A cooking memoir? Oh boy.

A blast from the past, when Dunkin was Dunkin Donuts:

What the heck?, you may ask.

When I came back to land-side life in mid-2013, I started a "long winter nights" project at the place on Kent Island to archive favorite recipes and their stories. I listed ~34 recipes about which I knew I had stories and then I added a second page to capture a list of recipes we had collected for Stooges (some of which are on this blog, though not all).  The first group needed their stories; I've done most of them but still have a few to write.  The Stooges/Raconteur/Caribbean repertoire mostly had notes already, so those I just put into the same plastic sleeves as-is; there were another ~24 on that list. I sat down one day in Guilford last year and pawed through a bunch of "maybe's" that I had been piling up - 10 years worth, more or less - magazine recipes, tons of Internet printed recipes from various sources, more very old recipe cards (example: Scalloped Tomatoes taken from a Hunt's can a million years ago) - and began choosing some to add to the binder.

Each binder page has a hole-punched plastic sleeve, the recipe in its original form (THIS includes the Dunkin Donuts napkin from ?1990 ish on which I wrote - scribbled is a better term for it - Mama Stamberg's Shocking Pink Cranberry Relish recipe, as her daughter Susan read on NPR for years), and a piece of white printer paper on which I've written the story - a story - about each. As it stands today, the binder has a little over 50 of these sleeves, but the collection of recipes in various forms - plus a large binder that Susan started - are sitting in a lidded plastic storage box under the futon bed in the loft in Guilford, alongside a stack of Bon Appetit magazines for review, more of the plastic sleeves, a few more selections not yet in the book...you get the idea.

The memoir writing project, focused as it is on houses, has both drawn me away from this effort, and kept it in my peripheral vision - I know the stories contain some nuggets of interest, and of course I wrote the essay about mom and me in the kitchen that was theoretically going to include recipes, also unfinished.

I know this falls under "never enough time" - not enough time in the day, the week, the month, the year - an not enough years left, either. 

Here's an actual recipe, a roasted tomato soup that anticipates tomato season (we no longer grow our own - too much work to ward off the pestilences) but that works with store-bought tomatoes in chilly weather too. From the late, great Gourmet Magazine, August of 2009 (Maggie Ruggiero).  I made this for my niece years ago - not long after Reese was born, in 2013 - and it's a favorite.

ROASTED TOMATO SOUP

Yield: Makes about 8 cups     Active Time: 20 minutes    Total time: 1hr 45m

INGREDIENTS:

4 pounds tomatoes, halved lengthwise

6 garlic cloves, left unpeeled

3 T EVOO

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1/2 t dried marjoram [note: I never use oregano; I always substitute marjoram]

2 t sugar

2 T unsalted butter

3 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup heavy cream

Accompaniment: parmesan wafers (see below)

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350F with rack in the middle.

2. Arrange tomatoes, cut side down, in 1 layer in a large 4-sided sheet pan and add garlic to pan. Drizzle tomatoes with oil and sprinkle with 1/2t salt and 1/4t black pepper.

3. Roast tomatoes and garlic 1 hour, then cool in pan.  Peel garlic cloves.

4. Cook onion, marjoram, and sugar in butter in a 6-8 quart heavy pot over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.

5. Add tomatoes, garlic, and stock and simmer, covered, 20 minutes.

6. Puree soup in an immersion blender (or in batches in a standard blender), then force through a sieve into cleaned pot, discarding solids. Stir in cream and salt and pepper to taste and simmer 2 minutes. 

Divide soup among 8 bowls and float one parmesan wafer in center of each.

PARMESAN WAFERS

Cooks' note: Wafers can be made 2 days ahead and kept, layered between sheets of parchment or wax paper, in an airtight container at room temperature.

INGREDIENT:

2 ounces ungrated Parmesan cheese, or 3/4 cup store-bought shredded (not grated)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400ºF. Meanwhile, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Grate 2 ounces Parmesan cheese on the smaller (not smallest) holes of a box grater into fine shreds (about 3/4 cup).

2. Spoon the cheese onto the baking sheet in 12 piles (about 1 tablespoon each), spacing them evenly apart. Gently pat each pile into an even 2 1/2-inch round with your fingers.

3. Bake until evenly light golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Let cool for at least 3 minutes on the baking sheet, they will crisp up as they cool. Loosen with a thin knife or offset spatula. If they are not as crisp as you’d like, return to the oven, checking every minute, until slightly darker in color. If making more than one batch, blot the excess oil from the baking sheet with paper towels before reusing.

I'll keep trying to capture some of these here from time to time, and someday I'll finish the binder, too.

Afloat again, at long last

We left Raconteur on the hard for about 19 or so months. We’ve been immersed in the design (summer 2017 to spring 2018) and construction (July 2018 - now) of a house in Guilford, Connecticut designed by our son-in-law Rus and his firm, GRT Architects, and build by the incomparable Rich Gagliardi and an amazing team of builders, craftsmen and artisans. 
It was a loooong time to leave a sailboat on the hard; JP and Susan have overseen and dived into the restoration or replacement of nearly every major system on board: electrical, solar, main engine, dinghy engine, water maker, plumbing...and now I’m here in Grenada to enjoy the results for a few days. We’re in Mt. Hartmann after a few nights in Prickly. We’ve done a couple of moderate walks to dine at Spice Affair and Secret Harbor. Tonight, taxi (vs. very wet dinghy ride) to Nimrods in Lower Woburn for food and cruisers jam night. Our old friends Magus made their way into Mt Hartmann overnight but we haven’t hailed them yet. Off to the shopping bus tomorrow: Food Fair for fruits and veggies, IGA for everything else, then doubles and cappuccino! What’s not to love?
Weather is that wonderful mix of winter warm and Caribbean cool, with regular rain showers and the odd gully washer. 
It’s going to be a short-ish season, probably; JP and Susan will make their way to Europe to see Roger, take a river cruise and see Ken and Indrani in Zagreb in early May. I may get down to the islands for a second visit, or not. Planning on a real sailing season in 20-21, and maybe a discussion about when (if ever) to head north. A few photos of familiar spots, just for a little color.  

Spiced Lamb and Riced Cauliflower Stuffed Bell Peppers

Very tasty keto version of a Mediterranean / North African favorite. Good one-dish meal.

Ingredients
6 red and/or yellow bell peppers
1 lb ground lamb
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp moroccan spice
2 tsp Za'atar
3 tsp Harissa paste
EVOO
2 small onions minced
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 cups riced cauliflower toasted
2 T chopped fresh parsley

Preparation
Toast pine nuts stovetop and set aside
Toast riced cauliflower under broiler on baking sheet, ca 10 min., set aside
Set oven to 350F
Mix lamb and all spices thoroughly in a bowl
Brown lamb in 1 T EVOO, separating the meat completely, set aside
Sautée onions in 1 T EVOO until tender.
Mix meat, cauliflower, onions, chopped parsley and pine nuts in a bowl, adding salt and pepper to taste

Cut bell peppers lengthwise, remove stems and seeds, place in large baking dish
Fill the peppers with the mixture, pressing lightly and slightly mounded
Set peppers in baking dish holding them snugly; cover tightly with aluminium foil
Bake for 40 minutes
Uncover and broil until top is slightly crusted, 10 min.

Serve warm or room temperature.

Post Election Italian Sausage Pasta

In times that try men's and women's souls, nothing like pasta.

Ingredients

1 lb mild Italian sausage
1 lb hot Italian sausage
2 small packs mixed portobello / shitake / hen of the woods mushrooms
1 bunch green asparagus
1 large can peeled tomatoes
8 oz chicken broth
2 oz red wine
1 yellow onion
4 cloves garlic
2 chopped anchovies
4 basil leaves, chopped
EVOO
Butter
Salt, pepper

1 lb hard Italian pasta (orechiette, penne or similar)

Preparation

a) in a frying pan, cook the Italian sausage in EVOO until 3/4 done. Let cool and slice in 1/2 inch slices; set aside

b) in a frying pan, lightly sauté the mushrooms in 1/2 butter 1/2 EVOO with salt and pepper; set aside

c) cut the asparagus into 1" segments, discard the bottom half of each stem. In a frying pan over high heat, sauté the asparagus until browned; set aside

d) in a large sauteuse, cook the onion and garlic in EVOO until tender; add the can of tomatoes, the anchovies, the sausage slices, and the chicken broth. 
Bring to a hard simmer and reduce for 20 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and continue to lightly simmer.
When the consistency is just liquid, add the asparagus tips and remove from heat

e) meanwhile, cook the pasta in salt water and drain

f) ladle part of the sauce on the cooked pasta, garnish with the chopped basil and serve, together with reserved sauce in a side dish.

Not creole for a change: Sage and Rosemary Pork Stew

10 May 14

When one starts yearning for familiar tastes, one can go to the omnipresent KFC / ... / ... or hit the cheeseburger in paradise. But island markets yield all the necessary ingredients for comfort food. Here is one example.

Sage and Rosemary Pork Stew

Adapted from recipe by PorkBeInspired.com with thanks

Times:

15 minutes prep, 50 minutes cook

Ingredients:

2 pound boneless pork shoulder roast , cut into 3/4-inch cubes – if you have the bone, include it in the simmering phases, then remove before adding the roux
2 T oil
3-4 c veggie broth or water
1/2 c green onions, sliced (or any onion)
2 tsp fresh rosemary
1 T fresh sage (or more)
1 tsp salt, to taste
1/2 tsp pepper or more

2+ c potatoes, cubed (if you can get new potatoes leave them unpeeled)
1/2 pound fresh string beans, cut
Roux:

6 T flour, 4 T butter, I c milk

Cooking Directions:

Heat oil in Dutch oven. Salt and pepper pork cubes and brown over medium-high heat. Stir in onions and sauté in for a few minutes.  Add broth and seasonings. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Stir in potatoes and beans (add beans a bit later if you like them al dente); simmer 15-20 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, prepare roux. Gradually stir roux into stew once vegetables are tender. Cook and stir until thickened. Serve with rice, or in a bowl all by itself.

Serves 6

"Baingan Gumbo"

We had eggplants; we had okra.  So we decided to convert an eggplant curry recipe to a combo.  The two were good together.  Make sure you simmer until veggies are very tender.

Ingredients

3 small eggplants, unpeeled, cubed
ca 20 okra pods, cut crosswise 1 1/2 inch segments
2 onions, roughly chopped
3 tomatoes chopped or 300g fresh tomato coulis
1 1/2 inch ginger, minced
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp curry powder
1/2 Tbsp geera or ground cumin
1/2 Tbsp amchar masala or garam masala or anything else you like

Steps

Saute the onions, ginger and pepper flakes until fragrant; add the garlic and spices.
Fry for 3 minutes
Add the eggplant and okra and cook 5 minutes - add a bit of water if needed as you go.
Add the tomatoes and simmer until all vegetables are tender and sauce thickens some. Add salt to taste.

Jamaican Goat Curry

Back in the Caribbean, it is time again for this great and healthy meat, so hard to get in the US, yes GOAT. Here in the form of a Jamaican goat curry, modified with thanks from the recipe by Hank Shaw to reduce cooking time and propane burn.







Ingredients

• 2 lb cubed goat  (goat stew)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 6 Tbsp curry powder
• 1 Tbsp allspice (see step 1)
• Salt
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 chopped habanero pepper, or 2 Tbsp Matouk hot sauce
• 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 head of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 small can of diced or crushed tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp dried thyme
• 2-3 cups water
• 5 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

Preparation

• Bring the meat to room temperature and pat it dry; salt it
• Mix the Allspice and Curry powder (spice)
• Heat the oil in a pressure cooker over medium high; add 2 Tbsp of spice and heat for 1 minute
• Brown the meat cubes and any bones on all sides, in small batches
• Remove the meat to a bowl and sauté the onions until light brown. Add the ginger, garlic and pepper or hot sauce and heat for 1 minute
• Return the meat, bone and juices to the cooker; pour in the water, coconut milk, tomatoes, thyme and the rest of the spice; stir well
• Pressure cook for 45 minutes 
•  De pressurize cooker, add potatoes and fast simmer for 20 minutes.

• Let cool, skim grease and remove bones

The curry can now be eaten, or better, let to rest and reheated the next day. Served with rice or quinoa pilaw or beans and rice.