Clotted cream, or Devonshire Cream, is an all time favorite in this household. Forget a simple scone (and tea time for that matter), we’ll smear it onto cinnamon raisin toast, a hearty whole wheat soda bread, and just about any cracker-like formation at any time of the day. The biggest problem I have finding it, even in New York City, is that the good stuff (ie that imported from Devon, England) is hard to come by and fairly expensive for a mere 1-6 ounces. While high quality heavy cream isn’t that much cheaper, the taste of this homemade version is world’s better than any clotted cream I have been able to get my hands on State-side.

Clotted cream is similar to butter in that the fat content of the cream clots (hence clotted cream), but varies in that it is heated low and slow for several hours to bring the clots to the surface, rather than butter, which is agitated to form clots. The result is a slightly sweet and luxuriously smooth butter-like cream substance, or simply, clotted cream. It remains creamy when cold, though will still melt when smeared onto warm toast.
This super rich version is made with heavy cream from jersey cows (the cow breed, not the state). Many believe the higher the fat content of the cream you start with, the better your results. Do not attempt to make this with low-fat or ultra-pasteurized creams (remember: you need fat for this product!). Although a good quality organic full fat heavy cream (or whipping cream) will do, pasture-fed cows will produce the best quality clotted cream with a taste that will change with the seasons.

Brits will tell you clotted cream is best on scones at high tea, but I recommend you try it whenever the mood fits.

NOTE: Don’t let the long cook time throw you from making this recipe. It’s all undisturbed low-heat cooking followed by a night in the fridge.

Clotted Cream
Makes about 1.5 cups. Active time= about 10 minutes. Inactive time= 10 hours plus overnight.
2 cups heavy cream (raw cream or a good quality full-fat organic)

1) Preheat oven to 180 F. (This might just be a setting called “warm.”)
2) Place heavy cream in a heavy bottom ceramic, cast iron or enamel pot, about 8 inches by 13 inches. (You want to keep the cream shallow, but not so shallow it burns, 1-3 inches up the side is good.) Cover the pot and place in the center rack of the oven. Leave undisturbed 8-10 hours, until a dark yellow crust has formed on top of the cream.
3) Uncover and allow the cream to cool. Recover and place in the refrigerator overnight.
4) Using a spatula, pull the clotted cream from the dish and transfer to a storage container. Use leftover cream in baking applications. Use clotted cream in 4-5 days.

There are few things that remind me of the marvelous gifts of winter. Simply that a little bivalve can bring so much happiness. Or best yet, something that can make me believe I am sitting in front of my very own fireplace, in a cozy cabin, on a precipice overlooking a spraying bay. A bowl of chowder accomplishes all these things and more.

Clam chowder. Not that poor excuse of a chowder– the thin Manhattan tomato-based variety. Thick and creamy New England style, loaded with clams and root vegetables. The bounty of winter in a single bowl.

Clam chowder is a soup that makes me feel like a fisherman. Each time I finish a bowl it’s with an affirmative “arrrr, maty, t’was mighty fine gruel.” I smack the lingering ocean brine from my lips as I sadly realize no parrot sits on my shoulder, and I am simply in my New York City apartment (perhaps I believe I am a pirate?).

Oh you wicked tease clam chowder.

The best chowder I ever ate was along the New Jersey coast. I’m sure the late fall frigid temperatures played a part in its greatness. Or maybe because it was the only eating destination open. Possibly it was the giant yellow whale engraved against the blue hut that sold it. But there were four of us in total, taking a cold road trip to the shore for some R&R on the abandoned coast. That was good chowder.

The above chowder might be just as good. It smells of warm cream and ocean water and sticks to the bones just right on these wintry afternoons. It is not as heavy as other clam chowders you find. To thicken the broth and add some extra flavor, I added a puree of roasted root vegetables along with a scant 2 pints of heavy cream (2 pints is scant when you make a 20-quart pot of chowder). I also used a combination of smaller littleneck clams and larger cherrystones that were removed from their shells and chopped into the soup. I’ve adapted the recipe below to a simpler cherrystone-only version. Additionally, I had leftover lobster stock (frozen from mine and D’s Valentine’s lobster feast) that I used as stock. Any fish stock or a bottle of clam juice will work equally well.

New England Clam Chowder
Serving size= 6-8. Active time= 20 minutes. Inactive time= 30 minutes.
1 dozen cherrystone clams
2 strips bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb assorted root vegetables (potatoes, rutabaga, parsnips, carrots, turnips all work well), cut into 1 inch pieces
1 sprig thyme
2 8-ounce bottles clam juice (or a fish stock, 8 cups total)
2 cups water
1 pint heavy cream

1) Soak clams in lightly salted water for 30-60 minutes. This helps them spit out trapped sand from their shells.
2) In a 6-quart pot, bring 2 cups of lightly salted water to a boil. Add clams and cover, cook 2 minutes. Stir, cover and cook 2-3 minutes more, until all clams have opened up. Set clams aside and toss any clams that do not open. Strain the cooking liquid and set aside.
3) In the same pot (now without liquid), fry chopped bacon on medium-high heat until crisp. Remove from pot and set aside. Do not drain fat. Add chopped onion, saute 3 minutes. Add garlic, saute 1 minute more. Add chopped root vegetables, thyme sprig, bottled clam juice, retained clam juice cooking liquid and water. Cover, bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, until root vegetables are soft.
4) While warming, remove clams from shells and chop roughly.
5) Once vegetables are soft, add heavy cream and stir to incorporate. Just before serving, stir in clams and bacon, season with salt and pepper and serve.

In the past few years we have seen a major push in cupcake appreciation. What was once a treat reserved for your school year birthday celebrations has turned into one hot commodity. In New York City you can hardly walk down the street without these memories of school years long past smacking you in the face, asking to be bought. These days, whether you pile them high with frosting or provide a sheer glaze, everyone loves a cupcake.

Is it our individualistic society and the fact that cupcakes are truly one’s private cake? Is it the unique possibilities (that are really so endlessly easy) with each cupcake? Is it because they remind us of our childhood? Or that eating one cupcake seems much more special than eating a slice of cake?

I love cupcakes because I can make a bunch and give them to a number of people with each one thinking the creation was solely for them. They are also easier to grab when you need your sugar fix. And really, they are more fun to eat than any dessert I can think of.

See my recent article in the Queens Chronicle, Romantic Recipes, for some cupcake ideas for your sweetheart. Included are three cupcake recipes I adapted from standards. Each recipe is delicious (just ask D who helped wolf them down in no time) and each fulfills a different kind of love.

For a hot, exotic romance, the Dark Chocolate Ancho Chili cupcake with Vanilla Buttercream frosting (pictured at top) is perfect. The dark chocolate cupcake is flavorful and moist and the ancho is an unexpected kick.

For the traditionalist in your life try the Chocolate cupcake with Champagne frosting (pictured middle). The cake is just slightly sweet allowing the champagne to really pop.

At bottom is the cupcake for your Queen (or King) bee. The Lemon-Vanilla cupcake with Honey frosting will set the stinger on love in no time flat.

For the classic recipe for Red Velvet cupcakes see my old post.

Follow this link to the recipes at the Queens Chronicle.

Also, check out my article last year on Aphrodisiacs for the holiday!

Here again, is that lovely beet gnocchi. Its magenta hue is so stunning that in any application, it creates a dish worth discussing. This dish looks like all the care in the world went into making it, but it is really, well, it’s as simple as making gnocchi (which really is too simple for something so delicious). When I mention it, peoples’ eyes light up, Oh, really?! Will you bring some over?

Sorry to say, it has all deliciously departed. We had the gnocchi as shown above, with a simple grating of Parmesan and cardamom, and tossed gently with olive oil, salt and pepper. I can also imagine tossing these in an olive tapenade, an herbed pesto, or with a medley of colorful summer squash.

The beet brings out a wonderful earthiness in the dish that really deserves highlighting. Of all the dishes, this was my favorite. The mushrooms, cooked down in rosemary, added a great forest bramble quality to the dish. The goat cheese added a grassy compliment. Together, this dish was like the marriage of forest and pastoral life.

The sauce can easily be replicated for any pasta dish, but I think really, a colored pasta will highlight it best– which is great because there are many on the market. (Although you will be hard pressed to find any as fabulously pink as the beet.)

Beet Gnocchi with Goat Cheese Mushroom Sauce
Serving size= 4 persons. Active time=8 minutes. Cook time= 20 minutes.
1 medium sized white onion
5-6 cloves garlic
1 quart button mushrooms (mixture, or favorite work too)
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
4 ounces goat cheese
1 pint heavy cream
4 servings beet gnocchi or pasta1) Put salted water on high heat and bring to a boil. While warming, in a large skillet set over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil.
2) Add onion and saute 3 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms, saute 10 minutes, until mushrooms brown, release liquid and reduce slightly. Add rosemary and a pinch of salt, allow flavors to emerge.
3) Cook pasta. Gnocchi just takes a few minutes and is ready when it begins to float on the surface.
4) Add goat cheese and heavy cream to the mushrooms. Stir to warm and break down goat cheese. When just boiling, turn heat to medium-low and keep warm until pasta is ready. Serve.

Instead of the way too simple, uber elegant dish I made with the leftover rice, I leave you this:

L-l-l-l-latkes golden brown
L-l-l-l-latkes eat ‘em down
Fry them in oil, wrap them in foil…

It’s the song I learned in school that made me hate them. I was unable to eat them for years. Fry in oil and wrap in foil?! That just sounds like it would end as a humid soggy mess, not a crisp and delicious treat it is supposed to be.

So on this, the last night of Hanukkah, I leave you with latkes, golden brown, crisp and delicious. No fancy tricks, like a salsa topping, or cumin spiced. No mango chutney or made with celariac instead of potatoes. Plain, traditional, never boring, very delicious, potato pancakes. My favorite way to eat latkes is as a base for poached eggs. Today, it’s a simple and easy snack.

Latkes
Active time= 15 minutes
1 pound russet potatoes
2 eggs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons flour

1) Rub and wash potatoes clean. Use a food processor with a grater setting to shred the potatoes. Remove potatoes and spread them on a paper towel, set another on top and press to absorb as much water as possible.
2) Scramble eggs in a medium-sized bowl. Add garlic powder and flour, mix until combined.
3) Heat oil, enough to come 1 inch up the sides of a pan over high heat. Oil will be ready for frying once a wooden spoon, inserted upside down bubbles.
4) Add potatoes to egg and flour mixture. Stir to combine. Form small handfuls into flat pancakes and fry, 5-7 minutes each side, until golden. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or applesauce.

A little less talking and a little more cooking, eh?

Feast your eyes on the image above. Very fresh looking, right? This meal was so good I could stare at this photo to remember it all year. I won’t bore you with nothing while I drool, so let us continue.

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A few weeks back I ordered a slab of pork belly from one of the farmers associated with my Community Supported Agriculture program. The pork these folks raise is tremendous. D and I always stuck with the pork chops, frankly because they are fast and easy. Truly, I cannot remember when I have had such delicious pork. Always juicy and full of flavor, it is what pork should be. So I finally ventured into the realm of belly.

D and I had the opportunity to visit this farm over the summer. It was fabulous to see not only our pigs, but also our cattle (they also raise grass-fed beef) in action, knowing what we purchase is actually what we are told. (Rather than “free-range”– what does that really mean?!) It is also an amazing opportunity to not only speak to the person who raises your food, but see their practices. Admittedly, to see these animals and think, “I’m going to eat you next month!” is sort of twisted in our modern detachment of food systems. (Going to our CSA’s vegetable farm and noting all the vegetables soon to enter my belly was much more hilarious.)

Our gracious host had us safely in her car as we careened around the 400 plus acreage, showing off vista points, watering holes and different grasses the cattle eat. Next stop was the pig field for feeding time. As we opened the second floor to the barn we saw the pigs in the distance, racing as a seemingly wild pack out of the distant trees for their feed. “They eat a lot of grub and whatever they find in the woods,” N explained, “but we give them a little more protein and grain as supplement.”

With that, she dropped a bucket of grain from the second floor, crashing on and around the pigs, who well, went hog wild pigging out. Piglets were shoved to the outer circle picking at scraps while the more assertive animals took center stage. Once feeding had subsided the pigs headed off to a small pond to retreat in the cooling waters, “Miami Beach,” N noted.

Back to the belly of the matter…

Pork belly comes from the same cut as bacon, though bacon has been smoked or cured. Pork belly is fresh, uncured meat, just as fatty good as bacon. (Mmmm, bacon.) The cut is ideal for braising. The technique leaves the skin crisp, fat oozing and the flesh velvety soft. If you can manage all three in one bite, try not to fall out of your chair as you swoon.

For this cut I adapted a spice rub I found online and braised it about 4 hours. The pork was served as an appetizer at a dinner party that was picked at throughout the night. I was lucky enough to stash away a few pieces for lunch the next day, bulked up as you see it, with rice, pickled daikon radish, fresh carrots, scallions and cilantro. The result? Really, a picture says a thousand words. I’ll just say one more: divine.

I made the daikon radish a day prior to the dinner party. The pickled radish played the perfect part to accent the pork’s flavor and cut through the fat. The only problem? Pickled daikon radish has a horrendous smell. Think men’s used gym socks. But, like many other things that can produce a horrific funk (think some wines), once you overcome your initial fear you’ll be glad you took the plunge.

Do not be daunted by these recipes. They are simple to make and most of the involvement is inactive time. It is a fabulous dish to make on a weekend lounging around the home.

Pickled Daikon Radish
Adapted from epicurious
Serving Size= About 1 radish per 3 persons. Active time= 8 minutes. Inactive time= 24 hours.
daikon radish
equal parts plain white vinegar and sugar
1/4 part salt

1) Julienne the daikon radish (cut into matchstick thin slices) and place in a non-reactive container.
2) Add equal parts white vinegar and sugar until just covered, add 1/4 the amount of salt (to the vinegar quantity).
3) Mix, cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.

Braised Pork Belly
Adapted from Dan Barber
Serving Size= 6 persons. Active time= 10 minutes. Inactive time= 8 hours.
1 -3 pound pork belly
4 cups chicken stock or water
2 cups cure mix:
1/4 cup fennel seeds
1/4 cup cumin seeds
1/4 cup ground coriander
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons whole cloves
1 cup salt
2/3 cup sugar

1) Make cure mix, using fresh whole seeds and grinding, if possible.
2) Rub mix all over pork belly, cover and refrigerate 4 hours.
3) Preheat oven to 250F. Remove pork belly, rinse the cure mix off lightly, place pork in pan and pour in chicken stock, without fully covering the pork. Cook for 4-5 hours.
4) Remove from braising pan, drain, slice and serve.

To Finish the Dish as Above
Serving size= 2 persons. Active time= 10 minutes. Inactive time=30 minutes plus pork belly
1/2 cup uncooked rice, white or brown (I used Basmati)
1 carrot, sliced into matchstick slices
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 scallion, thinly sliced
pickled daikon radish
red chili flakes
pork belly

1) In the last half hour of cooking, make rice and prepare vegetables.
2) Assemble rice on plates, add sliced pork belly over top, a scoop of pickled daikon radish. Divide carrots, scallions and cilantro sprinkled over top. Finish with a pinch of red chili flakes.

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My good friend N from Chicago emailed me this morning for help. Her new bf’s favorite food is paella and she wanted a simplified version of the last paella recipe made here at Just Braise to impress him.

First, let us congratulate N for picking such a winner! I can’t think of anyone I know who would say their favorite food is paella if asked. Maybe my Spanish friend, J, but I think she’s more inclined to Iberian ham. So brava!

N’s concern was the lengthy steps (who has fish stock on hand?!) and that she had never cooked seafood beyond a simple pan-seared fillet.

I applaud her for taking the next step in trying not only new seafood, but a possibly daunting recipe. I also assured her seafood is incredibly simple to make. Just find a good quality source and you’re set. Before I know it she’ll be throwing fancy-sounding (but simple) dishes like linguine in clam sauce together– That’s right, I think linguine sounds fancy. It’s Italian and once you use foreign words in cooking you’re fancy. (So I guess paella is pretty fancy too.)

For anyone wary of paella, whether you are trying to impress a new beau or stock pile your fridge for the week, I implore you to give this recipe a try. I have even included a simplified version with alternatives below the real recipe for the novice. You don’t even need an authentic paella pan– Any large pan (15 inches or more) with high sides (2 inches or more) will work.

The skeleton of this recipe is taken from the same cookbook as the previous paella recipe, The Cuisines of Spain. Paella is definitely not a dish you make once and master so be aware it might not be perfect your first time through. Keep trying. Don’t be scared away by the recipe list either. Most of it is pretty basic. Or, try my simplified version below.

Arroz Con Cebolla Confitada (Rice with Caramelized Onion)
Serving size 6. Active time= about 1 hour. Inactive time=12 minutes.
1/2 pound littleneck clams
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1 boneless skinless chicken, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced (or grated)
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup sweet vermouth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
4 cups fish stock (see previous paella for recipe)
2 tomatoes, halved and grated on large holes, skins discarded
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
Pinch of saffron threads
1 pound calamari rings
2 cups Spanish (short grained) rice
1 pound shrimp, in shells
1/2 bag frozen peas

1) Scrub clams and place them in a bowl of water with the coarse salt. Let them sit for about 30 min or more while you prepare the other ingredients (you do not need these until the end). This gets the clams to release the sand trapped in their shells.
2) In a large (15 inch +) skillet or paella pan, warm the olive oil on medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3) Add onions, red pepper, garlic, vermouth, salt, pepper and sugar to pan. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the liquid evaporates and the onions caramelize, 15-20 minutes.
4) Preheat oven to 500F. In a sauce pot, bring stock to a boil.
5) Turn heat on onions to high and cook 5 minutes more. Add the grated tomatoes, paprika and saffron. Mix to incorporate. Add the squid and mix again.
6) Turn heat to high. Return chicken to pan, add rice and stir to incorporate. Add the boiling stock and let sit for 5 minutes without touching.
7) Remove clams from salted water and place around the top of the dish. Do not bury them in the liquid. Add the shrimp to the top of the dish as well.
8) Bake for 12-15 minutes, uncovered. Clams should open and shrimp should turn pink. Remove from oven once done and set on stove, covered with tin foil for 5 minutes. Tap any clams that have not opened with a fork. If they still do not pop open discard them.
9) Add frozen peas and stir to incorporate. (Heat from the dish will thaw the peas.) Serve with lemon wedges and chopped parsley as a garnish.

A beginner’s paella. This is essentially what I provided to N earlier today. Make it even shorter by removing one of the fish and upping a quantity of another.

Basic Paella
Serving size 6. Active time= about 1 hour. Inactive time=12 minutes.
1/2 pound littleneck clams
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 boneless skinless chicken, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups boxed fish stock. Alt.: use half clam juice half boxed chicken stock or all chicken stock
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
Pinch of saffron threads
1 pound calamari rings
2 cups Spanish (short grained) rice
1 pound shrimp, in shells
1/2 bag frozen peas (optional)
lemons and parsley for garnish

1) Scrub clams and place them in a bowl of water with the coarse salt. Let sit for about 30 min or more while you prepare the other ingredients (you do not need these until the end). This gets the clams to release the sand trapped in their shells.
2) In a large (15 inch +) skillet with 2 inch sides (or taller) or paella pan, warm the olive oil on medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3) Add onions, red pepper and garlic to pan. Allow onions to sweat, stir occasionally 8-10 minutes. Preheat oven to 500F. In a separate sauce pot, bring stock to a boil.
4) Add paprika, saffron and rice to onions and pepper. Mix to incorporate. Add the squid and mix again.
5) Turn heat to high and return chicken to pan. Add the boiling stock and let sit for 5 minutes without touching.
6) Remove clams from the salted water and place around the top of the dish. Do not bury them in the liquid. Add the shrimp to the top of the dish as well.
7) Bake for 12-15 minutes, uncovered. Clams should open, shrimp should turn pink and liquid should be evaporated. Remove from oven once done and set on stove, covered with tin foil for 5 minutes. Tap any clams that have not opened with a fork. If they still do not pop open, discard them.
8) Add frozen peas and stir to incorporate. (Heat from the dish will thaw the peas.) Serve with lemon wedges and chopped parsley as a garnish.

Barely fall and I’m already hitting the cream sauce? Not totally since I used milk instead of cream for this dish. I was also able to sneak in whole wheat flour for the gnocchi, instead of all-purpose white. Still, D proclaimed this dish to be exceptional, drinking up the leftover sauce on his plate. I guess gnocchi really is worth the effort.

The first time I made potato gnocchi was years ago. I was in Williamsburg, Brooklyn at a friend’s apartment. These were the days before the world had heard about Williamsburg, when it was far less gentrified, and you could still see true locals mingling with the new batch of students and artists moving in. As far as I can remember the closest grocery store was a 20 minute walk.

My friend lived off the beaten track, at the time. Now two sparkling luxury buildings are within a block of her old apartment and my friend has since moved to Chicago. She probably wouldn’t be able to afford rent these days.

I got off the L train and walked the 12 frozen, wintered blocks to her apartment building nestled just under the Williamsburg Bridge. Up in her apartment, the table was dusted with flour and potatoes were rapidly boiling away.

“What are you doing?!”

“Making gnocchi. Help.”

It was not a question. I was soon ricing potatoes and elbow deep in flour. Rolling thumb sized dough balls measured to her specification and redone if not identical to the last one. Thumb indented and fork pressed, we lined them on a baking sheet to ready them for the boiling water.

I cannot remember what we ate with them– or whether I ate them at all. All I can honestly remember is flour and potatoes everywhere. I feel like we made hundreds of little gnocchi. Was there a party? We climbed outside the kitchen window to hang out on the roof of the adjoining car repair shop and watched the trains come over the bridge despite the cold. As many City folk know, outside access is not to be taken lightly and will be utilized in all weather conditions.

I thought those to be the last of my gnocchi days. Until I told D about them…

We were contemplating what to do with all our potatoes. “Gnocchi?” I suggested hesitantly to D.

“What’s that?”
“They’re like… little potato pasta dumplings. But they’re sort of a pain, forget it.”
“NO! Those sound good, let’s make them!”
“We don’t have a ricer, forget it. Why don’t we make the mushroom sauce and just fry the potatoes instead.” [I was sure I could win him over with “fry.”]
“No, that doesn’t sound good.”
[That still sounds good to me] “Well, I suppose we could use the box grater…”
“Perfect! Let’s do it.”

So there I was. Boiling potatoes, elbow deep in flour once again. This time, with D as my assistant peeling and grating away. Rolling, dividing, rolling, forming, thumb, fork, rest. Who would have guessed that our one little bag would make so many gnocchi– we had enough for 3 days, lunch and dinner. (So more gnocchi to come.)

Gnocchi w/ 3 Mushroom Cream Sauce & Peas
Serving Size=4 as main; 8 for starter
For the Gnocchi
1 pound russet potatoes, boiled whole w/ skins on
1-1/2 cup flour (whole wheat or all purpose)
1 egg
1-2 teaspoons salt
For the Mushroom Cream Sauce w/ Peas
3-4 shiitake mushrooms
3-4 oyster mushrooms
1 large or 2 small/ medium sized portabella mushrooms
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups heavy cream (or whole milk)
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 pound beans, Romano, Green or Sugar Snap

1) Make the gnocchi: Boil potatoes whole w/ skin on, do not pierce. You do not want the potatoes to absorb water. Once done, using a towel to hold potatoes and pop them out of their skin. Grate them with the large-toothed box grater or ricer. Spread the shavings on a cookie sheet to keep them from sticking together.
2) Make a mound of the potato shavings and place the flour at the center of the mound. Make a moat and crack the egg inside. Roll dough together, incorporating all the potato and flour together. Add more flour if needed. Dough is finished when it no longer sticks to your fingers.
3) Divide dough into four sections. Roll until about 1 inch thick and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Indent one side with your thumb and the other side with a fork. This will help hold the sauce and cook them more evenly. Assemble on a cookie sheet to keep them from touching.
4) Make the sauce. Clean and slice mushrooms into 1/2 inch pieces. Heat the butter in a large skillet until the bubbles subside. Add mushrooms and saute, 4-5 minutes, until they reduce. Add white wine and cook until reduces slightly and the alcohol burns off, 2-3 minutes. If using milk, add peas at this point, heating until almost finished and darker green. Add milk and slowly heat until warm. If using cream, add cream and peas at the same time and cook until peas are dark green and done, 2-3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of parsley, reserving the rest to sprinkle on top. Keep warm while you finish the gnocchi
5) Finish gnocchi. Place gnocchi in rapidly boiling water. Gnocchi will float to the surface once cooked.
6) To serve, top gnocchi with sauce and sprinkle parsley.

I wait all winter for fresh fruit. Those imports that come from Chile, Mexico, Australia and other parts of the globe simply do not taste as good as the local stuff. Part of it is because fruits and vegetables bought in the grocery travel on average two weeks and 1,500 miles to reach your plate. This means they are picked well before ripe and sprayed with ethylene gas to appear ripe when they reach the markets, though are a far cry from tasting ripe. The biggest victim of this method is probably the tomato.

Local food obviously travels less to reach you making it more environmentally friendly. It also keeps the consumer in touch with the seasons. Why don’t apples taste as good in July? Where does all the acorn squash go in May? If food must travel less to reach its destination it will (hopefully) be picked closer to ripeness– or when fully ripe. So local food tastes better. To find out more about local food go here.

If you purchase from farm stands or greenmarkets even better: you have an opportunity to talk with the person who actually produced your food. This allows you to find out their farming methods and philosophy. Often times, this produce can be found low-spray or organic. To find out more about organic food go here.

The best food I have ever eaten has been the stuff I picked myself. A peach direct from the tree, arugula from my garden buckets and apples in an orchard.

The other weekend D and I went strawberry picking. I cannot remember the last time I picked strawberries but it was definitely a time when I was closer to Earth. Let’s just say a 4 inch plant is not a small distance from 5ft 11in me. 3 hours of squats will do more to your thighs than you think, especially when you rely on your legs to carry you around the city and up and down the subway stairs.

Picking fruits and vegetables connects me to more than the Earth. It makes me aware of how difficult not just farming, but especially harvesting is. Spend a few hours in 100 degree heat breaking corn from the stalks and you will see what I mean.

As D and I at times crawled around the field we popped a few of those sun-ripe and ultra sweet berries for a tasting. One taste was all we needed to let greed take over. 4 quarts, 3 hours and a belly full of berries later we were on our way to a vineyard for a little relaxation before the drive home.

The results? One quart went to my father and the other 3 were broken into 2 piles: “Eat Now” and “Savor a Bit.” A few days later both Eat Now Savor a Bot were resorted, sliced and transferred into a third “Use Me” pile. Use Me became the items pictured below: Strawberry Lemon-Limeade, Strawberry Scones and Strawberry Ice Cream.

Strawberry Lemon-Limeade
Makes about 1.5 quarts. Active time= 20 minutes
Juice of 4 lemons
Juice of 3 limes
1 cup strawberries, loosely chopped
Simple Syrup to taste

1) Make simple syrup: Place 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a pan over medium-high heat. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
2) While simple syrup is simmering, juice lemons and limes. Place the lemon juice, lime juice and strawberries in a 2 quart container. Fill container with water about 3/4 full.
3) Using a hand held blender (or regular blender) puree ingredients until a desired consistency is reached (leave some strawberries more solid if desired).
4) Add about half the simple syrup, taste, add more if desired. Add simple syrup until desired sweetness is reached.

More recipes soon…

Just look at it. Isn’t it lovely? Okay, so it could use a real slice of tomato, but who cares? It’s grilling season! Alright, so it’s been grilling season for a while, but it’s only recently D and I picked up our very own $10 hibachi.

It’s a great little thing that has done us well. Friend’s gas grill line needs cleaning? No problem, we’ll carry over the hibachi. That’s right, it’s got legs that swing up to latch the top in place to make it a portable little bugger. We can grill in the front of the house or the side of the house. (We quickly realized our neighbors don’t think we’re burning the place down if grilling is done in the front.)

Nothing looks appealing in the fridge? Whatever, just throw it on the grill– everything tastes better grilled!

So D and I whipped up these little guys.

Right, everyone is doing burgers now and most know how to whip one together. So I’ll give no recipe, but ask you to try something new…

These are beef burgers with my own added secret seasonings (they’re secret because they change according to my mood). Many people will say that meat is best left untouched (D is one of them). Salt, pepper, heat, done. But seasonings can give meat a personality. It is no longer a burger, but something unique that requires its own flavor combinations.

Trust me. I once made my “secret seasoning” burgers stuffed with goat cheese at a party and people ate 3, 4, 5 burgers.  They told me to sell them and I could be bigger than McDonalds. Okay, they didn’t go that far, but they did say if I opened a restaurant with them they would be there to support and tell everyone about it… Was it just the drink in them? I like to think not.

I think Doug over at Hot Doug’s in Chicago exemplifies this perfectly with the hot dog– not that there is anything wrong with the traditional Chicago-style dog, but why not jazz it up with say… chorizo and manchego?

I do the same with my burgers, often stuffing them with cheese, fresh herbs and mixed spices. Not only did this one get an interesting array of spices, it was topped with a slightly more grown up condiment selection: olive paste; Dijon mustard; cucumbers; scallion spears and tomatoes.

The ingredients should be mixed according to mood, so there is no recipe to go by here. Some good additions, beyond salt and pepper, include:

garlic powder (also fresh)
onion powder (also fresh)
olive paste
fresh herbs (I like basil or rosemary best) (dried work too)
hot pepper flakes
celery salt
cumin
nutmeg (just a pinch)
paprika
cinnamon
Worcester Sauce
Tabasco Sauce
Soy Sauce
Fish Sauce
anchovies
1 egg, for binding
red wine
goat cheese (really any cheese works but I prefer the softer goat or mozzarella because of how they melt inside)

Of course, all of these at once would overwhelm. But next time you whip up some burgers, pick 3-4 from this list you think might go together. Experiment, experiment…