April Asparagus Again

 

 

April has come and gone.

I am finding my words.

And I am glad the green has returned.

 

 

Granola, a Method (with Recipe)

 

Never underestimate the power of scent. I’d been shrugging off the banana aroma that was hovering over the platter of produce for a couple of days. Finally, with dread, I peeled it, expecting to find a banana beyond hope that I’d have to toss. Instead, it was perfectly over-ripe and I was forced into action.

I make granola more by method than recipe. And much of it relies on smell. The toasting nuts, the roasting oats, the fruits and oils, all give off aromatic signs while in the oven. This batch has an ambrosial scent that wafts out of the jar when I unscrew the top. The banana also adds a lot of sweetness, minimizing (or possibly alleviating altogether) the need for additional sweeteners.

             

I prefer a blend of granola that is very much on this side of sweetness, just a tad to round out the flavours and take the edge off the graininess. I also like it to be a deep golden colour with quite a lot of crunch. But alter to suit your taste – more sweetener, none, less cooking time, no nuts, as you like. Fool around with it until you find one you love (making notes so you remember what you did!), or change it up every time.

Couple of notes: This process couldn’t be simpler, just toss and bake. But, do keep a close eye on it while it’s in the oven as it can go from undercooked to burnt in the bat of an eye. Also, in these pictures I’ve used a pyrex casserole dish only because I don’t have a rimmed cookie sheet (something I must get). A larger baking surface would allow the granola to be spread out in a thinner layer and brown more evenly. Finally, be sure to remove from the oven and toss the granola with a big spoon every 10 minutes to ensure even browning (set a timer, 10 minutes go by in a flash!).

              

In a nutshell, I make it like this:

2 cups rolled oats

4 tablespoons oil (such as olive oil or vegetable oil)

3 tablespoons agave (or honey, or maple syrup, or any type of sugar)

1 very ripe banana, mashed (or apple sauce, another mashed fruit, or a splash of fruit juice)

2 handfuls of almonds, chopped (or walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, etc.)

1-2 teaspoons cinnamon, or to taste (or ground ginger, or a pinch of ground cloves, etc.)

scant 1/4 cup flax seeds (or sunflower, pumpkin or sesame seeds, etc.)

1-2 handfuls dried fruit (such as cherries, raisins, currants, cranberries, dates, figs, or apricots, etc.)*

  

Preheat oven to 350 F. Put all ingredients, except the fruit, in a large bowl. Mix, stir and toss well until thoroughly combined. Spread evenly on a baking sheet. Put in oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, stir granola, return to oven and repeat twice more, for a total of 30 minutes in the oven. If it has achieved the colour you desire, remove from oven. If it is too pale, return to oven and watch closely until it has reached the desired colour. Remove from oven.  Cool completely (the granola will become crunchy as it cools). Add fruit, if using, and toss. Eat. Store in airtight jar.

                      

(left: before baking; right: after baking)

* There is no dried fruit in this batch only because I ran out, I usually include it.

Why do you cook?

 

 

Why do you cook? To eat? To stand? To chop? To think? To heat? To share? To save?

 

Conversely, why do you NOT cook?

Let me know, I’d like to hear your reasons!

Hundred Acres Two Poached Eggs

This gallery contains 2 photos.

  So, maybe I mention eggs a lot – a whole lot – but if so, it’s only because I adore them so very much. And maybe I have mixed feelings about photographing plates of food while seated in a … Continue reading →

Polenta Breakfast

 

A large batch of polenta from last night was lurking in the fridge this morning. I’ve taken to making polenta – generally using freshly ground polenta grown in Upstate NY – using a recipe from Marcella Hazan in her book Essentials of Classic Italian Cuisine (page 275) that requires a minimal amount of mixing. Mix, cover, set timer for 10 minutes, repeat 4 times, let cook even a little longer until creamy smooth. Polenta is so versatile and adaptable – creamy, firm, savory, sweet, cheesy, meaty, it goes in any number of delectable maizy directions. Last night is sat under a garlicky bean soup/stew.

This morning – after being slowly reheated with a bit of hot water added from the water kettle and a short burst of vigorous stirring – it returned to its state of creaminess. Sitting in bowls with a pat of butter and a glug of a friend’s New Hampshire maple syrup, nice start to a sunny Saturday. Good Morning.

Chocolate Cake Day

 

 

Today is National Chocolate Cake Day! This is not, technically speaking, chocolate cake pictured above. But it is cake, and it is covered in chocolate. And it was the best I could come up with on such short notice. (I will talk about this cake, which I ate with friends in Munich last summer, another time – It was delightful.). Sweet dreams.

Miracle on a Fork

What seems miraculous it that this green, frilly stuff can be grown in the middle of winter.

Baby mizuma, it’s called – though, there also seemed to be a second type of green mixed in with it. Vibrant and kicky in taste, I’ve eaten it in salad, as well as quickly cooked in olive oil with scallions then tossed with rice pasta. Happy for greenhouses.

Street Food

By which I mean, food spotted on the street. This empty box of Dots was perched lightly atop a discarded Christmas tree sitting curbside yesterday. Its bright cheeriness held such promise – even though it was empty – of the chewy jewels it once contained. The bright colours set against the evergreen, which were what caught my eye in the first place, made it seem like an ornament. Thoughts of movie theatres and candy machines as I walked along down the street.

 

Kale Frittata

This is a kale frittata that I made today – though, it was really more of a pancake than a frittata considering how thin it was. The ratio of egg to kale was a little uneven.

First, I reheated leftover kale (that had been sauteed with garlic) in a large pan. Then I poured two eggs (beaten with a drop of water and salt and pepper) over the kale and tilted the pan to let them spread. I cooked it over slow heat, covered, until the bottom was set. Then, I flipped it with a spatula (a benefit of having it be pancake-thin) and cooked the other side briefly. Next time I would perhaps use three or four eggs for this same amount of kale. Or, use a smaller pan. But it was lovely all the same, eaten with a little dark toast on this sunny day.

The Colour of a Blueberry

Adding frozen blueberries to a dish of sliced Honeybells, I didn’t expect the immediate effect of pink-stained orange juice. It tasted very much as it looks – tart, sweet, refreshing.

 

Update: I just figured out how to edit my photos so they appear larger. What do you think?