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.