Home within a Home

Days like Thanksgiving only happen once a year, but sometimes I wish every Saturday or Sunday could be as food-driven. I’m actually not such a big fan of turkey, or of cranberry sauce for that matter. What really gets me pumped about November is that it’s considered normal, even necessary, to spend the entire day in the kitchen.

Sure, I can totally get into relaxing on the couch, book in hand or DVD on the ready. But there’s nothing like a bunch of recipes to tackle, with the whole morning and afternoon ahead, that can really soothe a home cook.

When this sort of day is granted, and when I have the fun of cooking in Mike’s parents’ beautifully-equipped and airy country kitchen, it’s a challenge that I seek. And so, I left the city with recipe print-outs in hand and headed Connecticut-bound with an appetite for Asian.

The meticulousness and subtlety of Asian cooking makes it a cuisine that I hope to familiarize myself with more and more. I do love me some good lo mein after a late night, and I recall a regretfully-long obsession with sesame chicken as a kid, but now I savour the lightness but flavor-packed tastes found through gently combining grated ginger, lime, cilantro, chiles, sesame seeds, soy, lemongrass, and so much more.

Plus, the dexterousness required for shaping dumplings or for neatly coating vegetables with panko trains your fingers towards delicacy in a way my clumsy paws never thought possible.

And lastly, the dipping and dunking, rattling of chopsticks, and of course, the sake, make for such a fun and festive meal to share. After a day spent within the room that is my home away from home, followed by a requisite shower, the meal is already made and only needs to be reheated. Along with your guests, a journey through exotic but comfortingly homemade foods is yet to be discovered.

The Asian meal below is designed to be made in advance and simply placed in the oven before serving.

Veggie Dumplings (makes about 3 dozen)

vegetable oil
4 large carrots, peeled and grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh minced ginger
½ head nappa cabbage, thinly sliced (or purchased pre-sliced)
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 packet wonton wrappers

-Set a large sauté pan to medium heat. Add in oil.
-Dump in sliced cabbage and scallions. Let sauté and stir with wooden spoon, about 3 minutes.
-Once wilting, add in garlic and ginger, and incorporate.
-After about 10 minutes, when cabbage is softened, add in soy, sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar. Let cook about 2 minutes more.
-Off the heat, add in carrots, and combine.
-Transfer to a glass bowl and taste for seasoning.
-Set in fridge to cool, covering with plastic wrap.
-Once the filling is cooled (minimum 3 hours), set up a work station with a small water dish, wonton wrappers alongside cutting board, and a sheet pan for completed dumplings.
-Spoon a teaspoon of filling into center of a wrapper. Lightly line the wrapper with water and pinch at top and along the sides to form a triangle, and set aside.
-Working in batches, add vegetable oil to the same size sauté pan. Sear dumplings on each side for about a minute, or until golden brown. Next, add enough water to lightly cover the bottom of the pan. Cover the pot and let steam for a minute. Place dumplings on sheet pan and move on to the next batch.
-Before serving, warm all dumplings on sheet pan (300 degrees) and serve with soy sauce.

Edamame Hummus (Serves 6 to 8)
1 bag frozen shelled edamame, defrosted overnight
1/4 cup tahini
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
1 lime, juiced
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 bunch chopped cilantro
salt, according to taste

-In a food processor, place all ingredients except cilantro, and blend. Add in cilantro and blitz for about a second more.
-With a plastic spatula, incorporate mixture into a serving bowl and serve with sliced vegetables and wonton chips.

For the wonton chips:
-1/2 package wonton wrappers
Vegetable oil
salt and pepper

-Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a sheet pan, incorporate wrappers with oil and seasoning.
-Let crisp in the oven until browned and serve with edamame hummus.

For the salmon:
I absolutely love this sauce for the salmon that is based on a recipe from the New Legal Sea Foods Cookbook. The sauce is simmered and reduced in advance, and then cooled. It is delicious and caramelizes nicely in the oven, and can be used on any other firm fish, like cod, or on chicken.
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons peeled and sliced ginger
Dried red pepper flakes
2 cloves chopped garlic
2 fresh limes, squeezed
6 salmon filets, lightly washed and patted dry
sesame seeds

-In a small saucepan, add in all ingredients (sugar, soy, hoisin, ginger, red pepper flakes, garlic, and lime juice).
-Let come to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened.
-Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature and then place in the fridge.
-When ready to cook, place salmon on a lined sheet pan.
-Glaze, using a pastry brush, with sauce.
-Place in a 425 degree oven for 8 minutes.
-Remove and add more glaze. Raise heat to a broil, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more until lightly blackened.
-Garnish with sesame seeds.

“The Point and Look”

Menus were created for a very simple purpose: The Point and Look.

I don’t know about you, but fancy French restaurants can give me the creeps, and before I knew a thing or two about la langue française, I would cower behind that glossy, calligraphied sheet of entrées every time the gent in black and white came around, eyebrows impatiently raised.

I knew just what I wanted to eat, but I did not know how to say so. The italicized line read, “boeuf bourguignon,” but if you were to ask my privileged twelve year old palate, but underprivileged twelve year old gourmet vocabulary, there were enough i’s and u’s nestled up next to each other to make my head spin like a table de roulette. Thankfully, just underneath the italicized words, mercy was dealt. In plain font, I read, “beef cubes, stewed gently in red wine served over egg noodles.”

At this budding young age when mom’s steak was the apple of my eye, and pasta with butter was my surefire go-to, this sounded like just the thing for me. Taking a sip of my coke, I confidently eased back into my seat, straightened out my new party dress, and waited for the gent in black and white to circle 'round.

And then, the moment for The Point and Look:
- Self-assured gaze at the man holding a tiny notebook and ballpoint pen
- Firm index finger upon the boeuf bourguignon

This is a dish that I continue to enjoy today, and one that I now see as a simple, rustic, and wintery stew rather than an haute French-y entrée. And the best part about boeuf bourguignon is that everyone knows what it is, thanks to Julia Child, and everyone thinks that it’s a special occasion dish. But really, it’s just a beef stew gussied up with rich burgundy wine - turning the beef cubes extra silky and giving the egg noodles beneath a field day in glossy wine sauce.

You can prepare the boeuf bourguignon in its entirety the day before a dinner party, and simply re-warm on the stove while boiling the noodles. Serve this with the wine that’s in the stew, and your guests won’t see clearly enough to point and look!

Serves 8
½ package (about 8 oz.) bacon, coarsely chopped
3 pounds well-trimmed boneless beef chuck, cut into cubes, washed in cool water and patted dry 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 1/4 pounds packaged and peeled pearl onions, defrosted
3/4 pound large carrots, diced into about 1-inch chunks
6 large garlic cloves, peeled (left whole)
3 cups store-bought beef broth
2 750-ml bottles red Burgundy wine
1 1/4 pounds mushrooms
1/3 cup chopped fresh thyme
1tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste

- Preheat oven to 325°F. Sauté bacon in heavy, large Dutch oven over high heat until brown and crisp, about 8 minutes.
-Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels.
- Season the beef generously with salt and pepper. Coat with 1/3 cup flour, using all of flour.
-Working in 3 batches, brown beef in same pot over high heat, about 5 minutes per batch. -Transfer meat to large bowl.
-Add onions and carrots to same pot and sauté until light brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Transfer vegetables to bowl with beef.
-Add 1 cup broth to the pot; boil until reduced to glaze, scraping up browned bits, about 8 minutes.
-Return meat and vegetables and their juices to pot. Add wine, mushrooms, thyme, sugar, tomato paste and 2 cups broth. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Cover pot and place in oven. Cook until beef is tender, about 1 hour 20 minutes.
Ladle liquid from stew into large saucepan. Spoon off fat. Boil liquid until reduced to 2 3/4 cups, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour liquid back over beef and vegetables. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) Rewarm over low heat before serving.

The January Dilemma

My literary indulgence is a subscription to five magazines, which I hungrily tear out of my cramped mailbox each month. That is, until January rolls around. Praise be Condé, that this month of echoing reminders is almost behind us till 2011. If I hear one more time that I should be cleansing, detoxing, or juicing to start off my New Year, I swear I’ll find a way to time travel back to when red wine and dessert past 9pm were totally acceptable in December.

But I do have to admit that all the cucumber and carrot-filled recipes, laced with workout images just a page away, do take a toll on me. So what’s a girl to do when all she can think about is mixing up a quick, cozy pasta after work? The answer is: Look Eastward.

If you want to make it through dreary January while still enjoying your monthly mags, it’s time to take your noodle fix and give it a bright Asian twist. The fresh, raw flavors and light, zesty sauces of Asian noodles both pass Cosmo’s tests, and leave you satisfied.

Plus, they’re fun to assemble. The sauce is whisked together in seconds, combining key Asian flavors without a switch to the stovetop. Any raw veggies you have on hand can be thrown in to accompany the taste of hearty soba noodles.

If you don’t have some of the Asian ingredients listed below, it’s worth the investment. Once they’re on hand in your pantry, a light and fresh dinner, without the takeout menus, is always possible. Sip this with a bright Riesling or another citrusy white, and your December partying will be back on the menu.

Serves 6
- 1 box (4 oz.) soba noodles
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 large carrots, shredded with a veggie peeler
- 1/2 can straw mushrooms, lightly rinsed
2 red peppers, julienned
1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro leaves

For the dressing:
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 teaspoon soy sauce

Boil noodles according to package directions (4 to 5 minutes). Drain and rinse with cold water and let cool. In a medium to large bowl, combine noodles, scallions, carrot, pepper, and cilantro. Combine all dressing ingredients, season with salt to taste, add to noodle mixture, and toss lightly.

When the French Farmed

A long, long time ago, in a land far, far away, there lived a nation of pre-Danielites, who scoured through their rich range of natural funghi and fromage to create the humblest dish of all: La Ratatouille.

This much-talked about dish owes most of its fame to Pixar, but before Rémy the rat brought us an animated mélange of eggplant, zucchini, and tomato, gently seasoned with thyme sprigs, ratatouille was popping up in rustic kitchens prior to Lutèce’s torched crème brûlées.

I am here to urge you to see what all the fuss is about. There is no better time to make your first ratatouille than in winter. Sure, it’s warming; sure, it’s homey. But in the darkest hours of January, a simmering casserole of the simplest ingredients, transformed into something magical, and well – animated!, will bring hope for spring to your doorstep.

When I usually consider making a casserole for the week, I get dizzy with excitement over the possible variations on lasagna, manicotti, or mac n’ cheese. But here and there, I take a cue from the French who donned a sun-protective beret rather than a Chanel, to create a healthy and wholesome casserole. Consisting only of fresh vegetables, with a generous hit of crushed tomatoes, fresh herbs, breadcrumbs, and parmesan, which simmer on the stove and then in the oven, it’s miraculous how these flavors combine to create such a satisfying, slightly sweet dish.

And dish this out you will. As Mike and I so often do with this specialty of his. Ratatouille can be your side dish for a roast, a hearty lunch served with crusty bread, or served over pasta as we did last night. For some added protein and fresh colors, try flaking leftover salmon into whole wheat pasta. The warmed ratatouille coats penne just like a red sauce would, but with so many added textures.

So go ahead and cancel those weekend plans. I won’t tell that it’s simply the simple goodness of rustic ratatouille that’s keeping you indoors.

Serves 8, with leftovers
2 eggplants, thinly sliced about ¼ inch
2 zucchini, thinly sliced about ¼ inch
1 can crushed tomatoes (32 oz.)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, roughly chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed and roughly chopped
olive oil
salt and freshly-ground black pepper
a good pinch of chile flakes, optional
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan
¼ cup breadcrumbs, fresh or store bought

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
-Set a large sauté pan or Dutch oven to medium-high heat. Add in garlic and onion. Stir with a wooden spoon until translucent, about 4 minutes.
-Add in eggplant and let cook until cooked through, about 10 minutes, stirring here and there and seasoning.
-Remove eggplant and onions (it’s okay if some remain), and set aside on a plate.
-Add in zucchini and let cook for about 8 minutes, seasoning.
-Add veggies back into the pan, pour in tomatoes, and season with salt, pepper, chile flakes, and thyme.
-Let simmer for about 10 minutes.
-In the meantime, coat a casserole dish with olive oil. Transfer the contents in sauté pan to the casserole dish and spread out.
-Mix together breadcrumbs and parmesan in a dish and sprinkle evenly over the ratatouille.
-Drizzle olive oil over it and place in oven.
-Let cook for half and hour, et voila!

Freezing 101-2: Holiday Cookies

Although from my two week hiatus it may seem like I’ve been whiling away the day sipping pina coladas and nibbling on beachside fare, this is far from my vacation reality.

Contentedly, I remained within the Brooklyn landscape, reclining and recovering from a November through December sojourn with Santa’s elves.

Although La Petite Chef may be petite, I am not elfin petite. Merci for that. What I mean is that I spent a preparatory month culling together a vast assortment of cookies until my penny would no longer permit further Tupperware purchases, and until my freezer resembled that of a sweets factory.
This month-long insanity is the creation of my sister Julie, fellow cook and savvy guide through the corporate workplace. Although stocking your freezer with bin upon bin of batch upon batch of cookies, just until the merciful week of Christmas break, may seem to some like domestic flagellation, I am here to argue for the astute practicality of this endeavor:
- Once the week of holiday parties/long lunches/hour-long daydreaming arrives, your holiday gifts will be ready for packaging to give out to doormen (not that I have one, but just a thought!), colleagues, bosses, hosts and hostesses – you name it, they’ll eat it!
- Rather than purchasing gifts, a simple and thrifty shop for butter, flour, sugar, eggs, and an extra ingredient here and there, will leave your paycheck practically untouched for your winter relaxation.
-All baking can be done calmly within your home kitchen, and at your leisure thanks to the art of freezing. No more scurrying around in hat and scarf from boutique to department store and back!

So start thinking ahead towards next year, and gather up a partner in crime and a couple festive cookie recipes. Dropping these goodies off around town will have your home kitchen smelling spicy and fragrant, plus your karma rate will shoot straight to the top for 2010.


Martha Stewart’s Snickerdoodles
Makes 35
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

-Preheat oven to 350F.
-Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Put butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture.
-Stir together cinnamon and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Shape dough into balls; roll in cinnamon sugar.
-Space 3 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, or with a Silpat.
-Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers in your freezer, or served at once!