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

Quick Pickled Jalapeños

As summer is winding down, you may have an abundance of peppers from your garden. What to do with all those jalapeños? You could, of course, make pepper jelly. But, you could also pickle some of those peppers.

If you've never pickled before, don't be afraid...this is surprisingly easy. And with jars of pickled jalapeños in your fridge, you have a reason to make nachos for dinner!

Quick Pickled Jalapeños 
recipe from Eats Well With Others

1 cup white vinegar *
1 cup water
4 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
16 jalapenos, stems trimmed and sliced

* I used apple cider vinegar.

In a large saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, coriander seeds, and garlic. Bring to a boil, dissolving the sugar and salt. Add the sliced jalapenos to the pan and push down on them so they get submerged in the liquid.

Cover, turn off the heat, and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Transfer the jalapenos and garlic to a mason jar. Pour the pickling juice over them until the jar is full. Cover tightly with the lid & let cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator.

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. 

Zucchini Dip with Mint & Za'atar

I haven't been cooking much lately because I'm kind of obsessed with a new hobby.

I've been knitting.

I learned the basic knit stitch a few years ago after I took a class. Everyone raved about how easy knitting is, that you can even knit a scarf while watching a movie! They lied. At that time, I found knitting to be tedious and exhausting. The patterns were too mathematical for me, I got frustrated when I made a mistake and had to start over (which happened often), and so I gave up. Half of a red scarf pierced with wooden knitting needles sat in my nightstand drawer until last fall.

I decided to reteach myself how to knit by watching YouTube videos and to finish that scarf. Since I'd made many mistakes, the scarf was uneven and had a bunch of holes in it. I ripped it all out and started over. Then, I made another scarf using a different stitch. Then another. Then a baby blanket. Then a couple of ear warmer headbands. Then a hat. I'm working on another scarf now.

I'm addicted. I have a bag full of needles and yarns. I have a list of things I want to make: more scarves and hats, fingerless gloves, a shawl, a bigger blanket...

Now I find knitting to be soothing, a way to calm my frequent bouts of anxiety. When I feel wonky, I pick up my needles and focus on the stitches. It forces me to think about something else. Plus, I like the sound of the needles softly clicking together, the feel of the soft yarn as it pulls through my fingers.

I've realized that knitting is a lot like cooking. I feel a sense of productiveness and accomplishment when I make scarf just as when I make a soufflé. I start with a ball of yarn and a pair of needles and made something new, just like when I start with eggs, milk, and flour to bake a cake. I MADE THIS, I think. It's hugely satisfying.

* * * 

I tried this new recipe to use up a giant zucchini that a co-worked gave me & some chocolate mint (which only has a faint chocolate flavor but is named so because of a tinge of brown in the leaves & stems of the plant) a friend gave me a couple weeks ago. Za'atar is a Middle Eastern seasoning blend of herbs (often oregano, thyme, marjoram, and savory), sesame seeds, and sumac. Traditionally, it is eaten with pita dipped in olive oil. I served this refreshing green dip with pita chips.

Zucchini Dip with Mint & Za'atar

adapted from Eating Well

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."

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

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.

Pasta with Roasted Beet Sauce & Wilted Arugula

I recently had dinner at Salt, Chef Wes Johnson's new restaurant in St. Louis, with a few of my Kitchen Conservatory co-workers. We ordered & shared nearly all of the small plates....including duck fat frites, mussels with chorizo, seared scallop with mustard sauce & cedar smoke, pork & fennel meatballs, crispy pork belly with pickled vegetables, and--my favorite dish of the night--pasta with beet sauce & sauteed collard greens.

I wanted to recreate that dish at home, especially since there were some farmers market beets in the fridge that I needed to use. I didn't use a recipe, but here's what I did to create this simple, flavorful, and vibrant summer dish:

1. Trim, peel, & roast red beets with a drizzle of olive oil, salt & pepper at 400 degrees until tender, about 15 minutes (I had about 6 tiny little beets).

2. Meanwhile, saute 1 small yellow onion (chopped) & 1 garlic clove (crushed) in some olive oil (about 1 tablespoon) until just softened. Add to a blender or food processor. Add the beets when they are cooked.

3. Add a splash of dry red wine, some heavy cream (I added about 1/2 cup), and the zest of 1 lemon to the beets. Blitz until smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme. Add more wine/cream or water to reach desired consistency. Toss the sauce with cooked & drained pasta.

4. To wilt the arugula: Over medium heat, cook a couple tablespoons of olive oil with a crushed clove of garlic in a large skillet. When it just starts to sizzle, add a few large handfuls of arugula. Toss in the oil and cook until wilted & tender. Finish with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

5.  To serve: Spoon some of the pasta onto a plate. Top with a pile of the wilted arugula & a sprinkle of crumbled feta cheese.

Pommes Dauphinoise

I love reading Nigel Slater's cookbooks. His recipes are wonderfully written. Take, for instance, his recipe for Pommes Dauphinoise in Appetite; he titles this recipe "a creamy, unctuous potato dish." Slater writes:

A shallow earthenware dish of gratin dauphinoise is a perfect thing, the slices of potato scented with garlic and wallowing in cream, its top lightly browned. It seems sacrilegious to add or subtract from the classic recipe. [...] Despite the almost obscene quantity of cream, there is still a frugal simplicity in this dish.

Pommes Dauphinoise is a French dish from the Dauphiné region, near the Italian border. It consists of thinly sliced potatoes layered in a shallow buttered dish with sliced garlic, topped with heavy cream, and baked until brown & bubbling.  According to Gourmet Britain, "The dish should be perfumed with garlic, plenty, not just a token amount - and please, no eggs or cheese toppings."

I made this tonight to go a long with a big, juicy, grilled T-bone steak. I ate about half the steak and saved the rest of my appetite for more of these potatoes, proclaiming "The French sure do know what the fuck they're doing!"

A Creamy, Unctuous Potato Dish

(aka Pommes Dauphinoise)

from Nigel Slater

Winter Panzanella

Today is our 6th snow day in 2011. We haven't had a full week of school yet this semester. You'd think that with so many days off, stuck in the house, that I would be super productive. You'd be wrong. I tend to increase my laziness on impromptu vacation days. Instead of catching up on grading, reading more, cleaning, or doing laundry, I tend to zone out in front of the computer or piddle around in the kitchen. 

And, you know what? I don't feel bad about that at all. 

Last weekend, knowing that a snowpocalyse was approaching St. Louis, I planned a few cooking projects for the week...involving comforting winter recipes that are healthier than my usual carb-loaded cold weather fare.

The first of those recipes is a winter panzanella. Panzanella is a summertime salad made with toasted bread cubes, ripe tomatoes, garden-fresh basil, & soft mozzarella cheese. It is our favorite thing to eat in the summer. Of course, the pale, mealy tomatoes you find in the winter will just not do in a salad. So, I found a more seasonally-appropriate version that replaces the tomatoes & basil with radicchio & brussels sprouts. Crispy bacon & crunchy apples are added. It's really delicious, filling & comforting. 

Winter Panzanella

adapted from Bon Appetit

Zucchini Vichyssoise

School starts again this week, and I was kind of looking forward to starting a new year. Then, I was dreading it....not because of the early mornings or the new curriculum or some can-be-obnoxious students (and teachers)....but because of the 100+ degree temps around here last week and my school's lack of air-conditioning.  Luckily, the weather is supposed to be a bit more mild for the start of school this year.

When I tell people that my school is not air-conditioned, they find it hard to believe that a school in the United States in 2010 doesn't have that technology. But, for whatever reason (I'm guessing finances), only the offices & the library are cooled. 

And, my building is a greenhouse. Not figuratively speaking, but LITERALLY a greenhouse. It is a big square building with an open courtyard in the middle that has a glass roof & trees growing in it. MOTHERFUCKING TREES, PEOPLE. The hallways circle the courtyard, and all the classrooms open to it. My room is upstairs. It's hot up there, I mean downright sweltering. No wonder the students are so crabby at the beginning of the school year. 

Tomato Tarte Tatin

We tried our hand at a little home garden this summer. We planted a small herb garden with basil, thyme, oregano, & chives and a few tomato plants. Our sungold plant is thriving; we pick a handful of little orange beauties each day. We've gotten a few roma tomatoes, but they are a little mealy tasting. We have ONE Beefsteak on the wine vine (Freudian slip!) and have FINALLY gotten a bloom or two on the Brandywine plant.

So, to satiate our craving for fresh tomatoes, we've been buying them at our local farmers market each Saturday. Is there nothing better than a freshly-picked tomato at the peak of the summer season? I don't think there is.

We had quite a few cherry tomatoes of different sizes & varieties...round red ones, oval red ones, orange ones, yellow ones, & "chocolate" ones which have a brownish skin. To use them up we made a tart in the Le Creuset tarte tatin pan we got as a wedding gift.

I can't believe I didn't make this sooner. All I can say is MAKE THIS NOW. Seriously. Now. Go! It's amazingly good.

Asparagus with Poached Egg & Miso Butter

I love summer...not just because I get a break from teaching, but also because I have more time to cook and experiment in the kitchen. This summer, I plan to try as many recipes as I can from the piles of cookbooks I have all around the house.  In particular, I'm excited to try more recipes from David Chang's Momofuku cookbook. Stephanie and I already made the infamous pork belly buns & it wasn't so difficult.

So, I recently made the asparagus with poached egg & miso butter...a light summer supper using some gorgeous local asparagus we got at the farmers' market.  The miso butter is tasty but very salty, so apply sparingly. I put way too much on my plate (see pic below), and it really overpowered the delicate egg. The picture in the cookbook shows the butter on the plate under the asparagus, so that might be the way to go to avoid over-doing it.

Our Porkapalooza Wedding Reception

Whew! The wedding is over, and the reception was a huge hit. Our plan was to have a backyard pig roast at Jerad's parents' house the day before Easter. We set up a big tent on Friday, but the weather wasn't looking good for our party.  It rained the day before and was very windy the morning of the reception, but it all turned out in the end.  The clouds cleared and the wind finally died down.  We ended up with a beautifully sunny day that helped to make the party just what I'd dreamed about.

You see, I had actually dreamed about our wedding reception a few years ago...before we dated even. Jerad and I were just friends at the time; in fact, I was married to someone else.  But, we worked together every weekend, so we spend a lot of time together. One night, I dreamed that we got married and had a reception under a white tent in his parents' backyard. The decorations were green & yellow.

I had forgotten about that dream until after we'd planned our pig roast.  Jerad then reminded me of the dream, which I told him about right after I'd had it. I'm sure he thought I was crazy at the time. Nevertheless, I find it a bit strange that I ended up planning that very reception. It must be fate. 

Grandma Tuffy's Sauteed Spinach

I've eaten this spinach dish two times in the past four days. It's THAT good.

Jerad's mom makes this recipe every year for Thanksgiving. It comes from her great-grandmother on her mother's side, Tuffy Lilian Iztwig (whose parents were German immigrants).

The first time I spent Thanksgiving at Jerad's parents' house, his mom became too ill to finish cooking dinner. So, his sister asked me to make the spinach; there was no written recipe, and I'd never eaten--or even seen--the dish before. I was informed that it had "spinach and bouillon" in it. That sounded easy enough.

I dissolved a couple bouillon cubes in about a cup of hot water, then I cooked the frozen spinach in it.

I was later informed that my spinach wasn't right; it tasted nothing like it should.

Sheesh.

Last Saturday, I actually got to watch Gwen make the spinach. Wow, was it good! I ate the leftovers for breakfast with a poached egg on top. WOW, so good! I also made the spinach Tuesday night with our dinner of seared sirloin and cauliflower gratin. Our friend Ashby said the spinach was his favorite part.

Grandma Tuffy's Sauteed Spinach

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 beef bouillon cubes, crushed
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
14 ounces frozen baby spinach, slightly thawed

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
• Add the bouillon cubes & mix to dissolve.
• Stir in the flour to create a thin roux.
• Add the spinach, stir & cook until the sauce coats the spinach and it's all warmed through.

Thanksgiving '09: A diamond ring & creamed leeks

Jerad was supposed to go duck hunting yesterday morning, but he was still in bed when I woke up a little before 7:00 am (he usually leaves around 3:30).

"Weren't you going hunting today?" I asked as I woke him up.

"Yeah, what time is it?" he replied.

"It's almost 7! Didn't you set an alarm?"

"Oh shit! I must have turned my alarm off. Can you turn on the light?"

I rolled over to turn on the lamp, and when I rolled back Jerad had a diamond ring in his hand.

"This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for you," he said. "Will you marry me?"

"YES!"

He never planned to hunt yesterday. Sneaky bastard! ;-)

I've known that Jerad had a ring for a while now; he asked me to go to the jewelers to get sized last month (He had the ring specially made). But, I didn't know when he was going to propose. He caught me completely off-guard yesterday. It was the perfect way to start the holiday.

I think I’m too much of a negative person sometimes; I tend to focus on my daily stresses, instead of on all of the good things in my life.

So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’ve been thinking about what I am grateful for…

I am thankful for Jerad. He’s my best friend. I am lucky to have him in my life. He is very important to me. He calms me down, helps me focus on the important things, makes me laugh, makes me feel needed & wanted, takes care of the things I can’t (house chores like cleaning a dead possum out of the dryer vent & building new steps on the porch). Simply put: He’s awesome.

I am thankful for Gwen & Dick, Jerad’s parents. They have been so accepting of me and have generously welcomed me into their family. I am glad they live close & we get to see them often. I don’t feel so “motherless” anymore.

I am thankful for my friends, especially the Food Blogger Mafia gals (Kelli, Annie, & Steph): It’s nice to know a group of intelligent, funny women who’ve got my back. And for Ashby: I love that guy. And the Erins: I miss them both.

I am thankful for having a good-paying job, health insurance, a place to live, and the means to provide for myself.

I am thankful I am getting to know some of my co-workers better. It makes going to work a more enjoyable experience.

I am thankful for my job at Kitchen Conservatory, for all of Anne’s advice & guidance, and for knowing the wonderful women on staff there.

I am thankful for the opportunity to write for Sauce Magazine. My second feature article will be in the December issue!

I am thankful for Lewis the Beagle. Those big brown eyes and floppy ears melt my heart, even if he’s peed on the floor.

I am thankful that Mark from Bigelo’s offered Jerad a job. The bar is going to be open late on the weekends now, and Jerad will be bartending on Friday & Saturday nights (starting next weekend) from 9-12.

I am thankful I made creamed leeks with dinner yesterday. They were so good!

Creamed Leeks

photo & recipe from Gourmet

Serves 4

3 1/2 lb leeks, root ends trimmed
2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (from a country loaf, crusts discarded)
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/8 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup heavy cream

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.
• Cut each leek into an 8-inch length, measuring from root end, and halve lengthwise, then cut crosswise into roughly 1 1/2-inch pieces. (You should have about 8 cups.) Wash leek pieces in a large bowl of cold water, agitating them, then lift out and transfer to another bowl. Repeat with clean water, then drain leeks well.
• Cook bread crumbs with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in 3 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp and pale golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Cook leeks with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 12 minutes.
• Transfer leeks with a slotted spoon to gratin dish. Sprinkle Parmesan evenly over the top. Pour cream slowly over leeks, then scatter bread crumbs on top. Bake until cream is bubbling and slightly thickened and crumbs are golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.

Notes:

1. Bread crumbs can be cooked 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then kept in an airtight container at room temperature. Scatter bread crumbs over leeks just before baking.

2. Leeks can be cooked and assembled in dish with cream (but not sprinkled with crumbs and baked) 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then covered & chilled.

Cranberry Sangria & Other Thanksgiving Favorites

I can't believe it's almost Thanksgiving. I'm not ready for it at all! I think it's because we've had a much warmer--and wetter--fall than usual. It's just doesn't seem like the holidays to me. Then again, it is good that this semester has seemed to fly by. Only a few more weeks of school left until Christmas break!

Every year Jerad's family has lobster & beef tenderloin for Thanksgiving dinner. So, we've started a tradition of cooking turkey with all the fixin's at my house on the Saturday afterwards. This year we're deep frying a fresh turkey again (our favorite way to cook the bird) & I'm also making:

mashed potatoes & gravy
sweet potato-cornbread pudding
shaved brussels sprout salad
real pumpkin pie
(as in, I'm roasting & pureeing a pumpkin myself!)

AND

Cranberry Sangria

1 48-oz bottle cranberry-raspberry juice cocktail
1 bottle dry, full-bodied red wine
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
1 orange, sliced thin
1 lemon, sliced thin
1 cup fresh cranberries
2 cups champagne

Combine first three ingredients in a large pitcher. Add fruit slices & cranberries. Chill. Stir in champagne just before serving. Serve over ice.

Makes about 13 cups.

If you prefer a sweeter drink, add about 1/8-1/4 cup sugar to the first three ingredients, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

Here are some of my other favorite Thanksgiving dishes:

Appetizers:
Honey-Nut Glazed Brie
Roasted Carrot Dip

Soup & Salad:
Butternut-Cider Bisque
Chestnut & Potato Soup
Carrot-Raisin Salad
Grandma Martin's Cranberry Salad
Gingerbread Vinaigrette

Side Dishes:
Scalloped Oysters
Asparagus-Gruyere Tart
Spinach Gratin
Chestnut & Pancetta Stuffing
Potato & Mushroom Gratin

Whole Bird Alternatives:
Turkey Saltimbocca
Turkey Ossobucco

Desserts:
Pumpkin & Pecan Pie
Pumpkin Creme Brulee
Espresso Walnut Cake

Grilled Fry Bread (and my panzanella recipe)

School has started again, which is why it’s been a while since my last post. People who aren’t teachers usually have no idea how time-consuming being a teacher really is. Between the lesson planning (always trying to come up with new & exciting projects, which students won't even do most of the time), reading & paper grading (the curse of an English teacher), there is little time for much else. Right now, I am teaching three different classes, including an American Studies class that is new to me. It’s a team-taught English & history class that we organized into themed units instead of chronological like usual.

Even though I’ve been busy with school for the past three weeks, we’ve still had some home-cooked meals...sausage & peppers with polenta, grilled London Broil, mustard chicken, panzanella. I’ve been making a lot of panzanella, my favorite summer recipe and a great way to use of overly ripe, late season tomatoes.

First, cube a baguette or other crusty loaf of bread (day-old works best but fresh is okay). Toss it with some olive oil, truffle salt, & pepper. Toast in a 350 degree oven until lightly browned & crunchy. Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes, add to a bowl & sprinkle with Kosher salt to let the juices flow. Add the toasted bread cubes & toss. Add diced mozzarella (or those tiny mozzarella pearls) & fresh basil (or chopped fresh rosemary). Taste. Add more salt & pepper if needed. If your tomatoes are particularly juicy, you may not need much else. If not, you can drizzle in some extra-virgin olive oil & a splash of red wine vinegar. I even like leftover panzanella the next day. If the bread is crispy (and old/dry) enough, it won’t get too soggy overnight. I even ate leftovers topped with a fried egg for breakfast.

I wanted to try a zucchini pasta recipe from the Chocolate & Zucchini cookbook last week, but I ended up making angel hair pasta with prosciutto & tomatoes in a rosemary cream sauce (an off-the-cuff kind of recipe) instead. I’ll get to that zucchini this week. I’m also thinking of making some moussaka with the farmers market eggplant I bought on Saturday.

I DID make one new recipe recently...grilled fry bread, from a Mexican grilling class I taught at Kitchen Conservatory.

Grilled Fry Bread

2 cups flour
2 tablespoons powdered milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons Crisco
2/3 cup hot water, or more if needed
2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter

• Place the flour, powdered milk, baking powder, & salt in a mixing bowl and whisk.
  
• Add the shortening, cutting it in with a pastry blender. The mixture should be the texture of cornmeal.
• Add enough hot water to obtain a soft, pliable dough.
  
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap & let rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 8 even pieces & roll each piece into a ball.
• Working on a lightly floured surface, roll a ball into a thin disk 5-6 inches across. Place the disk on a floured baking sheet, then repeat with the remaining balls of dough. Keep the rolled-out dough covered with a damp cloth until your are ready to grill.
• Heat a grill to high (or heat a grill pan on the stovetop). When ready to cook, brush oil onto the grate or pan. Brush the top of each disk with oil. Place a few disks, oiled side down, on the hot grill. Brush the other side with oil.
• After 2-3 minutes, the bread will start to puff & blister and the bottom will become golden brown. Turn the bread over and grill the other side for 2-3 minutes longer.
• Serve at once.
  

You can use this bread as a base for tacos (fill or top with meat, beans, & veggies), or you can sprinkle them with cheese to serve with a meal (add tomatoes for a meal). If you roll them out thin, you can crisp them on the grill until they are like crackers.