Raw Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad

I want to get a quick post out while Rainier is napping.  I estimate that I only have about 20 minutes left, so am typing fast.  As a new mom, I've been trying to eat well.  Not that it's so different from how I ate before I was a mom, but now it feels even more important.  It can be tricky though.  I've got a baby who sleeps well at night so far (thank goodness) but takes short naps during the day and likes a lot of attention in the evening.  I've been really into meals that can last for a few days and where you can add or change a few ingredients so it doesn't feel like you are eating the same exact thing for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  For example, a poached or fried egg is delicious on everything.  I've put it on salads, tomato sauce and pasta, asian inspired soup, and had it with kimchi and a tortilla, all just in the past few weeks.

I had this salad at a dinner party a few weeks ago.  The three of us (yes now we are three and five if you count the cats, who can be a rather large presence in our tiny apartment) and it being San Francisco, the second most expensive city in the country, and everyone having small apartments, and us having a baby but still wanting to go out, meant we went to the party and put our boy down for the evening in a walk-in closet.  He lasted a couple of hours, enough time for us to put on our party faces, meet some great people, have a couple of glasses of champagne and enjoy one of the best meals I have had in a long time.  This was one of the dishes I tried -a raw kale and brussel sprouts salad, courtesy of Epicurious.

I always love me a raw kale salad (check out my old post) and this one was a great dinner and made for an equally delicious lunch the next day.  And yes, it goes really well with a fried egg.  I also think you could sprinkle a bit of bacon on top - I just used up the last of my bacon from Damn Fine Bacon  - which if you are local to the Bay Area I highly recommend.

Anyway, here is my adapted version of the recipe:
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (any mustard will work)
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt plus more for seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 large bunches of any type of kale, center stem discarded, leaves thinly sliced 
12 ounces brussels sprouts, trimmed, finely grated or shredded with a knife (I think I used a bit more
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup walnuts coarsely chopped and toasted (the recipe calls for almonds, which I will use next time)
1 cup finely grated parmeson

1. Combine lemon juice, mustard, onion, garlic, salt, and a pinch of pepper in a small bowl.  Whisk oil into mixture to blend.
2. Mix thinly sliced kale and shredded brussel sprouts in a large bowl.
3. Add dressing to kale and sprouts, mix well to coat.  Add cheese and almonds.  Let flavors meld for about 30 minutes before eating.

On another note, we are hoping to revamp the website a little bit and make it look brighter.  Our photos and posts always seem sharper in draft form.  I don't think this requires extensive programming experience (we are on a free blogging platform after all) but if you know someone who has some familiarity with html and blogspot, send them our way.


Have a great weekend.

And because I can't resist at least one picture of my little rugrat....

Mt Everest and healthy cauliflower puree in baked penne

Dear Friends,

        It is zero degrees out and my body screams for pasta. But I want it to be as healthy as it can be so I learned a little tip. Puree a vegetable and add it to baked pasta. In this dish I added cauliflower. It is simple and delicious. After devouring half of it, I braved the cold and headed to the Norfolk Library to watch an amazing documentary called The Wildest Dream. It is the true story of George Mallory, the man determined to be the first person to conquer the untouched summit of Mount Everest. On February 29 ( my birth day) in 1924 ( not my birth year) Mallory set off with a film crew and rustic equipment to fulfill his dream. He was last seen 800 feet below the summit  before the clouds rolled in and he disappeared into legend. His death stunned the world.

        Seventy-five years later another climber Conrad Anker was on his way to the Mount Everest summit when he stumbled over Mallory's frozen body.  Eight years after this event, Conrad returns to Everest with his own film crew to try and unravel the mystery of what happened to Mallory. The old footage, the new footage, and the adventure kept me intrigued. And after seeing those climbers  struggling with thirty below temperatures, well zero seemed suddenly wimpy. Check it out.

enjoy,

jude

Recipe

1 head of cauliflower florets

1 yellow onion sliced thin

2 cloves garlic peeled

12oz penne pasta

2 cups milk

1tsp dry mustard

2tsp fresh thyme

2oz grated sharp Cheddar cheese

1 cup Parmesan cheese

> Steam the cauliflower, onion and garlic until tender about 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender. 

> Cook the pasta according to direction. 

> While pasta cooks add 1 cup milk, dry mustard, 1tsp salt, and a bit of pepper to the vegetables and       puree. 

> Transfer to a 3 quart saucepan and add remaining 1 cup milk and the thyme. 

> In a small bowl, mix the Cheddar and Parmesan. 

> Add all but 1/2 cup to the sauce and stir until cheese melts. 

> Meanwhile be watching the penne and drain when done. 

> Add penne to the sauce and mix. 

> Transfer pasta and sauce to an 8 inch casserole dish and sprinkle with the saved cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes or until it bubbles and turns a golden brown.

The Onion Obsession

Peel by peel

Tear by tear

The onion remains

To me so dear

Sumptuous soups

Caramelized

The onion remains

Uncompromised

Dear friends

       I love the onion. In my so-called root cellar I have bags and bags of onions and believe it or not, I eat them all by the time my new crop arrives in mid summer. They are the foundation for most of my recipes and I am always finding new ways of using them. One would think that with this many onions on hand that Onion Soup would be a staple in my home. I must admit, however, I have always avoided making this soup. Not because I dislike it, but only because I never quite made it well enough for me and I am not the biggest fan of beef broth.

       The other day though I felt compelled to experiment again after reading a wonderful article on caramelized onions by Maryellen Driscoll in the Fine Cooking magazine. Her affection for this vegetable equaled mine and we agreed that cooking the onions on low heat very slowly resulted in a sweet yet savory taste. She inspired me when she said that when you think the onions are done, have patience and wait a bit longer. Being inspired, I borrowed some of her ideas and created this amazingly tasty soup.

Enjoy,

Jude

Saute in a heavy duty pot about four to five medium yellow onions in a bit of olive oil ( about 1/4 cup). Put these on low heat and stir every so often for about an hour. You can read a book or do some yoga stretches but do not forget them. Sprinkle a bit of salt on the them about half way through. When the onions are caramelized Maryellen suggests adding about 1/2 cup pale ale but I added a full cup. Bring this to a boil for about 2 minutes. I then added about 31/2 cups vegetable broth. Let this all simmer gently for another 10 minutes and it is complete. I did follow Maryellen advise and used a nice blue cheese melted on top of a slice of sourdough bread. I garnished with chopped chives. That's it. Simple and oh so good. 

Tagliatelle with a quick fennel sugo ( sauce)

Dear Friends,
         When I see a recipe that has too many fancy ingredients or ingredients that are foreign to me, my mind stops registering what is on the page. But for 2013, one my New Years Resolutions is change that habit and explore new heights in my cooking. I want to try new flavors and experiment with new ideas. So today I cooked with fennel for the first time. It added so much taste to this recipe that it amazed me how much I ate. It was so good that I was not even aware that I finished the entire bowl, leaving none for my husband. I honestly could not stop eating this delicious dish.
        I found this hearty comfort food in the Fine Cooking magazine that I received as a gift from my friend Gail to inspire me in my new kitchen. I substituted ground turkey for the ground lamb it called for but everything else remained the same. I did use a good dry red wine and although many of my buddies tell me that the quality of wine does not matter, I disagree. If it has been sitting around too long, I dump it and start with a fresher bottle.
        This recipe took  little time to prepare and I enjoyed the fast pace of adding the ingredients and stirring to blend them. Soon the delightful fragrance of the fennel filled the room teasing me to taste the sugo. Sugo, of course, means a rich Italian sauce with full flavor. And that is exactly what I created. In fact I am making it again tonight, only this time to share. Serve it with a pomegranate salad and be sure to put in plenty of those healthy seeds. You can find the recipe at Fine Cooking.

Enjoy,

jude

pasts, posts and pierogi

four generations -  me, mom, rainier, meg

Dear Friends,

                     I am sure you were wondering, "Hey, what happened to the Divvy Uppies"! Well, it was the end of the year  holidays that absolutely devoured our time. As for me, I had my twelve week old grandson staying with me for a month and of course he brought along his parents, Meghan and Noah as well as his favorite Uncle Wint. So my time was consumed with family and friends and I could not have been any happier. It is what life is about and of course, the center of all this activity is food. I did so much shopping, cooking and eating that it made me deliriously giddy.
                    So now I say good bye to 2012 and I welcome 2013. My highlights of the past year include my new kitchen that I am grateful for, my new grandson Rainier that I feel blessed about, the five hour pierogi dinner I made from scratch after seeing a recipe in Fine Cooking that I can not believe I did,  and all the love, laughter and luscious meals that delighted me in those twelve months. What I look forward to is writing more posts for you and keeping the meals healthy and splendid. And for you new moms, Meghan will be preparing food that will keep you fit and filled with energy, much needed ingredients in motherhood.
                   We will also be expanding our posts with bits and pieces of wisdom and humor that compliment all food.  Looking forward to being a part of your life in 2013 and may this year bring all your wishes to fruition.

Happy New Year,

jude            

The following is the pierogi recipe. The other foods can be found on our blog by keying the word. The people can be found in my heart. Enjoy!

noah cuts the tree down this year

four generations of me, mom, rainier, meg

meg begins decorating

uncle wint watches rainier

noah, meg, rainier

rainier

14 year old achilles and one year old abe

my new kitchen

the powerful pomegranate in our daily salad

amazing tomato soup

wint's delicious apple pie

noah preparing enchiladas for Christmas Eve dinner

family and friends eating noah's enchiladas

emily relaxing

guys love cooking in my new kitchen

gramps and rainier

guess who

gathering wood 

me and my love

meg and baby

joy

love

and more love

making homemade pasta

filled with butternut squash flavored with maple syrup

they were great

meg;s yummy pumpkin chocolate chips muffins - check them out

jan's amazing cheesecake - cranberry orange

Rockefeller center

making peppermint bark

 Happy New Year