acorn squash with paanch phoron, and reflections on modern spice

Even though I have a ridiculous amount of cookbooks, I never tire of exploring new ones.  In pursuit of some new flavors to perk up my repertoire,  I recently picked up Modern Spice by Monica Bhide, a wonderful book in which Monica’s Indian heritage merges with her creative, contemporary approach to cooking and entertaining.  I’ve been following Monica on Twitter for a while, but hadn’t used any of her cookbooks until now (I’ve been missing out!).  The book has recipes for Indian food in the sense that Monica is Indian and she came up with the recipes, but instead of Indian restaurant staples such as Lamb Korma or Chicken Vindaloo, you’ll find recipes like Saffron Mussel Stew and Curried Egg Salad with Caramelized Onion.

In the introduction to Modern Spice, Monica discusses the question of “what is ‘authentic’ Indian food?”.  This really hit home with me because I know I do sometimes get hung up on what the “correct” or “truly” authentic version of something may be, instead of just being concerned with whether it tastes good!  I think it’s mostly because, especially when trying a new ethnic or regional dish,  I want some sort of baseline from which I can measure whether or not variations are preferable to the “original”.  But as Monica astutely points out, her mother’s version of “authentic lentils” is quite different from the “authentic lentils” of her mother-in-law!  With that in mind,  I am going to try to have a more open mind about recipe sources and culinary traditions.  Monica’s approach to Indian food reminds me of Clotilde Dusoulier’s approach to French food- taking a culinary foundation and riffing on it in new and exciting ways.

Thus newly inspired, last weekend I made an Indian feast: three recipes from Modern Spice, as well as two from Madhur Jaffrey’s Indian Cooking.  I mainly chose the recipes based on what I had in the pantry and fridge (dried yellow split peas, a frozen bag of okra, a bunch of cilantro, a few beets, some yogurt) and then added a couple items (acorn squash, some trout) to round out the menu.  From Modern Spice I made Beet Salad with Yogurt Dressing, Acorn Squash with 5 Spices, and Pan-Fried Trout with Mint-Cilantro Chutney.   I added Madhur Jaffrey’s Sweet & Sour Okra and Masoor Daal for variety and to ensure I had plenty of leftovers to take in my lunch all week.

Of all the dishes, the acorn squash was my favorite, so that’s the recipe I’ll share.  The trout was delicious too, but you probably don’t need a recipe- all it entails is pan-frying the trout and drizzling the chutney on top.  The chutney recipe Monica gives (mint, cilantro, green chile, red onion, lemon juice) is a little astringent for my taste, probably because I’m used to a similar restaurant chutney that has coconut milk in it.  However, in keeping with her liberal philosophy on following “rules”, she does say in the instructions that this chutney can be varied however you like, with the addition of yogurt or other ingredients.

In addition to some great recipes (any book with a cocktail chapter is copacetic as far as I’m concerned), Monica is a talented writer. Regardless of how many recipes you try, the interludes between chapters, where she shares personal stories and experiences, make the book worth reading cover-to-cover.  If you’re seeking uncomplicated ways to jazz up your cooking and a good read to boot, look no further than Modern Spice for inspiration.

Acorn Squash with 5 Spices (from Modern Spice by Monica Bhide, with my cooking notes)
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3 ½ cups acorn squash, peeled and diced in ¼-inch dice (see notes)
¼ cup neutral vegetable oil or ghee (see notes)
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 ½ tsp paanch phoron
pinch of asafetida (see notes)
2 large or 4-6 small shallots, diced
1 green serrano chile, minced
1 dried whole red bird’s eye chile
¼ tsp salt to start
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ cup water
warm honey (optional)

Notes: Monica indicates that a “medium” squash will give the necessary 3 ½ cups.  Looks are deceiving- I used a squash that looked small to me and it yielded 4 ½ cups! Try to select a squash whose grooves are not too deep for easier peeling.  For the spices, I found paanch phoron at World Market; I’m not sure where else you could find it unless you have access to Indian markets (except, of course, online).  I have not yet been able to locate any asafetida.  It is described as having an oniony/ garlicky aroma, so perhaps a clove of garlic smashed, fried in the oil and then removed could be substituted.  Last but not least, Monica calls for vegetable oil, but I chose to substitute ghee for a slightly richer flavor- I don’t think she would mind.

Directions: Peel and dice your squash, discarding the “guts”.  The skin of an acorn squash is not thick and can be removed with a vegetable peeler.

Warm the oil or ghee in a large lidded skillet over medium heat.  When hot, add the cumin seeds, paanch phoron, asafetida, and shallots.  Cook for about 2 minutes, until the shallots begin to  color.

Add the green chile, red chile (I crumbled mine for extra heat), and squash, mixing well.  Add the salt and turmeric and stir.  Raise the heat to medium high and cook for about 5 minutes, until the squash begins to brown.  (My squash never did brown- maybe I needed more heat?)

Add water and bring to a boil.  Cover and cook over low heat until the squash is totally soft and the water has almost dried up, about 20 minutes (mine was soft in less time; you may want to check it after 10-15 min so as not to overcook).

Serve hot, drizzled with warm honey if desired.  I kind of forgot about the honey, but I want to try it next time, as I love sweet and spicy flavors together.  Monica recommends about 2 teaspoons for the entire dish, so if you’re adding the honey per portion, do it sparingly.

book review: “feeding a yen” by calvin trillin

Do you like to read? Eat? Laugh out loud, forcing your beverage of choice through your nose? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions (you talk to your computer screen? weirdo…) and if you have not yet read any of Calvin Trillin’s food essays, get thee promptly to a bookstore or library.

I only wish I had encountered Trillin’s food writing earlier- I feel a retrospective bereavement for all those years I was missing out on it.  I had heard of Trillin from working at the bookstore (his Obliviously On He Sails, a poem about the Bush administration,  and About Alice were both pretty good sellers for us), but for whatever reason, his food books did not get ordered.  I was at the library a few weeks ago browsing the Food/Cookbooks section as I am wont to do, when I came across Feeding a Yen and decided to give it a try.

The common thread in this volume of essays is Trillin’s “Register of Frustration and Deprivation”- a list of food items whose authentic incarnations can only be found regionally, and for which the author pines nostalgically.  Each chapter discusses an item on the list- Basque pimientos de Padron, Ecuadorian fanesca, Cajun boudin, and many more.  Since the book’s concept strongly involves a sense of place, many of the essays have the element of great travel writing as well, which was a bonus for me.

One of the funniest essays, especially for anyone who is a regular consumer of “food information” online, was New Grub Street, which talked about Chowhound.com’s self-proclaimed “Alpha Dog” Jim Leff and other New York food writers such as Robert Sietsema (check out his funny but somewhat snob-noxious blog post “Things We Hate: Overused Food Words” in the Village Voice). These writers are a rare breed in that their lives seem to revolve around a bizarre one-upmanship of who can find the best hidden food gems in New York.  At one point in the essay, Leff talks about a restaurant that serves amba, an Iraqi mango hot sauce. He intones gravely to Trillin, “It’s not considered available. It’s extremely rare. This might be the rarest single food in town.” (p. 84).  I was at Marvin’s house while reading this, and called out “Hey hon?  That mango stuff you have in the fridge… is that called amba?”  I felt more than a little amused (ok, smug) knowing that less than 15 feet away was an item considered by a New Yorker (the Chowhound Alpha Dog, no less) to be a such a rare and exotic foodstuff!

I am looking forward to checking out Trillin’s other food books- I love his dry wit, and his writing alone is enough to make me add foods to my own Register of Frustration & Deprivation that I haven’t even tried yet (I actually had a dream about pimientos de Padrón after reading that essay!).  Alice, Let’s Eat looks like a good one…

Incidentally, Trillin’s book About Alice, a touching and humorous ode to his wife (who died of cancer in 2001), is a beautiful read to get you in the Valentine spirit, or to give as a Valentine’s gift.  We listened to it on audiobook (read by Trillin himself) on the way down south and thoroughly enjoyed it.

yuca & venison shepherd’s pie (the venison diaries, part II)

This dish has been a long time in the making… some of you may remember that I mentioned Marvin’s mom making a version of it for Christmas Eve in ‘08, and I’ve been wanting to try it ever since.  She uses ground beef in her version, but I rarely ever cook with ground beef.  However, I do have a freezerful of ground venison courtesy of my dad, and have been looking for different ways to use it.  So far I made a really good venison & porcini mushroom ragu, and I’m sure there will be a batch or two of chili, but I wanted to be a bit experimental and I’ve been wanting to cook with yuca for quite a while now, so this casserole was born. (See this post for more about yuca.)

I call the dish “shepherd’s pie” because that’s the closest thing I’m reminded of, with the seasoned ground meat being cooked under a layer of starchy veg.  The yuca is quite a bit different than potato in that it is very dense and has a lot of “chew” to it.  When you mash it, it holds together almost like dough, and when it’s baked, the top gets a nice crunchy texture.  Even if you don’t follow this recipe, I would encourage you to play around with yuca because it’s a fun and unique starch.   My photos were not taken in the greatest lighting, so this may not look like the most attractive dish, but it’s easy and homey and familiar yet exotic all at once.  By all means, if you’re not a fan of venison, use ground beef like Marvin’s mom does; my use of venison was just because that’s what I had.

This was also the fist time I had used achiote (aka annatto).  I used the whole seeds to flavor some canola oil, which I then used to saute the vegetables and meat.  To make achiote oil, just warm some neutral oil in a skillet (I prefer a silver skillet so you can see the color).  Add some achiote seeds and gently swirl the oil until it reaches a deep orange color and becomes fragrant.  Don’t let the oil get too hot or the seeds will burst and become bitter.  Strain the oil before using. 

Yuca Shepherd’s Pie
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For the yuca layers:

24-oz bag frozen yuca, or 1 1/2 lbs yuca, peeled
3-4 cloves garlic, smashed
small onion, quartered
salt & pepper
1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil

For the meat layer:

1 lb ground beef or venison
2-4 Tbs achiote oil or vegetable oil
1 large white onion, diced
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium carrot, peeled & diced small
2 jalapenos, minced (remove pith & seeds for less heat, or sub 1/2 a green pepper for a non-spicy version)
2 Tbs tomato paste
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

salt & pepper

Directions:

Put a large pot of well-salted water to boil.  Cut the yuca lengthwise and then into chunks of roughly equal size.  Add the yuca, garlic, onion, and a few grinds of pepper to the water.  Let simmer, covered, for an hour.  Check the yuca by cutting or smashing a piece- it should be a pale yellow and have no opaque white spots.  You may need to cook the yuca for up to 90 minutes to get it fully cooked through.  When the yuca is done, remove with a slotted spoon and discard the garlic, onion and cooking water.  There will be a tough stringy core in the center of the yuca that you should easily be able to remove with your fingers.  Place the yuca in the bowl of a stand mixer and use the paddle attachment to mix the yuca into a smooth paste, adding the olive oil in a thin stream.  Start with 1/4 cup and add more if needed, based on the taste and consistency of the yuca.  Taste for salt, adding if needed.

While the yuca is cooking, prepare the meat: Heat 2-3 Tbs oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  When hot, add the onion, garlic and carrot.  Cook for a few minutes until the onion & carrot begin to soften; then add the peppers.  Cook for a minute longer and add the meat, cumin, 1 tsp salt and a few grinds of pepper.  If you’re using venison you may need to add a bit more oil to prevent sticking.  Cook the meat, stirring frequently, until it is fully browned and cooked through.  Stir in the tomato paste and cilantro. Taste for salt and adjust as necessary.

Preheat the oven to 350.  Spray a 9×13″ lasagna pan or other casserole dish with cooking spray, or brush with olive oil.  Spread about 1/3 of the yuca over the bottom of the pan using a spatula
(if that’s not enough to cover the bottom you can use a little more; just make sure to reserve more than half for the top layer because it’ll be harder to spread).  The yuca will be very sticky so it may help to lightly oil the spatula.  Dump the meat in a layer over the yuca (if using beef, you may want to use a slotted spoon to drain off some of the grease).  Spread the meat in an even layer, pressing it into the yuca.  Take the remaining yuca and spread it over the meat.  You may need to use your hands to spread and press it down; if so, you’ll want to oil your hands first.  (Looking at my photos, you can see it was a challenge to get the yuca all the way out to the sides!)  Lightly brush the final layer of yuca with olive oil.

Bake the casserole for about 30 minutes or until the yuca starts to become crisp and brown.  If after 30 minutes the yuca is not browning, you can run it under the broiler for a minute or two to get a nice crunchy top.  If you have any cilantro left over, you can use it as garnish.

homemade graham crackers & nanaimo bars (daring bakers)

It’s been a little quiet around ye olde simmer down kitchen for the past month or so, but things are finally starting to kick back into gear.  Two weekends ago I finally made that yuca shepherd’s pie I’ve been wanting to make, and this past weekend I went nuts and made about 5 different Indian dishes.  To be honest, I wasn’t even planning on participating in this month’s Daring Bakers because I  didn’t think I’d have the time, but I found an eleventh-hour burst of energy and decided to go for it, especially seeing as how I missed last month’s gingerbread house challenge.

The challenge was two-fold: to make gluten-free graham crackers, and to use those graham crackers to make a Canadian treat called Nanaimo bars.  Because I was doing the challenge super last-minute (like, um, the day before it was due) I was not able to go hunt down the special GF flours the recipe called for, but luckily the challenge hostess was gracious enough to allow for regular flour, which was cool because I happened to have a bag of graham flour left over from this challenge that I wanted to use up.  Rather than try to convert the GF recipe, I just used the graham cracker recipe from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook (see below).  It was easy but the crackers came out VERY rich and buttery, more like shortbread than what I think of as a graham cracker.  Since the Nanaimo bars only required 1 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs, I reserved half the dough for future use as a pie or tart shell.

I have mixed feelings about the Nanaimo bars- any of my regular readers probably know I don’t have much of a sweet tooth; I prefer desserts with more complex flavors or a note of sour or bitter to balance the sweet.   The base of the bars, made of butter, cocoa, egg, almonds, coconut and crushed graham crackers, was right up my alley.  I used Green & Black’s organic cocoa powder and the flavor was wonderful.  Where this recipe lost me was on the middle layer.  I originally thought it was a sort of custard, but it’s actually an insanely sweet buttercream.  I tried to do this layer really thin because I knew I wouldn’t like it, but it still ended up too thick for my taste.  I even flavored it with some instant espresso powder to try to counteract how sweet it was, but it didn’t make much difference.  The top layer was just melted chocolate with a little butter to make it spreadable, so no objections there.

It was fun to make the homemade graham crackers, but I will probably be giving away the bulk of the Nanaimo bars- the icing layer just made them too sickly sweet for me.  Or perhaps I’ll end up disassembling some and eating the bottom layer by itself… coconut, chocolate, graham, almonds, yum!

The January 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. Lauren chose Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars as the challenge for the month. The sources she based her recipe on are 101 Cookbooks and www.nanaimo.ca.

Martha Stewart’s Graham Crackers
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1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups graham flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 sticks (½ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
2 Tbs honey

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Put the flours, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; stir to combine.

Put the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  If it’s still on the cold side, you can cut it in chunks and mix it by itself for a minute or two to make it more malleable.  Add the brown sugar and honey and mix until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Put the mixer on low speed and add the flour mixture about ¼ cup at a time until fully combined.  You may want to scrape the sides down once or twice during the process.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut into 4 equal pieces.  Note: Martha doesn’t instruct you to rest the dough, but if it’s at all difficult to work with, 10-20 minutes in the fridge won’t hurt.  Roll out each piece between 2 layers of wax or parchment paper into a 6″x9″ rectangle (I use my bench scraper to coax the dough into the right shape and to even up the sides).  Cut the dough into whatever size crackers you want.  I used a zigzag cutter that came with my pasta maker and cut each rectangle into 12 crackers.   Transfer the dough to a sheet pan (keeping the parchment underneath) and chill in the freezer until firm, 10-15 minutes.  Prick the dough with a fork in a decorative pattern.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, rotating the pan(s) halfway through.  These can quickly go from a nice toasty brown to burnt, so keep an eye on them!  Cool on a rack and store in an airtight container.

ingredients spotlight: yuca

I had heard of yuca (also spelled “yucca” and also known as cassava or manioc) before and knew it was a type of root vegetable, but had never eaten it until last year at Marvin’s mom’s house.  She had made a sort of Puerto Rican “shepherd’s pie” with ground beef, tomatoes, garlic, carrots & onion, covered by a layer of mashed yuca and baked in the oven.  I immediately loved the texture and flavor of the yuca- people compare it to potatoes, but its consistency is much more dense and “wet”, and it has a subtle sweetness to it.

Puerto Ricans also use yuca to make pasteles de yuca, a variation of a treat made on special occasions that consists of seasoned stewed pork enclosed by a dough of mashed yuca, the whole of it assembled and cooked in banana leaves.  Pasteles could be called the Puerto Rican equivalent of tamales, and due to the labor-intensive nature, are usually only made around holiday times with multiple family members lending a hand.

You’ve probably consumed the yuca plant lots of times without realizing it- the flour made from the cassava plant, high in starch and an excellent thickener,  is none other than tapioca.  The plant is a staple in many countries in South America and Africa, especially where other plants have difficulty growing.

If you want to experiment with yuca, you can find it in the freezer section in some Latino supermarkets; the popular Goya brand sells it in large chunks or pre-grated.  I hope to obtain Marvin’s mom’s recipe for the shepherd’s pie and post about it soon.

roadfood in savannah & beaufort

When traveling, it’s nice to afford yourself one or two “luxurious” meals at a high-end restaurant, to be sure.  But more and more, when I eat at those types of places, I find myself thinking how I could get the same kind of food in Detroit, and wishing I had opted instead for something more casual that offers the kind of experience unique to that city or area.

When visiting my mom in Bluffton, SC over the holidays, we spent a day walking around Savannah, just 30 minutes away.  I had wanted to eat at the famous Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room, but apparently you need to line up HOURS beforehand to get in, so that was scratched.  We wandered around near the market trying to find somewhere decent to eat and it seemed that there was a wait everywhere.  Then I spotted a little hole-in-the-wall diner serving burgers, hot dogs, and… beer!  Just the thing after a morning’s walking.  My mom looked a bit skeptical but everyone else was hungry enough to agree.

The diner, called Sweet Melissa’s, had a vibe that was sort of a cross between an arty dive bar and the Coneys in Detroit… maybe that’s what drew me in?  I ordered a hot dog with sauerkraut and tomato, and Marvin and I shared a cup of chili.  The dog was large and good-quality, but the chili was the real standout.  I didn’t ask, but it definitely tasted like it was made in-house rather than chili from a can like some diners.   Others ordered burgers and BBQ pork and everyone seemed pretty happy- especially Marvin, upon being told he could take his beer to go and drink it while walking.

My quest for regional food also led me to Sgt. White’s Diner in Beaufort (pronounced “Buford”, not “Bow-forr”, much to the chagrin of my French-speaking brain).  I read about this gem in Jane & Michael Stern’s book Roadfood, and I’m glad I did because it’s a mile or so outside the downtown area and I don’t think we would have run across it by chance alone. We got there late (they close at 3:00 and we arrived at about 2:45) so many of the side dishes were depleted, but we managed to do just fine.  For $7.99, you get a plate heaped with your choice of meat and two sides- I had BBQ pork with collards and okra gumbo (okra stewed with tomatoes and corn), and my mom had fried chicken with fried okra and huge, creamy butter beans.  The food was as good as barbecue gets, and I especially liked the condiments on each table- a spicy and slightly sweet hot sauce, and a bottle of white vinegar filled with peppers and other vegetables.

After we ate, I chatted with the Sarge (that’s him in my masthead photo) and snapped a few shots of the restaurant, which is decorated with lots of colorful pig paraphernalia as well as military memorabilia.  Sarge is obviously deeply patriotic and proud of his military service!  He and his cook were both very friendly and amenable to my picture-taking and questions.  I can’t wait to get back down South and try some more regional specialties, and will definitely head back to Sgt. White’s next time we’re in Beaufort.  Cheers, y’all!

holidays 2009

The past few weeks, my Google reader has been filled to bursting with posts about seasonal treats such as roast goose, gingerbread houses, candied nuts, and all other manner of holiday goodies.  I’ve watched and read enviously from the sidelines, wishing that I had the time, energy and wherewithal to make my own festive recipes, let alone have time to blog about them.

Holidays for me as a “single gal” have always been about going somewhere else.  None of my family are here in the immediate Detroit area, so Christmas always involves traveling. Since there’s just one of me and several of them, there’s never really an option to host a Thanksgiving or Christmas meal at my house.  Perhaps that’s why I never feel fully in the holiday spirit to do things at home, such as put up a tree or lights, make Christmas cookies, or blog about holiday food. Instead of puttering about the kitchen, I’m packing bags and making travel plans.

I’m hoping that will change in 2010- a few days ago on my birthday (Dec. 27), Marvin proposed, and I accepted! We’re going to start looking for a house of our own, and by holiday-time next year we should be all settled in.  I am eagerly anticipating all of the firsts, especially our first Christmas in our own home, and I’m sure I’ll be much more motivated to decorate, make goodies, and basically “nest” more so than I have in my bachelorette flat.

This holiday season in particular involved quite a bit of hither-and-thither: Detroit on Christmas eve, East Lansing for Christmas day, and finally, South Carolina.  The day after Christmas we got up early and packed up the car for a marathon drive to SC to see my mom.  We arrived late on the 26th and drove home New Year’s Day.  More details to come, but the highlight of course was my birthday and the proposal.  It was somewhat of a comedy of errors- he had told my sisters, one of whom couldn’t keep it to herself (ahem, N,) and told my mom, so everyone knew what was going on and contrived for us to go to the beach with wine, lawn chairs, etc.  And then he ended up telling me he had told them, so I didn’t even have the illusion of surprising them!  But in the end, it was great to be surrounded by family at such an important and special moment.  At dinner, I announced the “news” during grace by saying I was thankful for my “fiancé” (upon hearing the word, the table broke out in a chorus of hoots and hollers), who “has a big mouth but an even bigger heart”.  (Hokey, yes, I know!)

I have much more to write about our holiday food (look for a post on Marvin’s mom’s roasted salsa) and travels (we had some great roadfood), but for now I just wanted to share my big news with you and wish you the happiest new year yet!  I also want to give a BIG THANK YOU to all of those who participated in the $2-menu challenge- you helped raise $100 for Gleaners!  (Since participation was a little on the lean side, I rounded up…) It’s no Menu for Hope, but I’d like to think it was a fruitful exercise and that we raised awareness a little bit.  Perhaps we can do something similar in the summer when the farmers’ markets are more bountiful.

Photos: lamppost in Savannah; old church in Bluffton, SC; the beach at Hilton Head where the proposal took place

garlic shrimp pasta ($2-a-serving challenge)

A few weeks ago I posted a challenge to come up with a $2-per-serving menu to challenge the notion that healthy food is “too expensive” or that you need to resort to convenience foods to have time to sit down with your family for dinner.  Ironically, what with trying to run holiday-related errands after work most days, and having a plethora of parties, shows, rehearsals and other stuff, I haven’t been cooking much! (I did make a big batch of lamb & bulghur stew last weekend and have been pretty much subsisting on those leftovers all last week, but it wasn’t particularly blog-worthy.)

The other night I was staring at the fridge with the glazed-over and rather desperate look of a person who hasn’t been to the grocery store in recent memory, when inspiration struck.  I had a bag of frozen shrimp in the fridge, a package of pasta, and enough pantry items to make said shrimp and pasta into a quick and very flavorful dinner.  Crisis averted.

Let me detour here to say that I do regret that my $2 meal was not more local– apparently there is a shrimp farm in Okemos but my shrimp were from Trader Joe’s.  I don’t eat a ton of shrimp because of the overfishing issues, but as a person who lives alone, there is a great advantage to a food which you can keep in the freezer and remove a few at a time for a single serving. This recipe may also not fall under some people’s definition of “healthy”, but it does use all natural ingredients and that’s my usual guideline.  As I had not been to the store I didn’t have any fresh vegetables in the house, but I would certainly encourage adding a green veg to make this a more balanced meal.

Here’s my cost breakdown: Shrimp: ½ bag @ $8.99/1-lb bag= $4.50; butter: 2 oz @ $2.89/lb= 36¢; 1 lb spaghetti= 99¢; 1 lemon= 50¢ (mine actually cost less since I had bought a bag of them, but I think that’s how much they are if you buy a single one); 4 cloves garlic= approx. 25¢; 1 tsp red pepper: negligible, but let’s say 15¢ (or get it free next time you order pizza!).  Total= $6.75 and serves 4, so $1.69 per serving.   That leaves $1.25 to spend on 4 servings of the veg of your choice-  a plain green salad, some sautéed zucchini,  or some steamed broccoli, perhaps?- and still keep it under $2.

Garlic Shrimp Pasta
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1 lb. dried spaghetti or linguini
½ lb. shrimp (should yield 4-6 shrimp per serving depending on shrimp size)
4 Tbs butter
4 large cloves garlic
1 lemon, halved lengthwise
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1 handful chopped flat leaf parsley, optional
kosher or sea salt

Notes: Feel free to embellish and throw in other random items you may have in your pantry or refrigerator… a spoonful of capers, perhaps, or some grated Parmigiano.  I happened to have some parsley in the fridge so in it went.  This recipe is also very easily divisible/ multipliable- I originally made 2 servings, not 4- so it’s a good recipe if you’re just feeding 1 or 2 people.  The dish can be prepared in about 30 minutes, and 10 of that is just waiting for the water to boil.  You’ll want to work very quickly to get the sauce on the pasta before anything gets cold.

Directions:  Put a large pot of well-salted water to boil.  Rinse and pat dry the shrimp, salt lightly on all sides and set aside.  Mince the garlic.  Juice half the lemon; cut the remaining half into four wedges.  Chop the parsley, if using.

When the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook according to package directions, probably 8 minutes or so.  You’ll want to try to time it so the pasta and shrimp are just getting done at the same time.

Select a saucepan in which the shrimp will just fit in one layer.  Melt the butter over low heat.  Add the garlic, keeping the heat as low as possible.  Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring and making sure the garlic does not brown.  (If the butter is foaming too much, add a splash of olive oil.)  Add the pepper flakes and stir.

Add the shrimp to the pan in one layer.  Cook gently until they appear opaque halfway up the sides, then flip and continue cooking until fully opaque.  Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a covered dish on the stovetop (so they remain warm).

Meanwhile, drain the pasta when done, reserving about ¼ cup of the cooking water.  Add the juice of half the lemon and a little of the pasta water to the butter/garlic mixture and increase the heat slightly, stirring.  Cook for 30 seconds or so, stirring to emulsify.  Toss the sauce with the cooked pasta.  Add any other ingredients at this time such as the parsley, capers, etc.  Taste the pasta for salt, adding as needed. If it seems too dry, add a bit more of the pasta cooking water, and/or a little olive oil.

Plate the pasta in warmed shallow bowls or plates, garnishing with the shrimp and a wedge of lemon.

$2 menus: a “greatest hits” collection

Remember a few weeks ago when I wrote about the $2-a-serving anti-Wal Mart challenge for charity?  A few of my blogger friends have taken me up on the challenge so far, but (cringes with embarrassment) I haven’t even been able to post any menus myself.  Things have been very hectic with the band lately (lots of rehearsals and shows) and although I have been cooking a little, I haven’t been able to be organized about it enough to photograph and write up any blog posts.

So, I thought in the meantime the least I could do was visit the archives and post links to some of my past recipes that fall under the $2-or-less per serving category.  Obviously I can’t give exact costs, but I’m only posting recipes that I am very sure would fall under the $2 maximum.  I’ll even refrain from including any of the “takes hours to make” recipes (even though I have several that would qualify price-wise), since part of the point was that it would be accessible to the average working person.

If you’re interested in participating in the challenge, please do so!  I am also excited to announce that I received word from Gleaners Food Bank that whatever I donate will be doubled, so please submit your links ASAP! I have set a deadline of Dec. 20 so I can send in the donation before Christmas.  If you don’t have time to do a “new” recipe, I would accept a blog post similar to this one that mentions the challenge and gives links to some of your past recipes.

Ants on a Tree (stir-fried pork & bean thread noodle) from the book Hungry Monkey- the author touts this as his family’s favorite quick weeknight meal.  For a green vegetable, whip up a quick batch of my Chinese-style Kale to go alongside.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad You could make a meal of this by wrapping it in a pita with a dollop of plain yogurt.

Pizza on the Grill The pre-made dough I get at Trader Joe’s is 99¢ and makes 2 “medium” pizzas.  If you wanted, you could make your own dough and get the price down even more.  If we generously call one pizza one serving, that leaves $1.50 per pizza to spend on toppings, which is plenty unless you’re being ultra chi-chi.  You could even (and should) throw a green salad on the tab and still be under $2 a person.  Plus, these cook up in minutes, making them the ultimate fast food.

Black-Eyed Pea & Collard Green Soup This soup is modeled after one at Russell Street Deli, a restaurant well known for their delicious soups. Add a side of cornbread or biscuits like I did, and you’ll still be under the $2-per-serving mark.  While it’s not necessarily the fastest thing to make, it’s definitely very simple to throw together.

BLT Salad with Mayo Vinaigrette Perhaps I’ll have trouble convincing some of you that a salad can count as “dinner”, but if you make them big like I do, and have a nice hunk of baguette on the side, I don’t think you’ll go hungry.  Even if you use high-end bacon from responsibly-raised pigs (which I implore you to do), this meal still rings up at less than $2.

Basque-Inspired Peasant Soup Like many of my recipes, this uses meat as more of a flavor component rather than the main attraction.  Not only does this keep costs down, but it’s just a healthier way to eat overall.  Don’t worry though; this soup is still plenty hearty.  It also uses a few canned/jarred “pantry staples” so it’s doable for a weeknight supper.

Mujadara with Mushrooms This might be stretching the guidelines I set forth, since it’s not exactly super quick to make, but it’s too good a recipe to leave off the list.  As with the chickpea salad, you can wrap it in a pita with some yogurt, or just eat a big scoop of it with some sautéed spinach alongside.

Italian Sausage & Pepper Pasta Sauce This is one of my decidedly less “glamorous” posts, but it probably fits the bill more than any of the other recipes for being affordable and very easy to throw together. (I made it in less than an hour total, and I am the world’s pokiest cook.)

Smoky Chorizo Chili We’re getting deep in the archives with this recipe- it was one of the first I posted, back when my photography standards were much lower than they are now!   This is a great chili to throw together on a weeknight since it uses canned beans, tomatoes and chilis.  In spite of it not being a long-simmered chili, it still packs a ton of flavor.

book review: “gourmet rhapsody” by muriel barbery

Some of you avid readers out there may have heard of Muriel Barbery’s novel The Elegance of the Hedgehog, which was an indie bookstore favorite a few years ago when it was translated from the French.  Due to its success, Barbery’s first novel was subsequently translated for English speaking audiences as well.  I don’t know that I would have been compelled to read it on the strength of Hedgehog alone, but when I discovered it was a food-related novel, I decided to give it a try.

Gourmet Rhapsody (Une Gourmandise is the original French title) concerns famous food critic Pierre Arthens (aka”le Maître“) on his deathbed, who struggles in vain to conjure the memory of a certain flavor that once thrilled him, in order to experience it one last time.  Interspersed with vignettes of le Maître’s food recollections, we hear from various characters in his life: family, mistress, colleagues, even pets.  Their collective voice tells us that this was a man who, although respected and admired by some, was despised by others.  His children and wife are mere appendages that annoy and distract him from his calling, and who respectively resent him and long for crumbs of his affections.

The author seems to be putting forth the opinion that true “geniuses” must necessarily be too single-minded in following their passion to be able to truly love other people.  Biographies of several well-known artists, writers and even scientists could certainly be cited to back up this theory.  But interesting as this notion may be, the manner in which the book is written does not allow the idea to be fully explored. The characters recall their relationships to and memories of Arthens, but they are all one-sided.  The brief vignette structure and lack of dialogue lend an isolating effect, although perhaps this is precisely what the author had in mind.

The book ends without any salvation for the dying gourmand in regards to his family; he does not attempt to make any last-ditch amends to his slighted family for his life of detachment and disregard.  At the risk of a “spoiler”, Arthens does ultimately remember the haunting lost flavor, but I was a bit disappointed by its revelation- after all that buildup, though, I’m not sure what could have lived up to the hype.  (I won’t ruin the ending by discussing the food in question, but I will say that its intended irony fell a bit flat for me.)  The final scene in which the flavor is recalled reinforces a sense of le Maître’s humanity that only surfaces when he is deeply enjoying food.  However, the fact that he clearly possesses this humanity makes it all the more unforgivable that he refuses to share it.

In spite of some depressing scenes, there are moments of pure joy, celebration and whimsy, and this is when the book is at its best.  The author marvelously evokes all sorts of food memories: bread greedily devoured after childhood days on a salty Moroccan beach; briny oysters slurped with Norman peasants; the first blissful taste of sushi; a grandfather’s penchant for grilled sardines…  Seeing as how these passages comprise at least half the book, and that Barbery’s food writing turns out to be so very delectable, I would recommend this to any literary foodie based on that alone.  It’s not often that food gets center stage in a novel, let alone at the hands of an author who can do it the eloquent justice that Barbery has in this book.