthetic cork. Color is the boldest statement this wine makes. There's not much on the nose, nor in the mouth, but it's light, refreshing and dry without any off flavors. At $8 a bottle that's really all I expect. It's a perfect party wine: festive, and inexpensive enough to pour freely. Five empty bottles are kicking around the apartment at the moment. That's not a testament to my finer sensibilities, but it shows the power of cheap and cheerful.
Keltenhof, Grüner Veltliner, Austria, 2007: There's a sea of inexpensive Grüner Veltliner sold in liter bottles, and this is one of the more agreeable examples. Just enough acidity to pair well with food (try it with asparagus), but light enough to quaff on its own. Think of it as a slightly more substantial alternative to Italian Pino Grigio. $14.
Earl Bardon, Lafollie, Sauvignon Blanc, Loire, 2007: There's a hint of citrus, some crispness, but not much texture in the mouth. I was left wishing this wine were a bit less simple and more elegant on the finish. Still, it delivers a Sancerre-like experience for $11 a bottle - when you figure that a decent bottle of Sancerre will set you back about thirty bucks Lafollie is a deal.
I've heard people say that life is too short to drink cheap wine. Nonsense. Life is too short to drink bad wine. Cheap wines that aren't at all bad have their place. For me that place is breaking the heat of the day before a light meal. Here are three serviceable daily drinkers that are very easy on the wallet and perfect for the season:
Tasca D'Almerita, Regaleali, Le Rose, Sicilia, 2007: This wine is pink - shocking pink. You can't help but notice the moment you remove the shockingly red synthetic cork. Color is the boldest statement this wine makes. There's not much on the nose, nor in the mouth, but it's light, refreshing and dry without any off flavors. At $8 a bottle that's really all I expect. It's a perfect party wine: festive, and inexpensive enough to pour freely. Five empty bottles are kicking around the apartment at the moment. That's not a testament to my finer sensibilities, but it shows the power of cheap and cheerful.
Keltenhof, Grüner Veltliner, Austria, 2007: There's a sea of inexpensive Grüner Veltliner sold in liter bottles, and this is one of the more agreeable examples. Just enough acidity to pair well with food (try it with asparagus), but light enough to quaff on its own. Think of it as a slightly more substantial alternative to Italian Pino Grigio. $14.
Earl Bardon, Lafollie, Sauvignon Blanc, Loire, 2007: There's a hint of citrus, some crispness, but not much texture in the mouth. I was left wishing this wine were a bit less simple and more elegant on the finish. Still, it delivers a Sancerre-like experience for $11 a bottle - when you figure that a decent bottle of Sancerre will set you back about thirty bucks Lafollie is a deal.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
How I Eat and Why
People have been talking about Pollan's writing for a while now, especially The Omnivore's Dilemma. Schlosser's Fast Food Nation had a big impact on our national conversation about food as well. This conversation involves quite a bit of negativity toward our corn based monoculture, and that's not surprising. The idea that an abundance of cheap meat, cheap sugar and processed foods are leading to health problems in Americans isn't shocking. Meat and sugar are good, but our bodies don't appear to be designed to consume them in the quantities many of us do. Processed foods aren't inherently bad either, but the best of them tend to be artesanally made, therefore expensive and not generally eaten in quantity or great frequency. We all know it's not such a good idea to consume too much good cheese, ham, sausage, olive oil, pickles, butter or wine. We know that even bread and pasta are best consumed in moderation. We know that a diet heavy on convenience food items is unlikely to be a healthy one, which is why many of us are making the effort to cook more often at home.
While it's nice to have control over one's diet we all come across situations where we simply do not. On tour a musician does not easily have much control over his diet. Fast food becomes part of your diet, and even the backstage catering and family restaurant fare you eat is made from enough processed corn to largely qualify as dressed up fast food.
Losing that control on tour had immediate effects on me. While living on a bus with Ryan Adams and the Cardinals for several months during 2004 and 2005 I put on over 20 pounds. I was never svelte, but I left that gig a fat guy. Fans even commented on it. A later visit to a doctor had her insisting that I start on cholesterol lowering medication immediately, because my readings were "off the charts". I was convinced this was a matter of diet, and against doctor's orders set out to treat my cholesterol through diet alone.
I started off lowering my intake animal fat, because animal fat comes hand in hand with cholesterol. Corn fed beef has a less healthy fat balance than grass fed, so I ate very little beef. I had no interest in becoming a vegetarian, but did start eating less and leaner pork and chicken. Lamb became a rarity (as it ought to be) while I got reacquainted with fish. Cheese, eggs and butter became once in a while treats instead of daily indulgences. In taking back control of what I ate I also eliminated all fast food and many restaurant meals. The closest things I bought to "ready to eat" foods were canned vegetables (beans and tomatoes) and fresh fruit. To avoid having to read nutrition information labels I bought very few products that came with such labeling - in other words I bought ingredients and made my own food from them.
The recipes you read on this blog are things I cook at home on a regular basis. They may not all be light cooking, but none are nearly as obscene as many daily "road food" items. Their deliciousness comes from the ingredients and how they're seasoned, instead of relying on lots of fat, sugar and salt. I'll never be a health nut, but I am someone who prefers "real" food over junk food. I like rich food as much as anyone, but prefer how I look and feel when I consume it once in a while, as opposed to regularly. Following these preferences had a direct effect on my health.
A year and a half after the doctor wanted to put me on medication I'd lost nearly 30 pounds and brought my cholesterol levels within the normal range - no medication needed. A year later I'd shed ten more pounds, noticeable even on my six foot three frame. Do I ever pine for fast food? No, but I may want some pork belly, triple creme cheese or foie gras every now and then. And guess what? Every now and then I'll indulge. I'll even have a rib eye steak or some BBQ ribs once in a while - nothing is banned from my table. How you eat on a daily basis has more impact on your health than your occasional indulgences.
And guess what else? Cooking this way at home is also pretty inexpensive. Most nights my per person food cost for supper is somewhere between $2 and $5 - cheaper than fast food!
I'll get off the soapbox now. Eat well.
While it's nice to have control over one's diet we all come across situations where we simply do not. On tour a musician does not easily have much control over his diet. Fast food becomes part of your diet, and even the backstage catering and family restaurant fare you eat is made from enough processed corn to largely qualify as dressed up fast food.
Losing that control on tour had immediate effects on me. While living on a bus with Ryan Adams and the Cardinals for several months during 2004 and 2005 I put on over 20 pounds. I was never svelte, but I left that gig a fat guy. Fans even commented on it. A later visit to a doctor had her insisting that I start on cholesterol lowering medication immediately, because my readings were "off the charts". I was convinced this was a matter of diet, and against doctor's orders set out to treat my cholesterol through diet alone.
I started off lowering my intake animal fat, because animal fat comes hand in hand with cholesterol. Corn fed beef has a less healthy fat balance than grass fed, so I ate very little beef. I had no interest in becoming a vegetarian, but did start eating less and leaner pork and chicken. Lamb became a rarity (as it ought to be) while I got reacquainted with fish. Cheese, eggs and butter became once in a while treats instead of daily indulgences. In taking back control of what I ate I also eliminated all fast food and many restaurant meals. The closest things I bought to "ready to eat" foods were canned vegetables (beans and tomatoes) and fresh fruit. To avoid having to read nutrition information labels I bought very few products that came with such labeling - in other words I bought ingredients and made my own food from them.
The recipes you read on this blog are things I cook at home on a regular basis. They may not all be light cooking, but none are nearly as obscene as many daily "road food" items. Their deliciousness comes from the ingredients and how they're seasoned, instead of relying on lots of fat, sugar and salt. I'll never be a health nut, but I am someone who prefers "real" food over junk food. I like rich food as much as anyone, but prefer how I look and feel when I consume it once in a while, as opposed to regularly. Following these preferences had a direct effect on my health.
A year and a half after the doctor wanted to put me on medication I'd lost nearly 30 pounds and brought my cholesterol levels within the normal range - no medication needed. A year later I'd shed ten more pounds, noticeable even on my six foot three frame. Do I ever pine for fast food? No, but I may want some pork belly, triple creme cheese or foie gras every now and then. And guess what? Every now and then I'll indulge. I'll even have a rib eye steak or some BBQ ribs once in a while - nothing is banned from my table. How you eat on a daily basis has more impact on your health than your occasional indulgences.
And guess what else? Cooking this way at home is also pretty inexpensive. Most nights my per person food cost for supper is somewhere between $2 and $5 - cheaper than fast food!
I'll get off the soapbox now. Eat well.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Germanic Wine and Thai Food? An Exotic Pairing At Home.
One of my favorite Thai dishes (that also shows up in some Viet restaurants) is chicken with basil. Being married to a woman who is absolutely crazy for basil gave me the incentive to make this simple dish in my own kitchen - she's happy to eat it twice a week in the hot weather, accompanied with a cucumber salad. Usually we drink beer with South Asian meals, since the flavors and hot pepper heat make for difficult wine pairing - it can be done, but it's not always a success. Enter Gewürztraminer, a Germanic grape used to make a wine that's often flamboyantly fruity, with a pronounced lychee flavor. While these wines can be made dry (particularly in Alsace) most examples one is likely to come across will fall along a continuum between off dry and downright sweet. Conventional wisdom is that a bit of residual sugar makes a wine pair better with spicy food, and Gewürztraminer is considered a good match for spicy Asian food. I figured I'd put that to the test, and it would indeed be a test for my wife, who has never found this wine to her liking and prefers dry to off dry in just about any wine. I figured making one of her favorite dishes would offset a challenging (for her) wine choice. I wasn't completely right on that call.
To be fair, I'd warned her. When she asked for chicken and basil I told her I was going to pick up a bottle of Gewürztraminer to go with the meal. Unfortunately her ear isn't particularly attuned to German names, and she'd assumed I'd said Grüner Veltliner (her current favorite white daily drinker). When she asked for a glass before the meal I warned her that she might not like it on it's own. Confusion, then disappointment played across her face when I showed her the bottle. The disappointment only increased with her first taste. She actually said, "Yuck," proceeding to remind me that I KNEW she wasn't a fan of the Gewürztraminer grape. "It'll pair really well with the meal" I assured her. She remained skeptical, giving me a look that indicated my wine choice could be considered an ever so slight betrayal.
I put the bottle in the freezer to make sure it would be really cold. I'm of the opinion that the stronger the statement a white wine makes the colder it should be served, and Gewürztraminer makes a strong statement. Then I set about preparing the meal: Thai chicken and basil, a cucumber salad with hot pepper, onion, cilantro and chopped peanuts accompanied with jasmine rice. As an act of contrition I approached her with a handful of jalapeno peppers, figuring I'd let the heat of the dish be her call. "Two, three or four?" I asked her. "Two and a half," she replied thoughtfully. Just enough to feel some heat. Perfect.
So how did it go down at the table? I thought it was a great pairing. Truth be told, I'm not the biggest fan of Gewürztraminer either, but its flavor profile and slight sweetness fit well against the meal's spiciness and hint of sweetness. The lychee aroma wound itself around the basil's perfume, soothing the slight burn in the mouth. My wife agreed, drinking two glasses over the course of the meal. Success? Not quite. He final assessment: "I could go the rest of my life without drinking Gewürztraminer again." So for us it's back to beer with South Asian food. That doesn't undermine the effectiveness of this pairing, and I'd recommend anyone looking for an interesting change of pace to try it to see for themselves.
The Wine
I chose a California Gewürztraminer based on two criteria: I didn't want to spend much money on what I knew would be an experiment, and I wanted something between a dry Alsatian and the too-sweet-for-me German offerings in my local wine shop. New Gewurz 2006 North Coast Gewürztraminer from Alexander Valley Vineyards fit the bill. It was off dry, had just a bit of spritz in the glass and sold for $11 retail. The perfume quality of the grape is front and center in this wine, with a noticeable but not cloying hint of sweetness on the finish. I thought it was a good choice for testing the waters with this grape; it's straightforward and well made.
Thai Chicken with Basil
I've had several variations on this theme. Sometimes ground chicken is used, sometimes sliced chicken breast. Thai hot peppers are the norm, but jalapenos work well. Thai basil adds a nicer depth of flavor, but regular basil can be substituted without undermining the dish. Regardless of which choices you make the premise remains the same: garlic, hot pepper, onion and maybe some green bell pepper are stir-fried together with some chicken, seasoned with fish sauce and sugar, then hit with a large quantity of fresh basil leaves just before serving. That's all there is to it. This recipe will serve two people with possible leftovers, depending on how hungry they are.
3/4 lb sliced chicken breast or ground chicken
3-5 cloves garlic, chopped
3-6 Thai hot peppers or 2-3 jalapenos, sliced crosswise (with seeds)
1 onion, cut into crescents
1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 Tbs Thai fish sauce
1 tsp sugar (or more, to taste)
leaves from a large bunch of basil, washed and roughly chopped
oil for frying
Heat a wok (or large frying pan). Add enough oil to just cover the bottom and begin frying the garlic and hot pepper. Keep the moving for a minute and add the onion and green pepper. Add a little more oil if it starts to stick. When onion is about halfway to translucent add chicken and continue keeping things moving in the pan. Add fish sauce and sugar, continuing to stir until chicken is cooked trough. Turn off the heat and add basil, stirring to work it evenly through the dish. Serve immediately with basmati or jasmine rice.
Cucumber Salad with Peanuts
For the salad:
cucumber slices
thin slices of red onion (or shallot)
a couple fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded, deveined and roughly chopped
For the dressing:
tsp fish sauce
tsp sugar
juice of one lime
pinch white pepper
To garnish:
few sprigs cilantro
handful of finely chopped peanuts
Arrange salad ingredients attractively on a plate. Mix together dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Garnish and serve.
If you really want to get crazy you can rehydrate a few dried shrimp in warm water, chop them up and add them to the dressing. I don't always keep dried shrimp around, but they make a nice addition to this salad.
Photos by Cynthia Lamb
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Not Your Same Old Pasta Sauces
For many of us pasta was one of the first things we learned to make. As a result just about everyone I know can make a decent red sauce, whether it's a quick marinara, a Bolognese or a long simmering Sunday gravy. Mixing things up with the occasional plate of oil and garlic or cacio e pepe isn't much of a stretch for the home cook, nor is making your own vodka sauce. Where else can a pasta lover look for inspiration? Here are three dishes from Italy, Greece and the Middle East that can add some variety to your pasta repertoire. They're all quick sauces that can be made in under half an hour, but they reward the relatively small effort in preparation with big flavor and exoticism.
Bow Tie Pasta with Asparagus Sauce
I first had this in Italy while on a Spring tour with folksinger Rod MacDonald. We'd played a gig in a town right near the Slovenian border, then gathered for a lavish meal at a local restaurant with a group of locals. The pasta was amazing, and I asked the chef (who looked like he could easily work security for a major label act) what it was. His English was good enough to explain the dish to me; the sauce was mostly white asparagus and the liquid in which both the asparagus and pasta had been cooked. I figured I'd try making it sometime in my own kitchen if I was lucky enough to find a good source for white asparagus.
Unfortunately white asparagus is exotic here (even in NYC), commanding a price I'm unwilling to pay on the rare occasions I can find it at all. If I were going to make this dish it would have to be with the much more common (and affordable) green asparagus. I did a little research and found out that green asparagus gives a good result with the addition of lemon zest to balance out its more assertive flavor. I prefer Romano cheese for this dish, since it plays well against the assertiveness. This ends up not being exactly the dish I remember from tour, but it's excellent, in addition to being quick and easy.
This recipe will sauce half a pound of pasta, which is enough to feed two hungry people as a main course or four people as part of a more elaborate meal. Wide pasta works well for this dish; I usually use bow ties.
One bunch asparagus, thick ends cut off
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup grated Romano cheese (more if you prefer a richer sauce)
zest of 1/3 lemon, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 lb wide pasta
Boil asparagus in a large pot of salted water until bright green (about 2-3 minutes). Remove asparagus from water and let cool. Cook pasta in the same water. While pasta cooks place asparagus and olive oil in food processor and blend to a smooth paste, adding a tiny bit of the cooking liquid if necessary. When pasta is still a few minutes from being done reserve a cup and a half of cooking liquid. Drain pasta and return to cooking pot with asparagus, lemon zest and cheese. Bring back to heat adding the reserved cooking liquid to make the sauce. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes as the sauce thickens. Taste and decide how much salt and pepper you want to add, if any. Serve immediately.
Red Sauce With Beef and Sweet Spices
Here's a simple twist you can put on your red sauce to completely change its character: replace whatever aromatic herbs you'd normally use (basil, thyme, oregano) with a blend of allspice, nutmeg and a pinch of clove. This moves your sauce in a Greek direction, instead of Italian. Cinnamon also works in this dish, but for some it might bring back unpleasant memories of a 3-Way in Cincinnati. (Consider yourself lucky if you don't get that reference). Sweet spices are good in long simmering sauces using stewing beef, but here's an equally good quick sauce version with ground beef. This recipe will sauce half a pound of pasta, and can be made in the time it takes to cook the pasta.
scant 1/2 lb lean ground beef
small onion, chopped
4-6 cloves garlic
15 oz can whole tomatoes, broken by hand
spice blend (1/2 tsp allspice, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, pinch cloves and/or cinnamon, to taste)
salt and pepper, to taste
small bunch parsley, finely chopped
Brown meat in frying pan. Drain some (not all) of the fat off. Add onions with a pinch of salt and fry until nearly translucent. Add garlic, spice blend and black pepper and fry for another minute or two. If it starts to stick at any point add a little olive oil. Add tomatoes and let simmer until some of the juice has evaporated. Add parsley, stir, and you're ready to sauce the pasta. This sauce is just a little on the thin side; if you prefer a thicker sauce you can add a little tomato sauce.
Middle Eastern Yogurt Sauce
Yogurt on pasta - apparently it's big in the Middle East. I didn't know this until I wandered into the Idle Time bookstore in D.C. while appropriately killing time before a gig at the 930 Club. There I found a secondhand copy of The Arabian Delights by Anne Marie Weiss-Armush. That's where I got the idea for this recipe. Of course I'm never one to stick to recipes, and over the years my version has diverged from that of Ms Weiss-Armush. Her book is still a source of inspiration, and I recommend it to anyone interested in Middle Eastern food.
Again, this is enough to sauce half a pound of pasta. When I say serve immediately I really mean it in this case. The hot pasta quickly soaks the moisture out of the yogurt, overly thickening the dish as it cools. It's so good it won't be difficult to polish off quickly.
1/3 lb lean ground beef
4 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp allspice
ground nutmeg, to taste
1 1/2 cups yogurt (I prefer whole milk yogurt)
small bunch parsley, finely chopped
toasted pine nuts or almonds, to garnish
Brown ground beef in frying pan. Drain off some (not all) of the fat. Add pinch salt, generous amount of black pepper, garlic and spices. Continue frying for another two minutes, adding a little oil if necessary to keep from sticking. Add yogurt and parsley, stir and remove from heat. Pour over cooked, drained al dente pasta, and top with toasted nuts. Serve immediately.
Bow Tie Pasta with Asparagus Sauce
I first had this in Italy while on a Spring tour with folksinger Rod MacDonald. We'd played a gig in a town right near the Slovenian border, then gathered for a lavish meal at a local restaurant with a group of locals. The pasta was amazing, and I asked the chef (who looked like he could easily work security for a major label act) what it was. His English was good enough to explain the dish to me; the sauce was mostly white asparagus and the liquid in which both the asparagus and pasta had been cooked. I figured I'd try making it sometime in my own kitchen if I was lucky enough to find a good source for white asparagus.
Unfortunately white asparagus is exotic here (even in NYC), commanding a price I'm unwilling to pay on the rare occasions I can find it at all. If I were going to make this dish it would have to be with the much more common (and affordable) green asparagus. I did a little research and found out that green asparagus gives a good result with the addition of lemon zest to balance out its more assertive flavor. I prefer Romano cheese for this dish, since it plays well against the assertiveness. This ends up not being exactly the dish I remember from tour, but it's excellent, in addition to being quick and easy.
This recipe will sauce half a pound of pasta, which is enough to feed two hungry people as a main course or four people as part of a more elaborate meal. Wide pasta works well for this dish; I usually use bow ties.
One bunch asparagus, thick ends cut off
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup grated Romano cheese (more if you prefer a richer sauce)
zest of 1/3 lemon, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 lb wide pasta
Boil asparagus in a large pot of salted water until bright green (about 2-3 minutes). Remove asparagus from water and let cool. Cook pasta in the same water. While pasta cooks place asparagus and olive oil in food processor and blend to a smooth paste, adding a tiny bit of the cooking liquid if necessary. When pasta is still a few minutes from being done reserve a cup and a half of cooking liquid. Drain pasta and return to cooking pot with asparagus, lemon zest and cheese. Bring back to heat adding the reserved cooking liquid to make the sauce. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes as the sauce thickens. Taste and decide how much salt and pepper you want to add, if any. Serve immediately.
Red Sauce With Beef and Sweet Spices
Here's a simple twist you can put on your red sauce to completely change its character: replace whatever aromatic herbs you'd normally use (basil, thyme, oregano) with a blend of allspice, nutmeg and a pinch of clove. This moves your sauce in a Greek direction, instead of Italian. Cinnamon also works in this dish, but for some it might bring back unpleasant memories of a 3-Way in Cincinnati. (Consider yourself lucky if you don't get that reference). Sweet spices are good in long simmering sauces using stewing beef, but here's an equally good quick sauce version with ground beef. This recipe will sauce half a pound of pasta, and can be made in the time it takes to cook the pasta.
scant 1/2 lb lean ground beef
small onion, chopped
4-6 cloves garlic
15 oz can whole tomatoes, broken by hand
spice blend (1/2 tsp allspice, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, pinch cloves and/or cinnamon, to taste)
salt and pepper, to taste
small bunch parsley, finely chopped
Brown meat in frying pan. Drain some (not all) of the fat off. Add onions with a pinch of salt and fry until nearly translucent. Add garlic, spice blend and black pepper and fry for another minute or two. If it starts to stick at any point add a little olive oil. Add tomatoes and let simmer until some of the juice has evaporated. Add parsley, stir, and you're ready to sauce the pasta. This sauce is just a little on the thin side; if you prefer a thicker sauce you can add a little tomato sauce.
Middle Eastern Yogurt Sauce
Yogurt on pasta - apparently it's big in the Middle East. I didn't know this until I wandered into the Idle Time bookstore in D.C. while appropriately killing time before a gig at the 930 Club. There I found a secondhand copy of The Arabian Delights by Anne Marie Weiss-Armush. That's where I got the idea for this recipe. Of course I'm never one to stick to recipes, and over the years my version has diverged from that of Ms Weiss-Armush. Her book is still a source of inspiration, and I recommend it to anyone interested in Middle Eastern food.
Again, this is enough to sauce half a pound of pasta. When I say serve immediately I really mean it in this case. The hot pasta quickly soaks the moisture out of the yogurt, overly thickening the dish as it cools. It's so good it won't be difficult to polish off quickly.
1/3 lb lean ground beef
4 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp allspice
ground nutmeg, to taste
1 1/2 cups yogurt (I prefer whole milk yogurt)
small bunch parsley, finely chopped
toasted pine nuts or almonds, to garnish
Brown ground beef in frying pan. Drain off some (not all) of the fat. Add pinch salt, generous amount of black pepper, garlic and spices. Continue frying for another two minutes, adding a little oil if necessary to keep from sticking. Add yogurt and parsley, stir and remove from heat. Pour over cooked, drained al dente pasta, and top with toasted nuts. Serve immediately.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Lebanese Fish Recipe
Eating fish is supposed to be healthy, yet many of us rarely cook the stuff at home. I suspect one reason is a lack of simple and delicious ways to prepare fish. This recipe is simple, easy and a home run as far as deliciousness is concerned. It's nothing more than fried fish (I like a flounder fillet) with a sautéed topping. The topping has a typical Lebanese flavor profile (garlic, parsley and cumin), so it pairs well Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes. It's very good with some bread or rice and a shepherd's salad (tomato, onion, cucumber, parsley, olive oil, vinegar). Vegetables sautéed in olive oil and garlic (I like the combination of zucchini, carrot and bell pepper) are a good match as well. Throw in a glass of crisp white wine and you have a nearly perfect summer meal.
For the topping:
1 medium onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander seed
pinch salt
ground black pepper, to taste
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
olive oil for sauté
For the fish:
1 flounder fillet (about 3/4 lb)
1 Tbs flour
oil for frying
Method:
Sauté onion in olive oil with a pinch of salt. When it's nearly translucent add garlic and spices. After a couple minutes add parsley and vinegar, and sauté for another minute. Set aside. Heat oil in frying pan. Lightly dust fish with flour. Fry fish for two minutes on one side, flip it over and fry for just under a minute on the other. Flounder will break apart when overcooked. Don't sweat it if the fillet breaks apart when you flip it or remove it from the pan. Plate the fish and spoon the topping over it. Serves 2 with side dishes described above.
For the topping:
1 medium onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander seed
pinch salt
ground black pepper, to taste
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
olive oil for sauté
For the fish:
1 flounder fillet (about 3/4 lb)
1 Tbs flour
oil for frying
Method:
Sauté onion in olive oil with a pinch of salt. When it's nearly translucent add garlic and spices. After a couple minutes add parsley and vinegar, and sauté for another minute. Set aside. Heat oil in frying pan. Lightly dust fish with flour. Fry fish for two minutes on one side, flip it over and fry for just under a minute on the other. Flounder will break apart when overcooked. Don't sweat it if the fillet breaks apart when you flip it or remove it from the pan. Plate the fish and spoon the topping over it. Serves 2 with side dishes described above.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Spring 2009 - A Good Time to Get to Know Austrian Wines
In 1985 the Austrian wine industry met with a nasty shock: millions of gallons of wine was found to be contaminated with what amounted to anti-freeze. Turns out that anti-freeze, in addition to making the wine toxic made the wine taste sweeter, and at that time in the Germanic world sweeter wines commanded higher prices. The scandal resulted from lax regulation, a glut of marginal Austrian wine on the market and unscrupulous middle men selling the wine, who were to blame for the adulteration. As a result the Austrian wine industry changed its ways, focusing on producing drier, finer wines under stricter supervision.
But the damage had been done.
An entire American generation (mine) grew up completely ignorant of Austrian wine. It simply wasn't available in most wine shops. It wasn't spoken of besides occasional references to the scandal. There was no market for these wines, so they dropped off most American wine drinker's radars. This was a shame, because we were oblivious to just how good Austrian wines in general were becoming. Over the last couple years many of us have gotten our first tastes of these wines. They vary from structured wines suitable for aging to fresh tasting lighter wines for drinking young. The ones I can afford (under $30 a bottle retail) are in the latter camp. Young, fresh and fruity has never been my preference in wine (especially reds), but the way they do it in Austria has won me over. It might do the same for you.
Let's look at some of the varietals used to make these wines:
Grüner Veltliner - This grape is used to make the white wines that have acted as the ambassadors of new Austrian wine making. These wines can vary from inexpensive light summer quaffers sold in liter bottles for under $15 to crisp elegance, displaying varying degrees of citrus, floral notes and minerality. They can be bone dry, but often have just a hint of residual sugar. They've been appearing on wine lists and in retail stores over the last two years, and I only expect to see more of them when the weather warms up. Three years ago it seemed like everyone was drinking rosé wines, this summer I expect it to be Grüner Veltliner.
The more affordable Austrian reds (I have yet to find an inexpensive one) have a tendency toward the lighter side of medium-body, with fresh fruit up front and varying degrees of spice on the finish. On the nose they often display what I can only describe as a barnyard aroma, which can be quite a shock to one accustomed to French or Italian wines. The noses of these wines can fool you into expecting them to be fuller and funkier than many actually are. Fans of young Pino Noir may have some reference points for appreciating these wines, but they're likely to be new stylistic ground for most of us. In good examples under $30 a bottle "fresh" ought to be the operative word.
Blaufränkisch - This is a traditional Austrian red wine grape. Blau means blue, and this wine is indeed bluish in color, sometimes almost inky. Look for refreshing fruit up front with a pepper bite on the finish. These wines can be very light bodied.
St Laurent - That's the name of the grape, supposedly because the fruit ripens on the feast of St Laurent. It was brought from France in the 1800's, and definitely descended from Pino Noir (which is also grown in Austria). It's a thin skinned grape that prefers higher elevations, and like Pino it has a reputation for being a challenge for the wine maker. St Laurent wines are getting easier to find, and worth the effort for fans of Pino - a well made St Laurent is a wonderful wine that manages to be Pino-like and it's own thing simultaneously.
Zweigelt - This is the most popular red wine grape in Austria, and it's a cross of Blaufränkisch and St Laurent. The result is a wine that's fuller bodied than Blaufränkisch and spicier than St Laurent. I'm looking for a nice one under $15. I'm sure it exists, and when I find it I'll write about it in an upcoming Vin Ordinaire column.
I hope this is enough for those unfamiliar with these wines to start exploring. The reds tend to be priced at what I consider splurge levels ($17-$30 a bottle), but for most of us they'll be something new and exciting, which makes for a nice splurge.
But the damage had been done.
An entire American generation (mine) grew up completely ignorant of Austrian wine. It simply wasn't available in most wine shops. It wasn't spoken of besides occasional references to the scandal. There was no market for these wines, so they dropped off most American wine drinker's radars. This was a shame, because we were oblivious to just how good Austrian wines in general were becoming. Over the last couple years many of us have gotten our first tastes of these wines. They vary from structured wines suitable for aging to fresh tasting lighter wines for drinking young. The ones I can afford (under $30 a bottle retail) are in the latter camp. Young, fresh and fruity has never been my preference in wine (especially reds), but the way they do it in Austria has won me over. It might do the same for you.
Let's look at some of the varietals used to make these wines:
Grüner Veltliner - This grape is used to make the white wines that have acted as the ambassadors of new Austrian wine making. These wines can vary from inexpensive light summer quaffers sold in liter bottles for under $15 to crisp elegance, displaying varying degrees of citrus, floral notes and minerality. They can be bone dry, but often have just a hint of residual sugar. They've been appearing on wine lists and in retail stores over the last two years, and I only expect to see more of them when the weather warms up. Three years ago it seemed like everyone was drinking rosé wines, this summer I expect it to be Grüner Veltliner.
The more affordable Austrian reds (I have yet to find an inexpensive one) have a tendency toward the lighter side of medium-body, with fresh fruit up front and varying degrees of spice on the finish. On the nose they often display what I can only describe as a barnyard aroma, which can be quite a shock to one accustomed to French or Italian wines. The noses of these wines can fool you into expecting them to be fuller and funkier than many actually are. Fans of young Pino Noir may have some reference points for appreciating these wines, but they're likely to be new stylistic ground for most of us. In good examples under $30 a bottle "fresh" ought to be the operative word.
Blaufränkisch - This is a traditional Austrian red wine grape. Blau means blue, and this wine is indeed bluish in color, sometimes almost inky. Look for refreshing fruit up front with a pepper bite on the finish. These wines can be very light bodied.
St Laurent - That's the name of the grape, supposedly because the fruit ripens on the feast of St Laurent. It was brought from France in the 1800's, and definitely descended from Pino Noir (which is also grown in Austria). It's a thin skinned grape that prefers higher elevations, and like Pino it has a reputation for being a challenge for the wine maker. St Laurent wines are getting easier to find, and worth the effort for fans of Pino - a well made St Laurent is a wonderful wine that manages to be Pino-like and it's own thing simultaneously.
Zweigelt - This is the most popular red wine grape in Austria, and it's a cross of Blaufränkisch and St Laurent. The result is a wine that's fuller bodied than Blaufränkisch and spicier than St Laurent. I'm looking for a nice one under $15. I'm sure it exists, and when I find it I'll write about it in an upcoming Vin Ordinaire column.
I hope this is enough for those unfamiliar with these wines to start exploring. The reds tend to be priced at what I consider splurge levels ($17-$30 a bottle), but for most of us they'll be something new and exciting, which makes for a nice splurge.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Chinese Red Cooked Pork and Lamb Ragu: Two Reasons to Get Over Your Inhibitions and Consider Buying a Pressure Cooker
Red Cooked Pork
Red cooked pork is an indulgent bit of Chinese home cooking: braised belly served with rice and (hopefully) a vegetable of some sort. This unctuous dish has two big strikes against it for the modern home cook: long cooking time and outrageously high fat content. I wanted to find a way to enjoy the flavor of this classic without either of the drawbacks - a dish I could prepare off the cuff and enjoy often without coming to resemble the source of the meat itself. Replacing the pork belly with shoulder meat was a good start. Shoulder still has enough fat content to yield a good result. The dish lost some richness, but remained delicious. The next step was replacing a long braise in a clay pot with half an hour in a pressure cooker. I wouldn’t use a pressure cooker for belly (which takes to braising so well), but it worked well with the very adaptable shoulder meat. I ended up with an incredibly easy dish that can be prepared in less than 40 minutes, yet never fails to impress guests. If a pressure cooker isn’t in the cards for you, this recipe works equally well gently simmered for over an hour until the meat is fork tender. By cutting the cooking time down substantially, the pressure cooker allows you to throw this together casually on a weeknight.
(Serves 3-4 with rice and a green vegetable)
1 lb pork shoulder meat, trimmed and cut in cubes
3 scallions, trimmed and cut into 2” lengths
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2” piece fresh ginger, peeled
1 stick cinnamon
2 whole star anise
4 cups water
1/3 cup soy sauce
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
¼ cup white vinegar
2 heaping Tbs brown sugar
Place all ingredients in pressure cooker and cook at pressure for half an hour. (If you’re not using a pressure cooker simmer covered for over an hour until fork tender). Strain the meat out of the liquid and place in serving bowl. Drizzle some of the cooking liquid over the meat (it’s also good on your rice).
Lamb Ragu
I first encountered this sauce at Max in the
(Makes enough to sauce a pound of pasta. Leftover sauce freezes well.)
1 large, meaty lamb shank (or 2 smaller ones)
2 onions, chopped
3-6 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
2-3 carrots, grated
1 large bay leaf
15.5 oz can tomatoes (whole, broken up by hand with juice or crushed)
½ cup white wine
10” sprig fresh rosemary (or equivalent smaller sprigs)
2 Tbs tomato paste
Salt and pepper
Oil for frying
Season shank with salt and pepper, and brown in small amount of oil in the bottom of pressure cooker. Add onions with a little more salt and pepper (and little more oil, if necessary) and sauté until nearly transparent. Add garlic, carrot and crushed red pepper. Deglaze with white wine. Add tomatoes and bay leaf. Bring up to pressure and cook for 45 minutes. The meat will be falling off the bone. Remove bone, and break the meat up into the ragu. Bring to a simmer over gentle heat (NOT under pressure), adding the rosemary. When the first leaf falls off the sprig (about ten minutes) remove the rosemary sprig, and fish out any leaves that have fallen into the sauce. Stir in tomato paste to thicken. Taste and reason. Use to sauce pasta or spoon over polenta.
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