Cookin' in the 'Cuse

Day Long Ribs That Let You Keep Your Weekend

If you are in the Syracuse area this weekend then you'll know two things to be true:
1.  There are too many fun things going on this weekend.
2.  You have to eat.

To wit:  there's the downtown Arts and Crafs Fair, the new Northeast Jazz and Wine Festival, the Ecofest, the Oswego Harborfest... plus there are chores to do, errands to run, the regular weekend gamut.

With the bounty of produce available, this is also prime time for cooking up delicious food at home.  But who wants to be a slave to the stove on a weekend like this?  Not I.  So here's my game plan:

• Go for a long run--first thing--before the heat and humidity get too high
• Start dinner*
• Check out the markets--CNY Regional Market to stock up on basics and the Greener Bean market in Skaneateles--Home Harvest Organics will have fava beans!  Make a long-overdue visit to the Borodino Schoohouse
• Take care of regular Saturday errands and chores
• Bake and freeze zucchini bread (this will take care of the squash taking over the fridge)
• Check out the events downtown before they wrap up
• Throw together a salad and grill some veggies to go with dinner
• Eat, lick my fingers, collapse, finish reading Three Cups of Tea and off to bed

Okay, its ambitious.  But I guarantee at least four of the items will be checked off by day's end and what will make it possible is dinner.

I am absolutely loving this recipe for sticky balsamic spareribs published in Gourmet magazine last month (and for the record, I do read and cook from other magazines--it's just that Gourmet has been on fire as of late.)  Check out the play by play after the jump.

The Joys and Pleasures of Being Home

There are so many reasons to rejoice in being back home.  Family and the creature comforts that make a house a home are at the top, of course, but I'd also list the following:

• Snacking on still sweet sugar snap peas
• Tomato plants that are two weeks further along--and the first bite of a ripened Sun gold--just this morning
• connecting with my farmer friends while picking up our weekly share
• dreaming about, cooking, and eating all the lovely veggies that came in this week--and not yet being too tired of zucchini
• my evening cup of tea with a bite of my all-time favorite biscotti from Rock Hill Bakery

And this recipe that I'm loving so much it has me eating Swiss chard for dessert.  Seriously.  To make the version pictured above, leave out the stems and simply spoon the chard over thick slices of stretch bread and garnish with a pinch more of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and a slight squeeze of lemon. 

Wilted Swiss Chard with Garlic, Lemon, and Parmesan (Adapted from Gourmet magazine, July 2009)
Serves 6 as a side dish
Active time 25 min.  Start to finish 25 min

4 large garlic cloves
3 lb Swiss chard (about 3 bunches)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 flat anchovy fillets
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup grated parmesan
accompaniment:  grated parmesan; lemon wedges

• thinly slice garlic lengthwise.
• cut Swiss chard leaves from stems and center ribs, then cut leaves and stems into 2-inch pieces, reserving separately.
• heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then saute garlic until golden, about 45 seconds.  Transfer garlic with a slotted spoon to a plate.
• add anchovies to oil in a skillet (it will splatter) and cook, stirring constantly, until anchovies break down, about 30 seconds.  Add chard stems and cook, stirring frequently, until stems begin to soften, 4-6 minutes.
• add chard leaves by handfuls, turning with tongs and covering pot briefly until greens are wilted before adding more, and cook until leaves and stems are tender, 5-8 minutes.
• stir garlic into chard along with lemon juice, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.
  

Exiled in Anaheim

Where have I been? I've been at the General Convention of the Episcopal Church. This is day eight of eleven. Each day has begun with meetings at 7:00 or 7:30 am and ended around midnight. It is exhausting but worthwhile work.

But it has presented a challenge for this foodblogger. It isn't that there isn't good food in the land of Mickey Mouse--the mom and pop Mexican restaurant we scoped out on day one was fantastic. It's just that there has been no time to eat.

Thousands of Episcopalians wander around the Anaheim Convention Center subsisting on energy bars for breakfast and candy from the exhibit hall for lunch. Oh--and coffee.

We'll have time for a decent (read: delicious and slow) dinner tonight and tomorrow. I'll have my camera in case anything is blog worthy. And my committee work is now done so I'll be able to sleep in till 7:00 am instead of 5:30. And I'll be home by Saturday. Regular blogging will return next week.