Category Archives: cooking

May 16 0 comments
cooking

Algeria

I promise that this blog isn’t going to turn into a chronicle of memories about dates I had from men around the world. Really, really it won’t. Really, really, I hope it won’t.

That said, when I was poking around online looking for information about Algeria, particularly Algerian food, when I saw some surnames that looked familiar to me. I read those names, tossed them around in my mind for awhile and unearthed a memory of, wait for it, a man from Algeria with whom I went on a couple of dates.

I remember that he told me that he spoke four languages, English, French, Arabic, and Berber.  I also remember that he was a bit aggressive for my tastes. Upon hearing that this guy was going to take a trip home to Algeria, I idly hoped that he would forget all about me and never call again. Imagine my discomfort when, indeed, he did call. From Algeria. Asking what I would like him to bring back for me. I was sitting on a bus when I had this conversation, wanting to be anywhere else and wanting to do anything else. I later saw him at the gym using a treadmill. He did not wipe down the machine when he left. I shook my head thinking, how could I have gone on more than one date with a man who doesn’t spray and wipe the treadmill after using it? Ugh.

None of this really has to do with Algerian food, except it might explain why outside of this project I would have never, ever sought out an Algerian food experience. Due to these, now insignificant, incidents, I had sort of blocked a whole country out of my mind. Can we say unreasonable? But sometimes, that is the way of things.

A bit of research taught Algerian cuisine shows traces of French influence. This totally makes sense, as Algeria was a French colony until 1962.  Most of the country are Muslims, which means that the cuisine is going to reflect any dietary restrictions that are associated with that faith. Algerians tend to have three meals a day and most meals end with coffee.

Couscous is something that I associate with North African food. I’ve read that couscous is Algeria’s national dish. It seems that it, then, is perfect for this Algerian food experience. Bourek also caught my attention, now that I am not afraid of filo dough. I think that the only contexts in which I have eaten filo has been as a baklava type dessert, or a spanakopita type savory dish. I consider the Albanian Vegetable Pie to fall into this category. The idea of combining filo and the meat was intriguing. That the birthday goal that I am focusing on right now is the goal to try 52 new-to-me salads, made me look specifically for an Algerian salad to try. Finally, I chose a dessert, basboussa.

It turns out that this meal turned out to be quite enjoyable. Of particular note is the flavor combination in the bourek. I forget sometimes that cinnamon can have savory applications and be quite good that way. I surprised myself by liking the semolina cake. Normally, with the exception of Chick-o-Sticks, I do not like anything that has dry shredded coconut on it. There is something about that texture that reminds me of chapped lips. Here, though, the coconut didn’t have that texture at all. Speaking of textures, today I actually achieved a couscous texture that isn’t disgusting. Unlike with the coconut, I don’t blame the couscous at all. Usually things go bad when I get my hands on the couscous.

Despite weird memories the Algerian food brought up, I’d call this one an success. I might even repeat these recipes, which isn’t something I do often.

 

 

 

 

Sep 11 1 comments
cooking, food, projects

Pretzels (aka goal 33)

Last year one of my birthday goals was to make pretzels. I didn’t make it happen, so I carried the goal over. As I looked this year’s goals, the 33 things I want to accomplish by my 33rd birthday,  I couldn’t bear the thought of having another year go by without completing this simple task, so I busted out the mixer and the yeast and went at it. A while ago, I bought a cookbook that is explicitly dedicated to the pretzel. But the base recipe in that book required an overnight proofing, so I decided to look elsewhere. Hello Internet. So, I followed a recipe I found on CHOW.

It was a pretty simple recipe.

Trying to figure out how to twist the pretzels was the biggest challenge. You can see that some are a better shape than others. This experience makes me want to go to the mall and observe the pretzel twisters there.

 

Next time, I think that I will try to make the pretzels a bit bigger, but I will also try to roll the dough out into thinner strips. I had a hard time with the rolling the strips. I kept trying to make them thinner hoping it would help me get a better pretzel shape, but then my strip would break before I could even twist the dough, much less get it into the pot for boiling. I thought about making ring shaped pretzels, but I thought that they might turn out too much like bagels. I hadn’t known that the alkaline water would make such a difference in how these turned out.

I baked my pretzels in two batches. The first I baked a bit longer than the second (more than the 10 minutes the recipe called for). I think that these turned out better than the other ones.

I’m pretty satisfied with this experience, but I want to go at it again. Besides, making a second batch of pretzels would go perfectly with goal 22, which is to make homemade mustard.

 

Apr 06 0 comments
cooking

Carrot butter

I found myself with a bunch of carrots hanging out in the back of the fridge threatening to be forgotten. I am really, really trying to waste less and use more of the things that I buy. Problem is is that I change my mind between grocery shopping and actual cooking. The by product of this, this week, was about two pounds of carrots.

I usually like carrots either raw or cooked as a part of a vegetable soup. I have tried carrot soups over the years and never liked them. I decided to save myself from yet another disappointment.

How? I decided to make carrot butter. I based this preserve on this recipe. I tasted it, and found that I did like it after all. For once, I think I will get to the bottom of the carrots! I imagine this on oatmeal. Throw in some raisins, and it’ll be like carrot cake-flavored breakfast.

Mar 11 0 comments
cooking

Harissa

I have been meaning to make harissa for years. Literally. I came across the recipe around 5-6 years ago on this blog.

Then Alex got sick, I had to go to the store for some things for him and I remembered the recipe. So I bought the things that  I needed.

This is one of those things that you’re like, “I waited years to do this thing that was so easy.” Maybe you don’t have those experiences. But I do.

Basically you soak dried chiles in water.

Then you blend the chiles with the other ingredients.

This. Is. Delicious.

I have some plans for this and a chicken that lies waiting innocently in the fridge.

Oh little birdy, I am going to massage the fragrant paste into your skin then stuff your cavity with aromatics. I am going to roast you and your juices will drip onto a bed of sweet potatoes.

Can’t. Wait.

But there’s the little issue of a sink that isn’t draining. At all. Though my desire for this roasted chicken swells by the moment, I am not cooking chicken under circumstances that involve sitting water.

Guess I’ll be waiting after all.

 

Dec 23 0 comments
cooking

Waste not, want not

There is one thing that I consistently feel bad about in my cooking life. Wasted food. It is such a disgusting habit. So, I am actively trying to work on it. These are the conditions under which tonight’s dinner was born.

I opened the fridge to find a flaccid bunch of swiss chard that was still this side of edible. So I pulled it out, determined to not let it have the less than valiant exit that more vegetables that I care to admit have had. I have a bag of potatoes that I bought because a bajillion pounds cost less than the quantity of potatoes that I needed when I bought them. And I had a half bunch of green onions left over from an earlier cooking project.

So I made potato pancakes. Easy and flling. And the chard got put in tummies not the trash.

Potato pancakes:
4 potatoes, shredded
1 bunch of flaccid swiss chard, thinly sliced
1 half bunch of green onions, thinly sliced
3 eggs, beaten

Olive oil for the pan

Mix all of the above, salting for taste.
Oil a skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned on both sides.

Eat with hot sauce.

Feel better about not wasting so much food.

Dec 23 0 comments
cooking

Greens

It seems like everywhere I go, I encounter some sort of recipe about greens. I love greens all sorts of green. I actually love most vegetables, but greens, mmm. The November issue of Saveur did an article about greens that made me want to try all 6 of the recipes associated with it. The January Bon Appetit did a spread called “The Greens Party.” That hardly qualifies as everywhere but it was enough to make me take notice and to make me want greens. I am inspired to try all of these recipes, actually. Well with a couple of modifications because some of the recipes (two) call for mayonnaise, and I just can’t bring myself to that.

So, again, I find myself turning to Bon Appetit. I made their Mixed-Greens and Sausage Soup with Cornmeal Dumplings. I had to make a couple of substitutions. I used a chicken sausage instead of the andoullie that the recipe asked for. I also used dried thyme.  I was a bit slapdash with the hot sauce, but all-in-all it turned out well. If I were the sort to do this kind of thing, this soup could inspire me to eat some of it directly over the pot with the very spoon I used to make the soup. But that would be uncivilized.  This soup tastes like hearty comfort. Who can’t use a little hearty comfort?

Dec 21 0 comments
cooking

Banana Bread

I usually go through bananas like water. (Hey, sometimes writers are prone to hyperbole). However, last week I wasn’t feeling well and my normal morning habits were thrown off a bit. And I forgot about a bunch of bananas that I had bought. Not only did I forget about them, but they were hanging out in the plastic bag I brought them home in. Needless to say, they were not the firm specimens that I prefer.

So, I decided to make banana bread. I also had some buttermilk in the fridge so my original plan involved using it as well. But did I remember that when it was time to stand before the mixer? Noooo. So I used the recipe from one of the first cookbooks I owned. I used walnuts in the bread but also cranberries. And I had about two tablespoons of mini chocolate chip hanging around so I threw them in there too.

The bananas were turned into something edible. Yay!

Dec 20 0 comments
alex, cooking, food

Meatballs

Oh looky here. I have some vacation time on my hands and here I come crawling back to the oft-neglected blog. But, hey, I have time to cook!

Alex loves meatballs. I don’t know that he has met a meatball that he won’t eat. Considering that cooking is one of the primary ways that I show my love, and I am off work for a bit, I decided to make some meatballs. Oh no, son, when mama has the time, you don’t have to sit around wishing that we could go to Ikea so that you can have meatballs.

Now on the other side of things, I love to try new recipes. So, I set out to find a meatball recipe that I haven’t made yet. I remember seeing one not too long ago in Bon Appetit so I ventured on down to Epicurious (as if I jauntily strolled down the street) to look. That’s when I found the recipe.

Yes, when I can, I will procure three different types of ground meat to make meatballs for the Young Mister. I try not to wonder whether this is sick.

I though these were the best meatballs I ever tasted. Young Mister, however, didn’t appear to be convinced. He ate one of them.  Then again, he can be a light eater. I’ll know the true verdict when the topic of leftovers come up. I guess that if the next time he has a hankering for meatballs he just says, “Mama, can we go to Ikea?” that would suffice as a verdict. If he doesn’t eat them, I think I know a person or two who will.

Sep 06 0 comments
cooking, Uncategorized

Recipe 100

About 2 weeks ago I completed one of my more ambitious birthday goals: try 100 new recipes!!

I learned a lot about the things that I like and the things that I don’t like. I also learned a lot about foisting things upon other people!

This is a Cardamom Crumb Cake from the latest Everyday Food. It seems right that I finished this project off with an ingredient that I explicitly bought for another recipe in the project.

The other thing I learned this year is that I love the idea of cake, but don’t really love cake so much. I like to bake them and make them pretty and take pictures of them and smell their wonderful cakey smells, but then I think, “Crap, what am I going to do with all of this cake.” The grapevine said that folks at the workplace were glad to get it.

Jul 24 0 comments
cooking

Summer Squash and Corn Chowder

I always go on and on about how much I love Bon Appetit magazine. The quiet, unsung magazine in my collection, though is Cooking Light. These are tasty, yet reasonable recipes. You pretty much know when you peruse the pages that you won’t be in a situation where you feel like you want to slice open your stomach, scrape out the contents, and try again, this time being far less naughty.

Thank you, Cooking Light, for this recipe.