checking out the smitten kitchen

Deb Perelman's The Smitten Kitchen began as a food blog -- as many cookbooks nowadays seem to start out -- then became a collection of recipes which she describes as something like "comfort foods stepped up a bit."  And there's a general comfort to the tone of Deb's accompanying text -- her words are friendly and welcoming and funny, and her basic approach to food is realistically creative.  Her home base is in NYC, where apartments are small and kitchens even smaller; she dislikes fussy or overly foodie concepts and won't include "truffle oil" or costly "Himalayan pink salt" among her ingredients.

Among the standout offerings are Greens, Eggs and Hollandaise (the DIY remedy to ordering $14 Eggs Florentine of varying quality at brunch), Fig, Olive Oil, and Sea Salt Challah, Ratatouille Sub, Vinegar Slaw with Cucumbers and Dill, Sesame-Spiced Turkey Meatballs, Harvest Roast Chicken with Grapes, Olives, and Rosemary, and Marbled Pumpkin Gingersnap Tart.  And the Whole Lemon Bars, which came from a generational desire to put her own twist on the classic and make it "lazier, louder, and lush with butter."  And the meaty but meatless Mushroom Bourguignon (click here to give it a try).

I also enjoyed the Party Food section with more recipes and advice on putting together a gathering you can manage to be part of, and not just as some frazzled hostess on the sidelines.  A few Amazon reviewers noted how the actual printed Smitten Kitchen is a tad user-unfriendly, but I was working with the Kindle version, which is fully searchable and I had no issues at all.  (Lovely photos by the author included as well, for those of us who like really lovely food photos.)

indian...made simple

Indian...Cooking Made Simple is an intriguing not-too-long (but not-too-short either) collection of recipes from Parragon Books' LOVE FOOD series.  Each recipe is accompanied by a generally lovely photo, if that's as important to you as it is to me, and there are -- not surprisingly -- Indian standards like Tandoori Chicken, Lamb Rogan Josh, Samosas, Curries, Paneer, Chapatis, Pakoras, Pooris, Raita and Mango Lassi.  Beyond that framework, however, are variations on familiar themes like Chile-Cilantro Naan, Mussels in Coconut Sauce, Shrimp and Pineapple Tikka, Mint and Spinach Chutney, and Ginger Ice Cream with Date and Tamarind Sauce.  And this delicious Tomato Kachumbar, which is as easy to make as salsa and just as versatile:

Tomato Kachumbar (from Indian...Cooking Made Simple, Parragon Books 2011)

4 ounces lime juice
1/2 tsp sugar
6 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cucumber chopped
8 scallions, chopped
1 fresh green chile, seeded and chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
salt

Mix lime juice, sugar, and a pinch of salt together in a large bowl and stir until sugar has completely dissolved.

Add tomatoes, cucumber, scallions, chile, cilantro, and mint and toss well to mix.

Cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.  Toss the vegetables before serving.

frutas de tequila

This isn't a cookbook review but really just a quick post to remember the short publication life (2006-2008) of Martha Stewart's Blueprint: Design Your Life magazine.  There are new and different magazines named Blueprint out there now, but they're just not the same and they aren't going to tell me how to make a full length skirt out of an old bridesmaid's dress or give me three alternatives to a hamburger bun (English muffin, Portuguese roll, and a brioche).  Not sure went wrong along the way with Martha's Blueprint, but 2008 was a rough year for America's economy and probably the magazine business was no exception.

However...back in the happy carefree days of the July/August 2007 BP issue, there was a fun feature on having "Mex Modern" food or Baja California style fish tacos, grilled corn, pan-fried olives and chiles stuffed with goat cheese, and tequila-soaked fruit skewers.  Here's the recipe for the refreshing-with-a-bite/buzz fruit on a stick, and a raising of a skewer to Blueprint for what it was when it was:

Cut 1/4 watermelon (2 pounds) and 1 peeled mango into 1 inch cubes. Slice rind and pith from three oranges and cut in half lengthwise; place flat sides down and cut into semicircles.  Place all fruit in a large dish and sprinkle with 1/4 cup tequila reposada.  Set aside for an hour or so, then grate 1 tablespoon lime zest over fruit, skewer and serve.  (Makes 18 skewers)

classic italian cooking for the vegetarian gourmet

Classic Italian Cooking for The Vegetarian Gourmet (Beverly Cox with Dale Whitesell) was published in 1984 and is indeed a classic full of great Italian meatless recipes from antipasti to pasta to pizza, risotto, egg dishes, breads, salads and sweets.  The pasta and sauces offerings range from the more creamy dishes of the northern parts of Italy to the spicier and/or sometimes (but not always) simpler cuisine of the south.  The pizza recipes also tend to be regional.  Pizza alla Siracusana, for example, includes olives, eggplant, red peppers, tomatoes and zucchini, all representative of the noted "influences of Greek cooking" found in Sicily.  Pizza Veneziana, on the other hand, has asiago baked into the crust with a fennel and tomato topping.

My mom bought this cookbook years ago and I happily appropriated it, and you truly could just make a point of using only this collection of recipes for a whole month and the variety would be delicious.  You'd also learn quite a bit about the diversity of Italian cooking and never miss the taste of chicken, beef, pork or fish.  Just some sample offerings beyond pizza and pasta are Caponata (or eggplant caviar as we call it), Rice-Stuffed Tomatoes, Tuscan Bean Soup, Grilled Vegetable Polenta, Fontina Salad with Creamy Mustard Dressing, and Olive Oil & Herb Bread,   Then for dessert are Almond Macaroons, Pears Stuffed with Gorgonzola and Hazelnuts, Cheesecake, Biscotti and Sambuca Sherbet, plus many more. There's a glossary of Italian cheeses as well and a basic overview into what to have on hand for a well-stocked Italian kitchen.  And here's a fairly easy but memorable recipe for Green Beans with Mint:

2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh mint
2 ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and crushed
2 tablespoons olive oil, preferably extra virgin
2 pounds green beans
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Crush garlic and mint in a mortar or finely chop them together.  When you have a fine paste, add to the tomatoes, stir in the olive oil, and reserve.  Trim the ends from the beans and cook in several quarts of salted boiling water, or steam over salted boiling water, for 3 to 4 minutes until just tender yet still firm.  Drain the beans and toss them with the mint sauce.  Season with salt and pepper and serve. (Serves 6).