eating well on seven dollars a day

cooking with knopf/doubleday

2009-06-22T09:48:00.000-07:00

here is my fellow editorial comrade-in-arms, joey, and i making lemon ricotta and mac and cheese pancakes from kenny shopsin's cookbook, EAT ME. we also made lemonade from edna lewis's cookbook, THE GIFT OF SOUTHERN COOKING. delicious!

the full post is here.

taiwanese stewed pork with star anise, topped with green onions and a fried egg

2009-05-19T16:40:00.001-07:00

this is fatty, but very tasty--and homey. pork stews in sugary soy sauce, star anise, and rice wine, softening into rich, chewy bits. very little active stove time. i made this when it was cold and rainy, and it was very satisfying.

ingredients
1 lb fatty ground pork
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large shallots, minced
1/2 cup rice wine
2 cups soy sauce
3 tbsp brown sugar
3 star anise
3 cups chicken broth
1 bunch green onions, minced
a dash each of:
soy sauce
white pepper
oyster sauce
sesame oil
rice wine
cornstarch
sugar

steps
1. marinate ground pork with soy sauce, white pepper, oyster sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, cornstarch, and sugar.
2. saute garlic and shallots in cooking oil over high heat. then fry pork, and add broth, rice wine, star anise, sugar, and soy sauce.
3. cook over low heat for 2-3 hours until most of the liquid evaporates into a thick stew. scoop out layer of shimmering oil from stew, and serve with fresh green onions over rice. add an egg, if you like, as i did.

cost calculation
1 lb fatty ground pork, $1.99
3-4 cloves garlic, $0.10
2 large shallots, $0.20
1/2 cup rice wine, $0.10
2 cups soy sauce, $0.15
3 tbsp brown sugar, $0.10
3 star anise, $0.1o
3 cups chicken broth, $1.00
1 bunch green onions, $0.20
total: $394 divided by 4 = $0.99

beef stroganoff

2009-05-19T16:38:00.000-07:00

after celebrating my friend andrea's birthday at schiller's, where i consumed a very tasty beef stroganoff, i was inspired to make a homey version of my own. true to my seven dollars a day principle, i eschewed the now upper-west-side-inflated brisket cut and went for the cheapest chuck roast stew beef, at about $2 a pound. i also opted for a few big onions as opposed to the pricier pearls, and bought dry egg noodles instead of fresh (though do get fresh if you can; they're delicious). already had heirloom tomato puree on hand from the csa, and some chicken broth, which i used instead of beef stock. (it's always better to go with stock you made yourself than store-bought, which tends to be oversalted and otherwise flavorless.) in the end, despite the cheap shortcuts, it was an impressively comforting dish: the stew was thick and rich, the beef fell apart at the touch, the mushrooms, quartered, were wonderfully tender-firm, and with a dollop of sour cream mixed in, it proved a tummy-warming, hearth-happy meal. serves 4.

ingredients
2 large white onions, sliced
1 lb large button mushrooms, washed and quartered (don't slice, or they'll just dissolve into nothingness after the long stew)
3 cloves garlic
2 lb chuck roast
1 bay leaf
2 cups tomato puree
2 cups beef stock
1/2 cup flour
1 lb egg noodles
2 tbsp butter
olive oil
sour cream

steps
1. generously season beef chunks with salt and pepper. heat olive oil until very hot in large saucepan and brown the beef on both sides. set aside.
2. in a large pot (in this case, i used my roommate's thermal cooker, for slow cooking), heat butter. add garlic and onions, and let the onions soften and caramelize. add the mushrooms and continue to cook until they soften a bit.
3. add beef into the pot and stir. then sprinkle the flour in and stir the ingredients together, letting the flour coat everything evenly.
4. add bay leaf, tomato puree, and beef stock so that the liquid ingredients just cover the beef. let cook on lowest heat possible for 3 hours, until beef is tender and just falling apart.
5. cook egg noodles in salted water and drain. serve stew over noodles with a dollop of sour cream to mix in.

cost calculation
2 large white onions, $1.00
1 lb large button mushrooms, $2.99
3 cloves garlic, $0.10
2 lb chuck roast, $4.00
2 cups tomato puree, $1.00
2 cups beef stock, $0.40
1 lb egg noodles, $2.00
sour cream, $1.00
total: 12.49 divided by 4 = $3.13

rice cakes with ground pork and chinese chives

2009-05-19T16:34:00.000-07:00

rice cakes are a staple of chinese (though more mandarin than cantonese) cooking. they're gooey and chewy, like a thicker, generally giant-er version of a rice noodle. they're cheap and filling, and great in stir fries.

i picked up some rice cakes from hong kong supermarket in chinatown, along with some ground pork from deluxe and some chinese chives (they're longer, thinner, and with slightly yellowed ends compared to your regular chive). soaked the rice cakes to soften them, seasoned the ground pork with the usual chinese flavorings, and did a quick stir fry. flavorful and simple. serves 4.

ingredients
1 lb rice cakes
1 large bunch chinese chives, ends removed, then the long leaves cut into half width-wise
1 lb ground pork
1 inch knob ginger, peeled and minced
2-3 garlic cloves
3/4 cup chicken broth
a dash each of:
soy sauce
white pepper
oyster sauce
sesame oil
rice wine
cornstarch
sugar

steps
1. soak the rice cakes in cold water for 30 minutes.
2. season ground pork with soy sauce, white pepper, oyster sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, cornstarch and sugar. mix well.
3. heat cooking oil in a pan, then fry the ginger and garlic. when nearly browned, add the ground pork. fry until nearly cooked through, then set aside.
4. in the same large saucepan/wok, add the chives and fry until wilted (no need to add cooking oil; there will be fat in the pan from the pork).
5. drain the rice cakes and add them to the pan together with the chicken broth. stir to prevent sticking, and cook until the rice cakes are cooked through and chewy. stir pork back in, and let it cook through completely. season with more white pepper as desired.

cost calculation
1 lb rice cakes, $1.00
1 large bunch chinese chives, $1.19
1 lb ground pork, $1.99
1 inch knob ginger, $0.10
2-3 garlic cloves, $0.10
3/4 cup chicken broth, $0.30
total: $4.68 divided by 4 = $1.17

hong kong diner style: fried fish in a sweet creamed corn sauce over rice

2009-05-19T16:32:00.000-07:00

creamed corn in chinese food? probably sounds gross to most, but it's actually a very popular and common diner dish in hong kong--a perfect amalgamation of east and west. (many "western" hong kong cafes or diners serve their version of "spaghetti bolognese", "russian borscht", and "casseroles", alongside dishes like this one.)

this is a quick cook dinner. simply batter the salt and pepper-seasoned fish (i used some sole purchased from deluxe market in chinatown) with egg (makes it stickier), then some tapioca flour (makes for a lighter and crisper batter), and fry on each side until it is crisp and cooked through. let the fish drain on some paper towels, then make your sauce--simply some fried ginger, garlic, and scallions, along with creamed corn and another can of kernels for more of that corn-bite, and some red pepper flakes. break up the fish into chunks, and stir back in. add a bit of cornstarch mixed with water should the sauce need thickening, and voila! a hearty, inexpensive, and quick weeknight dinner. serves 4.

ingredients
1 lb sole filets (or other fish, whatever you prefer)
1 inch knob ginger, peeled and minced
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 bunch green onions, minced
1 egg
1/2 cup tapioca flour
salt and white peppper
pinch chili flakes
1 can creamed corn
1 can corn kernels

steps
1. season the fish filets with salt and pepper. dredge each in a shallow bowl with a whisked egg, then in another bowl with the tapioca flour. set aside on a dish.
2. fry the filets in hot oil in a saucepan. use tongs to flip the fish and allow it to brown on both sides. break apart the fish to check if it is cooked inside. do not overcook. drain filets on paper towels.
3. fry the ginger, garlic, and scallion in a saucepan. when ginger and garlic are browned and scallions are sweating and translucent, add the creamed corn, corn kernels (drained), and chili flakes. bring to a boil, then back down to a simmer. stir in fish filets, breaking them up into large chunks. serve over rice.

cost calculation
1 lb sole filets, $3.99
1 inch knob ginger, $0.05
2-3 cloves garlic, $0.05
1 bunch green onions, $0.30
1 egg, $0.10
1/2 cup tapioca flour, $0.10
1 can creamed corn, $1.25
1 can corn kernels, $1.25
total: 7.09 divided by 4 = $1.78

mussels with shallots, green garlic, and white wine

2009-05-03T10:44:00.000-07:00

apologies for the very bright shot--i think the flash on my camera was confused by the shininess of my stainless steel pot.

i know mussels aren't in season right now--months with an "r" in their name, from september to april, are said to be the best time for mussels--but i was craving them. i prepared them in the classic french style, with shallots and white wine, but added lots of green garlic for some fresh bite. mussels are a rather perfect food for this blog--i was shocked to see i hadn't blogged about them before--because they really are the poor (wo)man's oyster. at $2 a pound (1 lb feeds one person), with a very simple and quick cooking process (just a fast fry of the herbs you want to include, some wine, then a five minute steam), and some crusty bread to sop up the mussel liquid with, they are very inexpensive meal from heaven. mussels = manna? serves 2.

ingredients
1 bunch green garlic, chopped
5 shallots, minced
3/4 cup white wine
2 lb mussels
1/4 cup flour
1 tbsp butter
1 baguette

steps
1. clean your mussels thoroughly, scrubbing the shells, making sure to discard any open ones, and removing any beards (the tough,brown hair-like strings that are sometimes attached to the shell) as you go along.
2. fill a large bowl with water, then mix the flour in until it dissolves. soak the cleaned mussels in the flour-water for at least 30 minutes. this helps to pull out any sand, and supposedly makes the mussels within fuller and more flavorful, according to julia child, to whom i always defer. drain the mussels.
3. saute shallots and green garlic in the butter, then add the white wine, simmering for a few minutes to allow the alcohol to cook off. bring the heat back up to high, and add the mussels into the pot. close the lid tightly with both hands, and let the mussels cook, shaking the pot frequently to move the mussels around, allowing them to cook evenly. do this for about 5 minutes, until most shells are open. discard any that don't open.
4. serve with a large bowl for discarded shells, and with plenty of bread to sop up the amazing broth.

cost calculation
1 bunch green garlic, $1.00
5 shallots, $0.30
3/4 cup white wine, $0.30
2 lb mussels, $4.00
1 baguette, $2.25
total: 7.85 divided by 2 = $3.93

ramps four ways

2009-04-23T17:27:00.001-07:00

i LOVE ramps, as any one of my friends will tell you. indeed, i've been on a little hiatus from the blog because i've been so busily attending to my many bunches of ramps--i've been cooking up a storm with them, trying to get the most out of a sadly short ramp season. (on that note, many thanks to the boyfriend, who works not far from the union square greenmarket and who has endured ridicule from his coworkers for the beautiful, oniony smell that has been emanating from his european carry all--he has picked up ramps, like, daily, on my behalf.)

here are the glorious results--ramps on pizza, ramps in risotto, and ramps in pasta, two ways (i wasn't sure if the ramps' flavor would be best showcased in a pesto, or as long, blanched strands mimicking the look of the spaghetti its paired with. in the end, i'd say they were both great, but different--depends on whether you like concentrated ramp flavor and texture in sporadic bites or ramps in an evenly distributed, nicely ground pesto).

in a classic margherita pizza, with ramps substituted for basil

roasted for ten minutes at 500 degrees, then quickly stirred into a risotto with shrimp, asparagus, pecorino, and lemon zest

as a pesto base for pasta, topped with some crisp bacon

as the main star, long strands mixed with spaghetti, reserved ramp-blanching and pasta-cooking liquid, pecorino, and lemon zest

jalapeno cheddar grits with bacon, eggs, and chives

2009-04-23T17:26:00.000-07:00

breakfast for dinner! one of my favorite indulgences. mark had a craving for grits--his southern roots?--and since we had some jalapeno cheddar and lots of eggs from our csa (plus 6 slices of leftover bacon), we bought some grits (get the regular kind, not the quick cook, which has a too-uniform, slimy texture) and cooked this up in one pan. very simple, cheap, and tasty. perhaps not the healthiest meal, with the cheese, eggs, and bacon, but hey--we sprinkled some minced scallions on top for some green, so whatevs. serves 3-4.

ingredients
6 eggs
1 1/3 cups grits
2 cups milk
2 cups water (more if needed)
1 cup grated jalapeno cheddar
6 strips bacon
1 bunch minced scallions

steps
1. fry the bacon until crisp. drain on paper towels.
2. keep some of the bacon fat in the pan. add water, milk, and grits to pan and bring to a boil, then back down to a simmer. cook the grits, stirring every once in a while and adding a little more water at a time, as necessary.
3. once grits are cooked through (about 20 minutes), season with salt and pepper and stir in cheese, mixing well. crack the eggs so they are evenly distributed on top of the grits in the pan. let them sit and cook through until whites are firm but yolks still runny. you may need to move the pan around so that each egg is atop the flame for an equal amount of time for the eggs to cook evenly.
4. crumble bacon on top, and sprinkle the scallions.

cost calculation
6 eggs, $1.05
1.5 cups grits, $0.30
2 cups milk, $0.25
1 cup grated jalapeno cheddar, $2.20
6 strips bacon, $1.00
1 bunch minced scallions, $0.30
total: 5.10 divided by 3 = $1.70

a way to use all that leftover, chewy bread: panade with spinach and kale, red onions, and gruyere

2009-04-22T10:13:00.000-07:00

after that potato salad, which i consumed along with a few slices of bread, i was left with more than half of my original loaf. i could have frozen it to make breadcrumbs later--as i usually do--but i opened the freezer to find quite a few half-loaves already occupying much space. i still had a couple of pretty red onions left, though, more than a pound of gorgeous, leafy greens (spinach and kale, also from the csa), and, as always, lots of stock (it's good to have this on hand at all times!), so i already had nearly all the ingredients for that platonic ideal of leftover peasant food: panade.

panade is a little bit like a lot of things--hot and bubbly and with a crisped-up top like a casserole, thick and saucy like a stew, something of a vegetable dish, and with the silky bread, reminiscent of a savory souffle--and, like all those things, is absolutely delicious. most recipes call for chard, but any leafy green will do--and kale, indeed, is particularly well-suited to this dish, tasting wonderfully like collard greens by the end of its long stint in the oven. the key here is to build it layer by layer--this doesn't take long, but is key to getting an even amount of each ingredient in each bite--and to bake it in the oven, covered, for long enough so that the stock and vegetable juices simmer down into a thick sauce, and uncovered for the last 15 minutes to get that wonderful contrast in texture. so good, so hearty, and a healthy and cheap way to repurpose leftover bread--you can't go wrong! i topped mine with a fried egg for that yummy, runny yolk and crisp egg white (and some extra protein). serves 4.

ingredients
1 lb leafy greens, ends of stems removed
2 large red onions, thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, coarsely minced
2 cups gruyere, grated
2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock, for a vegetarian version)
half a loaf of leftover bread, cubed
olive oil
salt and pepper
4 eggs, optional

steps
1. heat about 1/4 cup of olive oil in a deep saucepan over high heat, and fry the onions for a few minutes. once they soften a little, add the garlic and turn heat to low. cover and let the onions cook until caramelized, about 20 minutes.
2. meanwhile, fry the greens (seasoned with salt and pepper) in a bit of olive oil until they are just wilted, then set aside.
3. toss the bread cubes with some olive oil, salt, and 1/3 cup of chicken stock. massage with your hands so liquids are evenly distributed. preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
4. build the panade: start with a smear of onions, then greens, cheese, and bread. continue until you have at least 2-3 layers of each ingredient. then drizzle in the rest of the chicken stock.
5. bake, covered, for 1 hour, then turn the heat up to 400 degrees and bake for another 15 minutes so that the top layer is crispy.
6. serve with a fried egg on top of each plate if you like.

cost calculation
1 lb leafy greens, $3.00
2 large red onions, $0.70
2 cups gruyere, $3.20
2 cups chicken stock, $0.30
half a loaf of leftover bread, $0.80
total: 8 divided by 4 = $2.00

red potato salad with red onions, pickles, and dill

2009-04-22T09:59:00.000-07:00

i was never a big fan of the potato salads of my youth--you know, the cloyingly sweet, anything-and-everything-thrown in, yellow-mustardy ones served at parent-teacher association lunches or family friends' bbqs. so armed with the bounty of red potatoes, cider-vinegar-pickled cucumbers (a big difference!), and beautiful red onions from my last csa pickup, i thought i'd make a more adult version of my own. this is very easy, and a wonderful dish to bring to a picnic, once the weather finally amends. serves 4-6 as a hearty side dish (i had a serving for dinner along with a few slices of roast beef from the whole foods deli and some bread).

ingredients
1.5 lb red potatoes, washed but unpeeled
1/2 a large red onion, minced
2-3 cider vinegar pickles, minced
1/2 a bunch of dill, stems removed and minced
few large spoonfuls of mayonnaise (do NOT get reduced fat--no flavor!)
salt and pepper

steps
1. bring the potatoes to boil in a large pot of salted water. let cook, uncovered, for about 20 minutes or until softened. (i test to see if they're done by poking a chopstick through each and feeling how easily it slides through.)
2. drain potatoes and rinse in cold water, then set aside in refrigerator to let cool for about 10-15 minutes.
3. meanwhile, chop your onion, pickles, and dill. then chop the potatoes into large chunks.
4. mix all ingredients together along with the mayo, and season with salt and pepper.

cost calculation
1.5 lb red potatoes, $2.50
1/2 a large red onion, $0.20
2-3 cider vinegar pickles, $0.40
1/2 a bunch of dill, $0.70
few large spoonfuls of mayonnaise, $0.30
total: 4.10 divided by 5 = $0.82

cooking for beginners: garlic bread with parsley and oregano, roast chicken with rosemary and lemon zest, roasted brussel sprouts with jalapeno flakes

2009-04-12T17:54:00.000-07:00

not as pretty split open like that--but i had to check if it was done!

mark bemoans that in cooking all the time, i don't allow him to learn--so i helped him plan a meal he'd make completely on his own. he figured he'd start with something easy--simple roasted chicken legs (one of the cheapest cuts, and the most flavorful, if you prefer dark meat), garlic bread, and roasted brussel sprouts. here, the oven does all the work, but easy doesn't mean tasteless--far from it. this was delicious and hearty; the lemon zest and juice gave the chicken some freshness and bite, the brussel sprouts were beautifully crisp-tender (and especially flavorful with chicken juices poured over them), and the garlic bread, baking in the oven, made the whole apartment smell like heaven. serves 2.

ingredients
2 large chicken legs
1 lemon, rind grated
1.5 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 lb brussel sprouts, ends trimmed
1/2 a fresh baguette, halved lengthwise so tops are flat, then cut again into half
2 tbsp butter, room temperature
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 sprigs of parsley, stems removed, minced
2-3 sprigs of oregano, stems removed

steps
1. preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. season brussel sprouts with salt, pepper, and jalapeno flakes, and drizzle with olive oil in a baking pan. bake in oven (do this before the chicken, since the brussel sprouts take longer) for 35-40 minutes.
3. season chicken legs with lemon juice, zest, rosemary, salt and pepper, and drizzled olive oil. bake, covered, for 20 minutes, and another 10 minutes uncovered, to crisp the skin.
4. while chicken and brussel sprouts are baking, prepare the garlic bread. smear butter on the bread tops, then spread the minced garlic, parsley, and oregano evenly on top, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. cover with foil and bake for 5 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 5, to get that crisp on the outside-tender on the inside texture.
5. drizzle extra chicken juices onto the brussel sprouts and serve.

cost calculation
2 large chicken legs, $2.50 (cheaper if you don't get free-range, as i did)
1 lemon, $0.30
1.5 tbsp fresh rosemary, $0.30
1 lb brussel sprouts, $1.99
1/2 a fresh baguette, $1.00
6 sprigs of parsley, $0.40
2-3 sprigs of oregano (from plant), $0.10
total: 6.59 divided by 2 = $3.30

tapenade, anchovies, capers, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil pizza

2009-04-12T17:52:00.000-07:00

phew. lots of ingredients on this pizza--but not overwhelmingly so. mark had the brilliant idea of making tapenade last week, so we decided to incorporate that, as well as the leftover anchovies and capers we had from aforementioned tapenade-making, some sweet cherry tomatoes (i love how they get soft and bubbly on a hot pizza), mozzarella as our go-to cheese base, and hefty basil leaves for some pretty, green bite. despite the rich toppings, this was a light pizza--we made sure to use each topping sparingly. a quick and beautiful meal--and the leftovers made a tasty snack the next day. makes two large pizzas, and serves 4-6.

ingredients
dough:
3.5 cups flour
1.5 cups warm water
1 tbsp active dry yeast
1 tbsp olive oil
pinch of salt
toppings:
2 anchovy filets, minced
6 tbsp tapenade
1 tbsp capers
two handfuls cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 lb mozzarella, thinly sliced
2 handfuls basil leaves
drizzle of olive oil
pinch of salt, pepper

steps
1. mix ingredients with dough, roll into two discs, wrap with saran wrap and refrigerate for at least overnight.
2. preheat oven to 500 degrees. roll out each disc on a lightly floured surface, then spread the tapenade thinly on each pizza. top each pizza with the thinly sliced mozzarella, then the capers and minced anchovies and halved tomatoes. drizzle or brush olive oil on the crust so it browns, then sprinkle the pizzas with salt and pepper.
3. bake in oven at 500 degrees for 10 minutes. top with fresh basil leaves.

cost calculation
3.5 cups flour, $0.20
1 tbsp active dry yeast, $0.10
2 anchovy filets, $0.80
6 tbsp tapenade, $1.00
1 tbsp capers, $0.10
two handfuls cherry or grape tomatoes, $1.79
1 lb mozzarella, thinly sliced, $4.00
2 handfuls basil leaves, $0.60
total: 8.59 divided by 5 = $1.72

apple pie

2009-04-09T10:39:00.001-07:00

i'm not much of a baker. i always preferred savory to sweet (perhaps, again, a result of growing up in a chinese household, where i usually had dessert in the form of a red bean soup--still pretty savory). mark bought a bucketful of apples from the union square greenmarket a week or so ago, but sadly, they were mealy--bless his soul. so i thought i'd make my first apple pie, and guess what? no fires, no burns, just a delicious, flaky, browned crust and the sweet, tart filling of a bounty of softened apples and their caramelized juices. this serves 8, one generous slice each.

ingredients
dough:
2.5 cups flour
4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt (not coarse sea salt, just your regular kind)
14 tbsp cold unsalted butter, diced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 large egg, lightly beaten, for brushing onto pie crust
filling:
juice of 1 lemon
3 lb apples, peeled, seeded, and cut into eighths
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of ground nutmeg

yup, i pierced the crust with a fork in the shape of my initials

steps
1. combine dry ingredients for the crust: flour, sugar, and salt. then add diced butter, mixing the ingredients with your hands until the mixture resembles coarse meal. make a well and add the beaten egg, folding it in with your hands until the dough forms into a ball. if the dough is still dry, add in little drops of cold water until it combines.
2. form the dough into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
3. for the filling, toss the apple wedges (peel each apple, then cut each half into fourths) with the juice of one lemon and the sugar in a large bowl. the lemon juice will also keep the apples from turning brown.
4. melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large, deep skillet, then cook the apples with the sugar and lemon juice until the sugar dissolves. cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer for about 10 minutes, until the apples are softened and have released most of their juices.
5. strain the apples in a colander and catch the juice. return the juice to the pan over low heat, simmering so that the juice caramelizes and thickens.
6. toss the apples with the reduced juice and spices. set aside to cool for 2 hours or in the fridge overnight, if you are making the pie ahead of time.
7. take the dough out of the fridge, and let rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes, so it can be rolled out. cut the dough in half, then roll each half on a lightly floured board so it is about a foot in diameter. preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
8. line the bottom of a 9-inch pan with one of the rolled-out pieces of dough, leaving about 1/2 an inch to protrude from the sides of the pan. put the apple filling into the pie and mound it slightly in the center. place the second disk of dough over the top, and press the edges together to seal the pie, then flute the sides with the back of a fork. brush the surface of the pie with egg and sprinkle some sugar on top. pierce the top with a fork several times to allow steam to escape while baking.
9. bake the pie until the crust is golden, about 50 minutes. let cool before serving.

cost calculation
2.5 cups flour, $0.30
2 1/4 sticks cold unsalted butter $2.25
2 eggs, $0.34
1 lemon, $0.30
3 lb apples, $3.00
2/3 cup sugar, $0.10
pinch cinnamon and nutmeg, $0.15
total: 6.44 divided by 8 = $0.81

carnitas tacos with guacamole and salsa

2009-04-08T07:12:00.000-07:00

this is probably awfully bougie of me, but while i'm all for the fat and chewy pieces of carnitas in the tacos from the local harlem cart, i'm not as much a fan of the little bones and tougher bits of tendon that are part of the $2 and under deal. yet another advantage of home cooking, of course, is that it's your turf--you control what you make. so i created some tacos of my own, with slow cooked pork shoulder in orange and lime zest, some shredded red cabbage, salsa, and guac. this was so good, so fresh, so nice and cistrusy. and no bones or tendons--i had carefully removed them post slow-cook.

my version is simplified, de-fattified (somewhat), and adapted from emeril's. (who would have thought? i find him so annoying.) serves 4.

ingredients
3 lb pork shoulder, cut into 3-4 inch chunks
2 tbsp reserved bacon fat (or lard from pork)
1/4 cup water
1 orange, zest removed w vegetable peeler
1 lime, zest removed w vegetable peeler
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled (unless it's from your csa, in which case it's covered in dirt, so peel it)
pinch sea salt
12 soft corn tortillas
2 tbsp vegetable oil
guacamole, recipe follows
salsa, recipe follows

steps
1. trim fat, skin, and other unwanted parts from pork, and cut into 3-4 inch chunks.
2. melt reserved bacon fat (i always save mine in a jar after cooking bacon) or lard from pork in a dutch oven or saucepan (whatever you use for slow cooking/simmering). when it has melted, add pork, garlic, zest, salt, and water. turn heat to low and simmer for 2 hours, mostly covered (with the lid ajar), until the meat is tender. (i would make the guac and salsa, recipes follow, while this is simmering.)
3. carefully remove any bones and other unwanted bits. then pull apart the meat with two forks so it is stringy, and sprinkle with salt.
4. heat the tortillas in a saucepan over low to medium heat, one at a time, each with both sides brushed with a 1/2 tsp of oil.
5. serve with guacamole, salsa, and shredded cabbage.

guacamole

2 large, ripe avocadoes
1 small onion, minced
2 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, minced
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp serrano chile, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
pinch of salt
pinch of ground cayenne pepper

combine ingredients in a bowl and mash up together with a fork or potato masher until it is at desired consistency (i like mine chunky).

salsa

4-5 tomatoes on the vine
1 small onion
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 serrano or jalapeno chiles
1 garlic clove
pinch salt
pinch cayenne

combine ingredients in a food processor.

cost calculation
3 lb pork shoulder, $2.79
1 orange, $0.40
1 lime, $0.20
5 cloves garlic, $0.15
4-5 tomatoes on the vine, $2.30
2 small onions, $0.50
1 bunch cilantro, $2.00
3 serrano or jalapeno chiles, $1.00
2 large, ripe avocadoes, $4.00
1 small head red cabbage, $1.29
total: 14.63 divided by 4 = $3.66

spaghetti with hot italian sausage, broccoli rabe, and pecorino romano

2009-04-08T07:11:00.002-07:00

mark and i are often at odds when it comes to pasta. i love the stuff--perhaps because i rarely had anything other than chinese food growing up--and like it lightly coated in sauce, not too heavy, with simple but bold flavors. mark is all about the sauce and less about the pasta--he could do without the starch, he often says--and would, say, be happier with meatballs sans spaghetti. a real carnivore. this simple weeknight dish, however, impressed both of us. i found the broccoli rabe complex and tasty, with a bit of bite. the hot italian sausage gave the spaghetti some spice and depth of flavor, and the sauce--simply the reserved broccoli rabe and pasta water, along with some chicken broth--was light but flavorful, with lots of unami. topped with some pecorino romano, it was hearty but not heavy, and mark and i both savored every bite. it's also very easy and quick to make in case you're short on time (as i was, having laundry to do). serves 4.

ingredients
1 lb spaghetti, or other kind of pasta
2 fresh hot italian sausage links (about 1 lb), casings removed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large bunch broccoli rabe (about 1 lb), ends and yellow leaves removed, then cut into thirds
1/2 tbsp jalapeno flakes (or crushed red pepper), optional
2 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade
1/2 cup pecorino romano, grated

steps
1. bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, blanch broccoli rabe for a few minutes. remove broccoli rabe, but keep the water in the pot.
2. cook the spaghetti in the boiling reserved water, then set aside, reserving the water again.
3. fry garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat in a deep skillet. when the garlic starts to brown, add the jalapeno or red pepper flakes (if you are using them) and sausages, smashing them up into little ground pieces. when the sausage is cooked through, add the blanched broccoli rabe, then the chicken broth, and a few ladles of the reserved broccoli-rabe-pasta water, as necessary. let the liquid simmer for 10 minutes or so to concentrate the flavor.
4. pour the sauce into the pasta and mix well. top with grated pecorino romano.

cost calculation
1 lb spaghetti, $1.00
2 fresh hot italian sausage links, $2.99
1 large bunch broccoli rabe, $2.99
2 cups chicken broth, $0.49
1/2 cup pecorino romano, $3.00
total: 10.47 divided by 4 = $2.62

onion tart

2009-04-08T07:10:00.000-07:00

as usual, i got lots of onions from my csa, and wasn't sure quite what to do with them--and they were taking up lots of room in the fridge! a conscientious roommate, i felt i had to get rid of them somehow. thankfully, my fellow csa members are lovely and creative people, so when one member sent an email suggesting an onion tart as a possible solution, i gladly took her up on it. this was delicious, and served alongside a fresh salad, a filling but light dinner. it would make a beautiful brunch dish as well. serves 4.

served alongside a simple salad of arugula, walnuts, cranberries, and grape tomatoes

ingredients
filling:
2 very large onions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tbsp brown sugar
salt and white pepper
6 oz. gruyere, grated
crust:
8 tbsp (1 stick) cold butter, diced
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
ice cold water, if needed

steps
1. heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until hot. add sliced onions, sugar, salt, and pepper, and cook until softened. then turn heat to low and cover. let cook for 45 minutes.
2. while onions are cooking, make the pastry dough: combine the flour and diced butter until it resembles coarse meal. add the egg and mix in until it forms a ball. if the mixture is too dry, add a little bit of water--a few drops at a time--until it can be gathered into a ball. form into a disk, wrap with saran wrap or parchment paper, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. remove the pastry dough and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. then roll it out on a floured surface so it will fit onto the bottom of your 9-inch tart pan (i used a pie pan, which works fine as well). poke the bottom of the crust a few times with a fork, then remove any extra crust off the pan's edges, then cover with parchment paper or foil. fill the covered pan with baking weights (dried beans or rice work perfectly). let this sit in your fridge for ten minutes and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
4. bake the crust, with the weights, in the oven for 15 minutes. then take it out and carefully remove the foil/parchment paper and baking weights. dust about half of the gruyere onto the bottom of the tart, then fill it with the caramelized onions. dust the remaining gruyere on top. bake in the oven for 15 more minutes.

cost calculation
2 very large onions, $0.60
1/3 cup olive oil, $0.10
6 oz. gruyere, $4.63
1 stick butter, $0.30
1 1/3 cups flour, $0.30
1 large egg, $0.15
total: 6.08 divided by 4 = $1.52

parsnip, potato, and leek soup with pickled beet swirl

2009-03-29T17:49:00.000-07:00

i know--again with the parsnips! but i had to find some way to finish them up. i also got, in my last csa pickup, some delicious jarred pickled beets, and lots of potatoes. so i figured i'd make a vaguely eastern european soup of potatoes, parsnips, and leeks, with a pickled beet swirl--using this recipe. i used ground nutmeg instead of fresh, and omitted the red wine and red wine vinegar in the pickled beet swirl, figuring the lemon juice was acidity enough. it was so delicious and light for a wintry soup, especially with fresh, chopped dill. paired with some crusty bread, it makes for a filling, hearty, but not heavy meal. and for vegetarians--simply replace chicken broth with vegetable broth and you are good to go.

cost calculation
1/2 lb parsnip, $1.00
4 large potatoes, $1.25
4 cloves garlic, $0.10
2-3 leeks, $2.75
4 cups chicken broth, $1.00
small bunch of dill, $1.19
2-3 pickled beets, $1.00
1 large lemon, $0.25
total: 8.54 divided by 6 = $1.42

parsnip hash topped with a poached egg; chard, cranberries, and watermelon radish salad

2009-03-29T17:47:00.000-07:00

i must say--aside from the obvious benefits of joining a csa (the convenience of simply picking up your share of vegetables and not having to go grocery shopping, the fresh, organic produce, and the knowledge that you are shrinking your carbon footprint, however small the difference may actually be)--cooking seasonally has been a lovely and welcome challenge. it's made me use ingredients i otherwise wouldn't have considered (i had never cooked parsnips before enrolling in the csa), and in new and creative ways (i certainly never would have made a rutabaga souffle, for example).

so when a couple of vegetarian friends came over for dinner, mark and i put our winter vegetables to work: grated parsnips, blanched chard, along with some parmigiano reggiano; some more chard paired with some cranberries and beautiful, faintly peppery watermelon radishes--all topped with farm fresh poached eggs, of course.

i'll admit these experiments don't always work out perfectly. indeed, i had meant to make a galette out of the parsnips, but the butter, flour, and parmigiano weren't enough to hold it together, so it turned into hash. still, topped with a poached egg, it was still pretty gorgeous--and tasty. this makes a fantastic (and healthy) brunch dish; for dinner, it works better as a side. serves 4.

parsnip hash topped with a poached egg

ingredients
1/2 lb parsnips, grated
4 cups fresh chard, chopped
6 large eggs
1 tbsp flour
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano, grated
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp herbes de provence (thanks, mark's parents!)

steps
1. blanch chard in boiling water for about a minute, then drain.
2. beat 2 eggs, add flour, salt and pepper, parsnips, greens, and cheese.
3. melt butter in a skillet and toast walnuts until browned. add walnuts to parsnip mixture.
4. wipe out skillet, add some olive oil, then fry mixture, flattening with the back of a spoon if you want to make a galette, or simply stirring it up for a hash.
5. poach 4 eggs (one per person). this is a good guide for each step. (it's actually really easy!)

chard, cranberries, and watermelon radish salad

ingredients
1/4 lb chard
a couple of handfuls of cranberries
1 watermelon radish, peeled, halved, then sliced
for dressing:
juice of half a lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano, grated
1/2 tbsp brown sugar

steps
1. mix dressing ingredients together in a bowl, then toss with dry ingredients.

cost calculation
1/2 lb parsnips, $1.00
1/3 lb chard, $2.00
6 large eggs, $1.25
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano, $4.00
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, $0.25
1/2 tsp herbes de provence, $0.10
a couple of handfuls of cranberries, $0.20
1 watermelon radish, $0.40
total: 9.20 divided by 4 = $2.30

shrimp creole

2009-03-29T17:46:00.000-07:00

i had some frozen, uncooked shrimp in the freezer and a can of whole, peeled tomatoes, so i thought i'd make this stew for dinner. i used a recipe found on food network, added a diced hot chili pepper in there for spice, and replaced the seafood stock with my own homemade chicken stock, which i figured would be more flavorful than canned seafood stock. this is so easy to make, and is nice and hearty and filling, without being too heavy, thanks to all the vegetables. pair it with some nice, crusty bread to soak up the spicy stew. this produced lots of leftovers, too, which was more than fine with me! serves 6.

cost calculation
4 garlic cloves, $0.10
2 large onions, $0.50
2 stalks celery, $0.50
1 green bell pepper, $0.50
1 hot chili pepper, $0.10
2 cups chicken stock, $2.00
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, $1.79
2 pounds large shrimp, $4.25
total: 9.74 divided by 6 = $1.62

tofu with bok choy and ground pork, steamed egg and pork

2009-03-19T16:48:00.000-07:00

mark and i discovered a soy seller on grand street last weekend. the place had aroused our curiosity before—it’s tiny, operates out of a spare, warehouse-resembling storefront, its accordion-like gate pulled down a foot or two, with a few metal crates filled with tofu and fresh rice noodles placed atop wooden desks, and a single fridge stocked with lightly sweetened soy milk. i had been planning to make a saucy tofu dish this week, and decided to buy their fresh, already braised tofu instead of making my own. a nice shortcut—and one i plan on taking in the future. i sautéed some ground pork with a little bit of ginger, garlic, and rice wine, added some baby bok choy, simmered the mixture until the vegetables softened a bit, then finished it up with the tofu and an oyster-based sauce. meanwhile, i steamed some eggs and dried scallops on a ground pork-scallions base, which turned out deliciously soft and silken, the pork flavorful and juicy. a scrumptious meal, with little work and few dishes to wash (always a coup). serves 4.

tofu with ground pork and bok choy

ingredients
1/2 lb tofu, cut into cubes
3/4 lb ground pork
1/2 lb bok choy
1 inch knob ginger, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 bunch scallions, minced
a dash each of:
soy sauce
rice wine
oyster sauce
white pepper
cornstarch
sugar

steps
1. marinate pork in soy sauce, rice wine, oyster sauce, white pepper, cornstarch, and sugar. set aside.
2. fry ginger, garlic, and scallions in some sizzling vegetable oil. add ground pork and saute until nearly cooked through. set aside.
3. add a bit more oil to your pan, and saute bok choy. add a little bit of water (1/4 cup or so) and turn the heat down to medium. cover and let the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.
4. return pork to pan, then add tofu. add oyster based sauce and stir in.

steamed egg with pork

a steaming tip: use a steamer stand instead of buying a bamboo steamer, which takes up space (especially if you don't frequently steam cook). it turns any pot or deep skillet into a steamer. you can get one for less than a dollar in chinatown.

ingredients
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 bunch scallions, minced
3 dried scallops, soaked overnight in water, then pulled apart, 1/2 cup soaking water reserved
3 eggs
a dash each of:
soy sauce
rice wine
oyster sauce
white pepper
cornstarch
sugar

steps
1. boil water in a big pot with steamer stand set inside (i would put this in before boiling water, since the water will be hot).
2. marinate pork in soy sauce, rice wine, oyster sauce, white pepper, cornstarch, and sugar. mix in scallions and put in the bottom of a dish that can be set on top of the steamer stand, using a spoon to flatten the mixture into a biscuit.
3. whisk eggs, dried scallops, and reserved water together, and pour over flattened pork. when water boils, set dish atop steamer stand, and bring heat down to medium so the water doesn't boil over. cover the pot and let steam for about 15 minutes, until eggs are firm and pork is cooked through.

cost calculation
1/2 lb tofu, $1.00
1/2 lb bok choy, $0.75
1 inch knob ginger, $0.10
2 garlic cloves, $0.05
1 bunch scallions, $0.50
3 dried scallops, $2.00
3 eggs, $0.50
total: 7.15 divided by 4 = $1.79

olive-oil poached sole with rosemary and fresh mint, roast fingerling potatoes, and bok choy

2009-03-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

as a big fan of simply prepared fish--usually canto-style, which means steamed with some soy sauce, scallions, and ginger, a method that allows the fish to retain its natural flavor, and showcases the taste of its yummy fishy oil--i was particularly excited by the recent nytimes recipe for fish poached in olive oil. i used sole instead of halibut--far cheaper, at $3.25 a pound at deluxe supermarket in chinatown--substituted dried rosemary for fresh (it's what i had on hand), and could not resist serving it over a bed of bok choy, stir fried with garlic and some of the remaining poaching oil. i had some leftover potato fingerlings from our last csa crop, and roasted those, skin-on, with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. once that was done, the rest of the flavorful poaching oil was drizzled over it--which elevated the dish to a very tasty level indeed. serves 2.

olive-oil poached sole

ingredients
1 lb sole filets, cut into 1 1/4 inch cubes, then seasoned with salt and pepper
4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp dried rosemary
2 garlic cloves, minced
fresh mint, for garnish
lemon juice (optional)

steps
1. heat oil in a skillet large enough to hold fish cubes in a single layer. heat oil over low heat, then add fish and rosemary, until fish begins to turn opaque, about 3 minutes.
2. stir in garlic, and adjust salt and pepper seasonings to taste. let the fish continue to cook over low heat until garlic is fragrant and fish is just cooked through, about another 3-5 minutes.
3. add lemon juice if desired, and fresh mint.

roasted fingerling potatoes

ingredients
1 lb fingerling potatoes, cut into chunks
salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

steps
1. preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. arrange potatoes in a baking pan, season with salt, pepper, and drizzle with olive oil, and bake for 30 minutes.
3. drizzle with half of the remaining poaching oil.

bok choy

ingredients
1/2 lb bok choy

steps
1. fry bok choy in other half of remaining poaching oil over high heat. once leaves start to wilt from the heat, turn heat to medium, cover, and let stems soften a bit.

cost calculation
1 lb sole filets, $3.25
5 tbsp olive oil, $0.10
2 cloves garlic, $0.05
1/2 lb bok choy, $0.70
1 lb fingerling potatoes, $1.25
total: 5.35 divided by 2 = $2.68

a simple salad: arugula with tomatoes, goat cheese, and cranberries in a lemon-olive oil dressing

2009-03-17T10:33:00.000-07:00

i made some trusty mac and cheese a couple of nights ago and wanted a fresh, simple salad to serve alongside it, as a kind of counterpoint to the very unhealthy and heavy mac.

this one was lovely, and perhaps even outshone the main course. the peppery, aromatic arugula is a delight in itself--but with some on the vine tomatoes (please do buy on the vine! read about the true, human cost of tomatoes here), pungent bucheron goat cheese, and sweetly tart cranberries, the flavors were all the more complex. and simply dressed with some fresh lemon juice and olive oil, the bright, clean flavors really came through. serves 2 as a (pretty large) side dish. could serve 2 for a light dinner or lunch.

ingredients
2 medium tomatoes
1/3 lb arugula
handful of cranberries
1/8 lb goat cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp olive oil
juice of half of a lemon

steps
1. combine dry ingredients, then toss with olive oil and lemon juice. sprinkle with a little bit of sea salt.

cost calculation
2 medium tomatoes, $1.50
1/3 lb arugula, $1.99
handful of cranberries, $0.15
1/8 lb goat cheese, $0.50
total: 4.14 divided by 2 = $2.07

red onion, feta, and red pepper pizza

2009-03-09T08:53:00.000-07:00

another variation on the pizza--and a vegetarian one at that! (no mean feat for me--as my friend jenni noted, i eat a lot of pork.)

i know i've sung homemade pizza's praises many a time, but again: it is such an easy and delicious thing to make , makes wonderful leftovers, and can be a very healthy meal. in fact, i've taken to making pizza dough on the weekends (which really just takes a quick mixing of several ingredients with your hands, kneading for a minute or less, then refrigerating--if it's in the fridge for several days, the dough gets even better), so it's handy for quick, weeknight dinners.

this particular combination worked very well: the onions, caramelized with butter and softened into a molasses with some brown sugar, were nice and sweet, in contrast to the sharp and salty feta. and i love sweet red bell peppers--all we had to do was slice them, and on top of the pizza, baked at 500 degrees, they got hot and toasty, nearly roasted. this makes 2 large pizzas--enough to feed 5.

ingredients
pizza dough, recipe doubled for two pizzas
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1.5 cups crumbled feta
a little bit of olive oil

steps
1. make pizza dough ahead of time and refrigerate for at least overnight.
2. preheat oven to 500 degrees. caramelize onions in 2 tbsp butter over low heat. mix in 1 tbsp brown sugar, to taste.
3. roll out your dough until it is very thin. top with onions, then crumbled feta, and finally, slices of pepper.
4. using a brush or simply your finger, brush olive oil on pizza crust so it browns in oven. bake for 10 minutes.

cost calculation
1 tbsp active dry yeast, $0.10
3.5 cups flour, $0.20
1.5 cups feta, $4.00
2 red bell peppers, $2.25
1 red onion, $0.50
total: 7.05 divided by 5 = $1.41

spaghetti and meatballs

2009-03-06T09:37:00.000-08:00

this is a classic. everyone has their own version, but the one mark and i prefer is adapted from mario batali's recipe, and calls for lots of basil, some hot italian sausage, and pecorino instead of parmesan. the basil, i think, is key--it adds some freshness and bite to what could otherwise be a dull, meaty, and cheesy meatball. i also make mine small enough to cook through just on the pan, instead of using the oven, which i find often dries the meat--i sear the meatballs on both sides so they get nice and crispy, then turn the heat down to medium to cook them all the way through. i like to serve them with a classic basil-marinara sauce and a generous heaping of spaghetti, topped with some grated pecorino.

these meatballs also save nicely in the freezer, once cooked. and they make a wonderful variety of leftovers. you can serve them with gravy, lindenberry sauce, and mashed potatoes, swedish-style. or, for lunch the next day, in sub sandwiches with some marinara sauce (or, as i sometimes prefer, some blue cheese mixed with mayonnaise and lemon juice), topped with shavings of red onion and some fresh basil leaves. serves 6.

ingredients
half an old baguette, made into bread crumbs
1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb fresh hot italian sausage, casings removed
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 bunch basil, blended/minced into almost a pesto
2 eggs
1/2 cup pecorino, grated
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for frying

steps
1. mix beef, sausage, and bread crumbs together in a large bowl. add garlic, basil, eggs, and pecorino, and stir well to combine. season with salt and pepper. form into golf (or ping pong!) sized balls and set aside.
2. in a large saucepan, heat oil until hot and smoking. fry meatballs in batches, using tongs to flip from one side to another so that both top and bottom are seared and crisp. switch heat to medium so they don't burn but the insides cook.
3. serve with spaghetti and marinara sauce and top with grated pecorino, and, if you like, some basil leaves.

cost calculation
half an old baguette, $1.00
1 lb ground beef, $1.00
1/2 lb fresh hot italian sausage, $2.25
4 cloves garlic, $0.10
1 bunch basil, $2.00
2 eggs, $0.25
1/2 cup pecorino, $0.50
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, $0.50
total: 7.60 divided by 6 = $1.27

dumpling party!

2009-03-04T10:25:00.000-08:00

mark and i took a class at the brooklyn kitchen on how to make your own dumplings way back when, around lunar new year. i sort of had an idea of how to make my own dumplings, given that i used to help my mom make them when i was a child (by help i mean stir things and, if i was lucky, pinch the wrappers closed). but i absolutely had to attend, since my ultimate blogger girlcrush cathy erway of not eating out in ny was teaching it, along with winnie, another illustrious food blogger. we made some tasty, classic pork and chive dumplings, as well as a bounty of (slightly more adventurous) oxtail-filled ones, to celebrate--you guessed it--the year of the ox.

hallie, emily, nee, and mark roll out some wrappers

a couple of weeks later, mark and i decided to throw a dumpling party. a fun twist on the classic dinner party, it's generally cheaper, a great icebreaker (gets everyone talking and involved), allows everyone to learn the art of dumpling making together, and generates its own party favors (though, typically, everyone drunkenly forgot to take their frozen dumplings home). just don't let that boozing throw you off your dexterous dumpling-wrapping game!

andrea mixing some filling

mark and i bought all the ingredients for the fillings in chinatown, and did some prep work ahead of time--i made an oxtail braise, per winnie's classic chinese recipe, using my roommate's amazing thermos slow cooker; sliced lots of napa cabbage and scallions in my food processor; soaked up some dried shitaake mushrooms for a veggie version on behalf of my vegetarian partygoers; and peeled lots of shrimp. as parties go, it was a labor intensive one--sorry, friends!--but yielded some super-tasty results.

john hard at work, using a beer bottle as a rolling pin (he is a man of science, after all)

i also couldn't help but be very proud of my beautiful, industrious, and creative friends--one came up with the idea of using beer bottles as makeshift rolling pins, another brought an amazing dessert of mango frozen greek yogurt to share, and everyone rolled out dumpling skins at breakneck speed while chatting about the bacon explosion (totes a hot topic then, if passe now--though as of this post, they managed to get a book deal--a travesty, really), teaching shakespeare in the academe (apparently a very fraught subject), derivatives, arnold schwarzenegger in pumping iron, and the current media crisis, among other things. i'm sorry if this sounds self-congratulatory, but i only mean it to be them-congratulatory. as in, my friends are lovely. and boy, can they eat.

dumpling wrappers

9 cups flour, 2 cups water

1. make a well in a mound of flour. mix together until it forms a mass. add more splashes of water as necessary.
2. form a dough snake, then break off small pieces and form into flat circles using a rolling pin.
3. roll out into very thin, round wrapper sheets, with edges thinner than middles.

oxtail braise filling, adapted from winnie's blog, makes 30 dumplings

3 lb oxtail
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 cup water
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup rice wine
2 stars anise
2 tsp cinnamon
1 inch knob of ginger, peeled and thickly sliced

1. brown the oxtails in hot oil on each side in a large saucepan. reserve fat, set oxtails aside.
2. cook onions and carrot in oxtail fat in a slow cooker, dutch oven, or large, deep saucepan or stockpot--simmer until onions are translucent.
3. add oxtails to mixture, and add braising liquid and seasonings (water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, rice wine, star anise, cinnamon, ginger). if using thermos, bring pot to a boil and let simmer in thermos for at least 4 hours. otherwise, let simmer for 4 hours in stockpot.
4. when braise cools, take out oxtail pieces, remove meat and fat, and add meat and fat to the braise mixture as your dumpling filling.

pork, shrimp, chives, and cabbage filling, makes 60 dumplings

2 lb fresh ground pork
1 lb shrimp, peeled
1 bunch chives, chopped
1 small head napa cabbage, thinly sliced
4 tbsp sesame oil
6 tbsp rice vinegar
3/4 cup soy sauce
few dashes white pepper

shitaake mushroom and cabbage filling (vegetarian), makes 12-15 dumplings

6-8 shitaake mushrooms, soaked, then thinly sliced
1.5 cups napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 bunch scallions, chopped
2 tbsp sesame oil
1/8 cup soy sauce
1 egg, beaten
a dash of white pepper

steps
1. have some make dumpling wrappers while others fill and close. since it takes longer to roll out wrappers, have twice as many people at that station. (i would even make some ahead of time, since this step takes longer.) have a bowl of cold water at the ready, in case the dough snake hardens, so people can dip their hands into it to make the dough stickier. and keep a sheet of plastic wrap over the dough snake and any finished wrappers, so they don't dry up and harden.
2. others at the filling station should mix all the ingredients together, each different filling in a different large bowl. (be careful to keep the vegetarian filling separate, and to use a different utensil for mixing it.) resulting filling should stick and hold together very well. season to taste with additional soy sauce, vinegar, and/or white pepper.
3. fill dumplings by spooning out a yolk-sized portion of filling into the center of the wrapper. then, close the dumpling by lifting the bottom half of the wrapper up, making a center fold or pinch, and making 3-4 more folds on each side of the center fold, so that the final dumpling can sit on its bottom and resembles a fan.
4. fry dumplings in batches in 2 large saucepans. heat vegetable oil in each, brown the dumplings (about 2 minutes), then add water until dumplings are half-submerged, and cover. dumplings are done when the water has evaporated (about 5 minutes).
5. serve with a dipping sauce made of soy sauce mixed with vinegar and some chopped scallions.

cost calculation
9 cups flour, $1.00
3 lb oxtail, $7.15
1 large onion, $0.20
1 large carrot, $0.10
1 inch knob of ginger, $0.05
2 lb fresh ground pork, $2.99
1 lb shrimp, $2.99
1 head napa cabbage, $1.00
6-8 shitaake mushrooms, $1.15
3 bunches scallions, $1.00
1 egg, $0.10
total: $17.70 for about 100 dumplings (we'll assume that feeds 10), divided by 10 = $1.77

guinness meat pie

2009-03-04T10:08:00.000-08:00

i tend to like savory pies in general--i love a good flaky, buttery crust, with warm and saucy fillings on the inside. and while i have not the fondest memories of the english culinary scene (admittedly limited to my experience while studying abroad in cambridge--there was literally one falafel joint in town, and it was heartcrushingly, excruciatingly terrible), i do enjoy a good meat pie. so when i saw this recipe in the new york times, with brisket (such a forgiving cut of meat!) and guinness, at that, i thought i'd give it a go. i used grated cheddar, not trotter, for simplicity. and i found that this recipe was actually much too large, even for my liking--i had to make two separate pies, which were enough to feed 8-10, not 6. you could halve it and be good for dinner for four, maybe even with some leftovers. the resulting pie was wonderful--with the deep, thick, frothy flavor of stout, tender chunks of beef, and a beautifully browned crust.

cost calculation
4 tablespoons butter, $0.25
2 large red onions, $1.00
4 cloves garlic, $0.10
2 carrots, $0.20
2 ribs celery, $0.20
10 mushrooms, $1.00
3 pounds brisket, $15.00
1 bottle guinness, $1.00
8 oz. cheddar, $4.00
total: 22.75 divided by 8 = $2.84

sticky rice with scallions, sausage, dried scallops,and shitaake mushrooms

2009-02-26T14:21:00.000-08:00

my mom used to make this every thanksgiving as stuffing for the turkey--a kind of east meets west thing, i suppose. it worked really nicely as stuffing; the sticky rice absorbs a lot of moisture from the turkey, and becomes flavorful and rich. and being as i never was a huge fan of turkey in the first place (matthew yglesias agrees with me on this point), to me, the stuffing was always the real star. and this recipe--which calls for nutty shitaake mushrooms, zesty scallions, deeply flavorful dried scallops, and rich chunks of chinese sausage--is definitely main-course material. the rice, cooked in homemade chicken stock and made even more flavorful with reserved soaking liquid from the dried scallops and mushrooms, more than holds it own. serves 6-8 as a main course, 10-12 as a side dish.

ingredients
3 cups of sweet (sticky) rice, soaked in cold water overnight for about 8-12 hours.
2 cups of jasmine or long-grain rice
6 chinese sausage links
1 bunch scallions, chopped
6-8 dried shitaake mushrooms, soaked overnight, chopped into small pieces
6-8 dried scallops, soaked overnight, pulled apart into separate little stringlike strands
3 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 cups chicken stock

steps
1. drain sweet rice. mix with jasmine rice and cook in rice cooker with chicken stock, and additional tap water as required. meanwhile, steam sausages (on top of rice if you wish, or in a separate steamer).
2. while rice is cooking, prep your scallions, mushrooms, and scallops, chopping them into small pieces (in the case of the scallops, simply pulling apart the strands with your fingers works best). reserve mushroom and scallop soaking water. when rice is done steaming, remove sausages and cut into small chunks. fry scallions, mushrooms, scallops, and sausages in hot oil, or preferably bacon fat, if you have it on hand (i save mine in a jar when i make bacon).
3. mix reserved liquids into steamed rice. mix in scallions, mushrooms, scallops, and sausages, and soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. taste and adjust seasonings as desired. let steam for another 10 minutes under the "keep warm" function of the rice cooker.

cost calculation
3 cups of sweet (sticky) rice, $0.50
6 chinese sausage links, $2.00
1 bunch scallions, $0.50
6-8 dried shitaake mushrooms, $1.00
6-8 dried scallops, $5.00 (? A guess--I got them as a gift.)
3 cups chicken stock, $0.70
total: 9.70 divided by 6 = $1.62

rutabaga, ham, broccoli, and cheddar souffle

2009-02-23T12:53:00.000-08:00

got another crop of winter vegetables from the csa last week--a bounty of orange and yellow carrots, red onions, potato fingerlings, garlic, and some farm fresh eggs. a bit sick of roasted veggies and soups, i thought i'd do as the french do and make my finished product unrecognizable from its original form: a fluffy, light souffle, a far (and elevated) cry from this humble root vegetable.

this recipe calls for a few more steps than i usually like, but it's actually quite simple, and is made much easier with the use of a food processor, and, if you have one, an electric hand beater for the egg whites. (i, for the record, don't have one, but managed to form stiff peaks out of the eggs after about 15 minutes of rapid beating. mark and i took turns.)

the results, however, were extraordinary. the beating of the egg whites, however tiring, was well worth it: the souffle was beautifully light and well formed, and rose by about 1/3 of its original height. the rutabaga, too, was a wonderful foundation for this savory meal--sweet like a carrot, but with the faintly peppery hint of a parsnip. the yolks gave it richness, and the broccoli and ham, some needed substance to bring this from side dish-status to main course-stardom. it'd make a gorgeous potluck party dish, too. serves 4 generously.

ingredients
1 lb rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 stick unsalted butter, plus a little more for buttering your souffle pan
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup flour
6 large eggs, separated
a pinch of salt
3/4 tsp vinegar
6 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 medium head of broccoli, cut into small (1 cm or smaller) florets, ends removed
1/4 lb ham, sliced thin

steps
1. butter the bottom and sides of your souffle pan (i don't have a pan specifically for souffles, but any casserole pan will do, though a deeper one would be best--to allow the souffle to rise). dust with bread crumbs.
2. cook the rutabaga in a saucepan with salted water (the rutabaga must be fully submerged). after the mixture is brought to a boil, cook uncovered, on medium, for about 30 minutes, until rutabaga is very soft. drain, reserve cooking liquid, and set rutabaga aside.
3. melt butter and add flour in a saucepan to make a roux. add 1.5 cups of the reserved cooking liquid, and simmer. melt cheddar in mixture, a little at a time, until smooth.
4. meanwhile, blend the rutabaga in a food processor or blender. (if you don't have one, use a masher until it is very smooth and fine, like mashed potatoes, though it's best if you can get it to the consistency of a puree.)
5. transfer rutabaga puree into a large bowl, and whisk in yolks, one at a time. season with salt and pepper. preheat oven to 400 degrees.
6. in a separate, large bowl, whisk egg whites with vinegar (the vinegar stabilizes the eggs, but you can substitute 1/4 tsp cream of tartar instead) until they form stiff peaks. it's important that the egg whites are completely separated from the yolks--the fat in the yolks make it nearly impossible to form stiff peaks. gently fold in egg whites into the rutabaga-yolk mixture, a little at a time.
7. mix the cheddar-roux-rutabaga cooking liquid mixture into the bowl, and fold in the chopped broccoli and ham. pour into the souffle pan and bake uncovered for about 50 minutes, until souffle is puffed up and golden. (as tempted as you may be, do NOT open the oven while the souffle is baking, or it won't rise up properly!)

cost calculation
1 lb rutabaga, $1.00
1/2 stick unsalted butter, $0.25
1/2 cup bread crumbs, $0.10
1/4 cup flour, $0.05
6 large eggs, $1.00
6 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, $2.30
1 medium head of broccoli, $1.00
1/4 lb ham, $2.00
total: 7.70 divided by 4 = $1.93

pizza with caramelized red onions, ricotta, and proscuitto

2009-02-20T09:06:00.000-08:00

ever since my friend andrea introduced me to the food pornographic blog smitten kitchen, i've become unwaveringly addicted. a lot of the recipes involve a few too many steps for this humble (and often pressed for time) home cook, but i did find this amazingly simple one for a ricotta and red onion pizza. indeed, after a magazine party with lots of drank but not much food, mark and i came home and made this, start to finish, in half an hour. it was so, so tasty, a simple exercise in primary flavors. the caramelized onions, sweetened with brown sugar, formed a sweet molasses-like substance on the thinly rolled out pizza dough, and the fresh, light ricotta was complemented beautifully by thin, crisp layers of proscuitto.

we more or less followed the smitten kitchen recipe, though we omitted the balsamic (mark's not a fan). our recipe for pizza dough, too, is slightly different. one pizza generously serves two (i had four slices, and mark, five or six), but i doubled it so we'd have leftovers for lunch. (this leftover pizza warms up nicely in a toaster oven, but is also delicious cold.)

cost calculation
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, $0.05
2 cups thinly sliced red onions, $0.60
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese, $2.00
6 to 8 thin slices prosciutto, $1.80
1 3/4 cups flour, $0.10
1/2 tbsp active dry yeast, $0.03
total: 4.58 divided by 2 = $2.29

spaghetti in marinara sauce with eggplant, basil, and pecorino

2009-02-17T13:03:00.000-08:00

this is a super easy weeknight dinner dish. i made it yesterday afternoon, knowing that i would have little to no time to throw dinner together that evening--mark and i wanted to have lunch at nonya, a malaysian place in chinatown, then spend a leisurely afternoon and early evening wandering chinatown and the west village before hearing david harvey speak at the brecht forum.

what could i make beforehand to heat up later? this: all it took was a 30-minute afternoon prep, and when we returned, another half an hour in the oven, yielding a bubbling, pecorino-crusted baked spaghetti casserole. topped with some basil (and optionally, some crumbled bacon), it made for a very satisfying and filling meal. serves 6.

ingredients
1 lb spaghetti
1 can trader joe's marinara sauce (i swear by this for an easy marinara sauce that requires less simmering time)
4 garlic cloves (2 crushed, 2 minced)
5 basil leaves, plus more for garnish
1 bay leaf
1 eggplant, washed, halved, and sliced
1 cup pecorino, grated
1 onion, minced
optional: 5 slices of bacon, crumbled

steps
1. fry garlic and onion in hot olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. when onions are translucent, add eggplant and fry until browned. add marinara sauce and bring to a boil, then turn heat down to low and simmer uncovered. preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. cook spaghetti in salted water until al dente while sauce is simmering.
3. transfer drained spaghetti to a glass pan. add eggplant sauce and mix together. top with pecorino and bake for half an hour, uncovered. top with fresh basil and, if you like, crumbled bacon.

cost calculation
1 can trader joe's marinara sauce, $1.00
4 garlic cloves, $0.10
5 basil leaves, plus more for garnish, $0.10
1 bay leaf, $0.10
1 eggplant, $1.00
1 cup pecorino, $1.00
1 onion, $0.15
total: 3.45 divided by 6 = $0.58

valentine's day: braised short ribs and latkes

2009-02-17T10:21:00.000-08:00

isn't that cute? it's a heart-shaped latke!

my valentine's day consisted of mostly cleaning--mark scrubbed the bathtub tiles while i went to work on the kitchen (why my roommates leave coffee grinds, unwiped, unattended to, on the counter, is beyond me)--but after all this cleaning (and bitching) was over, we sat down to this tasty and beautiful meal.

the braise on the short ribs was easy, and consisted of some crushed garlic, beef stock, a carrot, red onion, leftover red wine, sherry, parsley, thyme, and a bay leaf. after browning each side of the short ribs, i fried all the dried braising ingredients in the aforementioned thermos, tossed the short ribs back in, and added the stock, red wine, and sherry. once everything was bubbling, i put the pot in its thermos. a few hours (and a very clean kitchen) later, voila! (i would recommend, though, braising even longer--perhaps overnight--for that soft, falling-off-the-bone meat, though this was good too.)

i subcontracted the latkes out to mark. he washed and peeled about a pound of potatoes, shredded them in our amazing food processor, mixed in some shredded onion, and drained the water from the mixture as best as he could. after mixing some flour (we found we didn't really need matzo meal, which we had trouble finding anyway), he fried the latkes over medium-high heat in vegetable oil, one flattened spoonful at a time. the result: joyously crispy potato pancakes. they were a perfect side, and a wonderful way to soak up the delicious short ribs braising liquid.

best of all, even this pretty-looking plate was well under seven dollars per person--no mean feat on valentine's day. and since i'll be eating at blue hill at stone barns this weekend, i figured i might as well save any money i can in the meantime.

note: the next morning, i made bacon and eggs, and refried the leftover latkes in bacon fat. mark called me an anti-semite, but they were SO, SO yummy--full of that fatty pork flavor, and crispier for having been refried.

braised short ribs, serves 2

ingredients
2 large short ribs (about 1 lb)
1 cup beef stock
1/2 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup red wine
1 large carrot, chopped
1 medium red onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 parsley sprigs
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper

steps
1. season the short ribs with salt and pepper. brown each side in hot vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a saucepan.
2. fry garlic, onion, carrot, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf in hot vegetable oil over medium-high heat in stockpot, thermos pot, or dutch oven. after ingredients start to brown, add stock, sherry, and wine. bring mixture to a boil, then let simmer for 6 hours.
3. to serve, top each short rib with some red onions, parsley, and with a few spoonfuls of the braising liquid.

latkes, serves 4 as a side dish

ingredients
1 lb potatoes, washed, peeled, and shredded
1 small onion, washed, peeled, and shredded
1/4 cup flour
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
vegetable oil, for frying

steps
1. mix shredded potatoes and onion in a colander. strain and squeeze dry with paper towels.
2. whisk flour, egg, salt and pepper together in a separate bowl. stir in potato and onion mixture until evenly coated.
3. heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot, then fry spoonfuls of mixture, flattening each spoonful with the back of the spoon, until golden and crispy.

cost calculation
1 lb short ribs, $8.21
1 cup beef stock, $0.45
1/2 cup dry sherry, $0.50
1/2 cup red wine, $0.20
1 large carrot, chopped, $0.10
1 medium red onion, sliced, $0.20
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed, $0.05
2 parsley sprigs, $0.05
2 thyme sprigs, $0.15
1 bay leaf, $0.10
1 lb potatoes, $1.00
1 small onion, $0.10
total: 11.56 divided by 2 = $5.78, plus leftover latkes

pork belly, vietnamese style

2009-02-11T19:08:00.001-08:00

offal used to entail (entrail? ha, ha) the undesired parts of the animal--particularly in america, where the dark meat of, say, the leg or thigh was less preferable than the desired breast, while the innards--the liver, or yes, belly--were often discarded. (not so subtly, i'm going to say that this points to our nation's discomfort with the bodily, the lower (and other) half, our tendency to photoshop, whiten, and generally hygienicize. but that's a thought for another blog.)

however, apparently carnivalesque is BACK, and not just among the chicken feet-eating dim sum-goers in chinatown. david chang's pork belly buns have been loved and admired for a long while, and john barlow's everything but the squeal is a hit among the foodies (i can say this in accordance with strict journalistic principles: two food-loving friends of mine have mentioned it; it is therefore a trend).

while i'm glad the pig blood congee of my youth is getting its deserved stage time, it kind of sucks that non-chinatown offal has become so expensive. so instead of spending $15 on a bowl of (admittedly delicious) pork-centric ramen at noodle bar, i thought i'd whip up some pork belly of my own. serves 4.

ingredients
2 slabs of pork belly
1 slab of soft, silken tofu
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 inch long piece of ginger, peeled and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4-6 hard boiled eggs, peeled
1 can of unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1-2 shallots, minced
1 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine
splash of fish sauce
splash of rice vinegar
cilantro, for garnish

steps
1. cut tofu into rectangles or squares. pour vegetable oil in a deep skillet until about 2 inches deep, and heat over medium heat. when hot, deep fry tofu pieces until golden. (be careful, use tongs!) set aside on paper towels to dry.
2. fry ginger, garlic, shallots, and scallions in a dutch oven or thermos in hot vegetable oil over medium-high heat. toss in some brown sugar to sweeten and caramelize the shallots, and cook until translucent. add slabs of pork belly, browning each side.
3. add tofu and eggs, and fry for a minute or two. then add coconut milk, rice wine, fish sauce, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. bring ingredients to a boil, then turn the heat down to simmer. braise for 4-5 hours, or overnight in the thermos.
3. serve with chopped cilantro for garnish.

cost calculation
2 slabs of pork belly, $4.00
1 slab of soft, silken tofu, $1.00
1 bunch scallions, chopped, $0.30
1 inch long piece of ginger, $0.10
2 garlic cloves, $0.05
4-6 hard boiled eggs, $0.80
1 can of unsweetened coconut milk, $1.00
1-2 shallots, $0.30
1 cup soy sauce, $0.15
1/4 cup rice wine, $0.07
cilantro, for garnish, $0.20
total: 7.97 divided by 4 = $1.99

pan-crusted salmon with lemon basil spaghetti

2009-02-10T12:16:00.000-08:00

i had a few packs of salmon left in the freezer (purchased at costco--so convenient! they're individually packaged--just defrost overnight and you're set), a big bunch of basil from fairway still in the fridge, and some lemons. this, i suppose, was my grown-up version of "if life hands you lemons, make lemonade"--but tastier. after all, most of us have not only made lemonade, but sold it, when we were what, like, five?

the salmon, simply dressed with salt and pepper, crusted beautifully on my roommate's cast-iron pan. i cooked it until it neared flakiness--so that the center was still a deep, fleshy, pink. the lemon juice, zest, chopped basil, olive oil, and garlic made for a tangy, flavorful, and pleasantly light sauce on al dente pasta. dusted with a little bit of pecorino (left over from the last time i made meatballs), it was even better. and with all the omega-3 in the salmon, and the various vitamins and nutrients in basil--vitamin a, c, iron, calcium, and potassium, to name a few--this is super healthy, to boot.

ingredients
1 lb salmon
1/2 large bunch of basil, washed and chopped
1 lb spaghetti
1 1/2 lemons
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

steps
1. cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente. mix 1 tbsp olive oil in with pasta (both for flavor and so it doesn't stick while you complete the next step), then set aside.
2. season salmon with salt and pepper. heat 1 tbsp olive oil in pan until very hot, and sear salmon on both sides. turn heat to medium until salmon is cooked through but not overdone. set aside.
3. zest and juice lemons onto pasta. mix in chopped basil. add desired salt and pepper. serve pasta alongside seared salmon.

cost calculation
1 lb salmon, $5.45
1/2 large bunch of basil, $1.75
1 lb spaghetti, $1.00
1 1/2 lemons, $0.40
2 tbsp olive oil, $0.10
total: 8.70 divided by 4 = $2.18

white bean soup with chorizo

2009-02-10T11:59:00.001-08:00

i've been trying to cut canned beans from my life, with moderate success. to that end, i made this white bean soup--from dried beans, which i remembered to soak overnight the night before!--with chorizo bought from fairway. a tasty, super-easy, healthy, and filling soup. as you can see, the sweetly spicy chorizo turned the white bean soup an autumnal color--but so much the better, i say. served alongside some crusty bread, it was the perfect winter meal. serves 4.

ingredients
1/2 lb navy beans, soaked overnight, then rinsed and drained
1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 chorizo sausage links, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
2 thyme sprigs
4 cups chicken stock
1.5 cups water
salt, pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper

steps
1. soak beans overnight, for 8 to 12 hours. drain and rinse.
2. heat olive oil over medium-to-high heat. saute sausage until nearly cooked through and browned. set aside.
3. saute garlic and onions in remaining sausage fat, until browned. stir in beans, bay leaf, and thyme. add chicken stock, salt and pepper, water, and cayenne. bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 2 hours, until beans are almost falling apart.
4. remove thyme and bay leaf, and mash beans with a potato masher until soup is at desired consistency (i like mine so the beans are mashed up, but with little chunks, for texture).
5. add reserved sausage, and simmer soup for another 15 minutes.

cost calculation
1/2 lb navy beans, $0.75
2 chorizo sausage links, $2.79
1 medium onion, $0.25
1 bay leaf, $0.10
2 thyme sprigs, $0.10
4 cups chicken stock, $0.80
1 baguette, $2.25
total: 7.04 divided by 4 = $1.76

roasted broccoli and shrimp

2009-02-09T20:15:00.000-08:00

tried out this very easy recipe from the new york times for a simple weeknight dinner. i already had some frozen shrimp in the freezer (tip: buy the frozen, peeled, but still raw shrimp from deluxe supermarket in chinatown. it's important not to get the pre-cooked kind; this tastes much fresher, and better, and saves a lot of peeling time). i didn't have whole cumin seeds on hand, and used about 3/4 tbsp of ground cumin instead. i also substituted sweet hungarian paprika for chili powder, just for kicks--i thought it would make a nice, tangy addition.

cost calculation
2 lb broccoli, $3.00
1 tsp coriander seeds, $0.10
3/4 tbsp ground cumin, $0.10
3/4 tbsp sweet hungarian paprika, $0.10
1 lb large shrimp, $2.00
1 large lemon, $0.20
total: 5.50 divided by 4 = $1.38

bitter melon with flank steak

2009-02-09T20:13:00.001-08:00

i made this a day after lunar new year at my mom's request--she was appalled when i told her that i planned to cook only western food for the week, seeing as i had such a bounty of csa vegetables. so instead i cooked something only an asian with an acquired palate would like--bitter melon, a pungent (and obviously, very bitter) melon alongside some savory slices of flank steak. it's a dish i used to hate when i was little, but grew to absolutely love. and bitter melon symbolizes good harvest and prosperity--the perfect way to begin the new year. serves 4.

ingredients
1 lb flank steak, thinly sliced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tbsp each of:
sweet soy sauce
soy sauce
sesame oil
cornstarch
rice wine
oyster sauce
a dash of:
white pepper
black pepper
1.5 lb bitter melon, peeled, seeded, and sliced

steps
1. marinate sliced steak in sweet soy sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, rice wine, oyster sauce, white pepper, and black pepper. stir well.
2. fry garlic in vegetable oil until browned. add flank steak and fry until only slightly pink. set aside.
3. fry bitter melon in leftover fat in saucepan. add a little bit of water (about 1/4 cup), turn heat to medium, cover, and let soften.
4. add reserved steak and oyster-based sauce.

cost calculation
1 lb flank steak, thinly sliced, $5.00
3 large garlic cloves, minced, $0.05
1.5 lb bitter melon, peeled, seeded, and sliced, $2.50
total: 7.55 divided by 4 = $1.89

pork chops with chestnut paste, garlic string beans, and potato hash

2009-02-09T20:12:00.000-08:00

mark's coworker went chestnut picking (how idyllic! how french!) and made some fresh chestnut paste for us. it's very tasty on it's own--nutty, round, and sweet--but i thought it might go nicely with pork chops as a kind of sophisticated applesauce substitute. i was strolling through chinatown, as i am wont to do, and saw a huge bag of string beans for a dollar, and cooked them alongside this dish. and i still had a bevy of csa potatoes on hand, and thought i'd fry them with onions for a hearty hash. all in all, a tasty, easily thrown together three-course meal. serves 4.

pork chops with chestnut paste

ingredients
5 small pork chops, bone-in
salt, pepper
chestnut paste
1 tbsp vegetable oil

steps
1. season both sides of pork chops with salt and pepper.
2. heat vegetable oil in pan until it is very hot. sear both sides of pork chops for 30 seconds each side, and turn heat to medium until pork is cooked through, about 2 minutes. serve with a generous dollop of chestnut paste.

garlic string beans

ingredients
1 lb string beans, ends removed
3 large garlic cloves, crushed or minced
1/2 tbsp crushed chili pepper flakes
1 tbsp vegetable oil

steps
1. bring a pot of water to a boil.
2. blanch string beans in water, drain.
3. fry garlic in hot oil. once browned, add string beans, and season with chili flakes. fry for 5 minutes until crisp.

potato-onion hash

ingredients
4-5 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly
1 medium onion, diced
1 tbsp butter

steps
1. caramelize onions in butter.
2. add sliced potatoes until browned. turn heat to medium and cover until potatoes are cooked through.

cost calculation for all three courses
5 small pork chops, bone-in, $1.93
chestnut paste, $2.00?
1 lb string beans, ends removed, $1.00
4-5 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly, $1.00
1 medium onion, diced, $0.40
1 tbsp butter, $0.10
total: $6.43 divided by 4 = $1.61 (though, this dish becomes even cheaper if someone gives you the chestnut paste as a gift!)

butternut squash soup

2009-02-02T10:21:00.000-08:00

post-chicken stock making, and amidst what feels like the coldest winter in nyc history, i was in the mood for some soup. and since we got a big butternut squash from our csa pickup, i thought i'd make some butternut squash soup, adapted from a recipe from gourmet. serves 4.

peeling, deseeding the squash

ingredients
4 slices of bacon
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 granny smith apple, cored and chopped
3 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
3.5 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1.5 tsp vinegar

steps
1. cook bacon until crisp. lay on paper towel to drain.
2. add garlic to fat in pot and cook until garlic is golden. add squash, thyme, bay leaf, broth, water, salt, and pepper, and boil until vegetables are tender (about 20 minutes). discard thyme and bay leaf.
3. puree soup in a food processor or blender in batches until smooth. return to pot and season with salt, pepper, and vinegar. serve with crumbled pieces of bacon on top.

cost calculation
4 slices of bacon, $0.80
2 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, chopped, $3.00
1 granny smith apple, cored and chopped, $0.30
3 thyme sprigs, $0.20
1 bay leaf, $0.10
3.5 cups chicken broth, $0.70
1.5 tsp vinegar, $0.02
total: 5.12 divided by 4 = $1.28

i finally crossed over to my aspirational place: making your own chicken stock

2009-01-27T14:43:00.000-08:00

stock ingredients - so tasty.

chicken stock is one of those things you use all the time - in sauces, soups, to add flavor to a myriad of dishes (potatoes gratin, to name an example). it's also glorious alone, especially when you have a cold. and you can freeze portions, in cubes or small tupperware containers, for later use.

for the longest time, though, i resisted making my own stock out of laziness: where do i get that many bones? using a piece of bone-in chicken wouldn't make it flavorful enough. and to have to keep even a loose eye on the stove for at least 4 hours? it sounded impossible.

however, two simultaneous discoveries did chicken stock finally make. 1) my roommate crystal's amazing japanese thermos, which i've been borrowing rather frequently. you simply boil your soup/broth ingredients in the pot for 10 minutes or so, then close the lid and place the whole pot inside the thermos. something about its materials keeps it simmering for about ten hours--precisely the low, even heat that brings out all the flavor in the marrow and bones. no need to watch, stir, or anything. 2) the wonderful butcher counter at deluxe meat market in chinatown. you can select any whole chicken you want, and have the butcher skin, gut, peel off the fat, chop, quarter, WHATEVER - the chicken however you like. and the entire chicken is 7 bucks. the bones and meat of one chicken is enough to make three huge pots of stock.

for my stock, i used a simple recipe from gourmet that called for some root vegetables that i already had on hand from my csa: an onion (i used a red onion, which gave the broth a nice, roundly sweet taste), carrots, garlic, celery root (just celery will do - but i had celery root, which is even better!), parsley, and a bay leaf. i browned the ingredients first, to get everything a little smoky for that depth of flavor, and then added salt, pepper, and lots of water and brought everything to a boil. ten minutes later, it was put into the thermos, and the next day - voila! the most deeply flavorful chicken stock i've ever had. i hate to brag, but it's true.

csa red onion, celery root, carrots, and parsley.

ingredients
1/3 entire chicken, skinned, guts/livers removed, chopped
4 quarts cold water
1 onion, peeled, quartered
8 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 celery root, peeled, quartered
1 large carrot, quartered
6 long parsley sprigs
1 large thyme sprig
1 turkish or 1/2 california bay leaf

steps
1. drizzle a little canola oil into pot. once hot, fry garlic cloves and onion, then rest of dry ingredients.
2. once all dry ingredients are browned, add water. bring to a boil and skim froth.
3. let boil uncovered for ten minutes, then cover pot with lid and place in thermos. if you don't have a thermos, simmer uncovered for 4 hours.
4. remove solids (these can be saved for eating and snacking on--they're very flavorful!) and store broth (whether refrigerating for later use or freezing for much later use.)

cost calculation
1/3 entire chicken, $2.30
1 onion, peeled, quartered, $0.20
1 celery root, peeled, $0.50
1 large carrot, $0.10
6 long parsley sprigs, $0.15
1 large thyme sprig, $0.10
1 turkish or 1/2 california bay leaf, $0.10
total for about 2.5 quarts: $3.45

san jose, atlanta foodstuffs

2009-01-26T18:36:00.000-08:00

over christmas break, i spent time at home in the bay area (or rather, my parents' home, as i truly consider my humble convent avenue apartment home now) and in atlanta, where mark's (the boyfriend) parents live. some tasty food adventures below:

naked dogs and fries from THE VARSITY in atlanta, georgia.

the best onion rings EVER and a truly scrumptious chili dog, also via the varsity.

beignets from a lovely breakfast shop in roswell, georgia.

#15 pho tai - rice noodles in a yummy beef broth (cooked from the bone and marrow, not merely from bouillon stock) with pieces of rare steak that cook in the soup. from pho yi in san jose, the best i've ever had.

now to move eastward: japanese ramen with deliciously fatty barbecued pork and a perfectly boiled egg, the center still a bit runny. in the tiny, old-fashioned ramen place next to mitsuwa. when they run out of soup, the owners step outside and tell the disappointed line of hopeful ramen-eaters that they are closed. the real stuff.

my vietnamese auntie's amazing homemade spring rolls, stuffed with shrimp, cucumbers, scallions, rice vermicelli, fish sauce, and shredded peanuts.

crab noodles from royal gardens in san jose, another hometown favorite.

steamed fish with plenty of scallions and mint leaves. my favorite part as a child was the amazingly flavored soy sauce, emulsified in all that fish flavor - i'd stir it in with my rice.

roast chicken with lobster flavored chips, also from royal gardens. these chips are amazing - they absorb the rich fat from the meat and stick to the roof of your mouth.

my all-time favorite dish at royal gardens - braised tofu with a silken interior, alongside bok choy and shitaake mushrooms.

the tender yet chewy taiwanese hand pulled noodles steeped in a flavorful beef tendon broth from a&j in cupertino, california. my taiwanese elitist friend and roommate, whose sister lives in san francisco, makes the hourlong drive from sf to cupertino just for this dish. and it is well worth it.

spaghetti with butternut squash, goat cheese, and bacon

2009-01-09T14:00:00.000-08:00

mark and i got our first crop from our csa. it was quite the bounty - some amazingly farm fresh eggs (who knew there'd be a difference? but the yolks WERE richer), the tastiest (and bumpiest) carrots ever, a bagful of beautiful blue potatoes, nutty-tasting garlic, gorgeously colored (yellow, purple, reddish) leafy greens, heirloom tomato sauce, and - the prettiest of them all - some butternut squash (or very close cousin). i had some bucheron goat cheese on hand from fairway, and about 4 strips of bacon, so i thought i'd toss them all together and call it dinner. it was TASTY! our squash was superior to any squash i've tasted (not to boast, but it was!) - not simply sweet, as most are, but also with a little tang. the bucheron was nice - less creamy than the usual supermarket brand, and stronger tasting - almost like goat crossing blue. and salty, fatty bacon, as always, acts as a nice counterpoint to the sweet and tangy squash. serves 4.

p.s. - i made this later, at home in california for a christmas party, with japanese pumpkin, which my mom had on hand (pictured). i added some green onions, instead of parsley, for garnish. also amazing - and a nice and pretty party platter.

ingredients
4 slices bacon
1 2 lb butternut squash
2 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 cups chicken broth
1 tsp sea salt
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1 1 lb package spaghetti
1 tbsp olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

steps
1. prep ingredients: mince garlic, wash, peel, and dice squash. the squash can be tricky: i recommend cutting it (with outer shell) into 4 or 6 pieces, then peeling each piece with a peeler before dicing. it might help to place your cutting board over some kind of mat so that you don't slip and cut your hand while cutting the squash when still with its hard outer shell.
2. cook bacon until slightly crisp and dry on paper towel. reserve 2 tbsp bacon oil and saute garlic and squash in oil. stir in broth and salt, then cover and simmer until the squash is softened. add half of goat cheese and stir well to combine.
3. cook pasta in plenty of water and table salt. put pasta in a large serving bowl and mix the sauce, tossing to coat. drizzle with olive oil and add crumbled bacon, remaining half of goat cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.

cost calculation
4 slices bacon, $0.80
1 2 lb butternut squash, $3.00
1.5 cups chicken broth, $0.10
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled, $2.00
1 1 lb package spaghetti, $1.00
total: 6.90 divided by 4 = $1.73

lobster is cheap right now

2009-01-09T13:30:00.000-08:00

very cheap. it's $7.95 a pound at the lobster place in chelsea market, and, as i discovered later (to my chagrin) $4.99 a pound in chinatown.

i consoled myself with the fact that my trip to chelsea market was a cheerful one, considering that it enabled me to pair this wonderful recipe of lobster with herbed pasta and sherry with a delightful baguette from amy's bread. another plus was that the lobster guy at the lobster place was tremendously helpful, having shown me precisely how to chop a lobster in half lengthwise (not an easy task). finally, the lobsters at the lobster place were amazingly fresh, probably far more so than the vaguely limp creatures on grand street - and fresh with me. on the ride back uptown, my 'lil lobby (as i had started to call him) nearly crawled out of my bag and onto me. lobby probably would've made it onto the chest of a fellow passenger had i not put him back in his place. it was a less-intimate version of the classic annie hall moment.

i changed a few things - instead of using fresh egg noodles, which are wonderful but very expensive, i went with dried penne. i used one 2-pound lobster, which was plenty for two people. and i didn't top my pasta with caviar. even when on the cheap, lobster is still pricey for this seven-dollar-a-day girl!

some tips: you'll have to slice the lobster in half (not all the way through the other side of the shell, but at least through the back) before boiling it - it won't fit in your pot otherwise, and it makes it much easier to take the meat out afterward. definitely put your still-live lobster in the freezer for 15 minutes if not more (i left mine in there for about half an hour) to slow its metabolism before hacking it to death, so that you feel better about yourself. (its nerve endings can't "feel" it after it's been numbed by the cold.) make sure, obviously, that the rubber bands are still tied around its claws, as it will move. also, as scary as slicing the lobster in half is, remember that it moves because its nerve endings are distributed over its entire body, as it doesn't have a brain - a bit like how a spider can still be alive after a leg's been removed. and finally, when removing the meat, break the shell first with the back of your chef's knife so you can get more meat out. (if this all sounds gross to you, making fresh lobster or watching a clockwork orange is probably not for you.)

live lobster - even after freezing, it moved a bit.

my roomie helps me slice it lengthwise - i was too freaked out.

removing the meat post-boiling session.

cost calculation
4 eggs, $0.40
1/3 cup and 2 tbsp dry sherry, $1.00
6 tbsp butter, $0.50
one 2 lb. lobster, $15.90
2 tbsp parsley, $0.20
2 tbsp tarragon, $0.20
2 tbsp chives, $0.10
2 tbsp thyme, $0.30
1/2 lb penne, $0.50
total: 19.10 divided by 2 = $9.55

i didn't think i could love him more!

2009-01-07T10:31:00.000-08:00

Barack the foodie.

Thanks, Eric.

casserole crazy

2008-12-19T17:38:00.000-08:00

adapted and simplified from the prize-winning recipe for a cauliflower, potato, and bacon casserole at the casserole crazy partay-contest of the year. i cut a few steps, but it was still REALLY, REALLY yummy. i can only imagine how kick-ass the original must've been. this serves 5. it also makes, on reflection, an amazing brunch dish if served alongside some fried eggs.

ingredients

3 heads cauliflower

4 tbsp garlic, minced

1/2 cup olive oil

6 strips bacon

4-6 potatoes

4 tbsp parsley, chopped

1/5 cups milk

2 sprigs thyme

2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup blue cheese

½ cup shredded parmesan

1 onion, chopped

2 cups bread crumbs

steps

1. preheat oven to 350 and butter a glass pan.

2. prep ingredients: cut cauliflower into small florets and place in large bowl. peel potatoes. mince garlic.

3. brown 2 tbsp garlic in 1/2 cup olive oil.

4. mix garlic and oil with cauliflower in bowl, toss with sea salt and pepper.

5. slice potatoes, toss with splashes of olive oil, salt and pepper, and scallop layer at bottom of pan. place in the oven until potatoes are slightly crisp and browned.

6. place cauliflower on a single layer on sheet tray, and roast in oven until somewhat browned.

7. fry bacon until almost crisp and drain.

8. combine cauliflower, bacon, 3 tbsp parsley in large bowl. add cauliflower mixture on top of layered potatoes in glass pan.

9. fry 2 tbsp garlic in 1 tbsp butter, add milk and shredded cheese. add to casserole in glass pan.

10. fry onions in 1 tbsp butter. add salt, parsley, breadcrumbs, butter. toss and heat until toasted. toss in bowl with parmesan. top casserole with mixture.

12. bake at 350 until crust browns and casserole is bubbling.

cost calculation

3 heads cauliflower, $4.00

6 strips bacon, $1.00

4-6 potatoes, $0.50

2 sprigs thyme, $0.25

1/2 cup blue cheese, $1.75

½ cup shredded parmesan, $2.00

total: 9.5 divided by 5 = $1.90

chicken pot pie

2008-12-19T17:02:00.000-08:00

i've been tinkering with my mother's recipe for a year or so, and i finally got the filling down pat. but the crust! - to me, the raison d'etre of the chicken pot pie - i owe that to julia child. (who, btw, was published by knopf, my place of employment, where her editor, the wonderful judith jones, continues to publish amazing cookbooks).

recipe, serves 5

ingredients

filling:
3 small chicken breasts, cubed
a big bag of mushrooms, stemmed, sliced, and halved
large handful of cranberries
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup half and half
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 large onion, diced

crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 ts sugar
6 ounces (1.5 sticks) chilled butter, cut into 1/2-inch bits
4 tbsp chilled shortening
a scant half cup of iced water
1 egg, beaten

steps
1. make crust, steps below (you will need to refrigerate the pastry for two hours, so do this first.)
2. preheat oven to 375 degrees. caramelize onions by frying them in 2 tbsp butter over low heat.
3. add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and saute until nearly cooked through.
4. add mushrooms and saute until cooked through.
5. add 2 cups chicken stock and cook over medium-high heat until mixture begins to boil. turn to low heat. add half and half.
6. make a roux by adding 2 tbsp flour to 2 tbsp melted, warm butter, and stir into mixture to thicken.
7. add more flour as needed to thicken mixture. add cranberries and stir.
8. pour mixture into a baking pan.
9. take crust out of freezer or refrigerator. flour your board and rolling pin, and knead dough into a flat circle. place rollign pin across the center and roll it back and forth with firm but gentle pressure until it is the desired width and length (to match your baking pan). immediately place over mixture in baking pan. brush beaten egg onto pastry to help it turn golden in the oven. (if you don't have a brush, use the back of a spoon.) bake for 30 minutes until crust is golden and mixture is bubbling.

crust
1. place flour, salt, sugar, butter, and shortening in a mixing bowl. rub the flour and fat together rapidly between the tips of your fingers until the fat is broken into pieces the size of oatmeal flakes. do not overdo this step - fat will be blended more thoroughly later.
2. add the water and blend quickly with one hand, fingers held together and slightly cupped, as you rapidly gather the dough into a mass. sprinkly up to 1 tbsp more water by droplets over any unmassed remains to add to main body of dough. press the dough firmly into a roughly-shaped ball. it should hold together and be pliable, but not sticky.
3. the fraisage (final blending): place the dough on a lightly floured pastry board. with the heel of one hand, not the palm which is too warm, rapidly press the pastry down on the board and away from you in a quick smear of about 6 inches. this constitutes the final blending of fat and flour.
4. gather the dough again into a mass with a spatula, knead it briefly into a smooth round ball. sprinkle lightly with flour and wrap in waxed paper. refrigerate for 2 hours or freeze for 1 hour.

cost calculation
3 small chicken breasts, $3.50
a big bag of mushrooms, $4.00
large handful of cranberries, $1.00
2 cups chicken stock (bouillon cubes), $1.00
1 cup half and half, $0.50
2 sticks butter, $0.75
1 large onion, $0.30
4 tbsp chilled shortening, $0.15
1 egg, $0.20
total: $11.40 divided by 5 = $2.28

hong kong, macau, shenzhen

2008-12-17T14:59:00.000-08:00

i spent the week of thanksgiving in hong kong, macau, and shenzhen, and the food was INCREDIBLE. this does not represent all of the foodie goodness (there were many times when we were too excited to eat and could not bother pulling out the paparazzi shots), but it is a fair sampling. no need for a preamble here - i will post the pictures, with descriptions below:

goose liver and olive fried rice. this was perfect - each grain fluffy and separate (as they should be) and with the olives and liver, so wonderfully decadent.

in shenzhen: steamed ground pork with a myriad of spices and flavors, none of which i can specifically name. it was tasty particularly for its texture--so finely milled, so soft.

in shenzhen: grapefruit skins, also finely milled to produce a near-buttery texture. apparently this takes a lot of skilled labor, so it's now very rarely made at even the best restaurants.

hong kong style breakfast: ramen with a fried pork chop, egg over easy, and fish ball slices.

and of course, hong kong style milk tea, the best thing to come out of british colonisation: super strong, super dark tea with milk.

macau: hard shell snails braised in a chili sauce

the most LUXE thing we had in macau, for a measly 500 hkd (about 60 U.S.): real shark fin soup, but not with the slices of shark fin, but an ENTIRE shark fin. it would be more than 500 usd in new york/san francisco.

macau street food: egg noodles topped with fresh shrimp eggs.

baby duckies (excuse my crass carnivorous labeling) - tender, tasty, with the finest crisp skin.

amazingly light and crispy fish, deep fried, topped with chili pepper flakes.

succulent braised tofu with napa cabbage, chinese mushrooms, and fatty pieces of pork - a favorite peasant dish of mine

the beautifully simple, tear-inducing (it was that good) pork chop sandwich. a local macaun specialty, wrapped in doughy, tasty portugese bread.

portugese style egg tart, with a creme brulee-like glazed finish.

in macau also: a tart made of sparrow saliva, harvested from sparrow's nests (they make nests out of their own saliva). sounds gross, but it was amazing - light and sweet and with a milky texture, but without the heaviness of milk.

duck - this is representative of the MANY TIMES we had duck in hong kong. beautiful, fatty, crispy, rich.

i didn't make this

2008-11-20T16:10:00.000-08:00

...but my boyfriend did. beautiful, right? toasted bread, runny, sunny-side-up eggs, some fried scallions, bacon, and slices of extra sharp cheddar. an easy, lazy, but still-luxurious sunday brunch-in at noon.

tales of a rotisserie chicken

2008-11-13T18:02:00.000-08:00

everybody (minus vegetarians) loves a good rotisserie chicken - crispy skin, tender meat, juice from the bones. but did you know you could get some serious mileage out of a single one? three meals, in fact. i experimented with stretching the chicken as far as it could go - a single chicken from costco, which cost $5 - and made chicken breast in a sherry cream portobello sauce, mac and cheese with leftover rotisserie chicken meat baked in, and chicken soup with rice using the bones and carcass. each was delicious - and a great way to use leftovers for a completely new meal.

chicken breast with sherry cream portobello sauce

ingredients
breast of rotisserie chicken, sliced
1/2 cup half and half
2 portobello mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1/2 cup sherry wine
4 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour

steps
1. melt 3 tbsp butter in a skillet, and cook portobello mushrooms in butter.
2. once mushrooms soften, add sherry wine. simmer until alcohol boils off.
3. make a roux by mixing 1 tbsp softened butter with 1 tbsp flour.
4. add half and half to mushroom mixture, then add roux to thicken.
5. pour sauce over sliced chicken breast.

mac and cheese with chicken

recipe is here. the only difference is that i mixed in pieces of rotisserie chicken before baking.

chicken soup with rice

ingredients
2 medium onions, diced
5 celery stalks, sliced
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
4 bouillon cubes (or 4 cans of chicken broth)
bones from rotisserie chicken
1/2 cup white rice

steps
1. bring broth and 4-5 cups of water to a boil.
2. add 1 diced onion, 1 sliced celery stalk, and chicken bones to stock. season with salt (if needed) and pepper. once it returns to a boil, let simmer for one hour.
3. strain stock and discard bones, onion, and celery (which were used to flavor the stock).
4. bring clean stock to a boil, then add remaining onions, carrots, celery, and rice. once it returns to a boil, simmer for half an hour or until onions, carrots, celery, and rice are softened.

cost calculation for all three meals
1 rotisserie chicken, $5.00
1/2 cup half and half, $0.35
2 portobello mushrooms, stemmed and sliced, $2.75
1/2 cup sherry wine, $0.75
4 tbsp butter, $0.25
1 tbsp flour, $0.05
1 pound macaroni elbows, $1.10
extra sharp cheddar cheese, 2 cups, $2.30
smoked gouda, 2 cups, $2.19
gruyere, 2 cups, $3.00
1 quart half and half (or whole milk), $2.00
1/2 cup flour, $0.05
8 tbsp butter, $0.75
1 tomato, thinly sliced, $0.40
2 medium onions, $0.40
5 celery stalks, $0.25
4 medium carrots, $0.40
4 bouillon cubes, $0.75
1/2 cup white rice, $0.10
total: 22.84 divided by 3 meals divided by 4 servings per meal = $1.90 per person per serving

cucumber lime sorbet

2008-11-13T16:18:00.000-08:00

mark got me an ice cream maker for my birthday! (among many other things. yes, i have a wonderful and generous boyfriend.)

we made this delicious cucumber lime sorbet, which can serve as a fresh, icy dessert or a between-plates palate cleanser.

ingredients
juice of 3 limes
juice of 3 small cucumbers
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar (optional)
10 mint leaves, minced
2 tbsp vodka

steps
1. if you would like a sweet sorbet, make simple syrup by mixing sugar and water over low heat.
2. combine lime juice, cucumber juice, mint leaves, vodka, and simple syrup (or simply the water, if you prefer a sugarless sorbet) in a bowl.
3. turn ice cream maker on, and immediately pour mixture into spout. let machine run for about half an hour, until sorbet is softly icy. garnish with mint leaves.

cost calculation
3 limes, $0.70
3 small cucumbers, $1.00
1/2 cup sugar, $0.10
10 mint leaves, $0.05 (from my plant)
2 tbsp vodka, $0.20
total: $2.05 divided by 4 = $0.51

lamb loin chops with rosemary and cranberries, potatoes gratin, fresh berry salad, beets with mint-goat cheese and walnuts, and garlicky beet greens

2008-11-10T10:38:00.000-08:00

shopping at costco makes me feel like a bad person - like an unapologetic, die-hard american consumer. (in my defense: 1. i was shopping for my roommates, too! 2. we use a lot of toilet paper. 3. the costco cash card was a gift.)

i made a (misdirected) attempt to atone for my sins by treating my roommates and a few friends to a home-cooked meal of lamb loin chops, cheesy potatoes gratin, a fresh salad with berries, walnuts and greens, beets with mint-goat cheese and toasted walnuts, and garlicky beet greens. and lots of bread from fairway, of course.

the sweetly tart cranberries, i must say, were a wonderful garnish for the gamey je ne sais quoi of the lamb, the fruity salad was a thankfully fresh addition to an otherwise heavy meal, and the hearty, cheesy potatoes gratin were a crowd-pleaser. all in all, a yummy and hearty meal. all dishes serve a ravenous crew of eight.

rosemary-crusted lamb loin chops with cranberries

ingredients

marinade
1/2 cup truffle flavored olive oil
1 cup olive oil
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp dried rosemary
1 tbsp fresh oregano

1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 tbsp rosemary

steps
1. marinate lamb chops for 3 hours.
2. preheat oven to 400 F. sear both sides of each chop in olive oil in a heavy-duty, stainless steel pan.
3. arrange chops in baking pan. sprinkle an additional tbsp rosemary, freshly ground black pepper and sea salt on top. arrange a handful of cranberries on top and around lamb chops. bake for 6 minutes or until medium-rare.

cost calculation
12 lamb loin chops, $17.96 (from costco)
1/2 cup truffle flavored olive oil, $0.60
1 cup olive oil, $0.60
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, $0.10
2 tbsp dried rosemary, $0.15
1 tbsp fresh oregano, $0.05 (from plant)
1/4 cup dried cranberries, $0.20 (from costco)
total: $19.66 divided by 8 = $2.46

potatoes gratin ingredients

3 lb potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
1 1/2 cups shaved parmigiano reggiano
2 1/2 cups half and half
3 crushed garlic cloves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp minced green onion

steps
1. preheat oven to 375 F.
2. mix parmigiano reggiano, half and half, and crushed garlic cloves in a baking pan. mix in potatoes until all are well-coated.
3. top with green onion, salt and pepper, and bake for one hour.

cost calculation
3 lb potatoes, $2.75
1 1/2 cups parmigiano reggiano, $5.50
2 1/2 cups half and half, $1.15
3 tbsp minced green onion, $0.15
total: 9.55 divided by 8 = $1.19

fresh berry salad

ingredients
1 package mixed greens
1/2 package fresh strawberries
1 package fresh blueberries
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tsp honey, 1 tsp olive oil

dressing
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil

steps
1. wash and slice strawberries, wash blueberries, dry.
2. toast walnuts with honey and olive oil.
3. mix dry ingredients together with dressing ingredients.

cost calculation
1 package mixed greens, $2.19
1/2 package fresh strawberries, $2.50
1 package fresh blueberries, $2.50
1/2 cup walnuts, $0.50 (from costco)
total: 7.69 divided by 8 = $0.96

beet salad with mint-goat cheese and walnuts, garlicky beet greens

see my vegetarian post. the only difference here is that i mixed the goat cheese with 2-3 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves, from my plant. and i nixed the poached eggs atop the beet greens, thinking we had enough food already!

cost calculation
1 bunch beets, $2.75
4 oz. goat cheese, $2.75
1/2 cup walnuts, $0.50 (from costco)
total: 6 divided by 8 = $0.75
total for entire meal: 2.46 + 1.19 + 0.96 + 0.75 = $5.36

today is national men make dinner day.

2008-11-06T13:39:00.001-08:00

just sayin.

beefy chili with avocado-jalapeno garnish and cumin crema

2008-11-06T10:24:00.000-08:00

last weekend, after enviously reading about various chili cook-offs while penned in doing household chores - e.g. post-bedbug scare loads of laundry - i decided i'd make some chili of my own. adapted from bobby flay's recipe, with ground beef substituted for chunks of beef chuck (bc i had it on hand), some shredded mexican cheese added in, and ground cumin to replace the toasted cumin seeds in the cumin crema (easier, and cheaper, since i already had it in my pantry).

this was very yummy, especially accompanied with some crusty, toasty bread. serves 5.
beefy chili

ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
2 lb ground beef
salt and pepper
5 cloves garlic
1 red onion, diced
3 tbsp ancho chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 bottle dark beer
4 cups chicken stock
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tbsp hot pepper sauce
1 tbsp honey
2 cups canned black beans, drained
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
cumin crema (recipe follows)
avocado-jalapeno garnish (recipe follows)

steps
1. fry ground beef over medium-high heat with salt and pepper in olive oil. once browned, set aside.
2. fry garlic and red onion over medium-high heat. when onions are translucent, add chili powder and cumin. once onion-garlic mixture is evenly coated with chili powder and cumin, add beer. bring to a boil, then turn heat to medium-low.
3. mix in ground beef, diced tomatoes, chicken stock, honey, and hot pepper sauce. once mixture boils, let simmer for an hour, pot covered.
4. thicken with flour, if needed. mix in lime juice.
5. serve with cumin crema and avocado-jalapeno garnish, below.

cumin crema

ingredients
1 cup creme fraiche
2 tsp ground cumin

steps
1. stir cumin into creme fraiche until it dissolves evenly.
avocado-jalapeno garnish

ingredients
1 avocado, cubed
1/4 red onion, finely diced
1 jalapeno, finely diced
2 tbsp lime juice

steps
1. mix ingredients together.

cost calculation
1/4 cup olive oil, $0.15
2 lb ground beef, $2.00
1 1/4 red onion, $0.30
3 tbsp ancho chili powder, $0.15
1 tbsp and 2 tsp ground cumin, $0.10
1 bottle dark beer, $1.00 (mine was free! roommates' old beer in back of fridge)
4 cups chicken stock, $0.20 (if you use bouillon cubes, as i did)
1 can diced tomatoes, $1.00
1 tbsp hot pepper sauce, $0.10
1 tbsp honey, $0.10
2 cups canned black beans, $1.00
2 limes, $0.10
1 cup creme fraiche, $1.00
1 avocado, $1.10
1 jalapeno, $0.20
total: 8.50 divided by 5 = $1.70

wienerschnitzel, skin-on mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus, and garlic bread

2008-11-02T15:02:00.000-08:00

i love the word wienerschnitzel. i am seven years old. and just a note: this is real wienerschnitzel, not the horrible fast-food hot dog joint-misnomer. i thought i'd serve it alongside skin-on mashed potatoes (love the look and texture with the skin mixed in, plus i'm lazy!), roasted asparagus, and super-garlicky garlic bread. all three dishes together serve a very hungry three.

wienerschnitzel

ingredients
1/2 lb veal scallops (this should equal about 3 veal scallops)
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
1/2 cup flour
salt and pepper
3 tbsp butter

steps
1. pound veal scallops with meat mallet so they are thin. season with salt and pepper on both sides.
2. put breadcrumbs, scrambled raw egg, and flour each in separate shallow bowls.
3. dredge each veal scallop with flour, then egg, then coat generously with breadcrumbs.
4. fry each scallop in 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. cook about 2-3 minutes on each side, until breadcrumbs are browned and center is soft but not pink.

cost calculation
1/2 lb veal scallops, $6.00
1 cup breadcrumbs, $0.10
1 egg, $0.10
1/2 cup flour, $0.10
3 tbsp butter, $0.20
total: $6.50 divided by 3 = $2.17

mashed potatoes

ingredients
4 potatoes
4 tbsp butter
1 cup half and half

steps
1. boil potatoes until soft. mash with potato masher.
2. stir in butter and half and half. add salt and pepper to taste. (a tip from boyfriend mark: stir in some basil leaves if you like - it colors them a pretty green!)

cost calculation
4 potatoes, $0.75
4 tbsp butter, $0.35
1 cup half and half, $0.40
total: $1.50 divided by 3 = $0.50

asparagus

ingredients
1 bunch asparagus stalks
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

steps
1. cut off ends of asparagus stalks and discard. rinse asparagus. preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. put asparagus stalks into a quart-sized ziploc bag. put in olive oil and salt and pepper, and mix until well-coated.
3. roast in oven for 15 minutes (or longer, depending on whether you prefer your asparagus more tender or crunchy).

cost calculation
1 bunch asparagus stalks, $3.00
2 tbsp olive oil, $0.10
total: $3.10 divided by 3 = $1.03

garlic bread

ingredients
1 baguette
4-5 cloves garlic
3 tbsp butter

steps
1. melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. saute garlic in butter.
2. slice baguette down the middle lengthwise, then cut into 6-inch long pieces. spoon garlic butter over bread slices, and season with salt and pepper.
3. bake in oven for 5 minutes or so, until crunchy.

cost calculation
1 baguette, $1.25
4-5 cloves garlic, $0.10
3 tbsp butter, $0.20
total: 1.55 divided by 3 = $0.52

total for all 4 dishes = 2.17 + 0.50 + 1.03 + 0.52 = $4.22

pizza spread

2008-11-02T14:26:00.000-08:00

same as always, but mixed it up with the toppings. this time, two varieties: caramelized onions and mushrooms over a thinly-spread tomato sauce and mozzarella on one, and the usual tomato, garlic, mozzarella, and basil on the other.

mu shu pork

2008-10-30T11:35:00.000-07:00

when my parents made the big move from small apartment in san jose to a townhouse in nearby santa clara, one of the first things they did was find a tasty, affordable, and authentic chinese restaurant in the neighborhood. the place they ended up frequenting (and loving) was called, completely straightforwardly and unironically, china way. we would order mu shu pork there, every time. i, having been (somewhat regrettably) "americanized" by that point, happily called them "chinese burritos", while my parents looked on amusedly, but perhaps also resignedly. (wow. i didn't mean for this to be so dark.) wistfully, sincerely, lovingly - mummy, pops, here's looking at upward mobility, cultural dislocation, and you:

recipe, serves 4

ingredients
1 lb pork tenderloin
half a head of napa cabbage
6 dried chinese mushrooms
2 tbsp ginger
2 tbsp garlic
1 bunch leeks
1 bunch scallions
1 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp rice wine
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp white pepper
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp oyster sauce
12 flour tortillas

sauce ingredients
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce

steps
1. cut pork tenderloin into thin strips. marinate in soy sauce, sesame oil, 2 tbsp rice wine, white pepper, and cornstarch for about an hour.
2. prep other ingredients: remove stems from chinese mushrooms and soak in water for 15 minutes, then slice thinly. wash and chop scallions. mince ginger and garlic. wash and slice leeks into thin, 3-4 inch long strips. wash and slice cabbage into thin, 3-4 inch long strips.
3. fry ginger and garlic in canola oil. add scallions. when translucent, add pork. when pork is still pink but a bit browned, add leeks. when leeks turn translucent, add cabbage. once cabbage stems are a little crunchy but the leaves are tender, make sauce with sauce ingredients. mix it in.
4. steam flour tortillas using rice cooker.
5. make a dipping sauce with 2 tbsp oyster sauce and a splash of soy sauce. add a little water if this is too salty.
6. to serve, spoon a little dipping sauce onto a steamed tortilla, add some pork-cabbage-leek as filling, and fold like a burrito. serves 4 with 3 burritos each.

cost calculation
1 lb pork tenderloin, $4.24
half a head of napa cabbage, $0.50
6 dried chinese mushrooms, $1.00
2 tbsp ginger, $0.10
2 tbsp garlic, $0.10
1 bunch leeks, $1.50
1 bunch scallions, $0.50
total: 7.94 divided by 4 = $1.99

mac and cheese, roasted chicken drumsticks and potatoes, and a garden salad

2008-10-30T07:39:00.000-07:00

i had four hungry boys over for dinner, and after eating, they nearly collapsed to the floor bc of the uneven weight distribution of their distended bellies - so while this fed five, it could very comfortably feed six.

also, a tip: because the roasted chicken takes an hour in the oven, prepare that first (it's really, really easy), stick it in the oven, and then make the mac and cheese, which takes 30 minutes in the oven - so that the food is ready at the same time.

mac and cheese

look at that cheesy goodness...

ingredients
1 pound macaroni elbows
extra sharp cheddar cheese, 2 cups
smoked gouda, 2 cups
gruyere, 2 cups
1 quart half and half (or whole milk)
1/2 cup flour
8 tbsp butter
1 tomato, thinly sliced
1/4 an old baguette, for bread crumbs (or simply 1 cup bread crumbs)

steps
1. boil water for macaroni, cook until al dente. shred cheese. preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. make a roux: melt 6 tbsp butter over low to medium heat, turn heat low, add flour, and stir rapidly to make a starchy roux.
3. heat half and half or milk over low heat. when hot, add to roux and stir until smooth.
4. remove milk-roux mixture from heat, stir in cheese.
5. saute bread crumbs in butter.
6. mix cheese mixture into cooked macaroni in a baking pan. top with tomato slices and sauteed bread crumbs. cook in oven for 25-30 minutes.

cost calculation
1 pound macaroni elbows, $1.10
extra sharp cheddar cheese, 2 cups, $2.30
smoked gouda, 2 cups, $2.19
gruyere, 2 cups, $3.00
1 quart half and half (or whole milk), $2.00
1/2 cup flour, $0.05
8 tbsp butter, $0.75
1 tomato, thinly sliced, $0.40
total: 11.79 divided by 6 = $1.97

roasted chicken drumsticks and potatoes

my apologies for the crookedness of the pic - i was very eager to eat.

ingredients
7 chicken drumsticks, skin on
dried rosemary
paprika or chili powder
1/2 cup chicken stock
4-5 potatoes
salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

steps
1. chop potatoes into 1 inch wedges or cubes. preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. season drumsticks in baking pan with salt and pepper, dried rosemary, and chili powder. add potatoes to pan - arrange evenly so that they cook evenly. season potatoes with salt and pepper.
3. spoon hot chicken stock into gaps between potatoes and chicken, being careful not to pour it over the chicken (you don't want it to cook prematurely - roasting in the oven allows for a crispy skin).
4. drizzle olive oil over chicken and potatoes. bake in oven for one hour.

cost calculation
7 chicken drumsticks, $1.90 (at deluxe supermarket in chinatown)
dried rosemary, $0.10
paprika or chili powder, $0.10
1/2 cup chicken stock, $0.40
4-5 potatoes, $1.20
total: 3.70 divided by 6 = $0.62

garden salad (so simple, i didn't want to include the recipe or a picture. but just for proof that we did eat some greens)

ingredients
romaine lettuce
4 plum tomatoes
half a red onion
balsamic vinegar
truffle flavored olive oil (regular is fine, but i had this yummy version on hand)

steps
1. prep ingredients - chop lettuce and tomatoes, thinly slice red onion. dry lettuce with paper towels (or use a salad spinner).
2. toss with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

cost calculation
romaine lettuce, $1.20
4 plum tomatoes, $1.50
half a red onion, $0.30
truffle flavored olive oil (regular is fine, but i had this yummy version on hand), $0.60
total: $3.60 divided by 6 = $0.60

the grand total for main, side, and salad = $3.19 per person. in short, it's possible to make a very tasty meal for six for under $20!

taim

2008-10-15T08:19:00.000-07:00

an unfortunately blurry photo of some very yummy falafel

after filling up on dogs at dogmatic, mark and i walked down to the west village to catch a movie at film forum. finding ourselves still hungry (yes, we are big eaters!), we headed to taim, famed falafel joint.

this place was incredible. just after purchasing our harissa (a tunisian sauce made with chili peppers, garlic, and coriander) falafel sandwiches, i complained to mark: "$5.50? that's not too bad, but only if it fills me up. falafel is, like, 3 bucks at other very tasty places."

but upon biting into my sandwich, i was utterly impressed. the sandwich is STUFFED with perfect falafel goodness - i lost count of how many! and they are crispy and bursting with flavor - and beautifully balanced by the thick, very-tahini tasting hummus, as well as the crunchy bits of cucumber and fresh tomato dressed in a slightly sweet lemon-mint sauce.

perhaps my favorite bit of all of this, though, was the fluffy, fresh, just-toasted pita bread. it's rare, even at decent falafel places, for the bread to truly contain the sandwich, and this bread did the job above-and-beyond the call of duty. it was both crunchy and soft, as fluffy as a lovely down pillow, and a pleasure to eat until the very last bite (even sans-falafel, the pita made for a wonderful final mouthful, suffused with hummus and the mint-lemon dressing from the vegetables). and at $5.50, a delightfully balanced, tasty, and yes - filling enough for a meal! - steal.

dogmatic

2008-10-15T08:06:00.000-07:00

chicken and chimichurri on left, lamb and mint yogurt on right

yes, i thought the same thing - why is the lamb sausage so, er, well-endowed?

when dogmatic opened, right next to mark's workplace, i knew i had to go. especially after serious eats blogged about it.

the space is spare and modern, simple yet jazzy (for example, i found it very cute that the white-tiled wall camouflaged a waste receptacle - a sleek and practical design). the dogs, happily, are similarly restrained yet flavorful - mark and i had the chicken sausage with chimichurri, which was delightfully spiced with herbs (serious eats says parsley, ginger, lemongrass, and garlic - i tasted the parsley and lemongrass, the ginger and garlic less so, though that may have been due to the already-garlicky chimichurri sauce); and the lamb sausage with mint yogurt sauce, which was smoky and yummy (and the mint yogurt a wonderfully sweet-and-sour combination). what made the dogs so tasty was the balance of crusty baguette bread, oozing sauce, and well-proportioned sausage - the sauce and sausage marry flavor and texture (chewy sausage meets thick, flavorful liquid), while the bread soaks up the fillings.

my only complaint is that the dogs are kinda pricey for their size - you probably need two to be full, bringing the total up to about $10. but they make a tasty snack, and a still-reasonably priced meal.

goat cheese and mint-stuffed pears wrapped in bacon, atop a baby greens and pomegranate salad

2008-10-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

i wanted to make something pretty! thusly, these gorgeous pears. i've made goat cheese-stuffed pears with a friend before, but this time around, thought mint would be a nice addition, for some freshness and bite - as well as some drizzled honey, to give the bacon a tangy sweetness. and because i had some baby greens left over from last week, i thought i'd serve the pears atop a salad of greens and pomegranate seeds, which make for a satisfying crunch (and their tart juice nicely complements the overall sweetness of the pear).

ingredients, serves 6 (appetizers)
1/4 lb (or half a large package) goat cheese
10-15 mint leaves
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
3 pears
6 slices bacon
1 tbsp honey
baby greens
1 pomegranate

recipe
1. preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. mix goat cheese, chopped mint, and 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a bowl. set aside.
3. halve and core pears.
4. stuff pear halves with goat cheese mixture, and wrap each with a strip of bacon. place on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, honey, and salt and pepper. bake for 35 minutes until outside is crisp and the inside tender.
5. arrange stuffed pear halves atop bed of greens and pomegranate seeds.

cost calculation
1/4 lb (or half a large package) goat cheese, $2.00
10-15 mint leaves, from my plant, $0.10
3 pears, $1.50
6 slices bacon, $1.00
1 tbsp honey, $0.10
baby greens, $1.00
1 pomegranate, $0.75
total: 6.45 divided by 6 = $1.08

corn chowder

2008-10-14T08:51:00.000-07:00

i made this in the heydey of late summer, when you could get 5 ears of corn for $2 at the greenmarket. adapted from the minimalist's recipe.

ingredients, serves 4
4 to 6 ears of corn
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
salt and ground black pepper
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup heavy cream

steps
1. shuck corn, using a paring knife to strip kernels into a bowl. put cobs in a pot with 4 cups water; bring to a boil, cover and simmer while you continue.
2. put butter in a saucepan, and turn heat to medium-high. when butter melts or oil is hot, add onion and potatoes, along with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, about 5 minutes; add tomatoes and cook, stirring, for another minute or two.
3. after corncobs have cooked at least 10 minutes, strain liquid into onion-potato mixture; bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. when potatoes are tender, add corn kernels and milk, and heat through.
1 tablespoon butter

cost calculation

5 corncobs, $2.00

1 medium onion, chopped, $0.15
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced, $0.50
2 tomatoes, $0.50
1 cup heavy cream, $1.00

total: 4.15 divided by 4 = $1.04

iceberg wedge with bacon and blue cheese dressing

2008-10-13T17:28:00.001-07:00

ingredients, serves 4
1 head of iceberg lettuce, cut into quarters
1/2 lb bacon
1 small box cherry or grape tomatoes
half a red onion
1 cup blue cheese
1 and a half cup mayo
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp ground pepper
1 tsp hot pepper sauce

steps
1. fry bacon in pan.
2. while bacon is frying, prep ingredients: wash tomatoes, thinly slice red onion.
3. make dressing: mix last five ingredients together in a bowl.
4. top iceberg wedges with fried bacon pieces, tomatoes, and dressing.

cost calculation
1 head of iceberg lettuce, $0.69
1/2 lb bacon, $2.00
1 small box cherry or grape tomatoes, $2.00
half a red onion, $0.25
1 cup blue cheese, $2.00
1 and a half cup mayo, $0.50
total: 5.44 divided by 4 = $1.36

cubano at margon

2008-10-13T17:24:00.000-07:00

$5.50. 136 west 46th street, between 6th and 7th avenues.
amazing.

and for a closeup:

spaghetti in tomato basil sauce topped with shaved pecorino, proscuitto, and basil

2008-10-13T17:05:00.000-07:00

ingredients, serves 4
1 lb spaghetti
10 basil leaves
pecorino
quarter-pound proscuitto
1 can hunt's tomato sauce
1 large can whole, peeled tomatoes
4 garlic cloves

steps
1. crush 2 whole garlic cloves and mince the other two.
2. fry garlic in olive oil, when it browns, add whole, peeled tomatoes and tomato sauce. put in 5 basil leaves. once sauce boils, turn heat to low. let simmer for an hour.
3. boil water and cook spaghetti until al dente in well-salted water, drain in colander.
4. toss spaghetti with tomato sauce.
5. top pasta with shaved pecorino, slices of proscuitto, and fresh basil leaves.

cost calculation
1 lb spaghetti, $1.00
10 basil leaves, from plant, $0.10
pecorino, $2.25
quarter-pound proscuitto, $4.25
1 can hunt's tomato sauce, $0.50 (from bj's)
1 large can whole, peeled tomatoes, $1.00
4 garlic cloves, $0.10
total = 9.20 divided by 4 = $2.30

the politics (and ethics) of food

2008-10-10T13:39:00.000-07:00

i started this blog with only two goals in mind: to eat well, and to eat cheaply. lately, though, i've been thinking that issues surrounding the first goal are rather more complex than i might have imagined, and might even complicate the second. craving blueberries in december, i unthinkingly buy them and make tarts. i happily shell out $30 for all-you-can-eat sushi and sake bombs, ignorant of the political and environmental issues related to international fishing.

but when even david chang - who loves food (and his particular vision of what it should taste like) so much that he serves only dr pepper and lists not a single vegetarian item on his menu at momofuku - tells us that food prices are rising and we can't be unthinkingly gluttonous anymore, i listen. and when michael pollan writes an epistle to the next president addressing him as "farmer-in-chief", you know shit's hit the fan. the case is convincing, and has been, for a long time - big monofarms make cheap, unhealthy, foodstuffs - often transformed into cheap, prepackaged foods - because energy is cheap. now that american consumption of energy seems both environmentally and politically unsustainable, food prices will rise. all signs point to the need for a decentralized farming system, which would diminish the threat of a monolithic attack on our nation's food supply, make environmental sense (why does a system exist in which toxic animal waste pollutes the environment, when it could be used as fertilizer for crops?), and hey - this is something everyone can get behind! - result in better-tasting food.

anyway, i've decided to take an admittedly small step and buy a farm share for the winter season. essentially, members of a CSA (community-supported agriculture) group pay to receive fresh, organic, and locally-grown produce every week of the season. most CSA's also require that members give a few hours to help a season - whether by taking a trip to the farm in upstate new york or by organizing the weekly pickup. it's a great thing, in my opinion - my share costs $265 for the 20-week season, includes vegetables and dairy (and poultry if you want, but i didn't, bc i still have LOTS of chicken in my freezer), and is enough to feed two. split with the boyfriend, that means i pay 132.50, or $6.63 a week for produce and dairy. and by cooking seasonally, i'll be forced to come up with more creative recipes - to cook according to the week's bounty. needless to say, i am very excited!

more info on CSA's near you

info on the CSA i'm joining (columbus circle csa - right by work.) applications close the 15th of october, so hurry!

eating leftovers: breaded chicken with butter center and mint and radish couscous

2008-10-07T12:57:00.001-07:00

a while back, mark made some excellent breaded chicken, with an awesomely fatty surprise - a tbsp of butter in the center, which teasingly oozes out when you cut the breast in half. (was that too pornographic? read this.) after discovering this made for a very filling meal, we decided to freeze a couple breasts for later consumption.

fast forward to a more recent "while back", when our friend josh came over and made us sesame-seed-crusted tuna steaks with a side of baby tomato couscous. post-delicious meal, we were left with many cups of uncooked couscous, as well as the fancy vegetable bouillon cubes with which josh cooked the couscous.

as you may have guessed, we combined these leftovers today for a scrumptious meal. the breaded chicken required overnight defrosting in the fridge and a quick pan fry (recipe follows), and the couscous i combined with some radishes just bought from the greenmarket (minced in a food processor) and mint leaves from my plant for a healthy, fresh-tasting side. both recipes together serve 2.

breaded chicken with butter center

ingredients
2 chicken breasts
1 stick butter
1 egg yolk
1 cup bread crumbs

steps

1. flatten chicken breasts with meat mallet.
2. place 1 tbsp butter in center, and roll chicken breast into burrito-like roll.
3. coat chicken in mixture of bread crumbs and egg yolk.
4. repeat steps 2-3 for other breast.
5. fry each breast in 1 tbsp butter, making sure to flip frequently so as to cook breast evenly.

couscous salad with radishes and mint leaves

ingredients
1/2 tbsp butter
half an onion, chopped
1 cup couscous
1 vegetable (or chicken) bouillon cube, or 1 cup stock
3 radishes, trimmed and quartered
10 mint leaves

steps
1. caramelize onions in 1/2 tbsp butter.
2. dissolve bouillon cube in 1 cup boiling water (or heat stock to boiling point).
3. stir in couscous, and remove from heat.
4. stir in caramelized onions.
5. mince radishes in food processor (or by hand). stir into couscous.
6. tear mint leaves, stir into couscous.

cost calculation:
2 chicken breasts (from large bag of frozen chicken from costco), $1.50
1 egg, $0.10
1 cup bread crumbs, $0.25
half an onion, chopped, $0.25
1 cup couscous, $1.00
1 vegetable (or chicken) bouillon cube, or 1 cup stock, $0.10
3 radishes, trimmed and quartered, $0.50
10 mint leaves, $0.10
total: $3.80 divided by 2 = $1.90

chicken and blue cheese pizza

2008-10-07T12:39:00.000-07:00

i am so fond of my ultra-simple tomato and basil pizza that i've been reluctant to mess with it. but then i thought three things: (1) pizza is a very versatile medium to work with, (2) my boyfriend loves blue cheese, and (3) i just bought a huge bag of chicken breasts to freeze, and need to use them up at some point. thusly, this chicken and blue cheese pizza, which turned out wonderfully, i think:

same dough, completely different creation. SORRY NO PICTURE! but i promise it was good.

ingredients

dough
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cups warm water
1/2 tbsp active dry yeast
1/2 tbsp olive oil
pinch of salt

toppings
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup shredded monterey jack
1 cup tomato sauce
3 scallions, chopped
2 chicken breasts
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp hot sauce (tabasco or something like it)
3 stems fresh oregano, from plant (optional)

steps
1. mix ingredients for pizza dough, roll with pin. roll into disk and place in closed container/bag. refrigerate for at least overnight.
2. prep toppings: chop scallions, chicken breasts, shred cheese.
3. preheat oven to 425 degrees.
4. fry chicken in olive oil and salt and pepper until it is almost cooked through, set aside.
5. heat tomato sauce, worcestershire sauce, and tabasco in pan. when it starts to boil, stir in chicken, and set aside.
6. roll out refrigerated dough with pin so it is flat. (use a pizza pan, or whatever it is on hand - i used an aluminum pan, and thus had a rectangular pizza.)
7. top dough with chicken and sauce mixture. evenly spread cheeses over mixture. top with chopped scallions and leaves from oregano stems.
8. using a brush (or your index finger), lightly spread olive oil on exposed pizza crust.
6. bake at 425 degrees for 18 minutes.

cost calculation
1/2 tbsp active dry yeast (from supersized costco portion), $0.10
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled, $2.00
1/2 cup shredded monterey jack, $2.00
1 cup tomato sauce (from costco also), $0.75
3 scallions (from 3 bunches for $1 stand in chinatown), $0.20
2 chicken breasts (from costco) , $1.50
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce, $0.25
1 tbsp hot sauce (tabasco or something like it), $0.25
3 stems fresh oregano, from plant (optional), $0.10
total: 7.15 divided by 3 = $2.38

$1 tacos at toloache!

2008-08-26T17:04:00.000-07:00

toloache, a normally fancy-ish, expensive restaurant on 50th between broadway and 8th av., opened its doors to midtown cheapos from 11.30 a.m. to 11 p.m. today, serving $1 tacos to celebrate its first anniversary. david and i arrived at 11.15, 15 minutes before the restaurant opened (yes, we seemed desperate. but it paid off - keep reading!) - and sat down at the guac/salsa bar. we ordered six tacos each (should've ordered seven) - 2 each of the three following combinations on offer for the $1 deal:

pollo: chicken breast adobado, pico de gallo, manchego cheese
suadero: negra modelo-braised brisket, tomatillo salsa, horseradish crema
hongos y napoles: maitake & huitlacoche mushrooms, cactus, doble crema cheese

the brisket, in the end, turned out to be pork - but it was amazing, probably my favorite of the three, topped with pineapple salsa. the mushrooms were a standout too - i'm not positive, but they tasted as though they had been braised in wine. all in all, a pretty incredible bargain, for $1 a taco.

(zach at midtown lunch, though, is calling it tacogate. apparently some waited for hours, and they stopped offering takeout only an hour after opening.)

instant food

2008-08-26T16:38:00.000-07:00

i realize this post flies in the face of the very admirable locavore, slow food movement, but i must admit that every once in a while, i feel lazy, and need to make something tasty, possibly not-so-healthy, and quick. (in other words: i sometimes crave instant food. there! i admitted it.)

take, for example, this meal of fried pork and chive dumplings, kimchi ramen, and a runny egg:

all i had to do was boil water, cook the pre-made dumplings (purchased at deluxe supermarket in chinatown), as well as the kimchi instant ramen, and then fry them, with the package of kimchi seasoning, in a saute pan. a quick fry of the egg, and everything was done.

kimchi ramen with fried dumplings and a runny egg, serves 2

ingredients
2 packages instant kimchi ramen
6 pork and chive dumplings, from deluxe supermarket
2 eggs

steps
1. boil water. once water reaches boiling point, cook 2 packages ramen (without the package of seasoning) and dumplings. once dumplings float and ramen is soft, drain in colander. rinse ramen with cold water (to set the noodles and to wash the wax out).
2. fry dumplings in canola oil until both sides are browned. set aside.
3. fry noodles until almost crispy. add one packet of seasoning (not two, or it will be too salty and spicy), and mix well.
4. fry egg.
5. plate dumplings, noodles, and egg and serve.

cost calculation
2 packages instant kimchi ramen, $2
6 pork and chive dumplings, from deluxe supermarket, $1.20
2 eggs, $0.17
total: 3.37 divided by 2 = $1.69

consider also this semi-homemade meal, made with trader joe's red thai curry sauce:

also very easy, and tasty, to boot.

thai red curry with chicken and peppers, serves 5

ingredients
1 bottle thai red curry sauce
1 large chicken breast
4 cloves garlic
1/2 onion
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
cornstarch and cold water, if necessary

steps
1. prep ingredients: dice onion, mince garlic, cube chicken, and cut peppers into thin slivers.
2. stir fry garlic and onion in a little canola oil. when onion is translucent, add cubed chicken with salt and pepper.
3. when chicken is 3/4 cooked through, add bell peppers. fry until peppers are softened and chicken is cooked through.
4. add curry sauce. if there isn't enough sauce, thicken with a mixture of cold water and cornstarch. once the sauce boils, simmer on low for a few minutes.
3. fry chicken in garlic and onion mixture.
4. serve over jasmine rice.

cost calculation
1 bottle thai red curry sauce, $2.75
1 large chicken breast, $1.10
1 red bell pepper, $3
1 green bell pepper, $1.50
total: 8.35 divided by 5 = $1.67

my vegetarian chops (ha, ha)

2008-08-23T18:13:00.000-07:00

a vegetarian friend came over for dinner, which presented a very welcome challenge: most of my dishes are unabashedly meat-heavy - could i also kick it with vegetables?

i decided on a safety - pizza with basil, tomato, garlic, and mozzarella, which i've made many times before. to supplement this pizza, i thought i'd turn to the lovely beet, with its beautiful color and wonderfully soft, buttery texture (once cooked thoroughly, anyway).

i boiled the peeled beets for over half an hour, crumbled goat cheese on top, and added some walnuts (toasted with some olive oil and a pinch of brown sugar). i found the resulting salad surprisingly light and fresh, despite the nuttiness of the walnuts, which gave the final dish a satisfying crunch.

NOTE: all 3 dishes - pizza, beet salad, and beet greens - serve 4 very hungry people.

NO PICTURES SORRY! the files are "corrupted", damnit.

beet salad with goat cheese and walnuts

ingredients
1 bunch beets
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp olive oil
4 oz. goat cheese

steps
1. prep: peel and wash beets. boil water.
2. boil beets in boiling water for about 3o min. or until soft. meanwhile, roast walnuts in oven with brown sugar (or honey) and some olive oil.
3. rinse softened beets in cold water. cut into cubes.
4. plate beets with crumbled goat cheese and toasted walnuts and serve.

and so as not to waste the beet greens, i chopped them up, fried them with some garlic and olive oil, and topped them with some poached eggs, a simpler, less brunchy version of this. the dark red on the white egg was, i thought, visually stunning, and i am a big fan of sweet, runny yolk on dark, slightly bitter, and crunchy vegetables.

beet greens topped with poached egg

ingredients
beet greens from 1 bunch of beets
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
4 eggs

steps
1. prep: wash and chop beet greens. mince garlic. boil pot of water for eggs.
2. heat olive oil in a pan. saute garlic until slightly browned. add greens and saute until leaves are softened. set aside.
3. when water boils, turn to medium until water reaches just-before-the simmering point (when you can see small, motionless air bubbles in the water, but not so that the bubbles are bubbling).
4. add a splash of vinegar to the water.
5. crack an egg in a shallow dish/bowl.
6. create a whirlpool in the water using a long spoon with one hand. with the other, place the dish with the egg very close to the water, and gently slide the egg in.
7. let the egg sit for a couple of minutes until it sets. when egg is soft, the yolk clearly still runny, but the whites set, remove from water with a ladle or big spoon. remove excess water from the poached egg by patting gently with paper towel.
8. repeat steps 6 and 7 with the same water with the 3 other eggs.
9. top beet greens with poached eggs and serve.

cost calculation
4 eggs, $0.34
1 bunch beets, $2.75
1/2 cup walnuts, $1.25
4 oz. goat cheese, $2.75
1 bunch basil, $1.29
1/2 lb mozzarella, $2.50
1 tbsp package of active dry yeast, $0.50
total: 11.38 divided by 4 = $2.85

preserved egg and pork loin congee and chow fun with roast pork, green onion, and egg

2008-08-19T17:32:00.000-07:00

in shameless self promotion, i direct you to my midtown lunch profile, where i extol the beauty of hong kong brunch food, which i will write about here (a seamless transition from self-absorption to recipe, no?).

i spent a summer in hong kong after my freshman year, and one of my favorite meals to eat there was brunch - particularly congee with preserved egg and salted pork, which i find so homey and comforting. and bc i am a big eater, i often paired it with even more carbs - chow fun (very thin fried noodles) with roast pork, green onions, and scrambled egg. as always, all credit goes to my mom, who taught me how to make a home-cooked version of these dishes.

PRESERVED EGG AND PORK LOIN CONGEE, serves 5

ingredients
2 cups rice
4 preserved eggs (also called "thousand year old eggs" - i used to think they were truly that old!)
pork loin, 1 lb.
salt
half a bunch green onions, for garnish

steps
1. prep: mince green onions. peel preserved eggs and cut into smaller pieces. generously salt pork loin, and cut piece into half, to make two pieces.
2. put 2 cups of rice into a large pot. fill 3/4 full with water. heat on high until mixture reaches a boil. add salted pork loin and turn to low. let simmer for an hour.
3. by now the rice should have puffed up, having absorbed water. add water if necessary (if you would like the congee to be thinner). take out pork, and after letting it cool, strip it into pieces. add strips of pork and preserved egg pieces to congee. let congee simmer for another hour.
4. garnish with green onion and serve.

CHOW FUN WITH ROAST PORK, GREEN ONION, AND SCRAMBLED EGG, serves 5

ingredients
1 large package rice vermicelli noodles
1 lb roast pork
1 bunch green onions
3 eggs
3 tbsp soy sauce

steps
1. prep: put large pot of water on boil. cut roast pork into small pieces, mince onions, and whisk eggs in a bowl. set aside.
2. put noodles into boiling water for just 10-15 seconds (to blanch). pour into colander, and run cold water over noodles in sink immediately (this is to keep the noodles from sticking together, getting too soft, and breaking).
3. fry green onions in oil. when translucent, add roast pork. add drained noodles, and soy sauce. fry until desired texture and consistency.
4. in separate pan, fry scrambled egg. cut into thin slices, and add to noodles. mix well.

cost calculation
4 preserved eggs, $1.50
pork loin, 1 lb., $2
green onions, for garnish, $0.20
1 large package rice vermicelli noodles, $1.25
1 lb roast pork, $4.50
1 bunch green onions, $0.40
3 eggs, $0.10
total: 9.95 divided by 5 = $1.99

midtown lunch: ariana afghan kebab

2008-08-07T16:45:00.000-07:00

ariana afghan kebab, 787 ninth ave., between 52nd and 53rd st.

another eating-out-for-lunch adventure. this time, david and i ventured to ninth ave., easily reachable for west midtown workers (we work at 55th and broadway), where, i assume bc of its proximity to the theater district, great restaurants abound.

we noticed a smattering of newspaper reviews and the inevitable "zagat rated" sticker outside the door, and thought the restaurant looked promising, though it was the lunch specials, each $9 - and scribbled onto a black chalkboard - that sealed the deal.

i had the lamb koftka kebab, served with basmati rice, cucumber salad with a yogurt-based dressing, and afghan bread (pictured above). the lamb was well marinated, and despite being made of ground lamb and then reshaped into a well-done kebab, was tender and soft. the rice, too, was great - each grain separate from the next, just how i like my basmati rice. and the yogurt dressing was delightful, the slight sourness bringing out the spices of the kebab.

david had the lamb curry, which was also very good (pictured below).

the lamb was soft, the curry not spicy, but flavorful, very homey, and great to sop up the bread with. the texture of the potatoes and carrots in the curry, too, was spot-on: soft, but not so soft that it lost its shape, broken into pieces.

another highlight was david's dogh, an afghan yogurt drink seasoned with cucumber and mint. so good, so fresh, and not too heavy:

the restaurant was cool and dark, with afghan music playing in the background, a nice respite from the hot and sunny outdoors. the decor was at once authentic and wonderfully tacky - photos and posters of the rocky afghanistan terrain, but also electric blue garland strung around low, hanging lights. highly recommended.

waffle truck!

2008-08-07T16:30:00.000-07:00

wafels & dinges (yelp, click to guess at location. it's a truck, and moves, obvs...)

a little steep for a treat at $4, but i got free toppings, bc they messed up the first one! (free toppings are totally worth the 5 minute wait.)

the truck was just in front of trader joe's near union square, though i hear it is usually parked in midtown on weekdays. also read, about the waffle wars here.

flank steak and bok choy in oyster-based sauce, scrambled eggs and shrimp with scallions

2008-08-07T16:05:00.000-07:00

home-cooked chinese food, for the most part, constitutes a number of dishes, or sides (the word in chinese could be translated roughly into "complements", or even "gifts") over plain white rice. the flavor and saltiness of the dishes is balanced by the stark simplicity of the rice, and you get a mix of the food groups, grains, vegetables, and meat. (an interesting sidenote: in china, as in america - hello, bad but overpriced steakhouses! - the rich eat mostly sides, and little rice, often to demonstrate their wealth.)

these two dishes are tired and true ones, for me - the combination of tender, thinly sliced flank steak and softened bok choy in a savory oyster-based sauce has always been a favorite, and eggs with shrimp and green onions are so easy to make, and reliably palate-pleasing. and it's always nice to have not one, but two, dishes to serve over rice. (get bored of one, switch over to the other.)

RECIPE, flank steak and bok choy in oyster-based sauce, serves 5 (including both dishes)

ingredients
1 lb flank steak
1 lb bok choy
4 cloves garlic
soy sauce
oyster sauce
cornstarch
sugar
salt and pepper
sesame oil
2 tbsp canola oil

steps
1. prep: wash bok choy. cut flank steak into thin slices. marinate in salt, pepper, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, and oyster sauce. set aside.
2. heat oil in pan, add garlic, saute steak. once nearly cooked through, set aside.
3. heat oil in pan, fry bok choy. once leaves wilt, add 3 tbsp water and turn heat down to medium low. let simmer until bok choy is at desired softness.
4. add steak to pan, mix together.
5. prepare oyster-based sauce. add to pan, and mix.

RECIPE, scrambled eggs with shrimp and green onions, serves 5 (including both dishes)

ingredients
half a bunch green onions
15 small shrimp (frozen, pre-cooked)
5 eggs
1 tbsp canola oil

steps
1. prep: whisk eggs. defrost shrimp by soaking in cold water. wash green onions, slice into small pieces.
2. fry green onions in canola oil. add shrimp. add eggs, and flip when nearly cooked through.

cost calculation
1 lb flank steak, $8
1 lb bok choy, $1.25
4 cloves garlic, $0.10
sesame oil, $0.10
half a bunch green onions, $0.50
15 small shrimp (frozen, pre-cooked), $0.75
5 eggs, $0.70
total: 11.40 divided by 5 = $2.28

midtown lunch: sapporo

2008-08-07T15:41:00.000-07:00

sapporo
152 w. 49th St., new york, ny 10019, near seventh ave.

though i love cooking (the adventure of it! (i'm going to commit the sin of using parentheses within parentheses and note that i once melted a cheap plastic ikea cutting board atop my very hot stove), the cheapness of it!), i love discovering new restaurants, too, and particularly affordable ones. in fact, my co-worker david and i created a google map pinpointing promising-looking lunch spots near where we work. (we discovered, belatedly, that the awesome midtown lunch blog had already done so, but more extensively. to which i say, whatevs.)

one of these restaurants marked on our map was sapporo, a cheap ramen place (probably the only ramen place in midtown where you can get a huge bowl of noodles for under $10). while i'm very impressed by places like momofuku noodle bar, where lowbrow street noodles get special treatment (organic berkshire pork, a beautifully, beautifully poached egg), sometimes, a simple, good-hearted, savory broth and plentiful noodles will do. and it won't cost $15 (again, love momofuku, but why is on nymag's cheap list, again?)

i had the sapporo special ramen (pictured above), which, at 7.90, was stuffed with pork, assorted vegetables, a few slivers of fish cake, and freshly cut scallions. it was very good, and very filling. the noodles, too, were excellent - maybe a smidgen too soft, but hardly something to complain about.

david had the gomoku ramen, also at 7.90, in which the mound of noodles were complemented by an assortment of seafood (mostly shrimp), which gave it a delightfully fishy broth. (unfortunately, not pictured, as we were too busy eating to remember to document the occasion.)

the place also had a great vibe - there was a line out the door, but we waited for only about 5 minutes, and the restaurant was populated with a variety of midtown workers (bankers, tourists, shoppers, us...). all in all, highly recommended.

chicken drumsticks with hard-boiled eggs in ginger soy sauce

2008-08-07T15:28:00.000-07:00

i realize this whole "my mom used to make this" narrative gets old, but in any case - my mom used to make this. and it's very good, and fantastically easy.

RECIPE, serves 6
8 chicken drumsticks without skin
8 eggs
4 tbsp minced ginger
1 bunch green onions
1 tbsp canola oil
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
3 tbsp sherry

steps
1. prep: mince ginger, slice green onions, and generously coat drumsticks with salt and pepper.
2. heat oil in pan, and when hot, saute ginger and onions. then saute drumsticks in mixture so that outside is browned. meanwhile, boil eggs.
3. add soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sherry to pan. bring to a boil on medium heat. add peeled, boiled eggs.
4. let simmer for 30 minutes.

cost calculation
8 chicken drumsticks without skin, $5.00
8 eggs, $1.10
4 tbsp minced ginger, $0.10
1 bunch green onions, $0.50
3 tbsp sherry, $0.50
total: 7.20 divided by 6 = $1.20

restaurant week at del posto

2008-07-31T18:26:00.000-07:00

restaurant week is, in my opinion, a beautiful concept. for a couple of weeks out of the year, high-end, expensive, and (hopefully) creative restaurants sell their offerings to the masses at a prix fixe rate of $25 (for lunch) and $35 (for dinner). restaurants strengthen their brand, entice new customers into becoming regulars, while people who normally cannot afford to go to these restaurants are allowed a taste of something inspirational, and the restaurants' cachet grows, ostensibly paralleling the restaurant-goer's happy impression.

sadly, however, the reality is much more mixed. my first restaurant week experience was at nougatine, the younger sibling of jean georges. the food was cold, my fish undercooked, the sea foam in the first course both visually unappealing and tasteless, and the service rude (the waiters refused, at first, to split the check onto multiple cards, a common enough request). on the other hand, when i was at anthos for restaurant week, my lamb shank, slow cooked, fell right off the bone, the service was attentive and friendly, and we even saw the chef, who came out of the kitchen to greet customers (even during restaurant week, with its attendant lowly commonfolk!). because i had such varying experiences, i didn't know quite what to expect from del posto...

first course 1: Minestrone Freddi with Aborio Rice & Basil Pesto

though i like the idea of a cold soup (anyone read the minimalist's recipe for cold avocado soup a few weeks ago? sounds delicious!), this was not impressive. it was fine, inoffensive, but not particularly memorable. the pesto, which ostensibly would add some freshness and flavor to the soup, was instead drowned out by the soup's general saltiness, for example.

first course 2: Speck di Alto Adige with a Salad of Arugula & Parmigiano-Reggiano

i liked this rather more - but then again, i am easily pleased by fatty, salt-cured meat.

main course 1: Heritage USA Pork Arista with Charred Onion Salad

nothing very interesting here. the pork was not especially moist or flavorful. and after the extravagance of the fatty speck, i wanted something similarly decadent here (this was not at all a fatty cut). the onion salad, while certainly charred, overpowered the potential sweetness of the pork. to be honest, this tasted like somebody's old grandmother's bland home cooking, served promptly at 5 p.m.

main course 2: Garganelli Verdi al Ragu Bolognese

i don't remember this too well (it was my boyfriend's dish, and i had but a bite), and will rely on his verdict, which is that while the texture of the pasta itself was just about right, the overall effect was too salty. it is, though, i'll venture, a visually appealing plate.

dessert 1: Chocolate Budino with Milk Foam & Chocolate Mint

again, relying on my boyfriend's take: he loved it. the slightly bitter thyme went very nicely with the sweetness of the chocolate, and the unpretentious milk foam, of course, is always pleasant with chocolate pudding (which is exactly what the seemingly fancy word "budino" actually translates to: pudding).

dessert 2: Ricotta Cheesecake with Strawberries, Sbrisalona & Aged Balsamic

sbrisalona means crumbly, and i liked that about this cheesecake - the crumbly outer crust. while i really enjoyed the aged balsamic, especially paired with fresh berries, i found the actual cheesecake part of the dessert unappealing - too firm, not as light and fluffy as i expected it would be, especially as it's ricotta. (had it been lighter, it would have paired better with the crumbly crust.)

overall, the boyfriend and i thought that while it was worth going to del posto's restaurant week for the experience (the interior of the restaurant, we discovered, is oddly tacky! and kind of hilariously so), we'd much rather spend $25 bucks on all-you-can-eat sushi and all-you-can-drink sake in the east village, or, for that matter, one of the legendary prix fixe lunches in the city (jean georges, perry st). judging from my experiences (which are admittedly limited), restaurants tend not to do their best work during restaurant week (again, i must note anthos as the exception, which i loved, and very much appreciate!).

fried udon with chicken and napa cabbage

2008-07-29T18:07:00.000-07:00

this is something my mom used to throw together when she was pressed for time. it's easy (prep is minimal), fast (no slow cooking or braising here), and a crowd pleaser (who doesn't like the soft, chewy texture of udon?). the vinegar that always accompanies packaged udon goes nicely with a simple soy sauce and garlic seasoning, and the bite of the cabbage is a nice counterpoint to the sweetness of the marinated chicken. not bad for a 15-20 minute prep-and-cook time.

RECIPE, serves 5

ingredients
3 packages udon
2 large chicken breasts
1 head of napa cabbage
4 cloves garlic
3-4 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp oyster sauce
salt and pepper

steps
1. prep ingredients: cut chicken into thin slices. marinate in 1 tbsp soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar, salt, pepper, and 1 tsp oyster sauce, set aside. wash napa cabbage and cut into thin slices, set aside. mince garlic.
2. fry garlic in canola oil. when garlic starts to brown, add chicken. once chicken is tender but cooked through, set aside.
3. fry cabbage in a little oil. after leaves begin to wilt, add 1/2 cup of water. once it boils, reduce heat to medium-low and cover to let soften.
4. once softened, drain excess water from pan. add udon and fry and stir. add rest of soy sauce (and more, if desired, to taste).
5. add chicken, stir fry noodles until desired consistency and texture.

cost calculation
3 packages udon, $3.50
2 large chicken breasts, $4.00
1 head of napa cabbage, $1.50
total: 9 divided by 5 = $1.80

skirt steak tacos w caramelized onions, yellow rice, black beans, tomatoes, queso blanco, red cabbage, and lime

2008-07-28T19:58:00.000-07:00

my boyfriend is a taco truck lover. i, too, love taco trucks, but i sometimes wish i could make a fresher, homier version (this is probably blasphemous). i decided i'd have a go at the homemade taco, as the taco, like a sandwich, is all about yummy ingredients inside a quality carbohydrate-based shell (in this case, the corn tortilla). this seemed simple enough: good and fresh ingredients, if thought is given to their final combination, should yield a yummy, flavorful taco. and it did, as you can see from the boyfriend's ravenous consumption, below:

RECIPE, serves 2 at 3 tacos each

ingredients
skirt steak, 1 lb
1 tbsp butter
1 plum tomato
1 cup rice
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 bay leaf
2 whole garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 can black beans
red cabbage
1 onion
1 lime
1/2 package corn tortillas (6 tortillas)
queso blanco, 1/4 pound

steps
1. prep ingredients. slice skirt steak into 2-3 inch long, 1 cm wide slices, salt and pepper generously. dice tomato. cut red cabbage into thin slivers. cut onion into thin slivers. shred queso blanco
2. make rice in pot with turmeric, garlic cloves, and bay leaf (i used a rice cooker, but if you don't have one, make sure to watch and stir while completing other steps).
3. fry skirt steak in a little canola oil. set aside.
4. melt 1 tbsp butter in remaining steak juices in pan, caramelize onion.
5. warm black beans over stove, set aside.
6. warm/fry 6 corn tortillas in pan, set aside.
7. serve each filling in separate plate/bowl, with quartered limes for squeezing.

cost calculation
1 lb skirt steak, $8
1 plum tomato, $0.25
1/2 can black beans, $0.50
red cabbage, $1
1 onion, $0.20
1 lime, $0.25
1/2 package corn tortillas (6 tortillas), $0.75
1/4 lb queso blanco, $1.20
total: 12.15 divided by 2 = $6.08 (tacos are typically $2 from a truck, but remember this price reflects a serving size of 3 generously sized tacos, plus a side of rice and beans)

tomato, basil, mozzarella, and pepperoni pizza

2008-07-26T20:31:00.000-07:00

pizza is an incredibly versatile and forgiving food - you can put virtually anything you want on it, and so long as you work the dough into a relatively well-mixed and even shape, it will come out of the oven with a nice texture and crunch. making your own pizza, moreover, means not only that you can control what goes in and on it (and can thus eliminate that thick layer of grease that one often finds on slices at neighborhood pizzerias) but that what results is an unbelievably fresh, just-out-of-the-oven experience.

as for this particular pizza, i went with tomatoes (which i love, but which are also in season, and thus amazingly fresh and lovely this time of year), mozzarella (a trusted favorite), basil (added onto the pie at the last minute, for freshness and bite), and pepperoni (bc my roommate had extra, but it also adds a flavorful meatiness for the omnivorous/carnivorous among us). i decided not to go with a tomato sauce base as i didn't want to detract from the taste of the fresh tomatoes - but again, the beauty of the pizza is that you can do whatever you want with it.

the per-serving cost is, of course, very low (flour is cheap, as are fresh toppings). best of all, the work is minimal - no need to slave over a hot stove. all that's required is a little planning - the dough needs to be refrigerated overnight - and a quick prep of the toppings, and finally, ten minutes in the oven.

RECIPE, serves 3

toppings
basil
3 plum tomatoes
mozzarella
9 slices pepperoni
4 cloves garlic
salt and pepper

dough
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cups warm water
1/2 tbsp active dry yeast
1/2 tbsp olive oil
pinch of salt

steps
1. mix ingredients for pizza dough, roll with pin. roll into disk and place in closed container/bag. refrigerate for at least overnight.
2. prep toppings: slice tomatoes into thin slices. mince garlic. slice mozzarella into thin slices. pluck about 20 full-sized basil leaves and wash, pat dry.
3. preheat oven to 500 degrees.
4. roll out refrigerated dough with pin so it is flat. (use a pizza pan, or whatever it is on hand - i used an aluminum pan, and thus had a rectangular pizza.)
5. smear garlic evenly onto dough. spread mozzarella slices evenly onto dough, then top with tomato slices and pepperoni. add salt and pepper over entire pizza, to taste.
6. bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes.
7. top with fresh basil leaves.

cost calculation (all ingredients from fairway)
1 bunch basil, $1.29
1/4 lb pepperoni, $2.25
1/2 lb mozzarella, $2.50
1 tbsp package of active dry yeast, $0.50
total: 6.54 divided by 3 = $2.18

braised tofu with green onions, shitaake mushrooms, bok choy, and ground pork

2008-07-23T17:22:00.000-07:00

i LOVE LOVE LOVE braised tofu. i grew up with it, but only ever experienced its joy at home (thanks to mom) or at chinese restaurants. the texture of braised tofu is heavenly -the crisp, golden outside gives way to a silky-soft interior - and is especially well paired with similarly texture-contrasted vegetables (thus the bok choy, which has a crispy stem but a soft leaf). when braised in a rich sauce - oyster flavored, and, thanks to the shitaake (or chinese black) mushroom, earthy - the flavors (oyster-sweet, pork-savory, and mushroom-pungent) and the delightful textures (crispy, silky, saucy) marry beautifully. i was aiming for a claypot-like result, but even without one, this turned out better than i could have imagined.

RECIPE serves 4, plus 3 lunch-sized leftover portions

ingredients
firm tofu, 2 boxes
bok choy, 1 lb
chinese black mushrooms (shitaake), 1/2 lb
ground pork, 1 lb
4-5 cloves garlic
black pepper
salt
green onion, 1 bunch
canola oil
1 chicken bouillon cube, or 1 can broth

steps
1. prep: cut tofu into desired-size rectangles. mince garlic, chop green onion. wash bok choy and cut off stems, so each piece is separate. wash chinese black mushrooms. season ground pork with salt and pepper. set aside. cook 3-4 cups of rice in rice cooker (alternatively, cook in a pot, if you don't have a rice cooker. watch and stir while deep-frying the tofu).
2. heat canola oil (so it is about 2 inches deep) on high in deep pan (don't use a shallow one, or you will get a lot of spatter!)
3. deep fry tofu rectangles (carefully place them in hot oil with tongs, chopsticks, or a wooden spoon - whichever is easiest for you). take out when browned. repeat for more batches until all tofu rectangles are crispy on outside and golden-brown. set aside on a plate lined with paper towels.
4. fry minced garlic, chopped green onion, and ground pork in a deep saute pan. when ground pork is almost done but still slightly pink, add bok choy and saute until leaves are wilted. add mushrooms.
5. add broth (or chicken bouillon cube and hot water) and bring mixture to a boil.
5. turn heat to medium-low, and make oyster-based sauce (see below, OYSTER-BASED SAUCE). add sauce to pan, mix thoroughly.
6. add fried tofu, and braise in sauce for 15 minutes.
7. serve over rice.

OYSTER-BASED SAUCE

ingredients
oyster sauce (can be found in any chinese supermarket)
soy sauce
brown sugar
cornstarch
cold water

steps
1. stir together 5 tbsp oyster sauce with 3 tbsp soy sauce (these are approximations, adjust to your taste.)
2. mix in 1/2 tbsp brown sugar and 3 tbsp cornstarch.
3. stir together with a little bit of cold water (it is important that the water is cold; otherwise the cornstarch will harden into lumps).
4. adjust as necessary: add more oyster sauce and/or soy sauce for more flavor, add more cold water if the mixture is too thick, add cornstarch if the mixture is too thin.

cost calculation (i got everything i needed from deluxe food market in chinatown):
2 boxes of tofu, $3
1 lb ground pork, $2
1 lb bok choy, $1
1/2 lb shitaake mushrooms, $3
1 bunch green onions, $0.50
total: $9.50 divided by 4 (for 4 servings plus lunch) = $2.38

that's $2.38 to be well fed for an entire day (includes both lunch and dinner)!

this, of course, is not including the materials you need for the sauce (oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, bouillon cubes), or the rice. but purchase them for everyday use, and the cost soon becomes minimal, close to zero, over time. as for the rice, a 10 lb bag costs about $10, and will last you around a month.

truly cheap eats!

2008-07-23T16:26:00.000-07:00

the experiment here, as is made obvious by this blog's title, is to eat well (even fabulously) on approximately seven dollars a day (including lunch and dinner). if one mostly cooks, and is willing to eat leftovers for lunch (however, if you do your job right, leftovers are not only tolerated, but welcomed), this should be more than doable.

there will be the occasional cheap eat out (red hook ballfields, anyone? food stands? chicken and rice carts?), and perhaps even the rare splurge (restaurant week), but for the most part, i will chronicle my (mis)adventures in home cooking.

my reasons are this: it is expensive to live in new york. and it is expensive to eat well. the cheapest yummy (and, as should be obvious, non-mcdonald's) burgers run $6 and up. it's nearly impossible to find ramen for under $10 (and it's a street food, for chrissakes!). i am not an investment banker, i have student loans to pay, and a monthly rent check to write. but i like to eat, and well. i'd like to hope it's possible to have it both ways.

...here we go!