Life is . . .

    "It's better to be a pirate than join the Navy"--Steve Jobs

I remember when Jim Henson and River Phoenix died.  I find it a mystery that these two men somehow struck me in their deaths like I had known them personally.  I think some people have a certain gleam in their eye or simply have something that cannot be defined.  Perhaps, Steve Jobs had that same persona-- That mark we can only hope to rub into the dense woodiness of life.  Or it could be that I found out about his passing after watching Crazy Heart, so my empathy is high. Here's to you Jobs-- let's eat some Carbs. All you haters can go to bed. 

What you Need:

1 lb. pasta, cooked
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp chili, finely chopped
1 C parsley, chopped
1/2 C basil, chopped
1/2 C oregano, chopped
6 1/2 oz ricotta cheese, small cubes



Pasta with Ricotta, Chilli and Herbs 

Cook Pasta.
Heat oil in frying pan, add garlic and chili, cook 1 minute over low heat, stirring.
Place cooked pasta in bowl and pour contents of frying pan over pasta.

Add herbs and season with salt and pepper.
Add cubed ricotta.

*It helps to drain ricotta and set on a towel.  It keeps the cheese firm.



This meal pretty much wiped out the last of our herb garden.

Total Time: 25 minutes
Drink:  Something cheap
Movie: Crazy Heart

Arab Spring Pt. II

The revolution sweeping the eastern world is quite fantastic to a sleepy revolutionary cook.  I once cared greatly for such things--my government's involvement in propping up oil despots, kings and what not all in the name of money.  So, it is nice for the people to rise up and kick the thugs out of their kitchens. 
For anyone who hasn't been paying attention--and I admit, a lot has happened, here is a handy timeline: Arab Spring.

Mediterranean food uses an incredible amount of lemon juice.  My wife got a canker sore.  Enjoy!

photos by DMG

What you Need:
6 meduim potatoes
1/2 C parsley, chopped
1/2 C green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 lemon juice
1/4 C oil olive



Lebanese Potato Salad

Boil potatoes with skins on.  Cool.  Peel and cut into 1/2 inch cubes.  Place in salad bowl.  

then . . .
Add parsley and onions, stir.
Add remaining ingredients, toss.
Cover and refrigerate.

* I love me some potato salad, so it was nice to find a foreign variation.  The olive oil is what makes this so good.  It's really called Salatat Batata.



Total time: 30 minutes plus cooling
Drink:  Lemonade with rose water
Music:  New Ryan Adams

Mondays are for Suckers!

I recently found out that my paternal great-grandmother was a full blood Native American.  It explains my olive complexion and, perhaps, why certain American colloquialisms have always rubbed me the wrong way.  Many from my short youth have fallen out of favor--rightly:  Indian-giver and even gypped.  But Indian Summer is still around because, linguistically, tying the word Indian to a soft pastoral word like summer seems to make it more round a term.  And it is 40 degrees and raining in Pittsburgh, so I find it only fitting that I find myself begging for one more tall glass of summer.

We attended the monthly Pittsburgh Veggie Foodies this weekend and for the first time they accepted my submission for an Idea.  Arab Spring.   It was a great time with many drinks and exceptional veggie cuisine.  If you're in Pittsburgh, check them out here: PVC.

What you Need:
16 oz jar Grape Leaves
1 C lentils cooked in 3 C H2o
1/2 C Bulgar set in 1 C Hot H2o
1/2 C Vegetable oil
1/4 C pine Nuts
1/4 C onions, diced finely
1/4 Mint. diced finely
1/3 C Lemon juice
1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 lemon, for juicing

Stuffed Grape Leaves

Cook Lentils for 30 minutes.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer.  Place Bulgar in hot water and set aside. 
Heat oil in skillet, add pine nuts, saute until lightly browned.  Add onions and saute until transparent.  Remove skillet from heat and add mint, lemon juice, seasonings, lentils and Bulgar.  Mix well.
Rinse grape leaves, drain and remove stems.

Assembly:
Lay an assembly line for leaves.  Set leaves shiny side down.

Place 2 tsp. of mixture in a line across the middle of leaves.

Fold the outside of the leaves in 1/2 inch towards the center. Then, roll into a firm--not too firm, finger.  Place each roll, seam side down, side by side in a large sauce pan.  Stack them atop one another (We had 3 rows).  Then fill with water and juice from a lemon all the way up to the bottom of the last row.  Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and cook for one hour.



* Squeeze a little lemon juice over them while serving.  

Total time:  1 1/2 hours
Drink:  Great Lakes 
Music:  Damien Rice
 

A little something Extra for Your Weekend.

How to Peel a Head of Garlic in Less Than 10 Seconds from SAVEUR.com on Vimeo.

This is a great site with a crisp video.  Enjoy your weekend---house out!

All you other Kids with the Pumped up Kicks

So, follow this conversation:  NBC show Whitney-- "I think they called all the writers into a room and said 'I want you to write a male character named Whitney'' -- "Like Ally Mcbeal--'no, a man."-- What ever happened her anyway?" --"She married Harrison Ford; they live on Richard Branson's Island, they had to build an additional island for a runway for their four jets."--Jesus.--"I'm kidding, you know they did that to Manhattan, they reclaimed the land."--Damn, I was just thinking of the Wall street protests and was ready to damn Harrison Ford to hell.  (pause)  All those other kids with the pumped up kicks . . . "You're really gonna put that sound back in my head?"

What's this: Pumped Up Kids

Have a great weekend.

Salad with Garlic Anchovy Salad Dressing

  What you Need:


2 oz. can Anchovies
12 garlic cloves, mashed.
1 egg.
1/4 C onion, chopped.
1/2 C Parmesan, grated
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 C olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste



*Place all ingredients, except oil, in food processor.  Slowly add oil while processing.  Salt and pepper to taste.

I got this recipe on the back of a box of anchovies.

Total time: 10 minutes
Drink:  H2o
T.V.  NBC Thursday

Holy Crap, This is a good meal!

I feel like I've neglected my vegetarian friends lately, so this is for you and your soft teeth. I really like curry, but after a while, one gets sick of coconut based Thai meals.  So, after some exploring I've discovered meals that 1) use no coconut milk or 2) are not dominated by it. This is a guaranteed meal, brothers and sisters.  It is incredibly tasty and it has some chickpea protein to keep those choppers inside that delicious mouth of yours.

This meal has a lot of canned elements to it, don't let that dissuade you.

What you Need: 
Rice, cooked.
1 C onion, chopped
1 Tbsp ginger, minced.
1 garlic clove, minced.
then . . .
2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
1 1/2 tsp ground mustard
then . . .
1 can coconut milk
1 Tbsp jalapeno, chopped,; seeded.
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp tumeric
2 cans chick peas, drain and washed
1 (28 oz) can of diced tomatoes, undrained.
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
and finally . . .
3 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped.

Tomato Chickpea Curry

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in LARGE skillet.
Add first three ingredients; cook 5 minutes.
Add next three ingredients; cook 2 minutes , stirring frequently.  (see pic)
Add next 6 ingredients; bring to a boil.
Then simmer 35 minutes, uncovered.

photos by: DMG

Remove from heat and add cilantro.
Serve over Rice, that you should have cooked 45 minutes ago..

*This meal is really good.

Total time: 55 minutes
Drink: KJ Cabernet 2008 (a gift).
Music: REM

Night of Comet

First, let me say "こんにちは" to my reader from Hong Kong, "訪問をありがとう."  

Tonight's recipe is a surprisingly easy and texturally pleasing recipe.  Shiitake mushrooms are the Chaucer of fungus.   Usually when I think of flank steak I think of marination and let's be honest-- who has the time right now?  Even the sauce on this one is deceptive, it's more of a side.  However, an additional veggie would have made this meal even better, unlike the movie Night of Comet, which just becomes  classier every 10 years I watch it.  The movie works on so many levels, yet, I digress.  Enjoy!

What you Need: 

Steak:

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 one lb flank steak

Sauce:

1/2 C onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2 C shiitake mushroom, stemmed; thinly sliced.

1 C beef broth

1/3 C dry white wine

1 Tbsp balsamic Vinegar

1/2 C green onions, minced

Flank Steak with Shittake Mushroom Sauce

photos by DMG

Preheat broiler.

Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over steak and broil 5-6 minutes each side.

!After cooking, tent foil over it to allow further cooking.  Do not cut!

 To prepare Sauce . . . 

*Add onions and garlic to heated pan, coated with cooking spray.  Saute 2 minutes.

*Add mushrooms.  Saute 4 minutes.

*Add all liquids and bring to a boil, cooked 6 minutes until reduced to about 1 1/4 C.

*Add green onion.  Cook 1 minute. 

Cut steak diagonally in 1/4 inch slices.  Viola! 

Total times: 20 minutes 

Drink: Babbling Blonde

Movie: Night of the Comet.