FIVE : GREEN BEAN SALAD WITH A SURPISE TWIST

PLENTY

JUNE 14 2012

FIVE : GREEN BEAN SALAD WITH MUSTARD SEED AND TARRAGON

Three beans combine to perfection in this fresh, crunchy salad. My contribution tonight comes in the form of the plump, just-picked snap peas. Pea harvest is winding down as the days heat up so I'm trying to take full advantage of every last delicious pod.

This salad is a snap to throw together. Trimming and blanching the peas proves to be the most time consuming chore and even that goes pretty quick. Each pea gets it's own spa treatment before being all tossed with an aromatic oil swimming with just-popped whole spices. A little red onion, fresh garlic, lemon zest, tarragon and chopped swiss chard round it out.

TWO : MIXED BEANS WITH MANY SPICES

PLENTY

JUNE 12 2012

Husband ~ "What's for dinner tonight, dear?"
Wife ~ "Just whipping up some mixed beans with many spices."
Husband (perplexed) ~ "Huh?"
Wife (pointing to recipe) ~ "See... Mixed Beans with Many Spices!"
Husband (more perplexed) ~ "Like curry?"
Wife (uncertain) ~ "Um... I think so... Here! Have a margarita!"

Turns out it is like curry... very much like curry. I mean how could it not be with cumin, coriander, cardamom, turmeric, clove and black pepper? Not sure why Mr. O insists on calling it "mixed spices". Guess he didn't want to incite anger in the segment of the population that takes curry accuracy very seriously. Anyway, whatever you call it, it is tasty.

flowering pea plants

THIRTY-EIGHT & THIRTY-NINE : FROZEN DINNERS AND A FRESH START

Delia Smith's Winter Collection

JUNE 01 2012

THIRTY-EIGHT : BLACK BEAN CHILLI WITH AVOCADO SALSA
THIRTY-NINE : VEGETARIAN MOUSSAKA

It's a very strange thing to lose one's mojo. Mine has been elusive for a few months now and, although I know why it has now departed, I'm not sure exactly how to get it back. It lurks around corners, almost within reach, but as soon as I catch it's eye my mind drifts off and I lose focus. "Oh well", I shrug. It has become so much easier these days to think of nothing rather than that which occupies my mind entirely. So I sit in the backyard, avoiding all thought, and instead watch the little finches gorge themselves on thistle seed.

But as spring swings into summer and my garden offers up the first few radishes, I'm reminded again of what I'm missing. So how best to lure it back? The answer is pretty clear. Start doing again what I love to do... garden, cook and share it all with my friends.

THIRTY-ONE - THIRTY-FOUR : BEANCAKES, CARAMELIZED FENNEL AND CITRUS PUDDING

Delia Smith's Winter Collection

APRIL 14 2012

THIRTY-ONE : SAUTEED CARAMELISED FENNEL
THIRTY-TWO : MASHED BLACK-EYED BEANCAKES WITH GINGER ONION MARMALADE
THIRTY-THREE : GINGER ONION MARMALADE
THIRTY-FOUR : HOT CITRUS PUDDING

Me: "Dang, everything on my plate is brown and looks the same." Hubby: "That's how you know it's authentic English food!"

bean cake on the left - caramelized fennel on the right

Thankfully our first bites quickly reveal the two items to offer vastly different taste, texture and experience.

TWENTY-ONE : OXTAIL BRAISED IN GUINNESS

Delia Smith's Winter Collection

MARCH 2 2012

TWENTY-ONE : OXTAIL BRAISED IN GUINNESS WITH CANNELLINI BEANS
 
Braised oxtail, another exercise in browning a strange, tough cut of meat before slowly and lovingly braising it for hours and hours in a flavorful (and often alcoholic) liquid. I am becoming very familiar with this technique as I cook my way through the Winter Collection. Admittedly, slow braised meat kills it during a cold, rainy evening. So we are eating it up! And, I do enjoy trying new flavors and stewing cuts such as oxtail, a first for me.

EIGHTY-SEVEN - NINETY-FIVE : SUNDAY SAUCE!

JANUARY 5 2012

EIGHTY-SEVEN : OLIVES
EIGHTY-EIGHT : ANTIPASTO PLATE
EIGHTY-NINE : CANNELLINI, CAPER, LEMON & ANCHOVY CROSTINI
NINETY : MULLED WINE
NINETY-ONE : PORK BRACIOLA MARINARA

NINETY-TWO : POTATO GNOCCHI 
NINETY-THREE : GNOCCHI MARINARA  
NINETY-FOUR : PUNTARELLE WITH LEMON, CAPERS, ANCHOVY & PECORINO
NINETY-FIVE : TIRAMISU

 
And that's all folks. I am now done with the book! My grand adventure culminated tonight in a fabulous Sunday Sauce (on Thursday) party where I crammed all the remaining dishes onto the table and we ate until we just about burst. I think it will be easiest to talk about each section separately. So here goes...

SIXTY-SEVEN : ESCAROLE & CANNELLINI BEAN SOUP

NOVEMBER 26 2011

Why am I so bad at dried beans? I leapt out of bed at 8am realizing I was supposed to soak the damn beans for 8 hours before starting the soup (which then had to simmer for 2 hours). But I only had 4-1/2 hours before the Civil War & soup eating started. Dang, dang, dang. I let them soak in hot water for about 2 hours, then put them in a pot to simmer for about an hour before starting the soup.

The soup itself is pretty basic. Saute the holy trinity of carrot, onion and celery until softened. Add the beans along with veggie broth and a bay leaf then simmer 2 hours (or in my case, however long it takes for the beans to be done). So where does the escarole come into this equation? Well, that is the pain in the ass part of this recipe; the escarole has to be cooked separately then added to the soup. 

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FIFTY-EIGHT & FIFTY-NINE : BRAISED PORK SHANK W/ GIGANTE BEANS

NOVEMBER 4 2011


FIFTY-EIGHT : BRAISED PORK SHANK WITH GIGANTE BEANS & ROSEMARY
FIFTY-NINE : GIGANTE BEANS

So far we have had such a lovely fall with crisp sunny days and very little rain (despite all the warnings that this is another La Nina year). It's making me feel a little better about summer being over and winter around the corner. Another thing helping me cope with the changing seasons is braised pork shanks! Talk about warm, comforting food. These babies are just what I need to survive the dark, dreary nights.

I will admit that not everything came together perfectly. I foolishly did not fully read the supporting Gigante Beans recipe so did not realize until there was about 2 hours to go that they were supposed to soak for 6 hours then simmer for 2 hours. Eep! Let's hope my trusty pressure cooker can save the day!