My cousin, who is my Godson, had his beautiful son William christened last weekend, and my daughter was the Godmother, continuing a family chain. My Aunt (his mother) is my Godmother, and he is my daughter’s Godfather. (I can draw a diagram for you if you are confused.) The event was held at their church and home in Natick, MA, so I wanted to bake something to bring to the celebration.
I turned to a classic, from the first cookbook I ever owned, The Silver Palate. I first heard of this book in 1984, while in college, when I was invited to my favorite English professor’s home for dinner, and his wife made Chicken Marbella (fabulous -- marinated in olives and prunes) and Pasta with Oil and Garlic (a unique recipe with chicken broth). I remember thinking how fashionable yet comfortable that food was. I bought the book and began using it as soon as I graduated. Of all my cookbooks, it is the only one that is stained and falling apart from over-use. Yet sometimes I forget to consult it!
Knowing people would want to snack before the ceremony, I thought a coffee cake would be tasty, as well as a cooperative traveler on our 6 hour drive. I think the Sour Cream Coffee Cake is the first recipe I ever made from The Silver Palate Cookbook, and I have probably made it more times than any other cake I have baked. It was the perfect choice because the recipe is so strait forward and easy, with pecans and rich sour cream. I think the best thing about it is the method. Most sour cream or buttermilk cake recipes involve alternately adding the cream and the dry ingredients. It seems like a picky thing, but I love the speed and simplicity afforded in this recipe of just turning on the mixer and adding each item in order, no alternating.
My dad (completely unbiased) told me it was “the best coffee cake he ever had. Ever.” I agree. And for a day that honored the latest in a family legacy of God children, a classic seemed like the perfect choice.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Roasted Pork Loin Waits For Us
Last night I was so excited to make two special recipes from October’s Food & Wine. The pork loin roast with herbs and garlic (p. 97) and the pan-roasted cauliflower with pine nuts and raisins (p. 114) sounded perfect for a cool fall day. But events conspired against me.
To start with, I couldn’t find a bone-in pork loin roast at the store, and I didn’t have time to wait for the butcher, so I bought the market pack of pork loins. I felt good about this, knowing that even though I was sacrificing the flavor of the bone, I had made a very economical choice, plus probably reduced cooking time.
But in the late morning, when I organized the meal before the afternoon rush of appointments and kids’ events, I realized that I had neglected the recipe line that says, “Cover and refrigerate overnight or for up to two days.” If you know me, you are saying, “This is a classic Patty mistake.” I am famous for reading the title and ingredients of a recipe, not the actual directions, until it is time to cook. (Where cooking magazines state servings and time required, I would appreciate a “day ahead” warning label.) So with a prayer in my heart, I flipped to the index, where the good people of F&W had listed another recipe using pork loin, roasted with orange-herb sauce (p. 72). Thank you! And now I had the proper cut of meat, to boot.
With the day back under my grasp, I ran around all afternoon like usual, picked up my daughter, and got back to the house at 5:15 to begin cooking. I needed an hour, according to the recipes, which would mean 6:15 dinner, just enough time to eat before we left for a 7:00 viola lesson. Clock-work.
As I cook dinner, I am usually helping my daughter or son with homework or music practicing, finishing household chores, and catching up on phone calls, so it was a bit risky to try new recipes on such
a tight time-frame before lesson. The Roasted Pork Loin with Orange sauce came in exactly on time. After the two hours in olive oil and garlic (since late morning), the loin gets browned in an oven-proof skillet and then braised in the oven in o.j., wine, and herbs. It reached 145 degrees in only 15 minutes, and the liquid boiled down to a yummy sauce. A big plus on this recipe was minimal mess – only one pan and one measuring cup.
I like cauliflower, but I rarely buy it, so I was apprehensive, but as the dish cooked, my 13 year old said, “Mmm, what smells so good?”, which is the best possible thing you can hear when you are racing to feed your family on a busy night! The 25 minute active cooking time was right, almost to the minute, and the total time was much less that the expected 1 ½ hr. What a delicious dish! The richness of the tomatoes and pine nuts, the sweet of the raisins and sugar, the tang of the lemon and parsley, a little hot red pepper… My daughter ate it, my son liked it, I loved it.
Everything was cooked and perfect at 6:15, right on schedule, when it suddenly occurred to me that I had confused piano lesson time with viola lesson time. A fast check of my palm pilot revealed that we needed to leave THAT MOMENT for a 6:30 lesson. Our wonderful dinner, tantalizing our nostrils, had to sit under foil for an hour. (But it was still great at 7:15: tender, juicy pork; thick sauce; comforting, deeply flavored veggies.)
This is the stuff I do to drive myself crazy. P.S. I’ll save the rest of the pork loin and try that other recipe next week.
To start with, I couldn’t find a bone-in pork loin roast at the store, and I didn’t have time to wait for the butcher, so I bought the market pack of pork loins. I felt good about this, knowing that even though I was sacrificing the flavor of the bone, I had made a very economical choice, plus probably reduced cooking time.
But in the late morning, when I organized the meal before the afternoon rush of appointments and kids’ events, I realized that I had neglected the recipe line that says, “Cover and refrigerate overnight or for up to two days.” If you know me, you are saying, “This is a classic Patty mistake.” I am famous for reading the title and ingredients of a recipe, not the actual directions, until it is time to cook. (Where cooking magazines state servings and time required, I would appreciate a “day ahead” warning label.) So with a prayer in my heart, I flipped to the index, where the good people of F&W had listed another recipe using pork loin, roasted with orange-herb sauce (p. 72). Thank you! And now I had the proper cut of meat, to boot.
With the day back under my grasp, I ran around all afternoon like usual, picked up my daughter, and got back to the house at 5:15 to begin cooking. I needed an hour, according to the recipes, which would mean 6:15 dinner, just enough time to eat before we left for a 7:00 viola lesson. Clock-work.
As I cook dinner, I am usually helping my daughter or son with homework or music practicing, finishing household chores, and catching up on phone calls, so it was a bit risky to try new recipes on such
a tight time-frame before lesson. The Roasted Pork Loin with Orange sauce came in exactly on time. After the two hours in olive oil and garlic (since late morning), the loin gets browned in an oven-proof skillet and then braised in the oven in o.j., wine, and herbs. It reached 145 degrees in only 15 minutes, and the liquid boiled down to a yummy sauce. A big plus on this recipe was minimal mess – only one pan and one measuring cup.I like cauliflower, but I rarely buy it, so I was apprehensive, but as the dish cooked, my 13 year old said, “Mmm, what smells so good?”, which is the best possible thing you can hear when you are racing to feed your family on a busy night! The 25 minute active cooking time was right, almost to the minute, and the total time was much less that the expected 1 ½ hr. What a delicious dish! The richness of the tomatoes and pine nuts, the sweet of the raisins and sugar, the tang of the lemon and parsley, a little hot red pepper… My daughter ate it, my son liked it, I loved it.
Everything was cooked and perfect at 6:15, right on schedule, when it suddenly occurred to me that I had confused piano lesson time with viola lesson time. A fast check of my palm pilot revealed that we needed to leave THAT MOMENT for a 6:30 lesson. Our wonderful dinner, tantalizing our nostrils, had to sit under foil for an hour. (But it was still great at 7:15: tender, juicy pork; thick sauce; comforting, deeply flavored veggies.)
This is the stuff I do to drive myself crazy. P.S. I’ll save the rest of the pork loin and try that other recipe next week.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Son of the Queen
I always think of Lydia Bastianich as the Queen of Italian cooking. Marcella is the God-mother, the original; Mario is the earthy adventurer; Giada is the lovable, accessible principessa. But Lydia’s comprehensive knowledge, instinctive taste, and real-Italian demeanor (she exudes both peasant and royalty, somehow) make her the real deal.
Last night I made her super-easy salad of chopped celery, thinly sliced mushrooms, shaved Grana Padano, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice (that’s all!). My mouth is watering again, thinking of the tangy dressing over the textures of crunch and smoothness. My 13-year-old could not be enticed, but the rest of us devoured it.
Since I love Lydia, I was intrigued by this month’s Food & Wine feature on her son, Joe Bastianich, a restaurant owner (of “Babbo”, with Mario Batali) Joe, an avid runner, shares his healthful favorites.
His Soy Milk Arborio Rice Pudding with Poached Figs (p. 102) was my first project. What a score for me! I am eating as many fresh organic figs as I can possibly stomach right now while they are in season. (I love them cut in half with a splash of heavy cream – YUM!) And I’ve been trying very hard to drink soy milk, purported to be beneficial for women my age (and that’s all I want to say about that). The recipe was as easy and even quicker than billed. A for accuracy.
Joe eats it for breakfast, which seemed a little rich for me. But I loved it for dessert or an afternoon snack. So did my 17-year-old, a risotto fan. I saved time by not bothering to poach my perfect figs; I just cut them up on top. This one’s a keeper and a healthy alternative to my rice pudding recipes that use whole milk and cream.
Then tonight I made Joe’s Grilled Salmon with Preserved Lemons and Green Olives (p. 100). Things began poorly when the grill lit and then immediately snuffed out. Surprising. That usually happens to me when I have a house full of company for dinner. I couldn’t find preserved lemons at my store, so I used a fresh lemon by peeling off the yellow rind, discarding all the white pith, and chopping up the inner lemon pulp. Probably harsher than preserved lemon would be, but I figured my family likes the acidity of lemon.
I had planned on taking a picture for my blog (I had the camera ready on the kitchen counter), but it smelled and looked so delicious, that we ate it up in nothing flat, forgetting completely about the photo op, until nothing remained in the serving plate but salmon skin and lemon pulp! It was that good. The green olives were a surprisingly unique contrast to the buttery salmon. My daughter asked for seconds! Another accurate recipe that was fast and healthful. Joe is 2 for 2.
Last night I made her super-easy salad of chopped celery, thinly sliced mushrooms, shaved Grana Padano, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice (that’s all!). My mouth is watering again, thinking of the tangy dressing over the textures of crunch and smoothness. My 13-year-old could not be enticed, but the rest of us devoured it.
Since I love Lydia, I was intrigued by this month’s Food & Wine feature on her son, Joe Bastianich, a restaurant owner (of “Babbo”, with Mario Batali) Joe, an avid runner, shares his healthful favorites.
His Soy Milk Arborio Rice Pudding with Poached Figs (p. 102) was my first project. What a score for me! I am eating as many fresh organic figs as I can possibly stomach right now while they are in season. (I love them cut in half with a splash of heavy cream – YUM!) And I’ve been trying very hard to drink soy milk, purported to be beneficial for women my age (and that’s all I want to say about that). The recipe was as easy and even quicker than billed. A for accuracy.
Joe eats it for breakfast, which seemed a little rich for me. But I loved it for dessert or an afternoon snack. So did my 17-year-old, a risotto fan. I saved time by not bothering to poach my perfect figs; I just cut them up on top. This one’s a keeper and a healthy alternative to my rice pudding recipes that use whole milk and cream.
Then tonight I made Joe’s Grilled Salmon with Preserved Lemons and Green Olives (p. 100). Things began poorly when the grill lit and then immediately snuffed out. Surprising. That usually happens to me when I have a house full of company for dinner. I couldn’t find preserved lemons at my store, so I used a fresh lemon by peeling off the yellow rind, discarding all the white pith, and chopping up the inner lemon pulp. Probably harsher than preserved lemon would be, but I figured my family likes the acidity of lemon.
I had planned on taking a picture for my blog (I had the camera ready on the kitchen counter), but it smelled and looked so delicious, that we ate it up in nothing flat, forgetting completely about the photo op, until nothing remained in the serving plate but salmon skin and lemon pulp! It was that good. The green olives were a surprisingly unique contrast to the buttery salmon. My daughter asked for seconds! Another accurate recipe that was fast and healthful. Joe is 2 for 2.
End of an Era
How ironic that in the same week I profess my devotion to my “triumvirate”: Gourmet, Food & Wine, and Bon Appetit, that the former ends its reign as the premier and original foodie resource. Today, Conde Nast publishing announced that Gourmet magazine will end publication, probably with the November issue this year. I can’t imagine the cooking world without it.
I remember my mother subscribed to Gourmet in the 70s. She saved every issue. It taught her how to sauté mushrooms properly (I remember it being my job when she had a dinner party to stand there stirring the mushrooms in the pan, adding a bit of Marsala when they were nicely browned), make homemade lemonade, real Irish stew, and Beef Wellington (okay, that was a very emotional and trying experience, but damn if my mom didn’t pull it off.) I have photocopies of clippings from her treasured issues.
Gourmet has always set itself apart from all the other cooking publications out there because it is so literary, and so visually artistic. It covered a niche that no other magazine covers. As someone who loves not only food, but writing, I see the loss of Gourmet each month as a gaping hole.
Worst of all is to lose Ruth Reichl, editor in chief, whose every book I have devoured, and whose letter from the editor is the only magazine’s I EVER bother to read. She is amazing, funny, charming, and crazy-knowledgeable.
Gourmet has led the way in educating its readers about the politics of food, the international implications of how we eat, and the global impact of sustainable methods. I can’t imagine the food industry without it.
I remember my mother subscribed to Gourmet in the 70s. She saved every issue. It taught her how to sauté mushrooms properly (I remember it being my job when she had a dinner party to stand there stirring the mushrooms in the pan, adding a bit of Marsala when they were nicely browned), make homemade lemonade, real Irish stew, and Beef Wellington (okay, that was a very emotional and trying experience, but damn if my mom didn’t pull it off.) I have photocopies of clippings from her treasured issues.
Gourmet has always set itself apart from all the other cooking publications out there because it is so literary, and so visually artistic. It covered a niche that no other magazine covers. As someone who loves not only food, but writing, I see the loss of Gourmet each month as a gaping hole.
Worst of all is to lose Ruth Reichl, editor in chief, whose every book I have devoured, and whose letter from the editor is the only magazine’s I EVER bother to read. She is amazing, funny, charming, and crazy-knowledgeable.
Gourmet has led the way in educating its readers about the politics of food, the international implications of how we eat, and the global impact of sustainable methods. I can’t imagine the food industry without it.
Streamlining
I’ve written about how smitten I am with my cooking mags each month. I’ll confess, though: I set totally unachievable goals for myself about what recipes I will make. I tag at least 20, total, in a month, and I probably actually make only 4 in that time, between making old and new recipes from cookbooks, past clippings, plus meals concocted with no recipe at all. Still, each month, one of my routines is to go through the month’s magazines, cut out the recipes I still like the looks of, and file the potentials into my three-ring binder, which is getting quite over-stuffed, to tell the truth. I am falling behind!
But I realized that there are certain go-to recipes that I frequently end-up making that really simplify the week because they require very little thought. I should make them more often, and this fall and winter, I intend to do just that. Here are a few:
Chicken soup. Not only does this produce the tastiest broth with the least sodium which I can use in lots of other recipes (I never have enough broth on hand), it gives us a great chicken noodle soup, one of my daughter’s favorites, and leftover chicken meat to use in another recipe. To boot, this is a very economical dish. Using an $8 organic chicken, some onions, celery, carrots, and seasoning , I get soup for dinner one night (if you add half a box of pasta); chicken meat for burritos, chicken salad, a casserole, panini, or whatever another night; and at least 4 cups of leftover broth for use in risottos, rice, casseroles. Very smart. I need to be making chicken soup at least once every other week.
Tomato sauce and Meatballs. These are in my blood. I use my mother’s time-honored beef recipe, except with beef-veal-pork mix. I can almost make them in my sleep. I make a double recipe, baking them in the oven instead of frying them, and putting them in the sauce. I should keep these in the freezer at all times. They are good enough for company, fast enough for a quick week-night dinner, and comforting enough for a relaxing weekend.
Spaghetti with Oil and Garlic, or Spaghetti Carbonara. My kids are crazy about both of these dishes. I can make the sauce in the time the pasta cooks, so they are great for time-crunch weekdays. I always have the ingredients on hand. Simple, simple, simple. Add a little salad or some broccoli, and it’s a complete meal. Done.
If I consistently make those recipes once or twice each month, I will have provided meals for about 8 days, if you include the chicken leftovers. That’s ¼th of the month covered, without a lot of thought, leaving my mind free to peruse and plan from this month’s new magazine recipes!
But I realized that there are certain go-to recipes that I frequently end-up making that really simplify the week because they require very little thought. I should make them more often, and this fall and winter, I intend to do just that. Here are a few:
Chicken soup. Not only does this produce the tastiest broth with the least sodium which I can use in lots of other recipes (I never have enough broth on hand), it gives us a great chicken noodle soup, one of my daughter’s favorites, and leftover chicken meat to use in another recipe. To boot, this is a very economical dish. Using an $8 organic chicken, some onions, celery, carrots, and seasoning , I get soup for dinner one night (if you add half a box of pasta); chicken meat for burritos, chicken salad, a casserole, panini, or whatever another night; and at least 4 cups of leftover broth for use in risottos, rice, casseroles. Very smart. I need to be making chicken soup at least once every other week.
Tomato sauce and Meatballs. These are in my blood. I use my mother’s time-honored beef recipe, except with beef-veal-pork mix. I can almost make them in my sleep. I make a double recipe, baking them in the oven instead of frying them, and putting them in the sauce. I should keep these in the freezer at all times. They are good enough for company, fast enough for a quick week-night dinner, and comforting enough for a relaxing weekend.
Spaghetti with Oil and Garlic, or Spaghetti Carbonara. My kids are crazy about both of these dishes. I can make the sauce in the time the pasta cooks, so they are great for time-crunch weekdays. I always have the ingredients on hand. Simple, simple, simple. Add a little salad or some broccoli, and it’s a complete meal. Done.
If I consistently make those recipes once or twice each month, I will have provided meals for about 8 days, if you include the chicken leftovers. That’s ¼th of the month covered, without a lot of thought, leaving my mind free to peruse and plan from this month’s new magazine recipes!
A New Month of Recipes in My Mailbox
It’s magazine fundraiser time at my daughter’s middle school, which is never a problem in this house because I love my cooking magazines. I always subscribe to Food & Wine, Gourmet, and Bon Appetit. Occasionally I foray into Cooks Illustrated, Cooking Light, Cucina Italiana, or another foodie mag, but the first three are my triumvirate. Each has its own personality, and I anticipate their arrivals. I can’t claim to make a ton of the recipes from all three every month, but I pour through them, claiming for myself a few quiet minutes of indulgence and inspiration.
First I page through the whole magazine, getting a lay of the land, dog-earring what merits further attention. Then, over the next weeks, I read the articles that appeal to me more carefully and absorb the details. Some months, one book will have twenty dog-ears, and another might not have any.
This month, Food & Wine especially grabbed my interest and set my cooking goals for the month. I couldn’t wait to dive in to the wine and food pairing guide, so the first recipe I tried was Syrah-Braised Short Ribs, p. 32. Short ribs are a big family favorite in this house. There are two recipes I usually make, my grandmother’s that I grew up with, and a really lush, complex one from a cooking magazine a few years ago. But I couldn’t wait to try this month’s F&W version because it looked incredibly simple, in trim one-paragraph format, with a tempting photo of them served over soft polenta.
The recipe called for simply seasoning the beef, frying up some bacon, browning the ribs, sauting onion, carrot and celery, combining everything with a lot of wine and some beef broth, and then putting it in the oven for 4 hours, letting it tenderize and thicken into a warm comforting meal. I actually did all the active prep in the exact 30 minutes the recipe advertised! I didn't have a bottle of Syrah, so I used a nice Chianti. And I will have to say, the resulting dish was every bit as good as my more time-consuming, ingredient-plentiful other two recipes! A big hit. And I bet you could use the same recipe and just leave it all in a slow-cooker, too.
The polenta I made was great, too, using a recipe from Tyler Florence’s Real Kitchen (see below). Chicken broth flavors the dish instead of water, so I used the homemade broth left from my chicken soup dinner the night before. I should make polenta more often; I thought it was like a corny substitute for mashed potatoes, a nice texture against the super-tender meat. Plus, it takes less time to make, which is always a plus.
Soft Polenta with Parmesan and Black Pepper from Tyler Florence(you could cut this in half: it made way too much for four people)In a large pot, boil 4 qts. chicken stock and 1 tsp. sea salt. Gradually whisk in 2 cups polenta or yellow corn meal. Keep whisking! Lower the heat, and continue to whisk for 20 minutes until smooth and thick. Add 1/3 cup heavy cream and 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, and stir for 10 more minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and 1 1/2 tsp. black pepper, and serve. Next on my list from this month's Food & Wine are gnocchi, beet risotto, pork loin roast, soy-milk rice pudding, salmon with preserved lemons, Nutella-swirl pound cake..... so many recipes, so little time.
First I page through the whole magazine, getting a lay of the land, dog-earring what merits further attention. Then, over the next weeks, I read the articles that appeal to me more carefully and absorb the details. Some months, one book will have twenty dog-ears, and another might not have any.
This month, Food & Wine especially grabbed my interest and set my cooking goals for the month. I couldn’t wait to dive in to the wine and food pairing guide, so the first recipe I tried was Syrah-Braised Short Ribs, p. 32. Short ribs are a big family favorite in this house. There are two recipes I usually make, my grandmother’s that I grew up with, and a really lush, complex one from a cooking magazine a few years ago. But I couldn’t wait to try this month’s F&W version because it looked incredibly simple, in trim one-paragraph format, with a tempting photo of them served over soft polenta.
The recipe called for simply seasoning the beef, frying up some bacon, browning the ribs, sauting onion, carrot and celery, combining everything with a lot of wine and some beef broth, and then putting it in the oven for 4 hours, letting it tenderize and thicken into a warm comforting meal. I actually did all the active prep in the exact 30 minutes the recipe advertised! I didn't have a bottle of Syrah, so I used a nice Chianti. And I will have to say, the resulting dish was every bit as good as my more time-consuming, ingredient-plentiful other two recipes! A big hit. And I bet you could use the same recipe and just leave it all in a slow-cooker, too.
The polenta I made was great, too, using a recipe from Tyler Florence’s Real Kitchen (see below). Chicken broth flavors the dish instead of water, so I used the homemade broth left from my chicken soup dinner the night before. I should make polenta more often; I thought it was like a corny substitute for mashed potatoes, a nice texture against the super-tender meat. Plus, it takes less time to make, which is always a plus.
Soft Polenta with Parmesan and Black Pepper from Tyler Florence(you could cut this in half: it made way too much for four people)In a large pot, boil 4 qts. chicken stock and 1 tsp. sea salt. Gradually whisk in 2 cups polenta or yellow corn meal. Keep whisking! Lower the heat, and continue to whisk for 20 minutes until smooth and thick. Add 1/3 cup heavy cream and 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, and stir for 10 more minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and 1 1/2 tsp. black pepper, and serve. Next on my list from this month's Food & Wine are gnocchi, beet risotto, pork loin roast, soy-milk rice pudding, salmon with preserved lemons, Nutella-swirl pound cake..... so many recipes, so little time.
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