The Fearful Gourmet

The Fearful Gourmet BAKES -- Date nut bars!

2013-12-29T17:32:00.001-05:00

The Fearful Gourmet does not ordinarily bake. In fact, I think the only thing I've baked til now was a cheesecake for a boyfriend when I was 20 (which I wouldn't eat because I'm afraid of cheesecake) and a batch or two of simple cookies. But I was inspired by my friend Janet, baker extraordinaire, to give baking a try.

Janet shared with me an easy recipe that doesn't require too much equipment and uses very little butter. Aside from a little mishap with my mixer resulting in my being covered in sugar (and to a lesser extent, butter) it went off without a hitch. The resulting bars are rich, flavorful and filled with crunchy nuts and chewy dates. Yum!

Prep time - Minimal
Nice enough to bring to someone's house? Oh yes!
Would I make it again? Yes - Possibly even later today!
Gluten free? No
Vegetarian? Yes
My grade - A

Date Nut Bars

2 Tbsp butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp hot water
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chopped nuts
1 box dates (1 1/4 cups chopped)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (I used closer to 3/4 of a teaspoon)

Cream butter with sugar, add eggs, water and vanilla. Mix flour with baking powder - add to wet. Mix and add nuts and dates. Spray square pan with pam and spread batter. Bake 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees. Cut into bars when cool and roll in confectionery sugar.

Curiously Comforting - Greens and Egg Noodles

2013-07-30T22:55:00.000-04:00

Everyone has their own version of comfort food. For some, it's mac and cheese, or mashed potatoes, or chicken soup. By definition, comfort food "comforts" -- makes you feel better, makes you feel cared for. (It's funny how food can do that).

My comfort food is a little odd. When I'm having a rough day and I need a lunch or dinner that will make me feel happy, I always turn to the trusted greens and egg noodles. The beautiful thing about this simple recipe is that you can (and I have) use any greens you have around -- Swiss Chard, turnip greens, beet greens, kale, spinach, even broccoli rabe will work (although it may take a bit more cooking). I use garlic salt instead of fresh garlic to speed up on the prep, but you can use fresh garlic if you prefer.

This recipe is for a single, generous serving.

Greens and Egg Noodles

- 2 oz uncooked wide egg noodles

- 1 bunch of greens (any kind - see above), washed and roughly chopped with water still clinging to the leaves

- olive oil

- juice of 1 lemon

- whipped butter

- garlic salt

- crushed red pepper

Fill a pot of water and bring it to a boil and cook egg noodles according to the package directions.

Pour a small amount (a tsp or two) of olive oil in the bottom of a pot on medium heat. Sprinkle red pepper flakes into the oil according to how spicy you like things. (Start off with just a shake - you can always add more later).

When the oil is warm, add the chopped greens, sprinkle generously with garlic salt, and cover the pot. Let the greens cook, stirring occasionally, for ten minutes or so, until they've cooked down and are tender. If there is too much liquid in the pot, uncover and cook uncovered until it reduces. If there is too little liquid to steam/saute the greens, add a sprinkle of water and cover the pot again.

When the greens are cooked and the noodles are done, drain the noodles thoroughly. Add the juice of a small lemon, and about a tbsp of whipped butter (or less) to the greens and stir until butter melts. Add noodles to the greens, mix well and taste. Add garlic salt or extra hot pepper if needed.

Prep time - minimal
Nice enough to bring to someone's house? Perhaps, but this is best made for just one or two people.
Would I make it again? Over and over!
Gluten free? No
Vegetarian? Yes
My grade - A

Beat the Heat with Watermelon Gazpacho

2013-07-21T17:35:00.001-04:00

When I get my New York Times on the weekend, one of the first things I look at are the recipes in the Magazine section. This week, they had a whole section on watermelon and one of the recipes was for Watermelon Gazpacho. Now I happen to LOVE gazpacho -- which is typically made with tomato, cucumber and onion/garlic -- but it doesn't always love me... It's a heartburn-inducing dish.

But I showed the watermelon gazpacho recipe to my daughter, Emily who is an excellent cook, and she was interested enough to try making it. The result? Oh man -- now THIS is something I could eat the entire summer. Sweet, savory, spicy and refreshing, all at once, this is a dish that would wow anyone. Serve it with a crisp green salad for lunch on a hot summer day, or as the first course before a BBQ.

Credit goes to Mark Bittman, one of my favorite cookbook authors, who wrote the NY Times article. I highly recommend this dish.

Prep time - minimal
Nice enough to bring to someone's house? Yes!
Would I make it again? Absolutely!!
Gluten free? Yes
Vegetarian? Yes
My grade - A

Watermelon Gazpacho

- 1 small watermelon (about 3 lbs) cut into large chunks

- 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped

- 1 garlic clove, minced

- 2 tbsp lemon juice

- salt and papper

- fresh basil

- olive oil

Put watermelon, tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice in a food processor and pulse, adding a few ice cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill in the fridge, and garnish with fresh basil and a few drops of olive oil. Yum!

One Pot Pasta - The Easy Way

2013-07-16T18:58:00.000-04:00

I'll confess that when someone posted a photo and recipe on Facebook that involved throwing dry pasta, chopped tomatoes, basil, garlic and broth in a pot and boiling it all together to form a pasta with sauce dish, I was skeptical. But I was willing to try it. After all, in Ann's world, the less pots to clean, the better. I adore one-pot meals and make them whenever possible. So, despite my doubt, I was open to trying this one.

Unfortunately, I didn't have the right ingredients. So, I took the chance of using what I had: orzo for the pasta, chicken broth, veggies, some white wine.... The result? A winner! The pasta and vegetables were tender and well covered in a flavorful sauce - reminiscent of Risotto. Couldn't be easier.

One-Pot Pasta

Ingredients:

12 oz dry pasta (I used orzo)
1 large head of Swiss Chard - stems sliced and leaves cut into bite sized pieces
1 can of chick peas (undrained - use the liquid as well)
2 large cloves garlic (chopped)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced tomatoes in juice
4-6 small carrots, sliced
crushed red pepper flakes
32 oz broth (I used organic chicken broth)
1/2 cup or more of dry white wine
1 tbsp high-quality olive oil
lemon juice

1. Pour dry pasta into a large pot. Throw in the rest of the vegetables, the crushed red pepper (I used a lot because we like it spicy), and sprinkle with lemon-pepper or black pepper and salt if desired (don't use too much salt because of the broth). Add the broth, wine and oil to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil (the Chard will start to shrink down).

2. Stir frequently and well. When the mix reaches a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Stir every few minutes to ensure that the pasta isn't sticking.

3. When the liquid is almost gone and the pasta is tender (10 -15 minutes or longer, depending on the type of pasta), remove from heat. Stir in a tbsp or two of lemon juice to taste and serve in bowls.

Notes: This is what I call a "loosey-goosey" recipe, meaning that you can be flexible. More broth, less wine. Maybe some other liquid instead. Any sort of pasta will do, as will any sort of vegetables -- mix and match. Same with the seasonings. Try oregano and basil for an Italian flavor, or cilantro and chili for a Mexican one. Be creative!

Bok Choi and Bacon

2013-06-13T21:29:00.000-04:00

Have I mentioned that I belong to a CSA? Don't know what a CSA is? It stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and basically it means that you are buying a share in a farm for a season and your payment entitles you to a share of what the farm produces. In my case, it means a box of interesting vegetables (and sometimes strawberries) once a week from The Golden Earthworm Organic farm.

It's always interesting (and often challenging) to come up with ideas for what to do with all the vegetables. This week I got a couple of bunches of bok choi -- which is a Chinese vegetable, in the cabbage family. It's very good stir fried with garlic and ginger and soy sauce, or put in soups, etc, but I decided to try something different.

Last night a friend dropped off (of all things) a HUGE bag of bacon. I'm not sure I've ever seen so much bacon -- three or four pounds probably. Did I mention I live with vegetarians? So that four pounds of bacon... all mine.

I am, however, a fairly healthy eater, and I couldn't fathom just making a huge plate of bacon, so I decided that for lunch I'd combine the bacon and the bok choi and make myself a cooked green lunch. While I ate it as lunch, I think it's probably best suited for a side dish. It would work with any number of greens -- spinach, swiss chard, kale, etc.

Here's the basic idea...

- Bok choi (or any other greens) - chopped. About 4 cups, but really whatever you want.
- Bacon - 2-3 strips

In a frying pan, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove bacon, and put on paper towels to dry. Wash and roughly chop greens. (I also added a garlic scape - which is the top shoot of garlic - to this dish.). Cook the greens in the bacon fat, adding salt and pepper as desired. When the greens are wilted and bright green, remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Top with the crumbled bacon.

Easy and delicious!

Garlicky White Bean Dip

2010-04-23T15:47:00.000-04:00

Some people belong to book clubs, some belong to wine clubs -- I belong to an olive oil club. Four times a year, a box from Sonoma, CA, arrives with two bottles of gourmet olive oil. It's expensive. And it's worth it. I'm a big fan of this olive oil club -- I've had the opportunity to try oils that tasted grassy, peppery, fruity, and nutty. And I can tell you that there is as much variety in olive oils as there is in wines.

So I have to give a plug to the company that I get my olive oils from -- The Olive Press. The oils are marvelous -- worth the splurge. These are not oils for frying in -- these are oils to savor, to dip your crusty bread into, to drizzle over fresh greens. The Olive Press also includes recipes in the box with my shipment, so last night I tried making (very last minute) the Garlicky White Bean Dip to take to a gathering of some close friends.

It was both a huge hit and incredibly easy to make. Using high quality olive oil is key. If you need to whip something up for a last minute get together, this is the thing to make. Or, for a quiet night in, make a batch of this, get a loaf of crusty bread, some ripe tomatoes, a piece of cheese and a good bottle of wine, and you are set.

Prep time - minimal
Nice enough to bring to someone's house? Yes!
Would I make it again? Absolutely!!
Gluten free? Yes
Vegetarian? Yes
My grade - A

So, without further ado...

Garlicky White Bean Dip

1 15-oz can white beans (I used cannellini)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
3 tbsp high quality olive oil (I used The Olive Press Master Blend EVOO)
1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Served garnished with more parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Yum!

Braised Beef in Red Wine with Orange Zest

2010-01-18T16:11:00.003-05:00

Wow. Let me repeat myself... Wow.

You know you've made a good dish when the minute you finish eating it, you feel like cooking it again. For those of you wondering what I was going to do with the beef that was the subject of my previous post, this is the result - the meat was falling-apart tender, as were the carrots. The onions, wine and orange zest melded into a flavorful and complex but not overpowering sauce.

This recipe was from the September 2008 issue of the now shuttered Gourmet magazine. The issue's focus was Paris, and the recipes were primarily French. This recipe, as printed in the magazine, was called "Joues De Boeuf Aux Agrumes" which actually means beef cheeks braised in red wine with orange zest, but there was no WAY I was going to cook anything with a name like "cheek." The recipe listed beef chuck as an alternative to beef cheeks, and you can be sure that I found that option far preferable. The butcher cut the meat up for me, thereby sparing me from the psychological trauma of having to cut it myself, and the rest was a breeze.

My tasters (my parents) and I gave this recipe an A. In addition, I'll note that it has very few ingredients (only 6), and spends much of the cooking time braising in the oven, giving the cook time to clean the kitchen, make the side dishes, drink some wine, and put on makeup, and drink some more wine before the guests arrive. There was one dicey moment when I took the Le Creuset out of the oven and opened it and was greeted with what looked like blackened food -- but it turned out it was really just the wine that gave that appearance. (For those of you who have seen the movie Julie and Julia, you'll remember the scene when Julie was making Boeuf Bourguignon and fell asleep while it was braising in the oven. When she woke up, hours later, the dish was overcooked and she threw it out. My dish looked just like that -- but it was PERFECT.)

The best thing about this recipe is its simplicity. You brown the meat, you saute some carrots and onions, you pour in a bottle of wine, and throw the whole thing in the oven for three hours. Couldn't be easier. Yet it creates a dish that you could proudly serve to company (provided they don't look at the pot the minute it comes out of the oven).

My mom said it was better than anything she could get in a restaurant. My dad -- who I will hereafter refer to as "the fussy gourmet" -- said that it was good, but "you probably could make something just as good with Lipton Onion Soup Mix." (Note: my dad believes that you shouldn't bother cooking anything WITHOUT Lipton Onion Soup Mix -- it is apparently the key ingredient for everything.)

Prep time - minimal
Did the final version look like the magazine picture? Yes!
Did it make a full meal? Yes!
Would I make it again? Absolutely!!
Gluten free? Yes
Vegetarian? No
My grade - A

What did I learn from this recipe? Wine is a great tenderizer for beef. You really have to get the oil hot and the beef dry in order to brown it. If you put enough wine in anything, it will probably taste good.

Without further ado -- here is the recipe (my version -- not the beef cheek version).

Braised Beef in Red Wine with Orange Zest

- 2 lb boneless beef chuck roast cut in four pieces against the grain
- 2 Tbsp grapeseed or vegetable oil
- 1 lb (about 3) onions, coarsely chopped
- 1 lb baby carrots
- 1 (750-ml) bottle dry red wine (I used Cabernet Sauvignon - an inexpensive bottle)
- 8 (3- by 1-inch) strips of orange zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the middle.

Pat beef dry and season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Heat oil in a 4- to 6-qt heavy pot over meduim heat until it shimmers. (I used a 5 qt Le Creuset - it goes from stovetop to oven, making it perfect for this purpose). Brown beef on all sides, 6 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to plate with tongs. (I browned two pieces at a time).

Add onions, carrots, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add wine and zest and bring to a boil. Add beef and return to a boil. Cover pot and braise in oven until meat is very tender 2-3 hours. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with carrots and sauce.

I served this with steamed broccoli, mashed potatoes and a salad. Recipe says it makes 4 servings, but I got 6 out of it.

The Fearful Gourmet Buys Meat

2010-01-14T16:58:00.001-05:00

Sometimes you just have to ask for help. The older I get, the more I realize that's true. Lately though, I've been finding that the place where I need the most help is in the meat section of the grocery.

Take today for example... I went to Uncle Giuseppe's to pick up meat for a recipe that I'll be making this weekend. The recipe (from an old issue of the now defunct Gourmet magazine) called for either beef cheek (EWWW) or boneless beef chuck roast. Since there was no way in hell that I was EVER going to cook something called "cheek," I decided to go for the chuck roast, which sounded harmless enough.

But when I located it in the meat department it didn't look like I had expected it to (ie: like a brisket - the only cut of meat that I apparently understand). It was a little too... "meaty" looking. Plus, it appeared to be tied with a string, and the recipe called for cutting it into 4 pieces, against the grain. Do I untie it before cutting it? And how could I even tell where the grain WAS with this sort of meat?

Befuddled and confused, my mother (yes, she was trying to help, but isn't too comfortable with meat either) and I stood discussing the options for a while. Could I get a "bottom eye" roast instead? (Whatever the heck THAT is). Could I just substitute brisket?

Finally, I just decided to bite the bullet and ask for help. I marched over to the butcher counter and asked the butcher all my silly questions (ie: about the string, about the grain, and about whether I could substitute a "bottom eye" -- (he didn't recommend it)). I explained that I live with two vegetarians and I don't cook meat much. He very kindly answered all my questions and then asked me if I would like HIM to cut the meat into four pieces for me. WOULD I??? Would I ever! He explained to me why a chuck roast was better for my purposes (a long slow braise) than a bottom eye (more fat in the chuck makes it taste better). And then he untied a roast for me, cut it in four pieces and repackaged it.

"You don't know the the trauma you've spared me from," I told him, and I asked if I could come back another time and ask him more questions. He was happy to oblige, and even introduced himself and asked my name (probably so he can avoid me in the future).

Moral of the story -- Unless you are a cow, the butcher is your friend. Don't be afraid to ask him questions.

Indian Samosa Casserole

2010-01-12T22:18:00.002-05:00

I grew up being leery of Indian food. Why? Probably because it was so alien to my parents that aside from never having it, they would periodically make anxiety-provoking comments about what might be in it. But as an adult, I have tried and enjoyed Indian food. One of my favorite Indian foods is the samosa -- basically spicy mashed potatoes and peas in a pastry shell. (Think of it as an Indian knish). So I was very excited when the January 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times ran a recipe for Indian Samosa Casserole, which is something like a mashed potato pie with a whole wheat crust on top. I decided to try it, even though it is one of the most ambitious dishes I've ever made. (It involves making and rolling the dough for the crust, making the filling, and then baking the assembled product.)

Many, many pots and pans, measuring cups and spoons, and other kitchen implements were used, and I won't lie, it took a LONG time to prepare. The end result? We gave it a B. I think it would have scored higher if I had not omitted one ingredient which didn't seem important at the time, but in hindsight would have mellowed a certain bitterness created by the seasoning. What was it that I left out? Agave syrup (yes, the stuff from a cactus). The recipe gave the option of using sugar, but I just left it out completely. A mistake I will not make again. The pie was well spiced and filling, and with just a touch of sweetness would have scored a higher grade from me.

Prep time -- extensive

Did the final version look like the magazine picture? Amazingly, yes.
Did it make a full meal? Yes, with the addition of a green salad
Would I make it again? Yes, but with the Agave syrup or sugar. And my husband requested that I add a extra hot pepper.
Gluten free? No
Vegetarian? Yes

What did I learn from this recipe? I learned that the first time you make something, it's probably a good idea to follow the directions as written. I also learned that rolling out dough is easier than I expected it to be, and kind of relaxing. For those of you who want to try it... here's the recipe.

Indian Samosa Casserole [from January 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times]

Crust
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flours
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Filling
- 1 Tbsp black or yellow mustard seeds
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
- 5 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered (1 1/4 lb)
- 1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, diced (1 cup)
- 1 medium carrot, diced (1/2 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbsp)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 tsp agave nectar or sugar
- 2 Tbsp soymilk (note - I used a beaten egg instead)

1. To make crust: Preheat oven to 375 F. Whisk together flours and salt in a bowl. Stir in oil until clumps form. Add 6 to 10 Tbsp cold water, 1 Tbsp at a time, until dough holds together. Shape into ball, cover with damp towel, and set aside.
2. To make filling: Stir together mustard seed, curry, ginger, cumin and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Cook potatoes in boiling salted water 15 minutes or until tender. Drain, return to pot, and mash, leaving small chunks.
4. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic, and saute 5 minutes or until carrots are tender. Move onion mixture to side of pan and add mustard seed mixture to center. Toast 30 seconds. Stir in peas and broth. Fold onion mixture into potatoes; stir in agave nectar. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Spread filling in 9-inch pie pan. Set aside.

5. Roll out crust dough to 11-inch circle on floured work surface. Cover filling with dough, pressing down to make sure no air pockets remain. Trim away excess dough, and crimp edges with fingers. Cut X in center to vent steam; brush with soymilk (or beaten egg) just before baking. Place pie on baking sheet, and bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until crust is golden. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

6. May also be frozen before baking. If frozen, bake 75 to 90 minutes.

Serves 6. Per slice - 299 cal, 7 g protein, 7 g total fat (less than 1 g sat fat), 7 g fiber, 469 mg sodium, 7 g sugar.

Who am I?

2010-01-12T16:00:00.000-05:00

Who am I? I'm the one who once asked if ground beef had to be washed before using. I'm the one who looked befuddled in the meat section of the grocery because I didn't know if I was supposed to take the string off the roast before I cooked it. I'm the one who won't eat fish. Or most cheese. Or anything white and creamy, like sour cream or yogurt. The one who won't eat lobsters, shrimp, crab, or anything else that resembles an alien, or anything that isn't supposed to be chewed when eaten (oysters, jello).

Yet, I am also someone who loves to eat -- who is fascinated by food. And over the past few years, I've grown to love cooking as well, despite my limitations.

So, who am I? I am the Fearful Gourmet.

Please join me as I broaden my eating and cooking horizons!