Fame and Fortune

 

When I started this blog, the idea of doing something so public was (and remains) very exciting.  My ambition knew no bounds…. Not only was I going to help Sylvia and others with kitchen challenges, I was going to be the ‘New Millennium Julia for New Cooks’.  In my fantasy I was not only helping people towards a healthy relationship with food, I was on my way to fame and fun!  I’d go to cooking school!  Manufacturers of fantastic kitchen tools would vie for a mention on New Kitchen Primer.  Then there would be the public speaking dates.  Quit the day job!  Have handlers!  Someone to manage my appointment book!  Oh hell…. Let’s throw in a new wardrobe and makeover too!

In a funny sort of way, some of that stuff did happen.  Alas not the wardrobe and makeover, but that’s so superficial.  This has been an experience with substance.  There have been many ‘hits’ for a blog that was sparsely promoted and, at the end of the day, I have fully enjoyed myself.   I knew that I loved food and photography, but I also discovered that I love to write!  Who knew?!  

So this is it (for now at least).  The blog as it stands will remain accessible (apparently nothing dies in the blog-o-sphere) and I will do my best to finish the index so that if any of you out there want to return for a recipe, ingredient or method tip, whatever you need will be a little easier to find.  No new entries on this one.  If I find myself pining for a public fantasy life, I’ll simply start up again.

Ultimately it was my readers that really made this labor-of-love a not only a pleasure but a very important part of the last three years.

Thanks to all of you and Bon Appétit!

PS  Thanks to Ken Lax for the kitchen portrait

The Far Flung Correspondent: Hot Tea on a Hot Day

Pardon the  'blog absence'.  What I neglected to tell you when I wrote last is that after California, there was a long planned visit to the UK, and I trotted off to Wales to visit my mother and Cathy (the pastry chef sibling).

It was a beautiful day for a drive, perfect for engaging in a purposeful abandonment of purpose and direction.  The result?  We found ourselves at a lovely little hotel called Tudor Farmhouse, which is tucked inside The Forest of Dean. Not only were we in a historic spot, we were also experiencing a historic hot day, the hottest recorded for an October in 100 years.

As any Englishman or woman will tell you, nothing cools you down like a hot cup of tea. What better time to engage in a quintessential British indulgence, Cream Tea?  "Cream" in this instance means clotted cream, and as my 91-year-old mother will tell you, it's not something that you do everyday, but is entirely survivable. So a nice pot of Earl Grey, scones, jam, butter and clotted cream.  Heaven. What was also 'heavenly' was eating something that is not easily had here in the States (clotted cream has a very short shelf life). Dairy in the UK is a different animal (less processed) from what we experience here in the 'colonies', and the flavor is amazing. The Brits may be discrete in their social habits, but when it comes to cream and butter there simply is no restraint!

All that lovely fat to the brain the got me thinking.  Romans were living in this spot at one time; perhaps it's a sign of long embedded civilization that can produce something so, well, civilized!    

As a postscript, I want to let you know that I am in the process of rethinking New Kitchen Primer.  This is almost the 200^th entry and maybe it’s time to ‘shift gears’ (just a little).  Suggestions are more then welcome and please stayed tuned.

Ready for Ice Cream

 

Have I ever mentioned my father here? There have been cameo appearances of Marge (my mother), Cathy (the pastry chef sister), Sylvia, Ben and Pip... and the not so occasional mention of my "Family of Choice"-the people with whom I’ve shared not only meals but all the rest.

Alan came over to the ‘States’ from Liverpool in the early 1950’s.  Like most immigrants he was seeking a new life and new adventures.    I’ve shared in some of those times and now that I look back, have an appreciation for the zest with which this gregarious man not only ate his ice cream but savored anything even remotely related to fun.

I’m about to take a small break from Kitchen Primer.  The little guy in glasses is now 80 and it’s off to California to see how he’s doing.  If he still savors his ice cream, I’ll be reassured.  It hasn’t always been easy being Al’s daughter (I know my children would say the same of me), but it’s never been dull and I’d like to think that my inheritance has been knowing how to be a little whacky at times, irreverent throughout and always ready for ice cream.

Lychees

At the moment, you could make the argument that New York is tropical.  That’s an over-heated brain talking.  This may be cruel, but remember winter? I usually write about the seasonal and local this time of year, but couldn’t resist these beautiful tropical fruits. After all, Lychee are not local to us, but they are local somewhere (I heard once that there is a world outside of Brooklyn). Also, chinatown has these in stands everywhere so it’s certain that in some spots on the planet Lychee are in season as well. Chances are you will be able to find these plum sized tropical fruits in your own alternate shopping universe.

Intrigued (just a little)?  What do you really need to know?  Just like cherries, Lychee are picked when ripe and do not improve after harvest.  Choose them intact and red to pink in color.  Unlike cherries, they will keep for a couple of weeks.  If you don’t have a cool place in your kitchen, they are best stored loosely in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator.  The pretty pink shell color will turn brown, but the interior fruit will remain juicy and ready to eat.  Splitting the shell carefully with either your fingers or a knife, and carefully peeling it away, pale white flesh will be revealed.  Sweet and pleasantly floral, full of vitamin C and with healthy amount of potassium, lychees will sooth even the most over-heated culinary adventurer.  Don’t eat the seed and don’t worry about winter…. plenty of time for that!

Ah… Bings!

Besides choosing firm, fleshy, glossy plump fruit with stalks that are not dried-up, what do you need to know about cherries? There are two types, the sweet, eat-as-is-type that you see in the photo and sour cherries that are used for pies and other delights.  For our purposes let’s stick with the eat-now variety.

Cherries do not improve after being harvested, which means that they are ripe at harvest and fragile, an exemplar of the seasonal.   If you haven’t eaten your cherries already (they don’t last long in this house), refrigerate them loosely in a bag with holes and away from strong smelling foods.  Don’t let them languish there too long.

The cherries in this photo were both labeled as "Bing" at the supermarket.  The dark red is the classic Bing.  My favorite food geek, Harold McGee, writes that the deep red fruits contain more antioxidants, which means that they are very good for you.  The California Cherry site makes all sorts of health claims.  Naturally they have a vested interest in extolling the virtues of cherries, but who can resist believing all of it with such a lovely and delicious fruit?

What you don’t need to know, but what is fun and interesting, is that Bing cherries were named after Ah Bing, a Manchurian Chinese foreman who helped the horticulturist Seth Lewelling in the late 1800’s develop this particular variety. 

Ahhhh…. Bings!

Gazpacho Toledano or Attack of the Killer Tomato!

Here’s a recipe for some killer gazpacho (a chilled tomato soup that is not only delicious but also pure health-in-a-bowl).  This recipe is adapted from The Vegetarian Epicure Book Two, by Anna Thomas.  My copy of this book is so tired that the pages have gone from white to whole wheat.  That said-there’s nothing to tire of regarding this recipe.

This makes 6-8 servings…. enough to send a liquid ‘thank you’ to the farmer across the street.  Keep those tomatoes coming Jerry!

Equipment

• Chopping stuff (surface, knife)
• Peeling stuff (a peeler)
• Measuring stuff (spoons and cups)
• Two large bowls
• A blender or food processor

Ingredients

7-8 medium ripe tomatoes (this is a very inexact recipe, so feel free!)
2 medium cucumbers
1 green bell pepper
1 small onion
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 slices of rustic white bread (not the mushy soft stuff)
1 1/2 cups of cold water
6 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
4-5 Tablespoons of wine vinegar (I usually use red wine or sherry vinegar)
3 teaspoons of salt (or to taste)
2 teaspoons of paprika (paprika comes in hot, mild or smoky- careful with the hot variety)
A pinch of ground cumin
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Method

• Wash all your vegetables
• Cut the tomatoes into 4 pieces and put them in the bowl
• Peel the cucumbers, slice them lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.  Cut into inch pieces and put them in the bowl
• Cut the bell pepper in half and seed it.  Cut into inch-sized pieces and put them in the bowl.
• Peel and dice the onion and (you’ve got it) put into the bowl
• Peel the garlic, roughly chop it and put it into the bowl (starting to see a trend?)
• Cut the bread into cubes and add it to the bowl

Roughly mix up the vegetables and bread in the bowl and put into the blender in batches, adding a little water each time. Blend until it’s pureed (soup).  Add the puree to the second bowl as you go.

When all the vegetables, bread and garlic are pureed and in the second bowl add the oil, vinegar, seasonings and any remaining water.  Add more water if it’s too thick; also adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Chill for a couple of hours before serving.  Serve with some extra chopped vegetables and croutons if you are feeling deluxe!

Summer in a bowl!  Bon Appetite!

Zucchini wars strike Brooklyn! Or: What to do with an unexpected cucumber.

This isn't the country, but that doesn't mean that we don't grow food or raise chickens (evidenced by large bags of chicken feed at Pip's favorite pet store).  I am not ready to write about chickens, but I am ready to write about unexpected cucumbers.  Lucky me! Yesterday on the gate was a bag of locally grown tomatoes, a zucchini and a cucumber.  Very locally grown, in fact.  The contents of the bag were the fruits of my neighbor Jerry’s gardening labor.  Jerry lives on the other side of the street, the side of the street that gets morning sun on the garden.  This accident of directional fate means that his patch of terra firma produces an abundance of what I can't, namely tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini.  I won't be able to engage in zucchini wars by hanging a revenge bag of courgettes on his gate, but I can return the favor with this terrific recipe for Agua Fresca from Oaxaca.  It requires cucumber, pineapple, celery, sugar and lime.  (Follow the imbedded links for ‘how to’s’ regarding pineapple preparation et al.)

Equipment

• Something to chop with and a place to do it 
• Blender 
• Mesh Strainer ( a medium mesh strainer is best for this)
• Something to squeeze juice out of a lime

Ingredients

• 2 cups of chopped pineapple
• 1 cup of chopped cucumber (after it's been peeled and seeded)
• 1 cup of chopped celery
• Lime juice (from one or two limes- your call)
• Sugar (to taste)
• Cold water (maybe 1/2 cup, again- entirely up to you, you’re the boss!)

Method

• Place chopped pineapple, cucumber and celery (in batches if necessary) in blender.
• Add cold water to facilitate blending and to make this into a beverage!
• Add Lime juice and sugar to taste (you can do this... cooking is an inexact art!)  
• Blend and strain

Enjoy!

Now to contemplate the fate of those lovely tomatoes and an equally lovely zucchini.  Not exactly warfare.  In fact, things are pretty neighborly here in Brooklyn! 

Confessions with a Sugar Snap

 

So many blogs are confessional by nature, something I've done my best to avoid (with varying degrees of success).  Today, however, I'm going to brazenly confess that I have been goofing off most of the week upstate in farming country.  I had intended to do some food reportage and by doing so, keep myself amongst the useful and hard working.  Well, a bit of sun, a welcoming pool and no agenda was all that was needed to corrupt any plans of substance or right thinking.

My gracious hostess pal, Kristen, furthered this 'devil may care', 'fun in the sun', 'no worries' experience with her straightforward seasonal cooking.  I have to say; I am SO over culinary calisthenics.  Give me a simple, surprising dish and I am happy as a (on vacation) clam.  Are you ready?  It doesn't get any simpler than this (well it does if we are talking naked veg which is also very nice, but lacking in the surprising department).  Here we go:

• Acquire some sugar snap peas (the link takes you to last year's introduction)
• Wash them
• Trim them (or not)
• Toss them
• Eat them

Hey!  Wait a minute... aren't you missing something (other than the sun block)?

Toss with:

• your best olive oil (just a drizzle)
• a generous pinch of your best (and coarsest) salt
• some sesame seeds

That's it.  You can go back to the pool, forget the agenda, relax and enjoy!  Thanks Kristen... sugar snap peas prepared this way will always make me feel on holiday, pool or not!

Horchata: Try this at home!

We are not playing with matches.  Not even close.  We are, however, matching what was my recent and delightful introduction to Horchata.  Why not?  With the magic of the internet (where there is a recipe for just about anything) there is no reason not to try making something that you enjoy in the privacy and safety of your very own kitchen.  And guess what?  I did make the Horchata, but I also improvised.  Friends were coming over for an impromptu dinner and here I was about to be caught shy of dessert.  Now that’s how to see your hostess-ing reputation go up in flames! The horchata base was sitting innocently in the refrigerator waiting to replicate the delicious drink experienced in Red Hook.  So what’s a hostess on the hot spot to do?  Ice pops of course!  Instead of adding all the water, I added just less than half.  I also took my time straining it so that the mixture was quite concentrated.  After a devil-may-care splash of Marsala, the ice pop mold was located and voila!  Horchata ice pops were on the menu.  And, all modesty aside, they were a pretty big hit.  Not exactly playing with fire (my friends are a forgiving and adventurous group), but far less hazardous and way more delicious! 

Here’s a transcribed recipe for Horchata taken from the Food Network that originated with Emeril Lagasse.  You can follow the link or find your own recipe.  After finding Emeril’s on the web, I looked at Mark Bittman’s The Best Recipes in the World.  He has a slightly different method that works too.  My guess is that there as many versions out there as there are batches of this terrific drink.

Equipment

• Measuring gadgets
• Blender (certainly)
• Spice grinder (if you have one)
• A couple of bowls (and a pitcher if you have one)
• Fine mesh strainer and wooden spoon to coax things along
• Zester or sharp knife

Ingredients

• 8 Tablespoons of uncooked long-grain white rice
• 1 cup of Blanched Almonds (after last week you’re expert… right?)
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 2 strips of lime zest- just the green part (make sure to avoid the white pith, it’s bitter)
• 3 cups of hot water- later you will need 4 cups of cool water
• 1 cup of sugar or agave 
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Method

Place the rice in the blender or your spice grinder.  Process until it is like powder and as fine as you can get it. 

In a large bowl or pitcher, combine rice ‘flour’ with the almonds, cinnamon and lime zest.  Pour 3 cups of hot water over everything and let it stand overnight in the refrigerator.

After it’s had an overnight in your fridge, work in batches, putting the mixture into your blender and processing it until it is as smooth as possible.  Add 2 cups of cool water to your initial blending.

Placing a fine mesh strainer over a bowl, gradually strain the liquid.  You can stir gently with a wooden spoon or spatula.  There will be a lot of solids left.  Discard them.  Take your time.  The more patient you are, the smoother your Horchata will be. 

When it is all strained, place in a pitcher or clean bowl and add the remaining 2 cups of cool water (or don’t if you want to try the ice-pop thing) and add the vanilla along with the sugar.  Keep tasting and add the amount of sugar that you like…. this is personal!

Cover and refrigerate until completely chilled (which you will be too when sharing this non-dairy drink with all your pals).  Serve on ice.

Learn Something New Everyday: Blanching Almonds

Now it may seem a bit odd to squander a summer entry on 'how to blanch almonds', but this is all part of my master plan to introduce you to Horchata.  Horchata and I met recently by way of the food trucks in Red Hook (not far from Chez Pip).  Nothing beats a lazy Saturday afternoon that's complete with a refreshing ‘learn something new everyday’ moment.

Don’t quote me (because I’m quoting Wikipedia), but I am teaching you how to make Mexican Horchata.  This means blanched almonds, cinnamon, vanilla and, most importantly, rice.

So let’s get back to blanching.  Blanching almonds is dead easy and a skill that you can use year round (flourless chocolate cake for example).  Starting with 'Equipment', here’s how:

Equipment

• Something to boil water in (kettles are useful things... put one on your wish list if you don't have one already)
• A bowl

(Pretty easy so far... right?)

Ingredients

• Raw Almonds (for the Horchata recipe you will need a cup of them)

Method

• Place almonds in a bowl
• Pour boiling water over them
• Let almonds sit briefly until you can pluck one out and slip the nut from the now puckered skin.

You did it!  For next week's follow-up Horchata recipe you will need to have rice, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract a sweetener (sugar? agave?) and a lime.  Useful equipment will be a blender, a spice grinder (helpful but not strictly necessary) and a fine mesh strainer or some cheesecloth.  

Ready yourself for a dairy-free, delightful and delicious culinary 'learn something new every day' moment!

White Currants

Once in a while one simply has to respond to beauty.

These diminutive white currants were today’s find from the Coop.  Not sure what to do with them just yet.  A little bit of research in Harold McGee’s book, On Food and Cooking, tells me that currents in general have growing restrictions in the United States.  This is because currants can carry a disease that affects white pines.  It’s difficult to imagine such jewel-like fruit doing harm to anything, but does explain why currants, especially black currants, are more common in England.  Perhaps their laws are not nearly as severe.  Currants in general are used more in France and the UK. 

The berry I sampled from this lot was a little bitter.  Was I disappointed?   Somewhat.  That said, having these in front of the camera today made me stop, observe and be in the moment.  Maybe they won’t make dessert, but they were responsible for a much-needed pause, and just a little bit of quiet before July 4^th and spectacles of a grander sort.  Whether your weekend is full of loud or quiet moments (or both), enjoy!

Zucchini Ribbon Salad

 

Not unlike Zucchini Wars, this recipe has made a few stops.  It came to me via Habibi’s person Glenn, who picked it up some where from CBS and a person named Tony Tantillo (we don’t know whose person he is).  Whoever wants to take responsibility is fine by me.  This is delicious and very simple to make.  According to Glenn, any shape of zucchini is fine, a peeler does the trick no matter what.  So… here we go.  Don’t be daunted by the length of this.  As usual, I’m trying to give you every detail in a simple way so that any beginners out there will be good to go!  “Bon Appetite!” from Pip’s person (that would be me).

Equipment

• Knife
• Small bowl and larger serving bowl
• Vegetable Peeler
• Zester
• Something to get the juice from your lemon
• Whisk (if you have one, otherwise let’s improvise using a jar with a tight lid)

Ingredients

• 2 large Radishes
• 1 medium Zucchini (or a couple of small ones- this is one of those non-precise recipes)
• 1/4 pound Spears of thin Asparagus (give or take)
• 1 Lemon
• 1/4 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Pecorino Romano cheese
• Salt (kosher or better please) and Pepper (freshly ground if possible)

Method

• Wash your vegetables and the lemon
• Cut radishes into thin slices and place them in a bowl of water for 10-15 minutes
• Cut asparagus at an angle into 1/4-inch pieces
• Using your peeler, make ribbons of the zucchini (you may want to discard the first peel, so that you don’t have one ribbon that’s all skin - also discard the ends)
• Use the zester on the lemon to get about a tablespoon of zest (again, you can ‘wing’ this)
• Drain the Radishes and combine all of the above in the larger bowl
• Juice the lemon and combine it with the Olive Oil in the small bowl adding the salt and pepper to taste.  Whisk the *!@# out of it, until it is emulsified (cloudy and fully mixed)
• Pour the lemon/oil mixture over salad and toss.
• Shave some Romano cheese over the salad and it’s time to eat!

Zucchini: My Little Courgette

Call it zucchini or courgette; both names are the diminutive for squash.  These are summer squashes, meaning that the skin is tender and edible, as are the seeds. Yet another case of wash and eat!  As you can see, size and shape can vary.  These little round courgettes (I’m feeling French) were snagged at the farmer’s market on the way to tango lessons (where I feel very Argentinean).

As usual, choose firm, unblemished squashes.  When it comes to zucchini, small (6-8 inches) will deliver more flavor.  This is the beginning of the season and at the moment; I’m enjoying them small and raw. 

Later on when Zucchini Wars start, the situation has been known to spin out of control. These guys can be very prolific and if you are lucky to live amongst people who grow zucchini, don’t be surprised to open your door to a bag of summer squash largess… which is your signal to drop a bag of your largess at someone else’s door and surprise another neighbor, and so on.

Grated, summer squash make terrific additions for batter breads and muffins.  They are also wonderful grilled. But it’s too hot for heat and raw zucchini salads are a snap to prepare.  Sylvia and I had a very tasty salad just the other night.  Sorry to be a little courgette, but I’m going to post the recipe next week (the garden beckons).  Be prepared with some zucchini (the long variety), a few radishes, some thin asparagus, a lemon and some Pecorino Romano.   Locate your vegetable peeler, zester and stay tuned for a very refreshing recipe.

Kirby Cucumbers and Sylvia’s Favorite Pickles

This is a Kirby, yesterday’s quick grab from the farmer’s market (along with some lovely round zucchini which are in the hopper for another entry).

Small (about 4-5 inches long) and firm, these are a member of the cucurbit family and a direct relative (as all cucumbers are) of watermelons.  Like watermelon these lovely little cucumbers are crisp, moist and refreshingly sweet.  These particular kirbys are sliced in preparation for Chinese Pickled Cucumber Salad, an easy recipe that is one of Sylvia’s favorites. That is the slices that are left…they are also terrific as is and part of this photograph has already been consumed!  The end bits were a little bitter (larger cucumbers have sweeter skin), but the slices were fine as is. Another case of instant satisfaction.  Delicious raw, great as pickles, what’s not to like?!  This recipe requires a little advanced thinking because it needs an over-night stay in the refrigerator.  If you can stop eating them as-is, it’s worth the wait. 

Adapted from Ken Hom’s Chinese Kitchen, here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

• 12 oz of Kirby cucumbers  (about 4)
• 1 plus 1/2 Tablespoon of salt (kosher is best)
• 3 Tablespoons of sugar
• 2 Tablespoons of Chinese white rice vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons of sesame oil

Method

• Trim off the bitter ends of the cucumber and discard
• Thinly slice the remaining cucumber
• In a large bowl, toss the slices of cucumber with the salt and sugar
• Cover and refrigerate overnight

• When ready to serve, squeeze out the liquid (use your hands, best tools in the kitchen!)
• Toss the slices with the vinegar and sesame oil (you are allowed to use a spoon here!)

For color and punch, garnish with 2 fresh red chilies seeded and sliced (optional of course)

Fresh Garlic

Last week's 'try-something-new' purchase was too extravagant (large) for the usual kitchen photo spot.  These impressive stalks (elegantly seated on the deck) are Fresh Garlic.

This is what garlic looks like before the bulb is separated from the stem, and before it takes on the white papery outfit that we are so accustomed to.  

Originally intended for a pickling recipe, I ended up *braising these impressive fellows, serving them last night over salmon burgers.  They were milder than you might think and there are plenty left over for an omelet.  I’m also thinking that they would make a nice addition to mashed potatoes.  Certain to be at the farmer’s market again this week, I may get a few more stalks for this weekends’ grilling moment.  My guess is that they will keep good company with their fellow destined-for-the-grill-basket vegetables.

* Braising, in this case (although braising is most often mentioned regarding the preparation of meat) meant a quick sauté of the thinly sliced lower ends followed by some chicken broth and a tight lid.  Leaving them at a low simmer until tender and serving them as a garnish at room temperature was just the trick! 

Shocking!

Sugar Snap peas are at the market.  Not shocking news, but a little shock treatment and you have an almost instant snack.  We’ve done this before, but I wanted you to know that you don’t have to save the ‘shock treatment’ for sugar snaps  (even though they are today’s photo op).  Broccoli, asparagus, carrots, green beans, snow peas all brighten up after a little hot/cold treatment. 

Here’s how:

Get a large pot of water to a ‘rolling boil’ (large bubbles) and throw in some salt.

While the water is coming to a boil, wash, cut and trim your veg (only if it needs it).  Smaller pieces will cook more quickly and what we are attempting today (no worries… I have every confidence in your success) is to quickly produce brightly colored veg that is only marginally cooked and retains an almost ‘raw’ character (let’s keep it real!).

Also while waiting for the pot to boil (it’s large after all and has more water in it than you think you need), prepare the ‘shocking’ part: a large bowl containing ice cubes and cold water.

Find your spider, large strainer, slotted spoon or tongs (in other words, something to grab the veg from the jaws of being over-cooked).

Action time!

The water is boiling; quickly tip the prepared veg into the boiling maelstrom.

Wait just long enough for the color to heighten and depending on what’s in there, pull it out now! (or wait a minute or two if you want it cooked just a little)

Grab the ‘get-it-out-of-the-pot-quick-tool’ and quickly transfer the veg from the hot water to the cold cold ice bath….. burrrrrrrrr, who knew that there could be such drama kitchen-side?!

Once your veg has truly chilled out (you may be in a moment of perfect food/cook synchronicity), you can toss it in a little vinaigrette, make a simple dip, pull out some of that fancy salt you rarely use or simply mangia tutto (eat it up)!

Not so shocking after all, but I hope you surprised yourself!

Spring Cleaning and Optimism

Maybe I should wait until after The Rapture (just in case), but some brands of optimism know no bounds and I feel confident that there will be a blog (and appetites) next week. How about adding a sense of order to give us a little spring in our culinary step?  Jerry was absolutely right about too many entries to navigate.  Now you can look at the ‘Label’ area on the right side (below the photo of Sylvia laughing) if you want to skip to a category.  Feel free to let me know if there are some labels that you would like me to include.

So… in the service of simplicity, I’m trying to keep it just that.  “Food for Thought” are my little rants and musings, “Vegetables” include everything from squashes and potatoes to the leafy green stuff (what do you think?  Should that be another category?), “Fruits” are self-explanatory and if you want to find them via season there are the “Seasonal” listings.  Rice is actually a grain, but in case you didn’t know, I felt it was important enough to share billing with grain.  “Sauces and Dips” are not dance steps and also include salad dressings.  “Kitchen Equipment” is the place to go for the instructional non-food stuff.  A little self-control has been exercised with “Herbs and Spices”; I’ve tried to save this for entries about single ingredients.  Naturally there are herbs and spices almost everywhere, this is for very basic information.   No doubt, I’ll be adding a few more labels as I work to complete this, but before something happens, I want to get posted.

As much as I’d like to stay up all night and complete this spring-cleaning,  a new salmon recipe beckons and a blogger has to eat! 

Tomorrow is going to be just fine (not worried a wink).  Next week we can go into raptures about something edible and seasonal! 

Friday the 13th and the Vanishing Index

A few weeks ago, one of the readers of Kitchen Primer, Jerry, asked for an index.  It’s on the way Jerry!  Thursday I figured out how to label entries and insert a list on the side.  Well, I thought I did.  Between yesterday (after having revisited over 50 of the entries, tagging them and reposting) and today, that work seems to have vanished (hate when that happens).

SO…  a little blog sleuthing is in order (not to mention some repeat work) and hopefully by next weekend there will be an index (or part of one) for your blog reading pleasure.

Please pardon the absence this week of not only the index but also anything else useful. I will work behind the scenes at New Kitchen Primer and with any luck (tell me that this has absolutely nothing to do with today being Friday the 13th) next week you will have an index to revisit past stuff and we can again move forward with some kitchen basics.

I'm going to leave you hanging (had to tie this in with the photo somehow) and see you next week after a bit of mystery solving.

True Grit and Asparagus

 

Here we are in May and I was just looking into the archives. March of 2010 was the time asparagus made an appearance here last.  I may not have written about these delicious signs of spring since then, but I’ve been eating this favorite whenever it’s available and now is the time to seize the asparagus moment!

Once you review the Asparagus entry of last year, I want to add to your asparagus erudition.  In fact, last weekend I added to mine.  After purchasing a nice fresh bunch at the local farmer’s market (not perfect as you can see), I rushed home to photograph a method of storage for you.  When bringing home some nice fresh firm spears (look for firm closed tips), treat them like lovely flowers.  Cut off just a bit from the bottom of the stalks (you can do this in one fell swoop, it’s just to get a fresh cut), stand them in a heavy glass or jar with a bit of water and pop them in the fridge.  Retrieve them soon (the fresher the better), cook and enjoy!  Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Well, it is in theory and in reality is pretty simple.  The mistake I made with this bunch is that I didn’t wash the spears enough.  The cooked spears were gritty and dinner was a sad occasion.  Thank goodness it was just Sylvia and I… this could have been one of those embarrassing culinary moments (that said, I’m a firm believer in getting well practiced at embarrassment.  Being good at being embarrassed is on top of my personal ‘life skills’ list… but I digress).

Enough about me, let’s take it from the top:

Pick firm spears with tops that point up, are tight, and compact. You want the entire spear to have good vivid color (asparagus comes in a variety of colors- green, white and purple).  Make sure the spears are without spots and not wilted in any way.

Fat or thin is fine (what ever you choose); spears should be of roughly the same size for even cooking.

Wash well!!!!  True grit is out of place here (see embarrassing paragraph).  Swish them in a basin and change the water until it is clear and grit-free.  Be careful not to damage the tips.

Snap off the woody ends and cook.

Last March’s entry explained how to poach them.  That’s a very nice method.   But if you are ready to practice a little bit of true grit in the kitchen, turn on the broiler and find your mitt.

After washing, pat your grit-free spears dry and put them in a single layer on a sheet pan (your heaviest). Here you can lightly toss them with some olive oil, salt and pepper.

With your oven set to broil, place them under the broiler for just a couple of minutes.

Check your spears and shake the pan, cooking them just a little bit more.  Don’t over do it!  This will not take very much time (5 minutes max) so keep your mitt on and don’t wander away from the stove.  Done!  Slide them on to a plate and turn off the oven.  Very easy and very delicious.

No grit and true grit all at the same time! 

600 For Lunch and Cake in a Box

Maybe Royal Weddings are not your cup of tea, but my guess is that around about now, the Queen is saying,  “ I’d give my kingdom for a quiet cuppa”.  Being The Queen, however, means behaving yourself at all times, so it’s certain that she is only saying this to herself.  Sure, Elizabeth ll has help, but entertaining 600 guests for a Royal Wedding luncheon at The Palace must be work even for the most practiced hostess.

So, now that we’ve seen the dress and the first kiss, it’s time to imagine what the food is going to be like.  You can go on the official Royal Wedding site to see the Royal Lunch menu, and check out how the cake will be made and decorated.  If you stick with it, the pastry chef will explain the symbolism of the decorative details.

What they don’t delve into on the website is the tradition of the English Wedding cake.  Just like the Monarchy, an English Wedding Cake it is based on solid long-standing traditions.  Comprised mostly of dried fruit soaked in brandy and aged (ideally for at least 3 months- this makes it easier to slice), the cake serves as a culinary metaphor for the institution of Royalty itself.  Dense, fruity, preserved (in this case with brandy) and covered in nuts (encased in marzipan which is almond paste), crowned in grand and symbolic ornamentation (in this case rolled fondant -the baker’s answer to Playdough), this institution is intended to last forever. 

Since Roman times, nutmeats have been associated with fidelity and fertility. With this in mind, the top tier of the cake is set aside to celebrate either the first anniversary or first child of the happy couple. Portions of the main cake are shipped off to friends and loved ones who were unable to attend. Growing up in The States away from my relatives in the United Kingdom, I remember the occasional the arrival via post of a little box containing cake.  There was usually some remnant of decoration atop the small slice.  Somehow this seemed so thoughtful.  Not only was there a bit of what is a remarkably substantial cake, there was also some of the fancy stuff.

Watching the telly this morning, the world witnessed the pleasure of embedded traditions (you did watch, didn't you?), and caught a glimpse of the fancy stuff as well.  I know that Monarchies are controversial in this climate, but just for today I’m sure many felt there will always be a Britain!

Miso Soup and Joining Zatoichi

A generous tablespoon of miso paste in a cup of hot water and quicker than Zatoichi can vanquish a bad guy (or flies, this is a fun link), you have soup. A delicious solution to a quick and healthy hot drink can be that simple. You really don’t need to know more.

But why leave it there?  It turns out that miso is very interesting stuff.  Typically miso is made from soybeans; it’s actually soybean paste (there are other variations, but we’ll save that for Advanced Miso).   For anyone even slightly interested in Japanese food this is pretty common knowledge, but a quick call to Mamie and we could have more knowledge tucked in our kimono sleeve!  My Japanese chef pal started out by explaining the dark/light thing.  This is a consequence of age (darker is older), and there’s more.  Miso is associated with different prefectures of Japan.  The milder white misos are from the Kyoto area, which is in Southern Japan.  This is where Mamie grew up.  She was quick to tell me that she prefers the milder white miso.   Kyoto was the seat of Japanese nobility and is associated with the arts and refinement, hence the more subtle and delicate miso.  As she was telling me this I had the distinct impression that mellow white miso was truly part of her culinary DNA.

But what if I was talking to someone from the north?  Would they praise the darker, saltier and stronger flavored miso?   The dark, more fermented misos are associated with rustic, rural, rugged mountainous areas of chillier Northern Japan.

I like the idea of food preference as embedded DNA.  We all have our comfort foods and engaging with familiar tastes can be like returning home.  But how dull!!!  Food is one of the simplest ways to experience something new.  You can’t go wrong with a small tub of miso.  Add some little cubes of tofu and a sliced scallion to your cup of miso and you can imagine dining with Zatoichi and some less savory characters!

Black Bean Soup

I don’t always do what I’m told, but Jerry, a reader of this blog, asked me for a black bean soup recipe.  This was just the sort of directive that is more like play than work, so here it is!  Thanks Jerry.

This recipe is adapted from Deborah Madison’s wonderful book Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.  It couldn’t be easier, especially if you own an immersion blender.  An immersion blender is a blender on a stick.  Rather than transport soup to your food processor or blender and back, you simply put the immersion blender in the pot and pulse it until you are happy with the texture of whatever it is you are subjecting to little sharp blades at the working end of this handy machine.

But back to soup.

In advance:

• Sort, wash and soak 1 1/2 cups of Black Beans.  See earlier entries starting with Meet the Beans

Cook's tools you will need:

• A heavy soup pot or the closest thing you have
• Measuring equipment
• Knife and chopping surface
• Immersion blender, regular blender or food processor (or, if you have neither and are really determined, you could manually mash some of your soup when we get to this part)

Prepare and portion other ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons of butter or vegetable oil
• 1 cup of finely chopped onions
• 1/3 cup of diced celery
• 1/3 cup of diced carrot
• 1 cup of diced green bell pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh Rosemary
• 1 teaspoon of dried Thyme
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
• Salt (Kosher if you have it)

 Let's go!

• Drain the beans. Set aside.
• Melt butter or heat oil in soup pot and then add the vegetables and herbs.
• Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until lightly colored.
• Stir in the tomato paste and cook for one more minute (be sure to distribute it as much as possible)
• Add the beans and 2  1/2 quarts of water (10 cups)
• Bring all to a boil then lower heat and simmer partially covered for 1 hour
• After an hour add 2 teaspoons of salt and continue cooking until your beans are tender (15- 30 more minutes)
• Remove bay leaves and by using either your emersion blender or other device, blend until about 2/3 of the beans are pureed (like baby food).  If you used a blender or food processor, return soup to the pot and have a taste.

Decision time!

Deborah Madison finishes this recipe by adding 1/2 cup of Madeira (a fortified wine that is a cross between sherry and port) and 1/2 cup of cream, along with some chopped parsley.  This was very nice, but a little rich for my taste.

Other Options to finish soup:

I like a spoonful of yogurt and some chopped cilantro.  Crème fraiche would also be nice.

Then there is always the classic addition to black bean chili- some grated muenster and onions.  Chopped parsley too (something green and fresh is important).

For you soup virgins, this may sound complicated, but really, it’s quite easy.  Again, just imagine the steps, prep your ingredients ahead of time and give it a go!  It’s chilly and rainy here in Brooklyn, just the sort of weather for some nice soup.  Bon Appetite! 

Aw Nuts!

Up to this point I have assiduously avoided (or attempted to avoid) blogging as a medium of personal exposé.  I’ve tried to make it ‘like me’ but not ‘about me’.  I don’t know if that’s possible or even if I’ve been successful (notice how many I’s there are already in this entry?).  There are so many blogs out there…. many of them food related.  And why not?  Food is the stuff of life and we all eat.  We have to!  Guaranteed that every one reading this has eaten something and recently.

So why blog?  Pardon this week’s moment of personal indulgence and public rumination.  My sister Cathy reminds me that New Kitchen Primer is something that I love to do.  It keeps me writing and requires that I shoot food (both things that I love).  Does it take time?  Yes!  Have I been learning along the way?  Undoubtedly.  Do I have readers?  Not a lot, but enough to know that someone is reading.

All that said, I really don’t want this to be simply my little moment of weekly self-indulgence.  Kitchen Primer started out as an attempt to help my daughter and her pals navigate their kitchens.  I wanted to offer basic advice that wasn’t patronizing and maintained a sense of fun.  I also wanted to take some of the fear out of the kitchen. 

I know that many of my current readers don’t have these issues with their kitchens.  This has given me pause and made me feel a little under-cooked in the purpose department.

So, this weekend, I am taking a break.  Chances are I’ll be back next week with something to share, but in the meantime, if any of you out there in the internet cosmos have any suggestions or ideas, feel free to make a comment or just call me nuts!

Friends with Glass

Done!  It’s all about whom you choose to hang out with and it’s high time I started thinking about substance, longevity and good clean fun (one has to grow up eventually).  Am I about to change my social network?  April Fools!  I’m talking storage containers!

Most of the bulk stuff at Chez Pip is already stored in glass, but I’ve been meaning for some time to purchase glass storage containers for leftovers and other stuff that needs to be refrigerated and often re-heated.  Aren’t they beautiful?

Here’s why:

There is more and more evidence that storing food in plastic is bad for your health.  It’s a case of the company one keeps and the petrochemical crowd (aka plastic) likes to insinuate itself with any food it’s hanging with. Glass knows how to maintain it’s own identity and that’s always the best kind of friend.

What about plastic and your microwave!?? Fuhgeddaboudit.  Just don’t do it.  Cooking in plastic is a very bad idea.  Here’s a link to the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) Food Safety site.  They explicitly say not to have any plastic touching your food in the microwave.  It’s all about migration; as in heat and plastic conspire to leach chemicals into your food.  A very unhealthy relationship!

There’s also the simple issue of flavors not getting attached to glass.  All good, easy to clean fun.  (We only want healthy attachments!)

Finally, let’s not forget looks.  Call me shallow, but who wouldn’t rather live with beauty and longevity?  Glass is not just a pretty face.  It may be expensive to get started with, but glass will be there for you in the long haul and that means it’s more economical in the end, not to mention better for the planet when it finally does hit the recycle bin.

What to do with Rosemary?

March did not disappoint (although that would have been very nice).  Did you get snow?  More chill?  We did!  I hate it when I’m right!

What to do with last week’s Spring Madness purchase?  Rosemary loves lots of things and we may as well embrace the last bit of cold weather by heating up the kitchen.

Let’s call this ‘Last Chance Roast Potatoes’.  By far the simplest and most satisfying dish ever, the biggest deal is coping with a hot oven and hot roasting pan.  Do it for Rosemary!  Time to put on the gloves (as in oven) and show ‘em your chops (also a good use of rosemary… make a rub of olive oil, salt and pepper and fresh rosemary).

We have done a potato series before and rather than reinvent the wheel, I’m going to ask you to revisit those blogs to get started.  There are 4 entries in a row.  For what we are doing today be sure to see One Potato and then Three Potato (the other episodes are about baked potatoes).  

Here are the very simple additions to Episode Three:

• Step 4: Add some fresh Rosemary along with the salt and pepper. 
• Step 5:  Toss in the unpeeled garlic cloves.

That’s it!

Don’t forget to use a baking dish that will hold all of your potatoes and garlic cloves in one layer without too much fraternizing (these guys need a little space).  Tender, young things such as these Fingerling potatoes don’t require peeling. I found them at the Coop, across the isle from the seeds and garden gloves (it doesn’t hurt to dream). As for Rosemary?  She has weathered this March chill and is ready to cook!