Friends and Curry

Here's the thing about living with your sister: it's easy to fall into a comfortable pattern of spending lots of time at home, talking in weird voices to each other and shunning the outside world. As Kelsey prepared to fly to sunny California, I prepared for a cold, lonely week. And then I got an email from dear Nicole saying, "I am going to come over and rescue you from complete reclusion. And we're going to cook." Or something like that.

She brought Emily and Jamie Oliver.

We made chicken korma using these (which Jamie totally would have done):

We added chicken, vegetables and chickpeas. Megan and Melanie, inevitably drawn downstairs by the Indian aroma, made a pescatarian pot with tilapia. 

Nicole whipped up some fancy cilantro-lime rice.

Then we filled our styrofoam plates and feasted as a family.

And for dessert: pomelo. (As coincidence would have it, when I googled pomelo to check the spelling, the second webpage on the list was for a 'Very Popular Neighborhood Restaurant in San Francisco serving Global Cuisine revolving around Noodles, Grains and Beans.' Should have recommended it to Kelsey.)

This exotic fruit also got rave reviews at our table, and the medical students thought its thick skin would make a great eco-friendly alternative to foam for, say, a coccyx donut cushion.

I love my friends. Thanks for intervening on a sure path to hermithood.

If you don't have India Palace nearby and would also like to make Jamie's chicken korma, here is someone who did it by the book and took the time to share details. Although, I will say our shortcut method was pretty alright.

With love.

kale postscript

Now that you have half a bag of kale in your fridge, this is a good time to try another super trendy superfood snack. Kale chips are on par with black bean brownies. It feels indulgent and is loaded with nutrients.

Again, in the food blog world, I'm way behind on this one. But I'm glad I jumped on the bandwagon. After a few minutes in the oven, and with a healthy sprinkling of salt, these leaves are light and crispy and frankly hard to stop eating. So go indulge in some kale already.

If you'd prefer a sweeter and less leafy snack, try a kale smoothie. I haven't yet, but it's on the list. Maybe after the snow melts.

Kale Chips

3 handfuls of kale, cleaned, dried, stems removed
Drizzle of olive oil
Sprinkle of salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss kale leaves with a bit of olive oil. Lay in one layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes, or until crispy.


With love.

tomato kale soup

I should gain some street cred in the food blog neighborhood simply by mentioning the word kale. This superfood has been all the rage lately. Kind of like quinoa. I use baby spinach a lot, but it is important to note that kale is not a fair substitute. As it says right there on the bag, these greens are meant for cookin'.

As I ventured into another adventurous ingredient, I used the frame of another comfort-zone favorite: soup. The thing I love about making soup is that it requires very little measurement. As long as you don't go crazy with salt or something, it is very forgiving. Start with the basics, and you can add almost anything you want.

The basics (in my soup). Sauteed onion, carrot, garlic.

Broth is a good next step. And for good measure, I decided to throw in some crushed tomatoes too. This delight has the consistency of tomato soup. So that's easy. Fill the can with water and toss that in too, bring everything to a boil, then reduced the heat to simmer.

Now is the time to get creative. In the flurry and excitement of adding things, I didn't take any photos, but here is what went into my soup: a good amount of kale (o'course), sliced mushrooms, chickpeas. Also, dried parsley, thyme, salt and pepper.

Voila. And a hungry little gold-toed sister.

When we sat down to enjoy this cozy wintery dish, I wasn't convinced it was quite right. For this, I channeled my former Georgian roommate Nino who made some pretty incredible soup, and I recalled that she often added rice vinegar. The bottle in my pantry is actually one I inherited when she flew home. I can't explain how it worked exactly, but it seemed to be just what was lacking.

I was quite happy with this kale experiment, and I was quite happy to eat it leftover for a couple days. Need I say more about the beauty of soup in winter. Some great homemade bread would be a welcome accompaniment. (I'm looking at you, Sarah and Tyler.)

Tomato Kale Soup

Serves 4-5

1 medium onion, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

14 oz. vegetable or chicken broth

28 oz. crushed tomatoes (Italian style)

2 handfuls of chopped kale, large stems removed

1 c. sliced mushrooms

14 oz. chickpeas, drained

1 t. dried parsley

1/2 t. dried thyme

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 T. rice vinegar

Saute onion and carrot until translucent, about five minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Stir in the vegetable stock, crushed tomatoes and a large canful of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low.

Add kale, mushrooms and chickpeas. Simmer 15 minutes or until ready to serve. Just before serving, stir in the rice vinegar.

With love.

barley salad with pesto

Last week, Kelsey and I got to dazzle our dear friend Kelsey with a taste of our East Coast life. We toted her to the must-see spots in Philly and spent one day in New York. We dined at our favorite restaurants and listened to great music and had thoughtful and hilarious conversations. It was utterly delightful to have her here and a great excuse to treat ourselves to some local adventure.

Then she flew back to Kansas and we all went back to our real lives. Lives that do not typically involve happy hours in Soho.

This is my real life, right now: At some point, every day, I put on the same too-big flannel shirt and yoga pants. For dinner, I eat some variation of vegetables/beans/quinoa or a leftover Rybread sandwich. Kelsey and I drink a lot of tea and are making a valiant effort to watch every episode of every television series Netflix has to offer (currently engrossed by Parenthood).

Making herbal tea with mint leaves from her urban garden. So earthy.

And you know what? I love it. I love it just as much as I love walking around Central Park. Or London. I'm a homebody who likes adventure.

It's that adventurous-homebody spirit that inspires me to impulsively buy barley when I don't know how to cook it. It's a way to have an adventure without leaving home. And I know that barley is healthy, but my purchase probably had more to do with nostalgic memories of the sweet Shih-Tzu, by the same name, of my bff since childhood. Turns out, barley makes a lovely, nutty alternative to quinoa. I think I'll add her to the rotation, with much love to Barley-dog Dower.

I'm taking baby steps with this new grain, starting in my vegetable-rice-bowl comfort zone.

This may look very similar to other dishes I've posted, but the flavors are quite different. All thanks to some miraculous pesto.

FIRST of all, check out those beautiful measuring cups. They were a Christmas gift from a boy with great taste and will undoubtedly bring some class to this little blog. Now, if we can get past how cute they are, you'll notice the ingredients held therein are super simple. Basil (the wintry dried variety worked just fine), pine nuts (bought a tiny scoop from the bulk section! $20.99/lb. what?), garlic, parmesan and olive oil.

Chop the solid ingredients together in a blender, then slowly add the oil until it becomes silky, salty, garlicky, heavenly.

Cook the barley like you'd cook rice. Two parts water to one part grain. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or so, until the water has been absorbed. It will smell a bit like amber ale, and I'm not complaining. When the pesto hits the hot barley, it gets creamy and even more wonderful. If you stop now, you have a perfectly nice risotto-esque side.

For the full barley bowl meal, carefully select the finest vegetables at the market.

Or just take any and all vegetables out of your fridge, like I did. Wunderbar.

I sprinkled some balsamic vinegar on these babies before roasting. This is what I like to call 'developing complex flavors.' I think I learned that on Top Chef. It served me well tonight. This little barley bowl is packed with flavor. Nutty, salty, a little sweet. A lot tasty.

Barley Salad with Pesto
Serves 3, or more as a side

1 c. pearl barley
1 large sweet potato
2 carrots
1 yellow squash or zucchini
1 c. broccoli florets, fresh or frozen and thawed
1 splash of balsamic vinegar

For the pesto: 
3 T. dried basil (or 1 c. fresh)
1/3 c. grated parmesan
1-2 cloves of garlic
3 T. pine nuts
1/3 c. olive oil

Make the pesto first. Chop the first four ingredients in a blender, then pour in the olive oil while the blade spins. Blend until smooth. Add more oil if you need to.

Boil two cups of water. Add barley, reduce heat, cover and simmer until the water is absorbed, 30 minutes or so.

Meanwhile, chop the vegetables into bite-sized pieces and lay flat on baking sheets. Spray with cooking spray (preferably olive or canola oil) and sprinkle with balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Roast at 375 for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.

Just before serving, stir the pesto into the barley, then toss with the roasted vegetables.



With love.

spinach and feta hummus

I can't say that I love flying home for Christmas, but in this case it certainly beat driving for 22 hours. And all of those pesky delays and re-routes were worth it. For this: 

And this:

The opportunity to hug and cook with my family. And eat fancy meals together in sweatshirts (sometimes matching pajamas). Oh, man. I loved it.

The traditional fudge and Chex mix and clam chowder were all there. Grandma brought over her amazing cinnamon rolls. We ate well. So well that I suddenly feel weird about posting the recipe for hummus, like I'm pulling a fast one on you and showing something that's good for you instead of some decadent Christmasy dessert. But because it's January 4, 2012, let's say that this is the New Years eat-better recipe.

I made this dip for a post-Christmas gathering of lots of wonderful people who I grew up knowing and have come to love and appreciate so much. We have some of the kindest, wisest, funniest family friends. They are a gift and worth more even than this delicious hummus. 

I must admit, however, that although I think this dip is awesome, the real reason I chose it is that it looked so stinkin' cute (and Christmasy!) in this adorable bowl that my mom gave me for Valentine's Day. 

Which goes to show that this hummus is great anytime of the year. With that segue, I'll now show you how I made it.

Start with the basic hummus characters: chick peas, tahini, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. Then add two of the most wonderful, healthful foods to grace God's green earth: spinach and feta cheese.

Here is what I look like when I am home for Christmas. Kind of like a teenage boy in Rybread gear.

Drain the chick peas and remove those spinach stems. Pulse together in a large food processor with garlic, tahini, olive oil and lemon juice. I find it easier to combine half the chick peas with half the spinach, then add the rest. It will probably be super thick, so feel free to add as much water as you need (a little at a time) to get it to your preferred consistency.

I love this tradition too. Lindsey watching from the other side of the bar. Mom was making Chex mix, which held her attention until the feta came out, and she scooted closer to me. I don't blame her.

Add the feta that your sister doesn't eat and the red pepper flakes and process everything until smooth. You may also add salt at this point, but I reckoned that the feta and pita chips would lend enough. Transfer to a cute little bowl and store it in the fridge until you need it. Feel great about adding some tasty vitamin K to your new year.

Spinach and Feta Hummus

2 15-oz. cans chick peas, drained and rinsed

3 handfuls fresh spinach, most stems removed

6-8 oz. feta cheese

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1/3 c. olive oil

3 T. lemon juice

3 T. tahini

1 T. red pepper flakes

Salt to taste

Pulse the chick peas, spinach, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and tahini until smooth. Add feta, red pepper flakes, salt and water (one tablespoon at a time, if needed). Process until smooth. Eat with pita chips, vegetables, a sandwich or a spoon.

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Now if you'll excuse me, Kelsey and I must prepare for a guest so lovely, she makes us all look bad. Welcome to Philly, Mrs. Hall.

With love.