green[meat]egg[plant]s and [no ham]

Alright, I have to do the last of my catching up here. Sadly, I don't have much by way of pictures but I do have some colorful recipes. A few weeks ago now my parents came to Queens for dinner, seeing as I now finally inhabit an apartment that parents would willingly sit through a meal in. Dinner was delicious and simple. We started with a goat cheese and pears from this fabulous store followed by aged steaks topped with Sauce Vierge, roasted potatoes and greens with Accidental Dressing (refer to last week if you don't know what that is). The sauce, translated, means Virgin Sauce due to the fact that it's uncooked. It certainly does not lack pungency and with a good steak the sauce really brings out the meaty-goodness.
{funny side note into the workings of my brain: as I typed that I realized that I served Virgin Sauce with Naughty Cake for dessert, kinda funny, no?}

Then, a recent issue of this magazine so inspired me that I made two recipes from it in as many days. The first was the Eggplant Parmesan. Truth be told, I'm not a big eggplant fan but something about this recipe made me believe that it would be good. I like that fact the eggplant wasn't breaded and rather pan-friend in olive oil and layered lasagna-style and baked. While the outcome really was gooey and decadent and made it feel much more indulgent than it actually was... this dish is deceptively labor intensive (unless perhaps you have an industrial size saute pan). Eight EIGHT rounds of browning eggplant before it was actually done. But like I said, it was wonderful and kept really well in the fridge.

Lastly, I made the Green Masala. To think that only a couple years ago I hated cilantro and now I make a recipe because it calls for 2 cups of the stuff... I must be SO mature now. Well that and I had nearly ever ingredient on hand to make the dish, so it was a bit of a no brainer. I used cubed lamb instead of chicken. Oh, and hey, listen to what happened. Lamb Shoulder was $3.99 at the butcher and I asked for it off the bone and cube, suddenly it was $8.99 a pound. He didn't tell me this 'til all the hacking was said and done. But I've never heard of such a thing, have you? Anyway, back to the recipe. In all honesty, I thought it would pack a little more flavor than it did and I would have appreciated a bit of heat in the dish. Also, the sauce was a little bit thin so I threw in a can of red beans to add some heft and take up some of that curry. I haven't had leftovers yet, but I checked on them today (weird?) and the sauce has thickened in the fridge and I have a feeling that it would be better today.

Ok, that's it, I'm caught up. More recipes to come this week for sure. It is a certain gentleman's birthday Tuesday and a menu is currently in development.

Sauce Vierge
adapted from, Saveur #113
1/4 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp. capers
12 large green olives, such as cerignola, pitted and roughly chopped
6 oil-packed (good quality!) anchovy filets, drained and finely chopped
4 cornichons, roughly chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 jalapeño, stemmed and finely chopped
1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 1/2 "-thick top sirloin steaks (about 2 lbs.)

1) On a cutting board, pile together the parsley, capers, olives, anchovies, cornichons, shallots, garlic, and jalapeño. With a large knife, finely chop and scrape the ingredients to combine.
2) Transfer the parsley mixture to a large bowl and stir in 6 tbsp. of the olive oil and the mustard with a fork to make a thick and chunky sauce. (Drizzle in more olive oil for a thinner consistency, if you like.) Season with salt and pepper. Set the sauce aside at room temperature to let rest for 30 minutes, to allow the flavors to mingle.
3) Cook the steaks to your liking. (I prefer mine with a good sear, medium rare on a cast iron skillet). Stir the sauce (it will begin to separate slightly as it sits) and spoon it over the steaks. Serve hot or at room temperature.
serves 4

Eggplant Parmesan
adapted from, Food & Wine, October 2008
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus about 2 cups for frying
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
Two 28-ounce cans whole, peeled Italian tomatoes, drained
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
8 small eggplants ( 1/2 pound each), cut lengthwise 1/2 inch thick [I needed about a dozen to get to the necessary 4 lbs]
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped basil
1 pound lightly salted fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced and torn into small pieces
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons dry bread crumbs

1) In a large skillet, heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Using your hands, crush the whole tomatoes into the skillet. Bring to a simmer, add pepper flakes and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is very thick, about 25 minutes. Transfer the tomato sauce to a food processor and puree until smooth. Season generously with salt and pepper.
2) Meanwhile, in a very large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of olive oil making sure to get the oil very hot. Season the eggplant slices with salt and pepper. Working in several batches, cook the eggplant over moderately high heat, turning once, until golden on both sides, about 8 minutes per batch; add more olive oil to the skillet between batches. Drain the eggplant slices on paper towels.
3) Preheat the oven to 400°. Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce in a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Arrange one-third of the fried eggplant slices in the baking dish and sprinkle all over with 1 tablespoon of the chopped basil. Top with one-third of the torn mozzarella and sprinkle with 1/3 cup of the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat this layering twice. Sprinkle the bread crumbs all over the top of the eggplant Parmesan. Bake in the upper third of the oven for about 45 minutes, until the top of the eggplant Parmesan is golden and the tomato sauce is bubbling. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
serves 6-8

Green Masala
adapted from, Food & Wine, October 2008
2 cups cilantro leaves
1 cup mint leaves
2 jalapeños, coarsely chopped, seeded
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 onion, finely chopped
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (1 3/4 pounds), cut into 1-inch pieces or 1 1/2 lbs cubed lamb shoulder
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1) In a blender, combine the cilantro, mint, jalapeño, garlic, lemon juice and water and puree until smooth.
2) In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and turmeric and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden in spots, about 7 minutes. Add the cinnamon, cardamom and cloves and cook for 1 minute. Add the cilantro puree and coconut milk, season with salt and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat until the sauce is slightly reduced and the chicken is tender, about 15 minutes. (At this point I added a can of rinsed and drained red beans as the dish was seeming too liquidy). Serve with basmati rice.
serves 4

a naming....

So, I guess I forgot to mention. I ended up taking that management position, but did it in a part-time capacity. Somehow I thought this would still leave me with plenty of free time. Unfortunately, it hasn't really. Well, it's left me with enough free time to do some cooking, but not quite enough to keep pace with my updating online here. As a result, I don't want to do too much yammering today. Let me cut to the chase. I've made a whole bunch of stuff lately, and the majority of it was rather delicious. I slacked mildly with some of my picture taking. Forgive me please?

This bunch of recipes is from a night when Jessica came for dinner. We had Saumon Aux Lentilles, essentially a pan-seared salmon over lentils, both cooked with a delicious herb butter. The recipe was simple, looks like it came from a restaurant, was totally healthy and really delicious.* The meal was terrific; though through a series of minor mishaps (and miscommunications) a couple items became fabulously renamed. "Accidental Dressing" was created when a jar of sugar was mistaken for salt, the result: a perfectly balanced shallot vinaigrette. And "Naughty Cake", well that's actually Edna Lewis' Fresh Apple Cake with Caramel Glaze in disguise. You see, the conversation went something like this when I removed this delicious rustic cake from the oven.

"Hey Jess, check out this cake. It looks all knotty."
"Jules, did you just call your cake naughty?"

Thus, we have naughty cake. This cake was also made again for a family dinner a few days later. With it's dense crumb, autumnal apple-y goodness and the perfect amount of sweetness imparted from the caramel glaze, how could I not make it twice in one week? I also made an outstanding Chocolate Stout Cakefor said family dinner, which might now be my go to choice for a not-too-sweet chocolate cake recipe.

Saumon aux Lentilles
adapted from, Gourmet, March 2008
For mustard-herb butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 teaspoon chopped tarragon
2 teaspoons grainy mustard
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
For lentils
1 cup French green lentils
4 cups water
2 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 to 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
For salmon
4 (6-ounce) pieces skinless salmon fillet
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1) Make mustard-herb butter: Stir together all ingredients with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
2) Cook lentils: Bring lentils, water, and 3/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until lentils are just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid, then drain lentils.
3) While lentils cook, chop leeks, then wash. Cook leeks in butter in a heavy medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes.
4) Add lentils with reserved cooking liquid to leeks along with 3 tablespoons mustard-herb butter and cook, stirring, until lentils are heated through and butter is melted. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and keep warm, covered.
5) Sauté salmon while leeks cook: Pat salmon dry and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper (total).
6) Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then sauté salmon, turning once, until golden and just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes total.
7) Serve salmon, topped with remaining mustard-herb butter, over lentils.

* This recipe was possibly even better the next morning when the lentils were cooked slightly longer with a lil more butter and a fried runny egg on top and a small piece of called salmon next to it. Seriously good.

Accidental Dressing
1 shallot, finely chopped
3 T red wine vinegar
1/4 t sugar
1 t dijon mustard
3 T extra virgin olive oil

1) Combine shallot, vinegar and sugar in a small bowl and let sit for 30 mins.
2) Whisk in dijon and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper if you want. Toss with your favorite greens.

(sorry, I forgot to take a picture after the glaze)
Naughty Cake
adapted from, The Gift of Southern Cooking
CAKE
1 cup light-brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 large eggs
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground Ceylon cinnamon**
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 fresh apples (such as Winesap or Granny Smith, I used Cortland), peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 3/4 cups not-too-finely chopped pecans
2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
GLAZE
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light-brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup heavy cream

1) Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).
2) Put the sugars and vegetable oil in a mixing bowl, and beat until very well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, and gradually add to the sugar and eggs, mixing just until well blended.
3) Stir in the vanilla. Next, using your hands add apples, pecans and pour into a buttered and 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
4) Bake in the preheated oven until a skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 1/4 hours (begin checking after 50 minutes). Remove from the oven, and allow to cool in the pan while you prepare the caramel glaze.
MAKE THE GLAZE
1) Melt the butter in a saucepan, and add both the sugars and the salt. Stir until blended, and cook over medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream, and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
2) Use a skewer or toothpick to poke holes all over the top of the cake, and pour the warm glaze over the surface. Serve warm or at room temperature.
**Ceylon is a special type of cinnamon more closely akin to the real deal and not the supermarket brand which can be somewhat "hot" in flavor. If you're looking for it in New York you can find it at this store which is amazing and you should check out if you've never been. If you don't feel like seeking out the good stuff, no worries. Just use half as much as the recipe calls for with the supermarket kind.

Chocolate Stout Cake
adapated from, Bon Appetit, September 2002
1 cup stout (such as Guinness, I used this one )
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter or spray a bundt pan well; make sure you get in all of the nooks and crannies.
2) Bring 1 cup stout and 1 cup butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
3) Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed.
4) Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
5) Transfer cake to rack; cool completely in the pan, then turn cake out onto rack for drizzling glaze***
***I used a chocolate and a white chocolate glaze just to provide some contrast in color. Though really, the white chocolate was probably not necessary.