Cookin' in the 'Cuse

Foodies and the People who Love Them

My poor mother.  She gets dragged around to places like the Stone Barns Center, Prune Restaurant, and other foodie haunts all for the likes of me and this blog.  She is retired in New York City and I'm here working in Syracuse--man, does she have the set up! 

But her situation comes in handy on days like today when I'm here working in Syracuse and Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa is signing books at one of my old haunts, the Mall at Short Hills (I used to live 10 minutes away). 

So my wonderful mother went to the Williams Sonoma at Short Hills and stood in line for 2.5 hours in order to have Ina sign a personalized copy of her latest book for me.  My mom really loves me.  And this act of kindness, generosity and fortitude is one of the hundreds of reasons why I love her.  I'll be making her something extra delicious once I get my hands on that cookbook!

Oh, by the way.  Mom reports that Ina Garten is every bit as charming as you would expect.  And she sends her love back to the 'Cuse--one of her old haunts.

I LOVE this cookbook!

Rachel Ray can do her thing but when I want really want good food and don't have much time, this is my "go to" book.  Published by the Culinary Institute of America, Gourmet Meals in Minutes truly lives up to its name.  I have yet to make anything from it that didn't taste fantastic.  And true to the promise of the title, each dish really does clock in under an hour but tastes like I labored all day. 

The other great thing about it is that it allows me to make dishes that can easily be adapted for dietary preferences.  So this Walnut Chicken dish, for instance, was easily made vegetarian by using vegetable stock and leaving out the chicken for half the dish--I added the chicken to the other half and everyone was happy. 

There is also a simplicity about this cookbook that really works for me.  When I'm in a hurry, I don't want to have to worry about finding two dozen ingredients for dinner.  For fresh, healthy, and delicious cooking, I highly recommend this one.

Here's the recipe for Walnut Chicken that I adapted from Gourmet Meals in Minutes.  I served it with roasted green beans tossed with toasted pinenuts, shallots sauteed in a bit of balsalmic vinegar and bacon.

Walnut Chicken (45 minutes)

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 pounds chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into chunks
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
• 2 onions, chopped
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
• 1/3 cup (or small handful) golden raisins
• 1-1/2 cups bulgur wheat
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground

Heat 1 teaspoon of oil on medium-high heat in a large non-stick skillet.  Season the chicken chunks with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.  Saute the chicken for approximately 5 minutes or until it is browned.  Transfer to a plate and reserve.

Add 1 teaspoon of oil to the skillet.  Add the onions, carrots, and cumin.  Saute for approximately 3-5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent and the carrots are tender.

Add the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan.  Add the walnuts, raisins, and bulgur wheat.  Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer and adjust the heat to  medium low.  Add the cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.  Cover and cook for 10 minutes.  Add the reserved chicken chunks and cook for 5 minutes more.  Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary, and serve at once.

Serves 8.

Parting Words

How did he know?  The guy at the parking lot where I kept my car during my 30 hour trip to Philly didn't know me from Eve.  He knew that I was staying at the excellent Penn's View Hotel next to the lot and, if he remembered my attire from the first day, he could probably identify me as a priest. 

But as I traded my parking stub for my car keys and prepared to drive home to Syracuse he said to me....

"Have a delicious day!"

How wonderful is that?  Did I look like a foodie?  Did he look in the car and see my copy of The Omnivore's Dilemma peaking out from under my yoga mat, papers, and luggage?  Did I look like the type who would be so absolutely thrilled to be told to have a delicious day? 

I bid him the same, and drove away, with the passenger seat filled with, among other things, a bag of Metropolitan Bakery artisinal bread and imported jam. 

Have a delicious day.  Indeed.

Fork: Fresh and Seasonal in Philly

I lived in Philadelphia to do an internship in the summer of 1993.  This was "pre-Striped Bass" Philly, "pre-Food Scene Philly", this was "food is all about either cheesesteaks, White Dog Cafe or Le Bec-Fin" Philly.  I ate exclusively from the Reading Terminal Market supplemented by milk purchased at my local Wawa.  This was "pre-Fork Restaurant" Philly.

What happened?  Well, probably alot but by 1997 when I came back for a conference, the convention center had been completed and Striped Bass was THE place and Fork was soon to open--Philadelphia had a bona fide food scene.  Tonight, while on business in the City of Brotherly Love, I had the chance to dine at Fork and, oh my.  I could live here.

Fork is all about the seasonal, local, fresh New American style and they have got it down.  But in addition to the "standard" new American fare, they offer takes on Mexican cuisine as well--pan seared chili-spiced Mexican prawns with caramelized pearl onion and mango relish is one example.  The excellent wine list is heavy on old world wine and Fork is known for its innovative cocktails.

Ellen Yin, one of the co-owners came to my table to talk about the places like Branch Creek Farm (Bucks County) and the other producers that supply their meat and produce.  But this isn't just another restaurant latching on to a trend.  Fork actually hosts Slow Food dinners, has supper club meetings, and is a vital part of the community. 

There were some twenty of us sitting down for dinner in one of the private dining rooms and we all managed to be served in good time, with good pacing, correct orders and all the professionalism you'd expect of a restaurant of this caliber.  Every now and then the room would fall to near silence as we tucked into our dishes.  I'll look forward to returning when I can sample more from their menu and I hope to hit the Fork:etc. next door which sells food to go from breakast through late night (it's a four hour drive back home to the 'Cuse, after all).  If you find yourself in Philly, check out Fork--just a few minutes walk from Independence Hall.

Crispy Duck Confit with Frisee, Bacon, Sekel Pears and Basil Vinaigrette--the sweet pears where a nice contrast to the tangy vinaigrette and succulent duck confit.

Grilled Chimichurri Marinated Hangar Steak with Sauteed Swiss Chard, Yucca Frites and Spicy Aioli--I shared my frites, and I ate and ate, and could not come close to finishing this delectable dish.  Yucca is a root vegetable similiar to potatoes but with a sweetness much like sweet potatoes.  This dish paired deliciously with a Simon Hackett "the Gatekeeper" 2003 Shiraz.

Espresso Cheese Cake with Shortbread Crust and Chocolate Sauce--okay, I did save enough roon to polish off this dessert--a very fine, creamy rendition of one of my favorite desserts.

Fork Restaurant, 306 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 215-625-9425

Change is in the air and on the fingertips

This is how I know the seasons are changing...

       Flocks of geese announce their departure for warmer climes and the hours of daylight grow shorter

                    The lining of my raincoat comes out of hiding and my gloves await two by two on the shelf in  the mud room

                                    My fingertips perpetually smell of garlic and shallots as comfort food once again takes center stage on the dining table.

It would seem that there hasn't been a lot of cookin' in the 'Cuse lately and that is partly true.  The other half of the truth is that I've hardly had time to post about the meals we've been enjoying as of late.  But now, all I want to do is get back in the kitchen--the warm, deliciously smelling kitchen--chopping, and braising, and baking the dishes that soothe the soul and take the chill off.

This dish--Cremini Mushroom and Olorosso Sherry Gratin--is one of those dishes.  I made it for the Syracuse Real Food Co-op potluck yesterday and it will probably make another appearance on Thanksgiving.  It is rich, creamy, and decadent.  The slightly nutty sherry plays nicely off the  mushrooms and tangy sheep's milk cheese.  Simply spoon some onto your toast and comfort food doesn't even begin to describe it.  Yesterday I enjoyed it with a glass of homemade strawberry honey mead that another Co-op member made but it also goes well with the rest of that Olorosso sherry or some Spanish Rioja.  Olorosso sherry comes in both dry and more sweet versions--use the dry sherry for this recipe.  Also note that there is no salt or pepper added--trust me, this dish is perfectly seasoned without it.

Cremini Mushroom and Olorosso Sherry Gratin--adapted from Sunset Wine & Food magazine.

• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup minced shallots
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/2 cup olorosso sherry
• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 1 cup finely shredded Manchego cheese (dry jack is a good substitute)
• 8 ounces good, crusty bread--sliced and toasted

Trim and discard discolored stems and ends from mushrooms.  Clean thoroughly and cut into quarters.

In a 10-12 inch frying pan melt butter over medium heat.  Add shallots and garlic and stir often until limp, about 5 minutes.  Add mushrooms and stir often until juices released by mushrooms have evaporated, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Add sherry and increase heat to medium-high.  Boil until sherry is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.  Add cream and boil (watch to make sure it doesn't boil over), stirring occasionally, until sauce thickly coats mushrooms and is reduced by about two-thirds, about 5 -6 minutes.

Spoon mushroom mixture into a shallow baking dish (about 3-4 cup volume).  Sprinkle top evenly with cheese.  Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat until cheese is melted and bubbling about 4 minutes (depending on your broiler so watch carefully).  Serve with toasted bread slices.  Makes 4 appetizer-sized portions but this recipe doubles quite easily for a crowd.

Fare thee well dear tomatoes

Yesterday a friend approached me about the "eat local thing".  He really wanted to see if he could commit to eating within his foodshed.  Great!  And so we began a discussion of what this would mean.   "But, but, you mean no salad???" he asked.  Well, I told him, I don't usually eat the green salads we've been enjoying all spring and summer once the frost comes unless it comes from a local greenhouse (and I'm not growing my own--yet.)  When I told him that I probably already had my last tomato until next June, he was nearly beside himself. 

But it will be okay, I assured him.  We have some wonderful veggies that we can eat all winter long and with some creativity, we may not even get too tired of them.  Celery root, potatoes of all kinds, carrots, parsnips, all those that keep nice and cool in your veggie bin or root cellar.  But for the next few months we must be content with dreaming about the tomatoes to come.  When I begin putting the garden to bed on Thursday, it is the dream of next year's juicy crop that will keep me going.

Last year I wasn't as successful at eating locally in December as I would have liked.  But I'm ready now.  It may not be a cakewalk, but it will be a little bit easier given the lesson's I've learned. 

The Not So Constant Gardener

I plead guilty.  There is actually more than enough evidence to convict me.  Neglect--guilty.  Favoritism--guilty.  Failure to protect from undesirable intruders--guilty.  Okay, Okay!  Yes, I have not been tending the garden as diligently as I should.

I have been busy.  Even my blogging slowed down.  I stopped checking in on certain parts of the garden because frankly, I gave up hope.  I didn't believe.  I lavished attention on the ripening tomatoes and the generous Swiss chard and collards who kept coming back no matter how much I cut them down.  I day dreamed about how I was going to take a machete to the weeds that had come up and how I was going to put the garden to bed properly.

But yesterday, I finally got over my shame and wandered over to the part of the garden that I had given up on--the squash bed.  You see, I planted very late.  They grew very slowly.  I actually pulled two of the three squash plants out.  But the third.  Oh that green zucchini.  After months and months of seeing no fruit I was content to pick off the blossoms and enjoy them with expectations of nothing more.  And then I found this:

This super zucchini was hidden beneath some gi-normous squash leaves--just a growin' and a growin'.  How did I miss it?  By being a not so constant gardener.  Let this be a lesson to you if you ever plant squash, think it isn't doing anything, and fail to pull it out.  You just may be surprised by a 17-1/2 inch zucchini that isn't fit for eating and it's too late for the State Fair.

Who knew they could get this big?  I better get back out there and see what other giants lurk beneath  benevolent leaves.

Is this progress?

I had just graduated from college and my friends knew I loved to cook, so that Christmas one of them gifted me with a copy of the Joy of Cooking.  I loved it.  Having learned to cook at my mother's side and with the help of a 1938 edition of the Boston School of Cooking Cookbook by Fannie Farmer that my grandfather handed down to me, the Joy of Cooking was perfect.  It was comprehensive, easy to follow, and a wonderful resource for expanding my repertoire of the classics.

Almost ten years after receiving that first copy, the much heralded update appeared in 1997.  THIS edition is the one I use frequently and when folks compliment me on my scones and pancakes, or chicken soup--I have to give the credit to this edition of Joy which gave me the base from which to explore my own take on these everyday standbys.

Now there is a new edition.  Seventy-five years after Irma Rombauer's classic, her progeny--Marion Rombauer Becker and her son, Ethan Becker--have added some 500 new recipes and have taken a few steps back.  This is curious because this is also the team that brought us the 1997 edition I love. 

But these words from the editorial director of The Good Cook book club gives me pause:

"Connoisserus of Joy noticed the 1997 version was a little more 'chef-like'--less geared toward home cooks; but in this, the 75th anniversary edition, the focus is squarely back on home cooking.  The voice and spirit, definitely, are more in keeping with the original notes from Irma, and you'll find favorites they dropped or abridged in the last edition:  There's more casseroles, more family fare, more convenience foods--no more 'everything should be made from scratch'!"

Now, I haven't ever read or cooked from Irma's first editions so I don't know how much of a departure the 1997 revision actually was.  But from the copy I used--issued in 1975--I couldn't tell too much of a difference.  I'm willing to admit that the kinds of foods I like to cook and the way I prepared them had changed between 1988 when I first received that copy and when the 1997 edition was released.  So it may be that I grew with the revision.  I'm also willing to admit that in that interim I had spent several years in Berkeley, CA and discovered Alice Waters and seasonal cooking.  I'm sure that had something to do with it.  I had evolved, the Joy of Cooking had evolved and when we met up again in 1997 we were in the same place.

But what is this, "no more 'everything should be made from scratch'"???  This isn't the Joy of Sandra Lee!  For me, the joy of cooking is in the cooking from scratch. 

This just strikes me as very odd given the growing movement toward healthier eating, Slow Food, local, seasonal cooking, and the rest.  I so much want the world to believe that it is possible to eat well and eat foods cooked from scratch while living a crazy busy life.  A cookbook as influential and widely loved as the Joy of Cooking really has an opportunity to help make everyone from novice to "chef wannabe" home cooks feel comfortable enough in the kitchen to experiment with new ingredients, techniques, and methods.  This doesn't mean that it would have to betray its heritage by adding recipes like quesadillas and ceviche--fine--take those out.  But PLEASE if we are going to continue to cook the great classics of American cooking (casseroles and tuna bakes included) then teach us to cook them from scratch. 

I'm anxious to get my hands on this latest edition to see just what this is all about.  But if any of you use the Joy of Cooking or have seen the new version--I'd love to know what you think.

Found: A House White for Regular Days

About once a week while whatever is cooking is doing its thing, I take a trip down to the wine cellar--aka basement--to choose a wine.  This should be a quick trip but I always find  myself a bit challenged to find a bottle that I want to open to drink with my "regular" weeknight meal.

It usually goes like this:  I can't open THAT red because it isn't time  yet.  I can open THAT white because it's too special--it's a hard to find California bottle and I won't be making a trip to Napa anytime soon.  I can't open THAT bottle because... and on it goes.

Having a few bottles of affordable but delicious wine would seem to be the answer and I think I've found it in this bottle of white table wine from Ravines Wine Cellars on Keuka Lake.  I haven't been out to visit the winery yet (hope to post a report this fall) but truly, the more I drink Ravines' wines, the more I like them.  I started with their Riesling this spring that I stumbled upon while looking for something else--I've been searching them out ever since.  They specialize in European grape varietals and are the new darlings of the Finger Lakes wine scene. 

What I like about their House White is that it is easy drinking--without being a sacharine or super fruity.  It is lean but not thin in body and my guess is that it saw little if any oak.  I can't yet tell you what grapes its made with--I'll post that info when after I visit.  But suffice it to say the citrus notes of this wine perfectly complemented various dishes including this cheesy pasta dish (okay, very cheesy because there are five different ones in this rich dish and the wine held up well) as well as a simple meal of braised chicken and green olives with fingerling potatoes.

Now I just need to find a house red...

Ravines Wine Cellars, 2004 House White, $9.95 at Vinomania.

Multiple Cheeses Rigatoni Pasta--adapted from Ina Garten

• 16 oz Rigatoni or Penne pasta
• 2 cups of heavy cream
• 1 cup of crushed tomatoes with puree or super chunky pasta sauce
• 8 oz thinly sliced fresh mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup each of:  shredded gruyere, grated Parmiggiano Reggiano, and Pecorino Romano cheeses (basically, whatever you have on hand will work)
• 1/4 crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola (optional)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a rolling boil.  Cook pasta until almost al dente.  Meanwhile, combine all ingredients except pasta and butter in a large bowl.  Drain pasta and add to other ingredients in bowl, stir to combine.  Pour pasta and cheese mixture into a baking dish, dot with thin slices of butter, and bake in oven for 10 minutes until hot, browned and bubbly.  Serves eight as a side dish.