comfort food – Page 2 – A Musician's Travels

Soothing Sounds and a Foodie’s Delight from Portland, Oregon!

It was the day after the election and the members of the Hevreh Ensemble were in a state of disbelief as we embarked on a short tour to Portland, Oregon. The plane headed west into the sunset; what better time for a little escape and to bring our music to others!

A week of concerts were planned with the first at one of my favorite radio stations, All Classical Portland. We were warmly welcomed by our host Christa Wessel and a lovely staff of helpful engineers.

We presented concerts for Congregation Beth El of Portland and for the Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education. The performances were inspirational and well received; connections we made with the audience members created a sorely needed healing and soothing balm for all.

I was especially excited because Portland has a growing reputation as a foodie city. A few weeks earlier, I had read an article in the New York Times; “The 25 Best New Restaurants in Portland“. We were able to make reservations at the Korean restaurant Han Oak and the award winning Thai restaurant Lang Baan.

I had done some research on the bakery scene in Portland; the other members of the Hevreh Ensemble know me well and were excellent participants in the planned food adventures!

There were many choices to write about, but a few standouts were the Korean restaurant Han Oak, the Orange & Blossom Bakery and the Portland Farmers Market.

After our first concert for All Classical Portland, we headed off to an evening dinner at Han Oak. Our Uber driver dropped us off in a residential area and we almost missed the entrance; the eccentric and festively decorated restaurant was tucked away in the backyard of a small business.

The restaurant is owned by chef Peter Cho and his wife and partner, Sun Young Park; the food was creative and delicious. The current menu, with a $65 prix fixe was well worth the price! We started with 4 small appetizers that were replenished as often as we wanted throughout the meal.

They included homemade Napa cabbage and daikon kimchi made by the chef’s mother, pear and seasonal mustard greens with silken tofu miso dressing, fried eggplant with lemon ssam jabg (Korean soybean paste), garlic chives and scallions and smashed potato salad with eggs, garlic chives, celery, carrot and shredded gim (seaweed). Along with icy Korean beer, this could have been a complete meal!

Our next course was Roast Beef Soo Yook- delicate and tender rare roast beef with seared green and purple cabbage and charred corn vinaigrette in a rich bone broth, simmered for 15 hours.

The next course was billed as a “Gimbap Party”. We were presented with platters of barbequed meats and vegetables along with seaweed, rice paper and seasoned rice. My favorite was a bowl of hamachi (a delicate Japanese fish that is often found in the Northwest) cured with citrus and yuzu soy and served over chojang-mayo (a spice Korean sauce) and scallions. We had great fun creating or own seaweed and rice rolls.

*Himachi with citrus, gochu-mayo, yuzu soy and scallion*

Surprisingly, after all of this food, we still had room for a delicious dessert that the table shared: caramelized custard poached pears with sweetened puffed rice, vanilla whip and misugaru sauce ( a Korean beverage made from a traditional grain powder). At this point, I jokingly told the group, that the real reason we had traveled to Portland was actually for the food!

*Caramelized custard poached pears with sweetened puffed rice, vanilla whip and misugaru*

The next day, group members Laurie and Jeff had to tend to repairs on a Bass Clarinet that had encountered an unfortunate fall after our concert for All Classical Portland.

With a free afternoon before our evening concert, our guest keyboardist Renee and I headed out for a bakery adventure. I had read about an excellent bakery called Orange & Blossom. This turned out to a be a wise choice. The moment we entered the small cozy store, we were mesmerized by the wonderful assortment of beautifully presented baked goods.

The description on the bakery’s website says: “rooted in the seasons, inspired by our travels, local farms and west coast roots.” The cases were filled with enticing pastries that had an autumnal theme.

We ordered a pot of tea, a sandwich and assorted pastries for lunch. It was hard to choose but we ended up with a delicious sandwich with home made foccaccia that was filled with beet hummus, pickled vegetables, frisee and spread with garlic cashew cream cheese.

We shared a slice of pumpkin maple cake made with kabocha squash, maple butter cream and roasted peptitas, an unbelievably rich peanut cup filled with squash and peanut butter AND a rosemary orange scone.

Thinking we had probably ordered too much, I am sorry to say that we did not try the pear chai Manitozzi (Rome’s most iconic brioche bun).

We did buy an unusual and incredible brownie made with milled buckwheat, dark chocolate ganache and cocoa nibs for the airplane ride home!

On Saturday, we had a free day with an evening concert at the Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education. I am so glad that we had the chance to visit the famous Portland Farmers Market. After a long walk from our hotel, we finally saw the colorful booths poking through the trees located at Portland State University.

There were countless stands of beautiful organic fruits and vegetables along with stands ranging from cheeses, organic meat and seafood along with artisanal breads and pastries.

Street musicians played at various locations throughout the market.

I strolled by stand after stand of beautiful pastries; I bought a tiny bittersweet chocolate macaron. Popping it into my mouth, it was full of flavor-perfect!

I passed by a stand of fresh chestnuts and could not resist buying a quart. The owner of the stand was very engaging and described a fool proof method to peel the shells easily. He said to cut almost all of the way through the shell with a heavy cleaver and then steam the chestnuts about 10 minutes.

I took my chestnuts that I purchased at the farmers market home. Tucked away safely in my suitcase, I was looking forward to making our Thanksgiving turkey with a sour dough stuffing that included braised chestnuts.

Our last concert at the Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education was in commemoration for the anniversary of Kristalnacht (Night of Breaking Glass) that occurred in Germany in November 1938 in a wave of antisemitic violence that swept through the country. The concert was a profound moving experience for all.

On the flight home, while the other passengers were eating their allotment of a tiny bag of peanuts, we broke out our chocolate ganache buckwheat brownie.

The rich nutty flavor of the buckwheat blended beautifully with the fudgy chocolate texture of the brownie. The end of a lovely trip!

For Thanksgiving this year, I made sour dough stuffing with braised chestnuts. I prepared the chestnuts using the method the person at the farm stand recommended and it worked like a breeze! For a few recalcitrant chestnuts, I steamed them for about 3-4 minutes more and the shells and skins slipped easily off!

AND, there were lovely scraps for all of the critters in our woods!

I tasted a braised chestnut and it was sweet, tender and earthy- they made a delicious stuffing that would also be good for a Christmas roast goose or chicken!

ENJOY!!

Sour Dough Stuffing with Braised Chestnuts, Mushrooms and Pecans

Ingredients:

Large bowl of dried sourdough bread cubes (from about 2 loaves of bread)

1 medium onion finely chopped

3 celery stalks with leaves finely chopped

6-8 button mushrooms chopped

2 teaspoons dried thyme (more if desired)

1 teaspoon dried sage (more if desired)

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

braised chestnut mixture

1 cup toasted pecans broken into small pieces

2 cups chicken stock (more if needed)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients Braised Chestnuts:

10-15 chestnuts peeled

1 large shallot finely diced

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup chicken stock

1 teaspoon dried thyme

freshly ground pepper to taste

To Make Stuffing:

Braise Chestnuts:

Melt butter in a small saucepan.

Saute shallots until softened, add chestnuts and cover with chicken stock.

Add dried thyme and freshly ground pepper.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes.

Set aside while you prepare the rest of the stuffing. (Can be refrigerated for up to 2 days).

Prepare Stuffing:

Ina large saucepan, heat olive oil and added chopped onions. Cook until softened. Add celery and mushrooms. Cook until softened and mushrooms release their liquid.

Add dried thyme and sage and freshly ground pepper. Wait to add salt until stuffing is prepared.

Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and add the onion and braised chestnut mixture. Stir and add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock. It will take a while for the bread to absorb the liquid. Let mixture sit for a few minutes and gradually add rest of stock. You can always add more if needed. The mixture should be slightly softened. You should be able to squeeze clumps with your hands when ready to bake.

Let cool completely before stuffing turkey. After stuffing turkey, place rest of stuffing in a baking dish, cover and bake at 350 degrees about 35 minutes, remove cover and bake about 10 minutes more to create a delicious crusty topping and corners!

AND: Here is the “TREE OF THE WEEK” from Portland, Oregon!

BEST WISHES FOR A PEACEFUL HOLIDAY SEASON!

Autumn at Twin Lakes and Crispy Chicken Katsu with Fried Brown Rice!

Early Fall at the end of September- with noticeably shorter days; enough daylight to take a late afternoon walk at bucolic Twin Lakes.

I walked down the dirt road that curves around the lake, the contrast of the water and clouds is peaceful and calming; helping to put the events of the day and our turbulent world into perspective. Lately I have been thinking about how to stay involved and help in ways that can effect positive change; at the same time balancing the importance of self care- which today is the winner!

The leaves were just starting to turn and a few brilliant red leaves and a purple aster were suspended in lacey webs.

For dinner that evening, I was thinking of a way to use the leftover brown rice and vegetables that I had on hand. This would be a good time to take out my new wok to make a quick fried rice, which I got last spring in New York’s Chinatown at the venerable store, Hung Chong Imports.

I had chicken breasts marinating in a mixture of yogurt, minced chives and onion powder (a strange combination, based on a NY Times Cooking recipe for Crispy Sour Cream and Onion Chicken). The yogurt tenderizes the chicken and the flavor does taste a bit like sour cream and onion dip! Coated in panko crumbs, drizzled with olive oil and baked in a hot oven results in the best crispy, tender and flavorful chicken! I just watched Yotam Ottolenghi, the Israeli and British chef, on a Stephen Colbert segment demonstrate his yogurt marinated chicken with North African spices. This is from his new cookbook, Comfort. I plan to try this version soon!

Sliced into thin strips and served over the fried rice, this turned into a delicious dinner!

Crispy Chicken Katsu with Fried Brown Rice

Fried Brown Rice Ingredients:

3 cups cold cooked brown rice

2 scallions finely chopped

1 small piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped

Assortment of vegetables (whatever you have on hand is fine)

2 stalks baby bok choy cut into small pieces

1 small onion finely diced

1/2 cup steamed broccoli (cooked briefly and rinsed in very cold water)

1/2 cup frozen peas defrosted

2 tablespoons canola or peanut oil

In a small cup mix together: 1/4 cup reduced sodium tamari, 1 tablespoon sesame oil and 2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar. For a spicier flavor, you can also add a small amount of hot chili sesame oil.

Chicken Katsu- (adapted from NY Times Cooking)

Ingredients:

4boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally (see Tip) and pounded ⅛-inch thick, or use 4 chicken cutlets (don’t split or pound)
Salt and black pepper
½cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
¼cup thinly sliced chives (or 1 tablespoon dried chives), plus more for serving
2tablespoons onion powder
2cups panko bread crumbs
2 table spoons extra virgin olive oil

To make Chicken Katsu:

Preheat oven to 380 degrees and place rack on bottom of oven

Pat chicken dry, and season both sides with salt and pepper.
In a medium bowl, stir together the sour cream, chives and 1 tablespoon onion powder. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and turn to coat. (Chicken can sit in the marinade for up to 8 hours. Refrigerate, then let come to room temperature before cooking.)
In a shallow bowl or lipped plate, stir together the panko and remaining 1 tablespoon onion powder; season with salt and pepper.
Working one at a time, press the chicken breasts into the panko, using your fingers to pack the panko onto both sides of the chicken, and place on a large sheet pan drizzled with olive oil.
Drizzle top of chicken with remaining olive oil and place in hot oven. Cook about 6 minutes until browned on bottom and then flip over. Continue cooking until chicken is cooked through and crispy and browned all over, about 6 minutes more.
Let sit for a few minutes and slice into small strips.
Note: With this recipe, you will have extra leftover chicken for sandwiches, etc.!

To Make Fried Rice:

TURN ON EXHAUST FAN OVER STOVE!!

Heat wok over high heat until it starts to smoke slightly. This helps to create the traditional Chinese cooking effect of “Wok Hei” translated as “breath of a wok” that gives the food the smoky charred taste found in Chinese dishes.

Add canola or peanut oil to the wok and heat until the wok starts to smoke slightly.

Add chopped scallions and ginger- give it a quick stir.

Add chopped onion and stirring continually, cook about 1-2 minutes until onion starts to soften a bit.

Add vegetables and cook, stirring continually about 2 minutes.

Add rice, cook about 1 minute, stirring and then pour the tamari mixture around the edges of the pan. This is the best part- the sauce will bubble vigorously and give off a wonderful aroma! Stir briskly and you are done!!

ENJOY!!

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week”:

*Fall flower at Hofstra University*– New York

HAPPY FALL!!

Troldhaugen (Grieg’s Home) and “Chip Shop” Curry- Norway: Part 3

Summer has ended and the fall is gearing up to be a busy one- my group Hevreh Ensemble is getting ready to travel to the west coast with performances in Portland Oregon in early November. We are excited to be presenting a concert for All Classical Portland and for the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education. The concert there will be for the commemoration of Kristallnacht– The Night of Broken Glass.

But first, a last fond remembrance of my trip to Norway this past summer!

Norway: Part 3

The morning we left Solvorn it was misty, atmospheric and peaceful with gentle calm water- so hard to leave a place of such natural beauty!

Our next two destinations, the small seaside village of Balestrade and a town high in the mountains; Stalheim were equally captivating.

From the porch of our hotel in Balestrade we looked over the water to a magnificent view of the mountains and the fjords. One evening we ordered burgers and beer from the hotel bistro to eat on the porch. We each had brought our books and after our feast, we sat and read to our heart’s content- with a bright sky even at 10 PM!

The next morning we donned heavy cumbersome wet suits and took a thrilling high speed motor boat ride through the narrow fjords.

On the way back, we could see our historic old hotel from the boat!

It was unseasonably warm for Norway as we set off to find our lunch destination- The Ciderhuset, an organic apple orchard with a cafe. After trudging in the hot sun for seemed like several miles, we were starting to wilt. We dragged ourselves slowly up a hill, with more than a bit of complaining on both of our parts, and then in front of us was a bucolic apple orchard and a quaint rustic cafe with a welcoming outdoor porch that looked over the mountains!

We sat on the porch enjoying local organic berry nectar as a refreshing breeze from the nearby hills washed over us; soft sounds of Ella Fitzgerald played in the background.

We ordered excellent fish cakes and an unusual sounding entree- a chicken wrap with “Chip Shop” curry sauce.

Both dishes were delicious and came with a spicy slaw topped with ground sumac.

After enjoying a piece of homemade apple crumb cake, which I am sorry to say we ate too quickly to take a photo, we thanked the gracious hostess. I mentioned that we had enjoyed the chicken curry wrap and I asked about the recipe. The hostess asked if I would like to speak to the chef and she introduced me to a lovely young man who it turned out was from Turkey! This explained the spicy Mediterranean flavors and the topping on the slaw.

The chef generously shared his method to prepare the sauce for the curry chicken wrap. I took mental notes as he lovingly described how he prepares the sauce in large batches based on sauteed onion, combined with coconut milk, a small amount of tomato paste along with cumin, ground coriander and cardamom. He then cooks the mixture down until it forms a velvety sauce, with no added thickeners.

After I got home, I decided to try to make the sauce from the taste that I remembered and my few notes. I was also curious about the name “Chip Shop Curry” and found that it is a sauce offered in chip and fish shops in England! I would imagine that this would have originated from the popular Japanese curry sauce.

I created a “Chip Shop” curry sauce that I mixed with sauteed vegetables and chunks of chicken and made my version into a potpie with an olive oil pastry crust. I am happy to report that I was delighted with the result; I hope you enjoy making this!

“Chip Shop” Curry Chicken Potpie

Ingredients:

Olive Oil Pastry Crust

1 cup whole grain spelt flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening (I used Spectrum Organic-All Vegetable Shortening).

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons non-fat yogurt

3 tablespoons ice water (more if necessary)

1 egg-lightly beaten for egg wash

Ingredients for Curry Sauce:

1 small onion finely chopped

1 clove garlic finely minced

2 cups canned light coconut milk

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon cardamom

pinch cayenne powder

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Filling:

2 cups cooked chicken cut into small pieces

1/2 cup diced carrots

1/4 cup chopped celery with leaves

5-6 chopped button mushrooms

1/2 frozen peas- defrosted (optional)

Make Pastry Crust:

Combine flours and salt in the bowl of a food processor.

Add olive oil, shortening, yogurt and ice water.

Process until the mixture forms a ball. You may need to add a bit more ice water, add 1 tablespoon at a time.

Wrap ball of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let gluten in the dough relax.

Bring dough to room temperature and roll out into a large thin circle.

Place dough on baking sheet with the parchment paper.

Trim edges to make a round circle.

Make Curry Sauce:

Heat olive oil in a medium sized pot with a heavy bottom.

Saute onion until soft, add chopped garlic and cook briefly.

Add carrots, mushrooms and celery- cook a few minutes until the vegetables start to soften slightly.

Add spices and cook about 2 minutes, stirring.

Add tomato paste and cook mixture until tomato paste start to lightly brown.

Add coconut milk and bring to a boil- reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered until sauce thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon, aprox. 30-35 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add more cayenne if desired.

Add chicken and peas if using.

Stir mixture and pour into a large oval baking dish.

Pre-heat oven to 350 Degrees

Place prepared crust over top of dish, crimp edges and lightly brush with beaten egg glaze.

Cut a few slits in the top of the crust and bake in the middle of the oven until crust browns and sauce bubbles around the edges of the crust, aprox. 35-4o minutes.

Let cool about 10-15 minutes.

ENJOY!

After Balestrade, we traveled to Stalheim, high up in the mountains. The scenery was equally stunning.

We returned to Bergen and had the chance to visit Troldhaugen, Grieg’s summer home; an absolute thrill to see the Steinway piano that he played his compositions on! It was a lovely and fitting last day for an amazing trip!

AND- Here is the “Tree of the Week”

What do you see? I feel perhaps this tree is Edvard Munch like; with hands holding a face?

HAPPY FALL!

Walking over the Hudson and El Gran Toro Brasserie!

*“Walkway Over the Hudson”- Poughkeepsie, New York*

It all started with a Foodie Road trip to find El Gran Toro Brasserie, a Mexican Fusion restaurant in Newburgh, New York . The restaurant was featured in Chronogram Magazine, a Hudson Valley publication. We thought we would combine a walk over the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge. After a few wrong turns we came to a small parking area with a chain link fence that led to a slightly overgrown path to the bridge. The walkway on the bridge turned out to be narrow and rusty; very close to the deafening traffic crossing the bridge. It was a blazing hot day and as we stepped onto the pathway, it vibrated up and down. Feeling queasy, a quick decision was made to cut this walk short. We headed off to Newburgh.

We drove slowly down the main thoroughfare of Newburgh; clearly the small city of 28,00 had seen better days with more than a few boarded up businesses lining the street.

We located El Gran Toro Brasserie and alas it was closed, reopening in a few hours.

Our foodie trip was going so poorly, that our situation began to appear humorous to us- we decided to make the best of it; we would scout out the area and return for an early dinner at 5 PM. As we looked around more closely, we saw some old surviving businesses and glimmers of growth and rejuvenation.

A careworn old Italian bakery seemed as if it had served the community for many years, selling countless Italian cookies, cannolis and Birthday cakes.

Likewise, Commodore Chocolatier- established in 1935 by the Courtsunis family; it was filled with mouth watering chocolates. The current owner John Courtsunis was very affable; it turned out that he was a music lover and a supporter of the arts. It was his opinion that every child should learn to play a musical instrument, much like the program El Sistema that originated in Venezuela.

Back outside, with our spirits lifted, we decided to explore some of the side streets. The architecture was beautiful with some buildings in a state of almost total disrepair.

The Dutch Reformed Church built in 1835, was graced with a community garden in front of it! The church is on Preservation League of New York State’s “Seven to Save” list.

A passerby walking his dog, noticed me looking intently at a church and said to me: “Are you interested in this church?” “The pastor is in the back working on the garden and he has a lot of stories to tell!”

As we continued on our walk, we observed other building that were in pristine condition; all it seemed with many stories to tell.

The time had flown by and El Gran Toro Brasserie was open. We entered a small unpretentious space and were warmly welcomed by our server. With the first bite of our appetizer, Sopesitos de Tlales, (crispy and flavorful carnitas, very spicy salsa roja, beans, lettuce and queso fresco), we were immediately glad that we had waited for this meal!

The chef and owner of the restaurant, Miguel Perez, is from Mexico and studied at the Culinary Institute in nearby Poughkeepsie, New York. Before opening his own restaurant, Perez was head chef at Le Bouchon in Cold Spring, New York. His delicious food is Mexican with French and Asian influences.

We ordered chicken and brisket tacos, very good, but my favorite was a rich French inspired dish of mushroom ravioli.

The ravioli was served with a rich cream sauce and topped with fresh greens, a touch of queso fresco and a slightly spicy mole sauce- irresistible!

Our foodie road trip was a roaring success!!

A few weeks later, we returned to the area and had a wonderful stroll on the Walkway over the Hudson in Poughkeepsie, New York.

The views are magnificent, but I had not realized how high we would be!

As long as we stayed in the middle of the wide walkway and did not look down over the sides of the bridge, all was fine!

Next week, I am excited to be traveling to Norway with my intrepid travel companion Carol. The trip is part research on the Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg along with, (no surprise) an emphasis on food and fjords- stay tuned!

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week”.

HAPPY SUMMER!!

Yellow Violets at Steepletop and Rigatoni all’Amatriciana!

It is always a thrill to discover the first illusive and secretive yellow violets of spring. The delicate plants with their characteristic heart shaped leaves thrive in sunny spots. We walked downhill towards the marsh at the Steepletop Preserve in New Marlborough, Massachusetts and magically there they were, cozily surrounded by leaf cover in the same place as last season! Their name, viola, is derived from the Greek name lo. According to a Greek myth, Jupiter protected his beloved by transforming her into a heifer surrounded by violets for her to feed upon.

We continued on the rest of our walk around the marsh area and it was as lovely as ever.

Reentering a wooded area, fiddlehead ferns newly opened, like graceful scrolls on a string instrument, lined the sides of the trail.

It was a warm day and at the end of the 2 mile loop, a stone bench with an inscription from Walt Whitman’s A Song of Joys beckoned to us: “sit, relax and enjoy the peaceful surroundings”!

Like any self respecting foodie, I currently subscribe to three different food magazines. The April 2024 issue of Food and Wine Magazine is titled: “The Italian Way”. On the cover, Rigatoni All’ Amatriciana was artfully photographed. The recipe called for a few high quality ingredients, including the Italian cured meat, guanciale (gwann-chaa-lay) and pecorino cheese. We decided that we deserved a rich treat! I found guanciale at Guidos Fresh Marketplace in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. I read in America Test Kitchens that guanciale is from the cheek or jowl and is cured with salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary and sage. Since it is from the cheek, it has a higher fat content (thus more flavor) than pancetta, which is from the pork belly.

I slowly sauteed lardons of guanciale to render the fat and crisp up the bits of meat. Our house was filled with a lovely peppery and enticing aroma.

The recipe uses all of the rendered fat in the tomato and pecorino sauce; I just used a small amount of the fat for flavor and this was fine! Made with sauteed onion, red pepper flakes and tomato paste that was browned with sauteed garlic and added to high quality pureed whole tomatoes with freshly grated pecorino; this was one of the best sauces I have ever tasted.

We purchased the best quality imported Italian Rigatoni that we could find and with the crispy bits of guanciale in the sauce, freshly ground pepper and more grated pecorino; the dish was simple perfection! Not necessary, we also served a side dish of steamed broccolini simply seasoned with fresh lemon, salt and extra virgin olive oil.

ENJOY!!

Rigatoni All’ Amatriciana- based on Food and Wine- April 2024 Issue

Ingredients

1 medium-size (9-ounce) yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
5 ounces guanciale, cut into 1-1/4 inch batons
1/4 teaspoon black pepper or more to taste
2 teaspoons minced garlic
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 pound uncooked rigatoni pasta
2 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, finely shredded (about 1 cup), plus more for serving

Directions

Heat a large high sided skillet over low heat. I used a cast iron enamel pot. Add guanciale, cook, stirring often and guanciale is crisp and fat is rendered about 20-30 minutes. Transfer guanciale to a paper towel to drain. Remove almost all of the fat from the pot- you could add a small amount of extra virgin olive oil.
Add onion, and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in crushed red pepper.
Add garlic, stirring about 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly until darkened to a rusty red color.
Using your hands or a wooden spoon, crush tomatoes; add tomatoes and their juices to skillet. Bring to a boil over medium-high; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring often, until flavors meld and mixture thickens, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cheese and half of guanciale to tomato mixture.
While sauce cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Add rigatoni, and cook according to package instructions for al dente, about 13 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
Add rigatoni to sauce in pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens and coats pasta, adding extra reserved liquid if necessary. Serve with additional pecorino cheese, freshly ground pepper and reserved bits of guanciale.

AND: Here’s the “Tree of the Week”!

*“Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder!!”*

I end with a rare White Trillium that my husband Paul found while bushwhacking through the Great Mountain Forest in Norfolk, CT.

*White Trillum: Great Mountain Forest- Norfolk, Connecticut*

HAPPY SPRING!!

A Master Oboe Technician and a Dim Sum Feast!

I arrive for my appointment with my favorite oboe repair person, Heidi Chisholm. She greets me warmly, we sit down at her cluttered workplace and my oboe is rapidly is disassembled by expert and experienced hands; her intelligent eyes sparkle as she fills me in on the latest news from the oboe world.

As Heidi works on my instrument, I look around her shop crowded with tools, supplies and a music stand with orchestral excerpts.

We chat about politics or our families; on this particular day, Heidi mentioned that she often works on the instruments of talented young oboists that face an extremely uncertain job market and a lack performance opportunities when they finish music school. So here’s the plug: Minnesota State College offers a nine month band instrument repair program with 97% of graduates finding work in their field! She also mentioned that Oberlin Conservatory of Music offers a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Piano Technology; a two-year program of study designed in association with Steinway & Sons. Food for thought; we do currently have a big shortage of skilled technicians.

At this point, my blog entry may become a bit nerdy, unless you are an oboist, but stay with me! I asked Heidi about using swabs to clean out the bore of oboes; knowing that I was baiting her. Her eyes started to flash and she said, ” Never pull a swab through all the way an oboe. ” “Let me show you this!” She pulled out an old oboe that had been cut in half and lined it up with a ruler. “See”, “look how narrow the bore is”! I remember at one point that Heidi displayed ruined instruments with stuck swabs on her wall.

I thoroughly enjoy my visits with Heidi. Not only is my instrument expertly repaired; it often feels like my instrument plays like velvet when I get home. I value our conversations peppered with her sharp wit and observations about all subjects. And then, I confess that I look forward to a culinary treat in nearby White Plains. A few years ago, I discovered an excellent Chinese restaurant, Aberdeen Seafood and Dim Sum, tucked away in the lobby of a Marriott hotel in the middle of downtown White Plains. They serve a wonderful assortment of dim sum, translated as “touch the heart”. This visit I made an order to go that included a delicious combination of shrimp and snow pea dumplings, pan fried chive dumplings and delicate vegetable dumplings covered in a casing of rice dough flavored with spinach.

Placed on a towel on the seat next to me, I had a wonderful picnic on the ride home! I look forward to my next visit to Heidi’s. I do have to stop by this weekend to pick up an English Horn that she repaired for Hofstra University- with perhaps another side trip to Aberdeen Seafood and Dim Sum!

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week”

*Blunt-lobed Hepatica: Drury Preserve-Sheffield, MA*

HAPPY SPRING!!

A Serendipitous Walk and Hearty Red Lentil Soup!

A few weeks ago, I put the address in the GPS for the Steepletop Preserve in New Marlborough, Massachusetts. I was looking forward to a peaceful contemplative walk on this beautiful set of trails. I drove for a few minutes, not paying close attention, enjoying the scenery around me and slowly realized that the surroundings did not look at all familiar. I had lost internet service a while back and I was basically lost!

I had ended up on a quiet dirt road that followed a small winding stream. I pulled the car over to the side and decided to walk and see where the stream and road led. I would retrace my steps later to return home.

This turned out to be a delightful serendipitous walk and I would love to return to this spot, but I am still not quite sure where I was! I did take a picture at a fork in the road and when I returned home, my husband and I looked up where we thought I was on a map! I believe it may be a small road in Mill River, Massachusetts. Any guesses??

Safely home, I decided to make a big pot of hearty Red Lentil Soup, a soup that I have made many times and wrote about in an earlier blog post. I based my current version on the delicious Moroccan Red Lentil soup that we enjoy at the Amanouz Cafe in Northampton, Massachusetts. I sauteed onion and garlic and stirred in tomato paste with cumin, smoked paprika and red pepper flakes and let the mixture lightly brown. I added green beans cut into small pieces, red potato, carrot , celery and plenty of chopped parley. Fragrant with thyme and bay leaf, the soup was thick and filling enough for dinner along with a small green salad and fresh peasant bread.

ENJOY!

Hearty Red Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

4 cups dried red lentils

1 medium onion finely chopped

2 garlic cloves minced

1 medium carrot peeled and cut into small pieces

1 celery stalk with leaves cut into small pieces

handful Italian parsley finely chopped

2 medium red potatoes cut into small chunks (no need to peel them)

handful fresh or frozen green beans cut into small pieces

2 teaspoons ground cumin

pinch of red pepper flakes (or more to taste)

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 bay leaf

1/2 can tomato paste

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

water to cover

To Make Soup:

In a large soup pot or cast iron pot, heat olive oil

Saute onions until translucent, add garlic and stir. Add other spices and tomato paste. Cook mixture until tomato paste starts to lightly brown.

Add lentils, vegetables and cover with water about 2-3 inches above other ingredients.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils and vegetables are very tender and soup thickens. If soup is too thick, add a bit more water. Adjust seasoning. ENJOY!

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week”!

HAPPY SPRING!!

Winter Strolls on Merwin Road and Cod Fish Cakes!

One of my favorite places to walk is on Merwin Road at Spencer’s Corner in Millerton, New York. I come here often when I have a short break from teaching. My stroll starts at the old Spencer’s Corners Burying Ground.

I continue down the street that is symmetrically lined with maple trees. In the summer, the trees offer a welcome canopy of cooling shade and at this time of year, they act as a buffer from the stiff frigid wind that blows from the surrounding mountains over the fields.

My beloved brother in-law Perry recently passed away after a long struggle with early onset dementia; this week there will be a Celebration of Life service held in his honor. This blog entry is dedicated to his memory; he was a kind, sincere, warm and intelligent man with a lovely sense of humor. He keenly observed nature and weather conditions and I know he would appreciate the quick changes on Merwin Road; one week a blustery snowy landscape and a few days later, rusty brown fields.

The other day at the fish counter, the wild caught cod looked especially fresh and my thoughts turned to crunchy cod fish cakes for dinner. I remembered a recipe from the New York Times Cooking column for cod cakes which I based my recipe on. The fish is first poached gently with lemon slices, bay leaf and black peppercorns and this gives the fish a wonderful subtle flavor. This step is well worth the extra time required. We served these crispy little beauties with lemon slices and a sauce made from veganaise, lemon, mustard and capers along with chunks Japanese sweet potato roasted with olive oil and rosemary and steamed broccolini. I hope you enjoy making these!

Cod Cakes (based on NY Times Cooking recipe by Sam Sifton

INGREDIENTS

Yield:4 to 6 servings as a main course, 6 to 8 servings as an appetizer

4 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 lemon, cut into eighths
3/4pound cod fillets, or other white flaky fish
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 rib celery diced
1 medium-size yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 heaping tablespoon mayonnaise,( I use vegenaise)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 egg
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs (add more if mixture is too soft)
1/4 bunch parsley, roughly chopped
¼ cup neutral oil, like canola

PREPARATION

Fill a shallow, wide pan with high sides with about an inch of water, and set it over high heat. Add the peppercorns, bay leaf and 1 section of the lemon to the water, and allow it to come to a bare simmer. Place the fish into this poaching liquid, and cook, barely simmering, until the flesh has just begun to whiten all the way through, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Using a wide spatula, carefully remove the fish from the water, and set aside to cool.
Empty the pan, and return it to the stove, over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, add the celery & onions, and sauté, stirring often, until the vegetables soften and the onions turn translucent, then transfer them to a large bowl.
In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, mustard, egg, salt, pepper and Old Bay seasoning, then add this mixture to the bowl with the sautéed vegetables, pour the bread crumbs over them and stir to combine. Add the parsley, and stir again.
Flake the cooked fish into the binding sauce carefully, keeping the flakes as whole as you can manage, then gather them into small balls, and form them into patties, 4-6 for a main course, 6-8 for an appetizer. Place them on a sheet pan or platter, cover loosely with plastic wrap and transfer them to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set.
Set a large sauté pan over high heat, and add to it the neutral oil. When the oil is shimmering, remove the fish cakes from the refrigerator, and carefully sauté the patties until they are golden brown, approximately 4 to 5 minutes a side. Work in batches if necessary. Serve them alone, or with greens dressed in a lemony vinaigrette, with the remaining wedges of lemon.

Sauce:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Vegenaise

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons capers

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.

We also accompanied our meal with a quick antipasto that included sliced avocado, cherry tomatoes, green olives, marinated artichoke hearts and crumbled feta cheese. Drizzled with olive oil and lightly sprinkled with salt and freshly ground pepper- no recipe here- but so pretty we had to take it’s picture!

AND: Here is the first 2024 “Tree of the Week”:

STAY WARM AND SAFE!

First Snow and Crespelle in Brodo

Early January and the first real snowstorm of the season has finally arrived! From my study window I watch as the world softly becomes enveloped under a peaceful white blanket of powdery snow. A lovely day to hunker down with a good book and a pot of chicken soup simmering slowly on the stove.

One of our favorite series is PBS Kitchen Vignettes; that features short whimsical cooking videos by Aube Giroux, food writer, organic gardener, home cook and film maker. We have enjoyed making several featured recipes including a delicious Blueberry Lime Layer Cake. She has won multiple James Beard Awards for Best Video Webcast (On Location). In 2012, she was the recipient of Saveur Magazine’s Best Food Blog award in the video category.

We have watched the Kitchen Vignette video, Crespelle in Brodo (Crepes in Broth) many times. Crepes are filled with freshly grated parmesan cheese and placed in rich chicken broth; sprinkled with parsley and more parmesan, they looked enticing! I decided to try my hand at making Crespelle in Brodo. I had bought a small crepe pan a few years ago and it was still hanging on my pot rack with the original packaging.

First, set a pot of home made chicken stock on the stove. This is well worth the effort; the resulting broth is delicious and there will plenty leftover to freeze for another time! I added extra carrots to the stock pot and one large potato. When I strained the soup, I reserved the carrot and potato and pureed it with about 6 cups of the soup. This thickened the soup slightly and added a lovely rich flavor and golden/orange color.

Making the crepes was surprisingly easy. I tinkered with the recipe from Kitchen Vignettes, but also checked out Deb Perlman’s method on her excellent blog, Smitten Kitchen. For my version of crepes, I substituted whole wheat pastry flour for half of the required flour. This gave the crepes a nutty flavor and also made them more wholesome and I used whole milk in my version. I also recommend using a crepe pan. I lightly oiled the pan and the crepes cooked quickly and beautifully. As they are finished , you can stack them together on a plate and they will not stick together! They also reheat nicely.

I am happy to report that Crespelle in Brodo was absolutely delicious, the soup rich, so full of flavor and the crepes! While easy to prepare, eating this made us feel that we were in an upscale Italian restaurant. We were curious that crepes or crespelle were Italian; a quick bit of research and we discovered that the dish comes from the Abruzzi section of Italy. This is where my husband’s family is originally from!

“Crespelle in Brodo”- based on a recipe from PBS Kitchen Vignettes

For the Crepes:

3 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup cold water
About ¼ cup grapeseed or sunflower oil
1/4 tsp salt
About 3 to 4 cups freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
Fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

For the Soup:
1 whole small chicken
Enough water to cover the chicken
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 celery stalks, chopped
1 large potato, peeled
2 large carrots, cut into large pieces
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried dill
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
3 eggs
1/2 unbleached white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup cold whole milk
About 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
About 3 to 4 cups freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
Fresh chopped parsley for garnish

In a large heavy-bottomed stock pot, sauté the chopped onion, celery over medium heat until translucent and fragrant. Add the whole chicken and add water to cover. Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, for at least 3 hours. About an hour in, as the chicken cooks, take out some of the breast meat to save for serving the soup.
After about 3 hours of simmering, strain everything out of the broth. Reserve the chicken meat for other recipes and use the bones to make a bone broth. Remove bay leaves, onions and celery, but save carrots and potatoes. Using a fat separater, remove fat and pour about 5-6 cups of broth strained broth back into the pot. Use or freeze remaining broth for other recipes. Use an immersion or stand blender to purée carrots and potatoes into the broth, which will thicken it slightly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Keep broth warm on low heat until the crepes are ready.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the salt and flour. Make a well into the center of the flour and crack all 3 eggs. Whisk together well and gradually add the milk, a little at a time, whisking well to avoid lumps. After all the milk has been added, if the batter is lumpy, you can run it through a fine-meshed sieve to get rid of any lumps.
Grease up a heavy skillet or a small crepe pan, using about 1 tsp oil per crepe. Make the crepes using about 1/4 cup of batter per crepe. Swirl the batter around, cook for about 30 to 60 seconds on each side or until golden and bubbly. If the batter is too thick, add a little more water, a couple tablespoonfuls at a time. Stack the crepes on a large plate. They will miraculousy not stick together.
Sprinkle a generous handful of grated cheese on each crepe and roll it up into a cigar shape. (Divide the cheese evenly among the crepes but save some for garnish). Place the rolled crepes seam down into a large serving bowl. Serve two to three crepes per person and ladle a generous scoop or two of broth on top of the crepes. I also added some of the reserved chicken breast chopped, to the soup. Garnish with a little cheese and chopped parsley. ENJOY!

STAY SAFE AND WARM!!

An Update: Leftover crepes also made an excellent breakfast. We first discovered these fruit, yogurt, granola and maple syrup crepes at the Starving Artist Cafe & Creperie in Lee, Massachusetts!

The Best Crispy Potatoes and a Foodie Road Trip to the Transilvania Restaurant and Bar!

The day was cloudy and misty with a persistent cold drizzle of rain. However, our spirits were not to be dampened and we decided to set out for a foodie road trip to East Haven, Connecticut. A bit of a schlep, but as it turned out, well worth it! Our destination was a Romanian restaurant, The Transilvania Restaurant and Bar. My husband Paul had read about it in The Daily Nutmeg , an online newsletter.

This cozy restaurant, which opened in 2022, was decorated tastefully with colorful table settings. We were warmly greeted by the friendly owner, Alina Coldarariu.

The unpretentious place does not take itself too seriously; there was a bit of kitsch, with a picture of Vlad the Impaler on the wall and complete with “Bat Rooms”!

We had an excellent lunch. Paul and I shared two lunch specials that included Romanian style chicken paprikash with delicate spaeztle with marinated cabbage salad and a hearty meatball soup.

My lunch included delicious stuffed cabbage with polenta and sour cream and bruchettta with Romanian eggplant salad.

Many years ago, when I was a music student in New York, I had the opportunity to travel to Romania with a group called the Riverside Chamber Orchestra. I remembered eating an eggplant salad that had a smoky delicate flavor and here it was again!

I asked the owner Alina about the dish and she kindly described to me the technique she uses to prepare the eggplant which includes grilling whole eggplants over coals; definitely something I plan to try to make! Even though she was busy getting out other lunch orders, we had a lovely chat about Romania, which at the time of my visit was still a communist country.

The stuffed cabbage had a unique flavor. When I returned home, I read about Romanian style stuffed cabbage; it is called Sarmle and is made with sour cabbage. This is much like the flavor of sauerkraut but whole cabbages are used. One article mentioned that the cabbages can be found in Eastern European specialty food shops (another road trip!)Smoked bacon is also used-I will use turkey bacon for my version.

My husband asked Alina if there are any special Romanian dumplings and she mentioned plum dumplings-galuste cu prune.

My winter cooking projects are all set: Eggplant Salad, Semolina & Plum Dumplings, Romanian Stuffed Cabbage! In the meantime, here is a recipe for irresistible, easy to make crispy oven baked potatoes that I made during the holidays. I scored the potatoes with a fork and this made the surfaces extra crispy. The potatoes taste like a combination of French fries, home fries and baked potatoes and are so good that they could almost make a meal on their own accompanied by plain yogurt or sour cream!

Crispy Oven Baked Potatoes

Ingredients:

4-5 medium Yukon gold potatoes (leave skin on)

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

To Make Potatoes:

Pre heat oven to 380 Degrees

Cut potatoes in half (larger potatoes can be cut into 3 pieces).

Score the cut side of the potatoes with a fork.

Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil- with your hands, rub potatoes together to cover all surfaces.

Sprinkle with salt and dried rosemary.

Bake about 20 minutes, cut side down and then carefully turn over with metal spatula.

Bake cut side up until potatoes are brown and crispy. The insides of the potatoes will be very soft.

Eat while piping hot.

ENJOY!

BEST WISHES FOR A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR!!