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While many of you may be enjoying {or hiding from} the dog days of summer, our cold grey San Francisco summer has arrived full bore, calling for parkas on the way to morning coffee. But since we have had a pretty nice summer with plenty of days for seasonally-appropraite meals, I will do my best not to complain. Plus, weather talk is boring.
I only bring it up to set the stage for chili dinner in August.
A big pot of giant black beans were already simmering on the stove when I decided that chili was in order. I didn’t use a recipe, just a hodge-podge of versions I like, plus what I had on hand, plus what sounded good. I wanted something like mom’s version growing up – maybe not authentic in Texas – but a kind that hits the spot. Ground meat, or turkey generally in my case, beans, tomatoes and lots of spices. Instead of stock for extra liquid, in addition to tomato sauce, I added a bottle of beer. Once it simmered together, it became exactly what I was looking for.
We topped it with a bit of white cheddar, greek yogurt and green onion. On the side, 101 Cookbook’s Firecraker Cornbread cooked in a cast iron skillet and a raw kale salad flecked with grated pear brought it all together.
I’m not going to lie, this little dinner got me pretty excited for Fall!
Are you holding on to summer or ready for what’s next?
I can’t decide, which I guess works with the Indian Summer/foggy day combo we have coming.
In truth, I actually made this a few weeks ago, but I didn’t get a post up before the weather turned sunny and warm, when shepherd’s pie was the furthest thing from my mind. But today, the rain is back, so here some perfect comfort food, that is actually a bit lighter than you would think.
My friend Catie first made it and raved, so I figured it was worth a try. Good grass fed beef and thick cut bacon really make it in my mind, as does the cauliflower-for-potato swap. This wasn’t something I grew up with, but will definitely come into my cold-weather rotation. I recommend getting in on the table before the sun is here to stay!
Catie’s Shepherd’s Pie
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This is a definite salad of chicken and the egg – did I see the recipe on Food 52 because I spent Saturday morning at the farmer’s market, and knew that beets and turnips and brussels sprouts were still in abundance? Or did I notice the beets because I had already spied the Bagna Càuda Salad as part of the Oscar Menu ideas on the same site?
Regardless, I knew the bright raw vegetables would provide a nice contrast to the rich and heavenly dinner being planned by friends.
I have always loved beets, particularly in their ever present carnation with oranges and goat cheese, where they are usually roasted to develop a deep, earthy sweetness.
Here, where they are raw and shaved paper-thin the earthiness is more akin to carrot, which we are used to in its saw state. They combine well with other raw vegetables such as turnips, radishes, actual carrots and brussels sprout leaves. You could add other roots (ribbons of butternut squash were in the original)or take away some of the components, as long you still have 4 or so different offerings in the mix.
As for the name of this salad, ‘bagna càuda’ means hot bath, and traditional refers to a warm lemon-garlic-anchovy dip that is served with vegetables, fondue-style. Here, those same ingredients are used to make a {strong, but delightful} dressing, which adds body and bite to an otherwise virtuous salad.
Because the raw vegetables can hold the dressing for a much longer time than lettuce salads, this is also great to make ahead, for a packed/picnic lunch perhaps or just a dinner where you would rather be with your guests that back in the kitchen. One thing, make sure you have a mandoline or slicer – just a knife would take this from heavenly to torture.
For recipe, Read the rest of this entry »
On Sunday we had a few good friends over for dinner. We were all spread out during the holidays and so it was nice to get together for a cozy, homemade Sunday dinner. Suffice it to say, dinner was great and the company even better. Salmon, my new favorite lentils (full post to come), a simple salad and dessert. And vino of course. Lots of vino!
Only problem is that I never take pictures once the fun starts happening. I have been like this forever (and have very few photos as proof) – I don’t know how to both stay in the moment but still capture it all (or some) for posterity.
Would love any tips from someone who can combine good times and good pics!
I did at least manage to get a few shots while making dessert (of course not plated – having fun by that point!) & B snapped a few more while I was setting the table.
Which I consider a win. The actually making dessert part, considering I (the non-baker) made not one, but two sweet treats.
Blood orange sorbet (via David Lebovitz) and Muscavado Sugar Cake with Créme Fraîche Whipped Cream from Kim Boyce’s Good to the Grain. Guess I will just have to make them again to get pictures of the finished product – which, admittedly, could be worse.
They were both lovely – a perfectly balanced end to a winter dinner.
And as for the sorbet, I really recommend it - it is a perfect way to used blood oranges are that are currently season. And definitely keep the pulp – was noticed by our friends, who felt like they were just eating a really great (and really cold) orange.
We are going to try and have Sunday Dinners more regualarly – rotate homes, etc. so maybe I will get better with this taking pictures that include people thing. Let’s hope, because right now it can’t get worse … even bad pics beat none at all.
So, please – share with me your tips and tricks!!
xo
Ugh. So I caught a cold. A nasty wiped me out kind of cold. And since I rarely get sick, I did not handle it well. I mean, I handled it like a dude – which is to say whined about every little part of it and made it worse that it was. But thankfully, that part lasted only a day. And so when I was feeling better, but still not great, I was pleasantly surprised to remember that I had just made a batch of stock and had a few pieces of homemade bread left.
Since we all know that good soup makes you feel better even when you aren’t sick, I figured I should make a batch.
Growing up, my mom made a mean french-onion, and so it has always been one of my favorites. (What – another favorite? Well, she made a lot of good things, and I obviously like a lot of things, so it works out).
But seeing as how I hold firm in my beliefs that homemade stock, even the wrong kind, trumps the store-bought stuff any day, my onion soup often uses chicken stock – and therefore, it isn’t too traditional, or “french.” Although I would gather that many French women would agree with me, but that is neither here nor there.
The real thing with onion soup, French or otherwise, is you have to let the onions cook for a really long time. And when you think they are done, let them keep cooking. At least an hour. Maybe and hour and twenty. You want them really carmelized – dark, sweet and reduced down to almost nothing. You can’t rush it. Some recipes include a touch of sugar part way through the cooking, but I like to just let it happen with time, and the butter of course.
From there, it doesn’t take much to turn it into something special. Stock, wine, thyme – and of course the bread and cheese!
Another day, another snow storm.
Seriously, I never knew winter could last thing long. I know there are plenty of places that are much, much colder with much harsher weather, but this is enough for me. Particularly when I step onto what I think is the sidewalk, but is really a foot deep puddle of snow and sludge.
I dream of sunshine and tea parties and some asparagus! Oh, and tomatoes, notfromacan but honesttogoodness real tomatoes that.grow.on.a.vine. Who knew these would become my dreams.
But we aren’t quite there yet…
