Destination Anywhere

The hotel we stayed at in Haifa kept to the tradition of having an enormous salad buffet at all three meals. Israeli salad offerings usually include many cooked and raw salads in addition to sliced vegetables. My idea of a good Israeli salad buffet is at least three kinds of eggplant dishes, and our Haifa hotel usually had four. There's often a strong Moroccan influence in many of the salads, and this eggplant goes in that direction. I loved this spicy-tart mixture, and blended several recipes to arrive at this rendition. I also cut way down on the oil. Seriously, one recipe I looked at called for 2/3 cup oil. If you want the finished dish to be silkier, add a few more spoonfuls of good olive oil.

Spicy Eggplant Salad with Tomatoes and Peppers

1 large firm eggplant, peeled and cut into rounds
3-4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided in half
oil spray
1large red or yellow sweet pepper, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small can chopped tomatoes in Winter, or, preferably, 4-5 large garden tomatoes in Summer
1/2 can tomato paste
a few spoonfuls water
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, more to taste
1/4 cup wine vinegar
handful chopped parsley

1. Salt the eggplant slices, and layer them between paper towels. Place a heavy plate on top, and let drain for 1/2 hour. Wipe the liquid and salt from the slices.
2. Heat half of the oil in a large skillet, and cook the onions and peppers until soft. Remove from pan, leaving the oil.
3. Add the remaining oil to the skillet, (I also sprayed it with Pam between batches) and saute the eggplant in batches until very brown.
4. Return the onion/pepper mixture to the pan, along with all the additional ingredients except for the parsley. Cook at a gentle simmer for 30-40 minutes, (add water if it seems to be drying out) until everything has fallen apart and the vinegar has mellowed. Add more crushed red pepper if you like.
5. Let sit overnight in the fridge. Let come to room temperature before showering with parsley and serving with pita, feta cheese, hummus, other vegetables. Pretend you're in a cafe in Israel.

I was asked to be a substitute blogger for the Flavors Blog. For those not familiar with Flavors, it's a blogging community where each week participants must develop a dish using a specific ingredient along with possible flavor enhancers as outlined in the book The Flavor Bible. Confused? Take a look here: http://www.slowtrav.com/blog/flavors/2011/09/we_are_a_group_of.html

So, here's my entry using "Beef."

Burgers seem to be the new thing, at least as reported by the food press and bloggers. From New York to Paris, the humble burger has been tarted up enough to command ridiculous prices.

I used to not like burgers. They were dry, hard, a waste of calories. Seriously, I made a veggie burger when we had beef burgers on the grill.And then my husband Larry was given a subscription to Cooks Illustrated, and because of his engineering background became glued to the obsessive-compulsive search for the perfect techniques in cooking. He went through classic French and Italian recipes involving multiple trips to stores, piles of pots in the sink, and dinner served by 8:30 if we were lucky.

He discovered grinding his own meat for burgers. And Gentle Reader, I am now a convert.

Grinding your own beef results on a tender texture, juices oozing out of a flavorful pile of meat. Home-ground burgers cook quickly on a hot skillet, and you can dress them up or down as you like. For this excursion, we decided to make a tarted up burger, one that if served in a New York restaurant would command an insane price. From the Flavor Bible, I used onions, thyme, red wine, arugula, and a small jar of summer truffles in the pantry sealed the deal. If you don't like or don't have access to truffles, your home-ground burgers will still be amazing.

Fancypants Truffled Burgers
Makes 6 burgers, which freeze well uncooked
2 lbs beef--we like to use 1 lb chuck and 1 lb boneless short rib

3 large onions, sliced
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. thyme
2Tbs. red wine
salt and pepper
1 Tbs. sliced black truffles (jarred Summer truffles are fine. Use the rest of the jar to top buttered fresh pasta, and invite me over)

Cheese--a mild blue cheese; or a nice nutty gruyere, sliced very thinly
arugula

Good quality buns--Whole Foods make a brioche bun with black pepper that is ruinously expensive but worth it

1. Pour yourself a nice drink. I suggest a classic vodka martini.
2. Slice the onions and saute in the oil in a large skillet over low-medium heat for 20-30 minutes until deep golden brown but not burned. Add the thyme and wine, season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Cut the meat into cubes, then put the meat in the freezer for 10-15 minutes until quite firm but not totally frozen.
4. Using the steel blade of a food processor, put small batches of the meat into the bowl and pulse until just chopped. Empty onto a cookie sheet as you go,

5. Very gently form the chopped meat into loose burgers. You just want to tenderly gather the meat together, not press it.

6. Toast the buns. Stir the truffles into the onion mixture and turn off the heat.

7. Heat a thick skillet on high. Place the burgers on the sizzling hot surface, and turn after 1-2 minutes. Add the cheese, and cook another 1-2 minutes until desired doneness. If you want them any more than medium rare, I do not want to hear about it.

8. Place the burgers on a bun half, very lightly sprinkle with good salt, top with the onion/truffle mixture, add arugula. Ketchup if you must. A bit of tomato if desired.
9. Inhale. Roasted potatoes with rosemary on the side are nice, and a little salad to appease your arteries.
10. Fight over who gets to finish the leftover onion-truffle mixture.

Hooray, my first subbing gig for the Flavors blog! Kim asked me to take on Chestnuts for her, which I gladly accepted. I have loved chestnuts since my aunt started putting them into her Thanksgiving stuffing. A few years back I made a Chestnut and Porcini Soup which was delicious, and mushrooms were highlighted as complements for chestnuts in the Flavor Bible. I had dried porcini in the pantry, and chantrelles happened to be on sale that week. Additional ingredients I pulled from the Flavor Bible were cream, shallots, butter, Marsala, and thyme.

Oh, and about those chestnuts. I've tried the usual technique of cutting an x into the bottom, roasting, then attempting to pry the stubborn little things from the shells. Bloodshed, cursing, and a mess was the result. This time I tried another way which was much more successful. Cut the chestnuts in half, then put them in a ziploc bag with a drop or two of water. Seal the bag, and lay it flat in the microwave, so the chestnuts are in one layer. Microwave for 40-60 seconds, until soft. Let sit for a minute to cool, carefully open the bag, and the chestnuts should easily separate from their shells. Worked a treat!

Chestnut and Wild Mushroom Crostini

2 shallots, diced
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms, preferably some of which are wild, such as chantrelles or shitakis
1/4 cup dried porcini, soaked in hot water, then drained. (strain and save liquid)
1 cup chopped chestnuts
3 Tbs. Marsala wine
pinch fresh chopped thyme
3 Tbs. heavy cream

1 baguette, sliced

Heat a large skillet. Saute the chopped shallots in the butter until translucent, then add the fresh and soaked/ drained dried mushrooms. Cook until liquid emerges then evaporates. Let the mixture brown slightly, then add the thyme, Marsala and a Tablespoon of the mushroom soaking liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the chestnuts, and then the cream. Let the cream glaze the mixture, cook down a few minutes. Keep warm while you toast the crostini.

Toast the baguette slices. Top each with a spoonful of the mushroom-chestnut mixture, and serve.

Delicious!

Larry doesn't get the time to cook much, except for throwing some meat or vegetable on the grill if he's home from work early enough. However, every now and then on a weekend he decides to tackle something more complex, which usually involves multiple trips to the grocery store, a thick cookbook or long search via Google, and a delicious, although usually late dinner.

Yesterday he wanted to do some sort of long-simmering recipe using something we don't see much of anymore, beef. Since he usually keeps to the French or Italian side of things, we thought he'd stretch a bit into some other cuisines. Some searching and we found a Bon Appetit recipe for Malaysian Beef Curry. And what was frightening was how many of the ingredients we already had. Tamarind paste? In the pantry. Dried New Mexico chiles? Yup. Fish sauce? It's that brown bottle that smells like old locker rooms.

We did have to go over to the fabulous Indian grocery stores in Waltham for some star anise, as the package in the spice drawer had lost much of its fragrance. Lemongrass was found at Whole Foods, a nice piece of brisket from Costco. And oh hey, let's have lunch at an Indian place in Waltham while we're at it.

The spice paste smelled astonishingly good. Larry used our little spice grinder, but a food processor or blender would also do the trick, just make sure everything is really finely chopped. The recipe didn't call for much liquid, although instructed that the meat should be fully covered. Larry added an additional 1/2 can of coconut milk, which as the meat cooked and shrunk then seemed to be too much. Instead of using a crockpot, we brought the curry to the simmer on the stove, then put in uncovered in a 325-350 oven. It simmered nicely, and the excess liquid evaporated, making the sauce thicker and more concentrated. If this were done in the crockpot, the one can would probably be enough.

After 3 1/2 hours, the meat was just about soft--and another 20--30 minutes would have been better, so plan on a long cooking tome. The sauce was complex, with hints of sweetness from brown sugar and cinnamon. Larry and Evan thought the spiciness was just right; I added some siracha hot sauce to mine and though it was perfection. This curry didn't have any vegetables, so we served it with steamed carrots and zucchini. I think next time we'll add some vegetables for the last hour of cooking to lighten things somewhat. I also think the recipe would be fantastic with skinned chicken thighs.

Malaysian Beef Curry (adapted from Bon Appetit)

Ingredients:

spice paste

8 large dried New Mexico chiles
4 lemongrass stalks
1/2 cup chopped shallots
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
2 teaspoons brown sugar

stew

3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast or brisket, trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 13.5- to 14-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk
2 whole star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon tamarind paste or tamarind concentrate

Chopped fresh cilantro
Steamed rice
quartered limes
hot sauce such as siracha or your favorite

ingredient info
New Mexico chiles can be found at some supermarkets and at Latin markets. Fish sauce and coconut milk are sold at supermarkets and Asian markets. Look for star anise, star-shaped seedpods, in the spice section of the supermarket. Tamarind is available in Asian and Indian markets.

Preparation
spice paste
Cover chiles with very hot water and soak until soft, about 45 minutes. Drain. Stem, seed, and chop chiles.
Cut off bottom 4 inches from lemongrass stalks; chop and transfer to processor (reserve tops of stalks for stew). Add shallots, garlic, coriander, cumin, ginger, and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper; process until finely ground. Add 1/2 cup water, chiles, fish sauce, and sugar; process to paste. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 week ahead. Transfer to bowl. Cover; chill.

stew
Smash reserved tops of lemongrass from spice paste with mallet or rolling pin. Bend in half; bundle with kitchen twine. Mix beef and spice paste in dutch oven. Stir in lemongrass bundles, coconut milk, star anise, cinnamon, and tamarind. Press meat down to completely submerge. Bring to the simmer on the stove, then put on 325 oven. Cook stew "Low and slow" until meat is very tender, 31/2 to 5 hours. Check every now and then to stir. If it's bubbling too fiercely, turn the oven down a bit. Tilt pot and spoon off excess fat from surface of stew. Remove lemongrass bundles, star anise, and cinnamon stick.
Transfer stew to bowl. Sprinkle cilantro over and serve with steamed rice, hot sauce, and limes.

Nutritional Information (from original recipe)
One serving contains:
Calories (kcal) 499.6
%Calories from Fat 51.5
Fat (g) 28.6
Saturated Fat (g) 11.7
Cholesterol (mg) 128.3
Carbohydrates (g) 13.6
Dietary Fiber (g) 3.1
Total Sugars (g) 3.7
Net Carbs (g) 10.5
Protein (g) 46.0
Sodium (mg) 780.7

You'd think I'd be doing more knitting when it's blowing snow outside, when I can curl up in my chair with some soft merino in my hands, right? Sadly, when I have more time to knit is during the Summer months, when angora sticks to sweaty hands and even silk feels too heavy and hot. A chair in the shade or near some air conditioning, some podcasts, and a pitcher of ice tea help. So do roadtrips.

Here's a silly ruffled scarf in Malabrigo Silky Merino, colorway Nocturnal.

This is my current favorite pattern, Grapevine by Heidi Kirrmaier . I added the lace pattern to the hem and cuffs in addition to the neckline. This designer does great shaping, and the Silky Wool worked up beautifully with nice drape after washing and blocking.

My favorite I-can-do-it-in-my-sleep easy lace in variegated Malabrigo Sock, colorway Indicieta. Thin yarn, big needles for an open fabric. I like how the colors shift from blue/violet to green/lavender.

Another silly pattern, the Lions Neck Cardigan by Wendy Bernard. I did this in some crimson Cascade Venezia Bulky I got on sale a few years ago. It's a silk/wool blend with a slight sheen. Very cozy and warm, although I feel like a giant ruffly tomato.

Still in the works:

The February Lady Cardigan ate the internet a few years ago. I’ve been eyeing this pattern for a long time, but have not liked how it fits many women. I made some modifications to get a closer fit in the torso and arms than the original, which is swingier than would suit me. I'm also using a simpler more vertical lace pattern on the lower portion and the lower sleeves because the original fought with this yarn too much. Love the yarn, Silky Merino colorway Cumparsita.

Another bulky sweater, Iced by Carol Feller is a doublebreasted jacket. I'm doing it in a bright yarn, Beatrice colorway which is pinks, orange, blue and lavender.

I just got some lovely soft merino/alpaca yarn in a dark teal, and am thinking about a pullover with lace on the sleeves, with a detachable lace cowl. The Derry Pullover and Cowl by Cecily MacDonald Humn...this one may need to wait for cooler weather.