tucking in

Deborah
Ooooohhhh, Restaurant Week!! This is the time to score reservations at all the restaurants I've been dying to try, a perfect plan for the heat of the summer when all the "swells" are out of town and a seat can actually be had. I immediately got on the phone with my uptown sister, but she was way ahead of me, having already booked us a table for lunch at Tocqueville Restaurant off Union Square. My niece joined us at this pristine eatery with its creamy colored interior and hushed elegance. So cool!

 

July is a great time to seek out the prix fixe specials of restaurant week. Summer vegetables are in and the crowds are out!

Tocquville's restaurant week menu for lunch was a prix fixe offering of three choices of a three course meal with wine pairings for eash course including dessert. We ordered everything! Well, heck why not?

The appetizers were a chilled pea soup, an heirloom tomato salad and an asparagus vinaigrette, all vegetarian options that were spectacular to look at and heavenly to eat. The stand out for us was the pea soup which was poured over a fromage blanc panna cotta (that's right) and surrounded by crunchy fresh pea shoots. The flavor was a knock out, with its distinctive green-pea taste and a hint of tarragon. The wine pairing for the soup was a Francois Cartier 2010 Saugvignon de Touraine; luscious, light and crisp, a perfect pairing.

Fresh peas are now available in the farmer's markets. Making a fresh pea soup is easy and delicious!

The entrees were all really good too: an artichoke risotto, a soft shell crab with watercress and hearts of palm salad and a marinated grilled quail. The quail was our favorite (sorry vegetarians), a truly guilty pleasure. The legs were the size of my pinky finger. I said guilty. The paired wine went perfectly: a Domaine de Gournier 2009 Vin de Pays Cevennes, complex and light bodied with a hint of spice.
Ok, now on to dessert.

It was all begining to feel over the top at this point and we were getting a little giddy with all the wine and good food. The ricotta mousse with strawberry granita was crazy good. It was served with a 2008 Schmitt Sohne Ice Wine that was one cool customer. A bitter chocolate Mille Feuille and a spread of at least five sorbets and ice creams finished us off. Who could keep count, they were so divine? The one that intrigued us most was a lemon verbena ice cream.

This herb is almost impossible to find in the markets. You have to grow it to insure a steady supply. I have a small plant in my backyard herb garden that grows well in summer but does not always make it through the winter. (The picture, left, is a beautiful specimen of this herb growing in the Queens Botanical Garden). The scent is like lemon tea, fragrant and perfume-y. I am going to try to make a version of this ice cream when I get back from vacation next week, so I will keep you posted on that.

Lemon verbena leaves have a slightly rough, sticky texture, better for infusing than for chewing on.

Meanwhile, take advantage of restaurant week. Many of the participating restaurants will continue their specials throughout the summer. Let someone else cook once in awhile!

catching up

Deborah

Last week was HECTIC as I put all my energy into the big vegan cocktail party I was catering in the Hamptons. The event celebrated the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and Alec Baldwin was the special guest. I would not have pegged him as a vegan and I suspect he was just being supportive and polite, but he did a great job of not only being gracious and charming, he even stopped by the kitchen to thank me and my staff.  The rest of the guests enjoyed the all-vegan hor's (as we call them in the bis) with many friendly faces popping in the kitchen door to say delish! So I was relieved and happy that the day was a success. 

SOME OF THE VEGAN HOR'S

Roast Vegetable Kebobs with a Miso Vinaigrette

I made the vinaigrette with pomegranate vinegar. I know it sounds weird with miso, but it was good. The salt from the miso balanced out with the sweet fruity tartness of the vinegar.

Green Olive Tapenade with Pimento

 This was a simple recipe, but had a lot of flavor. I wanted to punch things up so I added jalapenos and lots of lemon zest.

This is the before picture of Cherry Tomatoes Stuffed with Guacamole

It is kind of a crazy chore to carve out all those cherry tomatoes, but this is a nice little treat when it is done. The guacamole needs to be really smooth. I  make it in the food processor and then pipe it into the tomatoes. Yes, I would say it is time consuming.

I can't get enough of sunflowers these days. They are finally growing in my backyard from seeds that managed to escape the early spring bird's notice. And how nice to be able to stop for a moment and enjoy them. My garden is feeling very neglected. I can barely keep up with the watering. This year for the first time here in Queens, I attempted to grow some vegetables alongside my well established herb garden.  I was skeptical that I would have any success as I do not get real full sun anywhere in my yard, but hey, a girl can dream. With the guidance and a few gorgeous plants from my friends at Hook Mountain Growers I dove in.

This is my yield for this week. It is embarrassing. However, they are organic and the tomato is an heirloom and how cute is that purple tomatillo? I am making the best of it and feasting on my crop. I made myself an individual portion of salsa!

One last thing: Even though I had been cooking all week, I still had to feed the kids (so they told me). This recipe evolved from the experimenting I did with the artichoke fritters (which were a huge hit, btw). Pea Pancakes. My family looked at me like I was crazy, then tasted them and gave their full approval. This is a simple and fun way to get some vegetables into everybody. Enjoy!

Pea Pancakes

1 cup of frozen peas

1 cup flour

1 teas. baking powder

1/2 teas. salt
1 egg

1/4 cup milk

2 Tbs. butter

Defrost peas and mash then roughly in a bowl. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix to distribute evenly. Add the egg and enough milk to form a batter. Let batter sit for 10 minutes. Heat butter in a pan and drop spoonfuls of the pea batter into the hot pan. Press down a little bit with a spatula. let the pancakes cook for about 5 minutes on one side, till golden, then flip and cook another 3-4 minutes till golden on the second side. Serve immediately.

fritters for all

Deborah

This is the weekend I am cooking for the big vegan cocktail party (now grown to 175 guests!) in the Hamptons. The goal of the menu I created was to keep the non-vegans not only happy, but in fact, satisfied. That led me to coming up with a fritter recipe. Who can resist something fried? My client mentioned artichokes and it seemed like a no brainer.

Feeling slightly insecure about how to keep fritters without eggs as a binder from falling apart, I did a little research. Indian cusine was a good source for an eggless fritter and I found a recipe that I could reinterpret with my own ingredients. The key it seems, is in having all your ingredients very dry. This means really squeezing the grated vegetables to get rid of excess water. 

Here is the batter squeezed as dry as possible. Just add enough flour and soy milk to act as a glue.

The technique worked like a charm and I am super happy with my test batch. Light, crispy and with a mild artichoke flavor the fritters held together beautifully! This recipe is a bit laborious but it is a great method to go back to when the occasion calls. It is perfect for vegans, those with egg alergies or when you want to make fritters and are all out of eggs.

These fritters are topped off with an egg-free lemon aioli. I am experimenting with different decorative designs here!

Vegan Artichoke Heart Fritters 

1 large potato

1 small onion

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 cup cooked artichoke hearts (use canned or frozen)

1 Tbs. chopped Thyme

2 Tbs. whole wheat flour

2 Tbs. soy milk

1/2 cup olive oil or canola oil

-grate potato and onion and squeeze dry

-defrost peas and squeeze dry

-mash together potatoes and peas in a large bowl

-chop up artichokes and squeeze dry, add to bowl

-mix vegetables together and add the chopped thyme

-gradualy add the flour and soy milk, making sure the mixture stays sticky and not too loose

-heat oil in a pan

-form small patties by the tablespoon and drop into the hot oil

-fry the fritters slowly, about 4 minutes on one side, so they don’t break, turn and fry 2 more minutes till golden

-remove from pan, sprinkle with salt and serve with eggless aoili

makes about 25 fritters

 Eggless Lemon Aioli

1 cup eggless mayonaise

1 lemon, juice and zest

2 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp salt

Wisk all ingredients together and serve with the fritters

Amanda
Sounds like you definitely have your work cut out for you with this cocktail party! But the challenge seems fun and interesting (probably because I'm not the one creating it...). I hope you will let us know how the party goes! And also what else you have on the menu...

Artichokes are one of those tricky vegetables to pair with wine. This doesn't mean that there are no options. Here they are fried -and I would consider this important characteristic when deciding what wine to pair with it. Plus, this is a cocktail party, so you want all-around versatile, food-friendly wines. And, with the large number of attendees, look towards inexpensive, everyday wines.

Immediately, these fritters make me think of light, crisp whites with good acidity. Fried foods tend to pair very well with wines with these qualities. Choose a California sparkler, Prosecco, Gruner Veltliner, Albarino, or Sauvignon Blanc and you won't be disappointed. All of these options will also be wonderful with the Eggless Lemon Aioli as well. Artichokes tend to impart a "sweetness" to white wines, so make sure you choose something very dry. (all of the aforementioned wines are dry...)

Caposaldo Prosecco is one of my current fave's in sparkling wines. I have it on hand all summer long and it is my "go to" bottle to bring to friends' homes. It never disappoints! Everyone loves it, and with it's inherent festivity (it is "bubbly" after all...) Prosecco makes a perfect addition to a cocktail gathering. ($11.99)

Albarino's high acidity makes it a perfect match for fried foods, and it's lean, clean, dry characteristics will work well with the artichokes.

Every party must include reds as well. For a vegan party in particular, I would go with something simple, light and fruity. I'm guessing most of the food will be on the lighter side, and a big, complex wine would only serve to overpower the hors d'oeuvres. Choose an inexpensive Pinot Noir or a Beaujolais Villages. Both of these can be served with a slight chill which is perfect for these hot summer days. Chilled Beaujolais Village in particular makes a great aperitif! And, it's extremely affordable. We just received the 2009 and it is on sale for only $8.99.

green on green

Deborah

Last night my book group converged on my home to discuss Richard Yates' novel Cold Spring Harbor. Yates also wrote Revolutionary Road and his themes of American angst and domestic unease always suit our group. We are rabid readers of classic fiction and combine our literary passion with lots of eating and wine drinking.

Some times our literary passions get the better of us. A casualty of the table.

Freshly picked flowers from the garden contributed to the Springtime mood of the evening.

Our book discussions are conducted over dinner and they are the highlight of my month. I t is especially fun when it is my turn to host. Spring weather was on the menu. I put fresh greens and herbs into every dish. My trip to Union Square Green Market earlier in the week resulted in armloads of mixed greens and lettuces. I made a braise of artichoke hearts, edamame and peas with a splash of white wine and a large handful of pea shoots. 

Braised Artichoke Hearts with Edamame and Peas

I found a vendor who sold beautiful loose mixed baby greens and I quickly filled a large bag. All I needed to do was heat some olive oil in a saute pan, I then added garlic cloves and chile peppers, cooked garlic till golden, added about a two inch piece of peeled ginger sliced, and then the greens, still a bit wet from being washed. They cooked down to a tender wilt in about three minutes.

Spicy Greens with Ginger

These two simple dishes really highlighted what is best at the farmer's markets right now. Young fresh  greens can go into everything, they cook quickly and are good for you!

Wine pairing, however, may be a challenge. Amanda, What would you serve?

Amanda
Yes, the wine pairing would be a little challenging. But we could definitely make it work! For the first dish, be sure to stay with something bright and crisp with good acidity. Artichokes are one of those "difficult" vegetables to pair with wine, but I wouldn't say impossible. First, out of curiousity, how long did you braise the veggies? Just wondering how long you needed to let the artichokes cook. I don't have a whole lot of experience preparing them - but I love them!


A nice clean Sauvignon Blanc, or crisp Albarino would do the trick here. Something "zippy" would work well. You could even use the same wine for the braising. These wines are fresh, and I think the crisp, lively quality of these wines would be a great complement to this light, warm-weather dish.


Now, a question about the greens - what type of greens were in the mix? They do look beautiful! But these aren't salad greens, correct? I would think those wouldn't stand up to sauteeing? These look more like swiss chard or collard greens? I can't tell exactly what they are from the picture. Just curious.


Again, for this light dish I would stick with white. Something from Alsace, France would be my first choice. Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris or Riesling would all work well. Whenever I think of ginger, I consider these wine options. Definitely stick with something "dry" for this recipe. Zind-Humbrecht is one of my favorite Alsace producers, and makes many wonderful wines. Their Gewurztraminer is to die for, as are most of their gems! Hugel et fils is another producer to look for, and they have an affordable line-up as well.

welcome honored guests!

Deborah

My absolute favorite catering job of the year is always the Rainforest Alliance's private dinner welcoming the guests who will be honored at their annual Gala held the next evening. The gala honors the companies of the year who are being recognized as Leaders in Sustainability. The pre-gala dinner allows the honorees, who come from all over the world, to relax and get to know one another before the big formal event the next night AND it allows me the chance to showcase some of our local produce. I really look forward to this event every year and continue, myself, to be honored as the chosen chef of these evenings!

This year's dinner began with a chilled pea soup that gets pureed at the last minute with a handful of fresh mint. I garnished the soup with dollops of sour cream and sprigs of pea shoots. This recipe takes advantage of the freshest ingredients at the farmers market and is quick and easy to prepare. It was a perfect light and tasty starter course for our buffet supper of grilled entrees.

Chive blossoms and mint leaves also make a pretty garnish.

One of the honorees at the dinner, the Williamette Valley Vineyards out of Oregon, was being recognized for their sustainable corks(!) I have heard a lot of talk in wine circles about the demise of the cork as we know it. They cause too much wine spoilage (cork taint) and traditional cork harvesting methods can be environmentally damaging. This company is the first vineyard to use certified sustainable cork and have added that to their solid list of sustainable business practises. Congratulations to all the honorees this year!

Chilled Pea Soup with Mint

1 tbs. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

salt & white pepper to taste

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/2 head of romaine lettuce, roughly chopped

1 potato peeled and quartered

2 cups of fresh peas (frozen is fine)

1 quart stock or water

1/2 teaspoon cayanne pepper

1 cup fresh mint leaves

1 cup heavy cream

Garnish-

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup fresh pea shoots or small whole mint leaves

Heat olive oil in a soup pot and add the onion and salt and pepper. Sweat the onion slowly at medium heat until in begins to soften and turns translucent. Add the chopped garlic and cook another two minutes. Add the romaine, the potato and the stock or water and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 15 minutes, then add the peas and the cayenne pepper. Cook for another five minutes. Remove from heat and allow soup to cool before blending. Puree soup in batches in a blender, adding in the mint leaves to each batch as you puree. Put soup in a serving bowl and stir in the heavy cream. Taste soup and adjust seasonings. Chill for at least one hour before serving. Ladle chilled soup in to bowls and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and the pea shoots or mint leaves.

serves four

Amanda
Sounds like a great event! I would love to hear about what else you served! One word about the sustainable corks - a lot of wineries all over the world are now switching to screwcaps, high-end wineries included. I have customers who come into the shop but refuse to buy anything with a screwcap. Please - do not let this be a factor when purchasing wine! A screwcap is no longer a measure of quality!! Some of the greatest, highest rated wines now offer this easy-open method. I, for one, love screwcaps. If I don't finish off a bottle  in one night, I can put the closure back on, and it will remain fresher than if re-corked. No air can get in with a screwcap. Whites will stay fresh longer in the fridge. And, there will be no "cork taint". Many peoples' palates cannot discern a "corked" bottle from one that is fine. Trust me - a lot of wine is "corked". Statistically, 10% of all bottles are corked - that's 1 out of every 10. So, if you were to buy a case (12 bottles), chances are one of them is corked. Many a bottle that I open are "off". Screwcaps greatly reduce the chances of getting a bottle that is "off".


Deb's soup looks, and sounds delicious. I love the simple elegance of this dish. Easy to prepare, yet very impressive. This soup instantly makes me think of sunshine, warm-weather, and brightly colored flowers. I want a wine that evokes the same images. The first wine I think of is Austria's Gruner Veltliner. Typically this varietal will offer lovely aromatics, and peppery, herbal flavors combined with fresh fruit and lively acidity. The mint in the soup will complement the herbal characteristics in the wine, and the acidity of the wine will serve to contrast the soup's creaminess, making a scrumptious combination of textures and flavors.  Generally Gruner is light and crisp, but certainly richer styles are available. I love this versatile, warm-weather white!

Gruner Veltliner can be found in a wide range of prices, for as little as $8 and as high as $40. When experimenting with this varietal, there is no reason to spend a lot of money. I recommend staying in the $10-$15 range. Look for wines made by Forstreiter or Fritsch. One of my favorite Gruners is the Fritsch Steinberg Gruner Veltliner, available for $14.99.

I DO want to go to Chelsea

Deborah
Bring a sweater if you plan a shopping visit to Manhattan Fruit Exchange located in Chelsea Market.  The whole place is refrigerated. The always amiable cashier ladies who work there pad themselves with layers of clothing to withstand the conditions. Bring cash too. These small obstacles are no boundary for the kid in a candy store experience that vegetable lovers will have in this heavily stocked store.  It is my go-to stop whenever I need something specific for a recipe and it never disappoints. I almost always see chef's in white jackets prowling the aisles there for last minute ingredients. Today the store had scotch bonnet peppers (mislabeled as Habaneros, which are similar but slightly different!)

I fawned my way through the store pulling myself past their vast selections of cheeses, nuts, rices, mushrooms, herbs, baby vegetables, and exotic fruit to the organic section where I fell in love with a bunch of hydroponic watercress.  Next into my basket went some fresh peas in their pods.

When purchasing fresh peas be aware that one pound of pods can yield barely over a cup of peas.

I grabbed a few shallots to round out the plan in my head, a vegetable dish that would be at home during Passover week and equally welcome at the Easter table.
I believe I succeeded.

The sweet mild peas get a depth of flavor from the roasted shallots. The wilted watercress and lemon juice add a lively counterpoint.

Sweet Peas with Roasted Shallots over Wilted Watercress
2 shallots peeled and cut into quarters
1/4 cup of Olive Oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 bunch watercress, washed and dried, stems trimmed
2 cups of fresh or frozen peas
1 Tbs. lemon zest
2 Tbs. lemon Juice

Preheat oven to 425. Put shallots in a small baking dish and toss with 1 Tbs. of the Olive oil. Roast in hot oven for 15 minutes. Remove form oven and set aside to cool. In a saute pan heat the rest of the olive oil on meduim heat and add the black pepper to the oil, saute for 2 minutes. Chop up the shallots and add them to the saute pan, then add the peas, stirring carefully to coat all the peas with the oil. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes, till the peas are tender. Add the lemon zest to the peas, toss and cook one more minute.
On a serving plate arrange the watercress. Dress the watercress with the salt and the lemon juice. Pour the hot peas with the oil from the pan into the center of the watercress nest. Drizzle the hot oil over all the watercress.
Serves Four

Amanda
First, I have to comment about Deb's pictures. Each one is more beautiful than the last. Just stunning! As for the Manhattan Fruit Exchange - I think I have to make a trip into NYC just to go to that market! I wish we had something like that near me. I could easily spend a few hours in a place like that!


Deb's recipe sounds like the perfect salad course as a starter to a larger meal. If served like this, I would love to enjoy a crisp, lively Sauvignon Blanc with it. Then I would move on to bigger wines with the main course. Something from New Zealand, or France would work perfectly. Or even a Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon blend from Bordeaux. The citrus, grassy flavors of the wine will complement the dressing flavors in the salad. I would also not hesitate to sip a Muscadet with this dish as well.

One of my favorite Sauvignon Blancs is from Kim Crawford in New Zealand. Very lively, and bright with great acidity. Lots of grassy, herbal flavors. For Muscadet, I love the Domaine de la Fruitiere Cuvee Petit M, with it's intense aromatics and wonderful minerality. Both wines can be found for around $14.99.

something different

Deborah
This week's episode of No Reservations got me hankering for something exotic. Anthony Bourdain was wandering all over Istanbul eating everything in sight. The one dish that really caught my eye was part of a home-cooked meal; baked artichoke hearts with peas and fava bean puree. Wow.
As I generally do after watching one of his shows, I wandered over to my cookbooks and scanned around for further inspiration. This time I  immediately gravitated towards Paula Wolfert, someone I consider a high priestess of Meditteranian cookbook writers. Her meticulous research and devotion to authenticity always provides interesting reading. The two books of hers that I own (Mediterranean Cooking and The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen) did not have the recipe I was looking for, but I got distracted by her Turkish Red Lentil Soup.

Dried Red lentils are so pretty AND they are easy to cook. Too bad they lose their pert orange color; when cooked and tender they turn a pale yellow.

The soup recipe sounded easy to make so I gave it a try. The procedure was basically just cooking onions, garlic, red lentils and rice in water till softened. The unusal part of the recipe is that as a finishing touch Wolfert has you create a roux from butter and flour, cooking until it is "hazelnut brown" in color and then adding stock to it before adding this to the soup. This was an unfamiliar technique for me as far as soups go, so I was excited to try it. Leave plenty of time to cook the roux, if you try this. I cooked mine on the lowest heat for about 45 minutes, which was as long as it took for the lentils to cook.
The other intriguing finish was a SIZZLE created by melting butter and then briefly sauting paprika and dried mint and then stirring that into the soup as a garnish.

tada!

Well, the soup came out great, very smooth and creamy, almost too smooth, I think.  I would probably only puree half the ingredients next time and leave some texture. The flavor was surprisingly exotic and unfamiliar considering the simple ingredients. I really felt like I was tasting something different. What a nice treat, and I did not have to leave home!

Turkish Red Lentil Soup

adapted from Paula Wolfert's The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen

For the Soup:

1Tb butter

1/3 cup grated onion (one small onion)

1 clove of garlic, mashed

1 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained

2 Tbs white rice

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1 1/2 quarts water

For the Roux:

2 Tbs butter

2 Tbs flour

2 cups vegetable stock

For the SIZZLE:

1 Tbs. butter

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp dried mint, pressed through a sieve to make a powder

To make the soup- In a large soup pot, saute the onion and garlic in the butter for 5 minutes, till golden. Add the lentils, rice, tomatoes and water and bring to a boil. Cover pot and lower  flame to a simmer, cook for 45 minutes.

MEANWHILE- to make the roux- In a small sauce pan melt the butter, then add the flour and whisk to combine so there are no lumps. Slowly heat the mixture under a VERY low flame and stir from time to time. The roux will gradually take on a warm golden color. Wolfert says go for a hazelnut brown, which took me about 45 minutes to achieve. Slowly add in the stock, whisking to prevent lumps. Cook for 5 minutes.

Back to the soup- Transfer half the soup with a slotted spoon to a food processor or blender and the other half to a clean pot. Don't add all the liquid, you wont need it, remember you are going to be adding two more cups of the roux liquid into this. Blend the soup until it is very smooth and add it to the pot with the unblended half. Add the roux liquid to the soup pot and warm  everything together for 5 minutes on a low heat.

Make the SIZZLE: In a very small pot, melt the butter and add the paprika and the mint. Cook for 5 minutes and then drizzle the sizzle into the finished soup.

serves 4

Euphoria Revisited

Deborah
While planning the menu for my husband's birthday dinner party this week, a friend reminded me of a dish I had made a year ago for the Presidential Inauguration party I hosted in my home. That was a euphoric occasion. I even created a drink I dubbed the Obama Cocktail made with Jamaican sorrel and champagne. I can barely remember what I made to eat ( I was euphoric, remember), but my friend prodded me to recall the kale and black-eyed pea dish I served. Ah yes, that WAS good.

Collard greens, like kale, have a deep rich flavor.

It was a recipe I had come across and then adapted a bit, as I am wont to do. But to recreate that sequence of events seemed unlikely. So, I am starting from scratch, making a dish I think will be filling, flavorful and festive. Truth be told, I am sick of kale at the moment (the experimenting with that raw kale salad has not gone as planned and the results won't be revealed for at least another post or two) so I picked up some collard greens instead.

After sauteeing them with onions and garlic, I threw in one of those mealy tomatoes I happened to have left over, to add a little color. Simmered with the BE peas and some white wine and a little water or stock the collards will be tender in about half an hour.

This dish is being made a day in advance so the flavors can improve overnight. I am going to finish it with a handful of fresh chopped herbs and a drizzle of really good olive oil.

Amanda is on vacation this week so I will tell you about the wine I used for this recipe. It is a Josephine Dubois 2008 Grande Reserve Chardonnay Bourgogne. What drew me to this wine other than the price tag of $9.99? I don't generally drink Chardonnay, but years ago I visited the Bourgogne region of France and it has become one of my favorites for wine, so I thought I could take a chance. And, it IS a really nice wine- fruity with a decent body- not terribly complex but more than a single note- with a slightly mineraly finish to add sophistication. I like!

I suspect we are going to be talking avocados when Amanda returns from Mexico next week. Meanwhile I am going to take a poke at my marinating raw kale that at this point still tastes likes sour rubber bands.

Collard Greens with Black-Eyed Peas
2 Tbs olive oil
1 onion chopped
3 garlic cloves chopped
1 large bunch of collard greens, *chopped- see below
salt & pepper to taste
1 tomato, roughly chopped
1 can of Black eyed peas, drained of liquid and rinsed
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup water
3 Tbs. fresh herbs (parsley, oregano, sage, dill) roughly chopped
1 Tbs. good quality extra virgin olive oil



*to chop collard greens fold leaf in half and cut out the rib. Take the leaves and pile them up and roll into a "cigar" and chop into one inch pieces.

Heat oil in pan and add garlic and onion. Cook 5-8 minutes till they are soft and golden. Add the collard greens and the salt and pepper and cook for 15 minutes till the greens begin to soften and wilt. Add the tomato, the black-eyed peas and the wine and cook another 5 minutes. Add a cup of water and bring to a simmer and cover. Allow to cook for another 20 minutes until the greens are softened. Add the chopped herbs and the extra virgin olive oil and heat for another 2-3 minutes. serves 4

Peace in the new year

Deborah

A message for the New Year.  This inscription is part of a monument marking the former site of the Vatican Pavilion from the 1964 Worlds Fair in Flushing Meadow Park

This has been an especially hectic and personal holiday season for both Amanda and me. We are really looking forward to getting back to our tri-weekly posts after the New Year (and decade!) begins. Please accept the following which is a post I wrote last year for another blog. The black eye pea salsa recipe is one of my favorites and is very holiday appropriate.

Sometimes my daughter's compulsion to play with her food results in a couscous message I can get behind.

Best wishes to everyone for the new year!

From the blog: dsoffel.blogspot.com 

Originally Published: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2008

Deborah

I am thinking about black-eyed peas, a traditional Southern dish served on New years day to represent good luck. On the cusp of a new era we can use all the luck available, so I hail the tiny pea as a perfect party food for the season.

Cheap and easy to cook, they come dried, frozen or canned. I have tried all three varieties with happy results. My black eyed pea salsa served as a dip with pita chips was a big hit at an election night party I attended with friends. Lots of red onions, minced jalapeno and garlic and a good glug of sharp red wine vinegar bring this dish together. Let it sit for a while so the flavors develop. I threw in a large handful of garden mint, the last of the summer crop harvested before the frost sets in. Cilantro, parsley and chervil are all good substitutes.

With any left over peas I made a simple soup, tossing them into chicken stock and adding chopped kale and cooked macaroni, seasoned to taste. Adding a large spoonful of parmesan cheese doesn’t hurt. This makes a perfect hardy lunch as the weather cools.

Black-eyed peas are particularly cute with their cream colored skin and little button of black. They have a deep rich nutty flavor that can stand up to aggressive seasoning. They are inexpensive and plentiful, so enjoy this humble bearer of good fortune.

Black-eyed pea salsa

1.5 cups dried Black-eyed peas, picked over (or 2 cups canned peas rinsed and drained or 2 cups defrosted frozen peas)
2 quarts water
1 T red wine vinegar
1 t salt
1 t sugar
1 garlic clove finely minced
zest of a lime (optional)
.5 cup red onion, small dice
1 jalapeno pepper, finely minced
.5 cup fresh chopped herbs (parsley, mint, cilantro, chervil, chives or any combination of these)

Rinse dried peas and add to sauce pan with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer tightly covered for about 40 minutes or until peas are very tender.
Drain and set aside.

In a mixing bowl combine the vinegar, salt, sugar and garlic wisking to blend. Add in the cooked peas, the onion, jalapeno and herbs. Toss to combine and taste for seasoning. Add the lime zest if you prefer a more zingy bright flavor. Let salsa sit for an hour to allow the flavor to develop. Salas will keep in the fridge for up to four days. Serve with pita chips.

Lightening up

Deborah
There is not much time before the next round of eating holidays roll in. This week I am going to try to reverse some of the damage I have done to my waistline on the last feast. I am starting to get a little tired of Leftover soup (by poplular demand on the homefront I made a second batch from the very last of the last of the leftover goodies). I am ready for something else.

Black eyed peas are one of my favorite beans (peas?). I love the woody/grassy flavor. There is a depth to them and a lightness. They have a complex flavor for a bean, I guess I am trying to say.

Canned beans work fine in a pinch. I rinse them thoroughly before using.

Bean cakes are very versatile and easy to make and not too heavy in the belly. These come in at just over 100 calories a pop, more or less. Eat them with some salad and even a dollop of that leftover cranberry sauce.

For bean cakes mince the vegetables very small.

Today I used parsley, garlic, onions and celery. Cilantro, bell pepper, jalapeno, chives would work really well too. Grated carrot and zucchini should also be considered.

Mash the peas/beans up and add the chopped vegetables and seasonings.

Form into a patty, roll in breadcrumbs and pan fry in a scant amount of canola oil.

These bean cakes are REALLY good on their own or with a little of the leftover apricot-ginger chutney from Thanksgiving.

Black eyed pea cakes

1 cup of cooked black eyed peas, rinsed, drained and roughly mashed with a potato masher

3 Tbs. onion finely chopped

3 Tbs. celery finely chopped

2 Tbs. cilantro finely chopped

1 garlic clove minced

1 teas. dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1 Tbs. canola oil

Combine beans with the chopped vegetables and herbs. Taste to make sure there is enough s &p. You want them to have a bold flavor. Form into two patties and roll in bread crumbs. (If you use a 15oz can of beans you will have enough to form 3 patties)

Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet and pan fry the bean cakes till golden, about 6 minutes per side.

serves 2

Amanda

Those cakes are right up my alley! I make black bean burgers that I read about on an online website that I absolutely love, but I'm ready for something new! When I make the black bean burgers, I double the recipe which comes out to about 12 small patties. I wrap them individually in plastic wrap, and freeze them. Then, I can just take one or two out in the morning before work and thaw them out for dinner. Deb - do you think these would freeze well? Could I freeze them without the panko, and add it once they are thawed? Would love to hear your thoughts on this since freezing portioned-out dishes is my usual M.O.

As for wine - I am definitely feeling inspired! I would love to add jalapeno to this dish because I love a little "kick" to patties like these. I'm thinking a California Zinfandel would work well. I believe there is a context for which all wines are consumed. Different wines are appropriate for different occasions. I would not serve a $100 bottle of Burgundy at a backyard barbeque, no matter how delicious the wine, or savvy the guests. In that context, I would much rather drink a straight-forward, "fun", easy-drinking wine. These patties, to me, are fun and would be wonderful for an impromtu get-together with some friends. Easy to make in a pinch, this recipe is great for last minute plans. A simple, fruity crowd-pleasing Zinfandel would be great. The inexpensive Temptation Zinfandel from Alexander Valley Vineyards is a delicious, food-friendly wine. It has lots of berry flavors, as well as pepper and a bit of earth. A touch of Sangiovese is added to this wine which contributes to the lively fruit quality. The lush fruit will work well with the "zip" from the jalapeno that I would add. The "earthiness" of the wine will also pair well with the "woody/grassy" quality of the Black-Eyed peas that Deb describes. The apricot chutney condiment should also work well in conjunction with this wine choice! Alexander Valley Vineyards wines are readily available. The Temptation, in particular, retails for about $11.99. Can't wait to try this pairing!