78 replies to this topic

[SobaAddict70]

Titles are hard. :)

So if you're just joining us, this is a continuation of a Foodblog that didn't quite get off the ground (you can view the one that occurred in May here: http://forums.egulle...aaddict70-2011/).

Maybe this one will be problem-free.

I don't know if I picked the best week though as Irene is scheduled to smash into the City sometime between tonight and tomorrow. I checked http://www.nyc.gov/hurricanezones and thankfully my apartment building isn't in an evacuation zone, but that doesn't mean that I'll be immune from power outages and the like. That being said, if previous disaster stories have been any indication (i.e., the infamous City-wide blackout of 2003 and several high-temperature summers in intervening years since), I don't think I'll have too much to worry about. Larder's all stocked with various good things to eat, most of which can be eaten raw if necessary.

No pix from the market today since my camera's batteries are recharging.

List was:

heirloom tomatoes
cauliflower
herbs -- thyme, parsley, rosemary, mint
rocambole garlic
peppers
okra
white peaches
corn
eggplant
yellow romano beans

You'll see all of those and more in this week's Foodblog. I tend to cook, as many readers will attest, a vegetable-heavy/vegetable-focused style of cooking. I'm not a vegetarian although it would be easy to think that, just from leafing through posts on eG and on my regular blog, the one that's linked in my signature. I do try to buy locally when possible, but I don't carry my locavorism to extremes.

I feel that people don't cook as much these days as they used to. Maybe that's a function of the way we live now. There's something to be said, though, about how cooking centers and focuses the self. It's a relaxing activity for me. Never am I more at home than in the kitchen preparing a meal.

If I can inspire someone to eat more vegetables or to cook more often, then that's one more victory that's worth having, especially in our technology-driven society.

I'm off to Citarella in a little bit ... going to pick up some seafood, part of which will be in tonight's dinner and tomorrow's breakfast.

[ScottyBoy]

Looking forward to it!

[SobaAddict70]

A couple teaser pix while I prep dinner.


Cheeky bugger, isn't he?

2 lb. lobster from Citarella, about $28 and change.


Heirloom tomato.


Appetizer course -- heirloom tomato, ricotta cheese, green garlic pesto, extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, mint.

Green garlic pesto -- garlic scapes, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, chopped walnuts, lemon zest. Process in a food processor or blender until desired texture is achieved. Use immediately.

Edited by SobaAddict70, 26 August 2011 - 04:18 PM.

[heidih]

The tomato course is a winner and I anxiously await your plans for the lobster - my favorite crustacean

[SobaAddict70]

Thanks heidh.



Amazing how much meat there is out of a 2 lb. lobster.

3/4 went into tonight's dinner, the remainder will be for tomorrow's breakfast.

The carcass is in a stockpot on the stove as I type this, along with 1 large white onion, 1 leek (green and white parts), parsley stems and parsley leaves. Afterwards, it'll be strained, then seasoned with salt and pepper and used for stuff tomorrow.


Thin spaghetti with lobster, heirloom tomato and rocambole garlic.

Rocambole garlic is an heirloom garlic cultivar. More information here: http://www.razeesber...ocambole_garlic

Substitute regular garlic if unavailable.

Cook thinly sliced onion in olive oil over low heat until onion turns golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add garlic and heirloom tomato. Cook, stirring frequently, until tomato is heated thoroughly -- if the tomatoes begin to break down, that's too long. Add lobster and a dash of white wine. Taste for salt and pepper. Cook for 5 more minutes, then add cooked pasta and remove from heat. Toss; taste for salt and pepper. Add parsley, chopped heirloom tomato, and a pinch of dried red pepper flakes if you like. Plate and serve at once.

I don't cook very many elaborate preps. I don't find those interesting ... plus, if I want to have that kind of experience, I can always go out to eat. I think I've said it elsewhere on eG ... most of what I cook, I blog about. Oh sure, I could write about sauce espangole, paysanne this and brunoise that, but if I did that, my audience would look at me like I just grew a second head.

Edited by SobaAddict70, 26 August 2011 - 06:29 PM.

[suzilightning]

oh, stash-

can't wait to see the veg. unfortunately our farmers markets here in the northwest part of the garden state have fallen apart. finding local produce here is sketchy as best - perhaps they have all gone into the city?

we are also bracing for some horrible rain here - think that will effect what you are able to find? with the uncertain weather this year the corn came in very late and the tomatoes are beginning to have problems as rain builds up. the peaches are doing ok but we may lose whatever is on the trees this weekend. love the lobstah- towards the end of my years with my family being to ask for birthday dinners it was my favorite - along with sliced tomato with blue cheese and catalina dressing and fresh corn.

so what is for elevenses?

ps- did you see the info about the Hobbit movie? didn't recognize the guy playing bilbo but sir ian and elijah woods appear to be reprising their roles.

[SobaAddict70]

Suzi -- I already did my food shopping for the next few days in anticipation of the hurricane. Forearmed is forewarned. Don't worry about me.

I haven't (purposefully) seen anything about PJ's latest venture.

[Peter the eater]

Cheeky lobster, voluptuos tomato, Irene and Soba. Sounds like the perfect storm.

[heidih]

I just want to slide that dish over to my side of the table and steal it- the lobster noodles

[PopsicleToze]

I'm so excited that you are blogging. Your food always looks so fantastic and fresh. I have so many pictures of your dishes saved on my 'inspiration' files, that it isn't funny :)

I don't know if you've ever been in a hurricane, but that is not some place you want to be. Seriously, I haven't kept up with this one, but if you are in her projected path, get out of Dodge. Pronto.

Other than that, blog on

I would eat anything you cook!

[ScottyBoy]

Ummm, I need a lobster in my life.

Edited by ScottyBoy, 26 August 2011 - 08:15 PM.

[dcarch]

Ugly tomato, transformed into a beautiful Appetizer course!

Ugly crustacean, metamorphosed into a gorgeous spaghetti with lobster dish!

Magical!!!!

dcarch

[Broken English]

That spaghetti looks amazing, though at a brief glance I thought that the yellow tomato was pineapple and I got a little worried haha.

[ScottyBoy]

Haha, I thought the same thing!

[SobaAddict70]

Peter, PopsicleToze -- should be an interesting experience to say the least. in the paat 10 years I've experienced: a terrorist attack, a City-wide blackout, witnessed a plane crashing into the Hudson, gone through several freak blizzards, was in an office during an earthquake and now a I'm cooking through a hurricane. the only thing that can top that now is a UFO landing in Central Park.

heidh, Scotty, dcarch -- thanks.

Broken English -- you wouldn't be the first to think that.

so I've decided to start prep for breakfast early, first because it takes a little time and second because the flavors develop marvelously if left alone in the fridge overnight. also I'll probably get up late tomorrow and want to have something up before the fora get taken offline.

Peperonata

Peperonata is a Mediterranean dish composed of stewed peppers, tomatoes and onions. There are innumerable variations but I prefer mine as close to plain as possible. That means, no additions like balsamic vinegar and olives. This dish is packed with flavor that you don’t really need anything that would otherwise distract your taste buds, in my opinion. This is wonderful with omelettes, with pasta, as an accompaniment to roasted fish, or served with goat cheese spread on a baguette.

Cook thinly sliced onions and rocambole garlic in olive oil, along with a bay leaf or two and a few sprigs of thyme, over low heat until onion becomes golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.



Add the peppers, a pinch of salt and continue to cook until the peppers soften, stirring occasionally.



Add the tomatoes. Taste for salt and pepper. Raise heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Cook until the tomatoes wilt slightly and release their juices, about 5 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper, once again, and use as needed.




See y'all later.

[djyee100]

Everything looks wonderful. I'm looking forward to this.

[heidih]

I see a lovely wooden spoon. Is that your stirring weapon of choice?

[Chris Hennes]

Soba, hopefully you made it through the hurricane unscathed, we're looking forward to more cooking!

[SobaAddict70]

I was cooking all the way through. :)

This was breakfast yesterday:


Scrambled eggs with ricotta cheese, lobster and heirloom tomato

4 eggs
1 tablespoon cow’s milk ricotta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh lobster meat
1 small heirloom tomato, chopped
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Whisk eggs and ricotta cheese together. Add lobster meat, heirloom tomatoes, shallot, and salt and pepper, and combine well. In a large, nonstick skillet melt unsalted butter over very low heat. Add egg mixture to pan and cook over low heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until cooked to desired consistency. Serve at once.

Time: 30 minutes, including prep.

[SobaAddict70]

I see a lovely wooden spoon. Is that your stirring weapon of choice?

Yup. It's seen a lot of use in the past 20 years I've been using it.

[Genkinaonna]

Wow that's a breakfast I'd get up early for. Any unanticipated effects of Irene? You and all your NY eGullet kin were in my thoughts last night...

[SobaAddict70]

I don't like leftovers, plus I don't have a microwave so I had to work through some leftover pasta I had from previous dinners this week. Those were for lunch.

This was dinner:


Aloo gobi, with mint-cilantro raita and steamed jasmine rice

1 tablespoon ghee
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
2 green cardamom pods, crushed
3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 medium head of cauliflower, broken into florets (you can include some of the greens if you wish)
2 plum tomatoes, diced
a generous pinch of turmeric
a generous pinch of salt
1 jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and deveined, then minced
freshly squeezed lime juice
chopped cilantro

Melt ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and cardamom pods. Stir. When the mustard seeds “pop”, add the potatoes to the pan. Fry until the potatoes begin to take on a little color while stirring frequently, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Add a pinch of salt, along with the turmeric, then the cauliflower, jalapeño and the tomatoes. Cook over medium heat until the cauliflower begins to soften, about another 5 minutes. Stir to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan. If the mixture seems too dry, add 1/4 cup of water. Cover and turn heat down to medium-low. Cook until potatoes are fork tender. Remove pan from heat. Taste for salt, stir in lime juice and chopped cilantro, then serve at once.

Time: 30 minutes, including prep.


That's the recipe that's on my blog ... HOWEVER, that's not what appears in this version because one thing I wanted to do was restock my Indian food pantry but I didn't get the chance to do that b/c of the subway shutdown.

So: for the Yukon Gold potatoes, I subbed Russian Banana fingerling potatoes; the cauliflower was half a lovely head of Greenmarket cauliflower I bought on Friday; for the jalapeno, a Hungarian wax pepper; for the ghee, 1 tablespoon unsalted Beurre d'Isigny. I can almost hear some jaws dropping. Tasted great though.

Raita was 5 tablespoons Greek yogurt thinned with 2 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon chopped mint, 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, salt and pepper.

[SobaAddict70]

Wow that's a breakfast I'd get up early for. Any unanticipated effects of Irene? You and all your NY eGullet kin were in my thoughts last night...

The biggest and most inconvenient side effect for me right now is having to navigate NYC without the subway.

I won't have that capability until possibly Monday afternoon or evening, since (1) it takes time to get the system fully operational and because of (2) the possibility of an electrical shutdown in lower Manhattan.

Going to be an interesting week coping and all that.

[heidih]

As always, the dishes are beautiful and right in my zone. I have to come up with some new words of admiration! Great to see you have power but what a PITA on the subway.

Just curious- did you have toast with the eggs and peperonata?

[SobaAddict70]

Fortunately I bought some things in anticipation of the hurricane, however for proteins and all that, I'll have to go to Citarella or the new Fairway on east 86th Street.

I *do* want to restock some things later this week, as well as visit Eataly and have dinner at a couple of restaurants downtown this week that I don't normally go to ... so I'm hoping that the subway gets up to speed quickly. Let's hope.

[SobaAddict70]

Just curious- did you have toast with the eggs and peperonata?

I try to limit carb consumption in the morning, so no toast for me.

Breakfast #1 will be 5 grams of creatine in 1 glass of water and 1 whey shake (chocolate Nitrean, 1 tablespoon olive oil, regular milk).
Breakfast #2 will have eggs of some kind. It's a little late for elevenses.

[suzilightning]

can you do a report on the new Fairway?

and is it ever too late for elevenses?

[Shelby]

Fortunately I bought some things in anticipation of the hurricane, however for proteins and all that, I'll have to go to Citarella or the new Fairway on east 86th Street.

I *do* want to restock some things later this week, as well as visit Eataly and have dinner at a couple of restaurants downtown this week that I don't normally go to ... so I'm hoping that the subway gets up to speed quickly. Let's hope.

Ohhhhhh good!!! I can't wait to see Eataly again!


I'm glad you're back.

[SobaAddict70]

I broke my no-carb rule this morning and had leftover aloo gobi and rice.

I'm afraid I made way too much which means I'll have to find a couple of new ways to re-make leftovers for the next day or so. When you're cooking for one, it's always a guessing game with portion size. I have the added challenge of fulfilling my macronutrient requirements -- 3,000 to 4,000 calories a day, 175 to 180g protein. It's ok if I undereat or miscalculate from day to day though.

I have tomatoes roasting in the oven for a composed salad. Been snacking mostly on protein shakes, fruit and leftovers.

I'm on vacation so my normal mealtimes are whenever I feel like it ... dinner will be late tonight.

S.

[heidih]

I run into the same thing since I am generally cooking for one. The last time I overdid a similar cauliflower dish I turned it into a pan-fried fritter adding in some eggs to bind it and for protein. If you still have some raita it would be a great meal along with some sliced tomatoes. Sometimes I just pitch the rice (I know...) rather than stressing about using it though perhaps a sort of congee would be comforting in the aftermath of Irene.