writing, cooking, nourishing

 My good friend J (who happens to be an amazing short story writer) and I decided to combine our creative forces and good appetites into  wholesome nourishment of cooking and writing. We talk food a lot, often venturing into our childhood favorites, discussing how some of them stayed with us till adulthood completely intact and some, considering abundance of available ingredients, have evolved into something different...but still delivering the same feeling of comfort, we got from these foods when we were little.

nourishment  (written by J)

Grilled cheese sandwiches with the crusts cut off. My grandfather’s specialty made with white bread, (the only kind I knew there was back then) and bubbling yellow American cheese, (gently peeled from the individually wrapped coat of plastic) slightly burned on the outside, (just the way I liked it.) Consuming the masterpiece of carbohydrates, dairy, and grease slowly, examining each bite for teeth impressions, and eating around the ends in a spiral-like fashion, so that my final bite of cheesy goodness would be the exact center of the sandwich, the heart, the core.
I would enjoy my lunch on the screened-in back porch of my childhood home, the thin royal blue weathered carpeting, the wooden drawer that housed my expansive rock collection, the old worn-out sofa, which doubled as the base for a fort. That tired and patched sofa marked the gathering space where my Poppy and I would spend many evenings sitting and listening to nature’s chorus: identifying bird calls, eavesdropping on the conversations of insects and frogs..... (read the rest of the story here)

Grilled cheese sandwich must be everyone's childhood favorite. We LOVE this adult, gourmet version with three amazing cheeses, fresh herbs and crusty bread.....we simply can't resist that!!!! And although list of ingredients has changed we still get the same feeling of nourishment completed with memories of places and people that created them.


Cowgirl Creamery grilled cheese sandwich 
 (created for Hog Island Oyster Co)

1 cup Cowgirl Creamery Fromage Blanc
1 cup Grated Cave Aged Gruyere Cheese
1 cup Grated Vell Mezzo Secco Cheese
1 tablespoon fresh herbs like thyme and oregano, finely chopped
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 slices good crusty bread, I used Italian Batard
a little bit of olive oil

Mix the cheeses with herbs and pepper in a bowl. Preheat non stick fry pan to medium hot. Sprinkle one side of each slice of bread with some olive oil. Spread the cheese mixture on the non oiled side of the bread slices and place four pieces, oil side down, into the fry pan. Place the corresponding slices on top and cook until brown, then turn and brown the other side. Because the cheeses are grated and bound together with the fromage blanc, they melt quickly and evenly, slightly oozing out the sides. Serve with pickles like cornichons, pepperoncini, olives. Serves four. (recipe source The View From the Bay)

                                          happy cooking and finger licking from M&J

Posted by M. at 11:29 AM 21 comments

feeling green, Asparagus Tart

I love this moment of awakening, rebuilding and renewing.... always associated with arrival of spring. Switching to lighter clothes, lighter foods.... feeling more energized and more alive.... starting new projects... finding new looks and more positive outlooks... if this was up to me, first day of spring would also be first day of a new year. It would be so much easier to follow through with your new year's resolutions with longer, sunnier days on one's side. Not that I'm counting....but six more days and we are there!!!
In the mean time I found this recipe for lovely asparagus tart to celebrate spring with. It has layers of puff pastry, thinly sliced potatoes, eggs, cheese, touch of cream and organic asparagus. This combination of different textures and flavors was so delicious that even my usually carnivorous other half ate seconds and thirds. It tastes great with white wine, as an appetizer for six or light dinner for four.

Green Asparagus Tart with Potatoes

shopping list (serves 4):
1 bunch of organic green asparagus (I used about18 pieces)
1 large potato, sliced
3-4 tbsp olive oil
puff pastry, used 1 sheet
75g Gruyere, grated, used aged cheddar instead and more than recipe called for
2 eggs, lightly beaten
100ml heavy whipping cream
a pinch or two of freshly ground nutmeg
sea salt & freshly ground pepper
 

Cut off the asparagus’ tougher stalk ends (about 1-2 inches). Blanch the asparagus briefly for 1 to 2 minutes in boiling, lightly salted water, then transfer to a bowl with ice water.

Peel and thinly slice potatoes and add to a pan with a few spoons of olive oil. Carefully pan-fry potatoes over low to medium heat for about 5-8 minutes (don’t let them brown). Then remove the slices from the pot.Place them on a paper towel.

Grease a rectangular tart ( I used 9 inch) form with butter, arrange puff pastry and form a small rim. Using a fork, stab little holes all over the arranged puff pastry. On top, add a layer of potato slices and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Combine eggs and cream in a bowl, season with sea salt, freshly ground pepper and nutmeg and pour over the potatoes/cheese layer. Arrange asparagus spears equally across the tart. You may want to brush the tart edges with egg yolk to let it gain a nice golden color while baking.

Bake at (350°F) in the preheated oven for about 30min or until edges are golden.

Serve warm. Adapted from delicious days.

Posted by M. at 6:52 PM 15 comments

Challah, my first bread

Pulling freshly baked bread out of the oven for the very first time was something so incredible, that I will never forget.  While I was anxiously awaiting for it to cool down, I couldn't believe this amazing scent of a busy bakery was spreading around my own house!!! .... Finally after what seemed the longest ten minutes ever of staring at it and rubbing my eyes in disbelief, I could proceed with spreading butter and examining taste and texture of my newest creation.... I took the first bite of my very own homemade loaf...and screamed: Oh... My.... Challah!!!! It was so amazing and so incredible and so this and so that...I was trying to explain to my mother, who immediately took a pen and wrote the recipe down. While I was pulling various jams and marmalades out from the back of my fridge, determined to find a perfect match for my challah, I had already forgotten knuckle and wrist pain from kneading and planed to add more raisins, tad more sugar and vanilla extract next time.

This recipe is adapted from Joan Nathan, who says:
"Several risings make a better loaf, and if you want an especially brioche-like texture, let the dough rise slowly in the refrigerator for one of the three risings. The secret to a glossy loaf is to brush with an egg wash twice, once just after braiding and then again just before baking."
Time: about 1 hour, plus 2 1/2 hours’ rising
makes 2 loaves

• 1 1/2 packages active dry yeast (1 1/2 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the bowl
• 5 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 8 to 8 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup raisins per challah, plumped in hot water and drained
• 1/2 Tbsp of vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water.
2. Whisk oil into yeast, then beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, with remaining sugar and salt. Gradually add flour. When dough holds together, it is ready for kneading. (You can also use a mixer with a dough hook for both mixing and kneading, but be careful if using a standard size KitchenAid–it’s a bit much for it, though it can be done.)
3. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Clean out bowl and grease it, then return dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until almost doubled in size. Dough may also rise in an oven that has been warmed to 150 degrees then turned off. Punch down dough, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another half-hour.
4. At this point, you can knead the raisins into the challah, if you’re using them, before forming the loaves. To make a 6-braid challah(it's kind of challenging, so I use a little help from this video), either straight or circular, take half the dough and form it into 6 balls. With your hands, roll each ball into a strand about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Place the 6 in a row, parallel to one another. Pinch the tops of the strands together. Move the outside right strand over 2 strands. Then take the second strand from the left and move it to the far right. Take the outside left strand and move it over 2. Move second strand from the right over to the far left. Start over with the outside right strand. Continue this until all strands are braided. For a straight loaf, tuck ends underneath. For a circular loaf, twist into a circle, pinching ends together. Make a second loaf the same way. Place braided loaves on a greased cookie sheet with at least 2 inches in between.
5. Beat remaining egg and brush it on loaves. Either freeze breads or let rise another hour.
6. If baking immediately, preheat oven to 375 degrees and brush loaves again. Sprinkle bread with seeds, if using. If freezing, remove from freezer 5 hours before baking.
7. Bake in middle of oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden. (If you have an instant read thermometer, you can take it out when it hits an internal temperature of 190 degrees.) Cool loaves on a rack.
Note: I let my challah rise slowly in a rather cold kitchen, it takes longer then times given in the original recipe but it yields great texture and excellent, deeply developed flavor.

Posted by M. at 12:13 PM 15 comments

simply delicious: breakfast

 I don't know about you, but I love starting my days with some yoga and delicious, simple and nourishing breakfast, which seems to be undermined, underrated or skipped altogether these days. With the same tired excuse of lack of time, we try to survive  on cup of coffee and some sugary pastries till lunch but it only takes 5 min to prepare nutritious breakfast that would start our day just right. And I know waking up  at 5am to bake muffins and quick breads is not in your plans and cereal with cold milk in wintry morning doesn't sound that enticing either, that's why I love oat bran hot cereal. This wholesome meal, full of fiber and protein tastes great with just some fruits, nuts and  honey.

 

Oat Bran Cereal with Dried Cherries and Honey:

• 1/3 cup of oat bran cereal ( I love Bob's Red Mill)
• 1 cup of water
• pinch of salt
• 1 banana sliced and divided
• honey
• shredded coconut
• dried cherries
• chopped pecans(optional)

I cook cereal accordingly to packaging instructions and then stir in some chopped pecans, place 1/2 of sliced bananas in the large bowl, top it with prepared cereal, then add the rest of  bananas, dried cherries, drizzle with honey, sprinkle with shredded coconut and voila! Delicious, simple and nourishing breakfast is ready!
Enjoy your day.
                                      

Posted by M. at 12:50 PM 9 comments