Chard Cakes with Sorrel Sauce

There’s been quite a lot of anticipation in my life lately, exciting things just around the corner. For starters, two weeks from now is a rather large film festival that I have been planning with a few others since October and I am very excited see the outcome of that (and honestly also excited to not have to constantly think about it anymore). Of course graduation is in 5 weeks as well. I actually bought my cap and gown today. It’s bright purple and looks like a muumuu. I also can’t figure out how to put on that hood thing; it just kind of hangs there stupidly and gives me a constant feeling that I’m choking. Can’t wait to wear that for a 4 hour long ceremony on what will probably end up being a sweltering muggy day. And finally I am also anticipating all of the gorgeous spring vegetables that are slowly starting to appear at the farmers market.

I went to the market last Saturday and was floored by just how many people were out and about. Now that the regular hours have begun (which means many vendors who take the winter off will return) things just feel back to normal. I can do most of my shopping there again, no longer having to resort to the grocery store for imported lettuces and frozen vegetables. I can make a quick stop on Tuesdays to pick up a mid-week loaf of bread or fresh baked cookie. I can also more easily let the season influence my cooking and go to the market without any plans of dishes to make but instead allow the availability conjure up recipe inspiration in the moment.

While I was there I stopped by the stall for Radical Roots, an organic and sustainable community farm that was making its first market appearance of the year. They mainly had spring garden transplants but did have an array of early spring greens. That’s when I saw several bunches of bright green sorrel, one of those mysterious greens that I’ve heard a lot about but never actually tasted. The vendor let me tear off a little piece to taste and I was shocked, but pleased, by its zingy lemon flavor. And then a little trigger went off in my head, a subtle reminder that I had seen this ingredient somewhere recently. But where? Well, Ottolenghi of course, king of all things vegetabley and delicious. I had spotted a recipe for chard cakes with sorrel sauce in Plenty only a few days earlier and the sudden access to this once distant ingredient ensured I would make the recipe immediately for lunch.

The recipe is essentially a veggie burger with a sauce but don’t let that make you think that it’s as boring as that. Remember, we’re dealing with Ottolenghi here. The chard cake is delightfully delicate and tender. That being said it does take a little special care and attention when cooking them. Get a little emphatic when flipping them over and you risk having a pile of grain crumbles rather them a nice round cake. Not to say that the crumbles wouldn’t have the same wonderful earthy, briny, and salty taste as the cakes, but its much more pleasant when they stay together, right? But the key component is the sorrel sauce. Handfuls of the citrusy sorrel mixed with thick Greek yogurt and touch of olive oil, Dijon, and honey, and it is truly something worthy of eating straight with a spoon. Granted it is a tad lip-puckering but once it combines with the savory cakes, the marriage is just dreamy. Top with a fried egg and spring lunch or dinner is good to go.

Chard Cakes with Sorrel Sauce
serves 3
adapted from Ottolenghi’s Plenty

First, this recipe does take a lot of time and dishes but you could probably do some prep work to get ahead if your not making it all in one go. The sauce can be made 2 days ahead of time. You could also begin prepping your cakes by washing and steaming the chard or even making the actual patties a day ahead and letting them sit in the refrigerator until ready to fry. By the way, the sauce is so good I made a double batch and have been pouring it on everything I eat. It would be amazing on grilled vegetables or chicken or, as I did, over a white bean and tuna salad.

Ingredients
for the cakes
a large bunch of Swiss chard
2½ cups cooked and cooled bulgur wheat or other small grain (quinoa would be nice here)
¼ cup pine nuts
1 Tbs. capers, drained
1 Tbs olive oil
3 oz. crumbled feta cheese
1 egg
salt and pepper, to taste
fried egg (optional)

for the sauce
2 large handfuls washed and dried sorrel (more if you like a stronger lemony taste)
¾ cup Greek yogurt
2 Tbs. olive oil
a small drizzle of honey
salt, to taste

Start by preparing the sauce. Put all of the ingredients into a food processor and whiz until it becomes a creamy and smooth green sauce. Taste and add more salt if needed and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Wash your Swiss chard. Remove the leaves from some of the very thick stems (smaller ones are okay) and roughly tear the leaves up. Place them in a pot with a steamer basket and about an inch of water. Bring to a boil and steam until the stems are tender. Remove the chard from the pot and place in a clean kitchen towel. Wring out the leaves to remove as much water as possible. Transfer the chard to cutting board and chop roughly. Place the chard in a mixing bowl and toss with the bulgur wheat.

Heat the Tbs. of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and the capers and fry for about a minute until the pine nuts are just golden. Add them to the bowl with the bulgur and chard and stir. Add the cheese as well. Taste the mixture and add salt and pepper as needed. Then add the egg and stir until well combined. If the mixture is too wet and does not hold together, add some breadcrumbs or even some chickpea flour to thicken it up.

Form the mixture into 9 round patties and place in the refrigerator to firm up for about ½ hour. To cook, heat some olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the patties in two batches (keep the cooked ones in a warm oven) for about 4 minutes on each side or until golden and hot all the way through. Be very careful when flipping them. Serve three per person as a main course with several dollops of the sauce and, if you’d like, a nice runny fried egg on top.

End of Winter Salad

Six months ago I wrote this, my farewell to summer, optimistic with the prospects of fall activities: football, winter squash, changing leaves, but so sad to leave the fresh vegetables and fruits of summer. I am truly a summer being, a warm-blooded, July-born Leo, and need the sunshine to function on a normal level. That salad was hard to let go. But we’ve made it through with a surprising and wonderfully mild winter. Not once did I break out the snow shovel, not once did our school cancel classes. It was a winter that required merely an extra blanket and a mug of hot chocolate to get through.

Spring came two days ago with a bang, literally. After aweek of nearly 80 degree weather, Mother Nature brought us the new season by means of an almost rite of passage. By 4:00 the winds picked up. By 5:00 the sky grew dark. At 6:00 flashes flickered in the distance and low rumbles murmured through the heavens. I sat on the floor in the kitchen, face peering out the open window and watched the storm unwind. It’s almost a magical moment when you hear the very first raindrop, a resolute patter on the grass that then, in less than a minute, it accelerates to a full-on shower. The storm progressed and just when I thought is was beginning to pass, it happened. A lightening bolt struck literally feet away from our house accompanied by an earth-shattering boom. Surges of electricity pulsated through me and every hairstood up on the back of my neck. It was absolutely frightening and exhilarating and a jolting burst into spring.

So to accompany my end of summer salad I bring you this end of winter salad I concocted last weekend. It’s refreshing yet still hearty, the sort of dish that I don’t think I would mind eating every day. A simple composition of cooked farro and wild rice, tossed with some lemon and oil, and topped with steamed farmer’s market kale, roasted butternut squash, spiced, honeyed walnuts, and a smattering of manchego cheese. It goes well with a glass of iced tea, open windows, cool breezes, and the sounds of chirping birds. I can find no other word for it that just plain lovely. It would be great for a picnic (just pack the walnuts separately and sprinkle on top before eating) but was nice for a special lunch alone too. Though this celebrated some of the last of the wintery foods, the bright kale and citrusy flavors bring with it signs of more gorgeous, sunny weather to come. Hello spring!

End of Winter Salad
Serves 2-3
adapted significantly from this recipe

I can’t wait to try this with more spring-like variations (asparagus, peas, pancetta, and pine nuts would be delicious) but almost any substitution could work. It is very versatile. Also, if you have any leftover grains, be sure to make this. The proportions of this salad and vinaigrette arenot really exact, absolute recipes. Assemble it according to your tastes and proportional preferences and you’ll be happy no matter what.

Ingredients
4 cups cooked whole grains (I used a combination of wild rice and farro. Look to packaging for cooking instructions. I also added a bay leaf to the cooking water for a bit of flavor)
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
olive oil
a big bunch of kale, washed and removed from thick stems
manchego cheese slices
salt and pepper

for walnuts
½ cup walnut halves
2 Tbs. honey
¼ tsp ground turmeric
pinch of cayenne
pinch of salt
a dash of water

for vinaigrette
½ lemon, juiced
3 Tbs. olive oil
a squeeze of honey
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and start by cooking the butternut squash. Toss it with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and place it on a parchment lined baking sheet. Pop it in the oven for around 30 minutes.

While that cooks prepare the vinaigrette in a bowl. Combine all of the ingredients and whisk until smooth. Also begin to prepare the walnuts by mixing the honey turmeric, cayenne, and salt in a bowl. Add enough water to make a runny paste. Set aside. When there are 10 minutes left for the squash, add the walnuts to the honey mixture, stir to coat them completely, and add them to the pan with the butternut squash off to one side, spreading them in an even layer. Return the pan to the oven until the walnuts are bubbling in the honey syrup and turning golden. While the squash and walnuts finish up, steam the kale in apot with a steamer basket.

Remove the sheet pan from the oven and set aside to cool for a moment. This will let the sugars on the walnuts set and turn crispy. To assemble the salad, add the kale and butternut squash to the grains. Pour overthe dressing and gently toss to combine. Taste and add salt or pepper as needed. Top with the walnuts and some shavings of the manchego cheese.

Cocoa Nib Shortbreads

I’ve always heard you’re either a cook or a baker. I’m a baker. Don’t get me wrong; cooking my meals is my favorite part of every day. I feel blessed to have the ability to just instinctively whip things together based on what’s laying around, combine flavors, and to be able to confidently tweak and finagle recipes as I please.  But I find true solace in the set ways and exact finickyness of baking. It’s like a loyal dog. If you have a well-trained and practiced recipe, you can always count on it to turn out exactly right. It will always be there to comfort if you need it. Does that make cooking like cats? They always say you’re either a dog person or a cat person…

Anyway, The only problem is, I don’t have much opportunity to bake too often. You see, as I’ve gotten older, I don’t actually crave sweets too much anymore. It all seems a bit to cloying now and I prefer something light and only slightly sweet like a piece of dark chocolate of a miniature scoop of ice cream each night after dinner.  Yet how does one fulfill their baking needs without suddenly ending up with a house full of desserts that will go stale before a dent is even made in the lot? I do bake a lot of healthy breads for breakfast and often make ice cream knowing it will keep practically indefinitely in the freezer. Also, my current once-weekly pastry internship satisfies my baking needs and has also allowed me to make many deserts I’ve never even tried at home...like tuile string garnishes! And when I do bake at home, I give most of it away. There are few things in this world that please me more than making food for people. But even then I sometimes get the feeling that I’m forcing people, many of whom are trying to avoid all things sugary and indulgent nowadays, into taking something they feel obligated to eat.

With all of this said, I am happy to report the discovery of the perfect recipe for the not-so-sweet toothed yet baking obsessed and single living person. Tough standards, huh? These are cocoa nib shortbreads from Orangette via Alice Medrich and I swear I may never find a better cookie. They come together in about 5 minutes and are wrapped into a log shape in Clingfilm to sit in the fridge or freezer until you decide you want some cookies. You slice off however many you want from the dough log, bake them, enjoy them, and the rest of the dough waits nicely until a cookie craving sneaks up again. After baked they also keep extremely well, as in several weeks well. They even get better with age.

The best part is, they are just perfect in size and subtle in sweetness. They are wafer thin and disintegrate into salty little nibbly crumbs bursting with rich butteriness. The cocoa nibs add a sophisticated crunch and a deep roasted bitterness that I happen to quite like very much. And aren’t they pretty? They remind me almost of a speckled little bird’s egg, nutty brown and not quite round, with a few wobbly organically imperfect edges. They are nice with breakfast, dunked into coffee. I’ll have another alongside a cup of afternoon tea. These are actually great for sharing too if you don’t get too greedy and bake only enough for just you at a time. Just bring the cookie log over to a gathering of family and friends and bake them up right there, creating a warm toffee smell in the air. First off, no one will be able to resist after that aroma but they are so delicate, light and dainty, that it would be hard for even the most health conscious person to go on with life without having at least one. They may seem a little exotic (cocoa nibs?) but I know that even the most picky and cut and dry eaters will enjoy this classy take on the chocolate chip. Like my father, who promptly consumed six in a row the minute I set them on the counter. And he claims to hate chocolate and fancy food things, pshhh.

Cocoa Nib Shortbreads
from Orangette via Alice Medrich
makes 40-50 cookies

Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (you could also use a combo of 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1 cup whole what flour)
14 Tbs. unsalted room temperature butter
½ cup sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup roasted cocoa nibs

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla with the paddle attachment on medium speed for about 2 minutes. You want it to be smooth and lighter but not whipped. Add the cocoa nibs and beat just long enough until they are evenly distributed in the butter. Add the flour and again beat until everything is just mixed.

Dump the dough onto the counter and quickly knead it until it comes together and form it into a rough log shape about 12 inched long. Transfer this to a piece of cling film and tightly wrap it and shape it into a smoother log. Place in the refrigerator to set overnight or at least for a few hours.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 and prepare a baking sheet with parchment or use a baking stone. Unwrap the dough and using a sharp knife, cut off ¼ inch slices and place them on the cookie sheet. Bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes or until the edges are just starting to brown. Let cool on the sheet briefly and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for a few weeks.

Beer Braised Carnitas Tacos

It’s spring break of my senior year at college. I could be writing a quick dash of a blog post in between Pina Coladas on the lido deck and all night karaoke in the seven seas lounge or something along those lines. But no, that would just be a little to college-y for me, and lord knows I’m ready to get as far away as possible from college-y right now (two more months, two more months, two more months). Instead I’m the kid using the week off to catch up on doctor’s appointments, get my emissions inspection, and maybe even study for the midterms waiting for me upon my return. But you know what, it’s all good. It’s also time to read some much-too-neglected books, take the morning to do an hour of peaceful yoga, and sit in the sun with a cup of green tea. Honestly, that’s all I really need.

With spring break comes the frantic feeling that warmer weather is on its way. It signals the time to pack away the long woolen coats, to place our boots back into their boxes until the inevitable nip in the air returns and to change the way that we eat. No longer is my body craving the rich starches and the ever-comforting warmth of soups and stews. We enjoyed our time together but it is time to bid adieu. My mouth now seeks the flavors of the south and southwest. Lime, smoked meats, tomatoes, cumin, seafood, red chilies. My fingers itch to unfurl the grill from its frozen depths. The earth around creaks and groans as it thaws from icy existence and prepares to open up and spout out breathing life.

Though I refused to speed up the warming process and immerse myself in sun and beaches for the week, I did treat myself to a little hint of the atmosphere that comes with the months ahead. On a rare warm day last week, I kicked back on my porch with a book in hand and waited. For what, you may ask. For carnitas to cook, my friends. Yes, carnitas. It even sounds summery, in a tropical and exotic sense the way it rolls off the tongue, begging for you to add a little flair to the pronunciation like carneeetas! It impresses people too. You casually mention that you’re spending the next three hours beer braising some carneeetas and they look at you with wide eyes and say, “wow I thought that was something they could only make at Chipotle.” “I’ve just so happened to master the process,” you could respond, but on the inside you’ll be laughing because you know it took about 5 minutes to put together and the rest of the time is spent leisurely enjoying the intoxicating scent it spews into the air.

Essentially, the fatty meat blips away in beer and some other lovely flavorings until the liquid evaporates. After that, you crank up the heat and let the now meltingly tender pork crisp up in its own rendered fat. After that it’s a simple process of warming up some corn tortillas and filling it with the toppings of choice. The carnitas, almost sweet in flavor, pair well with a tangy offset. I topped my tacos with some pickled red cabbage and apples. I used Farmstead Ferments brand, made locally and fermented naturally, for its super tangy taste, but any pickled or just plain raw red cabbage would work. I also added a dash of sour cream, some chopped tomatoes, avocado slices, and wonderful salty queso fresco. One bite, incorporating a little bit of each taco filling, speaks of nothing but summer bliss. It’s zesty, crunchy, juicy, and packed with so much southwestern flavors that I could almost swear that my surroundings momentary transitioned into a New Mexico landscape. Carnitas, we will meet again soon, not just as the food that will help me through the home stretch of winter, but also as a new potential summer staple.

Beer Braised Carnitas Tacos
Serves 4
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen via Homesick Texan’s recipe

Most people use pork shoulder for carnitas because of the high fat content. Because I was making this for myself and did not feel the need to buy 4 pounds of meat (I do have some self restraint) I went with a two-pound package of boneless country style pork ribs. They provided enough fat to crisp up the pork at the end and allowed me to halve the original recipe so that it serves four (two tacos each) or feeds one person for four nights in a row. Whichever. Also,I used a nice citrusy beer for this recipe. I used New Belgium’s Dig Pale Ale, but any pale ale would probably work. And, if you do not want to use the alcohol, just replace it with water.

Ingredients
1½-2 pounds boneless country style pork ribs
¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
2 Tbs. lime juice
1 clove minced garlic
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. salt
8 oz. beer
water
8 corn tortillas

toppings:
pickled red cabbage (I used Farmstead Ferments)
sour cream
tomatoes, chopped
avocado slices
queso fresco
anything else you’d like (roasted corn, cilantro, tomatillo salsa, etc)

Cut the meat into 2-inch cubes. Throw them into a heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven. Add the orange and lime juices, garlic, cumin, salt, and beer and mix to combine. Then add enough water so that it just covers the meat. Bring the pot to the stove and bring the contents to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the meat cook away for about 1½ to 2 hours without touching the meat but skim away some of the foam residue that gathers on top. If the liquid seems to be evaporating very quickly, add a little more water until the cooking time has reached at least 1½ hours. 

Once the liquid has evaporated and you are left with just the fat at the bottom of the pan, turn the heat up to medium and let the pork cook in the fat for around twenty minutes. Stir the meat gently every so often to let it crisp evenly on all sides. Once it is all nicely browned, transfer the meat to a serving dish.

To serve, warm the tortillas by placing them on a dry, screaming hot frying pan for about 30 seconds per side. Place some meat inside the tortillas and add the toppings of your choice.

February Favorites

Ohhhh my! These past two weeks have been quite the whirlwind of schoolwork schoolwork schoolwork. So now, with a ten-page research paper, a five pager, a twenty-minute and ten-minute presentation, and my month long sculpture project behind me, I can get back to some relaxing recreational writing (insert happy sigh of relief here).

So in the midst of preparing for all of these things, I of course had to resort to some of my favorite procrastination pastimes in my moments of horrendous writer’s block. And by procrastination/stress relief I mean one of three things: looking up recipes, cooking those recipes, and surfing the Internet. So to end the month (can you believe that February is nearly over?) I give you my list of favorite things I found during my paper-writing breaks and my newly found favorite “cooking for one” recipe that I whipped up for lunch a week ago.

May March continue to bring these wonderful warm winter days, lovely St. Patrick’s Day recipes (corned beef, cabbage, and Guinness, oh my!), and lots of relaxing and fun times as a part of my last 8 weeks at college.

Did you watch the Oscar’s last night? Guess I have to go see Hugo and The Artist Now. Loved this dress, this one, and this one.

Speaking of Oscars, I love this dress and drink match-up by Food 52.

Starbucks meets architecture: wish I had a coffee shop to go to like this one.

Not too sure what I think about this…a little dubious

These crack me up sooo much

Can’t wait to check this place out over the summer

To buy books: this one, this one, and this one

This artist, this one, and this designer

Really want to try this out

So innovative

A very unique and nutritious bread recipe

Milkshake

Makes me smile

And a recipe…

Twice Baked Sweet Potato with Roasted Grapes
Serves 1

Ingredients
1 large sweet potato
olive oil
2 Tbs. goat cheese
a handful of whole red grapes
salt and pepper
cinnamon
thyme
honey

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub your sweet potato clean, let it dry, poke it a few times with a fork, and then rub all over with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place of a piece of foil and pop the potato into the oven for 50 minutes to an hour until tender and cooked throughout.

Toss the grapes with the olive oil, some salt and pepper, and a sprinkling of thyme leaves. Place them in an oven proof dish. About 15 minutes before the potato is done, pop the dish of grapes into the oven to roast. They’ll take about 20-25 minutes to become soft, wrinkled and concentrated. When the potato is ready, remove it from the oven, cut a slit long ways down the middle and pinch to open and expose the flesh. Scoop out the flesh and place into a bowl while keeping the skin intact. Mix the flesh with about ¾ of the goat cheese, some honey, a pinch of cinnamon, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and stuff back into the sweet potato skin. Return to the oven for about 5-10 minutes to heat back up.

To serve, take the sweet potato and grapes out of the oven. Top the sweet potato with the remaining goat cheese. Pour over the roasted grapes (make sure you pour over the sweet concentrated juice too), drizzle over some more honey, and top with just a bit more salt and pepper.