Aromatic Rice (for Good Moods)

You can gauge my mood by paying attention to what I'm reading and eating. Happy, fun memoirs or serious classic novels and smoothies for lunch? I'm hunky-dory! Plath poems or self-help books and lots of buttered noodles? I'm sinking into depression.

Depressive moods also mean that I re-read books that make me think about life...like Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things. I particularly love her poetic language. For instance, she describes one character as "Thirty-one. Not old. Not young. But a viable die-able age."

I feel that way about myself these days. I am almost forty-four...not old, not young, but a viable die-able age for sure. My mother died suddenly of a heart attack when she was forty-seven. Just three years older than I am now.

One of the other refrains in the novel is "things can change in a day." Roy writes "a few dozen hours can affect the outcome of whole lifetimes. And that when they do, those few dozen hours, like the salvaged remains of a burned house -- the charred clock, the singed photograph, the scorched furniture -- must be resurrected from the ruins and examined. Preserved. Accounted for.''

I know firsthand how things--whole lives--can change in a day. I've learned that lesson more than once. When I read that passage, I think about--overthink, really--my past. I examine ruined relationships and try to figure out when it all changed, so that I might prevent another sad ending.

And then I eat an entire pizza. Or fried chicken tenders and Nachos BellGrande. Or pretzel chips dipped in Country Crock.

Yep. That was my week. Don't judge me. Nothing major happened...I just found a dead, stinking mouse in the pantry (so gross) and had to take my pup to the vet for stitches (so expensive) and felt left out/unwanted/unneeded (so dumb). 

When I get sad, when I worry that everything will change in a day...when I feel like everything is awful (even though I know they are not), when I feel completely alone (even though I know I am not), when I cry myself to sleep (even though I have no real reason to)...I need something else to focus on. That's when I'll cook myself a comforting meal.

This week, I needed something restorative yet light (because it's a bazillion degrees out and I cannot eat any more pizza or tacos or cheesy pasta), so I made this...

"A fragrant, healing bowl of rice"

Recipe from Appetite by Nigel Slater

Interestingly seasoned with whole spices and flecked with chopped herbs, a bowl of rice is the perfect antidote to almost any kind of overindulgence you can think of. Food to soothe and revive.

Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa Casserole

I have food nostalgia. I often crave foods from my childhood...freshly-picked green beans cooked to death with ham and potatoes; icebox dessert made with layers of graham crackers, chocolate pudding, and whipped cream; canned potatoes fried in butter; bologna sandwiches with American cheese and yellow mustard; kielbasa and sauerkraut; macaroni with hamburger and tomato sauce aka goulash; salisbury steak TV dinners with the brownie that was so hot it would destroy your mouth; an all green St. Patrick's Day supper (see above)...not because they are delicious dishes, mind you, but because they remind me of good times...of family meals around the dining room table or special occasions when we got to eat off of tray tables in the living room. I'm such a sappy sucker.

Disclaimer: I still buy individually-wrapped Kraft singles. AND I AM NOT ASHAMED.

One of the dishes I think about often is a broccoli rice casserole that my mom used to make a lot. She'd thaw a frozen brick of chopped broccoli in the microwave, then mix it with a can of cream of mushroom soup, a jar of Cheez Whiz, and a couple cups of Minute Rice...which was all nuked until bubbly.

I loved this stuff. It is what passed for "healthy" at our house. Broccoli and rice, yo.

But, alas, I haven't eaten anything made with Cheez Whiz in like 25 years...because now I know better.

Anyway, when I came across a "blast from the past recipe" on Pinterest that reinvents this classic casserole with quinoa instead of rice and shredded cheddar instead of Whiz, I knew I had to try it.

Y'ALL. I was not disappointed. This is so reminiscent of Mom's casserole, yet without so many crappy ingredients.

I was hesitant about all the reduced-fat shit, but it works here. And the leftovers heat up well without the oily separation that usually occurs with such cheesy baked things.

Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa Casserole

recipe adapted from Eating Well...Living Thin

No pics of the finished dish, as we were having family dinner in the living room while we watched Game of Thrones. 

Pumpkin Lasagna Rolls

Pumpkin in March? That's right. But tomorrow is the first day of spring; winter is over. I said, THAT'S RIGHT.

Poor punkin gets a bad rap due to the "pumpkin spice" mania each fall. But true pumpkin sans spice is really delicious and won't remind you of a jar candle. Its flesh tastes similar to a sweet potato and can should be eaten all year long. Even in March. Plus, it's good for you.

This is one of my favorite dishes lately. The recipe makes six lasagna rolls, which is perfect for my dinner one night (with a mixed green salad) and lunch the next day. Multiple as needed and enjoy pumpkin. Especially in March.

Pumpkin Lasagna Rolls

Roasted Eggplant with Grilled Flatbread

Whenever I'm feeling down or need to feel inspired, I watch cooking shows like Parts Unknown (or anything with Anthony Bourdain), Chef's Table, Michael Pollan's Cooked (a new Netflix series), and my favorite The Mind of a Chef. 

While the newest season of Mind of a Chef (season 4) isn't yet available on Netflix, you can watch two episodes on the show's webpage.

In the first episode, New York chef Gabrielle Hamilton roasts eggplants over a gas burner just like you would roast a red bell pepper. When the eggplants are charred and meltingly tender, she mixes the smokey flesh with lemon, garlic, and olive oil. This simple spread is served with grilled flatbread. 

I've watched that episode three times now.

Disclaimer: I know this does not make the most appetizing-looking dish. I couldn't even get my boyfriend to taste it. But trust me when I say that it is quite delicious. Think unpureed, unadulterated baba ganoush. Please. Just trust me.

Incidentally, this is perfect at room temperature, so it's a great addition to summer picnics. Leftovers are good when mixed with cooked pasta and cheese or layered in a lasagna.

Trust me.

Smokey Eggplant

from Prune by Gabrielle Hamilton

Farro & Spring Vegetable Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

This dish is so good that I made it twice last weekend...in my Girls' Night Out cooking class and as a side dish for a BBQ.

Consider the recipe a guideline, not something to follow exactly. On Saturday, I used arugula, asparagus, peas, green onions, fresh radishes, dill, mint, and Parmesan cheese. On Sunday, I added spinach, peas, radishes, zucchini, tomatoes black olives, parsley, and feta to the farro. The possibilities are endless. Really.

As a side dish or main course, this salad is delicious...light but filling...and keeps well in the fridge. I took leftovers for lunch yesterday and today.

Farro & Spring Vegetable Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Butternut Squash & Apple Bisque

Remember the Downton Abbey-inspired birthday lunch I made for a friend and her mother last month? Here are those lovely ladies I had the pleasure of cooking for:

Here is another of my favorite recipes from that day. 

Normally, I don't care for smooth, creamy soups...too much like eating baby food. But this recipe is flavorful and velvety. The addition of tart apples, ginger, and cardamom makes for a much more interesting version as well.

And it's quite perfect for a nice, light supper on this stormy, wet, gray day after Christmas.

Butternut Squash & Apple Bisque

Chive Pesto

Several years ago, I planted a small herb garden...with chives, thyme, basil, oregano, and rosemary. Each year since then, the chives and oregano have come back. This year, they are back with a vengeance. So. Many. Chives.

Last year, when the chives threatened to take over the back patio, I planned to make a fancy chive quiche...with the thin stalks and flowers placed artfully on top. That never happened. I let the herbs wither and die instead, only cutting off some here and there for salads and such. That quiche may happen this week, though.

Yesterday, I cut off half of the chives and made pesto. It's fairly easy....blitz 4 cups of chopped chives (the flowers are edible, too) with 1/4 cup almonds, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 1 garlic clove, juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 cup of olive oil (or more to reach desired consistency), salt & pepper (to taste).

This stuff is LIKE WHOA STRONG. Really potent onion flavor and bit of a spicy sting. Next time, I would add lemon zest with the juice and a handful or two of spinach to mellow it out.

Nevertheless, this pesto is quite tasty. I ate some spooned over seared cod for dinner.

Here's what I plan to do with the rest, because it made about 2 cups:

Mix it into softened butter for toast.

Scramble into eggs.

Blend with sour cream for dip.

Spread on sandwiches.

Whisk into salad dressing.

Toss with hot pasta.

Stir into hot rice.

Drizzle over grilled meat or fish.

Use as a pizza sauce.

Add to chicken or tuna salad.
Make ricotta-chive gnocchi.

Now, I just need to decide what to do with all that oregano...

Labneh with Olives, Hazelnuts, and Mint

Spring is finally here. My daffodils are blooming. The trees and bushes are budding. Green grass is poking through the lawn. I feel like spring is the time the entire planet exhales after a long winter, releasing all the pent up tension of the past three months. Usually, I hold my breath all winter long....waiting for the next bout of depression, the next panic attack.

Usually.

This winter has been much different. Thankfully. Since December, there hasn't been as much sadness or anxiety. I've taken deeper breaths of life. So, this spring has a different feel as well. Instead of relief that another cold, dark winter has passed, I feel energized by the longer days and warmer sunshine.

Just as the earth renews itself in spring, I feel renewed every time I cook. It's the creating something that is so worthwhile for me. (That's also why I've been so into knitting lately...the creation of something new.)

So, when I needed to do some creating in the kitchen, I decided to make cheese.

Labneh is a Middle Eastern cheese made by straining yogurt. Draining out the whey results in creamy, soft curds that retain the tanginess of the yogurt. Labneh is typically drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with mint, and served with pita seasoned with za'atar (a blend of oregano, thyme, marjoram, and savory, sesame seeds, and sumac).

I topped my homemade cheese with a salty, sour, crunchy, fragrant mixture of olives, lemon, hazelnuts, and mint. Easy and impressive.

Labneh with Olives, Hazelnuts, and Mint

slightly adapted from The Design Files

Farro Risotto with Butternut & Kale

This is a photo of Sean Brock's Farrotto with Acorn Squash and Red Russian Kale from his new cookbook Heritage. I've had my eye on this recipe since I got the book in October. And last night, I finally made it.

Farrotto is essentially farro, an ancient wheat variety, cooked slowly with stock like risotto. It gets creamy with a nutty, chewy texture. It's a pretty hearty dish, but better for you than arborio rice. Apparently, "it’s rich in the cyanogenic glucosides that stimulate the immune system, regulate blood sugar levels, and lower cholesterol."

I didn't follow Brock's recipe exactly--because I am so horrible about following recipes & it was a week night--but my slightly altered version was quite delicious. Brock calls for toasting the farro in the oven and roasting the squash then pureeing it. I toasted the farro on the stovetop and just sautéed the squash in some olive oil with the onions & garlic. I didn't mind the chunkier texture. I seasoned the cooked farro with Herbs de Provence and added a little sour cream to finish the dish.

I served the farrotto with a piece of simply seared cod on top (seasoned with salt & pepper and finished with lemon juice & butter).

I don't have any pictures of my dish because I was too busy being smitten and googly-eyed over my new guy (together 10 weeks tomorrow, y'all), who came over for dinner. 

Hoppin' John

2015. Finally. FINALLY. I couldn't wait to get through the holidays, for the past year to end. I was ready for a fresh start. And, so far, the new year hasn't disappointed. 

After 3 months of heartache, depression, anxiety & anger, December ended up being a pretty great month. I started dating a new guy. Nick is simply amazing...kind, funny, understanding, generous, handsome, and dead sexy. See?

I'm a goon, but he's cute.

And another...because WE are cute together.

I'm seriously smitten with him. Like whoa. 

We spent Christmas evening and New Year's together. We ate caviar with champagne and had a shrimp boil for Christmas, we had charcuterie and more champagne for New Year's Eve, and I made Hoppin' John for dinner last night. I love cooking for him. He loves hanging out in the kitchen with me. 

Did I mention that I'm smitten? Seriously.

Anyway...I'd been wanting to make a recipe from Chef Sean Brock's beautiful new cookbook Heritage ever since I met him in October at a book signing/tasting dinner in St. Louis. I've said it before: He is just so damn adorable. See?

There's that silly fangirl look again.

I figured this recipe, the first in the book, was the perfect way to begin my new year...one that promises to be full of love, fun, adventure, and hope.

Lowcountry Hoppin' John

slightly adapted from Sean Brock's Heritage

Summertime Potato Salad with Tomatoes & Basil Oil

Summer makes me feel sassy, naughty...makes me want to blow off any responsibilities, sit outside, and drink fruity cocktails.

Summer reminds me of when Cari and I did just that in college. We’d rollerblade across campus to Marty's bar for 4:00 club, then laugh hysterically at each other as we tried to blade back to our apartment after a few beers.

It reminds me of The Sarah & Kelly Summer of Fun '93, when we moshed hard, discovered Bennett Lieberman & his velvet wallpaper, rode in the convertible until our hair was a mess of tangles, played minigolf with Rob & What's His Name, and met the infamous Bench Nickel...

Of being a "Duga"...

Of our summer soundtracks, albums we played over and over, songs that became our personal mottos during those months...

Of listening to The Urge, Fragile Porcelain Mice, My Life with the Thrill Kill Cult, Moby, Pearl Jam, The Smiths, The Violent Femmes, and the beloved Beasties...

Of watching Singles and Reality Bites...

Of wearing cut-off jean shorts, concert tees, backwards caps, and Chuck Taylor's...

Of spontaneous road trips.

Of new love affairs...

Of house parties on Anthony Street...

Of the ocean and wild horses...

Of a 28-inch pizza called The Captain.

Of concerts by the pond.

Of walking around downtown Indy.

Of going back to Eastern with Erin a few years ago on Good Friday and getting into the Counting Crows concert for free.

It reminds me of being younger, carefree and fearless, hopeful...

"And I can’t stop thinking about the [...] months that were hectic and raw and so full of hope and panic that every day seemed like it would collapse in on itself."

Pasta al Pomodoro with Slow-Poached Eggs

I'm happy to be participating in the March Meatless Meals party sponsored by Davidson's Safest Choice® Eggs. 

This month, Safest Choice asked some bloggers to make a vegetarian dish featuring eggs. Why? Because "eggs are economical, extremely versatile and might just be the world’s most perfect protein. One egg contains 70 calories and 6 grams of protein making them a great option for vegetarian recipes. And with Safest Choice Eggs all of your favorite vegetarian recipes can be enjoyed worry free because: pasteurized = peace of mind."

And because you can win big! Enter at the bottom of this post for a chance to win one of two Safest Choice prize packs (valued at $467 each)! Each prize pack will include:

• one (1) $200 Amex gift card
• one (1) Lodge Round Fry Pan 10”
• one (1) Sur La Table® Red Mixing Bowls
• one (1) Flexible Nylon Spatula
• one (1) Eggs cookbook
• 52 coupons for a free dozen of Davidson’s Safest Choice Eggs

The contest runs through March 31.

While I am kind of in love with all things pork, I don't usually cook that much meat at home on a daily basis. A typical dinner might be stir fried vegetables with rice. Or a salad of some sort. Or a make-shift soup with whatever I have on-hand. Or pasta with a simple sauce. 

I am, however, very much in the "put an egg on it" camp. Sometimes, dinner might be leftover pizza with a dippy, sunny-side-up egg on top. Or buttered noodles tossed with roasted garlic, toasted breadcrumbs, and a fried egg. Or soft boiled eggs over sautéed greens with herbed white beans.

There is nothing quite as sexy as an unctuous, runny egg yolk. And the best way to get that perfectly oozy yolk? SLOW POACHING IN THE SHELL.

Slow-Poached Eggs

recipe from David Chang's Momofuku

Fill your biggest, deepest pot with water and put it on the stove over the lowest possible heat.

Use something to keep the eggs from sitting on the bottom of the pot, where the temperature will be highest. If you’ve got a cake rack or a steamer rack, use it. If not, improvise: a doughnut of aluminum foil or a few chopsticks scattered helter skelter across the bottom of the pan will usually do the trick, but you know what you’ve got lying around. Be resourceful. (Kelly's Note: A metal trivet or an old-school collapsible metal steamer works perfectly here.)

Use an instant-read thermometer to monitor the temperature in the pot – if it’s too hot, add cold water or an ice cube. Once the water is between 140 and 145F, add the eggs to the pot. Let them bathe for 40 to 45 minutes, checking the temperature regularly with the thermometer or by sticking your finger in the water (it should be the temperature of a very hot bath) and moderating it as needed.

You can use the eggs immediately or store them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. (If you’re planning on storing them, chill them until cold in an ice-water bath.) If you refrigerate the eggs, warm them under piping hot tap water for 1 minute before using.

To serve the eggs, crack them one at a time into a small saucer. The thin white will not and should not be firm or solid; tip the dish to pour off and discard the loosest part of the white, then slide the egg onto the dish it’s destined for.

Pasta al Pomodoro

recipe slightly adapted from Bon Appetit

Smoked Eggplant Dip

photo by Corey Woodruff

A couple months ago, I was invited to dinner at The Mediterranean Grill in Chesterfield, Missouri. It's a little restaurant located in a strip mall near the airport. It's easy to miss, but I'm glad I had a reason to seek it out. Dinner was pretty spectacular, and the owners are two of the nicest people I've met.

Chef-owner Elie Harir is from Israel and makes nearly everything on the menu from scratch. I got to try a variety of items...including falafel balls, Moroccan cigars (meat-filled phyllo), hummus, carrot salad, beet salad, eggplant spread, tabouleh salad, matbocha (Moroccan salsa), Middle Eastern chopped vegetable salad, stuffed eggplant, and kabobs. [see photos after the jump]

My favorite dish was the eggplant spread, which tastes smokey and much more flavorful than any baba ganoush I've ever had. Elie said he grills the eggplants to get that flavor.

The truth is that I liked everything I sampled that evening, and I'm looking forward to going back for dinner soon.

Brussels Sprouts & Apple Salad

In an effort to be healthier (thanks to a slightly elevated cholesterol level), I'm eating more vegetables (less fat & carbs) these days.

That is to say: I'm totally food bored after two weeks of salads.

I've tried to mix it up; I've enjoyed Greek salad with spinach & chickpeas, tuna salad with white beans, curried chicken salad with grapes & almonds...but I'm finding that salads just aren't that satisfying to me. I'm still craving bread, pasta, and potatoes. *sigh*

And then I tried this...a stupidly simple salad that I can't seem to get enough of. It makes a lovely side dish particularly for BBQ or sandwiches (I ate it with a BLT on whole wheat toast). It holds up well, too, so it's great for picnics.

NOTE: I've tried raw Brussels sprouts salads before, one in particular was made with a lemon dressing, but they were always too bitter. This one, however, is just perfect with a hint of sweetness from cider vinegar and honey.

Brussels Sprouts & Apple Salad

slightly adapted from Love & Olive Oil

Creamy Spring Mushroom Soup

So far, it's been a fairly chilly, damp, & dreary spring. Gray skies with rain, rain, and more rain.

And...

The stone-foundation of my 100+ year old house is constantly seeping water, which puddles on my unfinished basement floor. My carport is still crumpled, hanging off the side of my house--a victim of last month's foot-deep snowfall. There are squirrels communing in my attic, and a rogue agent made his way into the living room (presumably through the walls & out the gap in the pocket door) last weekend.

So, last night, as I tried to shake this I'm-ready-for-summer melancholy and the last of the winter chills from my bones, I made a warming soup with a nod to spring. (And behold! Today is clear, sunny, and warm! It worked!)

Morel mushrooms are very popular around these here parts. Die-hard shroom heads search the woods for the prized fungi, never revealing their secret scavenging spots. All of the recent spring rain is great for these coveted mushrooms, and I've seen many pictures of giant morels that my friends have found lately. Unfortunately, I haven't found or bought any morels this year. *sadface*

This soup, however, would be a great way to use morels or any other spring mushrooms.

Creamy Spring Mushroom Soup

adapted from Season with Spice

2 cups fresh mushrooms, cleaned & finely chopped
2 tablespoons black truffle oil* (or plain olive oil)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, peeled & chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons flour, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoons truffle salt* (or to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
Fresh chives, thyme, or parsley for garnish

* I used truffle oil & truffle salt to deepen the earthy mushroominess. You can, of course, use olive oil & Kosher salt instead. Though, I highly recommend trying truffle salt. It is the crack of all seasonings.

• Heat olive oil in a sauce pan. Add butter and lightly sauté garlic on medium heat.
• Add mushrooms, thyme, bay leaf and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, or until the moisture from the mushrooms disappears. 
• Add broth. Stir occasionally until broth boils, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add diluted flour & stir constantly (while simmering) until the mixture thickens. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. 
• Add milk & heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Turn heat off.
• Serve hot garnished with fresh chives, thyme, or parsley.

Pickled Watermelon Rind with Hibiscus

This recipe comes from a new canning book by Laena McCarthy (owner of Anarchy in a Jar) called Jam On: The Craft of Canning Fruit.

The book includes classic recipes along with some pretty interesting sounding ones..including spiced beer jelly, raspberry rye whiskey jam, pear jam with chipotle, garlic & tarragon jelly, green tomato chutney, pickled strawberries, sour cherry liqueur, and grapefruit & smoked salt marmalade (which I will be trying next).

The last chapter "Pairings" features recipes to make with the fruits you've jammed, jellied, pickled & canned. 

I chose to try the pickled watermelon rind with hibiscus & spices for a couple reasons: (1) I've never eaten pickled watermelon rind, and (2) I had half of a watermelon sitting in my fridge.

The recipe calls for hibiscus flowers, which I assume were meant to be the kind of dried flowers you find in hibiscus teas. I used wild hibiscus flowers in syrup, but the final product wasn't as pinkly-tinted as I imagine you'd get if you used hibiscus tea.

Still, these pickles were quite good...sweet, slightly tart, with a firm texture. I ate them as McCarthy suggests with buttery, oozing Brillat-Savarin cheese on a hot baguette.

She also recommends pairing these with barbecued baby back ribs, adding them to a prosciutto/melon/argula salad, and sandwiching them in a grilled cheese.

Pickled Watermelon Rind with Hibiscus

Tomato Bruschetta Pasta

I've been on summer break since the end of May. A non-teacher friend of mine recently asked me, "What do you DO all day?"

Well, I try not to do too much. I AM on vacation, after all.

But, really, I've been doing a lot...I usually work a few days a week. When I'm home, I try to clean something every day (mop floor, clean windows, etc). I'm keeping up with dishes & laundry around the house as well (something that I don't do very well during the school year when I'm drowning in essays to be graded). I just redid my home office (moved rooms, painted, got new bookshelves & curtains), cleaned out the extra bedroom, & took out a rug in my bedroom. I'm getting new curtains for a couple other rooms this month as well.

Doesn't that all sound totally glamorous and exciting?

Overall, I'm trying to stay fairly productive at home...while maintaining a leisurely "I'm on summer break" attitude...which includes tons of reading. I'm on my sixth book of the summer.

And I've been cooking a lot...eating lots of veggies from the farmers market, baking fruit pies, and making meals to take to my boyfriend's house.

Here is a light pasta dish that features a no-cook sauce, which I made for dinner during our recent 100+ degree weather. It's a perfect way to use garden-fresh tomatoes, basil, and garlic.

Tomato Bruschetta Pasta

Eggplant Caponata

Another recipe that I had recently pinned on Pinterest was for a complex-looking eggplant caponata. I love caponata; eaten cold on crackers, it makes for a light summertime lunch. Add some read wine, and it's a nice little dinner. Leftovers are pretty good stirred into hot pasta or layered into a veggie lasagna.

There's just so much going on in this version...a little tartness from vinegar & lemon juice, a little heat from red pepper flakes & garlic, a little sweet from raisins & sugar, a little salty from olives & capers, a little depth from fried eggplant & unsweetened chocolate.

The key to this recipe is to follow all of the cooking times. If it says to cook each step for 10 minutes, please do so...it's essential for developing the flavors. 

Eggplant Caponata

recipe adapted from Saveur

serves 6-8

3 cups olive oil
2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 rib celery, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled & minced
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 ounces tomato paste
14.5 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
6 ounces green olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup capers, drained
2 tablespoons finely chopped unsweetened chocolate
4 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup finely shredded basil
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

• Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add eggplant and fry, tossing occasionally, until browned, 3–4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggplant to a large bowl; set aside. Pour off all but 1/4 cup oil and reserve for another use. 
• Return skillet to heat, add onions, celery & garlic and season with salt & pepper; cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, 10 minutes. 
• Reduce heat to medium and add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until caramelized and almost evaporated, 1–2 minutes. 
• Add crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes & oregano and continue cooking for 10 minutes. 
• Stir in olives, vinegar, lemon juice, raisins, capers, chocolate & sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Transfer to bowl with eggplant, add basil & pine nuts, and mix together. Season with salt & pepper.
• Let cool to room temperature before serving.

Garlicy, Lemony Kale Salad

My new favorite place to eat is Cleveland-Heath in Edwardsville, Illinois. It's a cozy, modern restaurant that features dishes which can best be described as comfort foods. Their current menu (it changes often) includes pork belly with sauteed cabbage, pozole, meatloaf sandwich, papperdelle "beef stroganoff," mac-n-cheese, homemade biscuits with cherry jam, and strawberry shortcake. I've eaten there several times since they opened, and everything I've tried has been pretty fantastic.

My favorite dish on the menu is a staple, a simple kale salad: "garlic, crushed red pepper, parmesan chips, lemon vinaigrette." It's bright green, full of flavor, and ultimately satisfying. I always order one, which is served in a generous-sized portion, and take home half of it to eat the next day. Kale is hearty enough to not wilt overnight. I've eaten as-is from the take-out container for lunch, and I've mixed it with hot pasta for a quick dinner.

I tried to recreate this salad at home tonight, and I think my attempt was pretty successful. The most prevalent flavors in CH's salad is garlic (it's actually fairly potent, so make sure your date eats some too if you plan on making out after dinner) and lemon, with a hint of heat from the red pepper flakes. Here's my version:

1 bunch of kale, stems removed & leaves torn into bite-sized pieces

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

juice of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Wash the kale & dry thoroughly. Dump into a medium serving bowl.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour over the kale & massage the dressing into the greens with your hands until all pieces are coated.
• Serve topped with parmesan chips, if desired.

Lemon Curd

Once again, I attended the Shakespeare Festival in St. Louis's historic Forest Park. This year's performance was a 1950's-inspired rendition of The Taming of the Shrew. The play was set in the backyard of a rich "Lord's" home, complete with 50's style patio furniture, aluminum swimming pool, and vintage Chevy sedan. 

It was, as it always is, a great event...my absolute favorite thing to do in the city.

I met some friends there this year, so I packed my picnic basket with things to share...pressed sandwich, truffled popcorn (aka "crack corn"), and lemon curd with strawberries. 

My first attempt at making this recipe resulted in a too thin--albeit still tasty--curd. I think I was afraid of over-cooking or over-heating the mixture & ending up with a curdled mess of egg yolks. So, I probably under-cooked it slightly, as it didn't get as thick as I had expected. Still, it made a nicely tart & refreshing dip for sweet strawberries.