A Mingling of Tastes

Chickpea Soup with Sweet Potatoes & Roasted Poblanos

2009-11-09T16:30:00.005-05:00

This is a hearty vegetarian soup I came up with when we were in the mood for something healthy and invigorating. After I've eaten a few rich or heavy meals, I find myself craving heat and spice. Somehow it wakes up my body and makes a virtuous dish taste perfectly satisfying.

Roasting some poblano peppers is an easy extra step that gives this soup a little something special. It seems to be more of a stew than a soup despite coming together in less than a half hour, not counting a few minutes spent roasting the peppers. I patterned it after a delicious smoky turkey chile I love to make. Try it when you need a pick-me-up meal. I'll also note that, like any meat-based stew, the leftovers take on a very appealing, steeped-in-flavor effect the next day.

Chickpea Soup with Sweet Potatoes & Roasted Poblanos
Roast the poblanos ahead of time directly on the burners of a gas range, under a broiler or on a grill. When skin of peppers is black, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap until cool enough to handle. Slip off the skin with your fingers, then remove the stem and seeds. See detailed instructions here.

Serves 4

1 1/2 Tbs canola oil
1/2 red onion, chopped
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1 Tbs chopped fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic chopped
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground coriander
Red pepper flakes to taste
4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 to 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite-size chunks
3 cups cooked chickpeas (about 2 14-oz. cans, rinsed and drained)
1 (14-oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
3 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and cut into thin strips
Chopped fresh cilantro and sour cream for serving (optional)

Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook until soft. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the ginger, garlic, curry powder, coriander and red pepper flakes. Continue cooking for 2 minutes, or until garlic is tender and spices are fragrant.

Add the broth, cover and raise heat to high. As soon as liquid comes to a simmer, add sweet potatoes and return to simmering once again. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add chickpeas, tomatoes and poblanos. Simmer just until heated through. Taste to check the seasoning and add salt and pepper as necessary or beef up the spices (you might want more curry flavor, or some ground cumin to supplement the whole cumin seeds, etc.). Serve with fresh cilantro and sour cream.

Classic (but better) Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-10-28T14:58:00.003-04:00

Chocolate chip cookies: deceptively simple, utterly ubiquitous--yet loaded with mystery. I love reading recipes for these cookie jar favorites, but I rarely come across a version that's truly new or different. With these treats, its the little things that count. You may have been making the same chocolate chip cookies for years with good results, but then you use a different technique, try out one new tip or somehow alter an ingredient and suddenly your cookies go from good (let's face it, even mediocre chocolate chip cookies--especially hot from the oven--are still pretty good) to WOW.

These cookies are descended from the classic Tollhouse style--not too big, not too cakey, and not too crisp. As intriguing as other gussied-up recipes might be, I didn't want to stray too far from this basic DNA. What I did want were cookies that did not spread out flat, stayed very soft in the center (to achieve this, don't overbake; and actually, underbake) and had superior flavor.

Last year, the New York Times published a long and intricate exploration of chocolate chip cookies in which the author, David Leite, determined that resting the dough in the refrigerator for 36 hours creates complex, toffee-like flavors and nice-looking, even browning. Another key point in the article was that a smidge of sea salt sprinkled onto the scoops of dough right before baking was a very good idea. I had no doubts about the salt, but I was dubious about the waiting period.

I did not make the exact NYT cookie, mostly because it's for an enormous, commercial-style cookie rather than the modest homey type. I also disagree with their preference for shards of chopped chocolate versus chips (I love biting into a melting pocket of chocolate--I don't want it marbled throughout the dough). After making my dough as written below, I baked a sheet of cookies immediately, after 24 hours and after 36+ hours.

This is a good cookie anytime, but we did indeed notice a difference. Compared to the cookies baked immediately, the 36 hour batch had better browning and deeper "cookie dough" flavor, whereas that initial cookie was pale and slightly one-note. The 24 hour batch was only a little better than the initial batch, so I'd advise waiting the full 36. For the science lovers in the room, to paraphrase Shirley O. Corriher in the article, this long resting period allows the dry ingredients to fully soak up the wet ingredients, resulting in a firmer dough and better consistency when baked. It also seems that 36 hours of "stewing time," as I like to think of it, brings out maximum flavor from the simple ingredients.

Does this matter? I don't know, but it's a fun experiment to try. Bake a dozen for instant gratification, then wait and see what happens after a day or two. Here's the other thing about chilling your dough: you should do it all the time (speed it up with the freezer if you must). I think it prevents the cookies from spreading, so do it even if you want to bake a batch without a long resting period.

There is no perfect chocolate chip cookie because everyone has his or her unique ideal. I like nuts, but only if they're chopped very small. As I said, I dislike crisp or flat cookies, and I don't want mine to turn into hard little hockey pucks once cool. So, if my current favorite appeals to you, give it a try! If not, tell me about your ideal chocolate chip cookie in the comments. I wonder how many of us are CCC soulmates...?

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from The Art and Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet

The original recipe has one quirk that (for me) led to good results: it calls for 1/2 stick of butter less than most Tollhouse-style recipes. Perhaps this helps prevent the cookies from spreading. It also calls for a mix of dark and milk chocolate. In most cases, I consider milk chocolate to be a waste of time (yeah, I said it), so I used all dark, specifically a bag of Ghirardelli 60% cocao bittersweet chips, which aren't particularly bitter at 60%, so they're nice for cookies. Cutting up a good chocolate bar works too (you'll need about 2 cups). I know you hear this a lot, but the quality of the chocolate really makes a difference. Ghirardelli is affordable and easy to find, but it's leagues better than supermarket staples, Nestle and Hershey's. The chocolate aficionado's out there will have their own favorites, I'm sure:)

Makes about 40 cookies

1 1/2 sticks (6 oz) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup (5 1/4 oz) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (6 oz) firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups (11 1/4 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
12 oz dark chocolate chips, such as Ghirardelli bittersweet (see headnote)
3/4 cup (3 1/4 oz) chopped, toasted walnuts
Sea salt, for sprinkling

Equipment Note: To prevent the bottoms of cookies from over-browning, I LOVE insulated cookie sheets. If you like a soft center and cookies that don't harden as they cool, they're a must. Check them out here and here.

1) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

2) Beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until smooth and blended, about 2 minutes (longer for handheld mixers). Add one of the eggs and beat just until blended; add the other egg and vanilla and beat until blended.

3) Turn mixer on lowest speed and add the flour mixture. Beat until no patches of flour remain, scraping down the bowl as needed.

4) With mixer off, add the chocolate chips and nuts. Turn the mixer to lowest speed and beat until just combined.

5) Chill the dough for 1 to 2 hours minimum (30 minutes in the freezer), and up to 36 hours.

6) When you're ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out rounded tablespoon-sized balls of dough and place on parchment about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle a few grains of sea salt (or to taste) over each ball of dough. Bake one sheet at a time (to promote more precise, even baking) in the center of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Quickly open the oven and rotate baking sheet halfway through. Cookies are done when just lightly browned at the edges and still a bit soft in the center; the bottoms should be light golden brown. Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool. Parchment paper may be reused for several batches. If reusing baking sheet, allow to cool to room temperature before scooping dough.

Bloggers Celebrate Gourmet Magazine

2009-10-21T15:16:00.008-04:00

Photo by Desserts for Breakfast.

Here it is--your round up of blog posts celebrating Gourmet magazine (more about the event here)! Thank you to everyone who wrote about a recipe from the magazine and sent me your links and photos. It's cool to see the wide range of recipe choices--from a healthy bean dish to a comforting stew to (several!) decadent cheesecakes. It was a total pleasure putting this together. Gourmet may be gone (I can't bring myself to open the final issue yet; have you?), but I for one plan to cook the magazine's excellent recipes for years to come.

Cheryl of 5 Second Rule made this very pretty White Beans Puttanesca.

Lisa of Visual Traveler made luscious Pumpkin Cheesecake Supreme--a recipe that's been one of her mainstays since 1983!

Slashfood showed us how to make spooky Halloween treats with Gourmet's Chocolate Brownie recipe.

Another perfectly seasonal selection comes from Emily of The Culinary Couple: Spiced Apple Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting.

Adrienne of Hungry Bruno used an assortment of fresh 'shrooms for this Wild Mushroom Pasta.

Meg of Delicious Dishings has a long line up of recipes she's cooked from Gourmet. Click over to her blog to read about such tasties as Chocolate Cinnamon Cream Pie (!) and Fried Mozzarella Balls.

When Amy of Playing House makes Slow-Roasted Tomatoes, she means really slow--6 to 8 hours! I can attest that this technique is worth it!

Ginny of Just Get Floury baked a loaf of Pumpkin-Raisin Bread.

And don't forget Tom's Pear Butterscotch Pie (which he kindly let me post on this blog) and my own contribution to the event: Carrot Cake Cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

Kristin of Picky Cook tempts us with Minted Berry Cheesecake. She also treats us to her own round up of recipes she's cooked and blogged about from Gourmet (including scones and thumbprint cookies--my kind of girl!).

Maggie of The Freckled Citizen shares a weeknight favorite, Garlicky Black Pepper Shrimp & Black Eyed Peas.

Snow of Little Miss Sunshine made a lovely, healthy dinner for one that I'd eat any night of the week: Miso Glazed Sea Bass with Asparagus.

Katie of Lil Veggie Patch did her 'lil bit healthier version of Caramelized Banana Splits with Chocolate Sauce.

That gorgeous Chocolate Cream Pie at the top of the post is from Stephanie of Desserts for Breakfast. She also made Green Beans with Poached Egg and Parmesan from the magazine.

Cheryl of Backseat Gourmet couldn't decide on a Gourmet favorite. So, she posted her thoughts about the magazine and links to some of her top contenders, like Coconut Cake with Lime Curd and Chicken Cashew Chili.

Feast your eyes (and your stomach) on Flavorista's fall showstopper, Roast Pumpkin with Cheese Fondue. Hello, Gruyere!

Beth of Miss Mango Hands offers another take on pumpkin cheesecake: a pie version with gingersnap crust and crystallized ginger topping.

Breadchick Mary from The Sour Dough made the Gourmet version of two of her favorite foods: Meatballs and Rice Pudding.

Eric of Culinary Agoge whipped up this Brown Butter Pound Cake with a beautifully burnished crust.

Kate of Savour Fare sends us these artistically plated Crab Cakes with Spicy Avocado Sauce.

It's a fungi fest (ha!) on Chocolate & Croissants with this Wild Mushroom Soup.

Johanna of Pretty Girls Use Knives cooked up Chicken in Riesling. I'm thinking cozy dinner party dish.

Alyssa (also of Pretty Girls Use Knives) fell for creamy (but cream-free!) Cheddar Potato Soup with Bacon.

Last, but far from least: Veggie Girl adapted this Applesauce Pecan Cake to suit her dietary needs. You sure can't tell the difference by looking, so you'll love her smart recipe fixes!

If anyone out there missed participating in this event, please share your thoughts in the comments! Do you have a favorite recipe from Gourmet that you make all the time? Or maybe there's a memorable dish you cooked for a special occasion years ago. I want to hear about it! And links are always welcome, so I can try out your recommendations. Gourmet is gone, but I'm more resolved than ever to learn from--and enjoy--their nearly 70 years worth of culinary knowledge.

Pear Butterscotch Pie from Gourmet, Sept. 2009

2009-10-19T10:08:00.002-04:00

Thank you everyone who took part in the celebrate Gourmet blog event! It has been so cool to receive all your photos and read your posts. I'm working on getting the links up here for the official round up, which should be done tomorrow. In the meantime, here's a tribute from Tom, a reader in the Washington, D.C. area who doesn't have a blog, but still wanted to participate.

He made this very appealing pear butterscotch pie, which I think is perfect for any fall weekend, or a holiday meal. Thanks for all your pie-making tips, Tom. Enjoy, everyone!

Pear Butterscotch Farewell
I actually became a Gourmet subscriber by accident over a year ago… The subscription was a free gift from another website when I ordered a housewarming gift for a friend. I started receiving the magazine, and after two months called Gourmet to investigate and make sure I hadn’t paid for something that I hadn’t known about. Obviously, there was no harm done and I’ve been hooked every since… So of course, I was VERY disappointed to hear that the magazine is being canceled… I couldn’t help but join in this blog event as a tribute.

I picked the Pear Butterscotch Pie on page 61 of the September 2009 issue. I hadn’t done the particular recipe before, but I’ve been working on my pie technique pretty much all year and thought this would make a good addition. Pies are also great to bring into the office to share with co-workers and spread the calories around so I’m not stuck with a whole pie to eat by myself!

For the pie crust, the recipe referred to an all-butter pie crust on page 35 of the same issue – I couldn’t agree more with Gourmet’s assertion that the all-butter crust is the way to go! The butter just gives an amazing flavor that folks rave about. I actually use a little more salt and add a touch of sugar to my pie crust, most inspired by another website. Another key to pie crusts is the proper handling of butter. Never let it get too warm… The whole art of the pie is the crust. Generally the filling doesn’t take long at all and doesn’t require too many cooking tricks, but the pie will live or die depending on your handling of the crust! So this has been the focus of my ‘pie studies’ the past year.

I chop the butter into smaller pieces then refreeze while I sift together the flour, salt and sugar. Once it’s ice cold, I cut the butter together with the dry ingredients by hand using a pastry blender. I suppose I could buy a food processor to do this, but I never feel like spending the money and using my hands just feels so much more natural. Once it’s mixed together you splash cold water onto the mixture one tablespoon at a time. Lately I’ve noticed that it has taken more water than I’ve expected to hold the crust together – as many as 7 tablespoons! Once it all starts sticking, I divide the dough in half and form into disks, wrapping in saran wrap, and putting back in the fridge for at least another 20 minutes.

I use the time the dough is chilling to make the filling. Whisking together the cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and brown sugar and chopping the pears – good knives are SO important to good preparation no matter what the task. Not only that, good knives make it more fun because the cutting goes so smoothly and everything looks smooth and professional when you’re done. Following the directions for the filling, here, I also freshly juiced half a lemon – the bottled stuff just never has the same zest as freshly squeezed. (I did, however, use pre-ground nutmeg, rather than grating my own; but it’s from Penzey’s and pretty fresh so I didn’t mind.)

Once the filling is ready, I take out the pie dough for rolling. I warm the crust in my hands while starting to press it out thinner on the rolling mat. This way I can also make any adjustments with extra flour or water to help with early cracks in the dough. Once the dough is properly flattened, I put it between two pieces of parchment paper and roll it out. The parchment paper makes sticking much less of a problem (still flouring the surface) and makes putting the crust into the pie pan SO much easier.

The cute part of this recipe is the bit about using the excess dough to make leaves. Admittedly, I don’t have leaf cookie cutters so I tried my hand at doing them with a knife. They turned out OK, but in general, making the pie crust truly pretty with clean edging and decorations is still something I have to work on. I think Gourmet’s tip about pressing the two crusts together and “folding under” maybe kept this pie from boiling out more than others past. (Still, cooking with a sheet underneath is critical to avoiding HUGE oven messes.)

Anyway, out of the oven the pie smells and looks amazing! The cinnamon and nutmeg really come through. Can’t wait to bring it into work.

Thank you Gourmet magazine! You will be missed.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes from Gourmet, Dec. 2007

2009-10-13T09:06:00.000-04:00

This post is my contribution to the food blogging event I came up with to celebrate Gourmet magazine. If you haven't heard about it yet, you have plenty of time to participate! Just read my announcement post and get cooking! You've got until Friday, October 16 (yes, I extended the deadline by a day!) to send in your link and jpeg. If you're planning to participate, have you already made your dish? Did you choose new or oldie? I can't wait to read about it!

When I moved from Florida to Chicago in June, I cleared out a lot of stuff. That's the beauty of moving right? Well, among the many material possessions I shed were quite a few issues of Gourmet. I saved a select few, which I imagined I simply couldn't give up. As for the rest, I thought, the website will always be there. And even more so, that there would always be new, wonderful recipes, ideas and inspiration arriving in my mailbox every month. I sure hope Ruth Reichl doesn't leave for at least a few more years, I thought.

Little did I know. I'm still surprised and sad that this harbinger of American culinary creativity and critic of food politics and policies is no more. After hearing this news, I quickly determined there's nothing left to do but appreciate Gourmet for what it was: my favorite food magazine. I loved to cook from it (and did so many times on this blog--see below). I also loved to linger over the glossy photos and then go back through and read the articles and recipes that caught my eye. It was good bedtime reading...sweet dreams, for sure.

I felt the need to make a new-to-me recipe for the event, rather than an old favorite. I went through the few remaining issue I do have and couldn't make up my mind. In the end, simplicity was the answer. Mike and I LOVE carrot cake and were long over due to make it. Searching gourmet.com, I found these cupcakes from December '07. Made with vegetable oil and 3 eggs, they deliver the moist texture you love in good carrot cake.

There are very few recipes I follow to the letter, and this one is no exception. That's just my style--I don't think the Gourmet recipe developers would mind. I added raisins, coconut and ground cloves, as well as a bit more cinnamon and ginger than the original calls for. I also replaced the orange glaze suggested in the magazine for classic cream cheese frosting. They are delicious. Thank you, Gourmet, for making me a better cook, a more creative thinker and a smarter consumer.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Adapted from Gourmet, December 2007
You can grate the carrots in a flash in a food processor, or use the large holes of a box grater. Don't buy pre-shredded from the supermarket--they'll lack flavor. I always wished gourmet would give weight measurements, especially for baked goods. Since they do not, I'll advise you to measure the flour by lightly spooning it into the measuring cups (do not shake the cup!) and leveling with the dull edge of a knife. If you love nuts, I think 1/3 to 1/2 cup of toasted chopped walnuts or pecans would be great here.

Makes 12 cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups shredded carrots (3 to 4 carrots)
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup shredded sweetened coconut (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 and line a muffin pan with paper liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together the first 8 ingredients (through cloves). In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the oil, brown sugar and vanilla and whisk to combine. Stir in the carrots, raisins and coconut if using. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined.

Pour batter into muffin cups and bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 24 minutes (mine took exactly 22), rotating pan halfway through to ensure even cooking. Cupcakes are done when a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then place cupcakes on a wire rack to cool completely.

Classic Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes enough for 12 cupcakes with a bit leftover.

4 ounces cream cheese (lowfat or regular)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar

Cut the cream cheese and butter into 1-inch chunks and bring to room temperature (should be very soft). With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the powdered sugar in 3 additions, beating on medium speed, until sugar is incorporated and frosting is lightly and fluffy. Immediately frost cupcakes, or refrigerate for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature to make spreading easier.

More recipes from Gourmet magazine on A Mingling of Tastes:

Cornbread-Chorizo Stuffing Make it for Thanksgiving--you won't be sorry!

Pear-Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake Easy, yummy and not too sweet.

Cardamom Waffles Great if you love cardamom, and if you're not sure, try it!

Toasted Pasta with Duck Luck Guazzetto This Lydia Bastianich dish is DIVINE.

Ribeye Steak with Pomegranate Glaze An easy sauce to dress up steak.

Roasted Beet Risotto Easy, beautiful, so good.

Blog Event: Let's Celebrate Gourmet!

2009-10-06T14:29:00.006-04:00

If you haven't heard the sad news yet, Gourmet magazine has been shut down by its parent company due to these difficult economic times. Since you can read plenty about it on countless blogs and news sites, I won't rehash the details. It's too sad.

So, in the interest of staying positive, I'm hosting a blogging event. To celebrate the nation's oldest food magazine (published since 1940!), let's cook, photograph and post about our favorite recipe from Gourmet's pages. If you tend to clear out most of your back issues, just go to gourmet.com where you'll find recipes categorized by decades (the website is a wonderful place to explore the magzine's history, which is really American food history!), themes and holidays; or just search for anything you want.

Maybe you remember a perfect cake you made years ago, or a simple chicken dish you threw together last week. Whatever it is, find it and write about it. And if you want to pick a new favorite, that's great too. I'm betting it's going to be tough to choose just one incredible Gourmet recipe.

To participate in this event, here's what to do:

1) Cook a favorite recipe from Gourmet magazine and publish a blog post* about it anytime from now till October 16. Include a link to THIS POST in your blog post so readers will be able to find out more!

*No blog? I still want you to participate! Just email me your story/recipe or photo, and I will post it here on aminglingoftastes.com. Include first name and where you're from. Don't be shy!

2) Email a link to your post, the name of your blog and, if you want, an image of the dish in jpeg form to aminglingoftastes AT gmail DOT com by October 16. No late entries please!

3) Publicize this event! Tell your followers on Twitter, tip off your facebook friends and mention it on your blog. Let's get as many recipes and stories gathered together as we can!

4) Check back here around October 19-20 for a round-up of all the posts.

Easy, right! I know I'm not giving you much time, but I think it's important to get some positive energy going. The more I think about life without Gourmet, the more bummed out I feel. Since yesterday, I've read some great tributes and opinions about this sad situation, and I want to include some links here:

Goodbye Gourmet, I'll Miss You, by Steph of Wasabimon.

Goodbye, Gourmet, by Kelly of Nommynom.

RIP Gourmet by Paige of Hey, Little Sister.

Say Goodbye to Gourmet by Jeff of Wine Curmudgeon.

What Ruth Reichl is doing next by Kim Severson of the New York Times' Diner's Journal blog.

Gourmet Was For the Young and Scrappy, Too by Alex Van Buren of Salon.

Late Stage Empire: How Condé Nast could’ve saved Gourmet magazine, and why it chose not to by Paul Smalera on True/Slant.

How Condé Nast Is Like General Motors by Jack Shafer on Slate.

My own take on the news here at Magazine Know-It-All.

The news story as reported by the New York Times.

And finally, a new Twitter feed has sprung up called Save Gourmet.

Now talk to me! Are you as shocked and saddened as I am? Are you going to participate in this blog event (please say yes!). Do you know exactly what you'll cook, or is it going to be a hard decision? Sound off in the comments!

Sheperd's Pie

2009-10-02T14:52:00.001-04:00

Happy October! My favorite month is here, and I've got the perfect seasonal dish packed with satisfying textures and a hint of warm spice for a chilly night. Shepherd's pie is a classic-- a perfect example of homey, hearty food that imbues basic, often leftover, ingredients with more flavor than anyone expects.

It's also the perfect dish to play around with. As long as you have the key components--spiced meat and veggies topped with mashed potatoes baked to browned, crusty perfection--you can put your personal stamp on it, and make use of ingredients you have on hand or that suit your personal taste.

I'm not sure that anyone's agreed on one traditional version of Shepherd's pie, but leftover minced lamb is often considered the classic choice of protein. I haven't cooked a massive leg of lamb to give me the necessary leftovers in years, so I take the liberty of using fresh ground beef. To recreate the rich gravy, I use all the tricks in chefs' flavor-building books:

- Browning vegetables, like onions, carrots and mushrooms
- Packing on the aromatic spices, like cinnamon (absolutely vital to this dish!), cloves and chile powder
- Adding a dollop of tomato paste for a hit of umami
- Pouring in a glug of red wine and reducing it for an extra layer of complexity

It may have been invented to use up bits of food on hand, but I think Shepherd's pie is worth making for its own merits. This recipe also makes it simple enough to do whenever you have the craving!

Shepherd's Pie
Loosely based on this recipe by Michael Chiarello for Food Network
Some improvisations for this recipe: switch up the veggies-- a can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes would be good, as would frozen peas or even less obvious choices, like diced zucchini and parsnips. Use ground lamb or turkey. Gussy up the mashed potatoes any way you want--garlic, butter, sour cream, Gruyere or Manchego cheese.

Serves 4 to 6

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 small onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups choppted carrots
Cooking spray
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
3/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. tomato paste
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. chile powder
fat pinch of ground cloves
pinch of cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 lb. white or yukon gold potatoes
Buttermilk or regular milk
4 scallions, finely chopped
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat a large skillet to medium-high, add beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until no longer pink. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, cover with more paper towel and press gently to soak up fat.

Return skillet to heat and add onion and carrots. Season and cook until lightly browned. Transfer to a bowl. Return skillet to heat and coat lightly with cooking spray or oil. Add mushrooms, season and cook until liquid is released. Turn heat to medium-high and cook until liquid evaporates and mushrooms are lightly browned. Turn heat down to medium-low and add the thyme, rosemary and flour. Stir quickly to coat mushrooms with flour. Add tomato paste and beef broth. Bring to a simmer. Add wine and bring to a simmer. Return onion and carrot to skillet and simmer until liquid thickens and reduces, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in beef and remove from heat. Mixture should be moist but not watery.

Meanwhile, chop the potatoes (you can leave the skins on if you like) and boil in a large pot of water until fork tender. Remove pot from heat, drain in a colander and return potatoes to the pot. Add 2 tablespoons buttermilk or milk and mash. Add more liquid as needed to make soft, yet slightly chunky mashed potatoes. Add scallions and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer beef mixture to a 1 1/2 to 2 quart baking dish. Top with mashed potatoes and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Switch on broiler and continue cooking just until top of pie turns golden and slightly crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Rest pie for 10 minutes and serve.

Things I learned at the Chicago Gourmet fest

2009-09-29T16:03:00.004-04:00

Two wild n' crazy boxes o'wine.

This Saturday, I was lucky enough to be able to volunteer at the Chicago Gourmet festival (representing the wonderful Green City Market). This was a rather high-end (read "pricey") event with lots of top-notch Chicago restaurants dishing out fabulous bites. And of course, every alcohol distributor under the sun was represented, so attendees could sample wine, liquor, cocktails, sake, Champagne and beer in one lap around Millenium Park. There were also culinary demos and seminars with some well-known chefs, so there was a lot of action to take in.

In the middle of Chicago Gourmet this weekend at Millenium Park.

Here's what I learned:

1) Millenium Park gets more beautiful every time I go.

2) Roast suckling pig is not overrated (and neither is the restaurant that served it, Mercat a la Planxa, one of my faves!).

3) Trekking to Urban Belly for their fresh, flavorful wonton soup would be totally worth it.

4) Chicago should really get on the sake train.

5) To make a mint-infused martini, put a few sprigs in the shaker along with ice and other ingredients (try gin, simple syrup and lemon juice); shake with a gentle, rolling motion; strain and serve.

5) Eden Valley, Australia is the place for bone-dry Riesling.

6) Duck confit grilled cheese on baguette—try it, you’ll like it.

7) There is always waaaaay more alcohol than food at these types of events, so pace yourself!

Sake: A whole new world of booze to explore.

Any Chicagoans reading this who attended the event? What did you think? Do you have anything to add to my pearls of wisdom above? More importantly, would you go again next year?

Grilled Whole Trout

2009-09-22T16:58:00.006-04:00

Grilling whole fish is so easy. In fact, I think it's even easier than grilling fillets, because getting great results takes so little effort. With protective skin on both sides for sealing in flavor and a handy center pocket for holding in herbs and seasonings, whole fillets make your job really simple.

The ones in the pictures, both raw and in fully grilled glory, are trout. If you buy them already cleaned (meaning guts and most of the bones removed) like we did, all you have to do is open each fish like a book and sprinkle the flesh with salt and pepper. We also stuffed them with lemons and parsley for a bit more flavor...and because it looks awfully fancy and delicious.

That's our new favorite fish recipe in a nutshell. You'll want to lightly rub the outside of the fish with oil so it doesn't stick to your grill. Then cook them for about 4 to 5 minutes per side over hot coals. This would definitely be pretty enough to serve to friends, AND you can have the fish prepped and seasoned in advance.

Do you ever grill whole fish? I liked the thin, quick-cooking trout, but what other types are good whole on the grill? Tell me what your favorite is and how you season it in the comments.

All About Grilled Pizza

2009-09-09T16:41:00.008-04:00

I've thought about doing it for years when we didn't have a grill, and I talked about it just recently when me made this fantastic pie. Now, I'm happy to report that I've finally tried grilled pizza!

No doubt, I was apprehensive. It's not difficult, but I knew it had to be one of those things you just need to get the hang of, like folding an omelet or parallel parking. Fortunately, this is probably easier than either of those two examples. All you have to do is be prepared and pay attention to what you're doing. With that in mind, I also put together a few tips that will hopefully help, should you want to try grilled pizza for the first time too!

1) First up, the dough: Any dough is great! Buy it at a supermarket or make your own. I've relied on this whole wheat style for years now, and this time around, I wanted a more traditional white dough, so I used Cindy Mushet's recipe in The Art & Soul of Baking. However. Regardless of the dough you choose, results on the grill may be different than what you get with a pizza stone in the oven. The grill creates a flatbread-style result, rather than big, bubbly blisters from a very hot oven. Both delish, just slightly different.

2) Now we have visual aids! As seen in the image above, it is crucial to prep all your toppings ahead of time and have them ready to toss on the pizza. You should also cook anything in advance that needs cooking because it won't get direct heat from the grill. I caramelized the onions on the stove and broiled the figs. You'd want to cook things like sausage in advance, as well as firm veggies, like eggplant or zucchini.

3) You'll also want to prep the grill so you have a hot and cool side. Instead of piling the coals in the center, scoot them to one side. You'll see why in tip #7.

4) In the kitchen, roll out your dough on an oiled piece of parchment paper. Then brush the rolled out dough with oil too. When you take it outside, flip the parchment so the dough hits the grill, then peel off the paper. Heat proof mitts are essential here, as well as for the rest of the process.

5) Don't make huge pies. Ya know, it's possible, but smaller ones are easier to handle. For a recipe that makes enough dough for 2 thin, 12-inch pies, you should get 4 pies for the grill. In the image above, the dough has started to cook since you can see bubbles forming. As soon as the edges begin to set, started lifting the dough to check the bottom for browning and rotating it for even cooking. That way, you can prevent...

6) a burnt crust! Pizza will blacken FAST when it's over direct flame. Just check it obsessively, and you'll be fine.

7) When the first side is done, flip it and move the pizza to the cool side of the grill. That way nothing gets scorched while you arrange your toppings. When you're done, scoot it back over to the hot side and cover the grill. This is where experience comes in, as well as a sense of how hot and fast your grill is. Leave it covered for as long as you think you can, then start checking obsessively again. If the bottom is browned and you want to continue heating the toppings (perhaps to melt your cheese more), just move it back to cool side and cover the grill till you're satisfied.

And that's it! Easy, right? I was thrilled that we only flubbed that first crust by leaving it over the hot coals a bit too long. One casualty on our maiden voyage isn't too bad at all! The pizza we made, by the way is one of my absolute favorites: fresh figs, caramelized onions, prosciutto, Feta and basil. Read more here.

So, what do you think of these tips? Anything new that you've never tried before? Do you think I'm doing this completely wrong? Air your opinions in the comments!

Summer Tomato Couscous

2009-08-26T17:04:00.007-04:00

It's common knowledge that the two things most often associated with rock n' roll are, 1) sex, and 2) drugs. Well, for a concert Mike and I went to last night, it was more like 10 P.M. curfews and true respect for punctuality.

We saw Modest Mouse at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago. We really like this band, and they were good. Really good, even. Nice set list and the show lasted nearly 90 minutes. Still, we just couldn't get over the fact that we were attending the earliest concert in the history of rock shows: doors open at 5:30, opening act at 6:30; headliner at 8:00 on the dot. Outta there by 9:30. We had no intention of going for the opener, and we still missed half of Modest Mouse's first song. I'm not necessarily blaming the band--I have no clue who's responsible. I'm just betting the Wiggles don't even go onstage till at least 8:30.

Anyway, we wanted to go out and unwind over a casual dinner before the show, but since we actually have jobs, there was no time. We ended up chowing down a couple of bánh mì sandwiches from a great little takeout place near the theater, which is right next to a concentration of Vietnamese restaurants and shops.

This particular deli, Ba Le, supposedly bakes the crusty baguette-style rolls that a lot of other restaurants purchase, so it was nice to go to the source. Bánh mì are all about the contrast between meaty ingredients like pate, ham, pork sausage, even head cheese, and fresh toppers like pickled veggies, fresh jalepenos and cilantro. These yummy sandwiches are definitely the new hotness, so try tracking them down in your neck of the woods.

We ended up having a really fun night, of course, with the sandwiches being a highlight. We probably should have just eaten quickly at home, but I cooked my little heart out the night before, so a break was warranted. I made my easy, easy fig jam and this summery couscous with the cutest mixed mini tomatoes ever. If you have produce like this around, it's an easy side dish for a weeknight meal.

Summer Tomato Couscous
A mix of little red, yellow, grape, pear, or cherry tomatoes gives you the contrast of flavors and textures that makes cooking with summer produce so nice: the cherry tomatoes are really sweet and wilt considerably, while the pale yellow pear tomatoes have a milder flavor and stay firm. You can do this with any baby tomatoes.

Serves 4

1 cup whole wheat couscous
Salt and pepper
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 bunch scallions, sliced
1 to 1 1/2 pints baby tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, chopped
Fresh herbs (like basil, mint or chives) for garnish, optional

Prepare couscous according to package directions and season to taste with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and cooked 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally until some begin to wilt. Add garlic and continue cooking 1 minute. Season to taste and remove from heat.

When couscous is done, fluff with a fork and transfer to a serving bowl. Gently stir in tomato mixture and fresh herbs if using. Serve right away.

The New Kitchen

2009-08-17T23:12:00.001-04:00

I wanted to give you guys a little peek at my new kitchen. The pros: it is wide open onto the dining/living area, has loads of counter space, and has a view of the Sears Tower from that window over the sink. Cons: there is less cupboard space than one might guess at first glance.

I guess we have only one con, so that's not too bad! My last kitchen, although often tight for two people to cook in at once, had a huge pantry cupboard. It was the perfect catch-all for dry goods, spices, small appliances, linen, snacks and baking supplies. This kitchen features a lazy Susan in the corner, but it is surprisingly less spacious than I hoped.

That's my critical analysis of the kitchen situation. The important thing is that I love our new condo---especially the fab location! The kitchen was actually the first room we unpacked and got up and running. The rest of the place is still full of boxes. I'm in California visiting family now (and before that, we participated a seriously rugged camping adventure), so once I actually spend some time in Chicago, I think I'll finally get it all together!

Our first meal: Arugula-Sausage Pizza!

2009-08-05T16:16:00.005-04:00

I'm back! We moved into our new condo on Friday, and I'm loving it! The kitchen is a little bigger than our old one in Florida (I'm not even going to compare it to the one in our temporary apartment) with a lot more counter space. I'll have to post some pictures of it soon.

Although summer in Chicago makes you want to do nothing but get outside and go to restaurants with patios, we were so happy to do some cooking this weekend! This is the first meal we made in our new place. We were both drooling over pictures in New York magazine of thin crust pizzas from some of New York's top pizza places, and not surprisingly, Mike suggested we make our own pie.

There wasn't much time (or inclination) to make the dough like I usually do, so we went to our favorite store and bought it fresh from them. Since they didn't have the whole wheat version we'd normally get (although the pizza guy said they'd start stocking it soon), we ended up with the classic white flour dough.

I don't know if this stuff is the standard Whole Foods dough or something unique to the Chicago location, but it was ridiculously good! We went with one of our favorite toppings--arugula and some tasty chicken sausage. Sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and ground pepper finished it off.

I sprinkled the dough with sea salt and cornmeal, but I don't think the deliciousness was due to anything we did. It was so perfectly chewy with crunchy blistered spots and lots of air bubbles. I want to eat it again right now. A tip if you're using arugula or other leafy topping on pizza: wait till the pie is 30 seconds to a minute from being done (so basically, the pizza's done) to pile on the greens. Close the oven for that remaining time, then pull it out. The arugula may not look quite cooked enough, but the leaves will continue to wilt slightly as it cools, and you won't have any charred or frizzled bits, which just taste burnt.

Our next task might have to be cooking pizza on the grill. You may remember that I have been sans grill for a few years now, and I can't wait to get one set up in our new place!

Do you cook pizza on the grill? If so, do you have any tips for a newbie? And has anyone else had as incredible an experience with purchased pizza dough (from Whole Foods or elsewhere) as we had? Share!

Cajun Cod with Veggies and Grits

2009-07-17T14:44:00.004-04:00

As noted in the last post, Mike and I cooked one meal from scratch in our temporary apartment with virtually no equipment: shrimp n' grits. I knew I'd want to use the grits for future meals, and last night I did the slightest variation on that yummy dish.

You'll be happy to hear that I only made two trips to Whole Foods this week! And the second was mostly to pick up wine, rather than my next meal. After spending $8 on a 4.5-oz. Sockeye salmon fillet at WF on Monday (at least it was tasty--and wild salmon ain't cheap!), I knew I had to stop being lazy and roast my own darn fish. As Cheryl suggested in her comment, I could easily pull off the salmon with chipotle-honey glaze posted right on this here blog.

However, in my quest to do as little as possible with the fewest number of ingredients, I came up with an even simpler solution thanks to my local Dominick's supermarket. Whenever you pick up fresh fish or meat, the lovely staff will either provide a single-use container of marinade or coat your purchase in the seasoning blend of your choice. I went with the Cajun dry rub, and all that remained to be done was pop my fish in the oven (the oven is outfitted with a two-part broiler pan--score!).

I didn't do cheesy grits this time. Although I think shrimp works fine with some cheeses, I tend to shy away from the seafood-dairy combo. I topped it all with sauteed cherry tomatoes, zucchini and garlic. I have to admit, it was better than WF takeout.

So for the next two weeks, I'll try to mix up my grab n' go tendency with some simple home cooking. And I'll try to think of other things to make so I don't have to keep showing you pictures of quick grits (remember, nothing looks all that fabulous photographed on glass plates).

I'm also determined to get to one Chicago's amazing farmer's markets this weekend, but I'm a little worried: seeing things I love that I won't be able to cook the way I'd want to is going to drive me nuts. Yes, I know you don't have to do a lot when you have wonderful fresh ingredients, but don't try to tell me that squash blossoms are just as delectable sauteed in olive oil (make that Pam; I don't have olive oil) as they are stuffed with ricotta and fried. I'm thinking the farmer's market will be a test of my mettle...thank god I can gorge myself on fresh fruit as consolation.

Cupboards Are Bare

2009-07-14T17:02:00.002-04:00

I made it to Chicago without much hassle, but for all our stuff, it was a different story. Thanks to the worst seemingly reputable moving company in America, our belongings were delivered nearly two weeks later than the promised date. If you're looking for a company that offers decent customer service and won't lie to you, DO NOT call Neighbors Moving & Storage. On the other hand, if you enjoy getting the run around from the company you're paying to do a job, then I wholeheartedly recommend them.

The apartment we're staying in right now is temporary--July only. The condo in Bucktown that we fell in love with wasn't available till August 1. Since all our worldly possessions just arrived--including the whole batterie de cuisine--we're kind of trying to unpack as little as possible. So even though I have a tiny kitchen, I'm not doing much cooking. For the first two weeks, I felt like Survivorman (except with less crying). My only cooking tools were a skillet and saucepan we borrowed (along with an air mattress!) from friends.

The result is that we've spent a staggering amount of time and money at the prepared foods section of Whole Foods market. In a lot of cases, this may have gotten really depressing really quickly, but not here. Just weeks before we arrived, the huge, gorgeous Lincoln Park location of Whole Foods opened, and the place is better than Disneyworld. We really could eat every meal there for a week (probably longer) with no repeats. Tasty, tasty things. Quick tip: I got 1-pint cartons of fresh Mission and green figs there this week; it's a great price, so get over there fast!

Since we've more or less disposed with cooking for the month, my cupboards are indeed bare. I did open the box with the toaster and coffeemaker (It's not like we've suddenly gone feral), so I can make sunny side-up eggs with toast for breakfast. When I'm not relying on my stock of yogurt, eggs, sandwich fixings and candy in the refrigerator, I've been returning to the Whole Foods mothership with disturbing frequency. Anyway, here's the kitchen cupboard rundown:

Instant oatmeal: This is not a compromise; I love this stuff.
Peppermint tea: Favorite non-alcoholic nightcap.
Quick grits: We did one homecooked meal! This delicious shrimp n' grits recipe. Instead of Boursin, we crumbled Feta on top and seasoned the shrimp with Mexican hot sauce.
Raisins: I like them in my instant oatmeal.
Crystal Light individual lemonade drink mix: Plain water is no longer an option.
Canned food: Specifically, black beans and tuna. I have no idea where the can opener is. Fail.
Jif: Two kinds of peanut butter, smooth for Mike, extra crunchy for me.
Vitamins: Moving is no excuse for calcium deficiency.
Fruit: Mmmm, summer fruit.
Pam: For lovely runny eggs.
Assorted serving ware and paper goods

How would you deal with this bizarro apartment survival challenge? Have you ever stopped to think about the importance of condiments (we've got hot sauce, mustard, salt and pepper...wait, maybe those last two count as spices)? Do you love your Whole Foods market as much as I do (I really don't think this is possible)?

Ponder those questions and stay tuned...

Cookbook Winners

2009-06-28T14:45:00.004-04:00

At long last, I'm announcing the winners of the last 2 cookbook giveaways!

Reader, Amy, won the random drawing for Ready, Steady, Spaghetti. Drop me an email (aminglingoftastes AT gmail DOT com), and I will get the book to you asap.

Reader, "Andrew's Mom," from Long Island is the winner of Modern Spice. Check your email!

If you missed the last giveaway for Modern Spice, I posted a super-simple recipe for seared trout with mint-cilantro chutney from the book. It's perfect for a weeknight. You can also see what other bloggers cooked from the book right here on author Monica Bhide's own blog.

Monica Bhide's Seared Trout with Mint-Cilantro Chutney (and a chance to win her book!)

2009-06-22T09:40:00.000-04:00

Moving is not fun at all. As you're reading this, I will probably be in transit. I'll be deprived of a kitchen until about July 1, but at least there are no dishes to do!

Last week, surrounded by boxes and lacking any surface on which to properly eat a meal (We donated a lot of furniture, including dining table and chairs, coffee table and desk--my 3 favorite places to eat!), I enjoyed a delicious respite from the chaos. Monica Bhide, a lovely, talented food writer friend, decided to throw a virtual dinner party to promote her gorgeous new cookbook, Modern Spice.

When she asked if I could participate, I was afraid the move would make me miss the fun, but I should have known better. Monica does Indian food (and her native Indian cuisine is indeed the subject and inspiration for Modern Spice), but she does it her way. Her recipes are imaginative and beautifully balanced, never choosing excess over pared-down purity of flavor. I wanted to do a main course, but when she sent me the recipe for seared trout with mint-cilantro chutney, it looked so easy that I feared I wouldn't be pulling my weight at this virtual party!

This recipe can be done in 20 minutes, literally. It sounds incredibly simple (which it is), but the flavors are anything but. The chutney, with just a few ingredients, manages to be complex, verdant, spicy and perfectly matched to the simply seared fish. It was an ideal weeknight meal, and I want to make the chutney over and over for a dozen different uses. I'd love it drizzled over eggs or mixed with Greek yogurt for lamb kabobs. I used the leftovers to spice up salmon tacos I had for lunch the next day.

Getting ready to make the chutney with cilantro, serrano chile, mint and lemon (the lime was for gin & tonic--moving calls for libations!)

Monica has enlisted a fantastic group of bloggers (including Dorie Greenspan on desserts!) to fill out her dinner party menu, so click over to her blog, A Life of Spice, to see more food from the book (she will have a round up of mouthwatering pics of everyone's dishes done by Monday night). There are some cocktails and appetizers (mini-Cheesecakes with tomatillo chutney!) that I really want to try.

And finally, Monica and her publisher have also generously provided a copy of Modern Spice for one of you, my lovely readers! To enter to win, leave a comment on this post by Wednesday at midnight, eastern time. Tell me what dish most appeals to you from Monica's virtual dinner party, or talk to me about Indian food. Be sure to leave your name and where you live (must have continental U.S. mailing address to win), and I'll announce the winner here on Thursday.

Pan-Seared Trout with Mint-Cilantro Chutney
If you are reading this recipe and thinking, “Really, can it be that simple?”—yes, it is, and it is simply delicious. Don’t take my word for it, though. Get a pan out and start searing!
Julie's notes: Good substitutes for the trout are cod, snapper and tilapia.

Serve the trout with a drizzle of the Mint-Cilantro Chutney.

Serves 4
Prep/Cook time: 15 minutes

4 skin-on trout fillets, about 6 ounces each, halved lengthwise
Table salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1⁄4 cup Mint-Cilantro Chutney

1. Season the trout fillets with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the trout, skin side down. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip over and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the trout is cooked through.
3. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, skin side down.
4. Place each fillet on a serving plate and drizzle each with up to a tablespoon of chutney. Serve immediately.

Mint-Cilantro Chutney
This is the most popular chutney in India, hands down. It can be found in many Indian-American homes, in restaurants, and now in jars on grocery store shelves. Its charm lies in how simple it is to prepare. My father always adds a little yogurt to his chutney to make it creamy and then pairs it with lamb kebabs. My mom-in-law adds a hearty dose of roasted peanuts and serves it with savory snacks; Mom adds pomegranate seeds—you get the idea—to each his own. This versatile chutney has so many uses. Thin it a little and use it as a salad dressing for a crisp green salad; use it in the consistency provided here as a spread on a baguette topped with fresh cucumber slices; or simply drizzle it on some freshly grilled fish for a fresh flavor. One word of advice here: Green chutneys have a short shelf life. Make them in small batches and make them often—they only take a few minutes but the rewards are well worth the effort (which really isn’t much).
Julie's notes: I did use the optional serrano chile with some of the seeds, but I did not use the optional dried pomegranate.

Makes 1 cup
Prep time: 5 minutes

1 cup packed cilantro (leaves and stems)
1 cup packed mint (leaves only, please)
1 green serrano chile (optional; if you don’t like too much heat, remove the seeds)
1⁄4 small red onion, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon dried pomegranate seeds (optional)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1⁄2 teaspoon table salt
Up to 2 tablespoons water

1. Blend the cilantro, mint, chile, onion, pomegranate seeds (if using), lemon juice, and salt in a blender to a smooth paste. To aid in the blending process, you can add up to 2 tablespoons of water, if needed. Taste and add more salt if needed.
2. Transfer to a covered container and chill for about 30 minutes.
3. Serve cool. This chutney will keep, refrigerated, for 4 days.

Giveaway: Ready, Steady, Spaghetti

2009-06-15T20:12:00.001-04:00

Thanks to everyone who has entered the last two cookbook giveaways! I've enjoyed all the comments. Unfortunately, I still haven't tracked down, "4fish", the winner of Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken. So, Ms. or Mr. 4fish, please email me by Wednesday, or I'll have to pick an alternate! The winner of last week's book, Memorable Recipes is Kathy from Mission, Texas. You should have an email from me in your inbox...congrats!

Up next, I have a copy of Ready, Steady, Spaghetti by Lucy Broadhurst. This big, user-friendly paperback cookbook full of color photos is all about food with major kid-appeal. While there are plenty of fun gimmicks like Fairy Wands, there are also plenty of options that will satisfy adults and older kids, like Spaghetti with Chicken Meatballs. Whether your little one is in the kitchen cooking along or just needs some dishes tailored to his or her developing palate, this looks like a winning book.

To enter the giveaway, follow the same drill as last time: leave a comment to this post, perhaps about your favorite meal as a kid (or your own kid's "unique" food preferences). Comment by Sunday, June 21 when I'll pick a winner at random and contact you. If you don't have a website, or don't want to leave your email address, just leave your first name and I'll announce it in an upcoming post (of course you'll have to check back and email me to get your prize, but I want to make sure everyone can maintain as much privacy as they want to). Good luck!

Giveaway: Memorable Recipes

2009-06-08T19:53:00.001-04:00

This week's cookbook giveaway is Memorable Recipes to Share with Family & Friends by Renee Behnke with Cynthia Nims. There's a lot of eye candy here thanks to full-color photos, but this cookbook is also a primer on simple, elegant entertaining.

Recipes range from comforting classics like corn chowder and rack of lamb with rosemary and garlic to international favorites like chiles rellenos and gazpacho. There is also a chapter of menu ideas complete with cocktail recipes and wine notes. As the president of the Sur La Table, I'm guessing author Renee Behnke had plenty of experience to pour into this book.

To enter to win, all you have to do is leave a comment to this post. Lost for words? Tell me what your favorite dish or menu for entertaining is by Sunday, June 14 when I'll pick a winner at random and contact you. If you don't have a website, or don't want to leave your email address, just leave your first name and I'll announce it in an upcoming post (of course you'll have to check back and email me to get your prize, but I want to make sure everyone can maintain as much privacy as they want to.) Good luck!

Giveaway: Lost Ravioli

2009-06-02T15:15:00.001-04:00

As promised, here is this week's book giveaway: The Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken: A Search for Food & Family by Laura Schenone. Here's what Anne Mendelson of Saveur has to say about it:

"[A] solidly researched, lovingly written memoir--and a splendid detective story...This wonderfully intricate, rumpled, generous narrative would be a joy even without the final lagniappe of about two dozen hard-won recipes."

To enter to win this book, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post. What to say? If you've ever made homemade pasta (I have with delicious, though rustic, results), tell us how the experience was. Or tell us your absolute favorite pasta dish. Comment before Sunday June 7 at noon eastern, after which the random integer generator will do its work. Be sure to leave some way for me to contact you (email address, link to blogger profile page, link to website, facebook or twitter page) if you win. Sorry international, Hawaiian and Alaskan friends, but this contest is limited to readers in the continental USA only.

Good luck! (Now aren't you dying to go look up lagniappe?!)

June Cookbook Giveaways!

2009-06-01T19:42:00.002-04:00

Photo Credit: Brian Teutsch (creative commons license)

Top 10 reasons to move to Chicago:

1) To shop at the many farmer's markets.

2) To drive less--call me a masochist, but I love public transportation.

3) To eat elk poutine at The Gage as often as possible (That one's for Mike. Mostly).

4) To soak up the Obama mystique.

5) To wear layers! (You can only make so many style statements with tank tops and shorts)

6) To live near a big airport with direct flights going virtually everywhere.

7) To eat at The Bristol and Mercat a la Planxa at will.

8) To buy truffles at Ethel's Chocolate.

9) To have a Ferris Bueller moment at the Art Institute whenever I feel like it.

10) To live in an apartment that allows pets (I'm getting a pug!)

Can you guess why I made that (highly subjective) top 10 list? We're moving to Chicago! If you've ever noticed the subtle jabs I take at Fort Lauderdale occasionally, you'll know that I am very, very happy about this. I love living in big cities. We're not exactly in rural Florida down here, but it's just never felt right for me. Chicago, on the other hand, is an incredible food town (see #s 1, 3, 7 and 8 above)...we can't wait!

So what does this have to do with cookbooks? I'm hoping to be in a yet-to-be-found new apartment by the Fourth of July, but until then life will be full of crazy moving fun. That means less time to cook and occasionally a lot less kitchen. But I'll still have time to blog, making it the perfect opportunity to thank all of you by giving away some recently released cookbooks.

A new prize will be up for grabs each week. All you have to do is leave a comment on the post announcing the giveaway. At the end of the week, I'll use the random integer generator to pick a number, which will correspond to a specific comment. I'll email the winner and send your book as soon as possible. I will probably manage to post a recipe or two this month, as well. At least I hope so! Either way, giving away cookbooks keeps me in touch with you guys and lets me show my appreciation to everyone for reading!

I'm going to announce a new prize every Monday, except for this week when I'll post it on Tuesday. So check back tomorrow (or anytime before Sunday) to see what's up for grabs this week and to enter by leaving a comment. If you receive posts by email, simply scroll to the bottom and click on "comments" to get straight to the comment section on aminglingoftastes.com.

And in the meantime, who lives in Chicago? Any advice? Once we get settled, I'd love to meet up. Perhaps you will give me a tour of your favorite ethnic market/gourmet shop/wine shop/coffee shop (yes, I'm dying to know all your local foodie secrets). Drop me a line at aminglingoftastes AT gmail DOT com.

Chive & Goat Cheese Biscuits

2009-05-26T19:02:00.001-04:00

Have you planted fresh herbs yet? With Memorial Day weekend just behind us, you still have plenty of time to get going. Every time I snip some mint, rosemary or thyme from the little plants on windowsill, and I feel so satisfied with myself for saving cash on the packaged herbs I'd otherwise be buying from the grocery store.

With the nearly constant warmth and sunshine in Florida, I keep herbs all year round. Some are easier to grow than others, and believe me, I do the bare minimum to keep the poor plants going. Rosemary is the stalwart--nothing could bring that little guy down. My mint, even when I thought I'd taken all it had to give, managed to regenerate anew over several weeks and is now filled out with fresh leaves. I had thyme that grew tangled strands for months, but then was overtaken by miniscule flying pests and quickly capitulated. I've tried basil a couple times, but can't figure out how to stop the icky white bugs that glom onto the lush leaves.

One of the most recent additions to my herb garden are chives. One day, I figured it would be a better value to buy a whole plant for $4 rather than a little pack (of which I'd use a fraction for one or two recipes) for $3. The chives multiplied a few times over and seem so far invulnerable to pests (how these critters get up and into my fifth floor apartment is utterly baffling). Before I bought my plant, I didn't realize all the potential uses I'd find for chives: they add oniony flavor with no aftertaste to omelets, soups, dips and grilled food.

Like many herbs, chives are also a great match for goat cheese. Ever since I made this sweet potato version, Dorie Greenspan's recipe in her book, Baking, has been my go-t0 prototype for biscuits. It's totally uncomplicated, not overburdened with fat, and produces tall, flaky, irresistible results. Other herbs would work here too. Maybe rosemary, thyme, mint or a combination. I want to try a Feta version soon, as well. Although a new twist on this beet soup using carrots and golden beets inspired the biscuits, you could just as easily eat them with a summer salad. If you're contemplating your first herb garden, Ari of Baking and Books recently wrote a fantastic post on how to get started even if you don't have a yard--check it out!

Chive & Goat Cheese Biscuits
Adapted from Baking by Dorie Greenspan
I used 2 ounces of goat cheese, but I think the recipe could support up to 3 ounces if you're especially crazy about it.

Makes 8 to 9 biscuits

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into cubes and chilled
3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
1 Tbs. chopped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and a few grinds of black pepper together in a large bowl. Add the butter and toss to coat it with flour. Using your fingertips (my preference) or a pastry blender, pinch and toss the butter and flour until you have a rough, sandy mixture with some pea-size lumps of butter, some ragged flakes and a variety of odd-shaped bits. Do not over work the butter.

Add the buttermilk and toss gently with a fork until most of the flour is moistened. Add the goat cheese and chives and continue tossing to distribute the cheese and chives. Knead dough inside the bowl 3 or 4 times so that you have a fairly uniform consistency and no dry bits of flour remain. Use a light hand and work the dough as little as possible. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and sprinkle lightly with more flour. Flatten dough with your hand and roll it out into a 1/2-inch thick disk. Flour a 2 to 2-1/4 inch biscuit cutter and stamp out as many biscuits as you can, pushing firmly into the dough and flouring the biscuit cutter each time. Transfer biscuits to prepared baking sheet. Quickly re-roll the dough scraps and make more biscuits until you've used it all up.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown on the bottom. Serve right away with butter.

Cornmeal Buttermilk Waffles

2009-05-19T14:13:00.004-04:00

My last post was all about the trouble with cooking for one. While going out of your way to feed just yourself has both irritations and rewards, there is another problem with having only one mouth to feed: You simply can't justify a whole batch of waffles made from scratch.

I guess you could do a half recipe or freeze the extras to be reheated later. But this could lead to halving eggs and doing complicated math (before your morning coffee). And while some people like to pull leftover waffles and pancakes out of the freezer, I do not fall into that camp. In my opinion, some foods must be shared, and these waffles are one of them.

Fortunately, Mike is always around on weekend mornings when the desire for a sweet, starchy breakfast tends to arise. I love waffles and pancakes, but I only need them every once in a while. We're so hung up on my blueberry cornmeal pancakes, that I haven't made waffles in ages. As I was measuring out the ingredients, I realized that this recipe has a lot in common with those cornmeal pancakes, not to mention my skillet cornbread. Although we both love things with cornmeal, I was hoping for something a bit different from my old favorites.

Luckily, the worries were unfounded. These waffles are great. They're crisp on the outside and soft, light and airy inside. They are 100% whole grain, provided you use whole wheat pastry flour. So even though they may not be the most well-rounded breakfast, you're at least getting some fiber and nutrients along with your maple syrup.

Cornmeal Buttermilk Waffles
I based this recipe very loosely on this one I found on epicurious. You can substitute all-purpose flour for the whole wheat pastry flour. Wheat germ may be substituted for the oat bran. If you have neither, I would suggest replacing the oat bran with 1/4 cup of whatever flour you are using, although I haven't tried this myself. To measure the flour, lightly spoon it into the cup (don't pack it down by shaking the cup) and level with the straight edge of a knife.

Makes 7 to 8 (8-inch round) waffles

1 cup minus 1 Tbs. whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup medium stone ground cornmeal
1/4 cup oat bran
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
3 large eggs
2 cups well-shaken lowfat buttermilk
4 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
Cooking spray
Maple syrup and/or jam for serving

Whisk together the first 6 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl. In another bowl, beat the eggs, then whisk in the buttermilk and butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until combined.

Heat up your waffle iron. Coat with cooking spray and proceed to make waffles according to manufacturer's directions. I spray my iron before each waffle. You can keep the waffles warm as you make them in a 200 degree oven, uncovered, on a baking sheet, but we eat them as we go. Serve with maple syrup and jam if you like.

Cod with Lemon-Caper Sauce

2009-05-15T14:38:00.002-04:00

I have a perfect "dinner for 1" for you. While just as excellent for 2, this is one of those recipes that requires some bona fide "cooking" action, yet is so effortless that preparing it for your solitary self doesn't feel taxing.

I'll admit that sometimes when I'm alone I just cannot be asked to do real cooking. Leftovers are a godsend, assembling a meal is fine (think soft tacos with leftover chicken), but the prospect of cooking a new dish from scratch can feel vaguely depressing. It's just like, if a tree falls in the forest and there's no one around to hear it, does it make a sound?

If I plan, shop and cook something wonderful, but I'm the only there to taste it, is it worth the bother? Is it rewarding? Is it pleasurable? You're probably thinking that this is all a rhetorical exercise, and I'm about to tell you, of course it's worth it. Of course it's meaningful to nourish oneself. More meaningful than nourishing others even.

But I don't know. Don't get me wrong. You do deserve a nice dinner. A meal for one can be utterly enjoyable, both at home or in a restaurant. Cooking is fun, whether it's just for you or a hoard of guests. Still. Still, there's something that's so much better about setting a plate in front of someone, seeing their enjoyment and feeling your own at the same time. When there's a great experience to be had or a great meal to be eaten, you want to talk about it, share it.

Sometimes I need to force myself to really cook when I'm alone, but I do it, and I'm never sorry. It's nice to have a few recipes in your back pocket that make it easier to get yourself going. This is definitely one of mine.

Cod with Lemon-Caper Sauce
Serves 1 (double for 2)

1 tsp olive oil
1 to 2 tsp unsalted butter
1/2 pound cod, sole or flounder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp capers, rinsed
1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

Heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet on medium-low to medium heat. Season the fish on both sides with salt and pepper and cook until lightly browned on both sides and opaque throughout, turning once. Remove fish from skillet and reduce heat to low. Add the lemon juice, capers and half the parsley. Simmer 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Pour over the fish, sprinkle with remaining parsley. Serve with steamed vegetables and bread or grains.

The Best Fresh Ground Lamb Burger Period

2009-05-12T17:42:00.003-04:00

If you read this blog on a regular basis, you might have noticed that I keep the titles of my posts simple and to the point. In other words, my post titles are almost always the name of a recipe. But not today. Today my post title could inspire contention, controversy, even slap fights. I've chosen to accept these consequences because this is the best lamb burger period.

I'm even going so far as to say that it's my favorite burger ever. It's not because I made it from locally raised baby lamb that I rubbed with cocoa butter for 6 months and slaughtered (humanely) myself. Nope. Nor is it packed with bells and whistles like an oozing cheese center, homemade brioche bun or half a pound of candied bacon. The reason why this burger is my favorite is deceptively simple: good technique.

I never buy ground lamb. It's hard to find and if it is available it looks suspiciously gray and fatty. After noticing lamb burgers on a few restaurant menus out in the Pacific Northwest (do they raise lamb out there? or is beef just too "middle America"?), Mike and I have been fixated on the idea since we returned from our trip. Thanks to an article I wrote on pâté a few months back, we had already acquired a meat grinding attachment for the Kitchen Aid. It all seemed so easy...

And it really was the simplest thing. We bought some boneless leg of lamb at Whole Foods (sold chopped for stew meat), trimmed the excess fat and ran it the larger holes of our grinder. Then we gently mixed in some herbs and spices by hand and formed the meat into loosely packed patties. You'll have no problem getting the patties to stay together, just don't over work and squish the meat, do it fast and then refrain from pressing, patting or flattening.

This resulted in a silky-tender texture (which is how the best lamb should be anyway), where the bits of freshly ground lamb were able to retain their structural integrity, yet still somehow melt in your mouth. Flavor is hugely important, but great texture makes all the difference when you bite into a hunk of meat.

We used arugula instead of the usual spinach leaves or lettuce. It's delicious, but other greens would be okay too. I also made caramelized onions, which I love and could make even mediocre burgers highly palatable, and an easy Feta sauce. Buy good Feta (NOT pre-crumbled) that you can't stop eating on its own. If you're like me and believe that every detail does indeed matter, the buns are wheat hamburger buns from the Whole Foods bakery.

So that's the best lamb burger ever. Got a problem with that? I don't mind. Bring it on!

Fresh Ground Lamb Burgers with Feta Sauce
The seasoning you use is frankly secondary to the meat here. Use whatever spices appeal to you, but I'd recommend sticking with the Greek/Middle Eastern theme. Cooking these in the broiler works best because it requires minimal fussing and flipping. An outdoor grill is fine, but no pressing with your spatula. If your market has very lean lamb, you'll probably need a little less than a pound. You will need your own meat grinder to get the full effect.

Serves 2, may be doubled

1 pound boneless leg of lamb/lamb stew meat, trimmed of excess fat
1 Tbs (packed) chopped fresh parsley, plus a fat pinch for the Feta sauce
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground sumac
1/4 tsp dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
Coarse salt
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 red onion, sliced
2 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled
4 ounces plain Greek yogurt (I used Fage nonfat)
Fresh arugula leaves
Wheat hamburger buns

Cut lamb into chunks if it wasn't cut when you bought it. Put through the large holes of a meat grinder and into a large bowl. Add parsley, cumin, sumac and oregano. Season liberally with black pepper. Season to taste with coarse salt (I recommend a 1/4 teaspoon). Gently mix the spices in with your hands, taking care not squeeze and pack the meat. Form lamb into 2 loose patties, handling the meat as little as possible. Set aside until ready to cook.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook until very soft and lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat if onions brown too quickly. Set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the Feta, yogurt, remaining parsley and a bit of black pepper. Set aside.

Preheat broiler to high and place oven rack 8 to 10 inches from heat source. Place burgers on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil until lightly browned on top (Ovens differ widely so I'm not giving an exact time. Watch the burgers carefully.). Turn and broil until opposite side is lightly browned. Burgers should feel slightly firm to the touch, but still have some give when you press the center with your finger. It's okay to take a peek by cutting into the center with a paring knife if you're not sure. These are best at medium-rare to medium (pink to light pink). Let burgers rest 3 to 5 minutes.

To serve, toast buns in a skillet if desired (I toast, Mike does not). Layer onions, lamb patty, Feta sauce and arugula on buns (you may have extra Feta sauce). Serve with ketchup and/or mustard if desired (I've gotta have some ketchup on my burgers!).