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Posts from the ‘Omnivore’ Category

Taking Stock From Thanksgiving

Anytime stock pot

After the excesses of Thanksgiving, I like to have a few days of brothy soups to clear the body of all that stuffing. I am always surprised by how easy it is to make a nourishing bowl of aromatic broth from modest beginnings. Think of it — an old carcass, some water and a paltry handful of vegetables, add some heat, skim a bit and soon you have a steaming bowl of flavorful stock — really, turning dust into gold is nothing compared with this type of alchemy.

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BROTHY MEALS

Once you’ve made a nice pot of stock, here are some ideas for filling, broth-based meals.

CHICKEN BREASTS POACHED IN GINGER BROTH WITH RICE

Poach a couple of boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a quart or two of stock infused with gratings of fresh ginger, a star anise or perhaps a stalk of Read more

Halloween Goodness

Halloween is over (and I’m not even going to go into the issue of what to do with the candy because you know what needs to be done….) The point is that there are still pumpkins to be had in the market, their seeds begging to be rinsed, roasted and eaten. These crunchy gems are a great protein-rich snack, Read more

A Quick Quinoa Primer

Cooked quinoa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quinoa is often referred to as a grain, but in fact, it is a seed. Some compare it to couscous, but I think it is lighter and more flavorful. Favored by the Incas, quinoa cooks up quickly, is high in protein and delicious. Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) has recently made the leap from the health food store to the grocery store with good reason. Vegetarians love it because of the protein content; I love it because it is yummy and cooks in about 10 minutes.

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Farro and Cherry Tomato Salad with Pecorino

Books For Cooks, a wonderful bookstore in London, publishes a small anthology of favorite recipes every year.  The following is adapted from Jennifer Joyce’s Small Bites and excerpted in Book for Cooks Vol. 7.  I usually soak farro in advance for several hours or overnight to reduce the cooking time.

1 cup whole grain farro (not pearled)
1 small red onion, finely chopped
Juice of  1 lemon
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and black pepper
3 stalks, celery, finely chopped
2 ounces Pecorino cheese, grated, coursely
1/4 cup currants, soaked in hot water
Chopped mint, basil, parsley
6 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tsp runny honey

Soak the farro for several hours or overnight.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the faro, return the water to a boil, reduce and simmer, covered, for 30-40 minutes (depending on how long you’ve soaked the grain).

In the meantime, marinate the chopped red onion in the lemon juice — this will help to reduce the harshness of the onion.  Preheat the oven to 350F.  Place the cherry tomatoes in a shallow roasting pan with a drizzle of olive oil.   Roast for 20 minutes or until some tomatoes are softened and some are burst.   For the vinaigrette, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and honey in a bowl.

Toss the cooked farro with the red onion and lemon juice and then add in the roasted cherry tomatoes, chopped celery, grated Pecorino cheese, soaked currents and herbs  Toss with the vinaigrette and serve.

Serves 4

Snack of the Month: Cherry Tomatoes

I’m always thankful for cherry tomatoes. They are a good source of Vitamins A, C and K as well as potassium, manganese and fiber. I find if I keep a bowl on the kitchen counter, the kids gobble them up. True, they are high in sugar, but better a cherry tomato than a cherry twizzler! They are lovely roasted and tossed in a whole grain salad, as you will see with the farro salad described here.   Roasted or sautéed they are lovely, but there is nothing to compare to the burst of cherry tomato sunshine  just picked off the vine at your local CSA.

 

 

 

Grains Of Truth

Why is everyone so hepped on whole grains these days and what is a whole grain, anyway?  The WHOLE GRAIN refers to a grain which still has its bran and germ intact. In the days before sensible dentistry, many people wanted softer, smushier food; removing the bran and germ created just that. In addition, the bran and germ spoil more easily, so removing them extended the shelf life of the grain: food manufacturers were ecstatic! Finally, the denuded products were easier to digest — producing less of that embarrassing gas. Sounds great, doesn’t it — mushy white food that lasts forever and can pass through your body without any work by your digestive tract! Neat!

You may have guessed by now that most of the essential nutrients and fiber in a grain are located in the very bran and germ that are removed in the refining process. Working on the presumption that you are eating in order to nourish your body, dining on refined grains such as white flour, white rice, white pasta and pearl barley is akin to sending in the artillery without any ammunition — pointless.

I can already hear you folks in the back saying, Read more