78 replies to this topic

[SobaAddict70]

The rice, I'll probably transform into plain Chinese fried rice, the way my mom makes it.

2 cups (or more) leftover cooked rice
1 clove (or more) garlic, peeled and minced
vegetable oil
patis (optional)

Heat oil in a skillet or wok. Add garlic, stir-fry until fragrant. Add rice, stir-fry until golden.

Sprinkle with patis and serve at once.

Sometimes I add scallions and/or Filipino chorizo. No egg though, that's an abomination.

[SobaAddict70]

Slow-roasted tomatoes, peperonata and hard-cooked farm egg

Slow-roasted tomatoes: Halve cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, plum tomatoes or any combination of any variety of tomatoes. Arrange, cut side up in a roasting pan or glass Pyrex baking dish. Sprinkle each slice with kosher salt and black pepper, drizzle with olive oil. Depending on the size of the tomatoes, you can roast them at 200 F for 6 to 8 hours or, for the quick version, 1 hour at 350 F. Remove from heat and use as needed.

I'll spare you the pix of my first foray into devilled eggs. Hint: Although it tasted great, green garlic pesto doesn't really look so photogenic when smushed with hard-cooked egg yolks and cayenne pepper.

Edited by SobaAddict70, 28 August 2011 - 02:01 PM.

[nickrey]

Really enjoying the blog, can't wait to see some more.

[SobaAddict70]

Prepping dinner -- will be vegetarian.

It will feature a REALLY old eGullet favorite.

See y'all in a little bit.

[Kim Shook]

Soba – so glad to see the re-do! As always your food is as gorgeous as it is delicious! I always love the care and thought that seems to go into your prep and cooking and I admire your ability to LEAVE GOOD STUFF ALONE – to let good food shine by its own merits. As a cook who has to physically restrain myself from adding just one more thing, I really love your discipline!

Scrambled eggs with ricotta is something that never occurred to me, but sounds fantastic. And they may have been ugly, but green garlic pesto deviled eggs sound wonderful!

Prepping dinner -- will be vegetarian.

It will feature a REALLY old eGullet favorite.

See y'all in a little bit.

20 layer jello mold?

[Pam R]

20 layer jello mold?

I was thinking roasted cauliflower but a jello mold would be awesome.

[SobaAddict70]

Soba – so glad to see the re-do! As always your food is as gorgeous as it is delicious! I always love the care and thought that seems to go into your prep and cooking and I admire your ability to LEAVE GOOD STUFF ALONE – to let good food shine by its own merits. As a cook who has to physically restrain myself from adding just one more thing, I really love your discipline!

Scrambled eggs with ricotta is something that never occurred to me, but sounds fantastic. And they may have been ugly, but green garlic pesto deviled eggs sound wonderful!

Prepping dinner -- will be vegetarian.

It will feature a REALLY old eGullet favorite.

See y'all in a little bit.

20 layer jello mold?

Older than that. :)

[SobaAddict70]

Leftover aloo gobi (I *really* made way too much), plus:





Corn and Hungarian wax pepper salad, with heirloom tomatoes and scallions -- inspired by a dish by Larry Forgione at the original An American Place
Crispy okra salad (recipe here: http://www.foodandwi...spy-okra-salad; this version has heirloom tomatoes, asafoetida and white onion)

[SobaAddict70]

I'm hoping train service is restored tomorrow -- some NYT articles suggest as much.

If the Greenmarket is open, I'll make a stop to get some chicken, or maybe go over to Eataly.



I'm in the mood for roast chicken ... and maybe later in the week, salade parisienne.

Good night.

[SobaAddict70]

Hi there.


Sweet crêpes, with white peaches and Nutella

Crêpes seem to have fallen out of style. More's the pity, because they're so easy to make.

1/2 cup flour
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
a pinch of salt
1 tablespoon melted butter
3 tablespoons vanilla sugar

Mix wet ingredients first, along with sugar and salt. Gradually whisk in flour until a smooth batter is achieved.

For each crêpe, pour 1/4 cup batter on a lightly greased or oiled griddle or large skillet. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly. Cook the crêpe for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula or fork, flip and cook the other side. Serve hot.

Filling consists of a little Nutella and some sliced white peaches that were peeled, then caramelized in melted butter.

[Shelby]

Those are beautiful crepes. I'm scared to try to make them....I just know they'd turn out like lead pancakes lol.

[ambra]

Do your really like eggs? Or is it me? I notice a lot of eggs in your cooking. (By the way, this is not a critique, I love eggs and your preparations always inspire me!)

[Genkinaonna]

We must be on the same wavelength! I'm making crepes with caramelized apricots for dessert tonight. Great minds and all that ...

[SobaAddict70]

Those are beautiful crepes. I'm scared to try to make them....I just know they'd turn out like lead pancakes lol.

That recipe is the most foolproof one there is, in my experience.

You really can't go wrong with it.

As opposed to a recipe for buckwheat crêpes in one of Alice Waters' cookbooks that calls for a cupful of beer. That's overcomplication for its own sake, in my opinion.

[SobaAddict70]

Do your really like eggs? Or is it me? I notice a lot of eggs in your cooking. (By the way, this is not a critique, I love eggs and your preparations always inspire me!)

I do love eggs but I wouldn't say "really like" as opposed to my well-documented love of pasta.

I think the fact that I have an low total cholesterol count (120 as of March 2011) has a lot to do with it.

[SobaAddict70]

Some pix from the Greenmarket today ...













Prepping a snack, be back in a little bit.

Didn't get around to visiting Eataly today ... maybe tomorrow or Wednesday.

[SobaAddict70]

We must be on the same wavelength! I'm making crepes with caramelized apricots for dessert tonight. Great minds and all that ...

I do want to make savory crêpes later this week.

I'll include a demo so Shelby (and others) can cook them with confidence.

[SobaAddict70]

Sautéed eggplant, peppers and summer squash with rocambole garlic and mint
Pane di Puglia

1 medium eggplant (I used 1/2 pint miniature eggplants), peeled and coarsely diced
3 bell peppers (I used 1 Hungarian wax pepper and a couple of sweet peppers), coarsely diced
1 clove rocambole garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 summer squash, diced
1 large heirloom tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon flour
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
a generous handful of mint, chopped

Place eggplant in a colander over a small bowl. Sprinkle with salt and let drain for 30 minutes. Add flour and toss to coat.

Gently warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add eggplant and fry until golden brown. Drain off most of the oil and reserve for another use. Add garlic; sauté until garlic turns a pale gold, then add squash, tomato and peppers, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables are heated through, about an additional 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in chopped mint, remove from heat and serve at once.


Scored a pound and a half of mussels for $3 at USGM -- those will appear at dinner. Stay tuned.

Edited by SobaAddict70, 29 August 2011 - 03:26 PM.

[nikkib]

Looks delicious - what impact does the flour have on the eggplant? i make a dish similar to this (with chilli instead of mint) but wouldnt have thought to coat the eggplant in flour, does it just make it crispier and less oily?

[SobaAddict70]

Looks delicious - what impact does the flour have on the eggplant? i make a dish similar to this (with chilli instead of mint) but wouldnt have thought to coat the eggplant in flour, does it just make it crispier and less oily?

I find that the eggplant will cook in less time, than if there weren't any flour to begin with.

This recipe (and other, similar Italian vegetable preps) is one great way to use up an abundance of mint.

Just to give you an idea ... I normally go through 3 to 4 bunches of parsley a week, and about half that of mint. So imagine what you could do if you grew your own.

[Shelby]

We must be on the same wavelength! I'm making crepes with caramelized apricots for dessert tonight. Great minds and all that ...

I do want to make savory crêpes later this week.

I'll include a demo so Shelby (and others) can cook them with confidence.

I'm excited! In fact, I'll even put some fresh fruit on my grocery list so that I can make them after I learn from you!

Fruit around here is sad sad sad. It's so hot that none locally produced....so, I think bananas are my best bet from the store.

I DO have watermelon coming out of my ears from my (sad) garden....but, don't think that would go with crepes

[Shelby]

Your eggplant dish looks divine.

I also have a bunch of eggplant that produced well from my garden. They are the regular size with the "thicker" skin. I'm always in search of new recipes to use with them.

[heidih]

Just to give you an idea ... I normally go through 3 to 4 bunches of parsley a week, and about half that of mint. So imagine what you could do if you grew your own.

It has been discussed and debated before, but can you share your fresh herb storage method of choice for the delicate ones like mint, basil, and parsley (versus the oilier and sturdier ones like thyme or rosemary).

[SobaAddict70]

Just to give you an idea ... I normally go through 3 to 4 bunches of parsley a week, and about half that of mint. So imagine what you could do if you grew your own.

It has been discussed and debated before, but can you share your fresh herb storage method of choice for the delicate ones like mint, basil, and parsley (versus the oilier and sturdier ones like thyme or rosemary).

Mint and basil thrive well in a glass or bowl of water. I usually go through a bunch in 1-2 days though.
rosemary and thyme I usually leave out in a bowl atop the fridge
parsley -- *hangs head in shame* -- doesn't last long enough for me to store, but when I don't use it, it's in a plastic bag in the fridge.

[andiesenji]

I had eggplant for dinner.

I don't use flour, I just slice it in large slabs, treat it with salt for 20-30 minutes, then rinse it well, pat dry.
I grill it in my Griddler, the grill plates brushed lightly with olive oil (doesn't have to be EVOO) till done, then sprinkle sparingly with grated cheese.
I finish it with chopped tomato and that's it.

I'm trying to lose a few pounds that sneaked up on me during the past few months so am using less of the sauces I like so well.

[Peter the eater]

Prepping dinner -- will be vegetarian.

May I ask, how many days a week do you make it veggie? Is this the easiest time of the year?

[SobaAddict70]

Prepping dinner -- will be vegetarian.

May I ask, how many days a week do you make it veggie? Is this the easiest time of the year?

It varies depending on (a) how I feel, (b) what's available at the market and (c ) time of year. Also if I've had a meat-heavy or meat-light day ... it matters what I eat beforehand.

Usually I'm 50/50 but there are weeks when it's more like 5 days out of 7 that it's vegetarian. Once in a very great while, I'll be completely vegan. I don't do that often because I find that if I go vegan, I'm ravenously hungry afterwards.

Late dinner tonight -- prepping soon in a little bit.

Summer (late May/early June) through early December is the easiest time for me to go completely or nearly vegetarian.

Edited by SobaAddict70, 29 August 2011 - 08:44 PM.

[SobaAddict70]

BTW, you'll almost never find me cooking with soy (i.e., tempeh, tofu and seitan).

I don't find dishes using those ingredients to be terribly interesting, outside of an Asian context. I'm also not a hardcore vegetarian. But most of all, it's because I want to write about and cook meals that people will find delicious and that also fit my focus on "seasonal and local". I just think that when you start talking about soy burgers, tofu skin mimicking roast duck skin, and deep-fried tempeh, it's difficult to make a square peg fit into a round hole.

Though I do love hiyayakko and agedashi-dofu. I just don't cook those very often.

[SobaAddict70]

"Sopa de Ajo"

It's a variation of sopa de ajo, this time with mussels from Long Island Sound, Italian broccoli, cauliflower and rice.

Basically proceed with your usual recipe for sopa de ajo, then add mussels that have been steamed in white wine and thyme, thinly sliced broccoli and cauliflower, and the mussel cooking liquid. Serve with a poached egg and cooked rice.

[ScottyBoy]

Enjoy you take on soy