revelations

No, I'm not going to get all religious on you. Sometimes though, sacred imagery can speak to the heart of the matter where words fail. This past week, we on the North East learned a very hard, sad lesson on how vulnerable we are to changing weather patterns. It has been impossible not to feel the pain of the tens of thousands of families left homeless in the wake of hurricane Sandy.

A casual stroll through St. John's Cemetery in Glendale Queens on Sunday afternoon managed to sooth my agitation a bit. Living through the storm, but being spared any major inconvenience brings a strange sense of having narrowly dodged a bullet and with that, extreme gratitude.

The sky was magnificent for a few hours on Sunday. It has been a long, somber, disorienting week since the storm hit. I have pitched in to clean school kitchens, ransacked my home for warm clothing and blankets for donation centers and regularly checked in on friends and family, some of whom are still living with out power, water, and heat.

A neighbor's garden of mustard greens continues to flourish. We suffered no worse than fallen trees.

With time on my hands as we waited day after day for services to be restored I poked around at some recipes from the pile of clippings I keep adding to but rarely have a chance to explore. The NY Times printed a version of a Roast Carrot and Avocado salad that caught my eye, adapted from ABC Kitchen. I ended up adapting it even further and dispensed with the avocado altogether. What really interested me about the recipe was the spice paste slathered on the carrots before roasting.

It had never occurred to me to try a technique like that. What had I been waiting for? And I loved the idea of roasting lemons and oranges along with the carrots, squeezing the juice on top before serving. That is the way I did it and I'm sticking to it.

 The carrots had a really robust flavor with a tart zing from the citrus. I loved the dish and I have to confess to being not the biggest fan of cooked carrots. I will be making this again.

- r e c i p e -
Spiced Roasted Carrots with Citrus
1 pound medium carrots, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
3 garlic cloves
2 Tbs capers
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
salt and pepper,  to taste
3 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1  orange, quartered
1 lemon, quartered

 Heat the oven to 400F
Arrange the carrots in a baking dish.

Combine the garlic cloves, capers, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, thyme, salt and pepper, and olive oil in a spice grinder, or use a mortar and pestle, smashing or grinding everything into a paste. Spread the paste over the carrots. Lay the lemon and the orange pieces cut side down on the carrots and roast in the oven for 25 minutes until the carrots are tender when pierced with a knife.

Remove carrots from baking dish and arrange on a serving platter. Using tongs, carefully squeeze the juice from the lemon and the orange over the carrots and serve.

Please consider donating to the American Red Cross to support their Hurricane Sandy relief efforts.

Thank you!

off to the country

The air is completely still and warmly heavy. The sweet, resiny smell of pine mingles with the mineral scent of the marshy mud surrounding the lake. We are hiking in the foothills of the Adirondacks, in the woods surrounding the banks of Lake George trying to find the trail to Shelving Rock Falls and my senses have taken over. I hear far off birds chattering away, now the buzz of an insect getting too close. I wait expectantly for the hopeful sound of leaves shuffling, the signal that a gentle breeze has arrived to relieve the heat.

Not being the most ambitious of hikers, I still love being out in the woods. Short climbs along a well marked trail are just the kind of activity my husband and I will commit to on a hot day. Exploring the Saratoga Springs area rewards us with many options for simple hikes in pristine wooded parks and state forests within 20 miles of the town that is famous for its spring waters, thoroughbred race track and the highlight for me: the fantastic farmers' market held twice a week.

 I am always on the lookout for places to swim. Most of these little ponds are too shallow and clogged with algae for such an enterprise.

The dense forest provides some relief from the heat of the day.

Once I have stomped out of the woods I am ready to eat. The Saratoga farmers' market has been particularly rewarding this summer. As food writer Melissa Clark rightly noted in the NY Times last week- we are being blessed with a perfect tomato season, so grab them up while they last.

 The vendors at the Saratoga market DO NOT sell things cheaply. sigh. I hunted around, poking over every table and found these cherry tomatoes on sale for $1 a box. Excellent! The hunt paid off.

This heirloom variety is new to me. They are so attractive and look like picture perfect plums.

Even with the high prices, it is hard to stay in a bad mood at a beautiful market like this. I actually got teary eyed looking at all the magnificent produce. So much good food, so little time to cook and eat it. I over-shop as usual when presented with such abundance.

 

Several vendors were offering squash blossoms. These are particularly lovely. Seventy five cents each and they melt in your mouth in one bite, especially when stuffed with something yummy like cheese, and then lightly battered and fried. Sigh. I have a few zucchini plants in my backyard and will wait to harvest the flowers from them.

Green beans are glorious this time of year. Tender, nutty and bursting with juicy freshness. When I see them with a smooth straight shape, I know they are good. Once their seeds start to grow the bean gets misshapen and the flavor declines dramatically. Never buy a lumpy green bean!

I settle on a menu of pan-glazed carrots and a corn risotto. The carrots are finger sized and have an earthy sweetness. No need to peel them if you give them a good scrub to remove surface dirt.

Corn is readily available everywhere now. I made quick work of getting the corn off the husk for the risotto dish. My technique is to lay the cob flat down on the cutting board and run my knife along the sides of the cob. I am mystified by the insistence of so many cooks to hold the cob perpendicular to the cutting board and run the knife down the length of the cob. That approach makes no sense, it is messy and overly dramatic.

For the risotto recipe I use local upstate wine from Johnston's Winery. I had the chance to sample their Chardonnay at the Galloping Grapes wine tasting event at the race track last Sunday. The Johnston's Chardonnay was by far my favorite wine of the tasting; fruity and complex with a pleasing and nicely balanced flavor. I am pretty crazy about their cheeky label too!

-r e c i p e s-

Corn Risotto

 -for this recipe I use water instead of stock to cook the rice, a technique I picked up from Lidia Bastianich. The advantage is a more delicately flavored risotto where the fragrance of the wine infuses the dish.

2 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup of fresh corn, removed from the cob
1 shallot, minced
1 cup risotto rice
1/2 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups boiling water
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1/2 cup soft goat cheese

Melt the butter in a large saute pan. Add the shallot and saute for 4 minutes till the shallot softens and browns a bit. Add the corn and stir to coat the corn in the butter and oil. Continue to stir and cook under medium heat for another minute or two. Add the risotto rice and stir to coat the grains. Add the salt and pepper to taste. Add the wine and lower the heat in the pan. Let the wine cook down into the rice and absorb all the liquid.

Begin to add the boiling water a 1/2 cup at a time, allowing the water to cook down completely into the rice before adding more. When the rice is tender but still chewy add the thyme and the goat cheese and stir to combine.

Pan Glazed Carrots

 -baby or small carrots with their gorgeous green tresses still attached are best for this dish. I used Johnston's Winery's Strawberry wine to deglaze the pan.

1 pound of carrots
1 Tbs Butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup sweet white wine (if you use dry wine and add a dash more sugar and or a splash of good quality balsamic vinegar)

Trim the carrots into 2-3 inch pieces length-wise and then half width so they are all about the same size. Leave a bit of the attached root on the carrot for a rustic, farmy touch.
Heat the butter in a saute pan and add the carrots, the salt and the sugar, sauteing for about 5-8 minutes till the carrots begin to soften and caramelize. Add the wine and lower the heat, allowing the wine to simmer slowly and the carrots to finish cooking till tender, about 3-5 more minutes.

Mange Bien!

contemplating nature and spice

Deborah takes a hike...

The perfect weather this Thanksgiving weekend led me out of doors to walk off some of the holiday meal.  Rockefeller State Park Preserve is touted for its scenic walking trails and it did not disappoint on Saturday when I wandered through the wooded areas taking pictures and enjoying the warm fresh air.
As I composed and shot my photos I began to think about my friend Michele Beck, a visual artist who keenly observes nature with a quiet poetry. Michele's work explores the quirky side of the human impulse to impose our physical presence, and our story telling, on the natural world. She makes these observations sometimes by discovery and sometimes by design, tapping in to spirituality, myth and creation. Her work is very contemplative and inspirational; perfect for a walk in the woods!

These photos, inspired by the work of my friend Michele Beck, were all taken on the 13 Bridges Trail at Rockefeller State Preserve, a two mile loop that was perfect for my casual stroll.

The walking of course made me hungry and it is always time to think about the next meal. A simple saute of vegetables livened up with a spice blend seemed like a good way to segue back into post holiday eating. I had been waiting to try the Moroccan spice blend Ras el Hanout that I had recently received as a gift and this seemed like a perfect occasion.

The blend has many ingredients including allspice, cumin, nutmeg, cardamom, clove and rose petals. I was excited about the rose petals but I have to admit they kind of got lost in the sauce. It seems there are many variations to this blend, not unlike curry powder.

The best way to get to know a spice blend is to use it.  I began by sauteing up some shallots in oil to create some caramelizing, then add the spices and let them simmer in the oil for a few minutes to infuse the oil with their flavor.  I like to let the vegetables cook until just tender so there is still a hint of crunch in the center.

What a shock to discover this morning that the carrot seeds I planted in the spring could actually yield something edible. So exciting!

 

Any number of vegetable combinations could work with this recipe. I like cauliflower cooked with assertive spices. I think it really holds up to bold flavor. The Ras el Hanout reminded me of a Jamaican jerk spice blend, very floral and woodsy. The carrots added a sweetness and the green beans bring crunch and color. The finished dish was addictive with the robust spice making this light dish really hearty and satisfying.

Mixed Vegetables Seasoned with Ras el Hanout

1 shallot minced
pinch of salt
2 Tbs. canola oil
1 teaspoon Ras el Hanout
1 cup of sliced carrots
1 cup cauliflower broken into florets
1cup of green beans chopped into two inch pieces
1/4 cup water
Juice of 1/2 lemon

•Cook the shallot with a pinch of salt, in the oil for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the shallots are golden brown and a bit gummy.
•Add the Ras el Hanout and stir to coat the spices completely in the oil. Toast the spices in the oil for 2-3 minutes on a medium heat.
•Add the chopped vegetables and stir to coat with the spice oil. Let the vegetables sit in the hot pan without moving, to get a few brown spots, turning up the heat a bit if you need to. Stir every few minutes until most sides of the vegetables have cooked in contact with the bottom of the pan.
•Add the water, let the water come to a simmer and then cover the pan and allow to cook for 5- 8 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and cooked through. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the vegetables and serve.

back from Paris

Deborah
There are a million wonderful reasons to visit Paris. For me it begins here:

The first cup of coffee!

 

The museums, gardens, sculptures...

everywhere you look!

The cafes with cute names,

the details,

the markets,

markets,

markets!

One memorable afternoon along the banks of the charming canal St. Martin...

 

we had a wonderful lunch at the chic and trendy Hotel du Nord. I almost did not order this dish because it was described as a stir-fry with Pastis. How very strange?!  Pastis is an anise flavored liquor. I wasn't getting the concept, but made a leap of faith anyway. Oh la la! So so so good. There was fennel in the vegetable mix and the Pastis echoed that flavor. I then reflected that five spice seasoning, which is a stir-fry staple, has fennel seed in it so everything was starting to make sense.

Our trip was amazing and I still am on a cloud of aesthetic overload. The city is insanely beautiful in countless ways and I really think I should become a Paris blogger now. Well, in the meantime, I attempted to recreate the delicious stir-fry I enjoyed so much. I went out and bought a bottle of Pastis when I got home (I couldn't find it at the duty free).

I happened to have all the vegetables I needed from the local NY farmers market and I am happy to report that my version is close to a perfect match.

Can you see that little dish of sel de mer (sea salt) on the bottom right? This was my big shopping splurge in Paris. I got a bargain large bag of grey sel de mer for under three euros! 

Stir- fry Vegetables with Pastis

The version of this dish in Paris had asparagus in it as well, but I wanted to keep the ingredients seasonal for my version, pictured here.  I loved the radishes in the original dish, an inspired choice that I would never have thought to add to a stir-fry.

3 Tbs. Olive Oil

10 radishes cut into thin strips with a mandoline or knife

1 fennel bulb, cut into thin strips with a mandoline or knife

6 carrots, peeled and shaved into thin strips with a mandoline or vegetable peeler

1 teas. salt

3 Tbs. Pastis or Pernod

Heat oil in wok. Add the radishes and cook till barely tender for about two minutes, stirring constantly, add a pinch of salt as they cook. Remove from wok and add the fennel and another pinch of salt. Cook for two minutes and remove from wok. Add the carrots and another pinch of salt and stir fry for two minutes. Add the other vegetables back into the wok and then add the Pastis or Pernod. Let the vegetables simmer in the liquor for another minute until the liquid is absorbed. Garnish with a sprinkle of sel de mer and serve immediately.

Amanda- we drank some wonderful Côtes de Provence Rosés while in France, all fantastic and all very inexpensive! Do you think that is a good choice with this dish?

Amanda
I'm glad you had a terrific time! The pictures are beautiful and I would love to hear more about some of the fabulous meals I am sure you enjoyed! This stir fry looks marvelous - I never would've thought about the Pernod or Pastis as an ingredient for this kind of dish.


You mentiond enjoying the Cotes de Provence Roses - I think you hit the nail on the head. There is nothing I can think of that would make a better complement. A fruit-forward Rose with a hint of spice and plenty of fruit would be simply ideal for these vegetables. The spice notes in the wine would just marry perfectly to the licorice flavor of the Pernod. (as I am sure you already know since you had the pleasure of savoring this combination on your trip).


Roses from the Cotes de Provence are typically a blend of Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah. For those of you unfamiliar with Cinsault, it is a red grape (sweet and juicy) which grows on the hillsides of France.  The grapes are used for blending, and give great aromatics to the wine. (It is one of the 13 varietals allowed to be used for Chateauneuf-du-Pape, one of France's superstars).  When used in Provence Roses, it lends beautiful structure and softness to the wines, making them elegant and "feminine". The Syrah gives the wine it's spice.

The great thing about Roses from Provence is not only the quality, but the price. It is very easy to find wonderful examples in the under $15 price range. Domaine de Pourcieux makes a very fine Rose possessing beautiful ripe fruit flavors. I imagine it would show perfectly next to Deb's recipe. For $11.99, this is a true bargain. Deb - I suggest you locate a bottle and cook up your stir-fry, pull out some photos and reminisce about your trip! Though, it would probably be near impossible to re-create the original experience!