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.

hot tomato!

Deborah
It's on! During my recent visit to Saratoga Springs, NY I stopped by the Saratoga Salsa and Spice Company store to pick up a few jars of my all time favorite salsa: a tomatillo and serrano chili concoction called Hotter than Hot. I just love the stuff.

It lives up to its name with a serious sting, yet has a great smokey flavor that keeps me dipping in for more. The owner of the store, noting my enthusiasm, began telling me about a few new products he is developing including a version of Hotter than Hot that will be extra mild (what?!) as well as a roasted garlic version. He asked me if I had any recipes using the salsa that I might like to share. Well, um, actually, no, I didn't. I had never really thought about cooking with the salsa, I am usually just piling it on top of eggs, burgers or anything off the grill.  Hmmm, it was time for me to give this some consideration.

With all the tomatoes on my hands an idea popped up: a spicy sauce to put on top of some cheese ravioli I had bought for dinner. The recipe started to take shape as I began cooking. Cherry tomatoes sauteed in butter and sugar were cooked to a jammy consistency as a sweet counter balance to the fiery salsa. I finished the sauce with a shot of heavy creamy to further tame the flames. The result was sublime! I only need a dash of Hotter than Hot to get the full hit of its distinctive flavor. It combined beautifully with the tomatoes and the cream and the sauce was heaven on top of the ravioli.

While I was busy at the stove putting this recipe together I pulled out of the fridge some cooked leftover potatoes and green beans, delectable farmers market finds that I had been eating all week. It occurred to me to make a quick spicy potato salad using a combo of the salsa with mayonnaise to dress the cold vegetables. Excellent! Don't serve it to the faint of heart, but if you happen to be attending a pot luck dinner with say, some foodies from Brooklyn (ok, maybe not this weekend), you will be the hit of the party.

 Saratoga Salsa and Spice Company, there you are - TWO recipes. Enjoy!

Spicy Creamy Tomato Sauce

•In a sauce pan heat 1 tablespoon of butter
• Add half a pint of cherry tomatoes and tablespoon of sugar to the tomatoes and gently cook till the tomatoes have burst their skins and get a jammy consistency, about 15 minutes.
•Add 1-2 tablespoons of Hotter Than Hot salsa, or any other tomatillo salsa, and stir in pan to heat through and combine with the tomatoes.
•Add 1/2 cup of heavy cream and simmer for 2 minutes.
•Serve over cheese ravioli or tortellini

Spicy Potato and Green Bean Salad

•In a large bowl combine 2 cups of cooked potatoes cut into small cubes with one cup of cooked green beans cut into 1 inch pieces.
•Add 1/2 cup chopped celery and 1/4 cup chopped onion 
•In a small bowl whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise with 1 Tablespoon Hotter Than Hot salsa, or any other tomatillo salsa
•Pour the mayonnaise mixture over the vegetables and toss to combine. Chill for one hour.
•Garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped chives or parsley and serve.

A walk on the wild side

Deborah
There seems to be no denying that summer is over. The change in the air is palpable. A walk through Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge this weekend brought the truth of the matter home. Leaves are curling up and changing color and that is the way it is.

If you are in the NY area and have an opportunity to visit and hike around the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge it is well worth the visit. The view of the NYC skyline is dazzling!

This talk of the wildlife refuge has been my way of avoiding the inevitable, which is that as I was cooking the other day I came upon an amazing discovery that tasted so good I decided to improve upon it and share it with you. This evening I decided to take that recipe to the next level and as the phone rang at home and I caught up with friends and family and recovered from my first day at a new job (more about that in upcoming posts) I took a perfectly good recipe and made it into something very uninspiring and blachhhhhh! My point in all this is to say that even those of us very comfortable in the kitchen can go horribly awry and make something not so great. What can I say? I was distracted and somewhat stressed and inattentive. Cooking can be hard work and a zen-like calm is always to be strived for . My dish was edible but uninspired. I will share with you the original inspiration and explain where I went wrong.

Amanda has described our blog as catering to flexitarians, which I believe means for those who occasionally eat meat and fish. In that spirit I am including my fondness for this spicy fish condiment from the Korean supermarket H Mart in Queens. I add it to the wok to add depth and flavor. The fresh noodles shown here are thick and chewy. Very filling and satisfying.

The inspiration: I had some baby bok choy, sauteed some garlic in a wok, added the bok choy and then a big spoonful of spicy fish condiment from the koraen market. This simple preparation was so good I thought I would faint.

Next Day: Oh I am so clever I am going to make this even better: Sauteed leeks, cabbage, green beans, mustard greens- threw in the spicy fish condiment and some fresh noodles. Oh ugh. Just a big strange mess. Did not taste terrible but had no personality, nothing distinctive. oy. so sorry.

It looks colorful, but it was not at all what I was going for. In this instance mustard greens were not a good substitute for bok choy. These great ingredients tasted good none the less. Taking a risk in the kitchen can be a great learning experience.

Amanda, I could really appreciate a good glass of wine right now. Any suggestions?

Amanda
Deb, your experiment really yielded some interesting results. I guess this is a perfect example of "less is more". Your elaboration on the dish was really just the addition of some seemingly perfectly well-suited veggies. It's interesting to me that the dish had more personality without these extras. Definitely a great lesson, and one which I most certainly will heed!

Last night, after I left the gym, I was  really in the mood for something healthy and simple. I had bok choy on the brain after reading Deb's post. So, I made a quick stop at the store and picked some up, in addition to some shitakes. Now, I have never cooked with bok choy and I must admit I really didn't know what to do with it in terms of cleaning it up, etc. In Chinese restaurants, I've only seen the white part of the stalk used, so I wondered about the leaves. Ultimately, I prepared a light dish that was really quite tasty. I just chopped up the bok choy (white stalk and leaves. Deb - is this they way you use it?) I sliced the shitakes and threw them under the broiler for a few minutes. I heated some oil and garlic in a saute pan. Added the bok choy and sauteed till wilted. Tossed in a little soy sauce, a touch of mirin, and a generous squeeze of lemon juice. I added the broiled shitakes to the finished mix and it was surprisingly yummy! And painfully simple!

It was late, and having just had a successful workout at the gym, I opted to not have a glass of wine with my creation. But, it made me consider Deb's recipe and what might be a good choice. Her dish is "spicy", and I would imagine the fish condiment has a good amount of salt.  The heat of the dish combined with the saltiness leads me to pick a white wine with a little sweetness. As always with spicier dishes, avoid anything with high alcohol or lots of tannins. Wines with a touch of sweetness will quell the heat your tastebuds are experiencing. Sweeter wines will also work particularly well with salty foods. (don't go too sweet, though. Just a hint of sweetness will suffice) If you happen to love chocolate covered pretzels as I do, you'll understand this reasoning. The contrast when eating something sweet and salty at the same time is wonderful!

The other night, I enjoyed a bottle of Vouvray which would be perfect. Vouvray is a white wine from the Loire Valley in France and is made from Chenin Blanc. The Vigneau Chevreau Vouvray Cuvee Silex is considered dry, but my palate experienced a hint of sweetness. Just delicious, and perfectly suited to Deb's recipe. Ask your local retailer for a recommendation on a Vouvray. Another option is a German Riesling with the "Spatlese" designation. Spatlese wines are made from fully ripe grapes and is the lightest of the "late harvest wines". The grapes for Spatlese are riper than those used for "Kabinett" wines. Therefore, the wines have greater intensity than those that are designated "Kabinett". Spatlese wines typically have a touch of sweetness - they are not fully sweet. A good, basic level Spatlese to experiment with is the Peter Mertes Riesling Spatlese. An affordable choice, this particular wine can be found for around $10.

home town brew

Deborah
The solstice is almost upon us and these long days mean staying outdoors as much as possible to soak up the beautiful weather. New York City is busting out with great summer concerts for the next several months and there is truly something for everyone. This weekend will find me in Prospect Park to hear Bitches Brew Revisited, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Miles Davis classic by a fantastic line-up of jazz musicians. My friends and I have a favorite spot under the trees where we picnic and enjoy the music with the crowd. It is total fun and the perfect way to spend a summer solstice evening in NY.

Picnic fare can be almost anything for me. I tend to bring vegetable salads, while another friend will bring fruit and cheese. Our pot luck picnics are one of the great joys of the summer. The incredible use of outdoor space in NY is one of the many reasons why it is my favorite city on earth!

These tiny blossoms- the yellow is from mustard greens and the pink is from a radish, make a pretty and tasty garnish for summer salads.

Green Bean Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

2 quarts salted water
4 cups of trimmed green beans
1/4 thinly sliced onion
1 Tbs. sherry vinegar
1/2 teas. salt
1 teas. black pepper
2 Tbs. whole grain mustard
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. chopped fresh herbs like dill, tarragon, basil, parsley (optional)


Bring water to a boil and cook the green beans until bright green and tender, about 10 minutes. Drain beans and rinse quickly under cold water and set aside to allow them to dry. Put sliced onions in a cup with enough cold water to cover them and let the onions soak for 5 minutes, then drain.
Make the vinaigrette:
in a small bowl put the vinegar, salt, pepper and mustard and whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking as you go to create an emulsion. The vinaigrette will be thick.
In a large bowl combine the green beans and the drained onions and toss with the vinaigrette. Chill in the fridge for an hour before serving. Just before serving toss into the salad any fresh herbs you may be using.
serves 4

herbs and rice

Deborah
This spring already feels like mid-summer. Ninety degrees today!? My herb garden is in full flourish and perfect for the picking.

Large handfuls of fresh chopped herbs are going in to everything I cook on these warm days.

A dear friend recently took me on a shopping trip to the Korean supermarket H Mart on Union Street in Flushing Queens. What a treasure trove of edible goodies! I had never been to a store quite like it. There was an entire wall display devoted to kimchee (natch) and spicy pickles in every imaginable and unimaginable variety. I was in awe. There were walls of shelves devoted to single items like varieties of soy bean paste and another for just sea salt! Too fantastic. I left with my arms loaded. One of the treasures I lugged home was this bag of organic short grain brown rice. 

The plastic package resembled rice paper. Who could resist such cuteness?

Brown rice seemed like the perfect vehicle for some fresh herbs so I made a salad. Brown rice salad usually steers my inspiration towards the direction of sweetness, with lots of dried fruit, but this time I wanted to do something lemony and fresh that would feature herbs and some vegetables. 

There were three varieties of brown rice in this blend (all from California, not Korea): Organic Brown Rice, Organic Sweet Brown Rice, Organic Black Rice. 

This brown rice salad can be made in advance and brought on a picnic. I am going to share it with friends tomorrow at the Belmont Stakes race. I hope it doesn't rain.

Brown Rice Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

1 quart water

3 Tbs. salt

1/2 cup green beans cut into bite sized pieces

1/2 cup zucchini cut into a small dice

1 cup of Brown Rice

3 Tbs. chopped herbs (parsley, mint, basil, oregano, marjoram, chives)

1/4 cup toasted nuts (almond, cashew, walnut, pine)

1/4 cup currents

2 scallions, minced

Juice of 1/2 lemon

zest of 1/2 lemon

4 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

Bring water to a boil and add salt. Blanch the green beans in the boiling water till tender- 5 minutes. Lift beans out of boiling water with a slotted spoon. Add the zucchini to the water and boil for 1 minute, to get the raw edge of but not cooked through, lift the zucchini out of the water and set aside with the green beans to cool (shock the vegetables in ice water if you like. I just run them under cold water for a few minutes to stop the cooking)

Add the brown rice to the water and cook at a rolling boil for 30-40 minutes until the rice is tender. Drain the cooked rice in a strainer and put it into a bowl with the green beans, zucchini, chopped herbs, toasted nuts, currents and scallions. Toss to combine ingredients, then add the lemon juice and lemon zest. Toss again. Add the olive oil and taste. Adjust seasonings.

Allow to rice to cool to room temp before refrigerating. Serve chilled or at room temp. Can be made the day before and stored in a covered container in the fridge.

Makes about 3 cups.

Amanda

Deb, you shared this recipe at the perfect time! I am currently undergoing my annual "body cleanse". My diet for the next two weeks consists of all things natural. Nothing processed,  or out of a box (rice is OK). Just veggies, fruits, brown rice, eggs...you get the picture. So far, so good. We just have to see now how I get by this weekend without any wine.

A great hot weather wine that would be perfect with this light, summery rice salad would be Vinho Verde from Portugal. This delightful white comes from the Minho region in the northern part of the county. Low in alcohol, it is a pleasure to sip on a hot afternoon. The name means "green wine" - not in reference to the color, but rather its youthfulness. It is made to be drunk within a year. While it cannot qualify as a "sparkling" wine, it does have a "fizziness" to it.

With its characteristic citrus/herbal flavors, it would be wonderful paired with Deb's brown rice recipe. The rice salad (but not the wine) will definitely be on my menu over the next two weeks!

Surprise Hit

Deborah
Racing through the supermarket yesterday looking for food to feed my family I plopped a big bag of green beans onto the check-out counter. When I got home and unpacked the food I had to ask myself what was I thinking? Green beans are no good this time of year. And with no exception, this batch was lumpy and somewhat limp, a sure sign of age. As Billie Holiday sings in the opening refrain to A Foggy Day- "I had a feeling of self pity. What to do, what to do, what to do?" The only appealing choice was to deep fry the beans to bring out their flavor and try to compensate for their texture. Blanching or steaming would only accentuate the flaws, creating a rubbery, bland and very uninteresting bean.

With careful sorting and trimming I managed to rescue a reasonable pile of beans. Next, I set up my wok for deep frying. Woks are a great tool for this. Their wide shape and deep sloping sides make manipulating frying foods easy. I wanted to use only a cup of canola oil so I had to fry in small batches.

It took no more than three minutes of frying each batch and the beans came out great! The color perked up and the natural nutty flavor became pronounced. I would happily eat them this way with a little salt, but I wanted to take it a little further.

Chopped ginger, sliced scallions and some dried chilies become the aromatics for this dish.

After pouring the hot oil out of the wok I briefly sauteed some aromatics and tossed the beans back in. I had some homemade sesame paste on hand so I tossed a spoonful on top of the beans, added a splash of rice vinegar and heated everything through.

Pity no more! Did this taste good! The aromatics delivered some punch and the sesame paste created depth. I would consider this a hit and even allow another out-of-season bag of beans to find their way home with me again.

Sesame Paste

-I came across this recipe recently published in the NY Times as part of a larger recipe.  The paste is  really versatile and can be added to many dishes adding a nutty sweet/salty flavor.

Toast 6 Tbs. sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes till they slightly change color. Put in a spice grinder and grind into a  powder. Put this powder into a food processor and add 1/2 cup more sesame seeds, 1/4 cup soy sauce and 2 Tbs. sugar. Process into a paste. The paste will store well in the fridge for several weeks.


Amanda
Wow! This looks so awesome and pretty straightfoward! And green beans are one of the few vegetables my husband will eat! Perfect! As is the case in pairing veggies with wine, always remember to pair the wine to the sauce or seasonings, not the veggie itself. Certain wines just work so unbelievably well with Asian flavors - Gewurtztraminer, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Pinot Blanc. But at the wine shop, we've been promoting one Pinot Gris in particular, and it therefore is jumping out at me as the perfect wine for this dish.

It is the Domaine Alfred Chamisal Vineyards Pinot Gris 2007. For those of you unfamiliar with this varietal, it is the same as Pinot Grigio - just goes by a different name in this part of the world. And, it is stylistically very different depending upon it's homeland. In Italy, Pinot Grigio is leaner and crisper. In places like Oregon, California and Germany, the wine is typically fuller bodied with a wonderful oily, creamy texture - exactly what I look for in a white. It is delicious - rich with flavors of peach, fig and elements of spice.


Pinot Gris is also incredibly versatile when it comes to food. It is marvelous when paired with highly spiced foods, but will also be fine next to more delicate flavors. It has a great deal of fruit and the pairings are endless! When dining on Thai, Mexican, or Asian cuisine, be sure to consider this fun, affordable varietal.
Domaine Alfred is located in the Edna Valley in California. They also make terrific Chardonnay and Pinot Noir as well. The Pinot Gris can be found for $11.99. A true bargain!