In My Kitchen

In My Kitchen – April 2022
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In My Kitchen – April 2022

This post is part of a compendium of posts from kitchens around the world. It’s especially wonderful to drool over the tomatoes and other vegetables harvested by bloggers in the Southern Hemisphere this time of year, when we in the North are struggling to find a creative way to use yet another head of cabbage or bunch of kale. Use the link to Sherrys Pickings to find them and drool away.

My kitchen is not particularly creative these days as I would much rather be outside in the garden. Meals have been on the simple side.

A roast chicken serves us for several meals, it’s a favorite and there are several versions from simple to fancy on this blog. If you have time, do rub a couple of teaspoons of kosher salt over the skin and let the chicken rest, breast side up and uncovered, in the fridge for at least an hour (I’ve left it for 48 hours). Then bring it to room temperature before roasting, about an hour is plenty of time depending on the temperature of your home. Leave the salt on when roasting, the skin will be crackly crisp and the meat tender. That short dry brine makes a huge difference to the final juiciness.

This quick mid-week’s version was coated with a mixture of peach jam and Dijon mustard (1:1) before being popped in the oven. To speed the cooking time, use a smaller roasting dish and open the legs out. It’s usually the inner part of the thigh that takes longer to cook when a chicken is traditionally trussed.

Midweek Roast Chicken with Carrots and Parsnips

Midweek Roast Chicken with Carrots, Onions and Parsnips

There were a few noteworthy dishes though…

For a more robust take on my roast cabbage with cream and parmesan, I made Melissa Clark’s streamlined stuffed cabbage. Ms. Clark is one of my favorite food writers and I find her recipes are frequent winners.

Roast Cabbage Steaks with Cream and Parmesan

Roast Cabbage Steaks with Cream and Parmesan

Her recipe (published in the NY Times) had a paste of garlic, anchovies, parmesan rubbed between the leaves before roasting. A sprinkling of chopped walnuts for the last 10 minutes, and a garnish of more grated parmesan and chopped parsley completed the dish.

Roast Cabbage

Roast Cabbage with Provincial Flavors

It definitely had a ‘South of France’ vibe and was delicious.

In my kitchen I have some new containers to keep my fridge organized. These were a gift from a houseguest who swore by them. They do keep produce fresh much longer.

Fridge organizers

Fridge organizers

But just every bit as valuable, they allow me to see whats in the fridge rather than produce languishing in the back of the vegetable drawer.

In My Kitchen I prepared a Moroccan inspired dinner for friends who are finally departing on a much delayed vacation trip. On the menu was a salad of roasted cauliflower, carrots, couscous, garbanzo beans, currents, almonds and green olives.

Moroccan Salad

Moroccan Salad

As well as an eggplant and tomato spread, feta, stuffed grape leaves, and olives.

Eggplant spread

Eggplant spread

It was a beautiful spring day and we ate outside in the sunshine.

And lastly, our puppy Shanna has yet to meet a vegetable she doesn’t like. Here she is begging for a piece of broccoli stem. Which she promptly ate, and requested more.

In My Kitchen – February 2022
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In My Kitchen – February 2022

If I had to choose my least favorite months of the year they would be February and August. February because it can be a very grey, cold and damp month…winter has dragged on too long for me at this point. August because I am tired of watering, weeding, deadheading and worrying about fire. On the coast August is often grey and foggy and crowded with visitors escaping the inland heat. Those crowds are a mixed blessing. At least most things are empty in February and you can get a seat outside at a restaurant, silver lining.

This post is part of a collection detailing events from kitchens around the world. You can find the others by using this link to Sherry’s Pickings.

So, what’s been happening in my kitchen. I have been going through a cooking slump. After two years of pandemic stay-at-home meals I am bored. What’s the solution? New cookbooks! I started with the title recipe from Midnight Chicken, by Ella Risbridger. Roast chicken has been my own signature dish for years and I always enjoy a new twist. I would say it was a big success judging by the moist flavorful meat and crisp skin. Before roasting the chicken was rubbed with chopped garlic, fresh chilis, rosemary, thyme, grainy mustard, lemon juice and olive oil.

Midnight Chicken

Midnight Chicken

 

Midnight Chicken

Midnight Chicken

The following week I tried the same spiced rub on boneless chicken thighs before quickly grilling them.

Midnight Chicken

Midnight Chicken

I will post the recipe for you, the book is a fun read with some great recipes.

From Eating Out Loud by Eden Grinshpan, I made Fennel, Celery and Mint Salad.

Eating Out Loud

Eating Out Loud

 

Thinly shaved fennel and celery are combined with toasted pine nuts, grated pecorino, fresh mint leaves, and lemon. This is a wonderful salad because it can be made several hours ahead.

Shaved Fennel, Celery and Mint Salad

Shaved Fennel, Celery and Mint Salad

Shaved Fennel, Celery and Mint Salad

Shaved Fennel, Celery and Mint Salad

My other new cookbooks include Grains for Every Season by Joshua McFadden (I love his other cookbook Six Seasons), big little recipes by Emma Laperruque from the group at Food52, and No-Recipe Recipes by Sam Sifton at New York Times Cooking.

Grains for Every Season
Big Little Recipes
No-Recipe Recipes

I’m still exploring the new books and marking pages with dishes I want to try.

While looking through a tall stack of recipe clippings for inspiration, I rediscovered a handwritten recipe called simply MARINADE in my mother’s handwriting. It was almost like she had given me an unexpected hug. It was on her refrigerator for years and I had forgotten about it. I used it as a marinade for a flank steak, which can sometime be a tough cut of meat. You will find the recipe here.

Marinade

Marinade

Marinated and grilled Flank Steak

My Electric Pressure Cooker got a workout for chicken with white beans.

And a dreary cold day called for a simple chicken soup with the surprising addition of hot pickled cherry peppers.

And that’s it for my kitchen. Let me know if you have tried any of the recipes from these cookbooks and have recommendations.

I hope you are all staying well and safe.

In My Kitchen – January 2022
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In My Kitchen – January 2022

Happy New Year everyone!

And here we are…again.

How are you?

I missed posting on IMK last month, the month just got away from me. It was lovely gathering with friends and family for the Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations. I was grateful for every minute we spent together. Our gatherings were small, all of us who were eligible were vaccinated and boosted, and they felt safe. We were careful, so careful. It paid off, everyone is still healthy. What a horrible thing we have to worry about, that you might accidentally infect someone you love!

Hopefully you were able to enjoy the holidays with your loved ones.

We hosted a chili party on New Year’s Day to toast the start of 2022. I meant to take pictures of the chili but we were having way too much fun. Even though it was the coldest day of the season, to date, we managed to have a good time. Our tummies were warmed by chili, our outsides by a fire pit, heat lamps, good friends, and warm winter coats.

Woefully the only pictures I have is of the kitchen the next morning…

New Year’s the morning after
The morning after

The second run of the dishwasher swept them all away. Sadly for us there were very few leftovers.

So, what’s new in my kitchen?

New is this amazing warming tray that kept the various versions of chili hot. I has a large surface so it can hold several large pots. It will be useful for future parties. I am optimistic.

Warming Tray

Warming Tray – Quinn looking on: “what you doing…gonna give me any leftovers?”

I kept the tray just inside the door to the outside deck. Party goers could pop in and fill their bowls with hot chili (get warm for a minute), then add all the trimmings from bowls on a table outside.

In My Kitchen I have some new Christmas cookbooks. I haven’t had a chance to peruse them yet but am looking forward to it. I need inspiration. After two years I have lapsed into a rut as far as meals. We used to have or attend dinner parties once a week, there has been big change these last two years. Hopefully you, kind readers, will see some of the meals in future posts.

Christmas Cookbooks

Christmas Cookbooks

In my kitchen I have this lovely woven bowl in a gorgeous pink color. It was a gift from a long time friend in Florida. My minds eye can see how breathtaking a half dozen lemons will be in it. It came with a molded cloth that is intended to support a bowl in the microwave, and keep your hands from being burned. My friend knows that Paris is my very favorite city in the whole world. They both were made by an artist local to her who is a designer of art and functional objects, named Linda Livingston. Linda can be reached at livingstonlin@icloud.com if you would like to see or learn more about her art.

Woven Bowl
Microwave bowl holder

In my kitchen I have some new flour sack botanical napkins.

Flour Sack Napkins

Flour Sack Napkins

These are from a company called June & December. I really love the simplicity of the botanical embroidery. I crave minimalism in January after all the bling.

In fact, in my kitchen I have lots of napkins of all types and varieties. We use cloth instead of paper napkins and I love having a selection I can match to the food and my mood. These are freshly laundered as we used them for the party. They were given to me by the same thoughtful friend in Florida.

Cloth Napkins

Cloth Napkins

In my kitchen I always have dogs underfoot. Casey at thirteen is endlessly patient with Shanna, the puppy, who wants to cuddle with her. But Casey knows that Shanna is just looking for an opportunity to be naughty.

Casey and Shanna

Casey and Shanna

Shanna is also funny, she has yet to meet a fruit of vegetable she doesn’t adore and she loves ice. These photos were not exactly ‘in’ my kitchen but taken through the French doors of the kitchen looking out into the yard.

Oh Goodie! Ice!
Yum!
Mine, all mine!

She clearly thought the other dogs were about to steal her stash.

The ice had been dumped from ice chests that held the drinks at the party. It was so cold that night that the ice was still on the ground in the morning.

So, here we are again. 2022 feels like an endless rerun.

I know that you may be tired, and anxious, and worried, and perhaps angry. I have been all of those. I think we need to be gentle with ourselves and each other this year. We are fragile.

This quote comes from a newsletter Sarah Bessey wrote, I think it is appropriate for this year.

Be…”Gentle with your words to yourself. Gentle with your expectations. Gentle with your demands. Gentle with your soul. Gentle with your plans, your time, your hours, your sleep. Gentle with your partner, your kids, your people. Gentle with your needs, your wants, your desires. Gentle with your mind and your body.”

I wish you a safe, healthy and happy New Year filled with love.

 

 

In My Kitchen – November 2021
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In My Kitchen – November 2021

Last month was a quiet one in my kitchen. I am not sure where the time went, how can it be suddenly November with Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner? It’s time to start thinking about decorating, and holiday cooking and gift giving. Oh my! We’ve gone for what seems forever without those things and I’ve lost the habit of holiday momentum. That must be a worry of retailers as well as I started to see Christmas catalogs even before Halloween was over. It gets earlier each year. Don’t you just hate that? I am usually tired of the whole thing by the time the actual holiday roles around.

But, I am looking forward to gathering with family and friends with a new sense of thankfulness and appreciation for what is truly valuable in my life.

The cooler wet weather meant it was time to pull out the Instant Pot (electric pressure cooker) for winter soups, stews and long braises. The flavors of this dish were amazing but I think it would have been better with a fattier cut of meat, maybe lamb shanks or a lamb shoulder instead of the leg. Next time.

I won’t post the recipe until I get it perfected.

Instant Pot Moroccan Lamb with Chickpeas

Instant Pot Moroccan Lamb with Chickpeas

In My Kitchen (at the Oakland condo) I have a new sous vide wand. I got tired of toting the one from the Fort Bragg house back and forth so have purchased a second. We will be spending Thanksgiving day with good friends in Oakland and it’s my assignment to cook the turkey since half the guests are vegetarians. I have found sous vide the very best way to cook turkey, most especially the white meat which can be (and usually is) dry and tasteless. But it’s quite delicious cooked slowly sous vide and not dry at all.

Sous Vide Wand

Sous Vide Wand

Overnight Sous Vide Turkey Breast

As a bonus the breast can be cooked ahead and gently reheated before serving.

Sous Vide Turkey Thighs

Sous Vide Turkey Thighs

I will cook a boneless turkey breast and several thighs separately from each other.

The pictures above are from pre-pandemic holidays.

A trip to the Bay Area is not complete without a visit to Trader Joe’s. We have a wonderful grocery store in Fort Bragg and a farm stand just down the street a bit, but no TJs. I haven’t been in to a department store in a couple of years now. Food stores are different, I enjoy browsing what’s new and usually find some interesting things.

I think these colorful felt trivets would make wonderful holiday gifts.

Felt Trivet

Felt Trivet

‘Cauliflower Slims’ are a good bread or tortilla substitute. They make larger ones but I have found they fall apart too easily. These toast up nicely in the toaster oven.

Cauliflower Slims

Cauliflower Slims

Although I can make my own, they also sell pre-riced cauliflower which is very convenient. I substituted it for the rice in this fried rice dish which was spiced with cumin and mixed with peas, scallions, roasted delicata squash, and baby spinach then garnished with pomegranate seeds (also from TJs).

Cauliflower Fried Rice

Cauliflower Fried Rice

Sheet pan dinners are a welcome time saver. I’ve been working my way through sheet pan chicken by Cathy Erway. This was coriander-crusted chicken with crispy chickpeas, fennel and pomegranate.

Coriander-Crusted Chicken with Crispy Chickpeas and Fennel
Coriander-Crusted Chicken with Crispy Chickpeas and Fennel

In the garden the last of the cauliflower had started to bolt, they weren’t nice firm solid heads anymore. But I actually loved that, when roasted, those looser heads resulted in more crispy bits. My favorite.

This was another sheet pan dinner with cauliflower, new potatoes and olives.

This orchid was a house warming gift last October, it has bloomed continuously for over a year. I can see it from my kitchen in the Oakland condo. Orchids are the perfect houseplant for as they thrive on neglect. The only time I’ve killed one is when I overwatered it. This one is beautiful.

We took the dogs (yes, all three) to the condo. It was Shanna’s first time in the city. Country girl turned city girl.

Shanna - first city view

Shanna – first city view

I could watch her from the kitchen. She was absolutely fascinated by the activity in the streets below and the birds flying at her eye height.

We thought she might find the trains (the AmTrack station is next door) frightening but she took everything in stride. She did want to make friends with everyone we saw on our walks, probably more people and dogs than she had seen in the total combined first 6 months of her life.

That’s it for me this month. This post is part of a monthly round up from kitchens around the world hosted by Sherry of Sherry’s Pickings. Please stop by and consider adding your own post to In My Kitchen.

 

In My Kitchen – October 2021
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In My Kitchen – October 2021

In my kitchen there is much laughter. Laughter at the antics of puppy Shanna who is now four months old. Watching her encounter new things is almost as much fun as watching a two year old’s first sight of a giraffe. She likes carrots, and pears, and red pepper. Cauliflower, not so much. A small piece of raw cauliflower fell on the kitchen floor when I was making a sheet pan dinner of cauliflower, broccoli and potatoes. Of course she immediately pounced on it as a prize, only to spit it out and stare at it. She tried it again, same result. After three tries she proceeded to attack it, growling as if it were alive. I couldn’t stop laughing.

Shanna

Shanna – I can’t believe you expected me to eat that thing

The cauliflower, potatoes and broccoli came from the garden. I am having trouble eating them before they bolt as everything was ready at the same time. I wish you could buy variety pack starts. Maybe each with 2 broccoli, 2 cauliflower and 2 kale.

Sheet Pan Cauliflower, Potatoes and Broccoli - ready for the oven

Sheet Pan Cauliflower, Potatoes and Broccoli – ready for the oven

They were delicious though, roasted until slightly charred with crispy bits.

Sheet Pan Cauliflower, Potatoes and Broccoli

Sheet Pan Cauliflower, Potatoes and Broccoli

I served it with a dollop of whole milk ricotta on the side.

I am not a big fan of the pumpkin spice craze but I do love the scent of cinnamon, especially with our current chilly fall evenings. This braised chicken dinner with cumin and cinnamon was a big hit. The house smelled amazing while it was cooking. It was simply served with a side of steamed rice and an arugula salad.

Braised Chicken with Tomatoes, Cinnamon, and Cumin

Braised Chicken with Tomatoes, Cinnamon, and Cumin

In my kitchen bookcase I have a variety of new cookbooks. Melissa Clark is one of my favorite writers and I couldn’t resist her books featuring the electric pressure cooker or the Instant Pot. I don’t use that appliance much during the spring or summer. But once the cooler and wetter weather of autumn comes around, I find it an invaluable resource for quick meals or soups or braised dishes.

October 2021 new cookbooks

October 2021 new cookbooks

The Milk Street Cookbooks were purchased on a whim but I find them more useful and interesting than I first imagined. The others were gifts for my birthday (as my mother used to say…”to me, from me, love me”). I have a weakness for cookbooks and quite a collection. There is nothing better than sitting by the fire with a cup of tea and a new cookbook to peruse, although seed catalogs are also excellent in that situation. They are both the stuff of dreams.

I will be posting from them. Stay tuned.

I’ve had the Sheet Pan Chicken cookbook for several weeks, the chicken roasted with baharat came from it.

Also the idea to add a crown of kale to the sheet pan for the last few minutes to crisp.

kale

crown of roasted kale

I love it when a cookbook results in new ideas.

I look forward to sharing my favorites with you.

Lastly in my kitchen I have a puppy who is always ready for a belly rub. Forget the cauliflower.

Shanna begging for a belly rub

Shanna begging for a belly rub – who could resist

I am contributing this kitchen catch-up to Sherrys Pickings: In My Kitchen, a monthly summary from kitchens around the world. Please join us and consider adding your own notes.