Cook Daily

Cauliflower and Caramelized Onion Tart

Since my camera was stolen during my recent carjacking, (as discussed on my other blog), I can't take a picture of this most delicious tart ever from the March 2007 issue of Bon Appetit. It's unlikely to be featured in any heart-healthy recipe compilations any time soon, but one teeny sliver will be all you need.  Several Epicurious recipe reviewers found the cauliflower took less time to roast than indicated, which was true for me too.  And while I have been hankering for a reason to crack open the bottle of truffle oil we inherited from someone, I ended up using a teaspoon (if that) rather than a  tablespoon. The stuff is very pungent, and I feared it might overpower everything else.

But this to look forward to for lunch will be reason enough to get out of bed tomorrow.

Spanish Potato Omelet and Wilted Spinach Salad

Well doggone it. I done gone and dusted off the pots and pans and put one of them to use at last. After purchasing what I think was about 10 pounds of potatoes at the Melrose Place farmer's market on Sunday, I thought a Spanish omelet would be a good way to put them to use. Not to mention a healthier way (my first choice would have been scalloped, tossed in whipping cream and a good cheese), since I must be swim suit ready in a matter of days.

Usually I use a tried and trusted tortilla recipe from the Joy of Cooking, and I should have just stuck to that. Instead I used one from a new Cooking Light compilation I had ordered, (yes, I am still a member of that damn book club) mostly to justify the purchase, even though I questioned the recipe quantities. But in the end the "Light" in "Cooking Light" won me over, as I pondered things like beaches and swimming pools, and my pending close proximity to them.

To accompany the omelet, I thought a warmed spinach salad would be nice, and of course, my most faithful friends over at America's Test Kitchen had what I was looking for in The New Best Recipe.

The salad was wonderful, the tortilla, meh. I think one or two extra eggs and slightly less cooking time would have done me right. I really need to learn to listen to my instincts more. My concern about the potato to egg ratio did cause me to cut back slightly on the potatoes, but I still think it was a little off.

Here are the recipes:

Spanish Potato Omelet
(Cooking Light, August 2001, by way of the All New Complete Cooking Light Cookbook)

6 cups thinly sliced peeled baking potato (about 3 pounds)
2 cups thinly sliced sweet onion
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
4  large eggs
Oregano sprigs (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Place the potato and onion in a roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons oil, and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss well. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally with a metal spatula to prevent sticking.

3. Combine eggs and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Stir in potato mixture; let stand 10 minutes. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour potato mixture into pan (pan will be very full). Cook 7 minutes or until almost set, gently shaking pan frequently.

4. Place a plate upside down on top of omelet; invert onto plate. Carefully slide omelet cooked side up into pan; cook 3 minutes or until set, gently shaking pan occasionally. Carefully loosen omelet with a spatula; gently slide omelet onto a plate. Cool. Cut into wedges. Garnish with oregano, if desired.

Wilted Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese, Olives and Lemon Vinaigrette
(From The New Best Recipe)

5 ounces baby spinach (about 6 cups)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon
2 ounces goat cheese, cut into small chunks
6 black olives, sliced thin

1. Place the spinach in a large bowl.

2. Cook the oil, shallot, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper and sugar in a small skillet over medium heat until the shallot is slightly softened, 2-3 minutes. Add the lemon juice and swirl to incorporate.

3. Pour the warm dressing over the spinach, add the cheese and olives and toss gently with tongs to wilt. Serve immediately.

Cook's Notes:
I cheated a little on some of the salad stuff. I didn't feel like slicing my olives, probably used more than 6, and added some green ones for good measure. I also used dried oregano in the dressing, as I didn't have any fresh.

Pithing Me Off

No, no REAL update. Apparently I don't cook much anymore. The holidays knocked me far off track. I have cooked here and there, but nothing new or different.  A few roast chickens, a lentil dish, pancakes, spaghetti. But my zest for kitchen life is finally starting to get nudged out of its dormant spell. I got lots of new cookbooks over the holidays, and am currently catching up on an "America's Test Kitchen" marathon on TiVo.  I think Julia Colllins just said "piss" instead of "pith" while making sangria. Now she's making paella--I am so making that someday soon.

It Starts with a Bird

I survived my first Thanksgiving dinner prepared entirely by moi. And the first time I've fed as many people not related to me. Truth be told, I've been lazy about writing about this. But then lazy has been my theme for the weekend. I am ashamed, ashamed to say that on Friday, I didn't leave the house at all, and yesterday I didn't leave until 8:30 pm, and that was only to go and stuff myself with udon. Anyway, I must write about this now to get it off my chest, because David is tired, very tired of the Thanksgiving dinner post-mortem, particularly since we are now on version 50. I think even my parents were getting bored during our hour long weekly phone call yesterday, bitterly regretting the decision to ask me how everything turned out.

I was very prepared for Thanksgiving 2006. While I procrastinate and dither over many things, cooking for people is not one of them. I had multiple lists for the stores I needed to hit, had investigated several ideas for table decorating and had worked out an elaborate game plan for the day of. I even picked up my turkey when Whole Foods opened their doors at 6am on Wednesday morning.

So lets talk turkey shall we? I had spent most of the week prior surrounded by every one of my tried and trusted cookbooks, as well as endless recipes printed off the internet, and ripped from cooking magazines over the last several years. I knew that I would cook a turkey someday and I wanted to do it right. I have a morbid fear of dry turkey and would not be guilty of such a crime. Finally I went with the Cook's Illustrated/James Beard method of brining, air-drying and then rotating the thing 4x throughout cooking, starting breast side down, but adapted the recipe to use the herb butter rub and shallot gravy from my new Bon Appetit cookbook. I know it all sounds complicated, but it wasn't so bad. Finding the space to brine the beast was a bit of a challenge. Needless to say I spent much of the brining time worrying about the salting vessel (a $2,99 brining bag from Whole Foods resting in a giant roasting pan) bursting and letting its salmonella-flavored contents gush and trickle over the contents of the fridge, many of them essential items for the next day's cooking. Of course that meant compulsive checking, something for which I demonstrate endless talent.

Well the brine stayed in the bag; everything was adequately protected from raw turkey juice and that turkey was actually pretty damn good. It did everything it was supposed to in the oven, didn't fight with me during rotation and reached the recommended temperature for juicy turkey in almost exactly the prescribed time.

But now lets talk about the REAL reason for Thanksgiving dinner: the side dishes. I could happily eat just brussels sprouts, stuffing and mashed potatoes for dinner and be fine with it. And I fear that in my quest to prepare the perfect bird, my sides may have suffered a little. I had no idea how stressful (not to mention sweaty) it would be to get everything on the table at the right temperature at the same time.  It wasn't completely disastrous: the stuffing, and brussels sprouts were yummy and the yams were just a tad overdone, or just very caramelized, as I kept telling myself. The biggest mistake, for which I am still bowing my head in shame, were the mashed potatoes. I mean really, is there any point at all in serving the perfect, herb-rubbed shallot-y turkey alongside spuds that taste as if they could have come directly from Cell Block H? Ok, I am exaggerating just a bit. They tasted fine, but the texture? A bit too lumpy for my liking and not hot enough.

But now that I'm over it and ready to move on to other kitchen projects, I present the lessons learned from my first Thanksgiving dinner.

1.  When it comes to mashed potatoes, keep it simple. Follow the instructions given by the Joy of Cookings, and the America's Test Kitchens. Maybe stay away from the recipe that swears by Yukon Golds which I now truly believe don't mash up quite as easily, or as fluffy.

2. If you're really serious about making mashed potatoes for a crowd that aren't too lumpy, invest in a food mill or potato ricer. Mashing a lot of those suckers is a lot harder with your attractive and probably not very functional masher from an oh-so-hip housewares store in Montreal.

3. Yes, there is nothing better than mashed potatoes fresh from the masher, but there is no easy way to make gravy and mash potatoes at the same time. Especially in a small galley kitchen in which teamwork can only lead to someone grabbing a sharp knife and using it as a weapon. If we ever do this again, the potatoes get mashed and ready to go before the bird comes out of the oven.

4. Realize that with all the last minute stuff going on, the turkey might rest for longer than 20 minutes. With that in mind, for piping hot sides that aren't ready too long before the bird is, put the brown sugar glazed yams and the stuffing in the oven a bit later than you think you should. If there's anything I should have known, it's this.

5. A baked artichoke dip loaded with fat and calories is a great thing to keep people eating and mingling in the living room and out of the kitchen where they won't get to see how beet-red and sweaty you can get playing tetris in the oven to get everything to fit.

6. It is all too easy to get burnt while trying to remove a roasting pan that you had to fit sideways in the oven to accommodate the stuffing that is sitting snugly alongside it. Where is my dual wall oven when I need one?

7. Don't beat yourself up about overly caramelized yams. Is there such a thing as an overly caramelized root vegetable? And on the Giada de Laurentiis/Rachael Ray Iron Chef face-off, I was thrilled to note that Giada's butternut squash for her ravioli filling got just as caramelized as my yams, something she furrowed her brow over, and they turned out just fine.

If any readers (if I have any left after being so apathetic about blogging lately) have any nuggets of Thanksgiving wisdom, I'd love to hear them.

Pasta with Peas and Pancetta

The picture doesn't do it justice at all (where's the bacon?), but this is easily my favorite pasta dish. I remember making if for the first time when I first moved to L.A. and after a rather trying day that probably involved one of many plumbing disasters that plagued me when I first got here, it was infinitely comforting. I prefer my pasta more "bitty" than "saucy" and nothing disappoints me more than perfectly cooked pasta destroyed with too much sauce soaking it. If you like your pasta like I do, with a sauce made more from reserved starchy pasta water than anything else, this recipe is perfect. I mean come on, bacon, peas, parmesan goat cheese and a healthy grind of black pepper? How could you go wrong?

The next day at work I got an email from David with the subject line "Cheese" (Does the man know how to get my attention or what?) Someone at work had asked which kind I'd used in this dish. To which I replied, "Stop sharing your damn food."   I'm pretty sure  he's NOT sharing his food, but I would love to be a fly on the wall when he trots out his leftovers every day, and tries to explain the concoctions. This one's aroma was a big hit apparently, but I wonder about that Eggplant Curry from a few days ago. Oh well, at least I never send him off with a tupperware of fish.

Pasta with Peas and Pancetta
(From: Tyler Florence's Real Kitchen)

1/2 pound spaghetti
Extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces pancetta or thick-cut bacon, diced
1 onion, minced
1 bay leaf
1 cup sweet peas, frozen or fresh
1 ounce goat cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Juice of 1 lemon
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh basil, hand-torn

1. In a large stockpot, cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling salted water for about 10 minutes; it should still be a little firm.

2. At the same time, heat a 2-count drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the pancetta, and stir it around. When the fat starts to render, after about 3 minutes, add the onion and bay leaf. Cook and stir until the onion caramelizes, about 10 minutes. Now add the peas and cook for 2 minutes just to heat them through.

3. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the starchy water for the sauce. Fold the goat cheese into the hot pasta and give it a toss so it melts. Scrape the pancetta, onions, and peas into the pasta pot (toss the bay leaf). Add the Parmigiano, parsley, and lemon juice. Slowly pour in the reserved pasta water to dissolve the cheese and thin it out to a sauce consistency. Hit it with a healthy dose of olive oil and quite a few turns of freshly ground black pepper to give it bite. Return the noodles to the pot and gently toss to coat in the sauce. Split the pasta between 2 large bowls and shower it with the shredded basil.

Yellow Rice Salad with Roasted Peppers and Spicy Black Beans

I actually posted this a few days ago, and then managed to wipe it out by not saving before I tried to insert the photo, the step that sent this poor hardworking Mac into freak out mode, forcing me to lose it all. So it is with not much motivation that I recreate it now. I could skip it, but this salad was so good, and worthy of a post. (The scone post from a few weeks ago never did get recipes added to them, and it's not because they weren't good. It is because I am lazy. And it just doesn't help that one of the recipes came from a library book I have already returned.)

A few weeks ago I added this to my cookbook collection. I'm sure all its recipes can be found in the depths of Epicurious, but I still wanted it from the moment I saw it at the bookstore,  its shiny burnt orange cover beaming at me. I've made a few things from it so far (unphotographed and therefore non-existent according to this blog): a roast chicken slathered in herb butter that had us picking at the carcass like a pair of stray cats, and a seriously less successful vegetable paella. (That's what that last mystery post was, by the way). Don't get me wrong, there are many things from the book higher on the priority list than this black bean salad, (a few yummy looking baked egg dishes come to mind) but once again, I happened to have everything on hand to make this. It was pretty good that night with some grilled sausages, but it was even better the next day for lunch.

Yellow Rice Salad with Roasted Peppers and Spicy Black Beans

4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 cups water
1 cup basmati rice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 15- to 16-ounce can black beans, rinsed, drained
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers from jar
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoons minced chipotle chilies

1. Stir 3 teaspoons cumin in small dry skillet over medium heat just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Whisk lime juice and oil into skillet.

2. Stir turmeric and remaining cumin in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 2 cups water, rice and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and cover; simmer until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Cool rice. Mix onions and half of dressing into rice. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Combine black beans, all peppers, cilantro, chipotle chilies, and remaining dressing in medium bowl. Toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Mound bean mixture in center of platter. Surround with rice salad.

And Senility Sets In

I was clearing my camera of the evidence of my culinary adventures, and came across a picture of something I don't remember making. It's clearly some sort of rice dish with vegetables, but did I make it up? Or is this someone's actual recipe? I don't remember at all.

Penne with Butternut-Sage Sauce

As I've said before, I am a sucker for squash. Especially butternut. So when I was thumbing through the November issue of Gourmet on my way home from work yesterday, I decided that this recipe was dinner. Especially since I had bought some butternut at the store the day before. Now don't get me wrong, this was tasty, and you can't really go wrong with butternut, sage, pasta and cheese. But it lacked something. I'm not sure what.  It was also most definitely NOT a 10-minute main. Not for me anyway. Possibly because I had to process the squash in batches (I had a lot of squash - I even weighed it in a bowl using the bathroom scale, thinking that I MUST have more than a pound. I didn't). Mostly though, the cooking time for the squash was off. Mine was nowhere close to soft and tender after just 8-10 minutes. Oh and then there's that compulsion to clean up as I go. So really the 10 minute meal is not an expectation I should have from ANY recipe. Ever.

Now there is a great deal of this hanging out in Tupperware right now. I can't let it all go to waste. I'm thinking it might taste a bit better reheated with some marinara sauce from a jar. I'm going to go and test the idea.

I served this with some garlic toast that I made from the very delicious whole grain loaf from La Brea bakery.  The recipe's from the bag the bread came in. Very easy. Just slice the bread fairly thinly, spread it with butter, garlic, red pepper flakes and chopped shallots and bake in a 300 degree oven until golden on top.

And speaking of deliciousness. On the way back from the airport on Monday morning we stopped at Porto's for brunchy things. Among other things (can you say "over-ordered"?), we got potato balls. I think those are truly one of the best things ever.

Baked Eggplant Curry (Bengum Bhurta)

This is one of my favorite Indian vegetarian dishes, so this recipe called to me as I perused my latest purchase from Green Apple books en route home to Los Angeles from San Francisco on Monday morning.  I will make this again. The only glitch was that I couldn't find fenugreek. Bristol Farms told me to go to Whole Foods, and Whole Foods referred me to Bristol Farms, but it wasn't to be found at either place. I was looking for the leaves specifically--it seems they are ALSO known as "kasuri methi." I think I need to find a good Indian grocery store.

Here's the recipe:

Bengum Bhurtha

3 medium eggplants
8-9 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 canned tomato puree
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup green peas (thawed if frozen)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Place them cut side up on a foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the oil. Bake for about 30 minutes or until soft. Cool the eggplants, remove as many seeds as you can, and scoop the pulp from the skin, squeezing out excess liquid. Chop the eggplant into 1-inch pieces

2. Heat the remaining 5-6 tablespoons of oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat and saute the onion and cumin seeds until the onion is soft and translucent, just a few minutes

3. Add cayenne pepper, turmeric, ground cumin and garam masala to the skillet and stir quickly to blend everything. Then add the chopped eggplant, fenugreek leaves and salt. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and tomato puree. Bring to a simmer and cook gently, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.

4. Just before serving, add the cream and heat, then stir in 2 tablespoons of the cilantro and the green peas. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of cilantro and serve over rice.

Cook's Notes:

1. You might wonder, as I did, how all of the items in steps 2 and 3 could fit into a "small" skillet. I decided not to do this the hard way, and used a 10-inch skillet.

Scone-Off

Scones have become my latest obsession. Here are two offerings.The oatmeal ones are from Martha's Baking Handbook, and the round glazed ones are from the Joy of Cooking, (with Ina Garten's glaze). Recipes to come.