The Honest Palate

My Anchovy Experiment

I’ve never thought to cook with anchovies before because I never think about anchovies. This is because:

• I don’t eat very much fish/seafood, as I usually keep a vegetarian diet.
• They don’t look very appetizing.
• Fish in a can?

I can remember my grandmother eating anchovies in her kitchen, directly from the can. I’m sure I’ve eaten anchovies before, in sauces or as an ingredient in a dish at a restaurant, but I couldn’t have told you what they tasted like. 

So oddly enough, when I saw this recipe in the New York Times for pasta with anchovies, I knew I had to make it.  It just sounded so delicious, and DIFFERENT.  I’m sick of everything, lately.  So began my anchovy experiment….

Midnight Pasta (via the NYTimes)

• 1/2 pound spaghetti
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 4 anchovy fillets, rinsed and chopped
• 1 tbsp capers, rinsed and chopped
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp of chopped parsley
• salt

Method:

• Cook the pasta until al dente.  While cooking, heat the oil in a sauce pan, and add chopped garlic. Cook for 1 minute.  Add anchovies, capers and red pepper flakes and cook for another minute.

• Drain pasta, add anchovy mixture and top with parsley.  

I added some grated parmesan on top.  I also completely forgot the parsley and didn’t realize until I was putting the leftovers in the fridge.  I’ll put some on when I eat the rest tomorrow night.

The verdict:  I’d call this a great “beginners anchovy dish.”  The flavor is subtle, but you can taste them just enough.  I felt like I made something fancy with just a few ingredients and in 20 minutes flat.  Tonight anchovies made my dinner exciting!

Simple Dal with Roasted Vegetables

I am the master of totally unauthentic Indian food.  I’ve adapted the recipe to work with my tight schedule and lack of ethnic ingredients.  But guess what?  It still tastes good, it’s healthy and super simple to make.  

For the dal:

• 1 cup of red lentils
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp garam masala
• cayenne pepper to your liking

Add 1.5 to 2 cups of water and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the lentils begin to fall apart.

For the veggies:

• I tossed cauliflower and brussel sprouts in some tamari and oil and baked them in the oven at 425 for 30 minutes.  

I like to add some equally unauthentic sriracha before digging in.  

GET SAUCED!

Wondering what I did with a bushel of apples?  I turned a large portion of it into homemade apple sauce!  This is incredibly easy to make (if you have the right gadgets) and it tastes a thousand times better than store-bought sauce.  Light on the sugar, heavy on the cinnamon, and a natural apple taste. 

You’ll need:

• 5lbs apples
• 1/4 brown sugar (optional)
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 - 1 cup water
• A food mill

Method: 

• Chop apples (into 1/8ths works), leaving in the stems, core and pits.

• Add apples to large pot and add 1/2 cup water, cinnamon and brown sugar (if using). I say the sugar is optional because you don’t REALLY need it, but I find that using just a quarter cup takes out a bit of the apple-y tang.  The sweeter the apples, the less chance you’ll need to add sugar.
• Bring to a boil, cover, and let simmer until the apples have cooked down and are mushy, about 45 minutes.  

• This is where the gadget comes in.  To make apple sauce, you really need a food mill.  If you peel and core the apples completely you may be able to just mash them with a pastry knife, but you’ll lose some of the flavor.  Process the sauce in segments, pouring portions of the apples into the food mill.  Churn and watch the magic happen!

I store my apple sauce in large ball jars and consume as fast as possible while it’s still fresh!  It’s a great item to give as gifts around the holidays - last year I gave some to my family for Thanksgiving.

Enjoy!

(Thanks to George’s Dad for the recipe!)

SPAGHETTI SQUASH with CHEESE and EGG

My favorite comfort food growing up was definitely macaroni with cheese and egg.  My mom would take the previous night’s left over pasta and put it in a frying pan with some eggs and slices of cheese.  I loved it, and on some lazy nights I still do!

Today I made a “grown up” version of this meal, substituting leftover spaghetti squash for macaroni.  So easy, still delicous.

To make I heated an oiled frying pan and added the squash and two eggs.  I grated about a 1/4 cup of fresh parmesan over the top.  It took about 5 minutes until the eggs were cooked and then I sprinkled salt and pepper on top.  (I also added a few squeezes of sriracha.. so good)

FARMERS MARKET HAUL: SPAGHETTI SQUASH

Yesterday I stopped by the Union Square Greenmarket, a bit of a luxury lately since I can’t ever seem to make it downtown on Saturdays.  I should definitely try harder to get there since it makes me SO HAPPY.  I picked up some usual items (tomatoes, bread, cheese, apples) and then found a vegetable that I’ve NEVER tried.  I’ve been a vegetable lover since childhood so it’s rare that I get to taste something new… but today I tried spaghetti squash for the first time!

To prepare I did the following:

• Cut (more like hacked) the squash in half and scooped out all the seeds.
• Made a few slits in the flesh and stuffed them with freshly sliced garlic and a drizzle of olive oil.
• I put each half skin side up on a foil lined baking tray.  

To cook:

• I baked the squash at 350 for 40 minutes until the “spaghetti” was easily removed.  
• Once of of the oven I used a fork to separate all the stringy flesh from the rind.  

I had a variety of items in my fridge, including lentils which I didn’t want to waste, so mixed them into the squash.  I also baked a purple potato that I picked up at the market.  

My thoughts on spaghetti squash?  I AM OBSESSED.  This required virtually no preparation, produces a LOT of food, and tastes absolutely awesome.  It can be spiced up in so many ways.  And it cost me $2.00.  YES, SOLD.

Also, when I cut the squash open the smell immediately reminded me of pumpkin.  I decided to try roasting some of the seeds as I would with pumpkin seeds and they came out perfectly.  An excellent post dinner snack!

Nom, nom!

Pumpkin Bread with Granola

Obviously I’ve been into breads lately.  I try to use up whole wheat flour quickly because it doesn’t last very long.  Plus… PUMPKIN bread.  

This recipe is pretty standard, except I threw in a handful of granola at the end. (Honestly, I would have preferred walnuts or chocolate chips but I had neither.)  As usual, this recipe is made with whole wheat flour, apple sauce instead of oil, and less sugar.  I promise it still tastes fantastic.  (If you find it doesn’t taste sweet enough, remember - if you eat less sugar you will train your body to find foods lower in sugar to still taste just as sweet.  Or just put schmear some apple butter on top).

What you need:

• 1 cup pureed pumpkin
• 1.5 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• a handful of granola; pepitas; chocolate chips; carob; walnuts; whatever

What to do:

• Sift dry ingredients together, mix wet ingredients together, combine both.  Pour into 9x5x3 baking dish and cook for 50-60 minutes at 350.  

I froze half of my finished product because I find that baked goods made with REAL ingredients get rancid pretty quickly… makes you think twice about what is in some items that last forever (read Twinkie, Deconstructed).  

Happy Fall!  Nom, nom..

Spicing Up the “Same Old Thing”

Becoming a student again has had quite an effect on my cooking.  I have much less time, I don’t have the desire to get too creative, and I can no longer afford some of the items that were once a common ingredient in my pantry.  I’ve been eating the same things over and over and tonight I decided that since I’ll be a student for several more years… I’d better figure out a way to spice things up.  Tonight I present 3 examples.

1.  Mashed Sweet Potatoes with GREEK YOGURT - I love creamy sweet potatoes, but now that I’m not training for a marathon, I could really do without the tablespoon of butter.  Tonight I mixed in two tablespoons of nonfat plain greek yogurt (and some cinnamon) and it had all the creamy deliciousness of regular mashed sweet potatoes.  

2. Baby Portobellos with Sauteed Onions and RED WINE - Let’s call it “marsala-esque.”  I was cooking my boring mushrooms and onions and my eyes lingered to a half full bottle of pinot noir on the counter.  I poured in a few glugs.  The result was quite tasty and had much more flavor than just plain mushrooms with onions.  

3. Roasted Red Pepper Dressing with BASIL - I think I mention Smitten Kitchen’s Roasted Red Pepper Dressing about once a month.  It has become a staple of mine as it tastes great on pasta, tofu, salad, vegetables, crudite, everything.  It’s so damn good and can just eat it plain with a spoon.  But today I had some basil that was on the verge of going bad and in an effort to avoid waste, I threw some in the blender with the peppers.  I poured the dressing over tofu which I cooked in the oven with some salt, pepper and paprika for 30 minutes at 350. 

A boring dinner….delish-ified! 

Nom, nom.

Whole Wheat Ginger-Banana Bread

The sight of brown bananas always makes me crave banana bread.  Sometimes I like to buy extra bananas knowing that I won’t be able to eat them before they start getting mushy.  I’ve made this bread more times than I can remember and it can act as a great base for other ingredients.  I thought ginger would add a good kick so I picked up some ginger root AND some crystallized ginger to chop up.  Voila.  

You need:

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup apple sauce (make sure its not the added-sugar type)
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (two large or three medium sized)
• 1 Tbsp minced ginger root
• 1/4 cup chopped crystalized ginger
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.
• Sift together dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl mix wet ingredients, including bananas, and add to dry.  Mix until completely combined.  
• Add ginger root and crystallized ginger and stir.  
• Pour into pan.  Bake 55-65 minutes.

It tastes even better the second and third day because the banana taste becomes richer. 

Nom, nom.

Red Curry Stew with Veggies and Eggs

This recipe was inspired by a few of Mark Bittman’s recipes in How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, or as I like to call it, The Bible.  This meal is both easy to prepare and intensely flavorful, which is a rare combination in my kitchen.  I love coconut milk based curries, and I really enjoy unusual uses of eggs… so this idea really caught my eye.

You will need:

• 28oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2-2 cups light coconut milk
• 1/4 cup red curry paste (I found this at my local health food store)
• 1 scallion, diced
• 1 jalepeno pepper, minced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups chopped cauliflower
• 2 cups string beans
• 2 cups chick peas
• 6 hard boiled eggs

Method:

• Heat oil in a large sauce pan and add onions and jalepenos.  Cook for 5 minutes and then add red curry paste.  Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. 
• Add crushed tomatoes and coconut milk and bring to a light boil.  Add cauliflower and chickpeas.  
• In about 20 minutes, when cauliflower is close to finished, add in string beans and eggs and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

I served this over some brown basmati rice.  The spiciness of the jalepeno really brings out the curry flavor, but if you’re not into spicy you could definitely leave it out.  Next time I’m going to make this with tofu instead of eggs!  

Nom nom.

Eggplant & Kale with Gingerly Dressing

Eggplant, kale, and brown rice are clearly part of my regular dinner rotation.  When I like something, I stick with it, but I like to find new ways to prepare the ingredients I love.  In an effort to save some time, I purchased Annie’s Gingerly Dressing - something I rarely buy.  To me, pre-made dressing is a waste of money, since it’s so easy to make at home. However, I love Annie’s products, and this dressing has lots of ingredients which makes it feel more like a marinade.  Either way, it tastes great on eggplant.

I cooked the eggplant in a sauce pan with: 

• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Annie’s Gingerly dressing
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 small shallot, diced

The eggplant needed about 30-35 minutes to cook - until it becomes mushy.  

I cooked the brown rice and steamed the kale and then served them all together.  I might have thrown a little extra dressing on top as well.  

If you’re not into the idea of using this dressing, it could definitely be recreated with some fresh ginger, tahini, soy sauce and mustard.  If you try to make your own, let me know how it turns out!

Sweet Potato, Kale & Barley Casserole

I considered titling this recipe, “MAGIC CASSEROLE OF DELICIOUSNESS” but I figured that “Sweet Potato, Kale & Barley Casserole” would be more descriptive.  Really though… Mmmmmm.   I could have eaten the entire thing.

This recipe is inspired by Candle Cafe’s dish, Paradise Casserole, which is made with sweet potato, black beans and millet.  I wasn’t in the mood for beans and I had a lot of kale.. thus this recipe was born.

The best part is the roasted red pepper dressing (from Smitten Kitchen) that I poured over my plate of casserole when it was finished.  Delicious + delicious = MIND BLOWING DELICIOUS.  Not exactly what I’d call a summer dish… but who cares! It’s pretty.

For the casserole you’ll need:

• 4 large sweet potatoes
• 4 cups of STEAMED kale
• 1 cup barley
• 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
• 1.5 cups water
• salt
• 1/4 cup milk (or soymilk)

For the dressing you’ll need:

• 3 large red peppers
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 TBSP red wine vinegar
• 1 shallot, diced
• salt, pepper

Method:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Roast peppers for 45 minutes and sweet potatoes for 1 hour, turning every 15 mins.  When finished, let cool.  Keep the oven on.
• Add barley, water and broth to a pot, bring to a boil, and then simmer until liquid is gone and barley is cooked.  
• If you didn’t steam your kale yet.. do that.  
• When potatoes are cool, remove the skin.  Add to a bowl with milk and a sprinkle of salt.  Turn them into mashed potatoes!
• In a 13x9 dish, layer your ingredients.  Barley on bottom, kale in the middle, potatoes on top.  Bake for 7-10 minutes.
• While the casserole is baking, remove skin from peppers and add to a blender with oil, vinegar, shallot, salt and pepper.  Blend together.

Pour some dressing over a square of casserole (it will fall apart a bit) and enjoy!

Nom, nom.

Gwyneth’s Fish Tacos

As elitist and disconnected as she may sometimes seem, I am a huge fan of Gwyneth Paltrow’s foray into food.  She values the tradition of cooking a good meal for her family, providing whole foods with real ingredients, and puts love into her efforts in the kitchen. These are things I can jive with!

I don’t eat very much fish or seafood, but when I do, I LOVE fish tacos.  Normally when I eat fish it’s at a restaurant, therefore my cooking skills with our ocean friends are not so skilled.  However, I found Gwyneth’s recipe for fish tacos to be easy and enjoyable, and it made for a delicious meal.

You can find the recipe here.

I always check the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch before purchasing or ordering fish to make sure I’m choosing the most sustainable option.  This recipe calls for cod and Seafood Watch showed me the best options:

Thankfully I was able to find some longline Alaska Cod! 

The fish is supposed to be coated in a beer batter (awesome) so I decided to pick up some beer that I also wouldn’t mind drinking.  George brought some Six Point Sweet Action over a few months ago and I’ve been loving this beer ever since.  

The best part is that this that it comes from just across the river in Brooklyn, so it’s local! There’s not much that can beat the combination of tacos, beer and guacamole.

Nom, nom.