tools of the trade: using a mandoline

julienned rutabaga, turnips, and carrots

so your recipe calls for "julienned" vegetables. what to do? sure, you could use a knife and slice really insanely thinly. but the easier method is to use a mandoline. many people are afraid (and rightly so) because the blade is super sharp and one slip and that tip of your finger is out of here!!

but with a few pointers, you can be confident in using a mandoline. and impress all your friends! julienned veggies! waffle cut french fries! the possibilities are endless.

1. make sure the base is secure. this seems like a duh point, but don't go blaming me if your mandoline slips on the counter!

2. if julienning carrots, don't take the root off. using the root base gives you something to hold on to and keeps your fingers away from the blade.

roots are your mandolining's best friend

3. for bigger root vegetables, cut into smaller sections if necessary. don't try slicing up a huge rutabaga because it will be unwieldy.

4. don't keep a vegetable in a round shape. cut each side so you have multiple sharp, straight edges to use.

carrots cut on a bias for a straight edge

this short edge is sliced, not the long side

5. hold the vegetable with your fingertips, not with your whole hand. it's similar to knife skills. your fingertips create more stability. most mandolines come with some contraption to "safely" hold the vegetable. but it is very cumbersome and gives a false sense of security.

fingertips only!

6. go quickly!! this sounds counterintuitive to being safe. but if you go slowly, the vegetable is apt to get stuck in the blade, and with it, who else knows. if something does get stuck, don't use your fingers, but use another piece of vegetable to push it out.

fast and steady wins ... and saves your fingers!

7. don't slice away to oblivion and go trying to use every last scrap. keep your fingertips at least an inch away from the blade. then just use those scraps for compost or stock.

note: for the purposes of full disclosure, these pointers are courtesy of mr. mimi ... he is the professional here, i'm just the dorky blogger :)

corn custard with chorizo and mushrooms

creminis
when i told mr. mimi that i was going to start eating some meat again, it is true, he was a happy man. maybe a little too happy because after his first trip to the saturday farmer's market after i let go of my veggie ways, he came home with the skinny chicken (for that soup my coughing throat was waiting for) *and* ground turkey (for that mr. mimi's dad's famous tuscan meatloaf) but *also* chorizo. huh? i never asked for any chorizo!

sigh. so it's been sitting in our freezer for the past month because i just wasn't feeling it. when i have a good vegetarian alternative, i really don't feel like having the "real" thing. for instance, i really like my veggie meatballs in homemade marinara with a big bowl of spaghetti. and i like my smart bacon better than the real thing. and the same goes for my boca italian sausages and bratwurst ... i really like them! i use them to replace almost all my sausage needing recipes and it's never failed. so yeah, i know chorizo isn't the same thing as bratwurst, but i just wasn't feeling the need to eat it.

but after googling around and passing on the clams, jambalya, and the usual chorizo recipe ilk, i found this one on epicurious. 100% of reviewers said they would make it again and that's rare! i mean, 86% or even 97% but i've never seen one hundred. plus it had eggs and corn and cheese. ymm, some of my favorite fatty carby foods!! :)

based upon reviewer's suggestions we tweaked some of the amounts in the recipe. it's a little busy to prepare in the beginning but then it's baking for an hour ... time to relax, set the table, and savor the wonderful smell coming from the oven.

i'm not really a chorizo fan, but i have to say i loved this dish. it was so light and filling at the same time. we served it with a side of sautéed spinach with shallots. it was a perfect meal for this (almost) snowy evening!

because good in means good out, if you live in new york, buy local!!! these are our favorites:

chorizo from flying pigs farm

eggs from mc mahon's farm

milk from ronnybrook

corn custard with chorizo and mushrooms: serves 8

adapted from gourmet (nov 2005)

1 lb chorizo (casings discarded, quartered lengthwise, then cut crosswise in 1/3 inch slices)

1 lb cremini mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 tb finely chopped fresh jalapeno chile

4 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed (about 2 packages)

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup fine yellow coarnmeal

2 tb sugar

6 large eggs

1 cup whole milk

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup finely chopped scallions (about 6)

2 1/2 cups monterey jack cheese, coarsely grated (about 1/2 lb)

olive oil

pepper

1. lightly oil a shallow baking dish (3 qt capacity; we used our le creuset oval gratin). preheat oven to 375F and put rack in middle position.

2. heat oil in skillet over medium high heat, then sauté chorizo, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 6-8 minutes. transfer to paper towel lined plate to drain oil, then transfer in a thin layer to baking dish.

3. reserve fat in skillet and heat over medium high, sauté mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes. add chile, stir, and cook until softened, about 1 minute. transfer in a thin layer, on top of chorizo, in baking dish.

mushrooms on top of chorizo layer

4. purée 2 cups corn, cream cheese, cornmeal, and sugar in food processor until as smooth as possible (mixture will still be grainy). whisk together eggs, milk, and salt in large bowl until combined well. whisk in corn purée, scallions, 1 1/2 cups cheese, and remaining two cups corn until combined. pour baking mixture into baking dish. sprinkle the top evenly with remaining cheese and a few turns of cracked pepper.

whisk in corn, scallions, and cheese

pour mixture on top of mushrooms/chorizo

5. bake until set, puffed, and golden, about 50-60 minutes. let sit for 10 minutes. serve with a nice sautéed dark leafy green or crunchy green salad.

golden

corn custard with chorizo and mushrooms

winter tomato soup and dinner rolls

still feeling under the weather, exhausted and coughing. i've felt like this for a month, with varying degrees of intensity. sure it's nice to call out sick and have a four day weekend. but really, it gets kind of old and boring and completely a waste of time. by now i would happily trade in all my sick days for the quarter if i could just feel better.

but since today was better than yesterday, i dragged myself out of bed and took a short walk around in the sun. i also was in the mood for a simple dinner of creamy soup. ginger carrot was on my mind as a spicy balm to my scratchy throat.

of course you can't have soup without some bread! i really enjoy baking bread. i love the smell of the yeasty beasties (that lovely phrase came from somewhere else, but i have forgotten ... if it's yours, i'm sorry!) i love the feel of the dough, the kneading and the folding. i love the oxymoron of forced patience. of course mine isn't quite up to the best of the city's bakeries (i'm personally partial to here and here, ahem, even if that last one isn't *technically* a city bakery at least it's still new york). but nothing beats that taste and smell fresh out of the oven in your own kitchen.

i didn't want to be laboring under something difficult or timely, so i found a quick little recipe for rolls. after i tried one of these light, fluffy, buttery dreams of a carb, ginger carrot didn't seem to fit the bill anymore. mr. mimi suggested something a little more homey and classic. and it hit the spot perfectly!

no-knead dinner rolls: makes 18
from martha's everyday food magazine (dec 2007, p. 93)
(i halved this recipe and put into a 9x9 pan and it was fine)

2 cups warm water (105-115F)
2 packages (1/4 oz each) active dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
4 tb butter, melted, plus more for pan and brushing
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp salt
6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping

1. pour warm water into large bowl, sprinkle with yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

2. add sugar, butter, eggs, and salt and whisk to combine. add flour, mix until incorporated and sticky dough forms. brush top of dough with butter. cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

3. turn dough onto well floured work surface. roll dough into thick log. cut into 18 equal pieces (cut in half, and then each half in thirds, and another thirds, etc).

4. brush 9x13 pan with butter. flatten each piece of dough then fold edges toward center, pressing to secure, until smooth ball forms. place each roll in pan, smooth side up (three rows of six). cover loosely with plastic wrap and rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.

5. preheat oven to 400F. brush rolls with butter. bake until golden, about 35-40 minutes. serve warm!

i love my rolls :)

winter tomato soup: serves 4

1 shallot, diced
1 large garlic clove, sliced
2 leeks, cleaned and sliced, white parts only
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 tb white wine vinegar
1 can chopped tomatoes (if this was summer, you'd be using "real" ones)
1 tsp paprika
salt + pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
chopped chives for garnish
olive oil
1 tb + 1 tsp butter

1. heat olive oil and about 1 tsp butter. lightly sautée shallots, garlic, and leeks until translucent. add vinegar, reduce. add carrots and tomatoes, season with paprika and salt and pepper. simmer until carrots are soft, about 1 hour (because the tomatoes will thicken, add water if soup looks too thick).

2. add cream and then purée with a burre mixer (or use a regular blender) until silky smooth. bring back up to a simmer and if you're feeling decadent add a monté au beurre (about a 1 tb butter) and mix in until incorporated.

3. serve and garnish with a drizzle of cream and chives.

this ain't your mama's can of campbells!

when life gives you too many sweet cookies

you bring out the lemons!

with all the sweetness going on in our kitchen (yes, it is entirely possible to be sick and yet still pig out on chocolate chip cookies) i was eyeing the fresh meyer lemons in our pantry with a newfound appreciation. i have been craving the lemon curd cake in martha’s book but i don’t have any cake pans yet. plus, since it was late in the afternoon, i was looking for something quick and easy to whip up.

but because blogging gives you the most opportune chance that somewhere out there someone else is thinking *the exact same thing* i am lucky enough to have found that, indeed, deb from smitten kitchen just recently made lemon bars.

using her adapted contessa recipe and tweaking it for more of the 1:1 ratio of crust to filling, it was a perfectly tart way to end a weekend of sugar overload!

lemon bars

note: these are not for the faint of heart!

comfort foods

why do the best comfort foods come from younger times? is it because when we grow older (not old, just more mature) we insist our foods need to mature too? can you name a comfort food that you discovered when you were past adolescence? is it merely the memory of childhood that gives food that smooth on the tastebuds, soft in the belly comfort?

dinner and food was never a big production in our family when i was a young child. my parents certainly prepared things with loving care, and we always sat down together for our evening meal. i fondly remember my dad making sun tea, and watching it change color on the windowsill, eagerly awaiting a cuppa. when i was a teenager i remember absolutely loving the late afternoon snack of ellio's pizza popped in the toaster oven. i know, hardly really a comfort food, but i loved it. sometime last year i broke down and bought a box! i hadn't had a slice of that frozen baby in like 15 years ... and it was disgusting! maybe they changed their secret recipe?! ;)

but another comfort food i remember my mom serving was sloppy joes. loved them! (okay, for me, the definition of comfort food doesn't necessarily mean "home-made" it just has to mean, well, comfy.) last time i had those on my plate was probably 20 years ago! but i've been feeling sick again this weekend, so what better time to curl up with a meal from a can and watch the GIANTS WIN!!

despite the high fructose corn syrup, my little sloppy joe wasn't too bad. next time i may try to make it from scratch, a haute couture sloppy joe. but no matter what form your comfort food comes in, here's to an old friend!

and here's an easy side dish. we had white sweet potatoes, but could work with any kind.

roasted white sweet potatoes: serves 4

4-5 medium white sweet potatoes (about 2 lbs)
salt + pepper
olive oil

1. preheat oven to 375F.

2. scrub potato skins. slice crosswise about 1 1/2". toss in bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper.

3. place potatoes face down on baking sheet (NOT non-stick) and roast for about 40 minutes or until browned and tender.

for the love of all things chocolate

what a pedestrian cookie ... the ubiquitous chocolate chip. when i think of baking chocolate chip cookies i tend to remember this or even just buying these. it was so easy, why bother with "real" homemade cookies?

but i was in the mood tonight, and boy was mr. mimi happy!!

that's because chocolate chip cookies are his favorite :)

oh! and i bought a new gadget toy at cook's companion. i know it seems like nothing, but when you're starting at the bottom, every new toy is a treat. and yes, i know what you're snarkily thinking, don't regular old tablespoons work just as fine? yeah, maybe just as fine, but certainly not as much fun!

and although i hate to sound like a food bitch, i do believe that good in means good out, and vice versa. and while there are many different reasons to buy organic (environmental, health, and animal welfare) i also buy organic because i think it makes a better tasting product. of course, sometimes there is no palpable taste difference in organic vs. non-organic. or sometimes the taste of locally grown produce, while not organic, can be fresher tasting. an organic onion vs. a sweet vidalia? organic spinach vs. locally harvested spinach? in both cases, i'll probably choose the latter. but have you ever tasted organic carrots compared to non? there's a sweetness there that can't be matched.

so for the love of taste, there are four things which i think are worth spending the money on, whether it be for organic, small local farms, or specialty: eggs, sugar, dairy, and butter.

sugar might seem like a food bitch item. i mean, who the heck spends nearly three hard earned bucks on just one little bag of sugar? but i especially implore you to try organic brown sugar, and really particularly the dark brown. there is a richness, moistness, scent, and depth in the organic variety. with both the butterscotch cookies and these chocolate chip lovelies, the superior taste of this organic brand really made quite the difference.

but don't take my word for it. do a taste test. i bet you'll never go back to that white and yellow box!!

for some reason mr. mimi liked this photo, and well, since these cookies were for him ...

noodles in thai curry sauce with tofu

baked tofu with soy sauce
i love all things spicy. and i really love asian food. did you read this article and view the slideshow about bangkok street food? oh my goodness. wow, i really need to get to thailand.

but in the meantime, here's a dinner that is super easy and pretty quick. and has endless variations. we added the carrots, peppers, and tofu to the original recipe. and for only 8 oz of noodles, it makes tons, which is great for leftover lunch in the cubicle. to make ourselves feel a little less guilty, we used the "light" version of coconut milk, and baked the tofu instead of frying it golden.

it also makes for interesting conversation during the cooking in our kitchen. i love the way mr. mimi cooks but he is always light on the veggies. he loves them, but he was trained in the french classical way and he likes things balanced; whereas i'm like bring it on and pile it up. seeing half a pepper in the fridge and a measly one carrot left in the bag ...

mimi: how come you didn't use all the carrots?

mr. mimi: it was too many.

mimi: oh honey, there can never be too many veggies!

noodles with thai curry sauce and tofu

noodles in thai curry sauce with tofu: serves 4
adapted from vegetarian cooking for everyone (1997, p. 480)

8 oz dried chinese noodles
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp minced ginger
2 large shallots, thinly sliced or 1/2 onion, diced
1 15-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1-3 tb red thai curry paste
2 tb soy sauce
2 scallions, thinly sliced into rounds
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 bell pepper, sliced 

1 lb firm tofu, cut into 1/2 cubes
mae ploy sauce (in chinese groceries, or it seems, amazon :) )
olive oil (original recipe called for peanut, but we didn't have)

1. preheat oven to 375F. toss tofu cubes in oil. place on baking sheet and bake until they are brown, 15-20 minutes. sprinkle with a little bit of soy sauce and put in oven for another 5 minutes.

2. meanwhile cook the noodles in plenty of boiling water until tender. drain and rinse well to stop the cooking.

3. heat oil in wok or skillet. add garlic and ginger and stir-fry over high heat until softened, about 2 minutes. add carrots, peppers, and shallots and cook until tender. add coconut milk, curry paste, and soy sauce, stirring to break up paste. lower heat and simmer until everything is well blended, about 3-4 minutes. add noodles and toss until warmed through. add scallions, mae ploy, and tofu and toss again.

before tossing to serve

dee-lish!

bc doesn't stand for bill clinton

it stands for butterscotch cookies (and i'm glad hillary is finally re-realizing she can stand on her own).

schrafft's butterscotch cookies: makes 30
from martha's website (and courtesy of judith jones)

14 tb butter, room temp *
1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tb non-fat dry milk
1 tb vanilla extract
1 3/4 all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup finely chopped pecans

1. preheat oven to 375F. line two baking sheets with parchment.

2. cream together butter and sugar. beat in egg, dry milk, and vanilla.

3. in bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. with mixer running, slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture. fold in pecans.

4. drop heaping tablespoons of batter onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. lightly flour your fingers and press each piece into a 3-inch circle.

5. bake until lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. transfer cookies to rack and cool completely.

all good things come in threes

late night primary-watching munchies

* friendly note: i just realized i don't say "unsalted" anywhere here; however that is a given for 99.9999% of anything that comes out of your kitchen :)

marble cake with white chocolate glaze

we end the night with this lovely sweet (and yes, i *am* back at the gym again this week). i’m not even fond of marble cake, but it seemed easy enough, i had some leftover buttermilk i wanted to finish up, and i want to keep practicing as much as i can.

because martha got me all worried about over-swirling, mine came out a little less swirled than i would have preferred; it only was on the top, not swirled on the bottom. next time, ditch the martha advice and swirl it out baby! and because i didn’t know there was a taste difference between “dutched” and “natural” i chose the latter (it was cheaper) and so it came out a little richer than it should have tasted. but all in all, a fun and super easy cake.

marble cake with white chocolate glaze
from martha’s baking handbook (2005, p. 65)

1 stick butter, room temp
1 3/4 cup cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup buttermilk, room temp
1/4 cup plus 1 tb dutched cocoa
1/4 cup plus 2 tb boiling water

1. preheat oven to 350F. butter 9x5 pan. whisk cake flour, baking powder, and salt.

2. beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. add eggs one at a time, beating until combined after each, scrape down sides as needed. mix in vanilla. add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with buttermilk – begin and end with flour. set aside 1/3 of the batter.

3. in bowl, mix cocoa and boiling water until smooth. add to reserved cake batter and stir in until well combined.

4. spoon the batters into pan in two layers, alternating spoonfuls of vanilla and chocolate to create a checkerboard pattern. marble with knife through batters in swirling motion.

5. bake, rotating halfway through, until cake tester comes out clean, 40-50 minutes. transfer pan to rack and cool 10 minutes. turn cake out of pan and let cool completely.

white chocolate glaze

3/4 cup confectioners sugar, sifted
2 tb milk
2 1/4 ounces white chocolate, melted and cooled

1. in small bowl, whisk together sugar and milk to consistency of thin sour cream. add melted chocolate and whisk until smooth. if too thin, add more sugar; if too thick, add more milk. use immediately.

ready for my close-up

a slice never hurt no one

if you love garlic

rose garlic from lautrec

then you’ll love this recipe.

last month we had to buy a lot of garlic for our christmas pernil. i love the freshly harvested garlic we buy at the farmers market in the spring. they are so good, sweetly strong, and moist. so at fairway i was excited to see these stemmed garlic, although i should have known these were from someplace other than here (duh, we normally get fresh stemmed garlic only in the spring) but it didn’t cross my mind at the time … until after check-out and as we’re packing the bags in our zipcar. i’m glancing at the receipt (we spent *how* much on food for the party??) when i see that these weren't any ordinary garlics, these were l'ail rose ("rose garlic") and that EACH bunch was $11 … and we bought TWO of them!!

but they are delicious! :)

because it was an indoor sunday afternoon (don’t blame us, blame the football) we had to make dinner with whatever we had already in the pantry … and that wasn’t much. some leftover fennel, carrots, lentils, pasta, boca chick patties, chives, squash, and rose garlic.

okay, so that wasn’t too bad. we made a fennel and carrot side salad. cooked up the chick patties with a mustard sauce. and then made this provençal winter squash gratin, to keep with the french garlic theme. and indeed, it’s heavy on the garlic, so i wouldn’t try this out on date night. but for those who love garlic (like we do) this makes a great side dish. but take note! easy to prep, but it does takes a while in the oven.

provençal winter squash gratin: serves 4-6
from vegetarian cooking for everyone (1997, p. 441)

2 lb butternut squash
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley (we used chives)
salt + pepper
3 tb flour
olive oil

1. preheat oven to 325F and oil shallow earthenware baking dish (we used two small ones.) peel the squash and cut into even-sized cubes, about 1/2 inch. toss it with garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper.

2. add the flour and toss again until the pieces are coated lightly. let the excess fall to the bottom and pile the squash into the dish. drizzle the oil over the top.

3. bake, uncovered, until squash is browned and tender when pierced with fork, about 2 hours (ours only took 1 1/2 hours.)

provençal winter squash gratin ready to go in oven

update: my first event post! lovely sunita hosts a monthly "think spice" event and this will be a perfect match for this month's think spice ... think garlic!

let's break bread: part deux

although i am in this for the fun, i do admit that baking brings out (much to the amused dismay of mr. mimi) the neurotic perfectionist in me. i want my things to come out *just so* and if something doesn’t, i become a pain in the ass until i determine why.

as some of you remember, my first bread baking adventure was last weekend with the french baguettes. two main problems: too salty and un-brown bottoms. i figured my salt problem was due to using fine instead of coarse, as the recipe called for. and for the bottoms, thanks to the suggestions of the amazing daring bakers, i reasoned that my stone was not hot enough.

so i tried again. the beautiful thing about baking is that it becomes like a mental and muscle memory. the first time i made baguettes i had no idea what i was doing. just this second time, it seemed so much more natural; my thoughts and movements had direction, expectation, and relaxation. i can’t wait to see what happens a dozen times down the road.

and that is why from the beginning, it seemed like things were going better. even my starter looked so much better (i let it mix a little longer, so it became a little thinner.) from there, the dough just felt much more “right” than before.

here they are, another round of french demi-baguettes. i made them small because my stone is small. the crust was perfect; when you sliced it, that wonderful crackle sound was like music to my ears. the crumb was soft and airy. we ate some slices with the three wise cheeses, but really, it was so good you didn’t need anything with it at all.

short and stout this time

the perfect union of crust and crumb

as for my two previous problems? well, i used coarse, and even a smidgen less than required. it still tasted a wee bit salty to me. although it could just be traumatic memories of my first attempt because mr. mimi said it tasted perfect. however, next time i think i’ll use even just a little less salt.

and the bottoms browned!! in fact, just a teensy bit too dark. ahh, the art of having the perfect bottom. isn’t that a problem for all us ladies?! ;)

three wise cheeses

i know a “serving size” is a tiny couple ounces, basically the size of your thumb. and yes, i know i already had cream cheese biscuits this morning. but smart nutritionist be damned, i love cheese. there is something so comforting, and so satisfying, about a couple hunks of cheese.

my favorite place to buy cheese is at fairway in red hook (i guess my favorite place to buy all things food-related) and not just because it has such great prices. it also teems over with a variety of cheeses: shapes, colors, milks, scents. plus, the cheese guys are kind of cute :)

last week we brought home three: etorki, spanish patacabra, and mimolette. i have a hankering for foreign cheeses based on the belief that the milks over there are more "clean" than milks from the US. i might be mistaken, but it *is* true that the EU, generally speaking, has much stricter rules about the environment and farm/consumer products than we do.

anyhoo, welcome to our three wise cheeses …

etorki: this is 100% sheep’s milk from the french pyrénées. i love sheep’s milk cheese, and especially like this one. it’s not what i would describe as particularly flavorful, but it’s so smooth and creamy, with a mild nuttiness (of the flavor kind, not the unfitney kind.)

spanish patacabra: this is goat’s milk from you guessed it, spain. this is also smooth but with a wonderful pungent flavor. i much prefer a (relatively) harder goat’s milk cheese, like this one, rather than the softy kind most people are familiar with.

mimolette (or boule de lille): this is from northern france, i forget what milk. but if i do remember correctly, it was a favorite of de gaulle. it’s dry and hard, but not crumbly. it’s mild, but with a little spicy saltiness to it. i could see this being a very good munchie with some beer.

cream cheese and chives biscuits

i had some leftover buttermilk from last weekend, so i decided to make these biscuits. i don't normally eat cream cheese, but i do love chives. plus, they were roll and fold biscuits, which i was curious about.

i made them last night and they are dee-lish! i much prefer the taste to the regular biskies i made last time. these are creamy, but not as dense, and buttery tasting, even though it has less butter. plus the chives, ymm. i definitely recommend making these! we enjoyed them with a morning breakfast, but i could also see them going well with a hearty stew at dinner, or a pot pie.

although, at a glance, the recipe seems more difficult with the rolling and folding, i was surprised at how easy the dough worked. however, my biscuits weren't as layer-y as the photo in the book. the texture was very airy and light, like sponge, but still like a biscuit cake. whereas, the photo showed it layered distinctly, almost like a pastry dough. which begs the question ... did i roll my dough too strongly or did martha do a lot of photoshopping? ;)

cream cheese and chives biscuits: makes 1 dozen
from martha's baking handbook (2005, p. 33)
2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tb sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped chives
1 stick butter, cold, cut into small pieces
4 oz cream cheese, cold, cut into pieces
1 1/4 cup buttermilk

1. line baking sheet with parchment and set aside. in large bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and chives. cut in butter and cream cheese until mix resembles coarse crumbs with a couple of larger pieces.

2. pour in buttermilk. using fork, mix in buttermilk until incorporated and dough comes just together. it will be sticky; do not overmix.

folding dough
3. turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. with floured fingers, gently knead about 4 times until all crumbs are incorporated and dough is smooth. gently roll out dough to 11 x 8 rectangle, about 1 inch thick. using scraper to lift ends, fold rectangle into thirds (like a business letter). give dough a quarter turn. roll out dough again, to same dimensions, and repeat folding process. wrap with plastic, refrigerate for 30 minutes.

4. return dough to work surface. roll out as before and repeat folding process. give dough another quarter turn. roll out dough one more time, same size. using sharp knife, trim and discard 1/4 inch from all sides. divide rectangle into 12 equal squares/rectangles. place on prepared baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. refrigerate for 1 hour.

5. preheat oven to 425F. bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until biscuits are golden and flecked with brown spots, 15-18 minutes. transfer to wire rack and cool. best eaten the day of!

cream cheese and chives biscuits

there's a first time for everything

the italian stallion

this evening, i was shopping for some baking ingredients, when i came across these babies ... italian clementines! if you remember, i'm in love with these pop in your mouth delicious citrus fruits that only come but once a year. spanish are the old standby (at least here in the northeast) but last week i found california for the first time. and tonight, my first italians.

the name of these? "passion" ... haha, the italian stallion of clementines!!

the verdict? much better than the californians, but still not as good as the best spanish. they were moist and smooth, but without that nice citrus punch. when spanish clementines are on, they are *on* if you know what i mean.

but i'll add these to my repertoire. i wonder if southern france or portugal also produce little clemmies?

too artsy for my own good?

obama wins iowa ... now what?

not the winner(photo by doug miles for the new york times)

so it is true, miss hillary lost this state (but then again, so did bill in '92) and now where do we go from here? at a time when the possibility for change is so ripe, in the sense that it is a guarantee that dubya won't be president again, i don't know why i feel so discouraged.

i appreciate obama's supporters saying that he represents change, new direction, and opportunity. but at the same time, i feel like it's the same selling point that supporters of spitzer said here in new york, without admitting the reality that bruno and silver (and their minions) are the ones that make or break the deals. i know that a governorship and a presidency inhabit two very different spheres and dynamics. but still, don't i have a point?

if my primary vote were today, this is how i would want to cast it (in order of wanting): al gore, joe biden, hillary clinton, barack obama tied with john edwards.

could i vote for him in new york's primary?

(photo by jim young for reuters)

quiet honestly, i don't know who i will vote for on february 5th. but i remember reading somewhere in a new york times article on joe biden ... people like him but complain about feeling like they need to vote for who is most "electable" ... and yet, it is US who decide who is electable. somehow the reality that WE have that power (at least in primaries and caucuses, not necessarily the general election, as we saw with al gore's majority win of the popular vote) is lost within the din of the hyperbolic speculation by the news media, pundits, and bloggers.

i have never had the feeling of not knowing who i was voting for ... i hate it ...

update: normally i dislike and disagree with the majority of what david brooks writes and says. but surprisingly, i actually liked his article today on what iowa means.

baked ravioli and green beans with shallots

i am a glutton for pasta. and pasta with a baked cheesy top ... need i say more? this dinner seemed perfect for how cold it is now (18F) although not like there needs to be any excuse for cheesy pasta :)

baked ravioli and green beans with shallots

however, it didn't necessarily turn out as yummy as i hoped. it could be because i pigged out on leftover buttermilk biscuits before dinner and ruined my appetite and taste buds. that's the only rational explanation because i certainly never met a cheesy ravioli i didn't like, especially such tasty ones from raffetto's. and mr. mimi said it was good too? well, i have a gazillion servings of leftovers, so maybe it will suit me better tomorrow as lunch ...

but the green beans with shallots were delicious!

green beans with caramelized shallots: serves 4
adapted from martha's great food fast (2007, p. 329)

3 tb butter
6 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced into rings
1 lb green beans
salt + pepper

1. in medium saucepan, melt 2 tb of butter over medium heat, swirl to coat bottom of pan. add shallots, cover. reduce heat to medium-low. cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown about 15-20 minutes. set aside.

2. meanwhile in large pt of boiling salted water, cook green beans until tender, about 4-5 minutes. drain, return to pot, toss with remaining butter. season with salt and pepper. add shallots, toss and serve.

end of year meme

i found this lovely meme over at sara's i like to cook.

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?
i lived outside the u s of a for more than two months. i bought a mac. i traveled and hiked by myself. i went canyoning in interlaken.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
dang, i can't even remember what my last year's resolutions were, but i'm sure they had something to do with money and weight ... and sadly, if that is true, none were kept!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
yes!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
yes

5. What countries did you visit?
france, switzerland, spain, germany (twice), italy, czech, and hungary

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
direction and confidence

7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
the day i realized how fortunate i am to have mr. mimi in my life

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
living on my own (even if it was only for two months)

9. What was your biggest failure?
i failed to be excited about the school i am attending

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
no

11. What was the best thing you bought?
my mac!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
those lawyers working pro bono on behalf of detainees at guatanamo

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
george w. bush and all his cronies

14. Where did most of your money go?
school

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
my garden, my kitties, coming back home

16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
the coldplay/radin/snow patrol/shins/etc playlist that i had on my ipod and which i played over and over and over again while in geneva

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? 
b) thinner or fatter? 
c) richer or poorer?
happier
fatter ... ugh!!
the same

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
swim and read

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
procastinate

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
quietly

21. Did you fall in love in 2007?
yes, again

22. How many one-night stands?
too many to count!! haha, just kidding

23. What was your favorite TV program?
scrubs

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
i have never hated anyone ... oh wait, yes, i hate A even more now

25. What was the best book you read?
in 2007? the best book was the kite runner ... i think, i can't remember what i read :(

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
coldplay

27. What did you want and get?
new opportunity

28. What did you want and not get?
work in the field

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
not technically correct, because it was a film from last year, but i only saw it this year, and loved the lives of others

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
it was the first time (in a long time) i did something actually *on* my birthday ... had a lovely dinner with friends at tempo

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
if i advanced in my french studies

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
less is more

33. What kept you sane?
milo

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
i am in love with zach

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
torture. and civil rights for gays and lesbians (the perennial issue for moi)

36. Who did you miss?
the girl i always miss ... RL

37. Who was the best new person you met?
MC ... the man of a million amazing stories (and a couple old-fashioned naughty jokes to boot)

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.
take the risk (and stop needlessly comparing myself to everyone else)

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
when the truth is ... i miss you

rigatoni with sausage and parsley

tonight's dinner is thanks to a pairing suggestion by martha. but it also helps to alleviate that age old problem of "what should i do with the rest of this bunch of herbs?" wherein that beautiful bunch of whatever green herb is used for one inspired dish, with the rest only to languish away to a wimpy mess of nothing in the bottom of the crisper. this problem is easily solved in the summer, when we grow our own favorite herbs and then only cut what we need. but in the winter, when herbs are only store-bought, i feel so guilty not using all of it.

this dinner was really superb, and to me, much better than the recipe we tried on sunday night. we also took advantage of the winter season by using other citrus than just plain navels. and of course since we are not quite full-fledge carnivores, we used boca sausage instead of the real stuff. still tastes just as good, if not better! :)

fennel, orange, and parsley salad: serves 4
adapted from martha's great food fast (2007, p. 271)

1 large fennel bulb (about 1 lb)
2 navel oranges
3 mandarin oranges
2 blood oranges
2/3 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 tb slivered pitted kalamata olives
1 tsp olive oil
salt + pepper to taste

1. trim fennel bulb. quarter, core, and thinly slice cross-wise.

2. use paring knife and remove peel and pith from oranges. separate oranges into segments and add to the bowl. squeeze peels over bowl for extra juices.

3. add fennel, parsley, olives, and olive oil. season with salt and pepper. gently toss and serve. make sure to spoon out some of the juices to each plate. 

fennel, orange, parsley salad

rigatoni with sausage and parsley: serves 4
adapted from martha's great food fast (2007, p. 325)

1 package boca italian sausage
2 medium red onions, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 lb rigatoni
2 cups fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
salt + pepper
olive oil

1. in large skillet heat olive oil. cook sausage over medium-high heat until browned, remove to plate. reduce heat to medium, add onions. cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized, about 10 minutes. slice sausage to about 1/4 inch thick and then return to pan. add broth and cook until heated through, about 3-5 minutes.

2. meanwhile in large pot of boiling salt water, cook pasta until al dente. drain and return to pot.

3. add sausage mixture and parmesan to pasta. toss to combine. season with salt and pepper. garnish each plate with a little parsley and extra parmesan. (if you're going to have all 4 servings immediately, you can combine the parsley with all the pasta and sausage, but because we were only going to have the 2 servings, we did it individually so the herb would not get brown in the leftovers.)

rigatoni with sausage and parsley

bonne année!

this past year has been quite a busy one for me. not necessarily momentous, but certainly busy and fruitful. here's to hoping that 2008 brings even more good things. actually, not really "things" per se, but more clarity, focus, and direction ... and less regret and wishing for something different.

there was an article in the new york times about regret. i didn't find the writing very engaging, but it did have some interesting points. i don't feel resentment, or regret, over negative or traumatic things that have happened in my life (adolescent psychotherapy took care of that). but i do still feel regret about two (three?) things in my life, and they are all academic-related ... smith. history. public health. but then again, those decisions that i wish i made differently about, and in, school have lead me to some other, perhaps even more wonderful and deserving, things, people, and opportunities.

so in that spirit, instead of looking back with doubt, i am truly looking forward to 2008. my resolutions are mostly bane and cliché but for what they're worth:

1. master français once and for all
2. treat my money to a well-deserved rest in my savings
3. swim four times a week

oh snap! our host/ess last night purchased a box of goods from here for their new years eve party, but because it was all packaged in a box, unbeknownst to them, it was leftovers from last year!!