TUNA & HUMMUS SANDWICH, THANKS TO INA GARTEN, THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA
This is my prediction. After reading this post you’ll open your cupboard doors or walk into your pantry, put your hands on your hips and take a mental inventory. Whether you’re into cooking or would rather not, it’s smart, if only for safety’s sake, to stock your pantry well. The question? Can you feed the two-legged/four-legged mouths in your home, for one week, from your pantry?
MY PANTRY, HOMEMADE INGREDIENTS THAT MAKE SIMPLE MEALS YOUR OWN by Alice Waters
Alice Waters, an American culinary icon and author of 12 books about food, recently published her 13th entitled “My Pantry, Homemade Ingredients That Make Simple Meals Your Own”. Being a Waters’ devotee, I ordered the book. When it arrived, I thumbed through the 135 pages but it was her Introduction that reminded me why I honor this woman.
MY PANTRY WAS UP TO THE TASK OF PROVIDING “COMING HOME PASTA” WHEN I RETURNED TO ASPEN AFTER AN 8-DAY TRIP.
“A familiar pantry,” she writes, “is like being surrounded by friends who won’t let you down. No matter how tired I am, at least I’ll be able to dream up something to cook — something delicious! — and right away, too.”
IT’S ALWAYS GREAT TO COME HOME AND THIS PASTA IS COMFORT FOOD AT ITS BEST.
It was her opening sentence, however, that threw down the gauntlet for this week’s post. “When I come back from a trip, one of the first things I need to do is walk into my kitchen and look around. A pantry is not just a shortcut to cooking something special in a hurry, it also encourages the best kind of impromptu cooking.”
BETSY’S AND MY FIRST STOP IN BOSTON WAS AT JFK’S PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY.
THIS IS A REPLICA OF THE CBS STUDIO WITH WALTER CRONKITE’S DESK AT WHICH HE ANNOUNCED THE VICTORY OF JFK AGAINST RICHARD NIXON IN THE 1960 ELECTION. THE RCA PROJECTION CAMERA IS TO THE LEFT.
Since I was leaving for an 8-day journey, I challenged myself to let my pantry create the meals for at least two days upon my return. So, while catching up on sleep (my usual 8:30pm lights-out routine would be severely interrupted), unpacking, returning calls and wading through a week’s mail, I’d survive on what was already in-house.
FDR’S PRESIDENTIA;L LIBRARY. OF THE 11 LIBRARIES I’VE VISITED THIS IS, IN MY OPINION, THE MOST WELL DONE AND MY FAVORITE.
SPRINGWOOD, THE LIFELONG HOME OF FDR. DIANE, ANOTHER FFWD COLLEAGUE, JOINED US FOR SATURDAY.
Fast forward to last Tuesday. Trip over. Early in the morning, my friend, Betsy, drove me to the Boston airport to catch my 4-hour flight to Denver. After arriving in the Mile-High city and retrieving my bags, I waved down a shuttle which dropped me by my parked car. I was Aspen-bound. Four hours later, cruising by Whole Foods and City Market in El Jebel, I wished I hadn’t read that damn book! By the time I reached Aspen and drove by the Hickory House (best ribs in town), I was silently cursing Alice Waters.
THIS IS THE BACKYARD OF VAL-KILL, ELEANOR ROOSEVELT’S LAST HOME WHERE THE HOT DOG SUMMIT OF 1939 BETWEEN FDR AND KING GEORGE V! OF ENGLAND TOOK PLACE. THOSE HOTDOGS WERE ROASTED ON THIS GRILL.
OCTOBER 11th WAS ELEANOR ROOSEVELT’S 131ST BIRTHDAY. WE PARTICIPATED IN A GRAVESIDE MEMORIAL CEREMONY AND THEN JOINED EVERYONE FOR A CELEBRATION AND BIRTHDAY CAKE.
Tired and hungry I decided to mimic Water’s menu. Coming Home Pasta: spaghetti tossed with a heap of sautéed garlic, dried chile flakes, a salted anchovy and handful of chopped parsley, ‘is what I always make for myself when returning from a trip,’ she writes.
SIX OF THE FRENCH FRIDAYS WITH DORIE GROUP DINING AT THE BOCUSE RESTAURANT AT THE CIA. Patty Stormer photo.
If this sounds familiar, Ina Garten’s version is called Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. I meshed the two recipes. It couldn’t have been easier, faster or more delicious. Most ingredients were in my pantry. I cut/refreshed parsley, in its last gasp but still growing on my balcony, grated an end chunk of Parmesan cheese and pulled half a whole-wheat baguette from the freezer. (Okay, the freezer thing, that was cheating.)
WE ALL WERE INVITED INTO THE KITCHEN FOR A TOUR (No, we didn’t ask!). THIS IS THE PROFESSOR CHEF AND OUR STUDENT WAITER.
My two-day challenge ends when I share this post with you. I didn’t starve. It was fun. I win. Oatmeal topped with dried dates or apricots. A hard-boiled egg. Popcorn, my fave snack. And, Ina’s Tuna & Hummus Sandwich. The leftover tuna mix was also fantastic with cheese, a grilled tuna melt.
BETSY AND I RETURNED ON THE NEXT DAY TO TOUR THE VERY BEAUTIFUL CIA CAMPUS.
While I may not make all Water’s suggested recipes myself, her book, packed with spice mixtures, sweet and savory preserves, grains, legumes and condiments, is loaded with ideas. Her All-Purpose Pickling Brine has my head spinning. (Stay tuned.) The Panforte recipe is doable. And, when I go shopping tomorrow to replenish my pantry, I’ll do it more skillfully.
BETSY TOOK ME TO AUTHORS RIDGE IN SLEEPY HOLLOW CEMETERY IN CONCORD, MASSACHUSETTS TO SEE THE GRAVESITES OF EMERSON, THOREAU, ALCOTT AND HAWTHORNE. I AM NOT EMBARRASSED TO SAY I WAS THRILLED. THIS IS EMERSON’S TOMBSTONE.
My recent journey to Boston and Hyde Park exceeded my expectations, thanks in part to the generosity of Betsy Pollack-Benjamin. Although Betsy and I had met only once, she’s been my virtual friend for years, having shared administrative duties on French Fridays with Dorie. When we finished cooking through Greenspan’s Around My French Table, our responsibilities ended but our friendship did not.
LOUISA M. ALCOTT GRAVESITE
THOREAU’S TOMBSTONE.
These photos are a brief glimpse of our trip’s highlights. The premier memory was our dinner at The Bocuse Restaurant in Hyde Park’s prestigious Culinary Institute of America. We were joined by other FFWD colleagues who lived nearby in New York and Pennsylvania. “Nearby” translates to Cher & Joe (4-hours RT); Diane (2-hours RT) and Tricia & Ro, who stayed overnight, (6-hours RT). This evening, six months in the planning, was second to none, without equal.
COMING HOME PASTA/SPAGHETTI AGLIO e OLIO adapted from Waters & Garten
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
Kosher salt
1/2 pound dried spaghetti, such as DeCecco
1/2 cup good olive oil
5 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 salted anchovy, chopped roughly
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 – 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
DIRECTIONS
.
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt and the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water before you drain the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a pot large enough to hold the pasta. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until it just begins to turn golden on the edges. Don’t overcook it! Add the red pepper flakes and chopped sardine and cook for 30 seconds more.
3.Carefully add the reserved pasta-cooking water to the garlic/oil and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by about a third.
4. Add the drained pasta to the garlic sauce and toss. Off the heat, add the parsley and Parmesan and toss well. Allow the pasta to rest off the heat for 5 minutes for the sauce to be absorbed. Taste for seasoning and serve warm with extra Parmesan on the side, if desired.
TUNA & HUMMUS SANDWICHES, minimally adapted from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa, How Easy is That?
INGREDIENTS
Makes 2 Sandwiches
5 ounces canned tuna packed in olive oil
1/4 cup minced celery
1 tablespoon minced yellow onion
1 tablespoon of capers, rinsed
1 tablespoon minced cornichons
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons good mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Rustic artisan bread or baguette, sliced 1/2 inch thick
Hummus, store-bought or homemade
DIRECTIONS:
1.Drain the oil from the tuna.. Place the tuna in a mixing bowl and flake it with a fork.
2. Add the celery, onion, cornichons, lemon juice, mayonnaise, the mustard, salt, and pepper and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop.
3. When ready to serve, toast the bread and spread each slice with a layer of hummus. Spread the tuna mixture on each piece of bread and garnish with minded parsley.
4. Serve immediately.
TIP: Although I had an unopened container of Classic Hummus in the fridge, you can also make your own. Garten includes a tasty hummus recipe in her cookbook and Waters has a Hummus with Preserved Lemons recipe in hers.
This summer, if it was Saturday, most likely I was patrolling Crater Lake Trail, the 1.8 mile rocky pathway to the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. This route is also a round-trip magnet for visitors to catch a breathtaking 360-degree view of the Rockies. On this popular trail alone, challenging for flat-landers, I encountered at least 2,000 hikers. Americans, for sure, but an amazing number of international visitors stopped by. My role? Keep them safe, answer questions and enhance their experience. In return, I expected them to enrich mine. To my mind, we all delivered.
The view while hiking up to Crater Lake on Crater Lake Trail. The Maroon Bells, September, 2015.
Aside from the billion-dollar view, the greatest thing about this trail…..no cell phone coverage. Thank you, Mother Nature. Mobiles are for photos (I snapped hundreds) and not yakking. Most impressive were 3-generational families with grandchildren coaxing along grandparents who could barely catch their breath but not wanting to disappoint. “Just slow and steady,” I’d whisper to my generation. “You can do it.” And, most often, they did.
CAPONATA, A SWEET-SOUR EGGPLANT MIXTURE AND A CLASSIC SICILIAN RECIPE. A KEEPER, FOR SURE.
My favorite visual was an adorable 3-year-old wearing a tiara and hiking, very slowly, hand-in-hand with her Daddy. I realized the Mom was hiking ahead with two older kids. Although he wore a child-carrier backpack he looked at me, laughing, “She wants to hike like her brother and sister!”
The scariest moment was encountering a 36-37-week mama-to-be. My last plea to her as she scampered up the trail, “Please, please don’t have that baby on my watch.”
Soon after, an older gentleman hiking behind caught up to me and said, “You know I’m an orthopedist and I haven’t delivered a baby since med school. But, if I had to, I could.”
A HOT SQUASH FOLDOVER IS A MEAL IN ONE AND A ONE-HANDED MEAL. DELICIOUS AND FILLING. LUNCH OR DINNER.
Summer 2015 is over. Birds are migrating, bears are hibernating and leaves are falling. My USFS uniforms are being dry cleaned, soon to go into their own hibernation. As you read this I am flying to Boston and then, Hyde Park, to visit two more presidential libraries. If you recall, in 2013 I re-ignited a research/writing project that went into mothballs when Michael was sick. I consider the 13 PL’s, managed by the National Archives and Records Administration and financed privately, the uncrowned jewels of American history.
I RE-HEATED THE CAPONATA TO ADD AS A TOPPING FOR GNOCCHI AND SERVED AS A SIDEDISH WITH INA’S LEMON CHICKEN. THIS IS NOT TRADITIONAL.
During this journey I will see my 10th and 11th library, those of JFK and FDR. What makes this trip special, the most anticipated, is the Kennedy visit. Although I’ve seen many of these presidents and heard them speak, my more personal connection to President Kennedy left a AHA lifelong impression on a young teenager. What’s left? Two of my favorite men, Presidents Ford and Carter, are still due a visit.
Sarah Goen Barret, President Kenndy with me. The very faded insciption says, To Mary Hutchison with ever good wish. Frankly, his signature is a scribble. Washington D.C. 1960
A bonus is to connect with former French Fridays with Dorie colleagues/spouses living nearby. Bostonians Betsy and Howard Pollack, http://aplatefulofhappiness.com/, will be my hosts for 3 days before Betsy and I drive to Hyde Park. We’ll spend the week-end with the Roosevelts as well as Cher, http://crazyworldofcher.blogspot.com/, Diane, www.simplelivingeating.com, Ro and Tricia, http://triciaandnanacookingwithdorie.blogspot.com/. Diane even nabbed a reservation at the Bocuse Restaurant at Hyde Park’s Culinary Institute of America.
All puffed up and nowhere to fly. Aspen is chilly. Winter is knocking at our door. Our Song Sparrows are trying to stay warm.
Before I left I knocked a classic Sicilian recipe out of the ballpark on three separate occasions. Granted, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is English, but his Caponata recipe in River Cottage Veg is full-flavored. Sweet. Sour. Crunchy. Softly textured. The mysterious ingredient is dark chocolate. Caponata is an sweet/sour eggplant mixture served cold or at the preferred, room temperature. It’s blasphemy but, heated up, with pasta or gnocchi, yum.
Need protein for breakfast. Plop some on scrambled eggs or an omelet. Put a dollop on toast. It’s way better than grape jelly. For lunch, spread on sandwiches or spoon over mozzarella. It’s an appetizer or side dish with fish and chicken. I served it with Ina Garten’s Lemon Chicken. With pasta, it’s dinner. It’s a make-ahead and will keep in the fridge for at least a week. A warning, you only need to try this recipe once to be hooked.
Huge log pyramids, piled up at The Gant, signify that Old Man Winter is moving in. All this wood will be stacked by hand on the 143 balconies in this complex.
Need a quick lunch or, for me, dinner. Try a Hot Squash Foldover. It’s unique, different, filling and quite delectable.
LEFTOVERS. DINNER.
CAPONATA by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, River Cottage Veg
INGREDIENTS
2 medium eggplants (about 1 pound), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 inner celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, chopped
Can of plum tomatoes (14 oz.), chopped, or use fresh.
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated dark chocolate
1/3 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
2 ounces pitted green olives, sliced
A good handful of flat-leaf parsley or mint, chopped, to finish
DIRECTIONS
1. Put the eggplant cubes into a large colander and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of salt. Toss together and let them sit for about half an hour.
2. While the eggplant is salting, heat just 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large saucepan over fairly low heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic and fry for about 10 minutes until tender and golden. Add the tomatoes with their juice and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Now add the balsamic vinegar, sugar, chocolate, golden raisins; capers and olives to the pan. Simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, then turn off the heat.
4. In a large frying pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. When hot, fry the eggplant cubes for about 5 – 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and tender. Tip them into the tomato mixture.
5. Return to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes, then remove from the heat, cover, and leave until completely cooled. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
6. You can serve the caponata right away or leave it in the fridge or a very cool place for a day or two to allow the flavors to deepen even further. Bring it to room temperature before serving. Sprinkle with plenty of chopped parsley or mint just before serving.
HOT SQUASH FOLDOVERS by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, River Cottage Veg
INGREDIENTS
1 pound or 16 oz. pkg. of squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into
bite-sized chunks
3 garlic cloves, bashed
1 tablespoon thyme
2 tablespoons canola or olive oil
4 soft flatbreads
A handful of arugula or other salad greens
1 small red onion, finely chopped (optional)
2 oz. hard goat cheese or cheddar, grated
Extra virgin olive oil, to trickle
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
1 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. If fresh, put the squash in a roasting tray with the garlic, thyme, oil and plenty of salt and pepper.Toss together well and roast for 50–60 minutes, stirring once, until soft and caramelized. (If you use packaged squash, add the seasonings and cook according to the directions.
3. Lay one flatbread on a board. Place a few greens in the center, then spoon on one quarter of the hot squash. Sprinkle over a quarter each of the onion and cheese. Season with salt and pepper and finish with a trickle of extra virgin olive oil.
4. Fold or roll the flatbread tightly, enclosing the filling. Repeat with all the flatbreads. Leave the foldovers for a minute or two before eating, so the cheese starts to melt.
TIP: You can do the same thing with all sorts of other roasted veg, including roast potatoes or eggplant. A hot roasted beet foldover, with some sour cream is also quite delicious.
Cottage Cooking Club, is an on-line group cooking through Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage Veg and managed skillfully by our inspiring leader Andrea from The Kitchen Lioness.
The most often asked question about my Blog is, “With all the food you make, how do you stay so thin, not gain weight?” Now, Readers, when I think about Me, I certainly don’t think thin. In Aspen, where body image is everything, I’m a heavyweight.
YOGURT PARFAIT
The truth is I’ve always waged a bulge battle. As a kid I was chubby and remained about 15 to 20 pounds overweight my entire life. My nickname in junior high was Tank. Not a confidence builder. What I weighed eroded my ego and overshadowed the good things in life. Always. I applaud and envy women who are comfortable in their own skin, content with themselves. Unfortunately, I couldn’t pull that off.
“NOBODY EVER MENTIONED I’D HAVE TO FIND MY OWN FOOD.” This juvenile Great Blue Heron, who flew into this lake, obviously was hungry, unsure of himself. We watched him 30 minutes and he never came close to nabbing anything.
It was not until Michael’s sickness that I lost those unwanted 20. My doctor had cautioned me to rein in my stress, done only by exercise. Since our Henderson housing complex had a gym, most mornings, at 5am, I was in Spinning class or exercising. Every evening I would charge around our 3-mile loop with my best friend. While this didn’t keep stress at bay, it was conducive to weight loss.
ROASTED TORTILLAS AND AVOCADO MASH
Quesadilla & Wrap
To my mind it’s because of my food blog rather than in spite of it that I haven’t regained those pounds. My pantry is loaded, my freezer is full and my cupboards, never bare. For me, it’s about choices, changing it up and menu variety. This week’s recipes, Yogurt Parfaits, a Weekend Apple Pancake and Mashed Avocado Tortillas are an example of that. Nothing earthshaking here but just reminders of what’s easy and possible.
This gorgeous Question Mark butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis) is eating sap from the “sap well” that was drilled by a sapsucker. Ajax Trail, Aspen Mountain
A recent Harvard study suggests that we front-load our eating to the early part of the day, taking in most of our calories before the sun goes down. It’s ludicrous to believe that culturally we could make that shift. However, that’s how I manage my day. Because I live alone and organize my own schedule, I can.
Cook the Weekend Apple Pancake until the filling is set firmly.
Just so you don’t think I’ve gone all sanctimonious on you, here’s my fail. I was determined to lose 5 pounds this Summer. My goal. Summer ended today. Didn’t lose an ounce!
Despite that, having food on hand to make quickly is the secret. My simplistic recipes and their adaptability represent just that.
“TWINS. TWINS. MY OB SAID NOTHING ABOUT TWINS.”
Starved? Famished? Need a quick breakfast, lunch, snack or dinner?
TORTILLA with AVOCADO MASH a favorite of Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton, The Canal House
1. Pull out a whole-wheat tortilla and toast, heat or roast it.
2. Choose a filling. Make a wrap or quesadilla. You can’t do better than mashed avocado with lime juice and coarse salt. I even made a tasty wrap from last week’s leftover Roasted Butternut Squash Salad mixture.
Eggs, meat, legumes or veggies pulled together with spices, salt and pepper, make delicious mixtures.
If you always keep a carton of rich, creamy Greek yogurt (WITH the fat) in your fridge, magic can happen. Try Jody Williams’ roasted nuts/honey/yogurt concoction for breakfast or a snack. For a change of pace use fruit (canned or fresh), coconut, granola or syrup as a topping. Because the roasted nuts/honey mixture will keep for weeks toss it on ice cream, pound cake or, even better, cheese.
YOGURT PARFAITS by Jody Williams, Buvette
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup nuts (I used pine nuts, pistachios, almonds and walnuts.)
1/3 cup honey
Pinch of coarse salt
2 Cups (16 ounces) plain Greek Yogurt
DIRECTIONS:
1. Stir together the nuts, honey and salt.
2. Layer the nut-honey mixture with a yogurt mixture, using 1 inch of yogurt to 1/2 inch of the nut-honey mixture.
TIP: This is rich so two layers of each with a dash of nuts on the top is enough. Use wide-mouthed containers, jam jars or brandy snifters, for example.
The Weekend Apple Pancake, always love this. Who can resist its dramatic puff or lament the quick fall.
WEEKEND APPLE PANCAKE adapted from Faith Durand,The Kitchn
INGREDIENTS:
3 apples, use different kinds like Granny Smith, Fugi and Gala
4 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
6 TBS unsalted butter
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 large eggs
Powdered or cinnamon sugar, to serve
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat the oven to 400°F.
2. Peel, core, and quarter the apples. Cut them into medium slices (1/4-inch thick or less). Cut the slices in halves or thirds. You should have about 3 cups of chopped apples.
3.In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of sugar with the cinnamon and ginger and set aside.
4. Cut the butter into chunks and place them in a 10” deep cast iron skillet or 8×8-inch baking dish. Put the skillet or baking dish in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the butter is melted. Take the pan out of the oven and sprinkle the 1/3 cup brown sugar over the melted butter. Carefully spread the apples on top of the brown sugar and sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the apples. Put the pan back in the oven to caramelize the apples and sugar.
5. Whisk the flour with the remaining tablespoon of sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly with a large wire whisk to beat out any lumps. When the flour is smoothly incorporated into the milk, beat in the vanilla and the eggs, one by one. Beat by hand for 2 minutes, or until foamy. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes. By now the sugar should be bubbling around the apples.
6. Take the pan out of the oven and pour the batter over the apples. Bake for about 30 to 40 more minutes, or until center is set and sides are lightly browned. The pancake will puff up dramatically but fall after a few minutes after you take it out of the oven.
If you want, serve with powdered sugar or more cinnamon sugar but it is not necessary.
The Japanese word, Tokimeku, means joy. I’m 100% fully committed to joy. Raise your hand if you’re for joy. Good show. Let’s move on. This week my life’s been about finding magic. Japanese author Marie Kondo has sold over 3 million copies of her book claiming that one’s life improves dramatically, the joy thing, just by tidying up. Her bestseller is entitled “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.”
ISRAELI COUSCOUS & ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SALAD
Constrained by my depleted book-buying budget, I resisted. What could this decluttering manual teach me? We’d moved from a 4500 sq. ft. home (Iowa) to 3400’ (Colorado) to 2000’ (Nevada) to the 940 sq. ft. condo where I now reside. I consider my tidying up credentials unchallengeable. Still, had 3 million readers already gleaned a nugget I hadn’t learned? I stopped by our library only to find 133 others patrons had placed Kondo’s book on reserve. I bought the book.
Her KonMari Method, massive de-cluttering, has its allure. Having always Leaned In to order, organization and having my ducks in a row, I was still able to add tidying tools to my bucket. (For you, I’ve made a List.) First, however, I must share what I’ve made in my tidied up kitchen this week.
Poster by Sun Gazing
Besides cookbooks, I often turn to food bloggers for inspiration and ideas. I needed a salad for our church pot luck so I asked Chris at The Cafe Sucre & Farine for suggestions. Chris, who creates amazing salads, suggested Israeli Couscous (Pearl Pasta) and Roasted Butternut Squash Salad. Perfect. Although we received 4 inches of snow in the mountains this week, I’m still thinking Autumn. Every Fall I bake a seasonal go-to bundt cake…over and over again. I linked to Liz Berg’s This Skinny Chick Can Bake blog and spotted an Apple Ginger Bundt Cake. Mmmm
ALTHOUGH WE HAD 4 INCHES OF SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS THIS WEEK, I AM STILL HOLDING ONTO AUTUMN.
I’m a squash nut – soup, salads, side dishes. This pretty salad’s ideal, hot (dinner), room temperature (lunch), or cold, (leftovers). It comes together easily. Think progression party. Yum for Liz’s Apple Ginger Bundt Cake which pushes all the right taste buds. Buttermilk not only keeps this cake moist and tender, it also adds little fat. The flavor punch comes from apple and crystalized ginger with streusel providing the razzle-dazzle. Both recipes are below.
ALTHOUGH THIS DELICIOUS CAKE NEEDS NO EMBELLISHMENT, I ADDED CRÈME FRAÎCHE.
While cooking, I de-cluttered my kitchen. Although Kondo suggests we go cold turkey, ‘organizing your space thoroughly, completely, in one go,’ I went rogue. My Lifestyle and ‘in one go’ aren’t compatible. She suggests we talk to our belongings! Yes, a conversation. Readers: be alert to the possibility of her 3 million readers jabbering to their possessions. For example, “This is the routine I follow every day when I return from work,” she says. “First, I unlock the door and announce to my house, “I’m home!” Picking up the pair of shoes left out in the entranceway, I say, ‘Thank you for your hard work,’ and put them away.”
ANOTHER KITCHEN PURGE. WHO NEEDS 4 ICE CREAM SCOOPS, THREE CHEESE GRATERS, 2 CAN OPENERS OR 2 VEGGIE PEELERS?
While this seems odd to me, maintaining a running conversation with your home’s objects, I’m not tossing the idea. After all, she’s the best-selling author. I’m not. That’s why I immediately began a relationship with my hiking boots. Pulling on my boots this week, I whispered, “We’re going hiking. Please keep me safe.” After hauling myself up and down the mountain, I acknowledged my boots,“Thank you for your hard work.”
Last night, after a full-day class on Elk and Big Horn Sheep, we were rewarded when 4 Bulls and 50+ Cows and Calves came down into a nearby meadow to romp. LOVE is in the AIR . This Bull kept close watch on his herd.
A SURREAL, EARLY EVENING VIEW OF SOME OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK HERD’S COWS AND CALVES.
I draw the line with the boots, however, strange but weirdly comforting. Two years ago, by necessity rather than choice, I let go of most of my belongings. It still astounds me how easily I rebounded from that purging. Kondo’s book may be bizarre in its approach but she’s obviously inspired a growing less is more obsession. If you are into Life-Changing Magic (and, why not), here are my takeaways:
1. De-clutter Alone. Friends and family muddle-up the magic.
2. Tidy by Category, not room. Start with simple stuff, books, clothes, dishes and kitchen equipment, before tackling papers and sentimental tugs.
3. Vertical Storage. While I’ll utilize the efficient KonMari folding method when storing clothes, I’m ambivalent about going totally vertical. Kondo stores her carrots by standing them in the drink holders of her refrigerator’s door. Seriously?
4. Shoeboxes. Shoeboxes. Shoeboxes.
5. Isabella Beeton, Book of Household Management, 1861, wrote there ‘is a place for everything and everything in its place’. Today Kondo’s made it her gold-plated tidy mantra.
6. Here are Chrissy Halton’s “101 Items to Get Rid of Without Regret,” this week’s Life-Changing Magic Assignment.
⅓ packed cup brown sugar
¾ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
¼ cup cold, unsalted butter
⅓ cup finely chopped walnuts
Cake:
10-1/4 oz. (2-1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
½ tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
6 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
½ cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 large eggs, room temperature
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
1 medium Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apple, cored and chopped coarsely
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 10-cup bundt pan and set aside.
2. For the streusel, blend the brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, flour, and butter with your fingers or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles large breadcrumbs. Mix in the walnuts and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. For the cake, sift together the flour, ground ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the crystallized ginger and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
4. Gradually add the sugars, continuing to beat until very light. Add the vanilla and then the eggs one at a time, beating each one in well before adding the next. Alternately stir in the flour and the buttermilk, until the batter is just mixed. Don’t over beat or your cake will be tough. Gently stir in the chopped apple.
5. Pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with a third of the streusel. Pour in the remaining batter and top with the remaining streusel. (The streusel will sink a little during baking to make a swirl.)
6. Bake until the top of the cake is firm (a skewer inserted in the center should come out clean), about 40 to 45 min. Cool for 15 min. in the pan on a wire rack. Invert the cake onto a serving platter, dust with confectioners’ sugar, and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
ISRAELI COUSCOUS AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH SALAD, Thanks to Chris Scheuer, The Cafe Sucre & Farine
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups peeled, diced butternut squash, ½-inch dice (about ½ of a medium size squash)
1 ½ TBS extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups spinach tough (Chris suggests using kale with tough stems removed)
4 cups chicken broth
8 ounces Israeli couscous (pearl pasta), 1 1/2 cups
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
2 TBS finely chopped fresh sage
1½ TBS sherry vinegar
½ tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ cups tiny frozen peas, thawed
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Combine the squash and the olive oil on a sheet pan and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 10 minutes then remove from oven and stir. Roast for another 8-10 minutes or until tender. Set aside.
3. Place sliced spinach (or, kale) in a large bowl and set aside.
4. While the squash is roasting, bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium size pot. Add pearl pasta, return to a boil then reduce to a steady simmer. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Drain pasta and immediately transfer to the bowl with the spinach. Stir gently for a minute to combine. Cover bowl with plastic wrap for 2-3 minutes until spinach begins to wilt.
5. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat in a small sauté pan. Add shallots and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Then add sage and cook for 30 seconds longer. Add sherry vinegar and stir to combine. Add ½ teaspoon salt and a generous ground of fresh, black pepper. Transfer shallot mixture to the bowl with the pasta. Stir gently.
6. Add peas and butternut squash and stir just to mix.
How do I adequately explain this week’s menu choices, Croque-Forestier and homemade Rosemary Potato Chips. That was more of a dilemma than turning Russet potatoes into crisps all gussied up with rosemary and flaky salt. Pete Wells, The New York Times food columnist, threw the appropriate descriptive words in my lap yesterday morning. In touting a recipe he wrote, “it’s such a festival of textures and tastes, it makes you grateful to have working teeth and a tongue in your mouth.”
ROSEMARY POTATO CHIPS…”you can’t have just one.”
Why should I search for words when he nails it?
Linda first put together Marie-Hélène’s Apple Cake which, came out beautifully.
Real chefs have sous-chefs. This week I was a real chef. Linda Stein and her husband, David, who are Floridians, bought a home here in the late Eighties when Michael and I moved to Aspen. I’ve known this woman twenty-five years and while she can, she doesn’t. Cook. That’s why it surprised me she wanted to learn to bake the highly-touted Marie-Hélène’s Apple Cake, my Dorie favorite. When I suggested she also help with this week’s recipes, she was All In. (Full Disclosure: She had no clue it would be my first-ever frying adventure.)
Ending my four-year Around My French Table adventure was a bit-of-a-heart tug. But, we cooked the book which was the goal. Erasing the accustomed French from my Fridays? Not so simple. To lick my wounds I turned to a bookcase stuffed with cookbooks I’ve never cracked. Buvette, The Pleasure of Good Food, by Jody Williams had caught my eye since receiving it (a year ago). Williams is a protégé of Italian phenom Mario Batali, who writes in her Foreword that Buvette ‘captures Jody’s pure unadulterated genius.”
Linda brought me an apron entitled Plateau Royale, translated, a fancy seafood platter. As you see, the seafood is Bling which, incidentally, she thinks I need! Too nice for cooking but fun to show off.
Every recipe I’ve made from Buvette takes a whimsical detour from the tried-and-true. While most of you are familiar with the classic Croque-Monsieur or Croque-Madame, the Forestier is less well-known. Whether vegetarian or not, this Croque, meaning to crunch in French, can march in sync with all comers. To change the Monsieur into a Forestier, simply exchange ham for a mixture of mushrooms roasted in olive oil, salt, sage and rosemary. Yum. The recipe is at the end of my Post.
The Croque Forestiers, ready for the oven.
Who really has the time to make homemade potato chips anyway?
Slice. Soak. Dry. Fry. Pringle has nothing on these chips.
After making Buvette’s homemade Rosemary Potato Chips, I may never buy another bag. Homemade chips are, I promise you, élégant and simple to create. If you have 2 Russet potatoes and canola oil, you’re in business. Of course, I’ve never before fried anything in 3” of oil which worried Linda a lot. My kitchen is tiny. When I tossed those first potato disks into the 350-degreeF oil, I noticed Linda, All of Her, was splayed against my kitchen wall. I admit to some splashes and splatters but no serious burns.
Yes, it is. Absolutely delicious.
In closing I must acknowledge this date, September 11. It will forever be a heavy-hearted day for Americans and the world. That’s why I tried to make this week’s Post light-hearted by saluting America with a dressed-up grilled cheese sandwich and a favorite (junk food) snack. God Bless America and blessing to everyone in the world who mourn loved ones lost on 9/11/01.
If you dare to try, you’ll love these recipes.
CROQUE – FORESTIER by Jody Williams, BUVETTE, the pleasure of good food
Makes 4 Sandwiches
Ingredients:
Béchamel Sauce (makes 3/4 cup)
1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 c whole milk
Coarse salt
Mushroom Mix
10-12 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp rosemary, minced
1/2 tsp sage, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Sandwich Ingredients
2 Tbsp whole grain mustard (note: I used 1 Tbsp)
8 slices rustic, artisan bread, 1/2 to 3/4” wide
1 c coarsely grated Gruyère cheese
1 tsp Herbes de Provence
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Make the mushroom mixture. Pour olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add mushrooms with rosemary and sage. Cook until mushrooms are browned, about 5-6 min, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Next, prepare the béchamel sauce. Combine the butter, flour and nutmeg in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until barely browned, about 2-3 min. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and begins to pull away from the edges on the pan, 3-4 min. The mixture should be the consistency of thick pudding and stick to the spoon. Season with a pinch of salt and set aside.
4. Stir the mustard into the béchamel sauce and, dividing evenly, spread béchamel on one side of each slice of bread, making sure to spread the béchamel from corner to corner on each slice. Place the bread on the prepared baking sheet. Top 4 of the slices with mushrooms and some grated cheese. Put the remaining béchamel-coated bread slices, béchamel side up, on top of the mushroom/cheese mix. Top sandwiches with remaining cheese and sprinkle with Herbes de Provence. Bake sandwiches until cheese is melted and tops are starting to crisp, about 10 min. If you want the top to be more crispy brown, put under the broiler for 1 or 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
MY TIPS:
1. Gruyère cheese is a prefect melting cheese and acknowledged, with its distinctive flavoring, as ideal for baking. If you must, substitute with Comté or Beaufort.
2. Great for entertaining as a nibble, lunch, or casual supper, you can assemble a tray of croques early, refrigerate and when needed, slide into the oven.
3. Just adding chips, whether homemade or not, and cornichons makes a meal.
4. For Croque-Monsieur, exchange the mushroom mixture with ham. For Croque-Madame, place a fried egg on either version.
ROSEMARY POTATO CHIPS by by Jody Williams, BUVETTE, the pleasure of good food
Serves four
INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon very finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 Russet potatoes, peeled
Oil, for frying (corn, peanut, vegetable, canola, or grapeseed oil all work well)
DIRECTIONS
1.In a small bowl, stir together the rosemary and the salt and set aside.
2. Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, carefully slice the potatoes into thin rounds no more than 1/8 inch thick. Place the sliced potatoes into a bowl of cold water and let them sit for at least 20 minutes or refrigerated overnight to release some of their starch.
Drain the potatoes and dry thoroughly on paper towels.
3. Pour enough oil into a large, heavy pot so that you have at least 2 to 3 inches of oil, but make sure the oil does not fill the pot more than halfway. Set the pot over high heat and let it heat until the oil reaches 350°F on a candy thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer, place 1 slice of potato into the oil and when bubbles form around it and it is really sizzling, you will know that your oil is hot enough for frying.
4. Carefully add a few handfuls of your dry potatoes to the oil, being careful not to crowd the pot. Fry the chips, stirring occasionally with a wooden or slotted spoon, until the potatoes are lightly browned and crisp, about 3 minutes, 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the potatoes to a paper towel–lined plate to drain while you continue frying the potato slices in batches. Once all of the chips are fried, sprinkle them with the rosemary salt mixture and serve immediately.
My Tips:
1. I used a OXO mandoline to slice the potatoes into 1/8” discs, the perfect size.
2. It is essential to soak the starch from the potato slices for at least 20 minutes or overnight, refrigerated. It is also essential to DRY THEM THOROUGHLY with a paper towel before frying. Although this was probably not what she’d envisioned, this was Linda’s task. (Thank you, Linda.)
3. Two Russet potatoes make about 100 chips. It was plenty for us to sample and to share with The Gant’s front office staff.
Let’s talk FRIENDSHIP. Yours. Theirs. Mine. Ours. It’s September. Time to do that.
THE ONLY STOP DURING THE TRIP BACK TO ASPEN WAS FOR FRANNIE TO PERUSE THE MOOSE RACK SELECTION FOR OUR NATURALIST EXHIBITS.
Last week-end my nature-loving colleagues and I spent three days in Rocky Mountain National Park taking field workshops. For me, it was a rigorous three days. By 5:30pm on Friday night, when we were ready to make the 185-mile trip back to Aspen, I was pooped. There was no drive left in me, either for up another mountain or behind the wheel. Having anticipated this, Francine and Carol climbed in the front seat of my car while I folded my wings, crawling in the back.
Four hours later as we crossed the line into Pitkin County, Francine said, “You know, Mary, we love you. We all love you.”
Not to be outdone, Carol chimed in, “You have a great support system here, Mary. Everyone loves you. They do.”
CORNBREAD WITH CARAMELIZED APPLES, ONIONS & THYME
There was more of this chatter, I responded with gratefulness, dropped my friends off and finally drove into The Gant around 10pm. After unpacking, bathing and checking for ticks (a hazard in the High Country), I fell into bed at Midnight, four hours past my norm. But not before thinking about those remarks. What brought that on, I’ll never know. I was weary, yes, but euphoric about a perfect trip. I wasn’t feeling needy, lonely, or abandoned. No propping up necessary. Shall we simply chalk it up to Friendship?
SINCE RETURNING TO ASPEN OUR SILVERKING DRIVE NEIGHBOR, BLANCA O’LEARY (middle), HAS ALWAYS INCLUDED ME IN NEIGHBORHOOD FUNCTIONS & HOLIDAYS. SHE NEVER FORGETS ME. HERE WE’RE CELEBRATING VAIL’S LITERACY PROJECT’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY AT A LOVELY LUNCHEON HOSTED BY OUR VAIL FRIEND, JANE LOWERY.
As we all celebrate the long Labor Day week-end why not open the window wider to this opportunity to value our friends more. Let’s be better, try harder and remind them they’re appreciated. Although Frannie and Carol have now probably forgotten those remarks, I have not. Besides wishing you Happy Labor Day Week-end with the following cast iron menu, I’m sharing snapshots of my local supporters who have enriched my 2015 summer. Hopefully these photos will encourage you to acknowledge your own.
CAULIFLOWER PARMESAN, OVEN READY
Some women in the following photo have been friends since 1988. This is the only time I was with this gang all summer!?! And, that took 40 e-mails, determination and a surprise 60th birthday party to make happen. Some gals work and many, like me, are dedicated volunteers for this and that. The activities we did together ten years ago, Saturday biking adventures and Sunday hikes up Aspen Mountain, I’m no longer strong enough to do. However, after obviously too much vino, I agreed to a winter bike training program put together by Californian Terry Durham, far right, to bring me up to speed by Summer 2016. I’ll gear up if they’ll slow down.
LONGTIME ASPEN FRIENDS. LET S NOT COUNT THE YEARS.
Since It only takes one small spark, there’s no balcony grilling allowed at The Gant. For whatever reason, cast iron cooking makes me feel all outdoorsy. What I know for sure is my three cast iron skillets conduct heat superbly, can travel from stovetop to oven without talking back and will last my lifetime. I’ve linked to recipes and include John’s at the end of this post.
DAY-IN AND DAY-OUT MY FOREST CONSERVANCY FRIENDS (AND, SMOKEY) PROVIDE ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT.
SOMETIMES WE VOLUNTEER RANGERS EVEN GO ALL-FANCY!
MY MEAL:
1. Cornbread with caramelized apples, onions and thyme,Bon Appétit magazine. I’ve made this cornbread before but never posted the menu.
2.Cherry-Almond Clafoutisby David Tanis, A Platter of Figs and Other Recipes. Although I chose David’s, your favorite clafoutis recipe works also. Or, click on links of Dorie’s or Julia’s for their delicious recipes.
3.Cauliflower Parmesan by Melissa Clark, The New York Times. Three words: To Die For.
4.Filet Mignon by John Lester. John, who blogs with his wife, Susan, on Create Amazing Meals, grills this amazing, no-fail filet mignon INDOORS. The recipe is at the end of my Post.
GOD BLESS CAROL KURT? MY IOWA FRIEND, MARY BERGLUND, SENT ME INFO ON SNORKELING GEAR. I ORDERED IT AND IT ARRIVED LAST WEEK. AS PROMISED CAROL STARTED MY LESSONS AT THE GANT POOL. I NOW CAN PUT MY HEAD IN THE WATER AND BREATHE CORRECTLY. NOT TOO WILLING TO VENTURE INTO THE DEEP END YET ( 6 FEET). SOON. GALAPAGOS, HERE I COME. AND, YES, THE KIDS HERE AT THE GANT ARE LOVING THIS. MY OWN CHEERLEADING SECTION.
I would be remiss if I didn’t honor the friendship of you supporters of my blog. Whether you visit my posts for recipes, stories or just to see the photos, I’m just thrilled you’re here. Thank you.
Cherry-Almond Clafoutis
I hope you are relentless in your enjoyment of this weekend. It’s a good one and we’re lucky to be breathing in it. Joy the Baker adaption
HERE’S THE BEEF.
FILET MIGNON by John Lester, Create Amazing Meals, Susan & John Lester
INGREDIENTS:
• 2 8-ounce Filets
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• Vegetable Oil
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Remove steaks from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking and sprinkle with salt & pepper on both sides.
2. Coat the inside of a cast iron skillet with vegetable oil.
3. Place pan on the stove over medium-high heat.
4. When oil begins to smoke, sear steaks on both sides, about 3 minutes a side.
5. Place a baking rack over a sheet of foil and place steaks on the rack.
6. Allow to rest at room temperature for ½ hour.
7. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
8. Place steaks back in cast iron skillet.
9. Place skillet in oven for 5 – 12 minutes, depending upon the thickness of the steak and the way you like them.
10. Remove pan from oven and allow steaks to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
