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.

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Here lies another gnocchi creation to contemplate the many forms of this versatile dumpling. Thinking about this dish, and seeing its image up there, makes me hungry for it all over again. But let’s get to the heart of the matter.

So D and I made gnocchi. I tricked him into whole wheat flour and he was none the wiser. I tricked him into milk instead of cream and he slurped it up regardless.

This dish was another in a long line where my sanity was questioned by D, yet was happily lapped up at the end of the night.

As you can see, the gnocchi has turned a slightly off gray-brown. I had no idea that whole wheat pasta, when exposed to air, would discolor. (Have others had this experience and how do you solve it?) The flavor is fine, I assure you, but it was no fun opening the refrigerator the morning after a gnocchi-licious meal only to find my whole wheat army awaiting the boiling pot cloaked in a sorrowful shade. How they rebelled for not being eaten!

No worries I thought. I’ll say I added a little octopus ink! So if anyone asks, just say there is octopus ink in the pasta. Brilliant. I was even going to add it to the recipe, but realized if anyone tried to make their octopus ink pasta and it didn’t work heads might roll. (I’ve never bought octopus ink but think it would be hard to get and expensive.)

So what would go nicely with my “octopus ink” pasta? Why another sea creature of course. Nothing like fish to bring out the fishy quality of octopus ink, right? And what better than the brilliant shade of salmon?

At the fish monger, D and I picked up a fabulous 2 pound fillet (there is more salmon dishes in the line up). As we walked home I thought of other ways to brighten up my sad gnocchi. And what goes with a salmon shade better than a brilliant spring green? We had green beans left in the fridge, but I thought tossing some green beans along with the salmon would be too boring. A pesto would be much more interesting. And voila, this dish was born.

This dish truly is as delicious as it looks. The hearty gnocchi make marvelous spoons for the thick, creamy pesto. Everything was offset perfectly by the sweet salmon. Even better, this meal (since gnocchi were leftover) took all of 8 minutes to throw together. There is nothing like brilliance (of color and flavor) at the blink of an eye.

Better still, you can make this pesto with frozen peas, shelled edamame, romano beans, white beans, etc. No gnocchi? Use fettucini (or almost any other pasta). Hate pasta? Spread some olive oil, salt and pepper on bread and toast it. Can’t stand salmon? Try mahimahi.

Whatever you do try this dish. Make it for friends. They will be wowed by the amazing flavors and you will be thankful it hardly took any time.

Gnocchi w/ Green Bean Pesto & Salt/ Pepper Salmon
Serving size= 4 persons. Prep time= 3 minutes. Cook time= 8 minutes.
2 pound fillet of wild Alaskan salmon (an eco-friendly choice!)
1/2 pound green beans, cleaned and picked over
2 tablespoons Parmesan
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup loosely packed basil
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
salt/ pepper to taste
1 pound gnocchi

1) Blanch green beans for 1 minute in boiling water. Place in blender with Parmesan, garlic, basil and olive oil. Puree, taste, salt and pepper to taste. (The pesto will be very thick and creamy, and will still have small bits of green bean. If you desire a smoother pesto, add more olive oil, 2 tablespoons plain yogurt or tahini to smooth it out.)
2) Boil water for gnocchi. Heat a skillet on medium-high for the salmon. Once gnocchi goes into the boiling water, salt and pepper salmon fillet and brush a thin layer of oil onto the skillet. Place salmon on hot skillet skin side up. Cook 2-3 minutes, flip, cook 2-3 minutes more, depending on desired doneness.
3) Drain gnocchi and place in serving bowls. Slice salmon into serving pieces, place over gnocchi. Add scoop of green bean pesto.

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.

While in Indiana at the State Fair, D and I made our way into the 4-H barn “after hours”. Okay, it was really about 5pm, but this was when the real deal started: Well after top-notch vegetables had been judged, local wines swirled and alfalfa blocks adorned, the local apiaries took the stage for a little bee demonstration and hints of the trade.

We seemed to be the only ones fascinated by the discussion, complete with a live demonstration behind the speaker (a man relating the talk with live bees and hive). We asked our questions then dove into samples of over one dozen honey varieties as well as honey butter, honey laced yogurts, honey sticks, honeycomb, beeswax blocks and more.

Slightly stunned when we asked for a good contrasting honey for the soon-to-be-purchased molasses-hued buckwheat honey, we were given a deep shrug: “it’s honey.” Obviously not one of their top salespersons. Buckwheat honey and an amber toned wildflower honey made it into our bags and to New York in one piece– along with sorghum, whole wheat flour and cracklin’s still fresh on the mind.

Back in New York, worlds away from Indiana, I was avoiding tourists in Chinatown. Ducking into one of the hundreds of food stalls that line the narrow streets, I found myself confronted with noodles. Hundreds of noodles: cellophane, egg, rice, ramen and soba (or buckwheat). The honey must have been on my mind because I grabbed a pack of soba noodles before heading home.

The excitement ended there and for weeks the noodles sat in the cupboard. The honey on the other hand, made excellent hot toddies– a quick fix-me-up for a recent sick spell. Yet still the noodles sat.

But as the fridge progressed to barrenness (with a half bag of arugula) and the shelves held a few cloves of mighty garlic as well as my sweet looking noodles, I took the initiative and headed for the fish monger…

This dish is beyond simple to make. The rich buttery taste these noodles provide is a luxurious accompaniment to seafood. And because buckwheat is actually a fruit (a relative of rhubarb), not a wheat, it is safe for all those non-gluten folks, full of fiber, potassium, manganese and helps keep blood pressure and cholesterol levels down—how is that for tricking someone into eating pasta? Even better (I’m a visual person), the purplish hue of these noodles look amazing against bright vegetables and seafood.

SOBA SEAFOOD PASTA
Serving Size= 6 persons. Active time= about 20 minutes (less with pre-cleaned shrimp)
* 1 handful dry soba noodles (about 16 ounces)
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 4-5 cloves garlic, crushed
* 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 1 lb calamari rings, rinsed
* 1 large handful arugula, rinsed well
* ¼ cup Parmesan shavings (optional)
* 6-12 Kalamata olives

1) Peel and devein the shrimp, rinse calamari; set aside.
2) Bring water to a rapid boil in a medium pot. Add noodles, stir to separate and cook about 5 minutes, until done.
3) Drain water, rinse noodles with cold water and place in serving bowl. Return pot to stovetop over medium-high heat; add olive oil.
4) Add garlic and bring to a sizzle; about 3 minutes.
5) Add shrimp, calamari and arugula, cook until shrimp turn pink and curl; about 4 minutes.
6) Add shrimp, calamari, arugula, Parmesan and olives to soba noodles. Toss to incorporate. Add more olive oil if desired. Serve warm or cold.

Tags: soba, buckwheat, seafood, calamari, shrimp, quick food

My favorite thing about Spanish food is not the paella. Nor is it the Valencia orange, omelette or great variety of delicious tapas available– though these things are all delightful. My favorite thing about Spanish food is the olive.

This unassuming fruit, a call to peace, is plentiful in the Mediterranean region. Squat trees line roadsides for miles and the bitter little drupe almost appears as a small plum from afar: an iridescent purple as it fades into its ripe green. Harvested with a shake to the tree bough it arrives to us along the culinary path marinated, as tapenade or oil.

In Spain, as you enter almost any food or drink establishment, olive pits abound.

A few years ago, my mother and I planned a quick trip around Spain. A country both of us had always wanted to visit, but never had the opportunity. For me, it was a culinary and ceramic feast I planned around clay factories, orange groves and funky architecture. For my mother, it was a wearing down of her feet stomping through the cities and country back roads with the salvation being sangria and tapas along the way (though she too enjoyed the clay factories and architecture).

On day one, hungry from a morning of walking, we stopped for lunch at a recommended establishment: “Oh! How disgusting!” my mother gasped as we walked inside, “this floor is covered in pits!” We shuffled in, unable to understand the debris covering the floor and took a table across from the bar, ordering up a jug of sangria and a seafood paella.

We waited for our food and heard the definite “pffffmmmp” of a person triumphantly releasing a pit from mouth into air. Our noses turned up in question, we looked at each other, then scanned the restaurant for the perpetrator. There he was, tan and stocky with a perfectly edged beard looming in the shadow: “pfffmmmp” he turned and released his bleached teeth in a wide grin towards us.

A bowl of olives came to our table along with the sangria. I popped a few olives into my mouth, but finding nowhere to discard the seeds, I held them in my cheek, a squirrel at harvest. More patrons entered the establishment. Soon that pfffmmmp echoed throughout the restaurant, shooting from the trunk of men and women alike, regardless of age, no one seeming to care except for the clueless Americans. I looked at my mom and shot out five pits in bulleted repetition: pffp pffp pffp ffllmp fllp.

We soon realized it was custom in Spain. Olives abound and are ingrained in the culture. A complimentary bowl is provided at coffee shops, bars and restaurants in lieu of bread or peanuts. The more olives I stuffed into my face the more I fell in love with Spain, pfffmmping them out with the best of the locals. (My mother on the other hand, continued her dismay at the littered floors and begrudgingly returned the bare pit to a cupped hand where it delicately dropped to the floor unnoticed by anyone.)

This past July, a college friend married a Spaniard. The wedding was a great bi-lingual affair of misunderstandings and general good humor at each person’s attempt to befriend a person from another country with little to no verbal language skills. Communication fell remarkably well and eventually I got onto the subject of olive pits on the floor.

“Yes!” my new Spanish friend exclaimed, “it means how good the place is.” He went on to explain that some establishments will even go to the trouble of adding pits to the floor, be it from the mouths of their employees or the previous night’s collection. Pits on the floor is a rating of popularity– the more pits, the more favored the premises.

Here is a recipe in memory of that first paella and the realization that it is okay to spit out your leftovers in some cultures. And as the season turns, I may even surprise you with some home-marinated olives. Until then, paella it is.

NOTE: Though I cannot remember if the paella I had in Spain was this moist, I enjoy the wet rice base. In this fashion, the rice sticks to everything, including the inside of the mussel and clam shells, forcing you to work for your food: sucking and rotating shells in your mouth to indulge in every bit. D and I found this much more enjoyable, and a more entertaining activity than simply wolfing down the dish without thought. We also felt it made you appreciate the variety of seafood present. I also enjoy eating with my hands, so take away what you will.

This paella is based on a recipe found in the Cuisines of Spain cookbook by, Teresa Barrenechea. It is essentially the same recipe with a few additions, namely peas, onion and chorizo.

This paella is fairly labor intensive, though if you make a large batch and have leftovers for the week it is worth it. We found that it is absolutely necessary to use fish stock and not chicken or vegetable. We felt the stock really enhanced the fish flavor throughout. Also, fresh seafood is essential.

PAELLA DE PESCADOS Y MARISCOS CON CHORIZO (FISH & SHELLFISH PAELLA w/ CHORIZO)
Serving Size= 8 persons. Active time= about 1 hour. Inactive time= 12 mintues.
* 1 dozen littleneck clams
* 2 Tbl coarse salt
* 6 large cloves garlic, unpeeled
* 9 cups fish stock (recipe below)
* 2 pinches saffron threads
* 2 pound mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
* 2 cups water
* ½ cup olive oil
* 1 large red pepper, seeded and cut lengthwise into narrow strips
* 1 medium Spanish onion
* 8 ounces, about 4 links, chorizo, cut in half
* 1 pound monkfish (or grouper), cut into 2 inch chunks
* 1 pound large shrimp
* 1 pound small squid, whole and rings
* 1-½ tsp salt
* 4 cups Spanish (short grain) rice
* juice of 1 lemon plus extra for garnish

1) Preheat oven to 500F.
2) Clean clams under cold water. Discard any open clams, or those that do not close when touched. Place clams in a large bowl with the coarse salt and let stand for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Clams will release sand trapped in shells.
3) Place garlic in a small heat-resistant bowl or baking dish and roast in oven for 10-15 minutes; until skins are browned. (Alternatively, you can throw a whole garlic head in, chopping the top off for easy removal, and use the extra as a spread mixture with olive oil.)
3) In a small saucepan, bring stock to a boil. Add saffron and decrease the heat retain simmer.
4) When garlic is ready, remove from oven (leave oven on). When cool enough to handle, peel cloves and place in blender with ½ cup simmering stock. Process until blended.
5) In a medium saucepot, place mussels (discarding any that fail to close when touched) with 2 cups of water on high heat. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes, until shells open. Using a slotted spoon, lift the mussels and set aside (add mussel broth to stock or freeze for later use).
6) In a large paella pan or stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add bell pepper, onion and chorizo, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, or until chorizo has cooked through and the aromas are strong. Add monkfish, squid and salt, increase heat to medium high. Sauté 5-10 minutes, until monkfish turn opaque.
7) Add rice and stir to blend, allowing rice grains to incorporate into the oils present. Add hot stock, increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Add garlic mixture, stir gently to incorporate and boil for 5 minutes without stirring.
8) Drain the clams. Add shrimp to pot, stir gently to incorporate. Add mussels and clams around the top of the pot. Place in oven (uncovered) for 12 minutes; rice will be absorbed and clams and shrimp will cook.
9) Remove from oven and discard any clams that do not open. Sprinkle lemon juice over top. Cover with lid or towel and let sit for 7 minutes. Serve with lemon as garnish

FISH STOCK
Serving Size= 2 Quarts. Active time= 10 minutes. Inactive time= 20 mintues.
Note: White fish is ideal to use: snapper, cod, hake or bass. Avoid fatty fish, such as tuna, sardines and salmon, among others.
* 2 pounds fish frames and heads
* 1 cup shrimp shells (can clean your shrimp from above and use)
* 1-½ cups mussel broth (see above)
* 1 large Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
* 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
* 1 bunch flat leaf parsley
* 3 Tbl olive oil
* 2 quarts water
* salt/ pepper to taste

1) In a stockpot on medium-high heat warm olive oil. Add fish frames, shrimp shells, onion, carrots, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir until shrimp shells turn pink. Add water and bring to a light boil.
2) Using a slotted spoon, discard any foam that forms on the surface.
3) Decrease to medium-low heat and simmer, partially uncovered, for 30 minutes, skimming foam off as needed. (Do not overcook or stock will turn bitter)
4) Strain the stock and season with salt as necessary.

Head on over to Sweetnick’s for today’s delicious ARF roundup!

Tags: paella, seafood, chorizo, comfort food, ARF.

My first personal (known) encounter with Swiss chard was the other year. While I am sure I have dined on it in restaurants, I had never sought to purchase the funky colored vegetable before. While at the grocery, the vegetable caught my eye and I scooped it into my basket. As D often does when he notices I am plucking items for their unique beauty rather than possible utility he queried what we could make with it. “I don’t know, but we’ll think of something.”

We turned “something” into Braised Swiss Chard wrapped in Sole. Swiss chard’s bitter sweetness won us over and D rarely questioned my random fruit and vegetable acquisitions again.

Over the months the rainbow vegetable remained on my mind and I eventually bought seeds for planting them when the bucket garden was a mere dream. They would soon sprout into their glory and remain a site as the stalks matured.

One day, impatient for my own chard to mature, I hit up the vegetable market for a bunch. They became a perfect accent to a delicious cold summer soup.

Finally the glory of my rainbow swiss chard in the buckets was breathtaking. Glowing yellows, radiant reds and electric pinks made the calling to me. I plucked them from their buckets and presented them to D. What to make when the temperature is too hot to handle the kitchen? Some quick and easy pasta, requiring minimal cooking.

As residents of Queens suffered through blackouts in the high temperatures D and I considered ourselves fortunate with our minimized power—at least we still had the refrigerator (and if that failed a few buckets of bounty outside). We ran to the grocery to pick up fresh pasta. Requiring a mere 2 minute boiling time, it would serve as an ideal backdrop to a cold dish.

Whipping up a large batch of pasta, D and I had a fresh meal to last us through the week; no stovetops required.

GARDEN PASTAspan>
Serving Size= 6-8 persons. Active time= 10 minutes.
* 2 pounds fresh spinach pasta
* 1 bunch rainbow swiss chard, loosely chopped
* 1- 15 ounce can garbanzo beans (chick peas), washed and drained
* 1 red bell pepper, sliced into ¼-inch strips
* 1 medium Spanish onion, chopped
* 3 large garlic cloves, crushed
* ½ cup fresh firm ricotta cheese, crumbled
* ½ cup kalamata olives
* 2 Tbl olive oil

1) In a sauce pot on medium-high heat, bring salted water to a boil. Add pasta, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, wash and drain. Set aside in a large bowl.
2) In a large skillet on medium heat, warm 2 Tbl olive oil. Add pepper, onion, garlic and cook until aroma is loosened (about 3 minutes). Add swiss chard, cover and cook until leaves wilt (4-6 minutes).
3) Add swiss chard, peppers, onions, garlic, garbanzo beans, ricotta and olives to pasta. Serve warm or cold.

Below is Kitty and her beloved squirrel toy. We train her to search and destroy these little critters that attack my garden—if only she were allowed outside to put her training work. The glazed look in her eye? We get her good and high so she can forget her killer instinct (the squirrel is full of catnip). Check out this weekend’s cat antic WCB over at Eat Stuff.

There are some people that live and die by pasta. It is their favorite food, it is served at every meal– it is utterly perfect. For myself, I (still) cannot really understand the effect pasta has on people. I have the same non-chalance with white rice. Sure, I can add butter and salt and it has a great flavor, but… it’s just… there. Does that make any sense? I mean, sure, it tastes good, but in a head-to-head with another starch: warm crisp bread or a baked potato; I’ll take the bread or potato.

Now, I know pasta is not just pasta, and it can be dolled up to create something beautiful on its own. Just like adding olive to bread, tomato paste, spinach or octopus ink added to pasta, all of a sudden creates an attractive taste sensation on the tongue. It is no longer mere pasta. This I accept.

But because of my initial blasé attitude towards pasta in general, I tend to walk past the pasta shelves with hardly a glance; even when they may have “enhanced” pastas. So when D complained that I “don’t let him eat pasta” I was slightly appalled (and quite content) that my own stance had taken hold: D finds his way to the grocery store just as much as I do and I have never not allowed him to buy anything he may want.

So when I was making a run for some flour my eyes were averted by my grocery’s newly expanding organic section. I noticed organic wheat pasta and figured I would give it a try. When I returned with pasta in tow and shared the news with D he could barely fathom his good fortune: “really, pasta?!” You would think we had been living on rations for months and had finally found the black market.

I must admit, there is so much flavor in this dish, the pasta is hardly noticed. If pasta was served like this all the time, I might eat it more often. Because there is no sauce beyond a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of Parmesan and fresh herbs, this dish is a pure breeze in terms of cleanup—it also tastes great warm or cold. The broccoli rabe offers a sweet bitterness that can hold its own against the salty procuitto. The white beans are little bundles of surprise as they dance in and out of the pasta “cups”. Most importantly of all, this dish was a rainbow of colors on the plate and palate.

MEDITERRANEAN PASTA
Makes: 4 servings. Active Time= 15 minutes. Cook Time= about 10 minutes. (Depends on pasta variety.)
* 2 cups pasta
* 6-8 stalks Broccoli Rabe, washed (left whole or chopped into large 2-3 inch pieces)
* ½ Red Bell Pepper, chopped into bite-size pieces
* 1 16-oz can White Beans, washed and drained
* 8 slices Procuitto
* 3-4 Tbl olive oil
* Parmesan to taste, freshly grated
* 2 tsp fresh thyme
* salt/ pepper to taste

1) Prepare pasta according to package instructions. While pasta cooks, prepare the vegetables. (If using fresh pasta, prepare after vegetables are combined, just before serving.)
2) In a large-sized skillet on medium-high heat, warm 1 Tbl olive oil. When hot, Add broccoli rabe and red peppers. Cover and allow to cook until broccoli rabe darkens and begins to wilt; about 4 minutes.
3) Add white beans to the vegetables. Stir, cover and cook another 3-4 minutes; until beans are warmed through. Turn heat low and keep covered until pasta is ready.
4) Drain pasta once ready and wash with cold water (this stops the pasta from cooking without cooling it down too much). Throw warm vegetables over, add a about 2 Tbl Parmesan (allow people to add most of their own quantity), olive oil, salt/ pepper and thyme. Toss to mix.
5) Serve up, adding Procuitto at last moment over the pasta (since Procuitto is already smoked, you want it to retain this flavor. Add it at the last moment to avoid cooking it.)

Head on over to Sweetnick’s for today’s ARF roundup!

As a child I was surprisingly tolerant of vegetables. This is probably what eventually drew me to become a vegetarian for a good six years: Carrots, spinach, radishes, mushrooms, and asparagus, it all tasted so good and earthy. My mother would often have me create the salads, calling me “rabbit” and promptly banishing me from the kitchen because I would start devouring the crisp vegetation before dinner was ready. This vegetable love eventually led me to my own tomato garden (which the deer and squirrels in our backyard ate) and drew me weekly to the farmer’s market and any grocery excursion.

Today I am still fascinated by farmer’s markets and grocery stores. If I have nothing better to do I will wonder over just to walk through, hypnotized by the produce, laid out in beautiful pyramids, or tucked into bins. I only wish I could take it all home. I often will purchase a fruit or vegetable just because it looks beautiful, strange, unloved, or overly loved. Often I have never tasted the item before. I bring it home, behold the power of the internet, and research different ways to eat whatever it is I acquired.

This quasi sense of adventure when it comes to buying produce led me to Swiss chard the other day. The bright red stalks initially drew me in. The veins and deep emerald bushel of leaves won me over. D has this same sense, though he does not like to admit it. It is not for produce, it is for the meats and fish. While I spend my time fondling over the fruits and vegetables, D heads over to the meat and seafood sections spying out whatever looks fresh. Surprisingly, more often than not, our tastes meet midway and we are able to concoct a meal that blends quite nicely.

This was one of those days. While I joined up with D he was having 6 filet of soles wrapped up. We returned home, me with the intent to braise my chard, even with D complaining he has never had it and would not enjoy it, and D still undecided on how to prepare his filets. After some research, on which sites I do not know, D announced we would wrap the chard up in the filet. He had found similar recipes for spinach, and I ensured him it would be easy enough to treat the chard with the same respects.

I braised away, D complained of hunger. Soon enough he was wrapping the chard in blankets of sole, pinning, baking, and we were both enjoying a very succulent meal. The flavors in this dish completed each other perfectly. Chard, with its slightly bitter taste, paired with the milk and bacon of the braise perfectly; a stunning platform for the sole. D announced he felt like we were eating in a 4-star restaurant. With all objectives met, we rubbed our bellies satisfied.

BRAISED SWISS CHARD WRAPPED IN FILET OF SOLE
Serving Size= 2. Active Time= 20 minutes. Inactive time= 30 minutes
* 1 bunch swiss chard (about 6 stalks); slice stems bite-size; tear leaf into more manageable sections
* 2 strips bacon, slice bite-size
* 2 scallions, whites and greens, chopped (one small onion would work too)
* 1 garlic clove, crushed
* 1-½ cups chicken broth
* ½ cup milk or cream
* 4-6 filets of sole (sole is quite thin; depending on hunger prepare more or less)
* juice of 1 lemon
* 2 tsp paprika
* 2 tsp mustard powder
* 2 tsp parsley
* salt/ pepper

1) Preheat the oven to 350F. In a skillet with a cover, over medium heat cook the bacon, scallions, garlic and chopped swiss chard stems until bacon browns, about 8 minutes.
2) Add swiss chard leaves, broth and milk. Cover, turn heat to medium-low; let simmer about 10 minutes, until leaves are limp.
3) While the chard braises, prepare the filets. On a large skillet or baking pan lay out the sole. Pour ½ the lemon juice over the filets, add salt, pepper and 1 tsp of paprika, mustard powder and parsley.
4) Once chard is complete, using tongs or a fork, place a thin layer of chard on top of the sole filets. Wrap tightly, being careful not to tear the fish; pin closed with one or two toothpicks. Arrange rolled up fish in a tight pack on baking dish. Top with remaining lemon juice, paprika, mustard powder, parsley, salt and pepper. Pour any remaining chard or sauce into the pan. Place in middle rack of oven for 20 minutes.

** Please check out my article regarding Umami over on Blog Critics. Soon enough the same piece will be posted to Paper Palate in the WellFed Network (and might make an appearance here as well).

In the non-food world of WCB, Eat Stuff serves up another winner. Below we have the spotlight on the young terror Whiskey. Yes, he may look cute and innocent now, but try moving your toes or rolling over when you are trying to sleep.

Here, we have Whiskey moments before on top of a rug, resting verticle, in the corner (about 6 feet high, you can see the doorframe of a closet). The young Whiskey whisked his way to the top, declared himself king of the world, and then awaited his sister to walk by below and attacked.

Head on over to Lindy Toast for the Something For Nothing wrap up!

What happens when a fresh coconut in the middle of the winter is too hard to resist at the grocery store? When you try to impress friends from out of town by using your drill to get at the sweet, rich water inside (other than learn there are easier ways)? What do you do once everyone has had their fill of sweet coconut meat? You spend a week in coconut bliss…

It all started with a Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze. Now, fresh coconut is not needed for this bread, but it tastes amazing sprinkled on top. Once all that coconut meat is shredded, there are about 4 cups to put to use. Coconut Banana Bread used about ½ cup. Today it was Chicken Masala. I must admit this was my first time ever cooking a “legitimate” Indian meal. In the past, I have sprinkled some curry, tumeric and cumin together and called it Indian. Sad, because I absolutely love Indian food. And bad, especially since I have most of the spices in my cabinet!

I found a fairly simple recipe on Mahanandi. This recipe was chosen over others because, well, I had all the ingredients. This recipe also did not take too much time—as long as everything is in front of you at the start. It also helps to have an extra hand in the kitchen (so while one is roasting spices, the other can grind). The final result was excellent and filled the home with an amazing aromatic essence.

First, the benefits of coconut.

At a recent dinner party, I ordered coconut milk. I offered some to a friend who dissed it, “Oh, that stuff is really high in saturated fats. I won’t touch it.” Your loss, it was good. Coconut Oil is one of the best oils a person can consume. For centuries, South East Asian cultures have called the coconut palm the Tree of Life. Coconut oil is antiviral, antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antiprotozoal. Not all saturated fats are alike. While coconut oil is one of the highest in saturated fats it is also one of the highest sources of medium chain triglycerides, many of which are important in building and maintaining the immune system. Some medium chain fatty acids, like coconut oil, help to maintain the metabolism. It is also very good for the skin as a moisturizer.

Coconut Meat is high in fiber, vitamins and minerals (vitamin C, E, calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron). It is also low in cholesterol and sodium. Other forms of coconut include Coconut Water which is the liquid found upon initially cracking the coconut open. And Coconut Milk, made by steeping coconut meat pulp in boiling water and then pressing for the milk. All these forms of coconut share similar health benefits up to a point.

Below is the second installation on coconuts. More to come shortly on this tasty and long lasting fruit! This recipe is taken from Mahanandi’s site. It is followed step by step with the replacement of chicken instead of potatoes. Interesting, because my masala turned out orangey-brown instead of red! It also was not as sauce-based as Mahanandi’s picture! Maybe more water (or plain tomato sauce?) would fix this. Well, it was still delicious! I served this on a bed of basmati rice. Once again, it is recommended to have all ingredients out before starting. And again, a second hand helps– While D was roasting all ingredients on the stovetop I was busy puréeing the ingredients together in steps and keeping an eye on the rice. In the end, there is enough masala leftover for two lunches tomorrow.

The below recipe is the original Aloo Dum (Potatoes in Masala Sauce). This recipe seems like a lot of ingredients but it is really mostly spices. So give it a try.

ALOO DUM
Serving Size= 4. Active Time= 30-45 minutes.
The preparation is three step. First boil the baby potatoes until they are just tender. Roast and grind the spices, the vegetables and the nuts for masala sauce. Combine and cook them together. The whole preparation takes about 30 to 45 minutes, if you have everything at hand.:) And the main chunk of it is of course to wait for the potatoes to boil.

* 12 tiny baby potatoes

Veggies
* 4 medium sized ripe tomatoes, each cut into four quarters
* 1 medium sized red onion or 4 shallots cut into big chunks
* ¼ cup finely chopped coriander
* 1×1 inch piece of fresh ginger
* 2 big garlic cloves

Nuts
* ½ cup cashews
* ½ cup fresh grated coconut

Dry Masala
* 6 dried red chillies
* 1 teaspoon coriander seeds & cumin
* ½ teaspoon peppercorns
* 3 small cinnamon sticks and cloves
* 1 star anise

Popu/Tadka
* 2 teaspoons of peanut oil
*1 teaspoon of mustard seeds, cumin and some curry leaves
* ½ tsp of turmeric
* Salt to taste

1) Preparation is boil, roast-sauté-grind and cook.
Boil the potatoes until they are just fork-tender. When they are cool enough to handle, peel the skin. Prick them with a fork in multiple sites and keep them aside.
2) Gather the listed ingredients for masala sauce, ready on hand on a big plate. Heat an iron skillet and proceed like this.
3) Roast dry masala ingredients, for few minutes, until they release their smell. Remove them from the skillet and keep aside.
4) Roast cashews, then fresh grated coconut for few minutes. Remove them from the skillet and keep aside.
5) Roast ginger and garlic for few minutes. Remove them from the skillet and keep aside.
6) Finally heat one teaspoon of oil and roast onion and tomatoes for few minutes.
Let them cool down little bit. When they are cool enough to touch, put them in a blender. Add half glass of water and half teaspoon of salt. Grind them into smooth paste.
7) Cook: Heat one teaspoon of peanut oil in a big wide pan or kadai. Toast the popu ingredients (mustard seeds, cumin and curry leaves) until they start to splutter. Add the grinded masala paste and another half glass of water. Stir in turmeric. Taste and add salt if needed. Add baby potatoes. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes. Finally stir in finely chopped cilantro and serve.

My Kitchen Notes: 
Don’t forget to prick the potatoes, so that they can absorb the sauce.
 Onions - avoid yellow onion and go with shallots or red onions. 
If you want, you can also stir in cream/yogurt at the end.

Head on over to Sweetnicks for all your ARF/5 round up!