Grown-up Breakfast in the Nighttime

UPDATE: Wow.  Do not try to blog while doing other things.  I wrote this recipe with roasted potatoes in mind (which is what the cayenne, rosemary, thyme, and/or paprika were for), but never mention them.  So, banished from the blog are those ingredients.  More importantly, we would never roast anything at 315 F!  Well, I wouldn't.  That should be 415 F.  Fixed and done.


Since being reminded during Klug's visit that eggs are a thing that taste good, I have been eating them as frequently as justifiable.  Here are my recent favorite things to eat with eggs:

Fried Eggs with Roasted Asparagus and Dijon Mustard
Serves 1

Yep.  I stole this picture from the internet
because I am still too lazy to take real pictures of my own food.

2 eggs half a bunch of asparagus*
1-2 slices of quality bread**
olive oil
cayenne, rosemary, thyme, and/or paprika***
Kosher salt, pepper
Dijon Mustard**** 
Cholula (optional)

Okay, so, this isn't really a recipe, because, duh, making all of these things is trivial.  But, here's how anyways:

Preheat oven to 315 415 F.  
Trim and wash asparagus.  If you just bend the asparagus stalk, it will break at the end of the woody fibrous end, which you should trash.  Lay out asparagus on a cookie sheet (covered with foil first, if you want easy cleaning).  Drizzle a little olive oil over the stalks and sprinkle a pinch of kosher salt.  Mix so all stalks are covered with some olive oil and salt.  Roast on the top-ish rack in the oven for 10-14 minutes, depending on your oven and how crispy you like the asparagus.  Make sure to check the asparagus at about 10 minutes to avoid over-roasting.

Note: I have spent many a time trying to perfect the roasting temp and time for asparagus, and have found that 315 415 F for 14 minutes is perfection.  You can be perfect like me and follow suit, or you can be imperfect and obstinate and figure it out for yourself.  Just kidding, I'm all for the discovery process.

While the asparagus are roasting, take your slice(s) of bread and toast in toaster oven.  If using a toaster, wait a few minutes.

When only a few minutes remain for the asparagus and toast, heat a little bit of olive oil (I never measure, but maybe a teaspoon?) in a frying pan over medium-low to medium heat.  Swirl oil around the pan to coat the bottom surface.  Crack eggs into the frying pan.  Let fry for a short while - until the whites start to set.  Salt and pepper the top of the eggs.  Flip when you think you can without breaking the yolk.  Let fry for about 30-60 seconds.  The cook time can vary wildly depending on how well down you like your eggs.  At this point, I also like to top the eggs with a little Cholula, because everything is better with hot sauce.

Place an egg on each slice of toast.  Add asparagus (I like mine on the side, rather than on top).  Then use your knife to add Dijon mustard and/or egg yolk to each bite of egg and/or asparagus like a British person and be pumped!

*Or more.  Asparagus is a bit pricey, so it's up to you.  Really, any veggie would do, but I've had a hard time finding a nice green veggie that is as good as asparagus with the eggs.
**I would recommend a crusty sort of bread, rather than a sandwich bread, from a local bakery.  Whole wheat, sourdough, what have you.  If your local bakery has it, I would recommend a dark whole wheat sourdough, which is like manna from the sky (the one I love is from a baker in DC...which apparently no longer exists?  Nevermind.)
***Any is good, but probably not all three.  Klug prefers the Rosemary, I prefer the paprika, both of us like a little cayenne.
****I am digging the mild and creamy Grey Poupon, because I roll high class like that (oh, it's by Kraft.  Sad face.)  You could also make your own, but I don't know how to do that.  If you're feeling more diner than dining room, mix a little Sriracha or Cholula in with some ketchup.

Eat Polenta, Be Happy

So, I've decided to try to revitalize this blog this summer (was it ever really alive, though?), so here goes.  (Also, Helvetica is a font type now.  Good job, blogger, you win.)

Let's start this post with an interactive question: Did you know that polenta is GREAT?  

Oh.  You did?  Okay, sure.  Because you are better than everyone, good for you.  Well, I did not because...I'm a lifetime learner. Whatever.  Here is the recipe for my inaugural polenta experience (again, sorry for no pictures):

Polenta with Caramelized Onions and Mushroom Sauce
Polenta can be purchased dry and quick-cooked on the stovetop, or, if you're lucky, you'll find the weird tube of already cooked polenta to slice and use as you wish (thanks to Katie Klug for telling my lazy self about this, and to Marsh for being the only store in Bloomington that carries it).  If using pre-cooked polenta, you can bake in oven at 315 F for about 15 minutes or heat on the stove top (or, heat it in the microwave, but really, don't).  

Makes about 3-4 servings.  
(Since I'm single, I made the mushroom sauce at Time 1, and then, per serving, sauteed 1/2 onion + 1 garlic clove + 1/3-1/4 of the polenta to order.)

Polenta
1 1/2 onion
3-5 cloves of garlic*
10-16 oz of mushrooms** 
About 1 cup milk and/or stock***
1-2 tablespoons flour or corn starch**** 
A few tablespoons olive oil
Thyme, salt, peper to taste

If baking polenta, preheat oven to 315 F before starting.

For the Sauce:
Cut mushrooms into pieces.  I like my mushroom pieces sort of small, so I halve and slice them, but you can make them as big or small as you like.  Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a pot on medium. While the oil heats, mince 1-2 cloves of garlic.  Add garlic to heated oil for about 15 seconds; then add mushrooms.  Let mushrooms cook until wilted; about 10 minutes.  Add flour or corn starch and stir until smooth.  Start adding milk or stock in parts and bring sauce to a simmer, continuing to add liquid until you have the desired amount and consistency - you may end up using less than 1 cup or more than 1 cup.  Add thyme, salt, and pepper to taste.  Let simmer for a little longer and then take off heat.

For Everything Else:
If baking polenta, slice, rub a little olive oil, salt, and pepper on the slices and bake in a baking dish or cookie sheet for about 15 minutes.  If cooking on stove top, just slice and let chill out on the countertop while you: Julienne onion and mince 2-3 cloves of garlic. Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan on medium to medium-low heat.  Add in garlic and onion.  Let sauté and then reduce heat to medium-low to low and leave onions be.  This will help them caramelize.  If starting to get brown, push onions around (yeah, go ahead, you pusher) and possibly reduce heat.  Add in polenta slices and cook until warm.

DONE.  Sort of.  Place polenta slices on plate.  Or, if you want less geometric polenta, mush polenta. Top with caramelized onions, and then top that with mushroom sauce.   

If you're feeling audacious, or just hungry, add in a nice green veggie. Tonight I cut up some zucchini and added it into the onion/garlic mixture before adding in polenta (being a vegetarian means I will take extra vegetables wherever I can get them).  You could also be more ambitious and actually toss a green salad or something.  That would be nice.

*I use about 2 cloves of garlic for the sauce and 1 clove of garlic (and 1/2 an onion) for every serving, but I've been told I'm a crazy garlic fiend, so...

**I used crimini because they're relatively cheap but flavorful.  Wild mushrooms would be great in this though.

***I like to do half milk and half stock.  You could also use cream, but I'm cheap.

****Oddly, I only had corn starch on hand, which results in what I think of as a sort of shellacked finish to the sauce and a slightly more gelatinous texture (it's really not that bad even though I made it sound horrid).  

TVP? We'll see.

I've been doing a lot of this lately:


Why?

All you need is love, right? And, nothing says LOVE like TVP and black bean (with peppers and onions) nachos in a heart-shaped pan! Saute it all together with some TJ's taco seasoning and olive oil (TVP has no fat, unsurprisingly), top with Tilamook Cheddar and put into the oven at 450F for 5-10 minutes - voila! Dinner!

Pairs nicely with a gin and tonic (Bendistillery gin, of course).

Now, if I could only figure out how to abate TVP gas, we'd be in business...

Experiments in Polenta-Land

Happy New Year, all!

My year as a high school teacher continues to nudge me away from the kitchen and towards frozen delights from TJs or snack-dinner (a term coined by Katie VL's little nephews when I was down visiting over the holiday).

However, every once in a while, I get inspired. A few weeks ago, two dear friends had me over for dinner and we feasted on amazing beet and avocado salad and baked polenta with goat cheese. I vaguely remember hearing about polenta once before in my life, but I had no idea that it is an Italian grain made of cornmeal (are you thinking what I'm thinking? Gluten-free!). You can buy it at TJs in a little polenta-log, make it yourself, or buy it elsewhere, I'm sure. It's affordable and organic at TJs, so win-win. Tonight, when I came home after an 11 hour day with almost no sustenance and a shot voice, I was looking for something to make with polenta that gave me protein, veggies and a new taste. What I came up with was completely an accident, but I loved it and will make it again soon.
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Pesto Polenta with Shrimp and Pan-Fried Veggies (gluten-free)

Place polenta slices (1/4-1/2") onto a cookie sheet and into an oven at 350F, topped with parmesean cheese. Bake for 20 min.

While baking, pan-fry 1/4 red pepper and 1/2 zucchini (sliced) and a large handful of spinach in an ample amount of olive oil. Add shrimp (or any meat you desire, I suppose) and continue to fry. Now, for the magic: season towards the end with black pepper, a spoonful of pesto, a hefty sprinkling of parmesean cheese and a few tangy sun-dried tomatoes. Mix around and coat with pesto while finishing your pan-frying.

Take polenta slices out of oven and place on a plate. Top with the veggie/shrimp/oil mixture which will be absorbed by the polenta, enhancing the flavor of everything. The polenta should be slightly crispy on the outside, which is delicious.
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Serve with wine to drink and Seu Jorge's album, Cru, as accompaniment for your elegant meal. I will be finishing my evening with my favorite Italian chocolate: bittersweet Perugina.

Salute!

Simple and delicious

Hello! Hope you are all enjoying 2010 thus far.

On Sunday I was cooking dinner for a friend and I wanted to make something quick yet tasty (don't we all). I knew I wanted to do something rice and beany, so I just went to allrecipes and saw what I could find. Haitian rice and beans is what transpired, and, I shit you not, best r&b I've ever had! Who knew cloves could make them taste so great?

My version of the above recipe:

3 Garlic cloves, minced
3 Green onions, chopped
Olive Oil
1 can of TJ's kidney beans (20 oz)
3 cups water
1 cup white rice
thyme, parsley, cloves, salt and pepper (I just winged it like I always do, maybe ~1 t of the first 3 and s&p to taste)
2 bay leaves
2 chopped dried mexican peppers

I sauteed the onion and garlic (I would use more garlic next time and add other sauteed veggies into the mix to make it a whole meal - maybe peppers and mushrooms?) in the olive oil, then added the drained beans and cooked that mix for a couple minutes. Then I added the water and rice, stirred and then added all the spices last. Simmer until the water is gone and there you go (take out bay leaves, though they may be difficult to find!).

The whole thing maybe took 30 minutes - so easy and really amazingly great! Enjoy!

I'm obsessed with Heidi Swanson

Hi all! Props to KVL for such a great idea! I've heard such great things about all of you and hope to meet you someday.

That said, since I don't know what everyone's "food angle" is (that is, veggie or not, local, chain or dumpster, etc), I'll tell you where I am right now in that arena. After contemplating health and environmental impact of meat and highly processed foods for about two years (I should admit, as a chemist, I should research more than I already have, but you know how it goes; though, one thing that really impacted me in an article I read a year ago is that it takes 4.8 lbs of grain and 2,500-6,000 lbs of water to produce 1 lb of beef) and then visiting Ms VanLoo in DC a couple months ago, I decided to take "the plunge" and try to swear off land animals, with the exception of the healthily, ethically, fairly (and local if possible) produced. I've been doing well so far(I love eggs, beans, soy, cheese and nuts, so it wasn't too much of a change), and recently bought Heidi Swanson's (of 101cookbooks.com) veggie, natural cookbook entitled "Super Natural Cooking," which I love and wish I had time to try all of the recipes.

As far as the rest of the "food ethic" goes, I live in the suburbs pretty far out of Seattle, so buying local is a bit of a chore, but there's no time like the present to start! I'm obsessed with blueberries, so I'm hoping to start picking within the next month. Yay! I mainly do my shopping at TJ's, and try to buy a decent amount of organic as I can while still keeping the bill economical. I've done some looking into which foods are "essential" to buy organic (strawberries and carrots being two keys), because I realize it's not always possible to buy everything organic. Maybe I'll post those findings later.

Anyhow, let me start off with a recipe from that new cookbook of mine: Garbanzo Burgers! I tried it a couple weeks ago, and while I opted for making larger patties (I think it made 6) and doing things a little differently based on what ingredients I had/didn't have, I highly recommend this! The leftovers freeze very well, so that' s a bonus. I ate them as a patty with some salsa, romaine, peppers and pickles and was a very happy camper! (Notes: I used canned beans, and omitted the sprouts (they had already gone bad, blast!) and the lemon zest, and they were still great - because I made the patties bigger, they had to cook a lot longer, but just used your best judgement.)

Ultimate Veggie Burger Recipe (101cookbooks.com)

2 1/2 cups sprouted garbanzo beans (chickpeas) OR canned garbanzos,
drained and rinsed
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 onion, chopped
Grated zest of one large lemon
1 cup micro sprouts, chopped (try brocolli, onion, or alfalfa sprouts -
optional)
1 cup toasted (whole-grain) bread crumbs
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (or clarified butter)

If you are using sprouted garbanzos, steam them until just tender, about 10 minutes. Most of you will be using canned beans, so jump right in and combine the garbanzos, eggs, and salt in a food processor. Puree until the mixture is the consistency of a very thick, slightly chunky hummus. Pour into a mixing bowl and stir in the cilantro, onion, zest, and sprouts. Add the breadcrumbs, stir, and let sit for a couple of minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture. At this point, you should have a moist mixture that you can easily form into twelve 1 1/2-inch-thick patties. I err on the moist side here, because it makes for a nicely textured burger. You can always add more bread crumbs a bit at a time to firm up the dough if need be. Conversely, a bit of water or more egg can be used to moisten the batter. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium low, add 4 patties, cover, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until the bottoms begin to brown. Turn up the heat if there is no browning after 10 minutes. Flip the patties and cook the second side for 7 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the skillet and cool on a wire rack while you cook the remaining patties. Carefully cut each patty in half, insert your favorite fillings, and enjoy immediately. Makes 12 mini burgers.