You Saw It Here First!

Photo credit: wholeliving.com

Check out this recipe for a healthy snack I just found via Martha Stewart. Greek yoghurt, bread, honey ... sound familiar? There are actually great ideas in the entire slideshow, though I'd definitely go for the double dark chocolate and ginger biscotti. A little more effort, sure, but what's not to love about 84 calories and 4 grams of fat per serving for something with CHOCOLATE? Note to self: must make soon!

Have Kitchen, Will Travel

I am desperate to get back in my kitchen (and my skinny jeans!) after a week-long meeting at a hotel out of town. The cozy rooms and kind staff could not make up for the usual conference suspects of bad coffee, sticky pastries, and heaping platters of greasy starches and overcooked meat. I would have been more than happy with a bowl of oatmeal in the morning, a big salad for lunch, and a baked potato and roasted chicken for dinner. Thank goodness for my trusty supply of apples and crispbread, two bars of 85% Lindt chocolate, a bottle of Malbec and the good people of Starbucks!

My fellow conference attendees happily chowed down food by the platefuls, though by Friday many were regretfully patting their distended stomachs, popping antacids, and taking naps in between sessions. It doesn't take a health freak to know that you cannot possibly be productive after eating butter-drenched farfalle and chicken covered in a cheese sauce that's so thick you can stand the serving spoon in the chafing dish. I took a crisis communications training a few years back where we spent a good ten minutes talking about how to sustain your team through a 24-hour news cycle: keep 'em hydrated, give 'em lean protein and complex carbs, and for crying out loud ensure good ventilation. But I digress.

By the time I got home I was itching to take my Wusthof santoku and chop up a big batch of fresh, raw and green ingredients. That Sunday our football team lost, the chilly air was an unmistakable precursor to colder days ahead and we had loads of laundry to fold, so I tabled my craving for a more hands-on meal and opted instead for a 20-minute, two-pot dish that tastes like Asian carry out and costs you less than $10 for two. Satisfaction guaranteed, chopsticks optional.

Asian Noodle Bowl

Ingredients

Prepping the meat

• 3/4 pound of skirt or flank steak (I recently discovered these inexpensive and super flavorful cuts of meat - they're on the fatty side so you don't need to add much oil when you cook) - seasoned with salt, pepper and powdered ginger, to taste
• A cup of frozen, shelled edamame 
• Soba noodles - about three quarters of a package
• Half a cup of soy sauce
• About 1 tablespoon minced garlic 
• Half a cup of red wine
• Olive or sesame oil
• Half a lime
• About a cup of chopped cilantro and spring onions (optional)
• Chopped peanuts (optional)
• Sriracha for serving

Preparation

Let the meat rest and release juices

• In a medium pan bring water to boil. 
• Drizzle a little olive or sesame oil and, using a paper towel, moisten the bottom of a non-stick skillet. 
• Heat skillet and, when it's too hot to hold your hand directly over it, add garlic. Stir until golden. Add meat. Cook one side for about three minutes and flip, leaving to cook for another two minutes. Add the soy sauce and about half of the wine. Reduce heat and turn meat over one more time. After about two minutes, depending on thickness, remove meat from skillet and set on plate to rest.
• Your water should be boiling by now. Add soba noodles and cook according to instructions, about three minutes, using tongs to stir. Add edamame and stir for about a minute. Remove from heat and drain together. Add soba and edamame to skillet with edamame and juices, and toss gently. Add some water or soy sauce to moisten. Divid among two serving bowls.
• Slice meat against the grain. Divide meat and juices among bowls. 




Better than carry out!


• For a final touch squeeze fresh lime juice over the dish and garnish with cilantro, spring onions or peanuts, if you like.
• Serve with sriracha for dipping ON THE SIDE.

Amuse Bouches

Fall is in the air and after lazy summer months where salads and anything grilled turn a get-together into a dinner party, entertainment season looms large. Who hasn't uttered the one-too-many-drinks-induced, enthusiastic outburst: "Come over for brunch/dinner/Thanksgiving" only to realize in sobriety and panic the next day that you'll need to produce enough edible and relatively coherent dishes for six people.  Take a deep breath. Have an om moment. Throwing a lunch or dinner party is really like yoga - you start off thinking "I could NEVER do that" but as you get into it you realize that you are actually more bendy than you ever thought you could be. Never mind that you're a tad sore after the first couple of times - you get better with practice.

Hosting with the most (fun) comes down to one thing: making a plan and sticking to it. Follow this rule and you'll have a blast, enjoy the company and food, and look like you put it all together without batting an eyelash. Make lists. I'm serious. Picture what you would want to serve and how you would want the evening to go, and write down everything: food, drinks, dishes and platters and utensils you'll use, background music, what kind of napkins, what you need to do. Be as exact as possible: slice bread, fill up salt and pepper shakers, replace light bulb, and so on. Once you're done with your list you can stop thinking - simply check off what's done as you shop, cook, and prepare.

Here's what goes on top of my list: Know Your Limits! I'm no Martha Stewart. I always pick one course that I don't make myself. I'm not a great baker so I usually focus on appetizers and the main course and leave dessert to the expert hands of others. Regulars on my shopping list include rich chocolate cake that I garnish with raspberries, or chocolate and vanilla gelato with berries and good biscotti.  I also don't spend too much time on nibbles. To stave off the munchies while I put finishing touches on the food and catch up with guests over cocktails, I serve big juicy olives, good quality hummus, toasted pita chips and assorted nuts.

Another great tip: serve dishes that can sit cooling in the oven until it's time to eat. Roast lamb or beef actually taste better if you take them out of the oven when they are still very rare and leave them resting for a while, covered with foil. Stews are another great option since they can be made the morning of or even the day before and left to fully develop their flavors as they steep.

For side dishes I like potato salad or couscous which taste great at room temperature, or something like orzo that I cook ahead of time and then quickly toss in olive oil and fresh herbs to warm up, right before people sit down to eat. I keep printouts of successful recipes in a drawer by the stove and clip together recipes for appetizers and desserts I served alongside, for easy reference the next time someone comes for dinner.

And if I have a little extra time I add some glamour to our plain white china through fancy dinner napkins in bright, seasonal colors and a few small decorative objects depending on the time of year - wooden, pastel-toned eggs in the spring, orange and green candles in the fall, and small, jewel-toned globes in December.

Here are some of my favorite, tried and tested recipes for entertaining - check back for updates.

Quick tip: Dessert for breakfast

Any Italian restaurant worth its flag will have some version of mascarpone with figs or berries on its dessert menu. I like to start my day with a healthy, just as yummy version that packs a punch with protein, complex carbs, and lots of vitamins and antioxidants. It takes longer to read this post than to make this dish, so skip the excuses, not breakfast!

A sweet way to start the day

Dessert for breakfast

• Two slices of crisp bread like Wasa or whole wheat bread, toasted
• 1 individual serving of non-fat plain Greek yoghurt (creamy, packed with protein and firm enough to hold up on bread - all that for about 80 calories)
• Half a cup of fresh fruit, halved or sliced if needed (I use fresh ripe figs - 'tis the season! - or try mixed berries or sliced bananas)
• Chopped almonds or hazelnuts (optional)
• A drizzle of honey (optional)

Spoon yoghurt onto bread. Add fruit and sprinkle with nuts and honey if desired. Have with a cup of very strong coffee and start your day with all of the taste and none of the guilt.

Three Times a Charm

It's A Girl!

Apparently good things do come in threes. Since the beginning of the month we've enjoyed beautiful flower arrangements in our home from the most unlikely sources: an extra arrangement from a baby shower, a leftover centerpiece from a client luncheon, and a thank you from our next door neighbors for helping them stem a flood in the middle of the night.

I recently learned that it's actually a cinch to make fancy, inexpensive centerpieces. I offered to bring pink and white flowers to a friend's baby shower and set out that day to buy ready-made arrangements at our neighborhood flower shop. It was a bright sunny day and walking  around and poking at this flower and that inspired me to bring home a few bunches and arrange them myself. I got lots of tips from one of the helpful florists, and also learned that shops will add a 40 percent mark up on arrangements. If that's not motivation to do it yourself I don't know what is! At the end of the day I had three very pretty arrangements, two vases that I will use time and again, and lots of fun playing with different options, all for around $75.

Office Souvenir

The key is to choose colors and flowers that reflect the season and mood - calla lilies will set the tone for an elegant dinner while a playful mixed assortment reflects a more casual gathering. Pick a few stand-outs like fully opened roses, plump hydrangeas or bright daisies, and mix them with less expensive fillers like babies breath and mini carnations which come in all sorts of pretty colors and last for ages. Use short, cylindrical vases and swirl a few beargrass leaves around the inside before filling half way with water. This is the secret to an arrangement that looks finished and professional.

Good Neighbors

Trim all flower stems to a similar length, about 10 inches, so that the buds don't get in the way of eye contact and conversation, and begin filling the vase, alternating flowers. If you're not sure of the height just set the vase where you want it and sit or stand next to it, depending on whether you're using it on a dinner or cocktail table. Buffet centerpieces should be tall enough to stand above food, including things you're serving on higher pieces such as cake stands.

Buy enough flowers to fill the vases so the stems sit tightly against each other. You may need to snip off a few leaves here and there. And don't forget to ask if your florist has any special deals, particularly on flowers that are in season. Take cues from what you see in magazines and take pictures of arrangements you really like for future inspiration. And most of all, enjoy and be creative! 

Passage to India

After last week's gourmet tour of the world I made a second attempt at curried lentil and potato stew with spiced okra. It turned out even better though the okra was not as nearly as tender as the previous batch from the Farmer's Market. As we put away the dishes after licking clean the serving spoons we agreed that this recipe was so addicting it should definitely make regular appearances throughout fall and winter. Later I sat on the sofa listening to the hum of the dishwasher and regretfully wishing I'd eaten the rest of the lentils rather than saving them in a Tupperware for tomorrow's lunch. Hmm. I may need to double the portions next time.

Curried lentil and potato stew

Ingredients (serves two with leftovers, maybe)

Stirring in potatoes and cilantro

• Two cups of green lentils
• Yellow curry powder
• A pinch or two of cayenne pepper
• Salt to taste (if there's one thing I learned about curry is that it needs a lot of salt to bring out the flavor, so this is not the food for people watching their blood pressure)

• 2 small gold potatoes, cubed
• Fresh cilantro, about two handfuls, torn
• A cup of strained tomatoes
• White wine (optional)

Almost ready

Put lentils in a large pot and cover with five cups of water. Add plenty of curry powder, salt, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil, covered. When lentils start to boil reduce heat to medium. After ten minutes add potatoes, half the cilantro, the tomatoes, half cup or so of white wine and more salt.

Stir and cover. Cook for another 10 minutes or until lentils and potatoes are tender, adding water as needed to ensure a slightly moist consistency. Right before serving add the remaining cilantro.



Dinner is served


Serve with spiced okra (courtesy of Top Cheftestant Kevin Gillespie, this recipe is delicious even though I skipped the fenugreek and substituted garam masala for the ground fennel seeds - if you do this you can leave out the cinnamon) and a dollop of plain yoghurt if you like. The lentils taste even better at room temperature or the next day.

Everything is Illuminated

When Michael Phelps was training for the Beijing Olympics he ate two pounds of pasta. Per. Meal. His side dishes were usually a couple of ham and cheese sandwiches or a pizza. Of course he was also burning something like 10,000 calories a day. I'm lucky if I exercise that much in a month and despite my love for Italian food I stayed away from pasta for many years because frankly, who can resist a huge plate of it enticingly slathered in butter, cream or some other decadent goodness?

I don't have that kind of self control and envied anyone who did until a lightbulb went off and I realized that the key to guilt-free pasta is to make it at home, creatively using healthier ingredients and controlling portions. As a result I'm constantly experimenting with new ideas for fast, lower calorie recipes that still taste like a treat. Life is so much better now that we eat pasta once or twice a week, though I make just enough for two and when it's gone we tend to regretfully hover of the empty pot bartering over who gets each last drop of sauce.

Here's my newest addiction: simple and healthy pasta infused with bright taste, beautiful color and lots of vitamins. Each ingredient will really shine in this dish, so use really fresh greens, whole milk ricotta, and good parmesan.

Green ricotta pasta (serves 2)



Tossing the greens

 Ingredients

• 1/2 pound whole wheat pasta (any shape will work)
• 2 cups fresh basil, roughly chopped
• 2 cups fresh arugula, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup ricotta
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• Zest of half a lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A pinch of nutmeg (optional)
• Parmesan to taste

Preparation

Fold in the ricotta mixture

Bring to boil a large pot with plenty of water. When the water is boiling add some salt and the pasta. Cook according to the label, about 8-9 minutes or until al dente. Stir every once in a while.

While the pasta cooks, in a small bowl mix the ricotta, wine, zest, and salt and pepper. Add the pinch of nutmeg if you like.

• When the pasta is al dente, strain and reserve half a cup of the cooking liquid. 

Return pasta to the pot and add the reserved cooking liquid. Slowly add the basil and arugula and toss gently, using tongs. The warm pasta will wilt the greens.

When the greens start to wilt, add the ricotta mixture and toss gently.

Serve in bowls with a generous sprinkling of parmesan.

Great Escapes

As I piled groceries into my cart on Sunday I realized that we'll be eating our way around the world this week. This is a happy and delicious coincidence rather than the result of a grand scheme, though as colder days loom my menu planning was perhaps influenced by a subconscious longing for far-away places and bright, vivid flavors. By Thursday we will have visited Italy (capellini with scallops), Mexico (three-chile chicken), India (curried lentil and potato stew with okra), Asia (steamed fish with jasmine rice and bok choy), and the Middle East (spiced Israeli couscous and roasted squash). Freud would probably read some deep meaning into all this but I was just going for low calorie, fast and budget-friendly dinners. As a bonus I'm finding that while I chop, stir, and linger over a plate the scents and flavors transport me, no suitcases required. Stay tuned for recipes.

Quick tip: The perfect hard-boiled egg

We just switched to a different brand of eggs and this morning I noticed that they come with instructions. A little paper tucked into the carton explains how to honor fresh, free-range eggs by highlighting their flavor and texture through perfect preparation. I boiled four eggs while eating breakfast and had two for lunch. They were just the right consistency, firm enough for easy slicing but still velvety soft, and the yolks had a beautiful golden color. These tips are so easy and useful that I had to share! Instructions are for large eggs.

• Place eggs in a pot without crowding them but ensuring a snug fit. Add water until eggs are completely covered.
• Place uncovered pot on burner and bring water to a boil.
• Once the water is at a rolling boil, turn off heat, cover pot, and remove pot from the burner. Let sit, covered, for 15 minutes. Set a timer so you don't forget or the eggs will overcook.
• Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath for the eggs (simply put ice cubes and water in a bowl that's large enough to fit the eggs).
• After 15 minutes, use a spoon to gently transfer each egg into the ice bath. Let sit for a few minutes. Don't skip this step! It makes peeling the eggs super easy because the temperature drop separates the shell from the papery-thin skin around the egg white. (In German this is called "scaring off" the egg.)
• Drain and refrigate. Eggs will keep fresh for a week.

Quick tip: "Moroccan" carrots

I recently made this terrific recipe, adapted from Epicurious as part of a simple, weeknight vegetarian dinner. The main dish was Israeli couscous, toasted in olive oil, garlic, cumin, nutmeg and turmeric, and simmered in two cups of water (be sure to toast the couscous in the spices before adding water).

Not only is this good and good for you, it also looks festive and autumnal with gorgeous deep orange and warm yellow hues and just a hint of green. As temperatures fall I'll probably add spiced lamb chops (a tried and true recipe from Real Simple) and a glass of spicy red wine.

Moroccan-Inspired Carrots (serves 2)

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound baby carrots
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar (I used about half a package of the kind you get at a coffee shop)
• A pinch of cayenne (or a little more if you like it hot)
• A squeeze or two of fresh lemon or lime juice
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest (be sure to thoroughly wash the skin - I like to use organic fruit for zest)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped mint or parsley

Preparation

In a steamer set over boiling water, cook the carrots until they are tender (this will take between 8-10 minutes, depending on how well cooked you like them).

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden, stirring often. Add the cumin, cinnamon,  sugar, cayenne, and carrots and cook, stirring, for a minute or two until the carrots are well-coated with the spices. Stir in the lemon or lime juice, zest, mint or parsley, and add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer carrots to a serving bowl. The carrots and couscous are delicious warm or at room temperature and if you're making the vegetarian version, enjoy with a glass of Riesling.

True Colors

Looks matter, at least when it comes to food. Eating is as much about sight as it is about taste, smell and touch, and a great meal engages all senses except perhaps for hearing - other than the pop of a champagne cork or the crackle of hot oil in a fondue pot, you hardly want sound effects from your plate or, for that matter, your dining companions.

Color is a great way to make a meal visually appealing. Nutritionists will tell you that a colorful meal ensures healthy doses of lycopene, lutein and other essentials, although Lucky Charms prove that theory wrong. But more than just being good for you, vibrant hues can make any dish look interesting and even exotic. Depending on the season, you might find more of one or the other color - in the fall, tones of orange in squash, pumpkin and yams, and in the spring shades of green in peas, artichokes and asparagus. 

Purple has been my inspiration in these last weeks of summer. At the beach it was beautiful, pale purple baby eggplant I unexpectedly found at the local Variety Store, conjuring Thai flavors and setting the tone for dinner: I tossed eggplant halves with olive oil, garam masala and salt and pepper, and served them grilled with tilefish in coconut milk and cilantro, and steamed jasmin rice. 


This weekend at the Farmer's Market I couldn't resist a bunch of purple basil and added torn handfuls of it to cooked whole wheat spaghetti, along with fresh chopped garlic, olive oil, salt and liberal amounts of parmigiano-reggiano. Purple, still-tart plums are sitting on our kitchen counter, waiting for a more imaginative use than being cut and served with spoonfuls of vanilla yoghurt. 

On your next trip to the store or market, bring home a color that strikes your fancy and let your creative juices flow. You'll end up with pretty, good meal.  

High Tide

The stage is set for dinner

Sitting on the screened porch and watching the sunset while dinner is cooking on the grill has been the theme of this week at the beach. It is no small luxury to wake up every day and ponder two big questions: when shall we go to the beach, and what should we eat tonight. Taking advantage of the outdoors and a grill, dinner varies between fresh, off-the-boat seafood that smells like the ocean, and an occasional steak. My exotic spices sit in the cupboard but I find myself reaching for very basic, clean, and light flavors - lime, jalapeno, cilantro, chopped garlic, salt and pepper, olive oil.

Perhaps it's because we eat while looking out at the water, but this is some of the best food I have made, and it takes nothing more than combining all ingredients in a bowl along with scallops or shrimp and a dash of white wine for 20 minutes, giving them an occasional gentle toss, then spearing them on skewers and grilling them briefly. Sliced avocado with lime and salt and corn on the cob, grilled wrapped in aluminum foil with olive oil and spices, or boiled and served as a salad, are wonderful side dishes.

Our seafood at home won't be as fresh and we won't be dining to the sound of waves lapping against the shore, but this will work well for broiling, too, and is a surefire way to evoke summer.

Quick tip: Beach house kitchen essentials

We're spending a week at the beach, and as soon as we found a rental I started to think about what to bring. And I'm not talking about clothes. I consulted blogs, friends, the local realtors, and took note of what I reach for every day to compile a list of essentials for a week of easy cooking and fabulous eating. This assumes a house with a functional kitchen including basic pots, pans and utensils; a barbecue; and access to fresh protein and vegetables.

Beach rental essentials for the foodie

• Good canned tuna for sandwiches and quick pasta dishes
• Good canned beans and chick peas for sides dishes and salads
• Olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dressings and marinades
• Salt and pepper mill
• Spices: cayene pepper, chili powder, cinnamon, garam masala, ground ginger, ground cumin, oregano, paprika, and thyme 
• Light brown sugar (for rubs)
• Whole wheat pasta, Israeli or regular couscous
• Oatmeal for breakfast (and if you're so inclined, for baking)
• Package of good strained tomatoes
• Pistacchios or other nuts to sustain you while you sip and cook
• Good chocolate for eating or shaving over ice cream
• French press and coffee
• Red and white wine, beer
• Wine, bottle and can openers
• Candles and matches for romantic dinners and power outages 
• Heavy duty aluminum foil for grilling
• Napkins, paper towels, kitchen towels 
• Oven mitts
• Plastic bags for marinating proteins
• Tongs
• Kitchen shears
• Grater

Throw in a bathing suit and a pair of shorts, and you're good to go!

Comfort

Comfort food makes you feel good no matter when you eat it. For me, one of life's great little indulgences is a piece of warm, crunchy toast with butter. Even the smell of bread cooking in the toaster oven makes me insanely happy. I feel the same way about my homemade omelette, although my version is really more of a frittata sans the cheese. It feels like a treat partly because we have it for dinner and you're supposed to have eggs for breakfast. You can make this in 20 minutes or less and I'll share a few tricks to make it low in fat and high in flavor. Have a glass of really cold Sauvignon Blanc or Sancerre with this dish and voila! It will feel like you're dining at a bistrot.

"Omelette" dinner

Ingredients:

• Two eggs per person
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil
• A handful or two of chopped fresh herbs (I like a mix of basil, cilantro, chives, and tarragon)

Preparation:

Drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil in a non-stick, oven proof skillet. Use a paper towel to moisten the entire skillet with oil.

Set your skillet over a burner at high heat.

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.

Crack eggs into a bowl. Using a whisk, combine the egg whites and yolks. Whisk very well until the eggs are almost foamy - this is the trick to an airy texture. Add herbs, salt and pepper to taste, and a table spoon or so of water per 2 eggs. Whisk again.

Pour the eggs into the hot skillet. Turn down the heat to medium. After about 3 minutes, or when the bottom is firm and the top starts to settle, put the skillet in the oven. Bake for 6-8 minutes, until the top of the omelette is firm but still very yellow (this is very important - a golden omelett will be pretty but dry).

Side dishes:

I serve this with steamed potatoes and asparagus. For optimum time management, before you start on the eggs, cut off the asparagus ends. Set water to boil in a medium pan. When the water is boiling, add the asparagus and cook for 3-4 minutes. Drain the asparagus in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking - this keeps them nice and green. Set on a plate and drizzle with a vinaigrette of olive oil, vinegar, and a touch of dijon mustard.

Wash and slice the potatoes (I buy organic ones so I don't have to worry about peeling them). Steam them for 10 minutes or so in the same pot you used for the asparagus. When they are soft, remove the basket. Serve the potatoes drizzled with olive oil. If the are really sweet, that's all you need, otherwise sprinkle with salt and pepper.

As the potatoes cook, make the omelet. Everything will be ready around the same time. Pour the wine and bon appetit.

Quick tip: Garam masala squash

The best of summer: squash
and heirloom tomatoes

Here's a delectable, yet oh-so-simple idea that I picked up at a July 4 barbecue for jazzing up all that gorgeous summer squash: slice it, lay the slices out on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garam masala (a mix of ground cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, star anise and coriander seeds). Preheat your oven at about 400 degrees and broil for the squash for 10 minutes or so. This is so yummy that you will be making this all summer long. And here's one good reason to look forward to fall: I can't wait to try it with butternut squash and pumpkin.

Spontaneity

Growing up there was always someone coming to our house to eat. We had an open door policy and my friends would turn up for lunch or snacks after school. My parents also entertained a lot and my mom threw fabulous dinner parties, meticulously planned from the table decor and menu to the guest list. My dad jokes that we never get to enjoy leftovers because our guests always have seconds and thirds, something that deep down every host probably wants to complain about! When I moved into a home of my own, I wanted it to be the kind of place where people drop in for the extra seat at the table. In reality, we lead such hectic lives that every moment is planned and everyone pulls out their handheld device to pencil in dinner appointments four weeks out. People do not come by unannounced because it is simply not practical.

With impromptu dinner guests just about as rare as leap years, I was thrilled that a friend found himself in our neighborhood one evening last week. My enthusiasm at entertaining on a whim quickly turned into panic when I remembered what I had planned for that night: a modified recipe from Williams Sonoma for pasta with endives, olives and tomatoes. My version was going to be with whole wheat spaghetti and I only had enough ingredients for two people with rather modest appetites. Blanching at the thought of serving insufficient amounts of extremely healthy food to a guy who has been known to eat a few burgers in one sitting, I peered into the fridge to see what else I could piece together. Small quantities of lentils, assorted herbs and vegetables, and eggs didn't offer any promising alternatives, so I decided to brave it, follow my original plan, and add whatever plausible ingredient I had in the kitchen. After all, if I couldn't feed one spontaneous friend, how would I ever have a revolving door of dinner guests?

Farmer's market harvest

As a caveat, we did call ahead to warn him of the menu so he arrived knowing full well what to expect. Fortunately he is easy going and open minded, and hoping for the best I retreated into the kitchen, along with a big glass of the Malbec he brought. It may have been the wine or the recipe which was an excellent starting point, but I gathered my wits about me and started adding ingredients: strained tomatoes and yellow cherry tomatoes for substance, and white wine, red pepper flakes and fresh basil for flavor. When I brought it all out in a big bowl it looked picture perfect: yellow and red cherry tomatoes played off beautifully against the wet-sand color of the pasta and the bright green basil leaves. Our friend pronounced himself impressed and I'm quite sure that he was not just being polite since he asked for seconds and then thirds. No leftovers! Triumphantly I carried the empty bowl back into the kitchen.  

  

Whole wheat pasta with endives, cherry tomatoes, and basil

(This recipe is adapted from a Williams Sonoma cookbook)

Ingredients

• Whole wheat pasta (I used spaghetti but any shape will do)
• Olive oil
• Garlic, chopped
• A handful or two of cherry tomatoes, halved (for visual appeal mix yellow and red ones)
• White or red wine (whichever you are drinking - if you go white, choose something full-bodied since the pasta is hearty)
• Good strained tomatoes (I use Pomi)
• A handful of olives (I used kalamata)
• Belgian endive, outer leaves removed and cut into one inch slices (I think radicchio would work very well, too)
• Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes
• Fresh basil (don't skip or skimp on this, it really makes the meal)

In a large skillet warm a tablespoon or two of olive oil on medium heat. Add the garlic and stir it until it becomes soft. Add the tomatoes and stir them every so often for about 3 minutes, until they start breaking up. Add some white wine and tomato sauce, but only enough to barely cover the cherry tomatos. Add the olives, endives, salt, papper, and red pepper flakes to taste, stir, and turn off the heat.

Boil pasta in plenty of salted water. Do not overcook, although whole wheat will be firmer than regular pasta.

Drain the pasta (do not rinse) and put into a large serving bowl. Add the sauce, and stir in plenty of basil leaves. Serve with fresh parmesan or pecorino cheese and garnish with basil if you are feeling fancy.

Metamorphosis

The other day a friend asked what inspired me to become more adventurous in the kitchen. Pondering the question over a bottle of Malbec, I realized there was no Eureka moment but rather a gradual transformation. For years my cooking repertoire consisted of broiled meat, fish, or chicken and vegetables - healthy and satisfying, but nothing to write home about. My husband's menu choices at restaurants, on the other hand, often led to long debates: they were consistently more interesting if not always better than mine. His "try anything once" approach to food opened my eyes to creative cooking and motivated me to venture beyond olive oil and herbes de provence. It started subtly: a lamb chop with mango chutney here, a chicken stir fry with freshly grated ginger there. Soon I was adding cumin, fennel seeds, chili, coriander, and red and pink salt to my pantry. And slowly I learned that in the best case, a good kitchen knife and a handful of ingredients can turn a dish from good to great in under 30 minutes. (In the worst case, you order take out.)


Thai green chicken curry

Photo: Bon Appetit

One of my first creative endeavors was a memorable Thai curry, courtesy of Bon Appetit magazine. The recipe looked easy enough and the picture made my mouth water, so we set off to the grocery store feeling a bit like fourteenth century European explorers about to discover new land. For hours we poured over different brands of curry paste, coconut milk, and fish sauce. Once our bags were full and our appetites whetted we couldn't wait to get cooking. And we were not disappointed: on their own, the ingredients were pungent (and the smell of fish sauce almost offensive), but they came together beautifully in a fragrant, spicy sweetness that I had not tasted in all my years of eating Indian curries. It was so good that we ate the entire thing, and very nearly licked the pot.

Follow the recipe to a tee, serve with steamed basmati or jasmin rice on the side, and top off with a nice Riesling. For dessert serve something tropical and refreshing like pineapple ice cream.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings ... we never have leftovers)

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup sliced shallots (about 5 large)
• 1 3/4 teaspoons Thai green curry paste
• 1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
• 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into thin strips (shrimp work well, too) 
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil plus sprigs for garnish
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice plus wedges for garnish

Preparation

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and curry paste; stir until shallots soften, about 2 minutes. Add coconut milk and fish sauce; bring to boil. Add chicken and bell pepper; stir until chicken is just cooked through. Stir in chopped basil and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bliss

Divide curry among bowls. Garnish with basil sprigs and lime wedges. Take a deep whiff and marvel at your cooking skills!

Inspiration

My husband inspired me to start this blog after a successful experiment with squid ink pasta (previously an "ewww" food for me). This is new territory - the blogging, that is - and he'll have to add technical support and proof-reader to his responsibilities as sous-chef, taster, and fan-in-chief.

On this lazy and hot Saturday afternoon we decided to browse the new Whole Foods in our neighboorhood. This is actually overwhelming rather than relaxing, but at least it's airconditioned! We stopped at the fresh pasta bar where you choose your pasta and they bring out sheets and sheets of it and cut it according to order. The guy manning the machine was evidently having a disageement with a particularly stubborn batch - he kept trying to cut capellini and they kept breaking. I felt sorry for him so I asked what the purple sheet was, thinking eggplant. Well, it was squid ink. My husband loves squid ink and the rest is history. We got three quarters of a pound, cut as tagliatelle. I shall not be intimidated!

Absent any creative suggestions from the person behind the counter, my husband pulled out his Iphone and found a recipe on someone's blog. Have I mentioned that I'm the chef, he's the CIO? This recipe called for a handful of ingredients and the only exotic one was saffron, which I've never used before. We had slight sticker shock since it ended up costing as much as the rest of the ingredients together, but the flavor and color it adds to the dish are totally worth it!

Beautiful fresh squid ink pasta

With ingredients and recipe in hand we were only missing the wine. I had absolutely no idea what to serve, so on the way home we stopped at a small, ecclectic wine store. Lucky for me the lovely French owner knew exactly what we needed: "a very big white or a very small red" against the salty-sweet, slightly oily flavor of the squid ink. She sent us off with a wonderful Vermentino and cooking tips.

For example, squid ink pasta needs to be well done, not al dente, to fully develop its flavor and texture. Who knew?

We came home with a small bag of treasures and I set to work right away. The result: a definite do-again. And the best part - 10 minutes tops and no exact measurements required.

Ingredients:

• Fresh squid ink pasta - fettucine or thinner
• Onion, chopped
• Garlic, chopped
• Olive oil
• One or two zucchini or yellow squash, chopped into dice
• A handful of parsley, chopped
• Saffron threads, dissolved in hot water (use an old mug - it STAINS !)
• Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes
• White wine

Heat two or so tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, cook until they start browning. Add zucchini, cook until slightly soft. Add half a cup or so of white wine, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Turn heat to low. Add parsley and saffron with its liquid and any remaining threads that have not dissolved. Stir gently and turn off heat.

Boil pasta in salted water until well done - around four minutes. Strain and do not rinse.

Dramatic black and bright yellow contrast

Serve pasta in warmed bowls. Drizzle with olive oil. Spoon vegetables over pasta. Take a bite of pasta and have a sip of wine: the flavors are wonderful together. Enjoy!