Pictures or Not?

You’ll have to be patient with me.  After all these years I just can’t change the way I work in the kitchen. The idea that I must stop at every step or so to take a picture of what I’m doing seems to run counter to the relaxation that being in the kitchen brings.  I’ll do my best to give some sort of picture of the finished product but let’s be honest, I’m more likely to start tasting, eating the entire contents of my plate of food before I remember to share with you by taking a picture…but, if you were in the room with me…that’s a different story…you’d be tasting, maybe even before me, helping me correct the seasoning, suggesting what to pair it with. So, forgive me if I forget to take a picture of my food.  You might just have to be satisfied with a photo of something else in my world like maybe, the almost flowerless orchids that sometime decorate my kitchen table or all my the laundry waiting to be folded or the dirty dishes in the sink.  If you’re really lucky, maybe even my kitchen garden; if I can remember before the deer decide it is their buffet table, because, after all, these things can all be seen or happen in My Kitchen.

Oh, in that bowl was a mixed green salad topped with a homemade black bean burger and homemade Curtido Kraut (so healthy and filled with natural probiotics!).  In the background my almost flowerless orchid and avocado starts.  

Everything's better with bacon

Brussels sprouts get a bad rap, but it really just comes down to how they're prepared. Roasting brings out their natural sweetness, and bacon adds contrast both in flavor and texture. A quick sprinkle of black pepper is all this dish needs to take center stage at just about any dinner table!

You'll want to preheat your oven to 375F, then start on your sprouts- trim the ends and cut them in half. Next, add bacon, chopped into small pieces- ideally, you've kept it in the freezer as it's much easier to cut when it's firm.

Line a baking sheet (or two) with parchment paper, then add the brussels sprouts and top with the bacon. As everything cooks, the bacon fat will coat the sprouts with yummy goodness (no extra oil needed!)

A quick mix or two during cooking, and in about 30 minutes be sure to have a fork handy!

Happy eating!

Kate

Cat

I’m allergic to cats. Not just a little bit – a lot. My friend Jan tells me that unlike dogs, cats pick you. I have a cat. She picked me. I call her Mabel. I don’t know why I call her Mabel. Before I knew if she was a boy or a girl I called her T.C. short for “the cat.” But once I found out she is a girl, T.C. just didn’t work any longer. I found Mabel hiding in some St. John’s wort off the corner of my house a few weeks back. She blended in the surrounding dried grass, sitting so still I didn’t see her at first; Polo did however. Well I’m not sure if he exactly saw her since his dread locks now cover his eyes, but he could smell her. It was all I could do to distract him from chasing after her.

Mabel was so skinny. Because I’m not a cat person I didn’t have any cat food for her but Polo’s food is a high quality fish based food so I thought I’d give that a try. 

T.C. (aka "Mabel") eating dog food the first day I found her

She gobbled it after I went in the house. The next day when I put more food out for her she came running to eat; careful to stay away from my clutches but willing to take from my hand. Somewhere along the line she ended up in my garage. I didn’t know she was there. I left the house with Polo early on Monday morning to take him to my Mr. in town for the week. With no reason to enter the garage I didn’t until…Thursday evening. Polo was back with me and we were playing catch. I looked up and there was TC sitting in the window of the garage. I felt so bad. She could have died. I didn’t know she was there. No food, no water for at least four days. I got Polo in the house and brought some of his food and water to the garage. TC, as I was then calling her, was so desperately hungry that she came running to the food bowl I put out and she even ate from my hand, again. I left the garage door open for her for the rest of the night. I didn’t want to capture TC, treat TC as a hostage, but I wanted her to have a safe space.

On Saturday, not knowing if she had gone, I prepared to leave on a business trip to Chicago for several days. It was not clear to me whether TC was still in the garage or not so I left a big bowl of food (I had cat food by now), water, and a litter box…(I hoped if she was still there she knew how to use a litter box because the garage was getting pretty smelly!). I had no idea if she was still in there or not because unless she was hungry she wouldn’t show herself to me. I locked the garage and left (this is something one can never do with a dog- mostly because they always make it known when they are around). When I returned from Chicago she was at the garage door to greet me (once she verified I was alone) and proceeded to try and rub against me as cats do. What a conundrum. She wants me to pet her but as I told you I’m very allergic.I decided if I was very careful and used only one hand…

and that’s when it started, that is that’s when my heart melted. The meowing, the purring, the pure joy of touch that she exhibited, how could I send her away. I needed to let her know she could stay; she is welcome at our home. Since Polo was with the Mr. I left the garage open while I worked outside. She followed me to the garden and watched me water the tomatoes and berries. She followed me to the lower garden by our backdoor – I call it the kitchen garden- and watched me put up a simple deer fence – who knew that deer would eat jalapenos! She followed me to the front yard and watched me hunt slugs. She followed me to the street when I took out my garbage and recycle. And then when I walked to the garage calling, “Let’s go to bed, Mabel.” She followed me back into the garage, over to her food dish and asked for one last rub before we said good night. She got that rub. I washed my clothes and took a shower. Did I tell you that I’m very allergic to cats?

I wish I could give her what she seems to want…good long rubs and cuddles, But I'll do my best to give he the physical contact I can and let her know she is loved and at home. I wish I could do more, but I can’t. I think she picked me anyway. I think she belonsg here now, I think this might have decided this is her home.

Welcome home Mabel. 

Mabel the Manx coming out of the garage to greet me when I returned home today. 

Tunisian Menu Recipe 4: Braised Short Ribs

Let me just say this.  If you make only one of the recipes in this menu make this! I'm a sucker for braised meat - ever since I discovered Julia Child and the secrets of French cooking.  The tenderness of the meat and the melding of the flavors just doesn't happen in any other type of cooking.  Like all braised meat, this is great for entertaining because it is better made a day ahead (but don't hesitate to eat it the day you make it).  If you do make it ahead, you can defat it before putting it in a 350 oven to reheat. 

You are going to love the way your kitchen smells when you are making this! 

4-1/2 to 5 pounds beef short ribs with bone (less without bone)
3 TBL vegetable oil
salt and pepper
1 cup medium-diced carrots
1 cup medium-diced onions
1 cup coarsely chopped figs
1 TBL finely chopped fresh ginger
1 TBL finely chopped garlic
2 to 3 whole star anise
2 whole cinnamon sticks
1 cup dry red wine
 cup canned rushed tomatoes
1 cup low salt chicken broth
1/4 cup low salt soy sauce
1-2 tbs chopped fresh parsley1-2 TBL thinly chopped fresh mint

Position the oven rack in the center and pre-heat to 325 degrees. 
In an 8 quart dutch oven heat 2 TBL of oil over medium heat. Dry the ribs with paper towels then season with 2 tsp salt and  tsp pepper. Brown the ribs in the oil (only cook as many ribs as fit in one layer in the bottom of the pan) brown on all sides. Pour off all but a thin layer of fat from the pan. Add the remaining 1TBL oil, carrots ad onions to the pan. Add 1/2 tsp salt. Cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan until carrots and onions are soft and lightly browned.  Add the chopped dried figs, ginger, garlic, star anise, and cinnamon stick and cook, stirring until well distributed and fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour 1/2 cup of red wine into pot and cook, stirring in any remaining browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce the wine to about 2 TBL. Transfer the ribs and any accumulated juices into the pot. Pour the tomatoes, chicken broth, soy sauce, remaining 1/2 cup of red wine and 1 cup of water over the ribs and using tongs, arrange the ribs with as evenly as possible to no more than two layers of ribs deep. Bring the liquid to a simmer, cover, and put the pot in the oven. Cook, turning the ribs with tongs every 40 minutes (if they are not completely covered with liquid) until they are fork tender about 2-3/4 hours.  
Note: the meat may fall off most bones about midway through cooking; this does not mean that the ribs are fully tender. 

Thanks to Susie Middleton and Fine Cooking for this Recipe!

Tunisian Menu Recipe 3: Couscous with Citrus and Almonds

I love couscous. It goes with everything and provides a nice change from rice or pasta. You can change the flavor and the ingredients depending on what you have in the house. For example, this recipe from Eva Katz calls for orange but I substituted lemon because that's what I had. 

This recipe serves 4 - 6

Couscous with Citrus and Almonds

2 TBL olive oil
1/2 cup medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic finely, chopped
2 TBL finely minced fresh ginger
1 cup fresh orange juice or 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 TBL unsalted butter
1-1/2 cup couscous (I used the larger kind)
1 tsp kosher salt; more to taste
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
zest from 1 orange OR 1 lemon (to match the juice you use)
freshly ground black pepper

In a medium saucepan that has a lid, heat the oil,.  Add the onion and cook stirring often until it is soft but not yet turning brown.  Add the garlic and ginger and cook about 2 more minutes. Add the juice and simmer until the liquid is almost evaporated - don't let it brown. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, add butter, couscous, and salt. Stir to combine. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Stir in almonds, herbs, and zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Tomorrow....Braised short ribs!
 

Tunisian Menu Recipe 2:Veggies with Harissa & Lemon Garlic Yogurt Sauce

My leftovers for lunch that were the inspiration for this series of posts

Kate, 
So now that you have made the harissa, you are going to want to use it.  I'm just learning how but I love it on eggs and veggies, especially cauliflower and carrots. The inspiration for this recipe is from the July/August edibleSEATTLE magazine and calls for grilling carrots.  I found grilling makes the carrots prettier but if you are in a hurry and or you live someplace where you aren't allowed to grill (like you do), roasting or broiling at a high temperature in your oven works just fine...and I think cauliflower is awesome - or how about a mixture of cauliflower and carrots...just cook them on separate baking sheets so that the cauliflower doesn't get over cooked.


Carrots (and/or Cauliflower)with Harissa & Lemon Garlic Yogurt 
serves 4 about 30 minutes to make

1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
zest and juice of  1/2 lemon 
1 medium garlic clove, finely chopped
salt
6 large organic carrots; quartered and cut into about 4 inch lengths
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon harissa

In a small bowl mix together the  yogurt, lemon zest, juice, garlic and salt to taste. Set aside.

In a bowl toss the carrots with the olive oil and season with salt.
Place the carrots on a baking sheet and roast in a 450 degree oven until tender crisp and starting to brown- about 10 minutes, turn the carrots at least once during cooking.

Transfer carrots to a bowl and mix in the harissa until the carrots are coated. Serve warm with the yogurt sauce on the side.  

 

Tunisia Menu Item 1: Harissa

Kate, 

Yesterday I had leftovers for lunch: short ribs, lemon couscous, roasted carrots, and flat bread. I wish I had taken a picture when the table was set and the serving dishes were piled high..but I didn't. Instead, while sitting at work enjoying this meal for the second time in two days I thought to snap this photo. 

LUNCH!

All the food was North African in origin, mostly from Tunisia. I can't describe the flavors: a sweet, savory, spicy, fruity combination that made the house smell amazing!

Since I enjoyed this meal so much I thought I would share the recipes for the entire menu with you over my next few posts. 

The first thing is the Harissa. It's THE condiment of Tunisia. You might be able to buy this but we (actually your father with help from your eldest while she was visiting last month) made this recipe by Deborah Madison.  This recipe is pretty mild but, as I understand it, this stuff can be pretty hot.  I read that Tunisian husbands believe their wives no longer love them when the food (flavored by Harissa) begins tasting bland.  Hum.  Don't think I'll comment on that! 

Use Harissa on scrambled eggs (oh my!) or some feta cheese, or mix it into roasted veggies (more on that in another post).  Your going to love it! Directions for making it in a food processor or by hand follow (I vote for the food processor!)

Our homemade Harissa on the embarrassingly crowded top shelf of our refrigerator

 Harissa

12 dried red new Mexican chiles

3 guajillo chiles 

4 plump garlic cloves coarsely chopped

salt

1 tablespoon caraway seeds

1 1/2 tsp coriander seeds

1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 Tbl olive oil plus extra for storing

cayenne - optional

Wipe off the chiles with a damp cloth, break off the stems, shake out as many seeds as possible and pull out any large veins. WEAR GLOVES! Discard any gray or yellowed areas of the skin because they might taste moldy. Tear the chiles into pieces, put in bowl and cover with boiling water and let stand for at least 30 minutes. Remove from bowl (save the water) and snip into smaller pieces with scissors. 

In a food processor grind the chilies with the garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, caraway, coriander, cumin, and oil until a smooth paste forms. Add a little of the chile soaking water to loosen the mixture.  If you want more heat add cayenne to taste. 

You can also do this by hand with a mortar and pestle but it will take some work!  Make a paste by pounding the garlic and salt together, add the non chile ingredients and mix until you have a paste. Then add the chile that you snipped into small pieces with scissors and pound until the paste is as smooth as you can get it. 

Pack into a clean jar and cover the surface with more oil and refrigerate.