Food for Thought

I have been trying to shed a few pounds that I put on during the holidays and have found that one of the best ways to have lots of food and few calories is to eat a lot of vegetables. However, just plain old veggies can be really boring after a while and make you want to run out and eat a lasagna loaded with cheese and pasta. So, I have been making vegetable soup which I find more satisfying with the same results as eating the vegetablesalone. Here is the idea:
Take about one quarter of an onion and cut it into very small pieces (dice). Put it in a saucepan (not a real small one, but something that will hold about 8 cups) with some cooking spray. Cook briefly until the onion turns translucent. Add enough broccoli (that has been cut into flowerettes) to fill the pot about three quarters full. Add some chicken broth (about one and one half cans), cover, and cook until the broccoli is soft but not mushy. Put the mixture into a food processor or blender and whir until it is smooth. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and just a small dash of nutmeg. If the mixture is too thick, thin with some more chicken broth. You would be surprised how good this is!

You can vary the theme by using cauliflower, butternut squash, cabbage, or carrols instead of the broccoli, and use different seasonings such as fresh ginger with the butternut squash. The technique remains the same. If you use cabbage, use can cook the cabbage and add a can of white beans for a more hearty soup.

Let me know if you try this method of eating vegetables (I bet your kids might even like it) and if you have any ideas of your own.

Posted by Susan Colby at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Grilling and Bar-B-Qing are two separate cooking methods that utilize the same aparatus. Bar-B-Que is LOW, indirect heat for a long time designed for the tougher cuts of meat, where as Grilling is HIGH, direct heat, for a short period of time, more for steaks, burgers, etc.. Both have unique and desireable characteristics, but DO NOT invite people over for a Bar-B-Que and serve them grilled hamburgers! Bar-Bar-B-Que hails from Natives who used to hang their kill on sticks around a fire so the smoke would keep the bugs away and subsequently cooked the meat. The pit Bar-B-Que probably came from a wild night around the fire and some of the meat fell in and got buried. The next morning when they realized what happened, they discovered a new cooking method! I don't know for sure, but some of our best creations have come about by accident.

Now is the time to start thinking about the outdoor cooking season, and the first thing on your mind should be cleaning last years gunk out of your grill/BBQ. Pull the grates out and knock off loose gunk then bomb them with oven cleaner. You can even use it on the iside of you BBQ if it is practical. Rinse completely. A can of high heat paint puts new life into any BBQ, if it is worth it, but NEVER paint the inside unless you want your food to taste like chemicals. The best thing to do is to oil the inside after it is cleaned out. I use Pam for ease of application, but any food grade oil will work. If you have a heavy metal BBQ, like my Brinkman, after oiling, a big hot fire sesons the inside for the summer. Now you have the outdoor cooking bug agin so what are we going to cook? Here is a simple favorite;
BBQ Tri-Tip

Light the fire and get a good set of coals going, or heat your gas BBQ to high. Stab Tri-Tip with a fork. Go nuts. Pretend you are in Psycho. Really perforate it! Lightly dust with you favorite rub, (I'm into rubs right now), and set aside until the BBQ is ready. You can also season the meat ahead of time and refrigerate which is a really good idea. Move all the coals to one side of the BBQ, or turn off all but one burner and put the meat on the grill as far away from the heat as possible. Put the lid on and try to regulate the heat down low by closing vents. Beef should reach 160 degrees internally, but you really should take the meat off before it reaches that temp because the meat will continue to cook even after you remove it. This should take AT LEAST an hour. Any shorter, you are cooking to fast. Remember, the slower the better. Slice thinly and serve with a sourdough baguette and a green salad or green beans.

Posted by Susan Colby at 09:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Well, I was going to talk about wings, too, but Daniel beat me to the punch. Just "wings" as they are now called were called Buffalo wings, not because they had any relationship to those shaggy creatures that roam our plains, but because they were first produced in Buffalo, NY at the Anchor Bar. The story goes that the unannounced late-night arrival of the owner's son prompted him to come up with a fast and easy snack to give to him and his friends. The recipe (much diluted with beer) that Daniel gave you is pretty close to the original.

My version of wings goes like this:
Cover wings with teriyaki sauce and put in an oiled pan in a 400 degree oven; bake for 45 minutes or so until they look like they are done. Remove from the pan and serve with a spicy peanut sauce:
1 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup lime or lemon juice
3 Tbsp brown sugar
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp chopped, peeled fresh ginger
1 Tbsp chopped, fresh garlic
Hot sauce to taste
Whir up together in a food processor or a blender; if too thick, dilute with chicken broth.

Serve with rice that has been flavored with grated lemon peel and parsley. Add a green salad of your choice and you have a complete meal. Something with coconut would make a great dessert.

Posted by Susan Colby at 03:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

I love Superbowl Sunday! This is a day that has turned into a holiday for many of us and I am no exception. Now wait a minute you football haters. I rarely know what teams are going to be playing, let alone how many of them have been investigated, incarcerated, or what have you, but it is a really great excuse to gather people together to have a good time, and eat good food. My all time favorite must have finger food is Buffalo Wings. Here is the best basic recipe for making wings;

Start with opening a beer. In a deep heavy pan, heat at least 1/2 inch of vegetable oil to at least med high, (all stoves vary so play with it), and fry the hell out of the fresh wings. You will probably need to do it in batches. Have a beer. The wings must have enough room to swim around in the oil while they cook. Or, if you have a deep fryer, go for it. At the same time, melt a cube of butter and mix in a bottle of Crystal hot sauce. Have a beer. After the sauce is all mixed in, blend in a heaping spoonful of chili pepper paste. Toss the fried wings in the sauce and serve with Blue cheese dressing and celery sticks. Have a beer.

I'm also going to make Sausage rolls;

Buy frozen PUFF PASTRY and you favorite fresh ground Italian sausage. Have a beer. Lay out one of the pastry sheets and put about a 1/2 pound of sausage in log form down the center of the pastry. Have a beer. Roll over onto itself and seal all seams with lightly wet fingers. Be sure to pinch the ends well. Place on an oiled baking sheet, brush with a little egg, and bake according to the pastry package instructions. Have a beer. Cut into one inch bits and put out yelow mustard to dip in. Have a beer.

Oh, DON'T FORGET THE BEER!!!

Posted by Susan Colby at 06:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (307) | TrackBacks (0)

Recently I picked up a slim biography of Julia Child. Her life makes for fascinating reading, for she was not just a famous cook, but also a member of the OSS (now the CIA) during WWII who served in China. I have always regarded her as a mentor although I never had the pleasure of meeting her personally; she truly taught me to cook. Her book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" was a revelation to me, because she doesn't just give recipes, but really tells you ABOUT food--it's properties and why it does what it does under different circumstances. She was fond of saying that good cooking isn't inspiration but knowing the proper technique and being familiar with your ingredients. Before her book came out in the 1960s, together with her cooking show on PBS, a great deal of American cooking was quite dismal. She opened up the possibilities of really knowing about food and how to prepare it. Because of Julia we have the Food Network, Martha Stewart, numerous cooking magazines and the wide variety of foodstuffs in our grocery stores and restaurants. We owe her a toast to broadening our cooking horizons.

Posted by Susan Colby at 12:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (33) | TrackBacks (0)

The last few days trapped us all in the house with a million channels to watch on T.V. and nothing to watch. This is when it is time to go through the fridge. After a little digging I found some leeks, chicken breasts, and other tid bits. I was able to make a tasty meal without stepping one foot outside! Left over bits of sausage, canned tomato, half bags of frozen vegetables, whatever you can find, you can make a meal. One of my stormy day favorites is cottage pie:

First, make some mashed potatoes, (at least 4 potatoes worth). Brown some ground beef and set aside. In the same pan saute some chopped onion and a little garlic. Put the beef back in the pan and season to your liking. I usually throw in fresh herbs from the garden or Italian seasoning blend, salt and pepper. This is when a little wine goes in. A few glugs usually works. Let it simmer down a bit and mix in some brown gravy. Add fluid or simmer it down until it is just a bit wet. Now you can mix in a bag of mixed vegetables if you want. Spread the mix into a 13 x 9 greased pan and cover with at least half an inch of mashed potatoes. Detail the top with a fork and put pads of butter every few inches. Bake at 350 degrees until the top browns up.

There is some background here for cottage pie. The original is shepherd's pie which is made with lamb (sheep herder) and potatoes. Generally speaking the pie was made with leftover roast from a Sunday dinner, so Dan is following the tradition when he talks about cleaning out the refrigerator. The idea is the same--the lamb is cubed or ground, mixed with onions and seasoning, some liquid of some sort (the wine idea is the best) and topped with mashed potatoes and baked in the oven until the top is brown. You can also put some cheese on top of the potatoes if you want the extra flavor (and calories).

Posted by Susan Colby at 07:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Do you remember in those old historical novels the references to bilious attacks? (Well maybe I'm just older than most of you). That is how I felt after all of the rich (but good) food and wines that I had for Christmas. The perfect antidote is...some chicken soup. But, Italian style. It is called stracciatella and this is how you fix it.

Heat a quantity of chicken stock (you can just pour it right from the can) to the boiling point. For every two cups of stock, in a separate bowl, beat up 1 egg, 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, and a small dash of nutmeg. Pour this mixture slowly into the boiling chicken stock (but watch carefully, and turn down the heat right away as it will boil over and make your stove a mess). If you want to add some cooked noodles, go ahead. Very comforting and easy to make.

I find it so interesting how some foods are universal--chicken soup for what ails you is featured in so many different cuisines: won ton soup, chicken soup with matzo balls and the Brits have their beef tea (well, okay, it's a different animal). Goes down easy and has lots of good protein.

Posted by Susan Colby at 03:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)