April 2010
2 posts
Hello! →
March 2010
3 posts
1 tag
2 tags
Seeds ordered, pt 1.
I just finished ordering seeds for the first round of planting. Here is a list, with descriptions:
DR. CAROLYN 65 days. [Selected from a sport of Galinas. Named by Steve Draper in honor of Dr. Carolyn Male who first saved the seed.] The most flavorful yellow cherry tomato we’ve grown. Excellent balance of sugar, tartness and depth of flavor. The pale-yellow, cherry-sized fruits are...
News and a Cocktail
My wife and I just got a parcel in a community garden*** just a few blocks from our apartment. She doesn’t know yet… but I’m super excited. Finally we can start growing things that are too big for our window sill and require more sunlight than we can provide from inside. Its also great news that now we can also start composting. Needless to say, I’ll be writing about our...
February 2010
1 post
3 tags
Tomato 'Snow Day' Soup
32 oz can of dice tomatoes
32 oz of broth
Mix liquid ingredients. Bring to a boil. Continue boil for at least 20 minutes, or till the soup has noticeably reduced. Add desired amount of salt and pepper.
If you’re feeling bold, add heavy cream.
Garnish with thyme leaves.
November 2009
2 posts
8 tags
White Bean Soup
Start with this recipe from Bon Appétit. I didn’t use sage.
Coat the bottom of a saucepan with oil. Heat. Add one whole onion, chopped. Salt. Add two thick carrots cut into rounds. Once glistening and tender, remove contents and transfer to dish.
Tear apart or cut one bunch of kale. I used lacinato. Add oil then kale to already hot saucepan. Again, once tender and glistening, remove.
Add...
2 tags
September 2009
2 posts
1 tag
1 tag
August 2009
2 posts
1 tag
Another Summer Soup
Last month’s soup of choice was an original creation, chickpea and tomato soup. Today, Rachael and I made a recipe that we first tried our last summer. It’s a corn chowder and its incredible.
The recipe belongs to Mark Bittman, and though we only follow it loosely — no milk — its has quick become one the most flavorful, versatile and easy to make soups in our repertoire.
...
1 tag
Boiled eggs, poached eggs, fried eggs, scrambled... →
Thanks PBS! Thanks Julia. Thanks Rachael.
July 2009
6 posts
2 tags
1 tag
Corn & Tomato Scramble →
Gourmet rocks my world again with another awesome recipe, this time for the corn & tomato scramble. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but simply put, this best base recipe for a summer salad that I’ve come across. Ever.
Both simple and versatile I can see myself spinning this off into a number of permutations that include things like: hot peppers, peaches, rice, soup and more.
1 tag
Chickpea Tomato Soup
3/4 c chickpeas, hydrated
28oz can of diced tomato
3 generous handfuls of spinach, rolled and sliced thin
1 liter box of broth
ground corriander seeds
salt & pepper
basil leaves
olive oil
In a large pot add broth, chickpea liquid and tomato juice; bring to a boil. Add corriander, salt, pepper and olive oil to taste. When boiling add chickpeas and tomatos. Simmer. Wait for the broth...
2 tags
Blueberry Pancakes, no eggs →
Arggh. Haven’t had a chance to swing by the famer’s market in weeks. The result, no eggs. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem, but I wanted to make pancakes.
Thanks to the Internet, I’m giving this recipe a shot.
I’ll let you know how they turn out in the comments.
June 2009
1 post
2 tags
Definately going to try this... soon. →
2 cups cold soy milk (must contain more than 12% soy) 1 teaspoon nigari water
In a medium bowl or measuring cup, stir together the soy milk with the nigari water. Pour the liquid into 5 ramekins; each should hold about 3 ounce.
Place the ramekins in a stove-top steamer, cover and steam just until the tofu is set on top, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the heat, type of nigari and soy...
May 2009
1 post
1 tag
Soft-shelled Crab-wich
Last night I made soft-shelled crab sandwiches. The living* soft-shelled crabs were purchased from the Dupont farmer’s market, dredged in flour and cornmeal and pan fried. I baked the rolls the day before. The salad was dressed in a mayonnaise sriracha dressing. The corn steamed. Simple and delicious.
*This was the first time that I ever had to kill something that I was going to cook with...
March 2009
2 posts
1 tag
Love, Loneliness, Heartbreak and Food
A long long time ago I hosted my frist Knock Twice Radio show. In it, I fullfilled my desire to me a soul DJ. When assembling my songs I noticed a four themes that eventually become the title of the episode, Love, Loneliness, Heartbreak and Food.
If you know of any other great songs about food, please visit the forum at Knock Twice Radio and post your suggestions. Thanks.
2 tags
Duck, roasting
Continued from Duck prep, 24 hours in advance.
Move oven-rack to lower third and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Pour some water in the bottom of the roasting pan to prevent smoking. Place duck breast side up. Roast for twenty minutes. Flip bird and roast for another twenty minutes breast down.
Reduce over temperature to 350 degrees. While oven cools mix together the following ingredients:
three...
February 2009
10 posts
2 tags
Pickled Green Beans
one and one third part white vinegar
one third part soy sauce
one third part rice vinegar
dry wasabi*
green beans
For two pounds of green beans I used two and two sixths cups of white vinegar, two sixths cups of soy sauce and rice vinegar. I added around three tablespoons of wasabi, but you should flavor to taste.
Mix liquid ingredients and wasabi in a wide flat pot and slowly bring to a...
2 tags
Duck prep, 24 hours in advance
I’m using the Joy of Cooking’s recipe for ‘Chinese Roast Duck’ (page 621-622), paraphrased:
one duck, four to five pounds
five cups of water
one half cup of soy sauce
one quarter cup of honey
Mix liquids in a large pot, bring to a boil. Place duck in mixture for one minute, continually coating with liquid.
“Remove the duck from the pot, drain, and pat...
1 tag
Sunday's dinner
There is a lot that Rachael and I must do to get ready for Sunday night’s dinner. Here is the planned menu:
pickled green beans
sticky pork buns
pho w/ roasted duck
As of now the duck is defrosting in the fridge (I bought it at a farmer’s market in November). We also have to go to at least three grocers and a market to get everything we need, from spices to vegetables and...
2 tags
DC's Special Vegitarean Pho
This recipe is special, cause there aren’t any really great Pho restaurants that you can get to without a car in DC. It’s DC’s because I made the recipe in DC wanting for some Pho.
Broth
two chopped onions
four star anise*
one cinnamon stick*
two whole cloves*
2 tsps black peppercorn*
fresh ginger
one tbs sugar
one tbs salt
two tbs fish sauce (optional)
ninety-six...
2 tags
Potato Meet Leek Soup
four leeks
three large russet potatos, peeled and diced
one medium to large onion, diced
two tbs butter
two tbs olive oil
sea or kosher salt
vegetable broth, thirty-two ounces
Put oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, pinch of salt and sweat. When translucent add three sliced leeks and sweat some more. Add potatos until you can smell the potato cooking. Add broth...
2 tags
Pepper Adams
While listening to Donald Byrd’s album ‘Royal Flush’ on my way to work this morning, I was particularly moved by Pepper Adam’s solo on the song Shangri-la. It was hot and smoky like his name suggests.
Thinking of heat and smoke made me think of how making paprika would be a worthy culinary challenge. I don’t have all the ingredients and tools necessary,...
Note to self
Next time you buy food and your first reaction to the first bite is, “never again,” it is probably good advice.
1 tag
2 tags
Lemon Orange Drink.
two lemons
one orange (clementine)
white sugar
Using a micro-plane, or another grating device, zest the two lemons and one orange; then juice. Measure out a portion of sugar equal to the juice and put both into a pot. Add zest. Boil the mixture and reduce. Place syrup in freezer (15 minutes) or refrigerator (45 minutes) to cool. Mix with seltzer — to taste — and serve.
for...
January 2009
2 posts
2 tags
My Brunch is Now Better than Yours!
I’ve been using The All New All Purpose Joy of Cooking for just over a year now. Its been a great resource and reference… especially when I want to make pancakes but don’t have pancake batter*, or I want to roast a turkey and don’t quite know how to proceed. In every instance of use I’ve found this book to be simple to use and immensely practical. Take this morning,...
1 tag
Prune Stuffed Lamb Meatball Curry (ish) →
This is the second time we made this recipe. The first, Rachael took the lead and it was awesome. Last night I tried my hand at it… and I wasn’t too pleased.
I think I followed the recipe (from Martha Stewart) a little too doggedly. My meatballs were mis-shapen and my sauce got watered down.
Next time I do this, I am definitely going to focus on a making a more robust sauce (more...
November 2008
2 posts
2 tags
2 tags
Pickles, sliced.
Here is a quick easy way to make pickles at home. I had mine with hamburgers.
Bring 1 cup of white vinegar to boil.
Add salt and other seasons to taste. I used garlic powder, whoe black pepercorns and lots of dried dill. Its probably good to add some sugar, too.
Stir vigorously.
Take an English cucumber* and slice. I used a mandoline.
Place the cucumber slices into the the boing vinegar.
...