WHAT I'M COOKING TOMORROW

Since I haven't been showing you what I am cooking lately...I am listing what I'm cooking for a client tomorrow. You can also see how they are packaged. Photos below:

Chicken Breast stuffed with Prosciutto and Herb Garlic Cheese

with a Lemon Sauce

Quinoa Pilaf with Shiitakes, Carrots, and Pecans

Soy-roasted Salmon

Asparagus and Beets with Goat Cheese

In the refrigerator

Beef and Sauce Stuffed Eggplant with Bechamel Sauce

Sauteed Broccoli and Tomatoes

and a Mixed Green Salad with Green Goddess Dressing 

(no photos)

MATZO BREI TUTORIAL

 I still have a few friends who do not know how to make their own Matzo Brei, even if they are Jewish. So to help them out I've created this simple 16-step (four beyond 12-steps) tutorial to make this simple dish. Personally, I never make it except during Passover but there is no reason not to make it at any other time.

What you need is some fat - butter, chicken fat, olive oil...even the current predilection for coconut oil would be fine...whatever you like; 2 eggs, 2 pieces of plain matzo, (I suppose you could make this with the flavored onion or poppy matzos too, but I've noticed that they aren't de rigeur for Passover, whatever, let's stick with the simple) salt, water. When it comes to condiments you will have to determine whether you want a sweet or savory Matzo Brei. Suggestions follow.

Don't be fooled here that because the first letter of Matzo Brei is the same as Mario Batali; there is no connection. And, no Franne, it's not a Matzo Bra.

So, if you like your ingredient list vertical, here it is:

2 pieces plain matzo
water
2 eggs
salt
1 tablespoon fat : butter

The instructions are given here step-by-step under each picture:

You need a bowl, 2 eggs, 2 pieces of matzo, butter.

Break up the matzo into small pieces and put into the bowl.

Add water and soak the matzo briefly to soften slightly. 
You can also use milk if you like.

Squeeze out the liquid.

Add the 2 eggs.



Mix the eggs and the matzo together.

 

 Add some salt.

Warm a small non-stick frying pan (I use Circulon) and add  the butter.

Let the butter melt. I went a little too far for some...I prefer brown butter.

Add the matzo egg mixture.

Cook over a low flame.

When it looks like this on one side, turn it over.
Be brave and use a flipping motion, or a spatula if you must.

When it's browned on both sides and cooked in the middle turn it on to a plate.

Don't worry, you'll know when it's done. Don't raise the flame.

Here are some options for toppings: honey, salt, jam, powdered sugar, cinnamon, lox...
I recommend you choose just one. 

Here it is with a sampling of each.

I chose the blueberry jam.

That's it: Matzo Brei. Pour yourself a cup of coffee. Enjoy!

Long Hiatus

It's been a long hiatus since I last posted something here. Stay tuned for a "Matzo Brei" tutorial coming up very soon....and more.

There is also this event:

THE GRAND AIOLI

 THE VERY GRANDISSIMO AIOLI

THE AIOLI IS ON THE UPPER RIGHT

All summer, or so it seems, I have been thinking about making a "grand aioli" and finally got to do it last night as the long, hot summer has been winding down. I have been surprised by the amount of people who do not know what this is. It is a large array of freshly steamed or lightly boiled vegetables, some beans, of the season, with additions of white fish, like cod, and sometimes mussels and/or small octopus. All these things act simply as a delivery system for AIOLI, which is a garlicky mayonnaise, preferably made fresh.

I gathered my vegetable ingredients: fingerling potatoes from the farmer's market, green beans (not haricot vert, tho you could,  but whopping big fingers of green), large carrots (not baby carrots or newly pulled thin ones and certainly not those things called baby carrots you can buy in packages), a hefty cauliflower, a fennel bulb with fronds, small zucchini (the only kind I like because of fewer seeds).

Then I made some dried chickpeas in the pressure cooker that only took about 40 minutes. And they are oh-so-much-better than the canned variety. Though the canned ones, once rinsed and drained, are fine and I use them all the time, still when you do make some fresh you can taste the difference. I drained them and added extra-virgin olive oil, pimenton, salt, and lots of freshly ground black pepper. I also chopped up some of the fennel fronds and tossed them in. Stir well. Pile on.

 I purchased some fresh cod.

First I made the Aioli. Alas, I must admit that I used the food processor. Though I have many mortar and pestle sets there was just not one large enough to do this task. I keep promising myself to make a trip to NYC Chinatown to purchase one of those large Thai sets...

THE AIOLI
3-6 large cloves of organic garlic, minced (not the stuff imported from China, okay?)
3 egg yolks
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
Salt

With the processor running, drop the minced garlic in through the feeding tube. Add the 3 yolks, quickly followed by the lemon juice. Keep the processor running and slowly, slowly drizzle in the oil until it is all used. You should have a thick emulsion with a beautiful yellow and slightly green color. Stir in some salt. If you think it's too thick turn the processor on again and drizzle in about 1 tablespoon of water. Check it. Taste it. See if it needs more lemon juice or water or salt. Take out and put into a non-reactive container, like glass or ceramic. Cover and refrigerate.

When you are ready to cook the vegetables. Put the potatoes into a large pot and add a little salt and enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. (Since all that is required is to boil all the vegetables to the perfect doneness your task and attention is well-defined.) Remove the potatoes to a platter when done.  (I like to slice them in half to serve.) Next, add the carrots, I have cut these fat ones on a very diagonal slant. Cook about 3-5 minutes. Done. Take out with a perforated spoon. Put on platter. Then the green beans, after they have been tipped and tailed. Cook until perfectly crisp and not toothy. Then the zucchini, cut in wide sections, for about 2 minutes - just a quick bath. The fennel that has been quartered will only take another 2 minutes. The cauliflower that has been cut into flowerettes to be submerged and cooked for 2-3 minutes. Don't make it too soft. Attention must be paid. What else, did I forget something? The choice of vegetables is really up to you. Maybe a sliced sweet potato would be nice...or save that for the autumn grand aioli...

The cod needs to be salted the day before. Rinse and dry. Then salt on both sides. Place in a bag and leave for 24 hours. When ready to cook it, rinse again and dry. To poach you can either use all white wine, or, as I did, about 1 cup of white wine and the rest water. Use a wide pan and cut the cod to fit. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so that you don't see any more bubbles and slide the cod in to cook. The poaching liquid should cover the fish. Cook about 5 minutes.

THE PLATE

Everything should be warm, room temperature, not hot. If you have one large platter it's nice to arrange everything on it. I don't have one so I used an assortment of deep vessels. It's colorful and very lavish. Have a good white wine and maybe a warm crusty bread.  Everything should be clean and well-arranged. For color you can toss on some smiggens of chopped parsley and black olives.

Sit yourself down and gawk at the beauty presented before you. Enjoy this well because you have now figured out how to eat lots of vegetables and love every bite. It's soooo healthy. But please don't smear any of that Aioli on your face though you might well be tempted; it's so good.

Bon Bon Appetit!

Le plat du jour.

COOKBOOK FROM CHILDREN

 All you parents, here is a cookbook put together by Michelle Obama and others with the winning recipes submitted. Over 1,200 recipes were submitted and these are the winners. It's interesting to look at and might help you with inspiring your children.

http://www.letsmove.gov/sites/letsmove.gov/files/pdfs/healthy-lunch-challenge-cookbook.pdf

I would have a children's cooking class if I had a space to do so. We could make some of these recipes. If anyone wants to donate their kitchen for an afternoon, call Cooking on the River and we will see what we can do.

SUMMER OR AUTUMN CAPONATA

 

Caponata is more familiar as a dish made with eggplant. Here eggplant is used instead of the eggplant  try substituting butternut squash in the autumn. Using different seasonal vegetables keeps the tastebuds awake and surprised. This is simply a mouth-watering vegetable medley soaked in flavor. Taste at the finish to get the right balance of sweet and sour. Good as a starter with a crusty bread, or as a side dish.

2  red onions, peeled, quartered and sliced

½ - 3⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 can tomato puree or peeled and seeded whole tomatoes

1⁄2 cup dry red wine

1⁄2 cup sugar

2 butternut squash, or 2 eggplants, ½-1 inch cubes

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 head celery, stalks separated and peeled, large dice

1⁄2 pound pitted green olives

1-2 tablespoons capers, preferably the salted capers, well rinsed

1⁄2 cup parsley, chopped

1⁄4-1/2 cup pine nuts

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Saute, quartered and sliced onion in olive oil in a large thick bottomed saucepan. Add the tomatoes or tomato puree, wine and sugar. Simmer gently for 30 minutes, and stir occasionally.

Peel, seed and dice the squash or eggplant.  I left the peel on the eggplant.

Stir the vinegar into the saucepan, stir and scrape up from the bottom of the pan.

Add the eggplant or squash. Season with salt and pepper.  Stir to coat the squash with the sauce.

Blanch the diced celery (it is really important to peel the celery) in boiling water then drain and dip into ice water. Add to the mixture. 
Simmer for about 30 minutes or until the squash is fork tender. The eggplant should be soft and silky and cooked through.

Chop the olives, or just break them up with with your fingers. Stir in the capers, parsley, olives, and pine nuts for final five minutes. Taste and correct the seasoning. Add more vinegar or sugar if necessary. If you taste this immediately after it is made the vinegar will be the top note, if you let it rest for a day or two it will smooth out and loose it's bite.

 

Let the mixture sit and cool off the stove. This Caponata is better the next day. 
Remove from the saucepan and place in a jar or covered serving containers.

Serve room temperature with an additional flurry of salt and pepper, a drizzle of very good 
quality extra virgin olive oil, maybe some torn and tossed genoa basil leaves and several 
slices of crusty bread.

EGGPLANT CAPONATA

JULIA CHILD'S 100th BIRTH DAY

In honor of Julia Child's birth day here is a menu for an Informal Dinner from her cookbook, Julia Child & Company:

Beautiful ingredients prepared with loving care but little effort: this simple menu is an example of the wisdom and sane good taste of civilized cookery.

Menu

Asparagus Tips in Puff Pastry, Lemon butter Sauce

Casserole Roast of Veal with Carrots and Celery Hearts

Wok Saute of Grated Zucchini and Fresh Spinach

Floating Island

Suggested wines

A light white wine with the first course, like a Chablis, Chardonnay, or dry Riesling

A red Bordeaux or Cabernet Sauvignon with the veal

A Champagne or sparkling white wine with the dessert

Bon appetit!