To the joy of friendship

I don't spend as much time on the computer as I probably should. I can usually find many other things to do with my time - reading, meditating, cooking and cleaning (well, perhaps thinking about cooking and cleaning is more apt) are the activities that take up most of my time. I spend a lot of my free time thinking of the many things that I want to write about - I even have lists dedicated to these ideas.

But one thing that I have really enjoyed about the little bit of time that I have spent online lately is the re-connecting with friends. With all the moving around that we have done in the last 13 years, we have lost touch with many of our friends. I have a suspicion that even if you are not in the military and moving around as much as we were - that would still be the case. I think it is normal to get so busy with life, that you don't realize that one or even ten years have passed since you spoke with a good friend!

I have been trying to be better at keeping in touch with friends, and I think that I am. I have been chatting online, calling and even getting a chance to see some friends. A few months ago I found my friend's Todd and Kathy on Facebook that we were stationed with in Korea. We had not seen or spoken with them since 1998. This past weekend they were here in St. Louis for their daughter Nicole's Rugby tournament. We got a chance to meet up with them and catch up and watch some Rugby. If you are like me, you may not have even known that their was women's rugby - but trust me, there is, and they can be as brutal as the men's teams! The weekend was of course, much too short - but it was great to meet up with them again, and I am hoping to be able to see them and many of my other friends much more often!

(Just as an ending, I really need to remember to take more pictures. I am still getting used to this, and that I need to take pictures of everything. I did not get any pictures of all of us together - or of their family together. Sigh... I am learning, even if it is taking me a while!)

Ginger Love

Do you love ginger? Than you need to talk with Patrick. He LOVES ginger. I am a little more ambivalent about ginger. I like it in moderation, but I wouldn't use the term love for it. When I say that Patrick loves ginger, I truly mean it. He has been known to eat or drink something that is defined as being ginger-y - ginger beer is a good example - and comment that it is not ginger-y enough. In Korea he used to drink this ginger honey tea, that made me gag, but he couldn't get enough of it. Ginger Altoids, ginger chews, candied ginger... you name it and he loves it.

Which is the one of the reasons why I decided to try this recipe for Pasta with Shrimp and Ginger Cream from "Fish Without a Doubt" by Rick Moonen and Roy Finamore. As I'm sure you've heard, if you read anything about healthy living, that eating seafood several times a week is very good for your overall health. When I read about this book from "Gourmet" magazine, I realized that I needed to own it. Not only because we are trying to live healthier but also because I need to overcome my fear of fish!

Seafood is something that I have never been very comfortable cooking. I have had more practice cooking shrimp than I do any other forms of seafood. Whenever I think of serving seafood, I remember my mom's attempts at cooking fish, and quickly think of something else to cook! As I've mentioned, my mom is not a good cook - she will be the first to say it. I decided that I must overcome this fear, and this is a start. I am planning on trying to cook fish at least once a week, and will be sharing my trials and tribulations with you. Wish me luck!

Now, before I go on with the recipe, let me say that the ginger is very understated. The soaking of the ginger in the wine mellows the flavor. I was a little afraid when I took my first bite of the finished results and thought "Wow! This is really good." I think that you will be pleasantly surprised. It made a great light spring dinner, with the snow peas and tomatoes. The plum tomatoes did not look great when I was at my local store, so I bought grape tomatoes, and they added a wonderful extra sweetness to the dish. As for the fat content... well, we've got to splurge every once in a while, don't we?

Pasta with Shrimp and Ginger Cream

From "Fish Without a Doubt" by Rick Moonen and Roy Finamore

1 (4 inch) knob fresh ginger, peeled and cut into very thin matchsticks

1 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth

Olive oil

1 pound large (21-30) shrimp, shelled and butterflied

Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup minced shallots

1/4 cup champagne vinegar

2 cups heavy cream

3/4 pound thin spaghetti

1/2 pound snow peas, tipped, strings pulled, and cut on an angle into thin julienne

1/2 pound plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

Soak the ginger in the wine for about 15 minutes

Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.

Heat a large skillet over high heat. When the skillet's hot, pour in a slick of olive oil. Add the shrimp, season with salt and white pepper, and add the butter. Saute the shrimp until pink and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover to keep warm.

Put the skillet back on the heat and add the ginger and wine, the shallots, and champagne vinegar. Bring to a boil and boil to reduce the liquid to about 3 tablespoons. Pour in the cream, season with salt and white pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the cream simmers actively and cook until the cream has reduced by one third. Add the shrimp and any juices from the bowl.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta. When it is al dente, add the snow peas to the boiling pasta and then drain.

To serve, make a mound of the pasta in the center of four dinner plates. Spoon some of the sauce on the past and the rest around it. Arrange the shrimp in a circle around the pasta. Garnish with the tomatoes and serve immediately.

Good Intentions

I had good intentions, really I did. I've been mulling over in my head so many different things I want to tell you about - books I'm reading and recipes I'm trying. But I haven't written anything. The only excuse I have for you is that Spring is making it's first appearance here in St. Louis.

Plus, my good friend Jana came for a visit. She was happy to be out of Seattle, since the weather there has not been Spring-like at all. We relaxed, talked and even enjoyed a

St. Patrick's Day lunch at Llewellyn's Pub in the Central West End.

I was going to do a post for St. Patrick's Day of cornmeal shortbread. I even bought this beautiful shortbread pan to make them in. As I'm sure you can tell by how unused the pan looks that I have failed to even use it yet! Sigh... I guess I will post a recipe and pictures once I use it.

Happy Spring!

Pizza, Pizza

Just about everyone likes pizza. But every one's idea of a good pizza is different. Some people like their pizza very simple with only one, maybe two toppings and some like their pizza chock full of different tastes and flavors. There are many different styles of pizza - thin crust, thick crust, deep dish Chicago style, Italian (which you can further vary by Neapolitan, Sicilian, etc), New York (I'm not even going to go into the different styles up and down the East Coast!), California, St. Louis ... this list can go on and on. I have two dough recipes that I use when I make pizza, it depends on who I am making the pizza for and what kind of toppings that I want to use. One is a thin crust and the other is a thicker crust. It is all about what you like.

I was lucky enough to live in Italy, and had access to the thin crust Neapolitan style pizza just about everywhere I went. With only a few toppings, this pizza is so wonderful. But I will be honest that while we lived there, the American in me did miss the thicker crust pizza with more toppings every once in a while. The most popular thin crust pizza is the Margherita which has the colors of the Italian flag - tomatoes, buffalo milk mozzarella and fresh basil. Another really excellent one to try is the Primavera, with fresh arugula leaves added after the pizza has come out of the oven.

But when I make thin crust pizza, I have to make at least one with mushrooms and garlic. In Gaeta there was a restaurant called "The Bunny Pub". We would go out with friends, and have dinner enjoying several bottles of wine. The first time I went there with Crystal, she told me that I had to try the mushroom and garlic pizza. I tried a mushroom and garlic pizza once before, but I had forgotten how the flavors meld together so wonderfully.

I am not going to give you exact measurements for the toppings, just some rough ideas. Please use your imagination and personal taste to decide what you want on your pizza! The dough for this pizza is from Todd English's cookbook "The Fig's Table". It makes 4 pizzas which serve 1 -2 people per pizza. This dough is much wetter than you are probably used to. Try to use as little flour as you can, and try not to overwork the dough. You can wrap the balls of dough in plastic wrap to freeze for future use (up to two weeks).

I have not always had a stand mixer, a baking stone or a pizza peel. You can easily mix the dough by hand and use cookie or pizza sheets to bake the pizza on.

Fig's Pizza Dough

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for rolling

2 teaspoons yeast

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 2/3 cups lukewarm water

Place the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a mixer fitted with a dough hook. While the mixer is running, gradually add the oil and water. Knead on low speed until the dough is firm and smooth, about 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into four balls. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Place two balls on a sheet and cover with a damp towel. Let them rise in a warm spot until they have doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.

To roll out the dough: Dab your fingers in flour and then place 1 ball on a generously floured work surface and press down in the center with the tips of your fingers, spreading the dough with your hand. When the dough has doubled in width, use a floured rolling pin and roll out until it is very thin, like flatbread. The outer border should be a little thicker than the inner circle. Pick the dough up with a spatula or the back of a knife, allowing it to fold up almost like an umbrella and transfer it to a paddle. Do not worry that the pizza is not round, you are looking for an 8 - 10 inch shape, a cross between an oval and a rectangle. If you get a hole, simply pinch the edges back together.

To top and bake your pizza:

One hour prior to cooking, place a baking stone in the oven and preheat it to 500F. Roll out your dough and place it on a pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal. The cornmeal helps the pizza slide off the peel. Cover the surface of the dough with 1 teaspoon of olive oil to prevent the dough getting soggy.

Now comes the fun part, use your imagination to what types of cheese and topping you would like. Here are just a few examples:

• My Favorite - with a simple tomato sauce, sliced mushrooms, thinly sliced garlic and mozzarella cheese, and a shaking of hot pepper flakes on top (I sometimes add additional cheeses, depending on what I have on hand)
• try different sauces - besides a typical pizza or marinara sauce, you can use pesto sauce, or no sauce, just cheeses for a white pizza
• try different types of cheese - fresh mozzarella, goat cheese, Monterey Jack, Parmesan, Asiago, Cheddar, Provolone is really popular here in St. Louis
• sliced or diced ham, pepperoni, salami, prosciutto, smoked turkey, cooked and crumbled sausage
• sliced onions, peppers, olives

Finally, a dish to share with you

We've been having some computer issues, but I think all is well now. For a while there I thought I would finally be getting the Mac that I have always wanted - but alas, Patrick was able to fix our laptop. Although I do want a Mac, I think it's a good thing because I wasn't ready for the expense of a new computer quite yet.

Honestly, I haven't had a lot to write about anyway. It's not that I haven't been cooking, but none of the dishes that I have made have been good enough to tell you about. It's not that anything was horrible, but nothing I've made had a big "Wow!" factor. There has been a perfectly fine roasted chicken, a grilled chicken and roasted red pepper sandwich that needs some work, a decent spaghetti all'arrabbiata, and an edible spicy Thai chicken pasta dish. As I'm sure you can tell, I'm not in love with any of these dishes. I needed to cook something that I just had to tell you about.

And I hadn't cooked anything that good until last night. I have been thinking about making Kofta for a long time. They are a very highly spiced Middle Eastern style meatball, normally made of lamb. When I was young, I practically lived at my friend Shazi's house. Her house is where I first tasted Indian/Pakistani cooking, and where I started to learn to cook. My mom was not a very good cook, and it was such a wonderful change to go there and taste such highly spiced and good food. Shazi's mom cooked spicy - some would say too spicy (and they were her Indian friends!). The first time I tried dhal, I thought my mouth was on fire. It was so hot. It didn't take me too long to get used to hot food, and now I can't do without it. She would cook all the time, but like most people she would cook even more so during the holidays. Shazi's mom would spend days in the kitchen cooking, and Kofta were always part of those meals.

Over the years, I have tried to re-create many of the dishes that I used to eat at their house, dhal, spinach, spicy meat and potatoes - but I had never tried to make Kofta. Last night I finally tried to replicate them, and for my first try, I think they turned out quite well. I don't remember if Shazi's mom used rice in her Kofta (it has been more than 14 years since I've had her meals), but after looking at several recipes, this seemed to be the closest to my memory. I adapted the meatball recipe from "Everyday Asian" by Patricia Yeo and Tom Steele. I served them with a Yogurt and Tahini sauce from "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" by Deborah Madison. This recipe makes a large batch, which is great to have in the freezer for additional meals. I served them on top of a basic rice pilaf, but they would be wonderful in pita bread with sliced tomato, cucumber and romaine lettuce.

Middle Eastern Spiced Meatballs

Adapted from the recipe Meatballs and Yogurt Sauce in "Everyday Asian" by Patricia Yeo and Tom Steele

1 pound ground beef

1/2 pound ground veal

1/2 pound ground pork

2 eggs

2 cups cooled steamed rice

1 cup caramelized finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon toasted ground coriander seeds

1 tablespoon toasted ground cumin seeds

1 tablespoon toasted ground cardamom pods

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

2 teaspoons ground cayenne

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons canola oil

Mix together the beef, veal, pork, eggs, onion, spices, salt and pepper with your hands. Preheat the oven to 350F. Form the mixture into 3/4 inch balls. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sear and brown the meatballs in the canola oil in batches to avoid crowding. Transfer the browned meatballs to an oven safe dish and roast in the oven until they are fully cooked, approximately 15 minutes. Serve with Yogurt Tahini Sauce.

Yogurt Tahini Sauce

From "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" by Deborah Madison

1 clove garlic, finely minced

salt

1 cup yogurt

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and the grated zest of lemon

Make a garlic paste by sprinkling the minced garlic with 1/4 teaspoon salt and press the flat of the knife blade into the garlic to form a paste. Place in a bowl and stir in the tahini. Gradually add the yogurt and the lemon zest. Season to taste with lemon juice and salt.

Researching recipes brings Roasted Broccoli with Shrimp

I've never been very good at research. There are only a few things that have ever kept my interest for very long - books, recipes and food. (Hmmm, perhaps Patrick is right when he says that I am A.D.D.) When I first started getting interested in cooking when we were stationed in Korea, I would go to the library and check out cookbooks. Chasity and I would usually sit at her kitchen table and copy down recipes. Patrick could access the Internet from work, and he would print out recipes that he thought I may like. I still have binders full of all of these recipes, and as the pack-rat that I am, I can't seem to get rid of them!

It took us a long time to get a computer - we finally got one in 1998. I used to fight getting one because I am an old-school, fountain pen kind of girl, but I bended, and of course now I can't imagine not having one. I'm trying to get better at research, and I have to admit I am spending more time than I ever thought I would on the computer. But I am finding myself enjoying it, most of the time at least.

The reason that I am going on an on about research is because I spent an inordinate amount of time yesterday searching online. It all started because I had to make Melissa Clark's Roasted Broccoli with Shrimp that I had seen on The Wednesday Chef a few weeks ago. I have made roasted broccoli before, but never thought about adding shrimp. I've been thinking about it ever since I saw that posting, and had decided that was what I was cooking for dinner. While I was online, I just kept looking at different blogs and different recipes. I found so many recipes that I want to try out! I also realized that I need a better system for keeping track of the recipes I want to try. Ah for another day!

I'm not going to post the recipe for Roasted Broccoli with Shrimp, but please follow the link above and go to her wonderful site and try this fantastic dish. If you don't feel like shrimp, please try just plain roasted broccoli. Either way you will be not be disappointed!

Roasted Broccoli

This is a very simple thing, barely a recipe, but you will be amazed at the depth of flavor that roasting gives broccoli!

Preheat oven to 425F. Trim 1 large or 2 small heads of broccoli into into florets (or spears for a nice presentation). Place in a large baking dish or sheet pan. Drizzle with approximately 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt pepper and 2 -3 cloves of garlic chopped or sliced. I also like to add a pinch of red pepper flakes. Mix well and roast in the oven until the broccoli is tender and the edges are crispy golden brown.

If you like garlic...

I received the wonderful "The Cornbread Gospels" by Crescent Dragonwagon in the mail the other day, and have been reading my way through this marvelous cookbook. I love cookbooks that are as much fun to read as they are to cook with. "The Cornbread Gospels" is full of many different styles of cornbread from all over the world, and has a lot of ideas of what to do with leftover cornbread and the "fixin's" to serve with it! I haven't finished reading the cookbook yet, and already there are many recipes that I am looking forward to trying. I've only made two recipes so far, and that was for dinner last night. Dinner was Lentil Soup with Garlic and Greens with Gold and White Tasty Cornbread on the side. I had to have 2 servings of the cornbread because it was so good!

I never thought that I would be so interested in a cookbook that is predominately about cornbread. When I was growing up the only cornbread I ever had was from the little box of JIF. I have to wonder if she ever cooked it, because I'm remembering that it was always there in the cupboard, but I don't have a clue as to what she would have served with it! In reading this book, I have come to the conclusion that I don't make cornbread enough! For many families cornbread is a daily bread, and I only make it a few times a year.

As soon as I saw this recipe, I knew that it had to be one of the first recipes I tried. Not everyone shares my love of beans, or my love of garlic. Thankfully Patrick loves garlic as much as I do. If he didn't I'm not so sure our marriage would have lasted this long. This recipe has so much garlic in it, it made me hum with joy.

Although we share a love with garlic, he is not as passionate about beans as I am. I try to keep many different styles of beans in my pantry, and I use them all. Sometimes he asks me to cook "Something with meat, please!". For many years I tried to be a vegetarian, but with having low blood sugar and being slightly anemic... it's hard for me to eat a totally meat-free diet. I still like to eat vegetarian meals often.

The only note that I would like to say about the following recipe is that I did add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes after I added in the sauteed vegetables. I didn't add a lot, just enough to give it a little something. The combination of flavors in the soup reminds me of an Indian dinner I make of Dhal and Braised spinach and onions. Ah - another post I must do!

Lentil Soup with Garlic and Greens

From "The Cornbread Gospels" By Crescent Dragonwagon

1 pound lentils, picked over and rinsed

1 bay leaf, broken in half

About 2 quarts (8 cups) vegetable stock or water

vegetable oil cooking spray

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

2 large onions, chopped

1 head of garlic, peeled

2 carrots, sliced or diced (optional)

1 celery rib, halved lengthwise and diced (optional)

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 pound fresh spinach, well washed, stems finely chopped, leaves sliced

Cornbread, for serving

Place the lentils in a soup pot with the bay leaf, and cover with the stock or water. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cook until the lentils are very soft, 45 to 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, spray a large cast-iron skillet with the oil and place it over medium heat. When it's hot, add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, then the onions, lowering the heat slightly. Saute, stirring often, for about 8 minutes. Between stirs, coarsely chop about half the garlic.

When the onions have reached the 8 minute point, add the carrots and celery, if using. (You may need the additional tablespoon of olive oil at this point.) Continue sauteing for another 2 minutes, then lower the heat, add the chopped garlic, and saute, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes more. You want the onions very soft but not browned.

By this point the lentils are probably about half-cooked. Scrape the vegetable saute into them, deglazing the skillet with a little of the lentil cooking liquid. Let the lentils continue cooking until very soft, then add salt (you'll need quite a lot) and freshly ground pepper to taste.

When the lentils are soft, scoop out a good ladleful of them and transfer them to a food processor with the remaining (raw whole) garlic. Buzz to a puree and transfer this wonderfully heady puree back to the soup. Give a stir, add the spinach, and stir again.

Turn the heat down still lower, partially cover the pot, and simmer until the greens have softened and the flavors have blended, 10 to 15 minutes more. Taste again for salt and pepper and serve, hot, with cornbread.

Gold and White Tasty Cornbread

From "The Cornbread Gospels" by Crescent Dragonwagon

Vegetable oil cooking spray

1 cup unbleached white flour, preferably Hodgson Mill brand

1 1/2 cups stone ground white (or yellow) cornmeal, preferably Hodgson Mill brand

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

3 tablespoons mild vegetable oil

1/2 cup canned creamed corn

Preheat the oven to 400F. Spray a 9 inch square baking pan with oil, and set aside.

Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

Break the egg into a second medium bowl, and whisk it well. Whisk in the buttermilk, vegetable oil, and creamed corn.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients with as few strokes as possible, and scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.