I hate potatoes

Sweet Potato GnocchiSorry tubers, but I've never been a fan.  I do have fond memories of growing potatoes as a kid, especially the harvesting (i.e. digging in the dirt) part.  I just don't like eating them.  I think it's a texture issue--they are too mushy and starchy.  This attribute makes potatoes a great ingredient to use in soups, sauces (potato starch is a good thickening agent), and of course dumplings.

Besides using potatoes to make pie, I love making gnocchi.  Gnocchi are actually a bit challenging to make.  You have to add enough flour and knead them enough so that they don't fall apart when you cook them.  Yet, if you add too much flour or over knead them, you get lead sinkers instead of light, fluffy dumplings.  My advice is don't be afraid to get up close and personal with the dough.  It should be somewhat moist, but not too sticky.  Knead it to activate the gluten, but remember, you aren't making bread!Duo of Gnocchi with Roasted Red Pepper Pesto and Blue Cheese Sauce

Gnocchi are great vessels for delicious sauces.  I made two different sauces--roasted red pepper pesto and a blue cheese sauce--for my sweet potato gnocchi.  It was delicious.

So maybe I don't hate potatoes.  I just strongly dislike them.

A Perfect Day for Chicken Soup

Homemade Chicken SoupIt's a pretty miserable day in Washington.  Maybe it's the cold and wet and cold weather, or maybe I'm just trying to procrastinate changing my closets from summer to winter clothes, but I gave into a craving and decided to make chicken soup.  My grandmother was a terrible cook except for her chicken soup.  I still use her recipe with a few additions.  Here are some keys to good chicken soup:

• Don't add too much water--since chickens vary in size, only add enough water to cover the chicken.  The vegetables you add to the soup give off a lot of water (and flavor)
• Parsnips are crucial--parsnips look like a white carrot, but they are much, much sweeter.  They add a lot of flavor to the broth.
• Make the soup the day before you want to eat it--ok, I cheated today and had some for lunch, but it does taste better the next day once all of the flavors come together.  It also allows you to skim the fat off the top of the soup once it solidifies in the refrigerator.
• The soup is done when the lima beans are cooked-- seriously.  
• Always add flanken when you make the soup--flanken are beef short ribs cut from the center of the rib.  If you can't find flanken, use beef short ribs.  They add a lot of flavor to the soup.
• Don't be afraid to use salt--You don't want the soup to be salty, but salt adds a ton of flavor.
• Chicken Soup always makes you feel better!

MMMMM......Doughnuts

I don't know if it is my favorite season, but I do love fall.  I made a trip up North to visit my mom.  The pre-trip conversation went something like this.  Mom, "Make sure you pack warm clothes because it's going to be 50."  Me: "at night?"  Mom, "no that is the high."  If she hadn't promised to get me cider donuts, I'm not sure I would have traded in the 70 degree dc Indian summer for true fall. 

It was worth it.  I don't even like doughnuts, with the notable exception of cider donuts.  Cider donuts are (shockingly) made with apple cider.  The donut is only as good as the cider used to make it.  It should be light and fluffy, not greasy, and not too spicy so that you can really taste the apple flavor.  If you are in NY in the fall, I recommend stopping at Golden Harvest Farms for a donut and a glass of cider.  Your waistline will forgive you.

Panko Crusted Veal Medallions with Prosciutto, Tomato and MozzarellaBecause one can't live on cider doughnuts alone (or can they?) my mom and I made Panko Crusted Veal cutlets with tomatoes, prosciutto and mozzarella.  I had seen Panko crumbs used on TV shows before, however I never experimented with them.  What a mistake.  Panko crumbs are Japanese style bread crumbs made from the center piece of the bread so they are bigger and fluffier then normal bread crumbs.  I dredged the veal in a mixture of flour, garlic, salt, and thyme followed by a quick dip in an egg bath and then the panko crumbs.  The crust was flavorful, but the most significant difference was the light yet crunchy texture.  Thanks mom for introducing me to a fun new ingredient!

By the way, I am dedicating tonight and tomorrow night to updating the recipe page! 

The Demise of Gourmet

I was pretty surprised today to learn that Conde Nast will no longer publish Gourmet magazine.   As of October 20th, instead of browsing through the articles about food and cooking, you can read "Details Magazine," a new magazine that Conde Nast is launching which advertises, "More Celebs.  More Styles.  More Douchebags."  Seriously.  I'm not joking.  

I am not a subscriber to Gourmet, although I have purchased the magazine on occasion.  However, I hope that this closure doesn't harken the end of the food magazine.   One reporter, who clearly has not heard about the newest exciting addition to the Conde Nast family, speculated that Gourmet is ceasing publication after 68 years because more people get their recipes on line.  While this may be true, and as a blogger there is a part of me that hopes this is true, this commentary misses the point of food magazines.  Food magazines aren't simply about the recipes.  It's about about looking at the pictures, reading about new ingredients, and learning about new chefs and restaurants.  Above all else, it's about inspiring cooks to create new dishes and be passionate about food.

Gourmet Magazine, rest in peace.  I hope that Klutz in the Kitchen will survive for half as long!

Luck

I'm definitely a lucky person.  I have a great family, great friends, and a great life in general. Good things seem to just happen to me.  That is until I get on my bicycle.  It all started several years ago, when the most reliable bike shop in New Mexico improperly installed the rear derailleur on my bike.  There I was practicing clipping in and out of my new pedals when all of a sudden the bolt fell out of the derailleur and the derailleur lodged itself into the back wheel of my bike, leaving me and my bike in a tangled heap on the ground.  Since then there have been multiple crashes, one including a Mac truck (I won't go into details) and a particularly spectacular crash today while I was biking with my husband, enjoying the beautiful day and the WO&D trail.  Since the incident with the truck, I prefer bike trails to the open road.  My mistake.  We were under a bridge biking along a pastoral little stream when a biker shoots around a blind turn IN MY LANE heading straight for me.  There was nothing I could do except yell several profanities and brace for the head on impact.  It wasn't pretty.

MoussakaSo what does any of this have to do with food?  Absolutely nothing except for the fact I really need to cook dinner tonight to decompress.  I purchased some beautiful eggplant at the farmer's market this morning, so I think I am going to make moussaka with roasted garlic pasta.  I love moussaka.  It is a lot of work--not difficult, but just involves many steps.  The results, however, are worth it.  Instead of frying the eggplant, I bake it in the oven.  It's less greasy and the results are just as good.  For my filling, a use a combination of lamb, tomatoes, red wine, cinnamon, mint, nutmeg, cloves, garlic and onions.  It is savory and delicious.  I bought some nice looking mushrooms in the market, so I think I will throw those into the filling as well.  As is traditional, I place a layer the eggplant on the bottom of the pan.  I then add all of the filling followed by another layer of eggplant and then bechemel sauce on top.  You cook the moussaka until it is golden and bubbly.

It's already 5:30!  Unless we want a midnight snack, I better go cook!