Young & Hungry

Ok boys, you decided that a 5 pound hunk of pork, while right up your alley, is not quite delicate enough for your sweet little buttercup.  Here’s something that is.  This salmon will sweep your sweetheart off her feet, just like it did me years ago when it became one of my all time favorites!  Don’t get jealous, food is but a fleeting fling; this one particularly quick.  It’s not Love, Actually, but once that last bite is swallowed down she’ll be yours again.  Forever perhaps.  Just make sure you really love her or at least print the recipe on the back of her Valentine. 

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Just when I had come to terms with the fact that I was not getting a callback, there it came!  A call from an unknown number in LA mid-wine tasting.  On a side note, I would like to give kudos to the Tasting Room in Sandy Springs for hosting one of the best and most informative wine tastings I’ve ever attended.  Back to the phone call.  Not having yet realized the importance of the mysterious number in my call log, I thoughtlessly  dialed voice mail while perusing the isles of the wine shop next door with my girl friends.  Stop.  Drop.  Squeal!  They called and are wondering if I’m still interested!  Duh, of course I am.  Roll camera!

 

It all started with leftover nuts.  Hazelnuts, to be exact.  I have quite an assortment of nuts lingering in my pantry from Christmas just begging to live up to their full potential.  Who am I to deny a lonely hazelnut their proper fate?  And so I thought, hazelnuts and…..orange….and….fish!  Yes it sounds like a bizarre combination, but upon my required due diligence I found that many a chef has gone there before.  And so I had my main course, orange scented hazelnut encrusted halibut or err…salmon.  With sides still TBD, I kept thinking until I came up with a more complimentary rendition on a braised fennel I learned in a cooking class in Italy and, last but not least, the curious potato risotto from this month’s Bon Appétit! 

 
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Hey guess what – January’s over!  Time to focus on chocolate, fondue, and something delicious to make for that special someone so they’ll still be yours after Valentine’s Day.   What’s more romantic than a dinner in?  Let me rephrase, what’s more romantic than a dinner in when you’re used to dining out?  I might, for once, prefer not to slave the day away, but I’ve no doubt put in more than my fair share of kitchen duty.  So what to make for that special someone who will, for this one day at least, be your culinary inspiration?  Well, if you’re a lady cooking for your mister, you cannot go wrong with this pork roast.  It’s juicy and tender and doesn’t require constant attention so you can focus your first course elsewhere.    If you’re a mister cooking for your miss, perhaps this is a selfish choice of meat, but she’ll never question your machismo. 

Since I did first whip this up back in 2009 when I was stuffed from an indulgent December, I left the meal at meat and veggies.  You surely have recuperated by now and are ready for some starch.  Try a mashed parsnip or simple risotto.  The gym lines are finally clearing, so you should have more than enough time to give this roast the extra hours of TLC it deserves.  I promise you’ll be paid back one hundred kisses over. 

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It was purely by chance that this cake made it into my kitchen.  I am not particularly enthusiastic about gingerbread, nor do I tend to make desserts that do not contain any trace of chocolate.  I am enthused, however, that my guest of honor who is a fan of both gingerbread and fruit desserts inspired me to bake this upside-down cake.  It.  Was.  Delicious.  And pretty!  And really not all that bad for you!  So if you find yourself in the company of one of those people who doesn’t keep an emergency stash of cocoa products in their purse, car, and desk or if you just feel like taking a bite on the other side, try this cake.  I promise even the worst chocoholic won’t be disappointed. 

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Tony Bourdain famously declared, “I am such an egg sl-t.”  While I might have chosen different wording, I certainly understand his predilection for all things egg, delicious little protein bombs that they are.  And so, when I saw a Mario Batali recipe that combines eggs with the other food that can bring me to my knees–pasta, I knew I was destined to create my own version at home.

Mangia!

 
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So there’s a lot of devastation in this world and not just the current tragedy in Haiti; it’s all around us and we don’t always think we can do anything to help.  That’s like saying your vote doesn’t count.  You realize that, right?  Everybody counts.  Everybody counts and we all have unique gifts and talents we can offer despite our financial situation or busy schedule.  Let me tell you a little story about Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody:

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There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure Somebody would do it.  Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.  Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job.  Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it.  In the end, Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

 

Inspired by a book I’m currently reading, I decided to stop blaming Everybody and take action.  I gathered some friends at work, we spent Sunday baking, and voila we had a bake sale.  Our co-workers came in to some delicious treats, we raised money to send to Haiti, and I’m pretty sure we enjoyed our time in the kitchen. 

 
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It seems like every time I turn around there’s a new taqueria opening.  And, upon further thought, I can’t think of a single one that’s ever closed!  America, or Atlanta anyway, is taco crazy!  I don’t blame them, you, or me.  Tacos are fresh fun fare that can be jazzed up as many ways as there are restaurants trying…  Lately I’ve seen everything from tongue & goat tacos to tacos made of mashed potatoes and always the usual pulled pork and brisket in between.  There are varying salsas, veggies, slaws, aioli, cheese, and other toppings yes, but all a taco make.  Here’s my take on the taco that I believe started the craze, the fish taco.  I jazzed it up with a chipotle mango twist on your usual salsa and slaw.  Sorry taquerias, this one’s on the house! 

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 What I love about the New Year: a fresh perspective, renewed optimism, and a new 12 months on the horizon.  What I hate about the New Year: my body is hungry as I go through holiday mode 24-hour eating extravaganza withdrawal.  Here is a lovely Indian recipe that I adapted from one found on Smitten Kitchen (originally in the New York Times) that beautifully melds heartiness and healthiness and staves off Am-I- Really-Relegated-to-Eating-Balance-Bars-Where-Did-The-Trader-Joes-Truffles-Go New Year grumpiness.  You’ll thank me for this one.

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The forwarded email casually suggested I might be interested. My IMMEDIATE response screamed “Yes, please!” And thank you for the information, of course. So began our investigation into what will soon be the American Idol of cooking shows. Master Chef is a new series modeled after the shows now airing in Australia and London. The Fox series, however, will star Gordon Ramsey and contain local talent which they’ve spent the last month scouring the US to find. Obviously, Katy attended the casting call in Dallas and I attended in Atlanta. Hopefully it’s not so obvious that neither of us have received a call back, but I’m hoping that’s just because they have not yet realized what fabulous television the two of us dueling it out in the kitchen would make…

Alas, after completing a 12 page application and a lot of planning, experimenting, and waiting we have heard nothing. Not that the experience itself wasn’t totally worthwhile. I can say that because I made my way through the doors 2 hours later and right before the sky opened up in a not so nice wintry rain. Those merely arriving on-time were not so lucky, yet I concede that anything done while holding a fresh & hand delivered Starbuck’s Misto is not completely intolerable. In line I heard stories of casting calls past, favorite restaurants, and meals, soon to be plated and presented to the judges. Once we entered the Viking School all chatter was silenced by nerves until we were ushered into a station to plate and present. Honestly, I fumbled, jittery from the cold and coffee. I managed to get my stuffed squid to look appealing enough, however, raised my hand, and did my best to woo the Casting Director and Fox Newscaster who would determine my fate. Although I failed to notice, I was told the cameras were on me during my interview so if nothing else perhaps I’ll at least make the first episode! And, of course, this original dish for you!

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Fry Fry Baby – not this year.  Before you know it Spring’s going to be here (I can only hope…) and you’ll still be donning your winter “coat.”  So in keeping with this month’s theme, here’s another easy & light meal that even allows you to utilize those Clementine and tangerines that they’re practically giving away at your local grocer.  You don’t even have to peel the little suckers!  Citrus that’s not sans skin you say?  That’s right; this dish requires peels, pulp, and all so be grateful they’re seedless and leave your segmenting skills at home.  I too was baffled by this skin and all phenomenon, but quickly remembered my cooking class in Shanghai where they left the bones in the chicken pre chop.  Kind of the same right?  If it worked then, it can work now.  So in they went, skins and all.  It’s quite a time saver to boot, not having to peel…baby oranges.  I’ll take it! 

In conclusion, I don’t think you’re necessarily supposed to eat the tangerines post wok (Bon Appetit disagrees), but if you accidentally catch one or two with your not so impressive chop stick skills I know firsthand that they won’t kill you.  That said, it could be like leaving the skins on your shrimp for the extra flavor; obviously you’re not going to toss the meat because of a shell or two.  I think I’ll take the extra flavor blast and leave sucking on soggy little citrus wedges to the birds. 

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