ROASTED ACORN SQUASH with GARLIC BUTTER and BURRATA
Last summer when we finished cooking through Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table, I seriously considered signing off. The major reasons I began LightsonBright. as I’ve often said, were not only to bring structure to a chaotic time but also to chronicle the journey of rebuilding a life. Besides completing the cookbook, I also felt I’d accomplished my task and brought order, stability and balance to myself. I was unsure if I had anything left to say.
RADICCHIO with PINE NUTS, CURRANTS and AGED BALSAMIC
Okay, hold on. I already know that with that last sentence many of my dear friends who loyally read my post every week just fell on the floor laughing. Now get up, compose yourselves and let’s be serious.
The conclusion I finally reached is that this lifestyle I’ve structured will never again be as orderly or constant as it was for most of our 25-year marriage. It will invariably need tweaking. Compromises will be required and trade-offs made. Michael was the guy who kept my playing field level, always steady-eddy, unruffled and calm. I’ve had to jump into those voids plus all others now to keep the Hirsch household humming.
MISE en PLACE ( the necessary ingredients) for ROASTED ACORN SQUASH WITH GARLIC BUTTER and BURRATA
So, surprising as it may be, perhaps I have more to say! It’s also true that I eat well because of this blog. Why mess with that? Since February 2011, I’ve tried a new recipe every week. Hits and Misses. The two recipes for this week, Radicchio with Pine Nuts, Currants, and Aged Balsamic and Roasted Acorn Squash with Garlic Butter and Burrata are definite HITS.
MISE en PLACE (the necessary ingredients) for RADICCHIO WITH PINE NUTS, CURRANTS AND AGED BALSAMIC
What I know for sure is if I wasn’t writing this blog, that wouldn’t happen. I love to cook but who really enjoys the alone part of mealtime? For me, cooking has become purposeful. That’s why it works. This whole blog thing brings me Joy. My web host provider who sends me weekly e-mail updates on site visits reported last week’s post climbed to a 4-year high for Hits. Clunk my head with the Joy Bar.
Never in a million years… Wiggling in is easier than negotiating yourself out of a wetsuit. Necessary in the Galapagos for not only warmth while snorkeling but my friends also insist it will provide buoyancy.
About those tweaks. My December Galapagos trip is still a GO although I’ve hit a snag with the swimming/snorkeling challenge. I’ve nailed the snorkeling (thanks Carol Kurt) but learning to swim may be more difficult. Last Monday the local newspaper reported that our INDOOR community pool is closed for renovation. Say what? I was all set to move indoors and learn to stay afloat. Not happening: Snorkeling, check; Wetsuit, check; Floaty, available onboard the Integrity; Swimming, progress halted. Whether I succeed or not, I think I am brave to try.
Last December was snowy, cold and icy in Aspen. Perfect for this skiing resort community but I found myself wary of driving or falling. A broken hip and my life changes forever. While accidents can happen anywhere, I am gaming Mother Nature by leaving Aspen earlier, at Thanksgiving and returning later, in May. It’s Plan A and I’ll be telling you all about my upcoming adventures. As my daughter, Melissa, my wingwoman for the past 12 eventful years, always reminds me, “If Plan A doesn’t work, Mom, we’ll go to Plan B or C.” (Love that Lady.)
THE ACORN SQUASH, SEASONED WITH GARLIC BUTTER and S/P, IS READY FOR A ROAST.
This week’s recipes are too simple, require too few ingredients and are too delicious. Radicchio with Pine Nuts, Currants and Aged Balsamic is another favorite from Jody Williams’ Buvette cookbook. Radicchio, which is a leaf chicory, has a bitter and spicy taste but mellows in the oven. That’s what happens here. We braise it in olive oil and water, making it soft and supple. After then adding roasted pine nuts, currants and balsamic, it’s good to go.
AFTER DRIZZLING EACH RADICCHIO QUARTER WITH OLIVE OIL AND POURING IN WATER, IT’S READY FOR THE OVEN.
It’s squash season. Tell me something better than Roasted Acorn Squash with Garlic Butter and Burrata by Food & Wine magazine’s Chef Dave Beran. According to The Kitchn blog, ‘Burrata cheese takes the mozzarella one step further — it’s mozzarella that’s formed into a pouch and then filled with soft, stringy curd and cream.’
While Chef Beran insists it is ‘fantastic with a lush Chardonnay’, I found it quite tasty with an Octoberfest beer.
ROASTED ACORN SQUASH with GARLIC BUTTER and BURRATA, adapted from Chef Dave Beran, Food & Wine magazine
YIELD: Serves Four
INGREDIENTS:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
Kosher salt
Pepper
Two 1 1/2-pound acorn squash, halved lengthwise, seeds discarded
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
4 cups baby greens (2 ounces)
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced and rinsed under cold water
One 1/2-pound ball of burrata
Cracked black pepper, for garnish
Flaky sea salt, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°. In a bowl, combine the butter, shallot, garlic and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Season the squash halves with salt and pepper also and set on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with the garlic butter and roast for about 30 minutes, until the squash is golden and tender.
2. While the squash is roasting,in a bowl, whisk the oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Add the baby greens and red onion and toss to coat.
3. Cut the burrata into 4 pieces.
4. After the squash has roasted 30 minutes, place each burrata piece on the squash half as pictured. Slide carefully under a broiler for between 1-2 minutes to soften and toast it. Watch this process carefully.
5. Top each squash half with salad, as pictured and moving the slightly-melted cheese a bit if necessary. Garnish with cracked pepper and sea salt, serve warm and pass extra salad greens.
RADICCHIO with PINE NUTS, CURRANTS, and AGED BALSAMIC, by Jody Williams, Buvette, The Pleasure of Good Food
YIELD: Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
2 small heads radicchio
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup water
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons currants
1 tablespoon good-quality aged balsamic vinegar
Balsamic Vinegar Glaze (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
1.Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Quarter each radicchio lengthwise. Be sure to leave the cores intact so that you end up with wedges that are held together at the base.
3. Place the radicchio wedges in a roasting dish or a skillet, anything that will hold them in an even layer and that can go into the oven. Drizzle with the olive oil and pour in the water. Tightly cover the dish with a lid or aluminum foil and roast in the oven until tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 20 minutes.
4. While the radicchio is braising, put the currants in the 1 tablespoon (or, slightly more) of balsamic vinegar to plump.
5. Toast the pine nuts.
6. (Optional) When the radicchio is cooked, I also put it under the broiler for 2 minutes for an ever-so-slightly charred effect.
7. Transfer the radicchio to a serving dish and sprinkle with a large pinch of salt. Scatter the pine nuts and balsamic vinegar/currants mix over the radicchio, and drizzle with a tiny amount of glaze if you wish.
8. Serve warm or at room temperature.
I WENT ON MY LAST ASPEN CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES BIRD CLUB HIKE THIS WEEK. ALTHOUGH MANY BIRDS HAVE ‘FLOWN THE CHILLY COOP’, THIS FEMALE KINGFISHER IS STILL HANGING AROUND.
We’ve had intermittent snowfalls this week which translate to a wide community grin. Bring it on, El Niño. It’s cold enough – 28 degrees is the magic number – to crank up the snow makers. At night I can hear the guns shooting their white dust onto nearby Aspen Mountain. We host the women’s FIS Ski World Cup on Thanksgiving week-end. The ladies need snow.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH BREAD SOUP
’Tis the season for comfort food. For me, hearty, homemade soups spell satisfaction for those upcoming chilly November evenings. This week’s Panade de Butternut from David Lebovitz’s My Paris Kitchen cookbook is not French despite its fancy name. This butternut squash bread soup (sounds better in French) has become one of my top five favorite dishes.
BE BEAR-AWARE
Before we cook, however, let’s have a bear chat:
The Scene: Late last Sunday, Very Dark NIght, The Gant, Aspen
The Scene #2: Off-season. No paying customers here. The front office is closed. The D-Building, except for me, is empty.
The Villain: A bear-proof trash container stuffed with take-out food containers and champagne bottles in violation of No Trash after 8pm Sign.
WHAT IS NOT TOTALLY CLEAR ABOUT THIS SIGN WHICH IS POSTED ON TOP OF THE TRASH LID? A FED BEAR IS A DEAD BEAR.
The Actors: A Black Bear and Me
The Plot: My Best Wildlife Moment
WHOOPS! THE BEAR REALIZES SOME CRAZY LADY IS UP THERE TAKING PICTURES WITH HER CAMERA.
Late Sunday night I heard the unmistakable sound, crash and banging of my trash can tipping over. There isn’t a bear in Pitkin County who can’t claw into Aspen’s bear-proof containers if they smell goodies. Since I’m on the second floor, I ran outside to see a delighted bear dumpster diving. I grabbed my camera and, with the first click, notified the bear I was upstairs.
You don’t yell at bears but I did scold and plead with him but, silly me, he wasn’t leaving until he’d devoured the mother lode. After all, for the 5-6 months he’s in hibernation there will be no pizza deliveries. At one point he lumbered into the parking lot and sat on his haunches before returning to finish his meal, ignoring me completely.
I AM OBVIOUSLY BUGGING THE BEAR. HE WALKS OUT TO THE PARKING LOT, SITS FOR A FEW MINUTES AND RETURNS. AS FAR AS THE BEAR IS CONCERNED, I DON’T EXIST.
After 20 minutes or so, he departed, leaving a huge mess which I was not brave enough to go down and clean up. The next morning, at 7am, one of our bellman did just that. (Thanks, Nic.) I did not call the police who would have bean-bagged the bear and fined The Gant. What was an exciting encounter for me was unfortunate for this bear who was just being, well, a bear.
MY BEAR, RETURNING TO FINISH UP HIS MEAL. HE IS NOT AT ALL INTIMIDATED BY ME. AFTER ALL, HE’S BIGGER.
For the rest of the off-season or until the bears go into hibernation, I’ve appointed myself the evening trash-monitor here. No more nibbles available on my watch.
PANADE de BUTTERNUT
MISE en PLACE, THE INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THE PANADE
“This panade is one of the few dishes I’ve eaten in my life that I’ve never forgotten,” Lebovitz writes.
Because I suffer with squash addiction every Fall, David’s endorsement piqued my interest. This is not a complicated recipe but I’ve been more thorough than usual with details, photos and directions. It’s a unique ‘baked casserole that’s served like soup but is hearty enough to be a full meal.’
For baking, a 4-quart baking dish is preferred, because the greater the width, the more crusty cheese topping you’ll have when the panade is finished. Whatever size you use, it should have sides that are at least 3 inches high. I used a 2-quart dish and halved the recipe for this post but will use my 4-quart rustic terra cotta dish next time.
ALTHOUGH I HALVED THE RECIPE, USING A 2-QUART DISH, THIS IS THE 4-QUART DISH WITH A 3-INCH LIP THAT I WOULD NORMALLY USE. IT’S PERFECT.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH BREAD SOUP (PANADE DE BUTTERNUT)
by Seen Lippert to David Lebovitz, My Paris Kitchen Cookbook
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 Tbsp olive oil
4 onions, peeled and sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled; 2 thinly sliced, and 2 whole
2 Tbsp mixed chopped fresh thyme and sage
2-pound loaf firm-textured, dense sourdough bread, sliced into 1/4-1/2”
1/2 cup white wine
2-pound butternut squash or similar winter squash (such as Kabocha), peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch slices
sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups grated Comté, Gruyère, Jarlsberg, or fontina cheese (I used Gruyère)
2 quarts warm chicken stock, plus additional stock for serving
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS
1. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a wide skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, the 2 cloves of sliced garlic, and 1 teaspoon of the herbs. Cook for about 25- 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are completely wilted and beginning to brown on the bottom and edges.
AFTER MELTING BUTTER WITH OLIVE OIL IN THIS PAN, I ADDED ONIONS, GARLIC AND HERBS TO COOK FOR 25-35 MINUTES.
2. While the onions are cooking, preheat the oven to 375 F. Put the slices of bread on baking sheets in a single layer and toast in the oven, turning the slices over midway, until both sides are dry, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and when cool enough to handle, rub both sides of the slices with the whole garlic cloves.
3. When the onions are done, pour in the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen up any of the flavorful brown bits. Cook for a minute or two, so the wine is absorbed. Add 2 cups of the stock to the onions and cook until the stock is mostly absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes, and then add the rest of the stock and heat until the stock is hot. Remove from the heat.
THE ONIONS ARE COOKING WITH THE WINE AND THE STOCK WHICH I AM SLOWLY ADDING.
4. To assemble the panade, cover the bottom of a 3- to 4-quart baking dish with a layer of bread, breaking any pieces so they fit in a single layer, but keeping them as large as possible. Ladle about half of the onions and some of the stock over the bread, and then cover with half of the squash slices. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and half of the herbs. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the grated cheese.
THE SQUASH, THINLY SLICED
LAYER NUMBER ONE
5. Add a second layer of bread and ladle the rest of the onions and more stock over the bread. Cover with the remaining squash slices. Season the squash with salt and pepper, and then add the remaining herbs. Sprinkle another 1/2 cup of grated cheese over the squash layer. Cover the squash with a final layer of bread and then ladle the rest of the stock over the bread and press down on the ingredients to encourage them to meld together. Top with the remaining 1 cup of grated cheese, and the Parmesan.
THE BEGINNING OF THE TOP LAYER, NUMBER THREE
6. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and tighten it around the edges, but don’t press it down on the surface or some of the cheese may stick to it during baking. Set the baking dish on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch any spills. Bake for 45 minutes, uncover the panade, and bake for another 30 minutes, or until the panade is very well browned and crisp on top.
JUST GOING INTO THE OVEN-I COVERED WITH TINFOIL FIRST
JUST COMING OUT OF THE OVEN
7. Let cool for about 15 minutes and then spoon portions of the panade into soup bowls, making sure everyone gets a highly prized layer of the crusty topping. As you serve, ladle additional warm broth over each bowl if you wish and put extra on the table.
TIP: I sprayed the tinfoil with Pam so it would not stick to the top cheese crust.
Although I try to complete a jigsaw puzzle every month, why not try one yourself this winter? On a chilly winter evening what’s not to love about a leafy green salad, Panade de Butternut, a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon followed by putting together a puzzle. Delightful.
OCTOBERS JIGSAW PUZZLE: THE TREE OF LIFE BY CHARLEY HARPER (GUYLA, This is headed your way.)
TUNA & HUMMUS SANDWICH, THANKS TO INA GARTEN, THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA
This is my prediction. After reading this post you’ll open your cupboard doors or walk into your pantry, put your hands on your hips and take a mental inventory. Whether you’re into cooking or would rather not, it’s smart, if only for safety’s sake, to stock your pantry well. The question? Can you feed the two-legged/four-legged mouths in your home, for one week, from your pantry?
MY PANTRY, HOMEMADE INGREDIENTS THAT MAKE SIMPLE MEALS YOUR OWN by Alice Waters
Alice Waters, an American culinary icon and author of 12 books about food, recently published her 13th entitled “My Pantry, Homemade Ingredients That Make Simple Meals Your Own”. Being a Waters’ devotee, I ordered the book. When it arrived, I thumbed through the 135 pages but it was her Introduction that reminded me why I honor this woman.
MY PANTRY WAS UP TO THE TASK OF PROVIDING “COMING HOME PASTA” WHEN I RETURNED TO ASPEN AFTER AN 8-DAY TRIP.
“A familiar pantry,” she writes, “is like being surrounded by friends who won’t let you down. No matter how tired I am, at least I’ll be able to dream up something to cook — something delicious! — and right away, too.”
IT’S ALWAYS GREAT TO COME HOME AND THIS PASTA IS COMFORT FOOD AT ITS BEST.
It was her opening sentence, however, that threw down the gauntlet for this week’s post. “When I come back from a trip, one of the first things I need to do is walk into my kitchen and look around. A pantry is not just a shortcut to cooking something special in a hurry, it also encourages the best kind of impromptu cooking.”
BETSY’S AND MY FIRST STOP IN BOSTON WAS AT JFK’S PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY.
THIS IS A REPLICA OF THE CBS STUDIO WITH WALTER CRONKITE’S DESK AT WHICH HE ANNOUNCED THE VICTORY OF JFK AGAINST RICHARD NIXON IN THE 1960 ELECTION. THE RCA PROJECTION CAMERA IS TO THE LEFT.
Since I was leaving for an 8-day journey, I challenged myself to let my pantry create the meals for at least two days upon my return. So, while catching up on sleep (my usual 8:30pm lights-out routine would be severely interrupted), unpacking, returning calls and wading through a week’s mail, I’d survive on what was already in-house.
FDR’S PRESIDENTIA;L LIBRARY. OF THE 11 LIBRARIES I’VE VISITED THIS IS, IN MY OPINION, THE MOST WELL DONE AND MY FAVORITE.
SPRINGWOOD, THE LIFELONG HOME OF FDR. DIANE, ANOTHER FFWD COLLEAGUE, JOINED US FOR SATURDAY.
Fast forward to last Tuesday. Trip over. Early in the morning, my friend, Betsy, drove me to the Boston airport to catch my 4-hour flight to Denver. After arriving in the Mile-High city and retrieving my bags, I waved down a shuttle which dropped me by my parked car. I was Aspen-bound. Four hours later, cruising by Whole Foods and City Market in El Jebel, I wished I hadn’t read that damn book! By the time I reached Aspen and drove by the Hickory House (best ribs in town), I was silently cursing Alice Waters.
THIS IS THE BACKYARD OF VAL-KILL, ELEANOR ROOSEVELT’S LAST HOME WHERE THE HOT DOG SUMMIT OF 1939 BETWEEN FDR AND KING GEORGE V! OF ENGLAND TOOK PLACE. THOSE HOTDOGS WERE ROASTED ON THIS GRILL.
OCTOBER 11th WAS ELEANOR ROOSEVELT’S 131ST BIRTHDAY. WE PARTICIPATED IN A GRAVESIDE MEMORIAL CEREMONY AND THEN JOINED EVERYONE FOR A CELEBRATION AND BIRTHDAY CAKE.
Tired and hungry I decided to mimic Water’s menu. Coming Home Pasta: spaghetti tossed with a heap of sautéed garlic, dried chile flakes, a salted anchovy and handful of chopped parsley, ‘is what I always make for myself when returning from a trip,’ she writes.
SIX OF THE FRENCH FRIDAYS WITH DORIE GROUP DINING AT THE BOCUSE RESTAURANT AT THE CIA. Patty Stormer photo.
If this sounds familiar, Ina Garten’s version is called Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. I meshed the two recipes. It couldn’t have been easier, faster or more delicious. Most ingredients were in my pantry. I cut/refreshed parsley, in its last gasp but still growing on my balcony, grated an end chunk of Parmesan cheese and pulled half a whole-wheat baguette from the freezer. (Okay, the freezer thing, that was cheating.)
WE ALL WERE INVITED INTO THE KITCHEN FOR A TOUR (No, we didn’t ask!). THIS IS THE PROFESSOR CHEF AND OUR STUDENT WAITER.
My two-day challenge ends when I share this post with you. I didn’t starve. It was fun. I win. Oatmeal topped with dried dates or apricots. A hard-boiled egg. Popcorn, my fave snack. And, Ina’s Tuna & Hummus Sandwich. The leftover tuna mix was also fantastic with cheese, a grilled tuna melt.
BETSY AND I RETURNED ON THE NEXT DAY TO TOUR THE VERY BEAUTIFUL CIA CAMPUS.
While I may not make all Water’s suggested recipes myself, her book, packed with spice mixtures, sweet and savory preserves, grains, legumes and condiments, is loaded with ideas. Her All-Purpose Pickling Brine has my head spinning. (Stay tuned.) The Panforte recipe is doable. And, when I go shopping tomorrow to replenish my pantry, I’ll do it more skillfully.
BETSY TOOK ME TO AUTHORS RIDGE IN SLEEPY HOLLOW CEMETERY IN CONCORD, MASSACHUSETTS TO SEE THE GRAVESITES OF EMERSON, THOREAU, ALCOTT AND HAWTHORNE. I AM NOT EMBARRASSED TO SAY I WAS THRILLED. THIS IS EMERSON’S TOMBSTONE.
My recent journey to Boston and Hyde Park exceeded my expectations, thanks in part to the generosity of Betsy Pollack-Benjamin. Although Betsy and I had met only once, she’s been my virtual friend for years, having shared administrative duties on French Fridays with Dorie. When we finished cooking through Greenspan’s Around My French Table, our responsibilities ended but our friendship did not.
LOUISA M. ALCOTT GRAVESITE
THOREAU’S TOMBSTONE.
These photos are a brief glimpse of our trip’s highlights. The premier memory was our dinner at The Bocuse Restaurant in Hyde Park’s prestigious Culinary Institute of America. We were joined by other FFWD colleagues who lived nearby in New York and Pennsylvania. “Nearby” translates to Cher & Joe (4-hours RT); Diane (2-hours RT) and Tricia & Ro, who stayed overnight, (6-hours RT). This evening, six months in the planning, was second to none, without equal.
COMING HOME PASTA/SPAGHETTI AGLIO e OLIO adapted from Waters & Garten
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
Kosher salt
1/2 pound dried spaghetti, such as DeCecco
1/2 cup good olive oil
5 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 salted anchovy, chopped roughly
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 – 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
DIRECTIONS
.
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt and the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water before you drain the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a pot large enough to hold the pasta. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until it just begins to turn golden on the edges. Don’t overcook it! Add the red pepper flakes and chopped sardine and cook for 30 seconds more.
3.Carefully add the reserved pasta-cooking water to the garlic/oil and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by about a third.
4. Add the drained pasta to the garlic sauce and toss. Off the heat, add the parsley and Parmesan and toss well. Allow the pasta to rest off the heat for 5 minutes for the sauce to be absorbed. Taste for seasoning and serve warm with extra Parmesan on the side, if desired.
TUNA & HUMMUS SANDWICHES, minimally adapted from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa, How Easy is That?
INGREDIENTS
Makes 2 Sandwiches
5 ounces canned tuna packed in olive oil
1/4 cup minced celery
1 tablespoon minced yellow onion
1 tablespoon of capers, rinsed
1 tablespoon minced cornichons
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons good mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Rustic artisan bread or baguette, sliced 1/2 inch thick
Hummus, store-bought or homemade
DIRECTIONS:
1.Drain the oil from the tuna.. Place the tuna in a mixing bowl and flake it with a fork.
2. Add the celery, onion, cornichons, lemon juice, mayonnaise, the mustard, salt, and pepper and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop.
3. When ready to serve, toast the bread and spread each slice with a layer of hummus. Spread the tuna mixture on each piece of bread and garnish with minded parsley.
4. Serve immediately.
TIP: Although I had an unopened container of Classic Hummus in the fridge, you can also make your own. Garten includes a tasty hummus recipe in her cookbook and Waters has a Hummus with Preserved Lemons recipe in hers.
The most often asked question about my Blog is, “With all the food you make, how do you stay so thin, not gain weight?” Now, Readers, when I think about Me, I certainly don’t think thin. In Aspen, where body image is everything, I’m a heavyweight.
YOGURT PARFAIT
The truth is I’ve always waged a bulge battle. As a kid I was chubby and remained about 15 to 20 pounds overweight my entire life. My nickname in junior high was Tank. Not a confidence builder. What I weighed eroded my ego and overshadowed the good things in life. Always. I applaud and envy women who are comfortable in their own skin, content with themselves. Unfortunately, I couldn’t pull that off.
“NOBODY EVER MENTIONED I’D HAVE TO FIND MY OWN FOOD.” This juvenile Great Blue Heron, who flew into this lake, obviously was hungry, unsure of himself. We watched him 30 minutes and he never came close to nabbing anything.
It was not until Michael’s sickness that I lost those unwanted 20. My doctor had cautioned me to rein in my stress, done only by exercise. Since our Henderson housing complex had a gym, most mornings, at 5am, I was in Spinning class or exercising. Every evening I would charge around our 3-mile loop with my best friend. While this didn’t keep stress at bay, it was conducive to weight loss.
ROASTED TORTILLAS AND AVOCADO MASH
Quesadilla & Wrap
To my mind it’s because of my food blog rather than in spite of it that I haven’t regained those pounds. My pantry is loaded, my freezer is full and my cupboards, never bare. For me, it’s about choices, changing it up and menu variety. This week’s recipes, Yogurt Parfaits, a Weekend Apple Pancake and Mashed Avocado Tortillas are an example of that. Nothing earthshaking here but just reminders of what’s easy and possible.
This gorgeous Question Mark butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis) is eating sap from the “sap well” that was drilled by a sapsucker. Ajax Trail, Aspen Mountain
A recent Harvard study suggests that we front-load our eating to the early part of the day, taking in most of our calories before the sun goes down. It’s ludicrous to believe that culturally we could make that shift. However, that’s how I manage my day. Because I live alone and organize my own schedule, I can.
Cook the Weekend Apple Pancake until the filling is set firmly.
Just so you don’t think I’ve gone all sanctimonious on you, here’s my fail. I was determined to lose 5 pounds this Summer. My goal. Summer ended today. Didn’t lose an ounce!
Despite that, having food on hand to make quickly is the secret. My simplistic recipes and their adaptability represent just that.
“TWINS. TWINS. MY OB SAID NOTHING ABOUT TWINS.”
Starved? Famished? Need a quick breakfast, lunch, snack or dinner?
TORTILLA with AVOCADO MASH a favorite of Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton, The Canal House
1. Pull out a whole-wheat tortilla and toast, heat or roast it.
2. Choose a filling. Make a wrap or quesadilla. You can’t do better than mashed avocado with lime juice and coarse salt. I even made a tasty wrap from last week’s leftover Roasted Butternut Squash Salad mixture.
Eggs, meat, legumes or veggies pulled together with spices, salt and pepper, make delicious mixtures.
If you always keep a carton of rich, creamy Greek yogurt (WITH the fat) in your fridge, magic can happen. Try Jody Williams’ roasted nuts/honey/yogurt concoction for breakfast or a snack. For a change of pace use fruit (canned or fresh), coconut, granola or syrup as a topping. Because the roasted nuts/honey mixture will keep for weeks toss it on ice cream, pound cake or, even better, cheese.
YOGURT PARFAITS by Jody Williams, Buvette
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup nuts (I used pine nuts, pistachios, almonds and walnuts.)
1/3 cup honey
Pinch of coarse salt
2 Cups (16 ounces) plain Greek Yogurt
DIRECTIONS:
1. Stir together the nuts, honey and salt.
2. Layer the nut-honey mixture with a yogurt mixture, using 1 inch of yogurt to 1/2 inch of the nut-honey mixture.
TIP: This is rich so two layers of each with a dash of nuts on the top is enough. Use wide-mouthed containers, jam jars or brandy snifters, for example.
The Weekend Apple Pancake, always love this. Who can resist its dramatic puff or lament the quick fall.
WEEKEND APPLE PANCAKE adapted from Faith Durand,The Kitchn
INGREDIENTS:
3 apples, use different kinds like Granny Smith, Fugi and Gala
4 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
6 TBS unsalted butter
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 large eggs
Powdered or cinnamon sugar, to serve
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat the oven to 400°F.
2. Peel, core, and quarter the apples. Cut them into medium slices (1/4-inch thick or less). Cut the slices in halves or thirds. You should have about 3 cups of chopped apples.
3.In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of sugar with the cinnamon and ginger and set aside.
4. Cut the butter into chunks and place them in a 10” deep cast iron skillet or 8×8-inch baking dish. Put the skillet or baking dish in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the butter is melted. Take the pan out of the oven and sprinkle the 1/3 cup brown sugar over the melted butter. Carefully spread the apples on top of the brown sugar and sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the apples. Put the pan back in the oven to caramelize the apples and sugar.
5. Whisk the flour with the remaining tablespoon of sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly with a large wire whisk to beat out any lumps. When the flour is smoothly incorporated into the milk, beat in the vanilla and the eggs, one by one. Beat by hand for 2 minutes, or until foamy. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes. By now the sugar should be bubbling around the apples.
6. Take the pan out of the oven and pour the batter over the apples. Bake for about 30 to 40 more minutes, or until center is set and sides are lightly browned. The pancake will puff up dramatically but fall after a few minutes after you take it out of the oven.
If you want, serve with powdered sugar or more cinnamon sugar but it is not necessary.
The Japanese word, Tokimeku, means joy. I’m 100% fully committed to joy. Raise your hand if you’re for joy. Good show. Let’s move on. This week my life’s been about finding magic. Japanese author Marie Kondo has sold over 3 million copies of her book claiming that one’s life improves dramatically, the joy thing, just by tidying up. Her bestseller is entitled “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.”
ISRAELI COUSCOUS & ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SALAD
Constrained by my depleted book-buying budget, I resisted. What could this decluttering manual teach me? We’d moved from a 4500 sq. ft. home (Iowa) to 3400’ (Colorado) to 2000’ (Nevada) to the 940 sq. ft. condo where I now reside. I consider my tidying up credentials unchallengeable. Still, had 3 million readers already gleaned a nugget I hadn’t learned? I stopped by our library only to find 133 others patrons had placed Kondo’s book on reserve. I bought the book.
Her KonMari Method, massive de-cluttering, has its allure. Having always Leaned In to order, organization and having my ducks in a row, I was still able to add tidying tools to my bucket. (For you, I’ve made a List.) First, however, I must share what I’ve made in my tidied up kitchen this week.
Poster by Sun Gazing
Besides cookbooks, I often turn to food bloggers for inspiration and ideas. I needed a salad for our church pot luck so I asked Chris at The Cafe Sucre & Farine for suggestions. Chris, who creates amazing salads, suggested Israeli Couscous (Pearl Pasta) and Roasted Butternut Squash Salad. Perfect. Although we received 4 inches of snow in the mountains this week, I’m still thinking Autumn. Every Fall I bake a seasonal go-to bundt cake…over and over again. I linked to Liz Berg’s This Skinny Chick Can Bake blog and spotted an Apple Ginger Bundt Cake. Mmmm
ALTHOUGH WE HAD 4 INCHES OF SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS THIS WEEK, I AM STILL HOLDING ONTO AUTUMN.
I’m a squash nut – soup, salads, side dishes. This pretty salad’s ideal, hot (dinner), room temperature (lunch), or cold, (leftovers). It comes together easily. Think progression party. Yum for Liz’s Apple Ginger Bundt Cake which pushes all the right taste buds. Buttermilk not only keeps this cake moist and tender, it also adds little fat. The flavor punch comes from apple and crystalized ginger with streusel providing the razzle-dazzle. Both recipes are below.
ALTHOUGH THIS DELICIOUS CAKE NEEDS NO EMBELLISHMENT, I ADDED CRÈME FRAÎCHE.
While cooking, I de-cluttered my kitchen. Although Kondo suggests we go cold turkey, ‘organizing your space thoroughly, completely, in one go,’ I went rogue. My Lifestyle and ‘in one go’ aren’t compatible. She suggests we talk to our belongings! Yes, a conversation. Readers: be alert to the possibility of her 3 million readers jabbering to their possessions. For example, “This is the routine I follow every day when I return from work,” she says. “First, I unlock the door and announce to my house, “I’m home!” Picking up the pair of shoes left out in the entranceway, I say, ‘Thank you for your hard work,’ and put them away.”
ANOTHER KITCHEN PURGE. WHO NEEDS 4 ICE CREAM SCOOPS, THREE CHEESE GRATERS, 2 CAN OPENERS OR 2 VEGGIE PEELERS?
While this seems odd to me, maintaining a running conversation with your home’s objects, I’m not tossing the idea. After all, she’s the best-selling author. I’m not. That’s why I immediately began a relationship with my hiking boots. Pulling on my boots this week, I whispered, “We’re going hiking. Please keep me safe.” After hauling myself up and down the mountain, I acknowledged my boots,“Thank you for your hard work.”
Last night, after a full-day class on Elk and Big Horn Sheep, we were rewarded when 4 Bulls and 50+ Cows and Calves came down into a nearby meadow to romp. LOVE is in the AIR . This Bull kept close watch on his herd.
A SURREAL, EARLY EVENING VIEW OF SOME OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK HERD’S COWS AND CALVES.
I draw the line with the boots, however, strange but weirdly comforting. Two years ago, by necessity rather than choice, I let go of most of my belongings. It still astounds me how easily I rebounded from that purging. Kondo’s book may be bizarre in its approach but she’s obviously inspired a growing less is more obsession. If you are into Life-Changing Magic (and, why not), here are my takeaways:
1. De-clutter Alone. Friends and family muddle-up the magic.
2. Tidy by Category, not room. Start with simple stuff, books, clothes, dishes and kitchen equipment, before tackling papers and sentimental tugs.
3. Vertical Storage. While I’ll utilize the efficient KonMari folding method when storing clothes, I’m ambivalent about going totally vertical. Kondo stores her carrots by standing them in the drink holders of her refrigerator’s door. Seriously?
4. Shoeboxes. Shoeboxes. Shoeboxes.
5. Isabella Beeton, Book of Household Management, 1861, wrote there ‘is a place for everything and everything in its place’. Today Kondo’s made it her gold-plated tidy mantra.
6. Here are Chrissy Halton’s “101 Items to Get Rid of Without Regret,” this week’s Life-Changing Magic Assignment.
⅓ packed cup brown sugar
¾ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
¼ cup cold, unsalted butter
⅓ cup finely chopped walnuts
Cake:
10-1/4 oz. (2-1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
½ tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
6 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
½ cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 large eggs, room temperature
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
1 medium Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apple, cored and chopped coarsely
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 10-cup bundt pan and set aside.
2. For the streusel, blend the brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, flour, and butter with your fingers or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles large breadcrumbs. Mix in the walnuts and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. For the cake, sift together the flour, ground ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the crystallized ginger and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
4. Gradually add the sugars, continuing to beat until very light. Add the vanilla and then the eggs one at a time, beating each one in well before adding the next. Alternately stir in the flour and the buttermilk, until the batter is just mixed. Don’t over beat or your cake will be tough. Gently stir in the chopped apple.
5. Pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with a third of the streusel. Pour in the remaining batter and top with the remaining streusel. (The streusel will sink a little during baking to make a swirl.)
6. Bake until the top of the cake is firm (a skewer inserted in the center should come out clean), about 40 to 45 min. Cool for 15 min. in the pan on a wire rack. Invert the cake onto a serving platter, dust with confectioners’ sugar, and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
ISRAELI COUSCOUS AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH SALAD, Thanks to Chris Scheuer, The Cafe Sucre & Farine
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups peeled, diced butternut squash, ½-inch dice (about ½ of a medium size squash)
1 ½ TBS extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups spinach tough (Chris suggests using kale with tough stems removed)
4 cups chicken broth
8 ounces Israeli couscous (pearl pasta), 1 1/2 cups
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
2 TBS finely chopped fresh sage
1½ TBS sherry vinegar
½ tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ cups tiny frozen peas, thawed
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Combine the squash and the olive oil on a sheet pan and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 10 minutes then remove from oven and stir. Roast for another 8-10 minutes or until tender. Set aside.
3. Place sliced spinach (or, kale) in a large bowl and set aside.
4. While the squash is roasting, bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium size pot. Add pearl pasta, return to a boil then reduce to a steady simmer. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Drain pasta and immediately transfer to the bowl with the spinach. Stir gently for a minute to combine. Cover bowl with plastic wrap for 2-3 minutes until spinach begins to wilt.
5. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat in a small sauté pan. Add shallots and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Then add sage and cook for 30 seconds longer. Add sherry vinegar and stir to combine. Add ½ teaspoon salt and a generous ground of fresh, black pepper. Transfer shallot mixture to the bowl with the pasta. Stir gently.
6. Add peas and butternut squash and stir just to mix.
How do I adequately explain this week’s menu choices, Croque-Forestier and homemade Rosemary Potato Chips. That was more of a dilemma than turning Russet potatoes into crisps all gussied up with rosemary and flaky salt. Pete Wells, The New York Times food columnist, threw the appropriate descriptive words in my lap yesterday morning. In touting a recipe he wrote, “it’s such a festival of textures and tastes, it makes you grateful to have working teeth and a tongue in your mouth.”
ROSEMARY POTATO CHIPS…”you can’t have just one.”
Why should I search for words when he nails it?
Linda first put together Marie-Hélène’s Apple Cake which, came out beautifully.
Real chefs have sous-chefs. This week I was a real chef. Linda Stein and her husband, David, who are Floridians, bought a home here in the late Eighties when Michael and I moved to Aspen. I’ve known this woman twenty-five years and while she can, she doesn’t. Cook. That’s why it surprised me she wanted to learn to bake the highly-touted Marie-Hélène’s Apple Cake, my Dorie favorite. When I suggested she also help with this week’s recipes, she was All In. (Full Disclosure: She had no clue it would be my first-ever frying adventure.)
Ending my four-year Around My French Table adventure was a bit-of-a-heart tug. But, we cooked the book which was the goal. Erasing the accustomed French from my Fridays? Not so simple. To lick my wounds I turned to a bookcase stuffed with cookbooks I’ve never cracked. Buvette, The Pleasure of Good Food, by Jody Williams had caught my eye since receiving it (a year ago). Williams is a protégé of Italian phenom Mario Batali, who writes in her Foreword that Buvette ‘captures Jody’s pure unadulterated genius.”
Linda brought me an apron entitled Plateau Royale, translated, a fancy seafood platter. As you see, the seafood is Bling which, incidentally, she thinks I need! Too nice for cooking but fun to show off.
Every recipe I’ve made from Buvette takes a whimsical detour from the tried-and-true. While most of you are familiar with the classic Croque-Monsieur or Croque-Madame, the Forestier is less well-known. Whether vegetarian or not, this Croque, meaning to crunch in French, can march in sync with all comers. To change the Monsieur into a Forestier, simply exchange ham for a mixture of mushrooms roasted in olive oil, salt, sage and rosemary. Yum. The recipe is at the end of my Post.
The Croque Forestiers, ready for the oven.
Who really has the time to make homemade potato chips anyway?
Slice. Soak. Dry. Fry. Pringle has nothing on these chips.
After making Buvette’s homemade Rosemary Potato Chips, I may never buy another bag. Homemade chips are, I promise you, élégant and simple to create. If you have 2 Russet potatoes and canola oil, you’re in business. Of course, I’ve never before fried anything in 3” of oil which worried Linda a lot. My kitchen is tiny. When I tossed those first potato disks into the 350-degreeF oil, I noticed Linda, All of Her, was splayed against my kitchen wall. I admit to some splashes and splatters but no serious burns.
Yes, it is. Absolutely delicious.
In closing I must acknowledge this date, September 11. It will forever be a heavy-hearted day for Americans and the world. That’s why I tried to make this week’s Post light-hearted by saluting America with a dressed-up grilled cheese sandwich and a favorite (junk food) snack. God Bless America and blessing to everyone in the world who mourn loved ones lost on 9/11/01.
If you dare to try, you’ll love these recipes.
CROQUE – FORESTIER by Jody Williams, BUVETTE, the pleasure of good food
Makes 4 Sandwiches
Ingredients:
Béchamel Sauce (makes 3/4 cup)
1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 c whole milk
Coarse salt
Mushroom Mix
10-12 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp rosemary, minced
1/2 tsp sage, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Sandwich Ingredients
2 Tbsp whole grain mustard (note: I used 1 Tbsp)
8 slices rustic, artisan bread, 1/2 to 3/4” wide
1 c coarsely grated Gruyère cheese
1 tsp Herbes de Provence
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Make the mushroom mixture. Pour olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add mushrooms with rosemary and sage. Cook until mushrooms are browned, about 5-6 min, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Next, prepare the béchamel sauce. Combine the butter, flour and nutmeg in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until barely browned, about 2-3 min. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and begins to pull away from the edges on the pan, 3-4 min. The mixture should be the consistency of thick pudding and stick to the spoon. Season with a pinch of salt and set aside.
4. Stir the mustard into the béchamel sauce and, dividing evenly, spread béchamel on one side of each slice of bread, making sure to spread the béchamel from corner to corner on each slice. Place the bread on the prepared baking sheet. Top 4 of the slices with mushrooms and some grated cheese. Put the remaining béchamel-coated bread slices, béchamel side up, on top of the mushroom/cheese mix. Top sandwiches with remaining cheese and sprinkle with Herbes de Provence. Bake sandwiches until cheese is melted and tops are starting to crisp, about 10 min. If you want the top to be more crispy brown, put under the broiler for 1 or 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
MY TIPS:
1. Gruyère cheese is a prefect melting cheese and acknowledged, with its distinctive flavoring, as ideal for baking. If you must, substitute with Comté or Beaufort.
2. Great for entertaining as a nibble, lunch, or casual supper, you can assemble a tray of croques early, refrigerate and when needed, slide into the oven.
3. Just adding chips, whether homemade or not, and cornichons makes a meal.
4. For Croque-Monsieur, exchange the mushroom mixture with ham. For Croque-Madame, place a fried egg on either version.
ROSEMARY POTATO CHIPS by by Jody Williams, BUVETTE, the pleasure of good food
Serves four
INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon very finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 Russet potatoes, peeled
Oil, for frying (corn, peanut, vegetable, canola, or grapeseed oil all work well)
DIRECTIONS
1.In a small bowl, stir together the rosemary and the salt and set aside.
2. Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, carefully slice the potatoes into thin rounds no more than 1/8 inch thick. Place the sliced potatoes into a bowl of cold water and let them sit for at least 20 minutes or refrigerated overnight to release some of their starch.
Drain the potatoes and dry thoroughly on paper towels.
3. Pour enough oil into a large, heavy pot so that you have at least 2 to 3 inches of oil, but make sure the oil does not fill the pot more than halfway. Set the pot over high heat and let it heat until the oil reaches 350°F on a candy thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer, place 1 slice of potato into the oil and when bubbles form around it and it is really sizzling, you will know that your oil is hot enough for frying.
4. Carefully add a few handfuls of your dry potatoes to the oil, being careful not to crowd the pot. Fry the chips, stirring occasionally with a wooden or slotted spoon, until the potatoes are lightly browned and crisp, about 3 minutes, 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the potatoes to a paper towel–lined plate to drain while you continue frying the potato slices in batches. Once all of the chips are fried, sprinkle them with the rosemary salt mixture and serve immediately.
My Tips:
1. I used a OXO mandoline to slice the potatoes into 1/8” discs, the perfect size.
2. It is essential to soak the starch from the potato slices for at least 20 minutes or overnight, refrigerated. It is also essential to DRY THEM THOROUGHLY with a paper towel before frying. Although this was probably not what she’d envisioned, this was Linda’s task. (Thank you, Linda.)
3. Two Russet potatoes make about 100 chips. It was plenty for us to sample and to share with The Gant’s front office staff.
