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Favorites List (12.20.12)

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I left everything related to Christmas to the last minute - for a lot of reasons, but mostly because this endearing little beast of a project. Christmas tree? We've been watching them spring up in the windows of neighbors for weeks. We finally went to get one. But, not joking, it was ten minutes before the lot closed for the season. They were backing up the chipper. So, for today, a favorites list. Hopefully a good one, to close out the year. And for those of you looking for holiday recipe inspiration from the archives? You can't go wrong with: gougeres, cinnamon buns, Christmas cookies (particularly these triple ginger cookies, or black sticky gingerbread).

- Bulgarian Rose Oil production (via Tammy Frazer)

- This American Life Story Globe

- Boozy Whole Grain Eggnog Loaf

- Dream house: Ibiza

- High Protection Winter Tea

- Dorie.

- Sounds of the Soil

- Daido Moriyama | William Klein

- Yoshida Martini

- Mythical Mykonos

- The Philospher Chef

- ITEM IDEM + Leif Hedendal @ Art Basel NADA

- Make your own clay tags.

- Craving something like this right now.

- Colonel Meow

- What's Cookin'

- 2 Solitudes | Raymond Meeks

- Watching this | Next on my reading list.

Happiest holidays to each and every one of you.

Lead image: A few of the photos I shot in India (in need of scanning)...and, in the meantime, here's a set of 25 India shots from Wayne's camera. xo -h

Continue reading Favorites List (12.20.12)...

Yuzu Maple Leaf Cocktail

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This is a drink to close out the year with - simple, strong, made for winter. It's a maple leaf cocktail (typically made with fresh lemon juice, maple syrup, and bourbon) with a few tweaks. I've been making them with whatever lemony-winter citrus is around. After starting with standard Eureka lemons, I branched out to Meyer lemons, and then onto yuzu, a varietal of Japanese citrus. Recently, I've been blending - the yuzu is intense, fat with seeds, on the dry side, while Meyers are more floral, with a softer flavor, positively gushing with juice.

Yuzu Maple Leaf CocktailYuzu Maple Leaf Cocktail

I add salt to this drink. I mean, the absolute smallest amount of fine grain sea salt. Barely a whisper. It works nicely to balance things out, snap flavors into focus - sweet, sour, salt, bourbon base. Not sure how people are going to feel about that, but there you have it, a little secret. If you want to be more exacting than I am, grind your salt powder-fine with a mortar and pestle before proceeding. It'll incorporate more quickly into the liquids.

I hope you like this as much as I do. In general, I like the combination of lemon and maple syrup. And not just in cocktails. But, I need something to edge out the sweet depths of pure maple. Lemon, or other lemony-citrus, tends to do the job. In fact, if drinks aren't your thing, I bet you could skip the bourbon altogether here and work this into a nice dressing with the zest, some herbs, and olive oil?

Yuzu Maple Leaf CocktailYuzu Maple Leaf Cocktail

A couple tips (I'll also include below): You can find yuzu at some winter farmers markets. They're also available at many Japanese grocery stores in the produce section, and they keep reasonably well refrigerated. Also, if you don't have a cocktail shaker, don't let that deter you. I don't have one, and I use a jar in it's place - use the lid to hold the ice back (you can also use a strainer). xoxo -h

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Posole in Broth

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2012 was a quirky one. It had no qualms dealing a number of wildcards - mostly, but not all, the good kind. When I was sitting here last year I certainly had no sense I would find myself in place as incredible as this, or this. I also didn't know I'd learn how to clean up after a flood, use an epi-pen, or stand on a paddle board. But there you have it. And I didn't know anything about starting a shop, but now, a couple thousand shipments (and paper cuts) later, I do.

At the close of each year, I do my best to clear some space to reflect on the year past, and to consider the one to come. And it's strange, although I think about many of the same themes year-over-year, there is something about the first of January, and having a clean slate, that makes everything seem fresh and possible again. I hope you're feeling good about welcoming the new year as well. My hope is for continued health and happiness, balance and inspiration. I hope to revisit a few of the places I love, and venture to a handful of places new to me. I would like to give QUITOKEETO a proper home, and work on more collaborations related to it. I want to start another book. What else? More soup nights with friends are in order, and brunches with family. And related to this site, I want to write more recipes like this one. The sort that smacks of the ingredient palette I love, with flavors and textures that come together in a way that makes it extra hard for me to hold out sharing with you.

I thought it would be fitting to welcome the new year with a good brothy soup. One that is full of goodness, flavors, and textures. Something healthy, interesting, and satisfying.

Posole in Broth RecipePosole in Broth Recipe

Please know, I'm so grateful that after nearly ten years of sharing recipes (and photos & stories) on this site, I still love it. I'm inspired every time I go to the market, I learn something new each time I walk into my kitchen, and I gain so much through your comments and ideas. Thank you. Here's to an electric, sparkling, healthy, and peaceful New Year everyone. Much love, Heidi

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Moroccan Carrot and Chickpea Salad

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Diane Morgan got my attention with the words dried plums cut into chickpea-sized chunks. At the time, I was browsing her new book, Roots. She was referencing a carrot and chickpea salad, and I was seated in my kitchen, two feet from a cluster of ruby-hued dried pluots. They'd found their calling. It's a brilliant recipe, the sort you'll get a bunch of mileage out of, and most of the ingredients are available year-round. On the plate it's fresh, colorful, heady with toasted cumin, and you can prep most of it a day prior, if needed. My one regret here is not trying this recipe before the holidays. Served family-style as part of a larger spread, it'd be perfect. As it turns out, it's also a great lunch for a trip. I made it as part of our dinner the other night, and then tossed the left-overs into a jar for a quick flight up to Portland. Appropriate also because I was hoping to see Diane there (I did!).

Moroccan Carrot Salad RecipeMoroccan Carrot Salad Recipe

The complete title of this recipe (as written here) should actually be Moroccan Carrot and Chickpea Salad with Dried Pluots and Toasted Cumin Dressing - a mouthful, indeed. I've added a little flare to Diane's recipe by way of almonds and rose petals, mainly because they were within arms-length when I was making this, and a natural extension of the Moroccan palette at play here. As you can imagine, this is the sort of base recipe that you can add to depending on what you have on hand. I would have completely herbed it out with more mint, dill, basil, etc., if I'd had them around.

Moroccan Carrot Salad RecipeMoroccan Carrot Salad Recipe

For those of you with the book already, give the mashed rutabaga a go (I don't have the book in front of me right now, but they're flecked with lots of dill). I had them at Diane's under poached eggs, doused with a mother load of hot sauce. I'm telling you, it was an ideal winter breakfast.

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A Lesson in Juicing

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I don't know much about juicers, but I now own one. It's stone heavy, says professional on the label and, generally speaking, seems a bit more hardcore than I would need? My guess is it spent the last ten years on the floor of my parent's pantry. I'll start this post by telling those of you who might be new readers here, I'm a person who didn't have many kitchen appliances until recently - no toaster, no microwave, and I'm happy to juice things by hand. Yet, by happenstance, I've assembled an admirable collection of machines in the past few months. The juicer is just the end of the parade. It landed with a thud at the top of our stairs, boxed in old cardboard, hand-delivered by my dad (apparently banished by my mom after a cleaning binge). And it seems barely used, which I find amusing. Anyway, I let it sit on the counter for about a week, thought about it some, then started juicing everything in sight. I thought I'd share a bit of what I learned...Also, before I dive in, do many of you have juicers? I'd love to hear what you like to make with them.

So, I quite like the juicer(!), and I love the possibilities it lends to expanding my overall ingredient/culinary palette. Fresh juice is invigorating - straight up, blended, or as part of whatever I'm making. It seems the most important thing is to use vibrant, healthy produce. Use the best quality produce you can get, great if it's organic or sustainably grown. If that's not happening, wash it gently, but thoroughly.

A few other observations: The blender and juicer are entirely different beasts. I know this seems obvious, but the blender does chop-chop, and the juicer seems to separate all the fibers and solids from the juices. The juicer produces essences that are incredibly intense, alive, and bright. The flavor is main-lined. I was totally into it. Beyond the fruits and vegetables, I experimented with grains and nuts (see below).

Everyone seems to think using a juicer is a pain in the ass. Primarily the clean-up part. And it was, sort of. But not nearly as bad as I thought. It seems most convenient to juice in batches, set aside what you might use in the immediate future as well as the forthcoming days and then freeze any beyond that immediately. Not as perfect as freshly juiced, but still great.

Lessons in JuicingLessons in Juicing

One thing I'll add here, read you juicer's instructions before diving in. What works in mine might not work in your model.

Almond Milk: Soak 1 cup / 5 oz almonds overnight, covered, in filtered water. Drain. Add three cups water, and ladle into juicer. This produces a full-bodied almond milk. If you like it a bit thinner, go with 4 cups water. The flavor really sings when you season it with a touch of salt and sugar. Just go with your taste buds, until it tastes good to you. Makes about 3 1/2 cups. Also, be sure to keep the meaty by-product of making the almond milk, just scrape it out of the juicer. Salt it a bit, and it's a great homemade almond butter.

Oat Milk: Soak 1 cup / 3 oz rolled oats (not instant) overnight, covered, in filtered water. Drain, add 3 cups water, and ladle into juicer. Makes about 4 cups. Note to self to try a version with toasted oats. I could imagine experimenting with it as and ingredient in custards, puddings, french toast, and the like.

Pistachio Milk: Soak 1 cup pistachios / 5 oz overnight, covered, in filtered water. Drain, combine with 3 cups water, and ladle into juicer. This was my favorite non-fruit juice by a stretch. Really nice. I kept trying to combine it with little accents like orange blossom water, or citrus zest, but in the end I liked it best straight. Makes about 3 1/2 - 4 cups. And like the almond milk be sure to keep the meaty by-product of making the pistachio milk, just scrape it out of the juicer. Salt it a bit, and it's a great pistachio butter.

Sesame Milk: Had high hopes for this one but it really didn't work. The unhulled seeds never broke down in the juicer.

Lessons in JuicingLessons in Juicing

Fennel Juice: Trim the root end, but use all the rest of it. 1 large bulb = ~1 cup juice.

Celery: Lob off the root end and use the rest. And I didn't bother restringing. 1 medium bunch = 1 1/2 - 2 cups juice. I'm enjoying using the celery juice as a component in all things brothy. The fennel juice as well, but to a lesser extent.

Cucumber: Juice it all. And leave the skin on, it lends a nice color. 1 large (8 oz) cucumber yields about 1 cup of juice. Not really the season for cucumber juice at the moment, but I juiced it anyway. Super cooling.

Cilantro:1 big bunch, leaves and stems = 1/3 cup juice. I threw a couple serranos (deveined and deseeded) into the juicer here as well for a spicy version. You just know it's going to be good swirled into yogurt or creme fraiche and spooned into a bowl of roasted tomato soup!

Dill: 1 large bunch (stems and fronds) yields about 3 tablespoons juice. Equal parts dill juice + olive oil and a pinch of salt has been great over greens, savory pancakes, and eggs this week. I imagine like the other intense herb juices, it would be welcome as a vinaigrette component, drizzled over gratins, and tarts as well.

Lessons in JuicingLessons in Juicing

Ginger: 8 ounces unreeled yields about 3/4 cup ginger juice. Freezes quite well. I've been using in teas, broths, citrus juice (grapefruit-ginger is my favorite), dipping sauces, etc.

Grapefruit: 1 large = 1 cup juice. I could live on this during the winter.

Pomegranate: I'm not sure I'd recommend using a juicer here. Mine definitely wasn't happy. That said, the resulting juice is electric - straight-up incredible. Juice the seeds only, but review your juicer's guidelines before an attempt. 1 large pomegranate = ~ 1 cup of seeds = 1/3 cup fresh juice.

Carrots: 1 lb = 1 cup juice. You know, it's just occurring to me as I'm typing this to try a carrot soup with pure juiced carrot. Use it to make the silkiest carrot soup ever.

If you're a juicer, here's my plea to let me know what you use yours most for. Or is it the sort of thing that just collects dust in everyone's pantry for most of the year?

Juice Combinations

A few combinations I tried:

Pistachio Milk: 1/2 cup pistachio milk, 3/4 teaspoon honey or sugar, 1/8 teaspoon sea salt, tiny pinch of ground clove. But like I said up above, this is really good straight.

Spicy Carrot: 1/4 cup carrot juice + 1/4 cup almond milk + 1/16 teaspoon cayenne + 1/2 teaspoon ginger juice + 1/8 teaspoon fine grain sea salt + 2 tablespoons celery juice.

Pomegranate Almond: 1/4 cup pomegranate juice + 1/4 cup almond juice + 2 drop rose water + pinch of salt, 1 teaspoon lemon juice + sweeten to taste.

Cucumber Celery: 1/4 cup cucumber + 1/4 cup celery + 1/16 cayenne + pinch of salt.

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Pomegranate Yogurt Bowl

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I'm hoping this breakfast sets the tone for my entire day. I love the pretty pomegranate swirls intertwined with ribbons of a Turkish black pine honey a friend gave to me. There are little puffed BBs of quinoa, toasted sunflower seeds, some bee pollen, and creamy clouds of Greek yogurt. It was a fluke, with everything just falling into place after I reached for the pomegranate juice leftover from my ongoing juicing experiment. So, for today, just a quick hi, and hopefully a bit of inspiration to make your next breakfast special.

Breakfast Yogurt BowlBreakfast Yogurt Bowl

I can imagine cooking down a bunch of the fresh pomegranate juice to make a thick homemade pomegranate molasses the next time around, although I love the brightness of the fresh juice and the way it tangles with the honey and yogurt.

Here's an ironic update - not two hours after writing this, I lobbed off a good chunk of my thumb using a mandolin. I hesitate to say, if you want to see it, I posted a pic to instagram (@heidijswanson), but you're much better off not looking. It's tres ugh. Maybe I was getting a bit cavalier, I've just never had trouble with my mandolin before - it's always the serrated knife that gets me. So, just a heads-up out there - the mandolin is scary (same goes for the hand blenders, apparently). Stay safe! xo

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Za'atar

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Za'atar is a wonderfully tangy, herb-forward Middle Eastern spice blend. Do you know it? I'm sure a bunch of you do. It's the sort of ingredient that tends to make an appearance in my kitchen this time of year. Right now it sits on my counter next to essentials like sea salt and olive oil, and I suspect it will be there a while. I find za'atar a welcome counterpoint to the sweetness of deeply roasted winter squash, a nice wildcard element in big hearty soups, ideal sprinkled generously over eggs of all kinds, and just the right accent on everything from mashed avocado to chopped olives. Seriously, it's good all around. It's one of those blends that varies from country to country, family to family, cook to cook, and it's simple to prepare. The base recipe for the version I make is a simple ratio of dried thyme, sumac, toasted sesame seeds, and sea salt. Pre-made za'atar is easy to find around, and I've sampled a good range, but it's one of those things worth making yourself. Use good sesame seeds, recently dried thyme, with vibrant sumac, and the za'atar you'll have will have an intensity nearly impossible to find in pre-packaged blends.

Za'atar

There is always some confusion surrounding za'atar because it is the name of the spice blend, and also the name of a class of herbs. We're talking about the blend here. I believe the version I make is closest to what is typical in Lebanon, but there are times I like to add other components. If you do a survey of za'atar blends you'll find some use marjoram, or oregano. You read of pistachios, turmeric, hyssop. Like any other spice blend, it's great to start with a good, basic recipe, but it's even more important for you to tweak it from there to your liking. I like a very thyme-centric za'atar with just enough tangy citrus reaching through from the sumac - herb first and balanced. From there, not too many sesame seeds, and just the right amount of salt.

Za'atarZa'atar

I'll include my basic recipe below, the one I use most often. But related to my point above, sometimes I add to it. I like how this Mexican oregano tastes ground into it. Or, a bit of fennel pollen is a kiss of magic - particularly when I'm planning on using the za'atar swirled with great olive oil into thick yogurt. Just remember, tweak it to your liking.

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Favorites List (1.31.13)

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Let's switch things up a bit with the favorites this time around. I'm going to put a few things out there, and I'd be incredibly thrilled if you leave a suggestion or two for me. Don't feel pressured, just throw it out there if you've come across something you were particularly excited about, Something you think I might like. Sound o.k? I'm turning the final pages of the book I'm reading, so any new book suggestions would be great. Podcasts? Yes please, I go through so many when I'm doing dishes or pre-packing for QK. What else? I'm always on the lookout for good documentaries and also cookbooks published outside the U.S. (I see most of the U.S. books), or music playlists. One last thing before we get to the list - for those of you who like to get the heads up - we're aiming to open the shop with new items(!), and a restock of a number of the items that sold through quickly last time...Monday morning, Feb 4. at 8:30 a.m. PST. I posted little glimpse here. xo for now -h

- Shibori DIY

- To visit.

- Watching this | Reading this

- Todd Selby | Michael Harlan Turkell (scroll to bottom to listen) &(!) another Selby link with Nancy Singleton.

- Have to try this version: Chard Saag Paneer

- Cardoons.

- To visit!

- Flickr is still great.

- Ethereally Smooth Hummus&Tassajara's Cardamom Lemon Soda Bread

- A Day in India

- APM : Discovering Leonardo ("listen now" link, bottom left column)

- Pages and pages of What I Read.

- Continuing the ongoing discussion about marble...(more here)

- Vintage Magazine Covers from Japan

- Veg. bentos from Peko-Peko

Lead photo: This time last year, through the window of Du Pain et Des Idées in Paris - it was closed, and it was very cold, so I walked down the street and sat in the sun next to the frozen river to try to warm up a bit.

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Seeded Popovers

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The most delightful thing my oven produces is the popover. Gougères are a close second, but the popover wins for sheer drama. They're golden-crusted bready crescendos made from the simplest ingredients. Their crunchy exterior belies a billowy eggy interior that absolutely begs for a slather of butter or honey. Popovers are worth learning to make well. Which, I'll be honest, takes a bit of practice. I've chipped away at this recipe over the years, and I suspect I'll continue, but I thought I'd put it out there today and encourage you to give them a go. I suspect some of you popover specialists out there have a thing or two to teach me as well.

Popover RecipePopover Recipe

I'm going to talk a bit about technique down below, but before you dive down the rabbit hole related to then endless number of popover techniques that are out there, you really want to make sure your oven is on point. You need to make sure you have even constant heat, and good control over temperature. You need a blast of heat in the beginning to get that upward push going, then a more gentle heat to cook the popovers through and to allow a beautiful crust to develop. Just know, while a bad run of popovers might not be pretty, they'll likely be tasty regardless.

Popover RecipePopover Recipe

Before we get to the recipe, I'll mention that just about every variable related to making popovers is up for discussion - both related to the recipe and the technique. There is debate on what type of flour to use, baking powder vs. none, batter resting time, oven temperature, food processor vs. blender vs. mixer, preheating the baking tins or not......people are passionate. I'll tell you that I haven't had luck using bread flour or whole grain flours, too dense and heavy. I'm all ears though, if you've had luck. Some famous popover recipes use a much higher ratio of flour than I do here - I just never had any success with that. I fill my tins a hint over 1/2 full with batter, and get great pop. I've gone higher, but sometimes get spillover, particularly with an eggier batter. I've written a few tips into this recipe, from things I've learned the hard way - for example, it really is worth dirtying a pitcher and using that to quickly fill your pans. Bonne chance my friends - let me know how it goes.

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Kale Rice Bowl

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Hi all. The past couple of weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind on this end. I'm (happily) juggling a small handful of projects, all of which I love, but when I find myself setting a google alert for a shower - well, I'm not particularly proud of that. On the cooking front, for the time being, it means I've had to get quite fast and creative in the kitchen. I'm throwing together meals, mostly from the ordinary staples I keep on hand - brown rice, eggs, whatever vegetable is on hand...And yes, some meals are much more successful that others ;) This Kale Rice Bowl, for example, is well worth mentioning. Grains, and greens, and all sorts of goodness going on here. I've been working my way through my last batch of za'atar, and it's part of what makes the bowl special.

Kale Rice BowlKale Rice BowlKale Rice Bowl

You can certainly take this bowl in many different directions if you like. In place of the za'atar, try a different spice blend. On the grain front, I used brown rice, but almost did it with freekah (didn't have time to cook it)....farro would be nice. Or! My original intent was to bake the shredded kale (massaged with olive oil and za'atar), so it had more of a crispy texture, but didn't want to wait for the oven to heat. I ended up sauteing the kale instead. Anyway, play around! xo -h

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Marjoram Sauce with Capers & Green Olives

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I spend time with a lot of cookbooks. Some I like for the author's voice, or their cooking palette. Others have beautiful photography or styling. Some of my favorites capture a sense of place and time. There are a lot of good books being produced right now, and a rich range of perspectives reflected. It's great. That said, there aren't many books that completely challenge me to think about my own cooking from an unexpected angle. Deborah Madison's forthcoming book Vegetable Literacy, is an exception. I spent a stretch of time with it before it went to the printer, and I suspect it will be one of the most influential cookbooks published this year.

Marjoram SauceMarjoram Sauce

Deborah's new book explores the relationships between vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers within the same botanical families. So, for example, if you understand that buckwheat, rhubarb, and sorrel are all part of the Knotweed family, it might impact how you consider use them. Ingredients I may regularly use in combination, purely on instinct, might have a natural affinity for each other through their botanical relationship. Understanding these relationships directly impacts how you think about using these ingredients. And it's a lot of fun to think about.

After spending some time with Vegetable Literacy, I wrote an endorsement for the back cover, doing my best to sum up what an incredible book it is. It went like this..."There are few people equipped with the curiosity, skill, and eye for observation required to construct a volume of this size and scope - and Deborah does it masterfully. Vegetable Literacy will shift the way both home and professional cooks think about the relationship between ingredients, and vegetables in particular. Using this book has felt like a missing puzzle piece snapping into place - inspiring, intimate, informative, and beautifully illustrated."

Marjoram Sauce

More than anything, I wanted to give you the heads up about the book, it will be out in the coming weeks, and I suspect/hope many of you will find it as interesting as I have. Recipes? This thick marjoram sauce recipe immediately popped off the pages at me (and has become a fast favorite)...It's great for slathering, spreading, and mixing in. Pungent, herby, and assertive, it's made with pounded capers, walnuts, green olives, and a load of herbs - my photos don't do it justice. Give it a try - really. You must. It's great with pasta, worked into egg or potato salad, spread on bruschetta or sandwiches, or tossed with roasted or sauteed vegetables. I even topped a frittata with it - A+.


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An Ideal Lunch Salad

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I took this shot at 7:05 the other morning, just before walking out the door to pack a small mountain of boxes related to our last round of QUITOKEETO. It takes quite a lot to get each package bundled safely and sent on its way, and a proper lunch break on packing days is something I look forward to. We clear the long table, throw down a few sheets of butcher paper, and put out a spread. There's usually a thermos of tea, some fruit, a chunk of Wayne's bread, a bit of cheese, and whatever I've managed to pull together. I try to make things like this. You have to look closely, there's all sorts of good stuff in this salad - chickpeas, celery, black olives, pepitas, avocado, blanched broccoli...I was after crunch and substance. A salad that could stand up to a few hours in a container without collapsing.

An Ideal Lunch Salad

A couple notes....I used arugula because I love it, and it was what I had on hand. That said, shredded romaine would be a nice alternative - more structure and crunch. And, I did about ten minutes of prep the night prior - a bit of chopping, and pulling together the dressing. The dressing, by the way, is great on all sorts of things - broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower. And I bet you could do a potato salad with it that would be A+.

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Glissade Chocolate Pudding

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I've done chocolate pudding many, many ways over the years. And it's nearly always good. But from this day forward if you come to my house for dinner, and I decide chocolate pudding might be a nice finish to the meal, this is the recipe I'll be using. It's from a whimsical, illustrated French children's cookbook published by Random House in 1966, La Patisserie est un Jeu d'Enfants, with text and drawings by Michel Oliver. The pudding completely caught me off-guard, in the best way possible.

Slippery Chocolate Pudding RecipeSlippery Chocolate Pudding Recipe

This is not like a typical American chocolate pudding, it has no milk, cocoa powder, or cornstarch - which makes sense because it is from a French book. This is more of a deep, concentrated, dark chocolate mousse, although if you're used to chocolate mousse that has whipped cream folded in, it's different from that as well. The key here is good chocolate, then a gentle touch bringing a short list of common ingredients together, and the bit of patience required to let the pudding cool and set. That last part makes all the difference. Time in the refrigerator allows the pudding to set into the densest dark chocolate cloud imaginable, the consistency of whipped frosting. I'll make note in the recipe below, but you'll want to use good-quality chocolate in the 60-80% range - semi-sweet to bittersweet. Aside from the chocolate, you're only adding a bit of water and butter, a sprinkling of sugar, and two eggs, so don't skimp on the quality of ingredients here, there's really no place to hide.

Slippery Chocolate Pudding RecipeSlippery Chocolate Pudding RecipeSlippery Chocolate Pudding RecipeSlippery Chocolate Pudding Recipe

As you can see up above here, the book itself is incredibly charming. The edition I have alternates French and English pages, so you'll have a page in French, then the same page in English. The French title for this recipe is "Glissade" which they've translated on the following English page to Slippery Chocolate Pudding - which made me smile. Keep your eyes peeled, you can find copies of La Patisserie est un Jeu d'Enfants (Making French Desserts and Pastry is Child's Play) here and there if you look around.

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Buttermilk Berry Muffins

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The other morning I found myself gushing to this guy about some muffins I baked. Josey is my neighbor (ladies, don't hate), and he's super inspiring - fully geeked out on all things flour, seed, and grain. As a side note, when I get him to show me how to make his Dark Mountain Rye Bread, you'll be the first to know. I see Josey around a lot, and sometimes we chat about what we're baking. So, there I was, telling him about a batch of muffins I was particularly into, they were just GOOD. Berry-streaked with sugar-sparkled tops, big flavor, buttermilk tender texture, I kept going on and on. On the way home it occurred to me that I should probably write them up. Here goes.

Buttermilk Berry Muffin RecipeButtermilk Berry Muffin Recipe

I used whole wheat pastry flour, huckleberries from last summer (frozen), and topped them with crushed rose cinnamon sugar. They're not overly sweet, and they're nice and moist from a the buttermilk and a of couple bananas worked into the extra-thick batter. Although, it's worth noting that after baking the banana flavor didn't overwhelm the berries.

Buttermilk Berry Muffin RecipeButtermilk Berry Muffin Recipe

To make them extra-special I decided to top them. I love the combination of berry and rose, and that's part of what inspired the rose & spice sugar-dusted tops. The next time around I might even spritz the muffins, in the last few minutes of baking, with rose water (or rose sugar water), or something along those lines, to heighten the floral aspect.

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Soups Worth Making

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I'm just home from Japan - thanks to an efficient series of buses, trains, planes, and one fabulously upholstered ferry. The trip started in Tokyo, then on to Kyoto, eventually making our way to the incredibly special island of Naoshima. While I get unpacked and settled back in to my regular routine, I thought I'd do a quick round-up of a few of my favorite soups from the archives, the ones that really stood out, the ones I love to revisit. I love a good pot of soup, and (particularly) this time of year, make them a couple times a week. And while the following have become some of my stand-bys, let me know if you have a soup recipe you think I'm missing out on. I'm always on the look-out for new ideas to try. In the meantime, I'll try to pull together some pics and a write up of my plane lunch for later in the week! xo-h

Great Soup Recipes

- A Simple Tomato Soup: Pictured here - A simple tomato soup recipe inspired by a Melissa Clark recipe - pureed, warmly spiced, and perfect topped with everything from toasted almonds and herbs, to coconut cream or a poached egg.

- Pumpkin and Rice Soup: This was the pumpkin soup I made first-thing after arriving home from India last October - it has an herby butter drizzle and lemon ginger pulp. I serve it over a good amount of brown rice with a dollop plain yogurt.

- Coconut Red Lentil Soup: If emails are any indication, this is certainly one of the more popular soup recipes with all of you. Inspired by an Ayurvedic dal recipe in the Esalen Cookbook, it is a light-bodied, curry-spiced coconut broth thickened with cooked red lentils and structured with yellow split peas. It has back notes of ginger, slivered green onions sauteed in butter, and curry-plumped raisins. It also relies on an interested cooking method to bring it all together.

- Posole in Broth: My style of posole. This version has a vegetable broth base, lots of blossoming corn kernels, avocado and mung beans. It's topped with plenty of chopped olives and toasted almonds.


Great Soup Recipes

- Red Lentil Soup with Lemon: Pictured above here - An earthy, turmeric and mustard-spiked lentil soup served over brown rice with spinach and thick yogurt.

- New Year Noodle Soup Recipe: One of my very favorite soups, a bit of an effort, but well worth it if you have a lazy day at home. This is an amazing New Year Noodle Soup from Greg & Lucy Malouf's beautiful book, Saraban. A bean and noodle soup at its core, it features thin egg noodles swimming in a fragrant broth spiced with turmeric, cumin, chiles, and black pepper. You use a medley of lentils, chickpeas, and borlotti beans which makes the soup heart and filling without being heavy. You then add spinach, dill, and cilantro, and lime juice kicks in with a bit of sour at the end. Even beyond that, you also prep a number of toppings to serve with the soup - chopped walnuts, caramelized onions, and sour cream. Amazing.

- Dried Fava Soup with Mint and Guajillo Chiles: Easily one of the best and most interesting soups I've cooked in years. Adapted from a recipe in Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen - a dried fava bean and roasted tomato base is topped with a fascinating cider-kissed tangy/sweet quick-pickled chile topping. Don't skimp out on the topping!

- Green Curry Broth: A beautiful, thin green curry broth, fragrant with garlic, lemongrass, and ginger. It gets heat from serrano chiles, and a zing of tanginess from fresh lime juice. Cumin and coriander seeds keep things grounded, and a flurry of freshly chopped herbs make the sky open up.

- Richard Olney's Garlic Soup : In the realm of garlic soup recipes, this is a favorite of mine. From Richard Olney's The French Menu Cookbook, it is made by simmering a dozen or so cloves of garlic in water with a few herbs, then thickening it with a mixture of egg and shredded cheese. It's hard to beat a ladle poured over crusty day-old chunks of walnut baguette.

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Cold Soba Noodles

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This was the scene on my counter at 7a.m. the morning we flew from San Francisco to Tokyo. Lunchbox ready, suitcases by the door. If you've been a reader for a while, you know, I don't love long flights. After six or seven hours I tend to get bad headaches and the headaches eventually make me queasy. I've found a few things do help though - packing good meals, drinking water every single time it is offered, and no alcohol in flight. Every time I shrug off my own rules, I pay. So, for this trip to Japan I made cold soba noodles with a fat dollop of strong scallion-ginger paste, some tofu for the protein, and lots of chives. My thinking was the ginger would help if I wasn't feeling great, and the flavors were strong enough to still be prominent in-flight - tastebud dead-zone. It was completely worth the last-minute scramble. Now, based on your notes and emails, it sounds like many of you are planning travel to Tokyo/Japan - here's an updated Tokyo page, with map and links. I'll do my best to keep adding to it over time, but this should get you started. And I'll share the soba recipe at the end of the post, after a few of my favorite shots from the trip.

Cold Soba Noodles

We flew into Tokyo and out of Osaka (we've done this both times) - after a few days in Tokyo (never enough time), we stayed in Kyoto, then to Naoshima Island after a night in Nara, and back through Okayama and Osaka. Most of these shots (below) are from the ferry ride to/from Naoshima.

Cold Soba NoodlesCold Soba Noodles

(Above) The ferry passes through various islands as you make your way to Naoshima on a large (mostly-empty) ferry. It was mostly day-tripping Japanese tourists on the ship - young students and clusters of school girls.

Cold Soba NoodlesCold Soba Noodles

While we were in Japan, there was much talk (and mask-wearing) related to high pollen counts and a particularly nasty yellow dust storm making it's way from the Gobi Desert to Japan. You could see (and taste) the haze. The only upside? When the sun set each day - this.

Cold Soba NoodlesCold Soba Noodles

Wayne took the picturet of me, two shots up, one morning as we walked the string of museums that follow the perimeter road around the island. I'll try to write more about other aspects of this trip to Japan, but in the meantime, if you have a chance to visit Naoshima - it's worth making your way to Japan just to see the Water Lilies at the Chichu, explore the Tadao Ando spaces, and watch the ships pass on the sea.

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Favorite Cookbooks: Louisa Shafia

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I'm excited to share a new cookbook list today. This one is from the lovely and talented Louisa Shafia. Louisa and I share a publisher, and although she (primarily) lives in Brooklyn, she and I also share a common interest in natural ingredients, farmers' markets, and beautiful food. She wrote Lucid Food a few years back (which I know many of you have), and she has a new book on the horizon - The New Persian Kitchen. You'll love it. I'll likely share my favorite soup from it sometime in the coming weeks (and will be back later this week with a new recipe post), but in the meantime, Louisa has kindly agreed to share a bit about some of the cookbooks that have a special place in her kitchen.

LOUISA'S COOKING STYLE (in her own words):

My guiding principle in the kitchen is "food is medicine," and from there anything goes. I like to purchase whatever fresh produce catches my eye, and then make it into something tasty and beautiful with the help of olive oil, spices, whole grains, legumes, and once in a while some fish or meat.

I trace my cooking style back to the way I ate growing up. My mom was a devotee of Julia Child, and the legendary New York Times food editor Craig Claiborne. But when she got together with my dad, my mom had to temper her love of cream, butter, foie gras, and all things French with the eating habits of a cardiologist from Iran, whose idea of a great meal was grilled fish, rice and beans, salad, and a dessert of fresh fruit. This meant that our family rarely ate fried food, dairy products (except yogurt), white bread, red meat, or processed sugar, but we did have lots of beans, whole grains, fish, nuts, fruits, herbs, and vegetables.

Within these parameters, my mom consistently made healthy food that was delicious and exciting, borrowing flavors from such diverse cuisines as Chinese, Thai, Persian, Mexican, Russian, and yes, even French. I try to do the same, whether I'm making homemade ramen, tempeh kebabs, farro risotto, or something as simple as a caramel-sweet yam baked in its jacket.

After spending the last two years researching Iranian food, my go-to seasonings are Persian ingredients like turmeric, dill, dried mint, and sumac. I've also been influenced by the Persian philosophy of eating, which is about balancing the diet between "hot" and "cold" foods. For example, beets, barley, yogurt, and oranges make the body feel cold, while mushrooms, chickpeas, and apples boost internal heat. As with Indian Ayurvedic cooking and traditional Chinese medicine, the belief is that you can heal sickness by adjusting your intake of hot, cold, and neutral foods. In a classic Persian meal, there is harmony between the elements that make up a dish, so a hot food like lamb kebab is served with cooling accompaniments like yogurt and rice.

The idea of cooking for health still has a ways to go in this country before being embraced on a grand scale, but it's the throughline that inspires me to keep exploring food and creating new recipes.

LOUISA'S FAVORITE COOKBOOKS:

Along with eating out in restaurants, cookbooks are one of my main sources of inspiration. Here are some of the cookbooks that I turn to most often, some of which are creased and oil-spattered with years of use, and some that are still crisp and new.

- The Frog Commissary Cookbook: I often consult this book when I need ideas for catering menus. It's full of interesting and unusual recipes for everything from hors d'oeuvres to dessert. The passion and excitement of the young chef authors pops off the pages with illustrations, cooking advice, and an incredible breadth of recipes that incorporate Thai, Indian, and French influences. Be sure to try the recipe for carrot cake!

- The Millennium Cookbook&The Artful Vegan, both from Millennium Restaurant in San Francisco: My first job cooking at a restaurant was at Millennium in San Francisco, and I love their approach toward vegetable cookery. The idea is that when it comes to eating vegetables, you can cook, season, and serve produce in as many colorful ways as you can think of. I often turn to these cookbooks for inspiration and techniques, and I still learn new things. The recipes are complex, but the books are full of exciting ideas for cooking with a variety of grains, beans, vegetables, and fruits.

- Jerusalem: Of the eight recipes that I've tried so far from this book, each one turned out perfectly, and to me that means a lot. These dishes have beautiful and exotic flavor combinations, such as barberries with dill, eggplant with pomegranate, and guava with plums. The book invites the reader into the colorful city of Jerusalem, with poetic essays about daily life along and vibrant photos of people and recipes.

- The Newlywed Cookbook: This book is full of modern takes on classic dishes, with a mix of recipes that run the gamut from healthy to downright decadent. What's more, the recipes are foolproof. I can thumb through and find a new recipe and prepare it for guests the same night, without having to "practice" it beforehand. Some of my favorite recipes include Baked Risotto with Roasted Vegetables, Seared Halibut with Coriander and Carrots, and Thousand-Layer Chocolate Chip Cookies.

- Verdura: A collection of lush vegetarian Italian recipes, Verdura is full of evocative Italian ingredients like dried porcini mushrooms, radicchio, polenta, and ricotta. The recipes are simple and rustic, yet elegant. You can make a few recipes from this book, serve them with good bread and wine, and feel like you're eating a feast in a garden in Tuscany. Great recipes include Orange and Fennel Salad, Whole Grilled Tomatoes with Polenta, and Whole Grain Bread with Mascarpone and Strawberries.

- The Legendary Cuisine of Persia: A classic resource on Iranian cuisine written by the British food historian Margaret Shaida, this deeply researched book tells the story of Iran's founding, and explains the basis of the country's 3,000-year-old cooking traditions. Much more than simply a cookbook, it explains the ritual and spiritual roles of food in Iran, and gives readers a background on Iranian culture and hospitality.

- Canal House Cooks Every Day: A treasury of great flavor combinations and valuable cooking techniques. From pesto to pickles to pie, these two veteran cooks show you how to make superb, original versions of just about any dish that you might want to make--sort of a sophisticated, modern incarnation of The Joy of Cooking. The book has a striking aesthetic that includes poetry, illustrations, and images of nature as well as gorgeous recipe photos.

*****

Many thanks for taking the time to share with us Louisa! xoxo -h

For those of you who are interested in keeping up with Louisa's life and work, you can find her at Lucid Food, or attend one of her classes, dinners, or events.

Lead photo by Linnea Covington, courtesy of The Gentle Kitchen..

Continue reading Favorite Cookbooks: Louisa Shafia...

Labneh

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I've been straining yogurt, aka making labneh, quite a lot lately. It started when I received a package from Jaipur, India. The package was cloth-covered and hand-stitched at the seams. My address in massive black penmanship. It may have been the most intriguing package I've received via post, and was sent by my friend Melissa, who (some of you might remember) I met after sitting down for lunch at the Anokhi Cafe. Melissa runs the cafe, and we hit it off from there. I remember her telling me about her favorite strainer - which she described as an unattractive plastic piece of crap, but one that does a fantastic job on the yogurt front. She sent me one! And she was right, this strainer has a very fine, double lining, which allows the liquid whey to flow from the yogurt leaving a thick silky white yogurt cream behind - perfect for spreading, rolling, and blending. I thought it might be interesting to keep a list of all the things I did with the last batch I made. And, before I get ahead of myself, you really don't need a "special" strainer to do this, you can use a couple layers of cheese cloth instead - a bit more messy, but it does the job too (I'll put detailed instructions in the recipe section)...

LabnehLabneh

With the last batch of labneh, here's how I used it....

- The above open-faced sandwich was on of the first things I made - a fast A+ lunch. Thin toasted bread, a layer of labneh, pan-fried hedgehog mushrooms, poached egg, shredded radicchio and tarragon, sea salt.

- smashed a few threads of saffron with brown sugar in a mortar and pestle added a bit of labneh, and used it to fill pitted dates.

- spread across a shallow bowl, drizzled generously with olive oil, fragrant Mexican oregano crumbled across the top, served with toasted pita wedges.

- shaped into small balls, rolled in za'atar, drizzled with lots of olive oil.

- Served a dollop alongside an asparagus frittata with loads of fresh herbs and a drizzle of lemon olive oil.

- slice of rye toast, layer of labneh, layer of jam.

- I've made it with less salt and used it as a beautiful frosting. It kind of ends up being in the realm of a cream cheese frosting. Sweeten the labneh with honey, sugar, sifted powdered sugar, etc - whatever your preference.

I'm also, of course, curious about how you use it. Give a shout in the comments if you make strained yogurt and do interesting things with it! xo-h

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Buttermilk Asparagus Salad

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Sometimes I open the refrigerator, the star's align, angels sing, and I end up with something off-beat and special. No special trip to the store, and no over-thinking ingredient or flavor combinations. I like putting ingredients together in ways I've never tried before, and sometimes having limited choices is exactly the nudge I need in that direction. I think that's what happened here. I made this simple side dish the other night using everything on the left-hand, bottom shelf. It's asparagus tossed with a garlicky buttermilk dressing, perky radish sprouts, lots of fresh cilantro, and a handful of cooked posole. I had posole on hand, but beans (chickpeas?), farro, orzo, or toasted nuts would be an easy swap if you don't.

Buttermilk Asparagus SaladButtermilk Asparagus Salad

I should also mention its the sort of thing you can prep nearly 100% ahead of time. You can make the dressing a day or two prior to using. And you can cook, chill, dry, and refrigerate the asparagus in advance as well. A few snips of sprouts and some cilantro, and you're all set.

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Birthday Cake

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I made birthday cake for myself this year. Or maybe I should say cakes, plural. I made one small cake, and a pair of tiny cakes. When they were cooled and frosted I lined a plate with parchment paper, placed the cakes on top, then pushed them into the back of my car before slamming the trunk. We skipped town for Los Angeles, and took a leisurely two days to get there. We did things like look for migrating whales off the coast, searched for items for the next collection of the shop, and ate cake on a shaded picnic table outside Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad. The cake? The cake is worth making. Made mostly of almond paste and eggs, it's sort-of a cake version of these macaroons, flooded with a simple, smudge-proof buttermilk glaze. It's the kind of cake that can handle some time in the car, will stay moist for a few days, with frosting that sets instead of smears.

Birthday CakeBirthday Cake

I make some notes down below in the recipe section about baking pan options, but the jist is this..feel free to play around with pan sizes if you like. The tins I used to bake the smallest cakes might have been old jelly molds - anything oven-safe with good shape is fair game around here. Although, one thing I've learned about using old pans is this - the most unfussy cakes tend to come from pans with smooth unblemished interiors. Pans that are rough tend to hold onto cakes when turning them out, even if they've been well buttered and/or floured. What else? Pan sizes - I know you'll have questions. The main consideration when playing around with pan sizes is baking time. You need to watch the cakes, and pull them when they're done. It's that simple. With this cake, for example, the edges will set and start developing a golden blush that deepens over time. At this point, you're looking for the center to set. Test with a toothpick or cake tester - when it comes out clean, or when you have a sense that the cake has set, you're good. You want to catch it just as it sets, so it stays moist.

Birthday Cake

(Above) Looking north from Santa Monica. (Below) Wayne with his camera.

Birthday CakeBirthday Cake

I hope you have an occasion for cake in the near future, whether it's this one or another. :)

Also! As a side note, for those of you interested in the QUITOKEETO shop, we're planning on opening with new items (and a handful of restocked favorites) this Monday morning, April 22, at 8:30am. I've posted a bit of a preview here - super excited! xo -h

Continue reading Birthday Cake...
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