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!

Remember Rosemary

Spring is still the dramatic theme for everything around here. Yesterday was downright balmy (which is also an emotional condition common to the first really warm day after winter). I’ve been through enough March’s to know that it’s wise to curb the impulse to march off to the farmer’s market and load up with herbs for the garden. So what did Pip and I do? We marched off to the farmer’s market to buy herbs for the garden… blame it on the season. Not completely ‘balmy’, restraint was exercised in front of the basil and other tender herbs. The weather is not yet predictable enough for those, and chances good that we will still experience a sharp chill before winter is a complete memory. But... Rosemary.

Rosemary is an evergreen whose Latin name translates as “dew of the sea” and it is truly evergreen in its native Mediterranean. My mother had a huge rosemary bush in her English garden. Winters are milder there and the giant bush easily survived year after year. Here at the Gowanus Botanical Garden (aka my patch of terra firma) survival is hit and miss. This past winter was a killer, so who was I to resist a very handsome plant at the market quietly saying ‘take me home...garden...it's spring’? Not me, apparently.

Rosemary is used in winter roasts and stews, but it’s also terrific for grilled dishes. This fragrant herb can also make a nice cup of herbal tea. Larousse Gastronomique says that a sprig "gives delicate flavor to milk used for a dessert". The later was news to me.

Another thing I didn’t know (well, one of many many things I don’t know) is that on April 23, residents of Stratford-upon-Avon (we’re back in England) celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday by carrying sprigs of rosemary through the streets. Tradition has it that rosemary keeps the memory green (and there is actually some scientific evidence to back this up). The Bard himself has Claudius say something to this effect in his opening Hamlet speech. Maybe a sprig or two helped him to remember all those lines!

Call Me Crocus : Market Report

That’s it. I’m a little spring flower. Don’t look for me until the weather starts to warm and the sun is shining, as in this morning. Pip and I decided that there were enough indications of spring to get out of the house and check on the Farmer’s Market at Grand Army Plaza.

Apart from plenty of enthusiasm and dogs (one of the few places that you can have your canine companion in tow and shop for groceries), it was mostly root veg and apples in the non-prepared department. The bakers where there, as were the turkey sausage and duck folks. Cheese, milk, yogurt and flowers were also in evidence. Was it a little disappointing? Yes, I suppose so. We bought some apples and whole grain rolls, bundled up for the brisk walk home (not so warm after all) and felt assured that winter will soon be a memory.

So here’s a document of the market in early spring (wanted to put in more photos, but apparently there’s a limit in blog-land). See how many dogs you can find and check out the sparseness of green and the proliferation of outerwear. This is an effort to ward of complacency for the time when we are ‘spoilt for choice’. Just imagine leafy greens in abundance, terrific tomatoes, basil and… don’t get me started. Pip and I need to learn how to live in the moment. Maybe part of the joy of this ‘moment’ is anticipating what’s ahead. Let’s hear it for SPRING!

Winter Squash: The Last Hurrah

Please, tell me it’s true. Tell me it's time to wax nostalgic about winter (because spring is just around the corner). Am I sounding desperate? There’s a reason for that. I am. About this time every year I make broad, audible, boring pronouncements to the effect of “ this was the longest winter ever”. One way I overcome the last gasp of winter (it's still cold here) is to remember all the favorite winter dishes that require the oven to be on for extended periods and the cozy feeling that anything roasted engenders. Hence…. Winter Squash.

This entry is about Kobocha Squash, also known as Buttercup (that’s spring-y!). A scant bit of research revealed that this squash was introduced in 1541 by Portuguese sailors who brought it to Japan from Cambodia (how does Wiki know this stuff? I do source other references, but according to a recent study, Wikipedia is as accurate as most and you can’t beat how easy it is to access, a boon to bloggers of any stripe). So back to Cambodia… the Japanese shortened the name to Kobocha. (Now don’t deny that a little bit of background enhances flavor!)

What you also need to know is that these particular squashes ripen after being harvested and reach their peak 1.5-3 months after harvest. They are best stored in a slightly chilly spot that is also dry. But, my guess is that that you will purchase and eat your squash soon after you 'harvest' it at your supermarket or farmer's market. Pick a squash that is heavy for its size and has no soft spots. Remember the earlier entry about pumpkins? Yellow tints are fine and so are the ‘carbuncles’ that are actually an indication of sugars trying to escape.

Here’s a no-fail recipe for winter squash that will serve 4 or make for some very nice leftovers. This recipe is adapted from The Flexitarian Table by Peter Berley.

Equipment

• Surface to chop on
• Heavy knife
• Heavy baking sheet (one with edges) or roasting pan or some sort of baking dish
• Small bowl
• Large prep bowl
• Measuring stuff
• Spoon and or spatula
• Mitts! And a place to put something hot.

Ingredients

• 3-4 pounds of squash of your choice (I originally planned this with Delicata squash)
• 3 Tablespoons of Maple syrup
• 2 Tablespoons of Olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon of chili powder or hot Spanish smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

Method

• Place your oven rack at the 1/3 from the top spot.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Prepare your squash (review earlier entry here regarding tough squashes) by washing it, seeding it and cutting it into even slices.
• In the small bowl mix together all the ingredients EXCEPT the squash.
• In the large prep bowl, use your spoon or spatula to toss the slices with the syrup/olive oil/ spice mixture.
• Spread the slices on the baking sheet in a single layer (use two dishes if you have to).
• Place in oven and stir every 10 minutes or so. Roast until tender.
• This can take up to 40 or 50 minutes depending on the squash. Don’t let it dry out! If it looks like it’s getting dry, add a tablespoon (or two) of water to the pan.

Soft and a little brown? It’s done! Don’t forget to have a heat resistant place to put your pan and don’t forget your mitts either!

This sounds like a big deal, but that’s only because these are detailed instructions. Read it all though once or twice and imagine the steps. You’ll see that it’s all pretty basic and then you can SPRING into action!

The Queen, Eternity and 170 for Dinner

Oh my, I’ve been away from the blog for what seems like an eternity. But eternity is relative and I’d like to account for my absence, in part (because it was a long one), by telling you that I was visiting the Queen. Well, almost (I’m sure if I had given her fair warning I would have been invited for Tea).

“Eternity? The Queen?“ you ask? Be nice! It most probably will be an eternity before I’m invited to tea, but I did visit the Queen’s kitchen at Windsor Castle which has been in constant use for just about an eternity. Really. Its thought that the main kitchen (the queen does have a more manageable kitchen in her private apartments), has been in constant use for 750 years certainly, but possibly even upwards of 900 years. Our guide (this was a tour after all and no photography allowed… sadly) stated that it’s thought that the kitchen at Windsor is quite likely the world’s oldest and longest always-in-use kitchen. The kitchen itself dates from the 13^th Century. Windsor was originally built by William the Conqueror in the decade after the Norman conquest of 1066, and he must have had a place to cook.

So apart from eternity, what’s so cool about this massive kitchen? First of all, it’s spotless. The copper pans that rest on a shelf traveling the perimeter are the only decoration (although they were at one time used at various royal residences). The beautiful vaulted ceiling, roasting spits at each end and the vintage gas stoves don’t count as decorative. They are useful. Now don’t quote me here, but I remember the guide telling us (I was too in awe to take notes) that there are about 120 formal dinners a year, the chefs bring their own equipment (pots, knives etc), they can formally seat just over 170 guests (but actually cook for many more because the entourage and staff get hungry too), the refrigerator is the size of a small Manhattan apartment and there is no freezer. Blimey! No, I’m serious. With the exception of fish, all the provisions are sourced from the Queen’s estates and are very fresh. A foodies dream come true.

I have a few more entries planned from this trip so you don’t have to say “ ta ta for now” to the Queen just yet. If you are still curious about the kitchen, I came across this funny (as in funny-odd) site featuring old books (which is where I got the line illustration). They have something there about the kitchen at Windsor. It’s called Chest of Books and the link is embedded for your entertainment. Unfortunately, there are more than a few ads at the top of this site, but scroll down and check out not only the Windsor part, but also the link to “The Illustrated London Cookery Book” which dates merely to the 1800’s.

Eternity? The Queen? Think I’ll go make myself a cupa (British for ‘a cup of tea’) and imagine what it’s like to entertain 170 guests.

Rice: White Away!

You can do this. I know you can! We’ll start with cooking long grain white because it takes the least amount of time and this way you will have no excuses (are you listening Gerald?).

As usual, get out your very best small to medium saucepan (not huge, the one in this photo is 6.5” across the top). We are going to start with something very simple, but don’t forget, making mistakes is the only way to knowledge (the harsh truth about learning anything), and we’re just talking rice! Rice may be the most ubiquitous foodstuff on the planet, but you can do this in the privacy of your own home and if you mess up, the worst possible outcome is having to give an extra scrub to your pan. Not terrible…. A trauma that is easy to recover from. Besides, that’s not going to happen! Trust me!

We’ll start with what I will call the Very Basic method. This is the way I first learned to cook rice, and if you don’t want to guess about quantity of water to rice, this is a good way to start.

Equipment
Small saucepan
Measuring cup and teaspoon

Ingredients
Long grain white rice
Salt

Method

• Measure one cup of rice and set aside
• Measure 2 cups of water into saucepan and place on heat
• When the water is boiling add the cup of rice and one teaspoon of salt
• Cover the pan tightly and reduce heat.
• Simmer for 20-25 minutes.
  
• At the end of this time the water should be absorbed and the rice tender.

This makes 4-6 servings. If you want more flavor, use chicken broth instead of water.

FYI: Leftover rice needs to be refrigerated. Left at room temperature for a few hours, it can grow harmful bacteria. Sushi rice is OK because it is coated with a rice vinegar/sugar mixture that retards this process. Likewise, acids such as other vinegars or lemon and lime juice do the trick.

Now go back into the archives for how to steam vegetables. You just cooked dinner!

Rice: The Hull-ish Truth

Such headlines! And why not, eating is the daily news! Having left off with the promise of explaining various varieties of rice, and in the quest for the most basic and fundamental, let’s start with some rice anatomy.

If you are still paying attention and would like a little drawing to go along with this, return to the wiki site: Rice. You will see a drawing of a grain of rice. Once harvested, rice, with only the outer layer (the chaff) removed, is brown rice. The very same rice, processed differently, with both the bran and germ removed, becomes white rice. Because the brown rice has the germ and bran intact, it is chewier and has more flavor and nutrients. White rice cooks more quickly than brown because the outer layers have been removed.

Wild rice (the long black stuff in this illustration) really isn’t rice at all. It’s actually the seed of an aquatic grass that is related to the rice plant. Kind of like the odd cousin that shows up at family events, wild rice is often seen in the company of (either in boxes or bins or even cooked-with) regular rice. Wild rice can be quite expensive and cooking it along with brown rice is a way of maintaining the acquaintance without breaking the bank.

“Varieties”, you ask? Beyond the brown/white thing, there are also long grain and short grain varieties. Indica, the long grain type, tends to produce separate grains when cooked. Japonica, the short grain type, produces rice with round grains that tend to stick together (Why do I keep thinking of family dynamics? Time to appreciate the differences!). Both are lovely in their own way, but because rice is often cooked to accompany another dish, it’s nice to know how each particular variety is going to get along with the rest of the edible attendees!

Enough information for one day? This stuff is supposed to be offered in ‘small bites’, so stay tuned (yet again) for more rice-y news.