Fennel Bourbon Buffalo Sausage with Sunchoke and Caramelized Onion Mash
Posted on | March 31, 2009 | 1 Comment
Look at this picture long enough and you'll see Mark Twain
One of my favorite experiences in cruising farmer’s markets is the discovery of something new, or the purchase of something familiar, yet untried. I don’t often find this at the local grocery store, which increasingly looks like the week-old discount bin of the country’s worst produce.
If you’re up for it, feel adventurous, and don’t mind asking questions, the farmer’s market can provide needed inspiration, whether in finding new things to eat, or discovering new ways to cook.
Last Sunday, I found a little of both. That morning, I was, admittedly, not feeling adventurous. I felt unprepared, didn’t have a list, hadn’t taken an adequate stock of my fridge, and hadn’t brought a shopping bag, which I’ve grown accustomed to carrying most everywhere.
Mushroom and Onion Tart with Gruyere
Posted on | March 29, 2009 | 8 Comments
Gruyere provides a nice balance for the earthiness of the mushrooms
Listen up, because I’m here to tell you, right now, that few culinary treats are easier to make and more rewarding than the savory tart. Amenable to breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch service; comfortable in the supporting cast as an appetizer before a meal, or in the starring roll, as the main course – the savory tart is the ultimate utility player. The French have know this, well, forever.
I first learned of the beauty of the tart when I was living in Ireland. My friend and roommate Chris, from Nimmos Wine Bar, made a new tart almost daily – using the moreover bits of cheese from the cheese board, and any vegetables that were nearing the conclusion of their freshness. I’d arrive at work in the late afternoons to prepare the bar and would smell the unforgettable, magical scents of cheese and butter co-mingling with pastry. One afternoon, I finally asked him to show me the secret for making the perfect tart, and, well, there really were none. The tart, like most things, is rooted in some basic fundamentals. Everything thereafter is freestyle – as cooking should be.
At the time, though, and as a novice cook, I did invest in a fabulous tart cookbook; one that I still page through, seemingly every week, for inspiration. It’s called the Art of The Tart by Tamasin Day-Lewis. You’ll find it on page two of the culinary store, and if you choose to purchase it I promise you won’t regret it.
Mahi with Orange-Soy-Ginger Glaze, Sugar Snap Peas and Sauteed Sweet Potato Batons
Posted on | March 27, 2009 | 4 Comments
This quick-and-easy glaze takes well to Mahi
A few weeks back, a friend of mine told me flat out that she didn’t like blogs because people who write them so often attempt to be overly clever. She worried that this might be particularly prevalent in food blogging. That’s a larger question than I’m ready to tackle, but it spurred me to think about why I blog, and, furthermore, why I blog about food. The answer is rooted firmly in the reason d’etre of Recipe Play: a desire to learn more about what I eat and why by experimenting in the kitchen.
Experimentation for me, though, doesn’t begin and end in the kitchen; those long moments when I stare into the refrigerator, the pantry, or pick through the fresh produce on the cutting board. Quite a lot of it happens out here in the food-0-sphere of cyberspace. I’ve met incredible people who are also incredible cooks, and through that experience have also learned quite a lot about cooking – how to experiment with what I have while basing that experimentation on some sound culinary principles.
Recently, faced with an over-abundance of citrus fruits emanating from the weekly Washington’s Green Grocer delivery, I turned to this cyber-food community with typical great results. I posted a notice on the Leftover Queen’s Food Forum about my orange situation – it’s a great place to go in order to interact with other cooks and discover new ideas; or, like me, to plead for help.
Jenni, from Online Pastry Chef, who is fabulous blogger, hilarious story teller, great writer and – oh yes – a trained culinary professional, answered my call.
Reuben Patty Melt – The Frankenstein’s Monster of St. Paddy’s Day Leftovers
Posted on | March 20, 2009 | 5 Comments
Note to Obama: leftovers can save the country
Every once in a while, I’m tempted to play Dr. Frankenstein with my food. This time, the Monster was the 2 pounds of corned beef leftover from a Sunday St. Paddy’s feast. I eat corned beef once or twice a year, almost always in Reuben sandwiches. Reubens are delicious, and I challenge anyone who thinks otherwise to pistols at dawn. But, I was a bit tired of the same old Reuben equation.
So, I did what any aspiring mad food scientist would do: I threw it in the blender with a bit of Guinness and some egg whites and ground it up. The result, a Reuben patty melt (fried onions excluded…this time).
On St. Patrick’s Day – Giving Thanks for Memories of Food
Posted on | March 17, 2009 | 2 Comments
Nimmos Wine Bar - Galway - My first real job
St. Patrick’s Day 2009. I give thanks today for having experienced a brief glimpse of Ireland; nine years ago in Galway on the blustery west coast of that beautiful country. Fresh out of college and fresh off the boat, I grew up in Ireland, landed my first job out of college, discovered my first sense of freedom, and in the end, made my first major life decision – to forgo conventional wisdom and travel the path of aspiring writer and journalist. And there was the food, always the food. Often, it was the only entertainment I could afford, and it served the dual purpose of feeding me and teaching me new things, like the fact that pastry is so much easier to make when you can see your breath in the kitchen.