February 28, 2012: Squashed Hopes

My sisters all tell me that I could not possibly remember this story as I was very young. I have to admit that is possible that this is not a memory as I DO have quite a vivid imagination. All I know is that I seem to have a number of memories from a very young age: I remember well that unique marriage of bobby pin and electrical socket as a toddler (“OH! I’ve seen the adults do this! I know just where this goe…ZAP!!!!) I remember my crush on Mighty Mouse’s girlfriend (…and I DO feel a tad guilty that I can’t remember her name. Such is the capricious nature of young love.) And…I remember this story.

Wind up the Way-Back machine to my family household, early-60′s: Dinnertime in the Vedder household was a lively affair in those days. At this time, we had seven kids, with another one due in a couple of years from this point. [Let's put it this way, if the Weasley household could compliment an entire Quidditch team, the Vedder household could provide the team, a coach and a cheerleader to boot!]

Barely a toddler, I’m still in the baby chair. At the main table, there is the classic test of wills between my parents and my older sisters.. The kids are boycotting eating their vegetables, in this instance,  winter squash. My parent’s rule with this kind of thing was simple: you don’t finish your plate, you don’t get dessert. End of story. Now, with a household full of many, energetic and strong-willed children, my poor parents had a tough job. They did a lot of pretty cool things to raise us all, but the “dessert rule” was not one of their more stellar ones. Making dessert special turned us all into raging sugar-fiends!

At the point where my sisters are debating the value of eating something they absolutely hate to get to eat something they love, my parents (as if they didn’t have enough to do) are drawn downstairs with some kind of household emergency. It was then that the kids have a revelation: over in the corner, happily munching his squash, is me. “Welllll, then.” they think, “If Stevie likes squash that much, we know where there is lot more of that!” They then proceed to pile all their own squash into my bowl, to then skip downstairs to inform my parents that they are ready for dessert!

Now, this is the part I will never be able to convince my sisters. I’ve seen distinct character traits like this in the very young. I dunno..are we hardwired to have fairly sophisticated emotions from day one? Is it reincarnation? All, I know, is that if this same thing happened to me today, I would feel exactly the same…and that is PISSED! I loved squash then (still do) but I was NOT about to eat all of my sibling’s squash! So, in my toddler’s mind, the solution was easy: take that bowl and fling it!

Of course, as soon as everyone came up from downstairs it was immediately evident that the jig was up! No dessert for anyone that night, for which my sisters have never forgiven me.

So, when this story comes up, I am castigated by my sisters for my transgression (and that part I understand…preventing a sweet fix is a cardinal offense in my family.) But, when I recollect a clear memory of it happening, and get called “fibber”…well, it can’t really be proven one way or the other. Luckily, I have spent years developing my mature reason, mellowed with dignity, and tact. I just reply to them, “I know YOU are, but what am I?”

February 24, 2012: Summer Dreaming

Even ‘tho I was inspired to make this recipe in the heart of Winter, as soon as I started it, I realized that Miso and Sake Soaked Tofu  is a cold dish and such,  would make a wonderful addition to a Summer lunch.

Take block of firm tofu and put on a slant board with weight on top for about 10 minutes, rotating every few minutes.[I don't have a clean, dry weight of an appropriate weight, so I usually use a pan of H2O. One Note: tofu makes a very poor foundation, please do this IN the sink!] When drained of H2O add to miso/sake baste.

Miso-Sake Baste: Add 1 Tblsp. Mirin to 3 Tblsp. Sake and 3-4Tblsp. Miso [I would prefer Red Miso for this dish, but I only had Black Miso, which makes a baste that looks like chocolate sauce!] Whisk well.

Add baste to tofu. There is a couple of techniques you may use to baste: you may wrap tofu and baste in cellophane and place on a plate; or you may wrap in cheesecloth. I prefer a tight Tupperware container that I can slosh the baste around in every once and while. Baste tofu overnight in fridge. Blot baste off with paper towel and slice before serving.

This is so  good, I wolfed down a block of tofu in less than a day. As the miso/sake mixture is just fine, I’m off to get a new block of tofu for another go around. I figure I can can get through at least three blocks of tofu from this one batch of baste.

Clean white tofu with a tangy edge. Perfect with a crisp salad, a pale ale or an iced sake on a summer day. Although delicious in Winter, I can’t wait until enjoying this dish in full Summer glory!

February 22, 2012: Grilled Eggplant Soup

Just about anyone I know as a friend, has contributed foodstuffs to me during these difficult times, so as I created this recipe from donated foods, it was no wonder that I lapsed into my best Joe Cocker imitation (and by “my best” I mean “the world’s absolute worst!”) singing “With a Little Help From My Friends.” It’s good, sometimes, to live alone and not have to worry about embarrassing anyone. One “Don’t Try This at Home, Kids” caveat: if you are going to try the full spastic genius that is Joe Cocker while making this recipe, you DO risk getting soup all over the kitchen, the computer, pets, etc.

This recipe for Grilled Eggplant Soup has been made possible by the kind contributions of Lisa (udon Noodles, furiake); Carolyn (sesame seeds); Yoshio (wakame,  konbu) and Regan (Mushrooms.) Even if you don’t see yourself credited in this particular recipe, I hope that all my friends see themselves in just about every article of the blog. You are there: between every photo taken, ever step of every recipe, every word written.

Toast at least 4 Tblsp. White Sesame Seeds in a non-stick pan, turning often with a wooden spoon, until a caramel color. Crush well in a mortar and pestle.

Grilled Eggplant: Take a small eggplant and slice into 1/4″ slices. Wash with H2O and salt well. Let sit for at least 20 minutes [to remove the bitterness of the eggplant], wash again, drain and blot on paper towels to dry. On grill pan (or on outside grill) over medium-high heat grill eggplant slices in 2/3rds corn-1/3rd sesame oils. Remove to paper towels.

Vegetarian Dashi:  [a slight variation of my veggie dashi from my article Fox Noodles] Bring 1 Qt. H2O +2 Tblsp. Sal de Mer to a boil. As it approaches boiling add 4 medium-sized dried shiitake mushroom, 2 pieces of 6″ kombu; 1, 6″ piece of each wakame and smoked dusle. When the H2O comes to boil, remove mushrooms and cut in quarters. Return to stock. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1/2 hour. Strain veggies from stock and return to medium heat. Add 2 Tblsp. each mirin and shoyu. Leave cover off and reduce until 1/3rd stock is gone.

Add udon noodles and bring dashi to boil for about 10 minutes. In the final minute add 2 C. baby spinach. Serve dashi,  and spinach in a bowl. Top with grilled eggplant, furiake, and ground sesame seeds.

Fat white udon noodles in a dark veggie stock, crisp purple eggplant and bright green spinach with a smidge of crunchy sesame. Healthy and yuummm!

February 16, 2012: The War of the Roses

I have been a Titanic buff since I first saw “A Night to Remember” back when I was a kid. With that film, I fell in love with the Edwardian Era, probably reinforced by going through my Grandmother’s photos of when she was young. The elegance of dress and hairstyles, the manners, the innocence (if you will…it was before both world wars) and especially the food stuck a nerve that reverberates throughout my life. My friend Lisa tells me that her young (5 y.o.) son, Harry has suddenly turned into a Titanic buff, so now I know I’m in good company! Being a chef, when I learned that there was a book on menus from the Great Liner existed, I just HAD to get it! I was not disappointed. Rick Archbold and Dana McCauley’s book “Last Dinner on the Titanic” is not only my most favorite cookbook, it is one of my favorite reads of all time! It is rich with not only carefully reconstructed dishes from the last night of the Titanic, but it is also full of history of people and events of the cruise. It has photos from the era, good art and illustrations. It also has recommendations for how to do a Titanic-themed dinner: how to place the table, what music to play, suggestions of dress, mood, conversation and more! I’ve done about six meals using this book as a guide and I hope to have many more to come!

Oh. Every once in a while talking about Titanic Dinners, I get a reaction from someone as if I was somehow celebrating the death of the 1523 souls lost the early morning of April 15, 1912. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is with the utmost respect that I put on these meals. It is the celebration of the life of these people that is the focus of the meal…and boy, did they know how to live!

The Dinner Itself

Want to see a Titanic Dinner? Just drift over to the margin on the right and click on “A Titanic Theme Dinner.” Thanks to my friend Teja, we have clips from a dinner we did a couple of years ago for a group of friends. The dishes are mainly Escoffier, which seems to be French code for “the best food imaginable!” The dishes are quite fancy, requiring much preparation, but if you love to cook (and eat) you will love every minute. You will need help, ‘tho. Not only with prepping, cooking and execution but also with the serving and most important….the planning. My friends Carolyn, Barb and Susan were the “planners” for this meal. Serving for these meals is traditionally “à la Russe” which means that every dish is served separately (usually by servers.) Also, if you are doing First Class Menu (there are also Second Class and Steerage menus) you have a choice between menus from the First Class Dining Salon and the “À La Carte” restaurant and each of those have options at each course! I usually go over options with the people who are planning and the best answer usually is a “mix and match” between the two restaurants. Dressing up is fun, but you have to feel out your group and see what they think. My opinion: this level of food quality deserves for people to dress up! Find what is right for your group, and feel free to mix it up. The Edwardians won’t mind! Planning and execution of the meal is a bit like a wedding: give yourself a load of time, plan well, do everything you can, and on the day…let go and have fun!

The War of the Roses

My family heard about this dinner for my friends and decided they would like one as well! We were able to couple this with a Titanic Exhibition that was going on that week in Rochester, NY. My lovely family was all game and made it one of the best Titanic Dinners ever! I served:

• Lobster Thermidor in a bed of Duchess Potatoes
• Calvados-Glazed Roast Duckling
• Home-made Applesauce
• Quenelle of Carrot
• Minted Green Pea Timbales
• Flowerets of French Cucumber
• Punch Romaine
• Asparagus Salad with Champagne-Saffron Vinaigrette
• Oranges en Surprise (a kind of Baked Alaska of orange sherbet served in an orange skin, topped with almond meringue and baked…yum!)

A little bit about my family: my sisters (all five) are bright, beautiful, talented, and scamps all! Most of them are accomplished chefs, so I had my work cut out for me! Sisters Joanne and Kathy each came dressed as “Rose” from the movie. Each applied their own style of dress and both were stunning, but “Who was the better Rose?” became the topic of conversation, which the family duly dubbed “The War of the Roses!”

Oh…and wise was the man who didn’t enlist in THAT war!!!

Minted Green Pea Timbales...just plain screwy or chromosomes skipping around?

I was doing pretty well with the meal preparations, but cramming too much Punch Romaine into the blender, I managed to spray it all over Joanne’s bar!!! [I cleaned it up and confessed my error. Joanne (always the gracious host) told me it was no problem and she later cleaned up the mess the right way!] So, a little on edge, I deliver the Punch to the table to find everyone a tad too quiet, with subtle smirks (always a bad sign!) Knowing, from experience, that it is pointless to drag these things out I say “OK. What’s UP?!” It is then I notice that there is a huge pile of the Minted Green Pea Timbales on my nephew’s plate! Knowing this tactic from years of abuse (oh, yes my beloved sisters…we will present THOSE stories someday!!!) I ask, “What the HELL is wrong with the timbales?” To which they reply, “We all hate it.” “OMIGOD”, I think, “I did something wrong!” So, I taste one and it was exactly correct!!!

Edwardians Like Mush

OK granted. Minted Green Pea Timbales are a tad on the odd side. Edwardians, true-blue meat-and-potatoes people, tended to over-process their vegetables. The timbales are a mixture of blanched and cooled green peas, mixed with fresh mint, salt and pepper, a tiny bit of sugar, cream, and a bit of egg white. This is put through a food processor, then into cupcake molds and they are all baked/steamed. You finish with a dab of sour cream and a fresh mint leaf. I made the timbales for the Titanic Dinner for my friends and everyone loved it! I mean, I had parents asking for the recipe after, saying they had finally found a dish they thought their kids would eat! Now, most people say kind things after a meal. Me…I would’ve complimented the éclairs and home-made ice cream, for that meal. So, what I’m saying is that with all the great food at the dinner for my friends, the unsolicited vote of “best dish” that night was the timbales!

“Odd Man Out” or The Skipped Chromosome

So…cooking is nothing without knowledge, so I ask my family “OK, EVERYONE hated the timbales?” Turns out, opinions varied. Some of my brothers in law hate veggies so much, that given the choice between asparagus and a Red Sox win, they would hem and haw. Some liked the timbales. Some deferred comment. Really, it was my sisters who really didn’t like the timbales! “Wow. I thought. At least one of us fell far from the tree, and I guess that someone is ME!” Some tastes are a very particular thing: I myself cannot stand the taste of cilantro. I choose to not eat certain foods, but I like most food. For years I thought my one food hatred to be just one of those odd anomalies. Then I found a group of cilantro-haters on-line. To them, cilantro tastes like soap! “YES!” I thought, “That’s EXACTLY right!” The group explained that there is a fairly rare gene combination that makes cilantro taste like a subtle poison to some people.

So, beloved sisters. We have to agree to disagree. I promise: no more green pea timbales. You: no cilantro for me. Personally, I’m glad I fell on that side of the tree. Mmmm…where’s the sour cream?

February 13, 2012: Shojin Dressing

I honestly never thought to top my Goma-Dare dressing recipe, and while similar in taste, I think I like this Shojin Dressing even better. The addition of silken tofu makes for a creamier and even more healthy mixture. This is so delicious on salads or as a dip for fresh vegetables.

The term “Shojin” follows an ancient Zen-Buddhist food preparation. Not only vegetarian, but also vegan and macrobiotic, you would think that Shojin cooking might be a tad on the bland side, but not so! This dressing is full of the fresh tastes of peanut, garlic, lemon, and chili, all in a creamy base.

Shojin Dressing:

• 1 Block of Silken Tofu (if you can get the tofu out in one piece and lay on a few sheets of paper towel to remove excess H2O, this helps reduce moisture in the dressing, but silken tofu is like custard and is very fragile.)
• 1 Clove Garlic (I used 1/2 Clove Elephant Garlic) chopped fine
• 1 Tsp. Fresh Chili Peppers, chopped fine
• 2 Tblsp. Smooth Peanut Butter
• 2 Tblsp. Lemon Juice
• 2 Tblsp. Olive Oil
• 2 Tblsp. Mirin
• 2 Tblsp. Shoyu

Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend well. I piped the dressing onto a salad of baby greens, grape tomatoes, baby zucchini, grated cabbage and carrot sticks. I topped with a dash of paprika (for color) and toasted sesame seeds. Refrigerate any leftover dressing.

Wow. Fast. Very healthy, and so very tasty. I may never buy bottled dressing ever again!

03.05.12 Update: I made this for Teja and the girls this weekend. Teja said that he had something like this before in Japan, but it wasn’t quite as hot as mine. I like my addition of hot peppers to this recipe, but the kids didn’t like the heat. Readers should be aware that for a more traditional dish, omit the peppers.

February 02, 2012: Grilled Kabocha in Dashi

The most time-consuming part of this dish is the dashi, which is a Japanese (normally) fish-flavored stock. My recipe for dashi which you may find on last week’s article “Fox Noodles”  is vegetarian and contains no fish.

Kabocha is a Japanese squash that looks like a green, elongated, and stunted pumpkin. If you can’t find kabocha, you may substitute butternut squash. As I was reading about kabocha, the book had a drawing of one, and I thought, “Hey, I think I’ve seen these in the grocery store!” Sure enough, I was very pleased to find kabocha in the produce department. It’s great that I am finding more and more of the ingredients that I need for these Japanese dishes in my local store!

Skin all of the green skin off the kabocha. Cut into quarters and remove seeds and pulp. Quarter each quarter and then half each piece (for a total of 32 pieces.) On a grill pan (or on the outside grill) lightly coat squash with 5 parts corn oil to 1 part sesame oil and grill, turning often. As you are grilling, warm up the dashi. When kabocha is grilled, add to dashi for a few minutes and serve. You can add yuzu or lemon zest as a garnish.

The taste is a slightly smoky flavor for the squash. The stock keeps the squash moist, and the citrus of the yuzu or lemon adds a nice bright finish. This recipe for kabocha is great side dish to any Japanese meal.