Pro Bono Baker

Warm Wild Rice Salad

I had quite a whirlwind weekend.  I was up at 6 am for marathon training on Saturday, met my mother at an Alzheimer's convention near the airport, and then drove with her to attend the Visakha day festival in Woodstock. Sunday morning I had an appointment with my dentist, followed by brunch with my father's side of the family, followed by a short visit with my maternal grandmother, a long drive back to Chicago, and a short run with a friend. 

The point of the entire visit was to retrieve my parent's van in order to retrieve Nick from school later this week.  It will be nice to have him back and a relief to never take the Chicago to Champaign leg of the Amtrak line ever again.  I'm looking forward to slower weekends, evening walks, and dinner parties.

I've recently found that when I'm feeling rundown and overwhelmed, a warm bowl of wild rice, bright vegetables and pillows of goat cheese can make for a soothing evening.  Here is simple recipe that yields impressive results.

Warm Wild Rice Salad
Serves 2 - 3

Ingredients

1 C wild rice (I use Lundberg rice)
Water
Vegetable bullion
.5 C slivered almonds
1 Tbl olive oil
10 cherry tomatoes
15 stalks of asparagus
3 garlic cloves
1 Tbl chopped basil from a jar (or 2 Tbl fresh)
2 oz goat cheese
salt and pepper

Method

Cook the rice according to package instructions.  (Add the amount of water called for and enough bouillon for the water volume.)  It will take about 50 minutes for the rice to cook.

Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes in half.  Trim the asparagus and cut into one inch pieces.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a skillet.  Using a garlic press, press the garlic directly into the pan (if you do not have a garlic press, mincing the garlic works fine).  Add the vegetables and toss frequently.  Season with salt and pepper.  Near the end of cooking (when the asparagus is bright and tender, and the tomato skins are blistering), add the basil and toss to coat.

When the wild rice is done, combine the rice and the vegetables in a large serving bowl, add small pieces of goat cheese, the slivered almonds, and toss. Season to taste.

Twice-Baked Potatoes

Recipe from the archives.

I am not a runner.  I have been an enthusiastic swimmer and an occasional biker in the past, but running always seemed out of my reach.  Amazingly, I just signed up to run the Chicago Half Marathon on September 14.  I will be running with the National AIDS Foundation and working towards a $1,500 fundraising goal.

I'm runner number 0440 and I start training this Saturday at 7 a.m.  I started a new blog to track my progress. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to my funding goal, you can do so by visiting my AIDS Marathon page.

It was 38 degrees in Chicago today.  Time to (briefly) turn on the heat again, fire up the oven and enjoy a warm twice-baked potato.

Twice-Baked Potato with Vegetables

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 baking potato
.5 Tbl olive oil
.25 Tbl Balsamic vinegar
.5 C broccoli rabe
.5 C sweet corn kernels
.25 cherry tomatoes, sliced
.5 mushrooms, sliced
.5 to 1 C buttermilk, shaken
1 Tbl fresh dill
1 Tbl Cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper

Method

Clean the potato and poke holes all over with a fork.  Wrap in tin foil and bake for about an hour at 375F.

When the potato is nearly finished baking, heat the olive oil and Balsamic vinegar over medium heat. Add all the vegetables and saute for about 5 minutes. Salt and Pepper to taste.

Slice the potato in half longways and gently remove all but a small amount of potato from the skins. Put the insides in a bowl and mix in the buttermilk to taste (judge the desired texture before adding too much). Mix in the dill and add the vegetables. Combine well. Spoon heaping amounts of the mixture into the potato skins. Transfer the filled potato skins to a tin foil lined baking sheet. Top with Cheddar cheese and bake for 10 minutes more at 375F.

Colcannon

The carbohydrate-phobia that swept the country a few years ago really took a toll on the lowly potato. While it is often thought to lack any kind of nutritional content, it is actually a great source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, and fiber.  Colcannon is a comforting Irish dish made of mashed potatoes and either kale or cabbage.  Many variations of this dish exist, but I like to add shallots, garlic, and sometimes a bit of grated Parmesan to flavor it.

Colcannon
Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients

4 baking potatoes, chopped into 1" cubes
2 C kale, chopped
2 Tbl olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 C warm milk or cream (or more to taste)
4 Tbl butter, plus extra
salt and pepper to taste

Method

Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender.  (I always leave the skins on, but feel free to modify.)  Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add the shallot, garlic and kale. Cook until the kale is tender and reduced in volume.

Drain the potatoes and return to the pot.  Mix in milk, butter, salt and pepper to taste. Add the kale mixture and combine well.  Serve warm with a pat of butter or a drizzle of olive oil.

Simple Broccoli Salad

This past Easter, my Uncles Jack and Dave hosted us for a laid-back afternoon of food and drinks.  The light in their house is gorgeous and I couldn't keep myself from taking pictures of all the beautiful food (and their Burmese cats).  One dish that I really enjoyed was a simple, sweet and savory broccoli salad that Dave made.  I recently asked him for the recipe and made a dinner of it this week.

Dave's Broccoli Salad

Ingredients

6 C of fresh broccoli florets (blanched if you prefer)
.25 of a red onion (or to taste), thinly sliced in half inch pieces
.5 C dried cranberries
.5 C sunflower seeds
mayonnaise
sugar

Method

Toss the first four ingredients together in a medium sized bowl.  To make the dressing, combine the mayonnaise with sugar to taste (the dressing should be slightly sweet).  Make enough dressing to thinly coat all of the broccoli.  Toss the dressing with the other ingredients.  Cover the salad and chill in the refrigerator for about an hour.   Before serving, toss the salad to re-distribute the dressing.

As requested, a photo of one of their cats.

Savory Waffles with Pea & Chive Soup

From the archives.

The weather in Chicago has been keeping residents on their toes.  Over the last couple weeks we have experienced snow, rain, hail, thunderstorms, blinding fog and temperatures ranging from the mid-50s to well below zero. There are lakes of slush and water at every crosswalk, and small mountains of snow marking the property lines of the few residents who shovel. I have been wearing my unfashionable, yet well-loved Asolo hiking boots in order to make my commute from Logan Square to the Ukrainian Village sure-footed and waterproof.

Here is a perfect pairing of recipes for these unpredictable winter nights.

Chive & Sour Cream Waffles
Makes 12 Waffles

Ingredients

1 C unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 C yellow cornmeal
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbl baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 stick butter-melted
1 C milk- warmed
1/2 C sour cream
3 large eggs at room temp.
1 Tbl mustard
1 Tbl chopped fresh chives
1 Tbl grated Cheddar cheese

Method

Combine all dry ingredients (including chives and cheese) in a large
bowl.  Make a well in the center.

In a separate bowl combine all wet ingredients, beating eggs thoroughly.

Add wet ingredients to the well of the dry ingredients and mix until
just combined.  Do not over-mix.

Let rest for 10 min.

Heat waffle iron.

Place 1/4 C of batter onto each waffle portion and cook for 3-5 min.
or until steam ceases to escape from the iron.

Pea & Chive Soup
Serves 6

Ingredients

1 small onion, finely chopped
2 Tbl butter
1 potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tsp salt
2 lbs frozen peas
5 C vegetable stock
1/4 C chopped chives (reserve some for garnish if you wish)
1/2 C milk
1/2 C sour cream

Method

Melt the butter over medium heat and cook onion in a large, deep
skillet or stockpot until tender. About 2 min.

Add potato and salt and cook about 2 min. more.

Add 3 C stock, cover, and let simmer for about 10 min.

Add peas and simmer uncovered for 3 min. or until peas are tender.

Stir in the chives and the remaining 2 C of stock.

Remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender--strain if desired.

Whisk in milk and sour cream.  Season with salt and pepper.
Reheat if needed but do not allow to boil.
Garnish with a few chives and a dollop of sour cream.

Sesame Baked Tofu

Rich and nutty pieces of baked tofu are perfect for adding to stir-fry or curry dishes, but they are also delicious on their own.  Extra-firm tofu will hold up well to the marinating called for in this recipe, though some types of firm tofu will work fine as well. If you are worried that your tofu is too delicate, wrap the tofu slices in clean tea towels, place a plate on top, and a heavy pot or bag of flour on top of that.  Let sit for half an hour.  As the water in the tofu is absorbed into the towels, the tofu will become sturdier.  Dark sesame oil is made from toasted sesame seeds and gives this dish a deeper flavor.  Light sesame oil can also be used.

Sesame Baked Tofu

Ingredients

1 lb extra-firm tofu, patted dry and cut into slices 1/2 inch thick
6 Tbl soy sauce
3 Tbl dark sesame oil
3 Tbl vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 Tbl sesame seeds

Method

Whisk together all of the ingredients except for the tofu and sesame seeds in a medium bowl.  Place the tofu slices in a baking dish large enough to lay each piece flat and then pour the marinade over them.  Cover and place in the refrigerator for about 8 hours, turning the tofu slices over halfway through.

Preheat the oven to 400F and bake for 30 minutes.  Flip slices and bake for another 30 minutes or until a very deep golden brown. The marinade should be completely absorbed. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. The tofu will keep in the refrigerator for two days.

Red Pepper, Spinach and Feta Quiche

My family celebrated Christmas on Sunday at my parent's house.  We slept in, opened gifts (my little brother, the Mac Genius, gave me an iPod Touch!), served dinner for 13 people and ended the night with drinks and the company of a few old friends who stopped by. 

I only made one dish for Christmas dinner this year: A red pepper, spinach and feta quiche.  This is one of my favorite standby recipes.  It makes a quick and beautiful dinner or a lovely addition to a larger feast that vegetarians can enjoy as a main dish.  And, it couldn't be simpler to prepare.

Red Pepper, Spinach and Feta Quiche
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients

1 deep dish pie crust
1 Tbl olive oil
2 C packed fresh spinach, washed and trimmed
1/3 C sliced red bell pepper
3 eggs
1/2 C heavy cream
6 oz feta cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 425F, place a baking sheet on the middle rack.

Place prepared pie crust in a deep dish pie pan. 

Over medium heat, sauté bell pepper in oil for one minute.  Add spinach and sauté until wilted.  Season pepper and spinach mixture with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and cream together.

Arrange feta over bottom of pie shell, place pepper and spinach mixture on top.  Pour egg and cream mixture over the other ingredients.

Bake on the baking sheet for 15 min.

Reduce heat to 350F and bake another 20 minutes, until set.  Watch carefully so that crust does not burn.

Serve warm or cool.

Broccoli and Apple Soup

That may sound like an odd combination to you, but I assure that the broccoli and apple flavors marry beautifully in this soup.  Several years ago, my friends James and John threw a large-scale dinner party and served this, though they wouldn't tell us the ingredients until afterwards.  The apple provides a subtle kick to the otherwise flat taste of the cooked broccoli.

Broccoli and Apple Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

5 C Broccoli

3 Tbl butter

2 granny smith apples - peeled, cored and diced

1 red onion - diced

3 C vegetable stock

1/3 C sour cream

Salt and pepper

Method

Separate broccoli into florets and dice the stalks.  Melt the butter in a large stock pot over medium heat.  Add the broccoli stalks, onion and apple and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft.

Add the stock and broccoli florets.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Puree the soup in batches in a blender, or use an immersion blender, until the soup is the desired consistency. 

Season with salt and pepper and stir in the sour cream.

Thanks to John for providing me with the recipe that I based this on.

Brussels Sprouts with White Beans

I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I ate my first Brussels sprout a mere 5 years ago.  I'm not entirely sure why these delightful vegetables get such a bad wrap, or why I unwittingly fell for it.  Though, I do know that Brussels sprouts have become one of my favorite fall vegetables.

I've also recently become obsessed with the buttery, nutty cannellini bean.  On many evenings over the past few months I have enjoyed the beans simply warmed in butter and seasoned with salt and pepper.  I was pleased to find a recipe recently that combined both of these ingredients.

Brussels Sprouts with White Beans

adapted from Bon Appetit

Serves 8 as a side or 2 as a main dish.

Ingredients:

2 pounds fresh Brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved

6 cloves of garlic, smashed

1 can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup vegetable broth

3 tbl olive oil

1 tbl butter

2 tbl shredded Parmesan cheese

2 tbl pine nuts

4 strips of bacon (I used vegetarian bacon.  If you use regular bacon, you could cook it first and fry the Brussels sprouts in the fat for a richer flavor.)

salt and pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over high heat.  Add half of the Brussels Sprouts and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with the second half. 

Heat the last tablespoon of oil over high heat.  Add the garlic and stir constantly until brown (not black). 

Add the vegetable stock and Brussels sprouts, cook for 3 minutes.

Add the beans and butter and cook until liquid is reduced, abut one more minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a large bowl and mix in bacon, Parmesan and pine nuts.  Serve warm.

While this would make a lovely side dish, it also makes a great meal for a chilly night.

Ruinart Champagne and Avec

When Nick took me to the May Street Market for my birthday last week, we picked up a flier for a Champagne tasting.  This past Monday I met my friends Paul and Margaret at the tasting to celebrate my birthday, Paul's birthday and Margaret's return to Chicago after living in Russia for a few years.

Ruinart, established in 1729, is the oldest operating Champagne house.  We had the opportunity to sample the Ruinart Blanc de Blancs and the Ruinart Rosé.  They were both delicious, refreshing and had beautiful coloring.  Both of these varieties run about $60 a bottle. 

I was glad to have a reason to return to the May Street Market so quickly and we were all pleased with the appetizers that they served during the tasting.

May Street Market Mussels.

May Street Market Maytag Blue Cheesecake.

We each drank three glasses of Champagne and enough appetizers to whet our appetites.

We decided to head east to Avec to continue the evening.  We ordered the Roasted Corn Bruschetta with fresh dill, shaved fennel and corn vinaigrette.

Chorizo-Stuffed Madjool Dates with smoked bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato sauce.

A cheese flight of Mistura Biera (raw cow, ewe's milk) from Portugal, Caciocavallo (cow's milk) from Italy and Cabrales (cow, sheep and goat's milk) from Spain.

...and we shared a delicious bottle of wine.  It was a more extravagant Monday night than I am used to, but it was nice to celebrate with Paul and Margaret -- two of the best food and beverage companions I know.

Twenty-Six

I turned 26 last Friday.  Nick met me after work and we walked from my new job in the Ukrainian Village to the May Street Market in the west loop.

Neither of us had been to the May Street Market before and I was really pleased with his choice.  The host explained to us that their menu changes frequently because they buy their ingredients from local and sustainable resources (he mentioned the Green City Market by name).

Sadly, my photographs of the meal turned out pretty lousy, but I hope you will trust me when I tell you that each one looked stunning. We ordered a 2003 Dona Paula Shiraz-Malbec to go with the following:

On the top left is the "Maytag blue cheesecake  with roasted candied beets, arugula, spiced pecans, and elderflower sorbet." Nick ordered the "roasted venison medallions in a pistachio crust with carrot purée, chive spaetzle, and lingonberry sauce."  I ordered the pumpkin risotto with quinoa and dried cherries. It was fabulous with a very fitting presentation.  For dessert we shared "chocolate-banana bread pudding, caramel ice cream, chocolate sauce, and caramelized banana."  Everything was delicious and I highly recommend a visit.

Nick also bought us tickets to Bruce Springsteen!  The show is in late October and I am very excited to see him for the first time. 

We finished up the night at the Logan Square Small Bar where we enjoyed a variety of beers and our friend Parker's company. (Well, we actually finished the night on the porch with a bit of the Basil Hayden's that Nick bought.)

On Saturday afternoon Nick and I met my parents, my brother and my grandmother at my Uncle Jack and my Uncle Dave’s house in Old Town. We spent the beautiful, sunny day celebrating three birthdays: mine, Jack’s and my grandmother Arlene’s.

Dave is one of the best cooks I know.  He made us a delicious lunch of vegetarian Portobello lasagna, meat lasagna (sauces from scratch of course), Caesar salad, and garlic bread. My mom brought a pretty fruit and yogurt salad as well.

For my birthday my parents gave me a hefty sum to aid in my new computer purchase, which is very exciting!  They also gave me a pair of beautiful earrings from one of my favorite jewelers, Studio 2015 in my hometown of Woodstock. Also, my brother bought me gemmapetrie.com!  That was sweet and thoughtful.  I will do something interesting with it soon.

Jack led us on a walking tour of Old Town where we were charmed by quaint old store fronts and left aghast by $40 million dollar concrete homes. When we returned for dessert we saw the stunning carrot cake that Jack and Dave ordered from Bittersweet. It was giant and delicious.

Nick and I returned home where I found these beautiful flowers from Eileen.  Note the kale, so beautiful.  This may have been the prettiest bouquet I have ever seen.  It was perfect for a late summer/early fall birthday.

We had a quick dinner at Small Bar before my friends arrived.  It was great to see so many people that I love all in one place, many of whom I do not see very often.  Harold arrived with a kitchen torch and butane for me.  We will plan some exciting gastronomic adventure soon to show it off. 

All in all this was one of my most memorable birthdays yet.  Outstanding food, family, friends, good beverages and long walks in Chicago - I don't need much else.

Holland, Michigan

In early July Nick and I took an Amtrak train from Chicago to Holland, Michigan.  We were met at the station by a very sweet young woman who was the keeper of the Dutch Colonial Inn where we had two nights reserved. We had decided on Holland thanks to the New Holland Brewery.  Nick and I are fans of many of their offerings, though most notably their Dragon's Milk.  The bed and breakfast is only about a mile from the brewery and we walked straight there after checking in to our room. 

There were a large number of IPAs on the chalkboard that we had never heard of, so we decided to start with a sampler tray:

Klomp Hatter IPA:  This one reminded us a bit of Gumballhead, with the hops kicking in at the end.  It was pretty good. 
Urele Heavy: A Scotch ale with a light front, a sweet end and a malty roundness throughout.
Nitro Hatter IPA:  This tasted bland and thin to us.
Belgian Hatter IPA: Smelled a bit like cough syrup and had a sharp astringent finish.
Imperial Hatter IPA: Very sweet with a muted hoppy-ness.  Full and luscious at the end.
Black Hatter IPA: This may have been the favorite of the bunch. Very dark in color and had a full earthy taste of toasted barely.  Not terribly complex, but strange and tasty.
Czarist stout: A very chocolaty stout with a frothy mouth-feel that finished pretty thin.
Existential: A sweet and hoppy barleywine.  Very good.

Their food was decent.  I ordered the annoyingly named "Treehugger" for eight bucks ("Vegetarians delight in this display of roughage! Served on a toasted focaccia bun, we pile hummus, cucumber, red onion, Roma tomato, sprouts, chipotle ranch dressing and dill havarti cheese.")  We learned, to our surprise, that the New Holland Brewpub does not own a deep fryer, so no fries...

After we ate we decided to move out back to their patio and ordered some tried and true full sized beers: the Dragon's Milk and Existential.  We had planned our trip around the brewery hours, and were well aware that the website claims the brewpub is open until 2 am on Saturdays.  However, again to our surprise, the kids who run the place (seriously, they all looked about 17)  closed up shop around 12:30 even though the place was packed.  This resulted in a mass exodus of very intoxicated patrons wandering out towards their cars and calling it a night.  Yikes. We walked home with a 22 to share in the garden.

Overall we weren't sure what to think of the New Holland Brewery and Brewpub.  Perhaps we just had bad luck, but no one seemed to know much about beer or really be old enough to drink it.  Their food was mediocre and they seem to be in need of a new manager if closing up shop an hour and a half early when the place is packed makes sense to them.  We were somewhat underwhelmed with the new beers we tried, but we do love the Dragon's Milk and Existential.  All in all I am quite glad we made the trip to the brewery, but I think in the future we will stick to those beers that the New Holland Brewing Company has deemed worthy of distribution. 

Oh, and one more thing, Holland doesn't allow beer or wine sales on Sundays --only liquor... This was an unfortunate surprise to us when we went back for one last try on Sunday afternoon.  Plan accordingly if you visit.  They neglected to mention this on their website we visited, but they now have a small button asking for help in repealing Sunday prohibition.

We really weren't heartbroken to use our time in other ways.  Holland is a charming little town and thanks to the Dutch Colonial Inn, we were able to fully enjoy it.  The Inn had two bikes that they allowed us to take all over town.  We biked the seven miles to the shores of Lake Michigan where the "Big Red Lighthouse" sits.  The views were breathtaking and the weather was perfect.

We then biked over to Windmill Island on the other side of town.  We paid the small admission fee and went straight to "De Zwaan," a 240 year old working Dutch windmill.  Our tour was run by a sweet and knowledgeable young woman dressed in traditional Dutch attire. We were able to climb all around the windmill and learned quite a bit about the tradition behind various decorations and how the milling process works.  Flour is still milled at De Zwaan and visitors can buy the flour in the gift shop.

We then spent about an hour laying around on the lawn and framing shots of Nick fighting the windmill.  Other attractions at Windmill Island include: a working antique carousel, homemade fudge, a working antique Amsterdam street organ, a miniature village and old-time klompen dancing performances.

We returned to the bed and breakfast to lay around and plan for dinner.  Our options were very limited on a Sunday night in Holland, Michigan.  We were going to order a pizza and call it a weekend, but our lovely inn keeper once again came to the rescue.  She scoffed when I asked for delivery recommendations and basically made us take her car back out towards the lighthouse to have a civilized dinner.  She recommended the Piper Restaurant on the water.  They had a lovely balcony overlooking the docks and the cool evening felt wonderful. 

We were both still in the mood for pizza, especially now that we had found a place with a wood oven.  Nick ordered the Meaty Medley: Italian sausage, smoked ham and pepperoni with a five-cheese blend and tomato sauce.   

I designed my own with asparagus and goat cheese.  It was all very tasty.

Holland, Michigan is a beautiful town.  We experienced some great food, interesting beer, gorgeous scenery and unbelievable hospitality.  This was an easy trip from the city and one I would highly recommend.

Herb-Roasted Hasselbacks

Last Thursday I visited the Daley Plaza Farmer's Market over lunch and came away with quite a haul: Heirloom tomatoes, purple bell peppers, sunflowers, fresh basil, smoked string cheese, a LaBriola whole grain loaf and a beautiful selection of potatoes.

These pretty yellow, red and purple potato varieties came from Nichols Farm & Orchard.  This family run farm is from Marengo, Illinois -- quite near where I grew up.  They sell their produce at several farmer's markets in the Chicagoland area.

I'm a sucker for the $5 cookbooks that can be found in piles near the register in bookstores, especially when they cover a finite topic. A few months ago I purchased Potatoes by Annie Nichols and decided to try one of her recipes.

Bay-Roasted Hasselback Potatoes

(adapted from Annie Nichols)

Serves 2 as a side dish

Ingredients:

8 small potatoes, unpeeled and scrubbed

12 fresh bay leaves

1 Tbl butter

2 Tbl olive oil

3 garlic cloves, crushed

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 375F

Place two chopsticks on either side of a potato and make crosswise cuts about 1/4 inch apart.  The potatoes will fan open as they cook, but you want the base of the potato to remain intact so they will not fall apart.  Insert whole or partial bay leaves between a few of the cuts and repeat with the remaining potatoes.

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a cast-iron skillet or roasting pan over moderate heat. Add the garlic and the potatoes in a single layer.  Gently move the potatoes around for about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and generously salt and pepper.

Place in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown and tender.

This simple method of roasting potatoes produced very delicate and colorful results.  You could substitute any fresh herbs for the bay leaves.  My favorite herb to use with potatoes is fresh rosemary, and that is what I will use with this recipe in the future.

Waupaca: Chez Marché Café

I have written extensively about Waupaca, Wisconsin -- a small town on a chain of lakes where my family vacations each summer.   A few years ago a small café moved into the space adjoining the Waupaca book store in the old downtown area.  My family has dined here on a few occasions and each time it gets better.  Chez Marché uses local and sustainable products to create vibrant, fresh dishes. 

On our most recent trip my mother ordered a bowl of their Curried Tomato Soup.  I spooned some on top of my bread to enjoy.  It was delicious. One of the fantastic things about this restaurant is that they have posted dozens of recipes on their website.  Sadly, the recipe for this sweet and spicy soup is not included.  I would love to be able to make this for myself in the late summer when there is always an abundance of tomatoes.

My father ordered a simple side salad with some beautiful greens and stunning tomatoes.

We enjoyed good quality olives with excellent bread as we waited for our main courses.

I ordered the Complex Salad: Fresh mixed greens, goat cheese, a poached egg, croutons and herbs in a house vinaigrette.  In addition the salad arrived with cucumbers, tomatoes, thinly sliced onions and one glorious yellow nasturtium.  I should have made a point to ask for the egg runny, as it was slightly cooked when it arrived to me (and warm runny egg yolk on a salad is something I find quite delicious).  But this was my oversight and the salad was otherwise bright, flavorful and satisfying.

My brother Evan ordered Sautéed Garlicky Greens with melted Carr Valley Fontina Cheese.

My father ordered a special for his main course: A rich summer squash gratin.

My mother ordered Prosciutto and Fontina Sacchetini: Small "purses" of pasta filled with Fontina cheese, prosciutto ham, basil, garlic and pepper in a light cream and herb sauce.

The space is quaint, with tables, chairs and tableware in dozens of styles.  Local art adorns the walls and the stage in front is often used for local music and speakers. The Waupaca Peace Group was holding a small meeting and my mother spoke with them about the Peace Group she belongs to in Woodstock.   This restaurant definitely has a community feel to it and the service is always relaxed and friendly.  This restaurant lets us take a break from the more typical grilled food and beer offerings in the area and have a civilized, quiet and local meal together.  (Though we do love our ham/veggie burgers and beer).

The few times we have visited Chez Marché there have not been many other diners.  If you ever find yourself in the area I would highly recommend this restaurant.  We are worried that we will drive into downtown Waupaca one summer to find the café gone.  This little gem deserves to stay around. Bonni Miller, the chef and owner, and has created some lovely dishes.  In a few years I would not be surprised if they are putting out some of the best food in their greater-Wisconsin area.

Pasta Fresh

Last week Nick picked up some handmade pasta from Pasta Fresh for our dinner.  Pasta Fresh is located on Harlem between Belmont and Addison, so it is a bit of a hike for us normally. However, we had my parents van while they were in Alaska in order to drive Nick to school, providing us the luxury of quick transportation for a week.

Nick ordered the eggplant ravioli and we made a nice peppercorn cream sauce to go along with it.  They offer quite  a selection, but when I return I especially want to try their artichoke ravioli, asparagus ravioli and lasagna.   

With a peppercorn studded Brie, crusty bread and a bottle of Shiraz it was a very nice dinner.

Pasta Fresh
3418 North Harlem Avenue
Chicago, IL
60634
773-745-5888

 

Salpicón and Lookingglass Alice

Nick is returning to the University of Illinois next week.  I just bought my ten-ride Amtrak ticket and intend to see him frequently, however it will still be an adjustment.

I wanted to plan something nice before the semester started, so I arranged to take the day off from work and made some reservations.

We had been meaning to dine at Salpicón and this seemed like a fine occasion to do so.  We began with Salpicón Margaritas, made with Herradura Silver, Gran Torres and fresh lime juice. As an appetizer we ordered the special, Flores de Calabaza, pictured above.  Three zucchini blossoms were stuffed with goat cheese and epazote, dipped in a light batter, sautéed and served with a roasted poblano cream sauce.

For his main course Nick ordered the Tinga Poblana -- grilled Brookfield Farms pork tenderloin in a spicy roasted tomato-chipotle sauce with chorizo and potatoes, served with a cool avocado-tomatillo sauce.

I ordered the Chiles Doña Queta -- a poblano chile stuffed with huitlacoche (earthy corn mushrooms), fresh corn and zucchini, served in a roasted poblano cream sauce and an ancho chile filled with potatoes, Chihuahua and cotija cheese with a sweet-spiced roasted tomato sauce.

Huitlacoche were new to me.  This fungus grows on corn and has a very different texture than most mushrooms.  The exterior is almost like a cooked pearl onion, while the interior is soft and mealy. Considered a delicacy in Mexico, these mushrooms are apparently considered a disease (and called "corn smut") in the rest of the corn producing world.

Everything we ordered was delicious. I think we were both mildly underwhelmed with the margaritas, but perhaps only because they are always touted as the best around.  The most outstanding part our meal was the same for each dish -- the sauces.  All were distinct, complex and complimented the dishes well.  Their website has a small section of recipes that I am interested in trying. 

(Photo courtesy of the Lookingglass Theatre website)

After dinner we walked to the Lookingglass Theatre for the play Alice. Nick has been mentioning his interest in this play for sometime.  He and I both enjoy theater quite a bit, but oddly had never been to a play together before.  The Lookingglass Theatre is housed in the old water tower pumping station and is a really neat space.  I thought it was a great production with an incredible cast.  I believe that Lauren Hirte, the actor who played Alice, may be one of the strongest women I have ever seen.  Not only did she perform incredible acrobatics during the production, but also carried full grown men in several scenes.  She was a pleasure to watch, as were the other four actors in the production.

It was a fun date and I would recommend one or both of these events to everyone.  A 5 p.m. dinner reservation allowed us plenty of time to leisurely walk the mile to the theater with time to spare before the 7 p.m. production.  We are meeting a group of Nick's friends at Small Bar this weekend for a more typical goodbye event, but I am glad we were able to find time to do something new together.

Baltimore

At the end of June I traveled to Baltimore with my office and several hundred of the nation's preeminent oncologists.  My trip was a bit rocky due to a canceled flight, a delayed flight and a botched Super Shuttle reservation.  I arrived at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront at about 2 am and soon began a succession of very early morning work hours.  One of the only perks with this work schedule was the ability to order room-service.

My room was huge, with two walls of floor to ceiling windows looking over the harbor, a king size bed and a large television.  I spent a few nice mornings with the sun rising over the harbor, the history channel and satisfying diner food delivered right to my door. 

The food wasn't stellar, but it hit the spot.  I documented the occasion more for the novelty of the room-service experience than the culinary prowess of the Marriott kitchens.

My friend Mike grew up in Baltimore.  During our senior years at Reed College, Mike, Tamara and I ran Renn Fayre together.  Mike was also a guiding force behind Beer Nation, which kept those of age happily saturated with Northwest micro brew in campus beer gardens.  Naturally, Mike did not lead me astray with Baltimore beer advice.  I was able to make two visits to A Brewer's Art, once with my co-worker Aaron and a second time to meet up with my dear cousin Matt and his girlfriend Ana.  Matt and Ana had just relocated to Washington D.C. from Portland, Oregon and were kind enough to drive down on Matt's birthday to say hello to me.  While A Brewer's Art brews several delicious beers, their Resurrection Ale (an abbey-style dubbel) stands alone.  Sadly, they don't bottle yet.  They expect to start in the next few years according to the bartender.

After a particularly long work day and too many hotel meals, I decided to take myself out to dinner.  Having little energy and limited Baltimore navigational skills, I decided to try one of the nearby Italian restaurants.  I settled into a sunny table at Aldo's and ordered a Pinot Noir and an Arugula Salad with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano and an aged balsamic vinaigrette.

The salad was perfect.  It was simple and full flavored with a hearty crack of black pepper. 

My waiter, Jim, seemed to take a liking to me and was intrigued as to why I might be photographing my food.  I explained my hobby and Jim turned up the charm, starting with a complimentary Four Cheese Risotto.  The risotto was rich and creamy, with a nice subtle sharpness to the cheese.

My main course arrived with a complimentary glass of wine that Jim thought would be perfect with the fresh Porcini Agnollotti and Shitake Mushrooms tossed in Italian-Norcian Black Truffle Butter.  It was.

Perhaps the most exciting part of the meal was an aperitif of Limoncello Cream made by chef Aldo Vitale himself.  A combination of Meyer lemons, grain alcohol, sugar, cream and water create a silky, sweet and sour beverage that was a great end to a great meal.

The sun was just setting when I arrived back at the hotel.  I caught the water taxi at the hotel pier and rode around the harbor.  I switched boats and took the route towards Fell's Point.  From what I had gathered, this area of Baltimore was a newly gentrified district on the water with a number of bars and restaurants.  Upon docking I saw this was in fact true.  The historic buildings were gorgeous, yet marred by neon lights. The area was crawling with polo-shirts, sun-dresses, burnt-skin and bad shoes. 

I made my way to Max's Tap House.  This bar boasts 70 taps, more than 300 bottles and accolades from Beer Advocate.  It was super crowded, loud, brightly lit and had snotty service with a somewhat creepy clientele.  Not really my kind of place.  I was determined to try another good beer in Baltimore, however, and decided I should give the Clipper City Heavy Seas Loose Cannon a try.  This was a very nice ale with a formidable hop level, including my favorite Amarillo hops. 

I left Max's as soon as my beer was done and decided to wander around Fell's Point to enjoy the architecture.  I came upon Pitango Gelato, a smart looking gelateria with a bustling crowd.

This was a truly lucky stop to stumble upon.  Pitango's uses grass-fed organic milk and high end organic ingredients to create gelato that rivals many that I have sampled in Italy. They eschew artificial ingredients, flavorings and extracts and use milk, cream and eggs from their own single-herd Pennsylvania farm. They also serve frozen yogurt and sorbet.

I ordered the spicy chocolate and, of course, pistachio.  This was one of the finest pistachio gelatos I have tasted.  Pitango flies in Bronte pistachios from Sicily, which are grown at the base of the active volcano, Mount Etna.  Needless to say I highly recommend Pitango gelato if you live near Baltimore.  For everyone else I simply highly recommend pistachio gelato.

I was initially somewhat annoyed that I had to travel to Baltimore for work. I used to think that I would enjoy business travel, but it can be quite lonely.  Luckily, I think I have a talent for truly enjoying loneliness, it just takes a few days to kick in. 

I had a nice visit and would certainly not be disappointed to return to Baltimore.  The only other time I was in Baltimore was when I was about 6.  My cousin Matt who I mentioned earlier in this post used to live there.  He taught me how to tie a double not that week as we spent hours in his tree house.  Our dads took us to an Orioles game at the old stadium.  I think it was the fourth of July.  The fireworks went awry and started shooting into the crowds, directly at us.  I watched a woman two rows ahead of us have her hair go up in flames.  Our dads hoisted us under their arms and we ran out of the ballpark.  I think it is safe to say that this most recent trip was better.

The flight home went as planned.  I returned to find these beautiful flowers from Nick (anthurium and orchids).  He bought them at Fleur in Logan Square. Fleur is a sweet little shop with an excellent selection of exotic flowers and letterpress cards.  It was good to be home.

Kuma's Corner

Last night Eileen, Nick and I went to Kuma's Corner for dinner.  I just returned from a business trip to Baltimore (more on that in a future post) and Eileen is departing for a 20 day trip to Ireland, Spain and Morocco this evening.  After the insane storms in the afternoon that left many of the streets flooded, knocked trees onto unsuspecting parked cars near my house and flooded and closed Eileen's school, the subsequent calm and balmy evening provided perfect weather for Kuma's patio.  They gave us a lot of "if you sit out there, it is at your own risk" talk when we sat down, but by the time we left the patio was completely full.

The server informed us that the taps were super warm and not recommended that evening.  Turning instead to the bottle menu, we attempted to order about six beers that they were out of.  Fairly annoyed, Nick ordered a Coke and I wound up with a decent, but certainly not new or exciting Great Lakes Elliot Ness amber lager.  It seems like bars and liquor stores are consistently out of what we want lately.  But the real reason for this trip was the incredible food at Kuma's Corner.  Famished, we got to ordering.  Eileen ordered the "Iron Maiden" with chicken breast, avocado, cherry peppers, pepper jack, and chipotle mayo (I forgot to photograph hers). I ordered the "Neurosis" with a veggie burger, cheddar, swiss, sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions and horseradish mayo. 

Nick ordered their stunning flagship burger, the "Kuma Burger."  A half pound black angus burger with bacon, cheddar and a fried egg on top.  A truly beautiful and impressive item.  As Nick pointed out, it's like putting the "whole barnyard" in your stomach. All of their burgers are served on delicious pretzel buns that are made by Labriola Baking Company in Chicago.  Sadly, Labriola only provides their artisan breads to restaurants and hotels at the moment.  Though, there seems to be talk of an eventual retail space.

As you can most likely gather from the assortment we ordered, the burgers can be made with traditional beef, chicken breast, chicken fingers or a veggie burger.  They run between $10 - $12 and come with homemade chips or fries.  Their ketchup is noteworthy as they add some subtle spiciness to it.  Aside from the lack of a beer selection on this visit, Kuma's has consistently impressed me with their food and beers.  I keep meaning to order their "Make your own mac and cheese," but with 16 different burgers to choose from I always seem to end up on that side of the menu.

Avocado and Black Bean Tacos with Homemade Tortillas

Saturday afternoon Nick and I met some friends to map out the 2007 CUDGEL urban golf route.  We are holding the event Sunday, May 27th (the day before Memorial Day).  Check out our soon to be updated CUDGEL webpage and Myspace page for more details and to sign up. 

The weather was absolutely gorgeous, so upon returning to Logan Square we wondered what we would do with the rest of the day.  We had two perfectly ripe avocados that needed to be used in our dinner, but past that we didn't have many ingredients.  Thanks to my new tortilla press, all we needed was a cup of masa harina, a can of black beans, and some rice to make a fabulous meal.

Tortillas
Makes about 8 6-inch tortillas

1 C Masa Harina
1 C warm water
2 tsp salt

In a medium sized bowl combine all of the ingredients.  Work together with a wooden spoon or with your hands (easier).  Don't worry about over-mixing, but the dough should come together easily.  Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let sit for about 10 minutes. 

Meanwhile heat your cast-iron skillet or heat your frying oil.  Divide the dough into 8 round pieces.  As you work with each ball of dough, add a few more teaspoons of warm water with your fingers and work through the dough. I have found that adding a bit more water than called for makes the dough much more manageable and reduces the dry, split edges that sometimes show up after pressing. 

Place a ball of dough on a plastic lined tortilla press (recycled plastic bags work fine).  Hold the dough away from the handle and then slowly press the dough between the metal pieces.  Peel back the top piece of plastic and remove from the second piece just before you add the tortilla to the hot pan or oil.  Keep the other dough covered while you make each tortilla. If cooking in a pan, give each side 1 and a half to 2 minutes.

A tortilla press is certainly not necessary to make homemade tortillas, however it does make the process quite a bit easier. In the past I have always cooked my tortillas on a hot cast iron skillet, but this time Nick fried them and folded them into shells.  They were very tasty.  They turned out to be a surprisingly bright yellow.  We decided that next time we might cook them briefly before frying, though this isn't necessary.

We sat outside on my porch while we ate and enjoyed some Pabst.  This was a very simple and satisfying meal or a lazy weekend day.

Limoncello, Frittata, Cookbook Expo, Hervé This, John Vanderslice, Twin Peaks, Bloomingdale Trail and Gnocchi

Last night I visited my friend Ellen.  She lives a matter of blocks from me, yet somehow it was the first time I had managed to take her up on an invitation.  I concocted a new cocktail for the occasion.  A few years ago Hospitality Club provided my roommates and I the opportunity to host a guest named Guillermo from Columbia.  He arrived bearing this incredibly sweet liquor.  As I recall, Molly and I made quick work of it. 

I don't have much of a sweet tooth, so the idea of mixing the Limoncello with other ingredients appealed to me.  I decided upon the following:

Lemon and Rosemary Spritzer
Serves 4.

2 lemons
2 C Limoncello
2 C seltzer water
8 rosemary sprigs
ice

In a tall glass put two rosemary sprigs and fill with ice cubes.  Almost fill the glass with equal parts Limoncello and seltzer water.  Squeeze half a lemon into the glass.  Stir and serve.

The rosemary was nice, but next time I am going to try basil.  This was my original intention, but the grocery store was out.  For the basil variation, I would suggest muddling the leaves a bit before adding the liquid.  This will help the flavor permeate.  Whichever herb you choose, this is a perfect summer drink. Sadly, it still feels like February in Chicago.

For dinner, Ellen made a gorgeous frittata.  She lined a cast-iron skillet with slices of potato and piled cherry tomatoes, onions, garlic, feta and asparagus on top.  After pouring the egg over these ingredients she baked the frittata.  Oddly, I had never considered baking a frittata and instead have always made them on the stove.  Her method is clearly superior.  The frittata was perfectly cooked through and came out tall and airy.  The potato "crust" was particularly ingenious.

In other news, this weekend was more culinary-centric than most.  On Friday, Harold and I went to the IACP Cookbook Expo.  I met Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks in person and purchased her gorgeous new cookbook.  I have been hungrily reading through it and highly recommend it.  Congratulations Heidi! 

That evening, Nick and I went to see John Vanderslice.  The show was quite good.  We were particularly impressed with the opening act, St. Vincent. 

The next morning we roused ourselves earlier than most weekends and headed to the Union League Club of Chicago to hear Hervé This speak.  The event was thought provoking, yet the question and answer session was a bit lacking when it devolved into some pretty egotistical Chicago chefs debating when their skill was craft vs. art.  We took the stairs on the way out and enjoyed perusing the ULCC art collection (the second largest private collection in the U.S.).

That evening we stayed in, ordered a pizza, and finished the second season of Twin Peaks which I finally own a copy of.  It was Nick's first time through and he seemed fairly upset about the last episode. 

For the past few months we have been fairly obsessed with the Bloomingdale Trail, and finally went up for a walk (from Milwaukee to Elston).  I really hope the city decides to support the proposal to turn these old rail lines into a park.  It would be a truly unique addition to the city. 

That evening we decided to make gnocchi from scratch.  I had tried my hand at it years ago in high school.  After a fair bit of hard work, the gnocchi completely dissolved into the boiling water.  My research informed me that I had been too timid with the flour. 

It turned out quite well this time and Nick made an excellent garlic and cream sauce.  The recipe I used made a huge quantity.  We fed three with half of it.  I froze the rest and am hoping it will keep well for future use. 

Dinner with a Food Blogger and Mark Bittman's No Knead Bread

I recently had the opportunity to dine with a lovely fellow food blogger, Alanna from A Veggie Venture.   Alanna was in Chicago on business and we decided to meet at a restaurant near her hotel, the Basil Leaf Café.  The restaurant was quiet and the food was quite good.  I ordered the Butternut Squash Ravioli with Fresh Spinach & Roasted Garlic in Basil Oil and would recommend it.  We sat and talked for nearly three hours.  It was a very enjoyable evening. 

During our conversation Mark Bittman's No Knead Bread came up.  I haven't been baking bread very often lately, but this reminder encouraged me to throw together this very simple dough on Monday night. 

When I returned home from work on Tuesday I took the bread through the final rise and baked it in my new cloche.  Nick and I made a nice dinner of goat cheese and roasted tomato ravioli with a garlic cream sauce.  The bread turned out wonderfully, with a gorgeous crust and a light sour taste.  We enjoyed it warm with dill havarti cheese while we finished our wine and watched episodes of 30 Rock.

It seems every food blogger has made this bread, so I won't bother reposting the recipe here (you can also find a video).  I would recommend that bakers, both new and seasoned, give this bread a try.  The results are great.  I do find it a bit funny that the absence of kneading should make bread making so much more accessible.  I actually really enjoy kneading bread.  Rather, it is my impatience with letting dough rise for hours (or days) that is the most bothersome.  However, this recipe provides some great instruction for the home baker, particularly when it comes to creating a good oven environment.  Putting the dough inside of a well preheated container, be it a cloche or heavy pot, will offer dramatically different results than simply placing the dough on a sheet pan.

Thanks for looking me up Alanna, and for reminding me of this great recipe!

Aquavit

The North Shore Distillery began producing Chicago's first craft liquors in 2005.  Several months ago I first enjoyed the clean and smooth taste of their vodka when my friend Harold brought some over to my house.  I soon sampled their gin and found it pleasing as well.  The hand-numbered bottles of North Shore can be found in several locations in the city, most notably Sam's and Binny's.  Nick and I learned from their website that they also offer a variety of less conventional liquors: Gin Infused with Medjool Dates, Gin Infused with Ceylon Tea, Tahitian Vanilla Vodka, and the very recently released Aquavit. 

I decided to invite Harold over for a belated birthday celebration with dinner and a bottle of one of these unique liquors.  I was quite excited about the date gin, but alas could only find the vanilla and Aquavit (it appears that this may have been a limited release, please do let me know if you find it).  I settled on the Aquavit, primarily because Harold, Nick and I had never had it before.

Harold fixed us delicious cucumber and Plymouth gin martinis while I prepared the onion tart for baking.  These simple drinks are incredibly refreshing and could be quite dangerous on a lazy summer day.  Baby cucumbers are sliced and added to the shaker with the ice and gin.  After shaking vigorously, pour into a martini glass and garnish with a cucumber wedge. The drinks take on lovely bright green hue and smell incredible.

I made an onion tart based on a recipe from Molly at Orangette.  It had been a while since I last baked one.  This tart is sweet and full of cream and caramelized onions.  Quite perfect when served warm on a blizzardy February evening. (It is also extremely inexpensive to make.)  Nick grilled us some zucchini as a side, which also helped brighten the plate.

   

(This picture is from the North Shore Distillery website, mine did not turn out well.)

We decided to enjoy the Aquavit straight in order to best evaluate the flavors.  This Scandinavian liquor is most easily identified by its strong caraway flavor and soft golden hue.  Many flavors common in gin were also prevalent in the Aquavit, especially the cardamom and anise.  The Aquavit also seemed to boast just a hint of citrus rind.  Overall, the flavors are much stronger in Aquavit and it should not simply be considered a differently flavored gin.  The Aquavit was crisp and smooth and the flavors were complex and well-balanced.  I highly recommend North Shore Aquavit as a change of pace for the gin and vodka drinker who enjoys the taste of a well-crafted liquor--not just what it is mixed with.

Dinner Party: Andean Potato Stew

Last weekend Nick and I met our friends Ben and Ruchama at the Garfield Conservatory for their annual Chocolate Fest.  We did not succeed in sampling any of the chocolate due to the huge crowds, but we were able to warm up in the dewy, climate-controlled gardens for a bit.  The conservatory is a gorgeous and easily accessible resource for Chicagoans -- the Green Line will take you nearly to the entrance.  Few places can compare in their ability to genuinely rid your body of the pervasive chill that accompanies the winter months here.  I've had fun at the Chocolate Fest in the past, but arriving when the doors open in the morning seems like the only way to  successfully consume any chocolate.

We traveled to Ben and Ruchama's house in Hyde Park and proceeded to make a fabulous dinner.

Ben and Ruchama made a beet, orange and watercress salad that was based on a similar salad that Ruchama recently ordered at the Hop Leaf.  I love watercress, but rarely buy it.  I thought this salad was superb.

They also made a tasty appetizer of grilled artichoke heart bottoms with snow peas and asparagus dressed in parsley infused olive oil.  The artichoke was soaked in lemon juice before being grilled, which gave it a light flavor that complimented the dressing well.

Earlier that morning Nick and I had ventured to Oak Park to visit Penzeys spice store.  They have a few locations scattered across the United States -- but you can also sign up for their mail-order catalog on their website.  (The catalog is peppered with recipes to try.) If you have the luxury of living in close proximity to a Penzeys, I guarantee that once you visit you will never buy spices anywhere else -- or at the very least, not from a grocery store.  Their top-quality spices range from familiar standards to exotic flavors and they are always inexpensively priced.  We went in search of annato seeds for our soup and came away with a bit more than that.

In the most recent issue of Gourmet magazine, Nick and I were both quite taken with their recipe for Andean potato stew and decided to try our hand at it.  We began by heating the annato seeds in oil to make the achiote.  The seeds are strained out, leaving a bright red, flavored oil.  We added potato, onion, water, cumin, salt, and pepper and let this simple soup simmer for about an hour before adding whole milk and queso fresco.  We served the soup over avocado slices and enjoyed it with a bottle of New Glarus Raspberry Tart lambic that I had picked up in Wisconsin the weekend before.

The texture of the rich avocado provided a great contrast to the hearty potato stew.  I thought the stew was a success and the leftovers made a nice lunch the next week.  I might add more achiote if I were to make this soup again so that the flavor is more pronounced. 

We sat and talked over wine and cheese long after dinner was over and left sleepy and sated.  It was a lovely night.

Black Bean Soup and Cornbread

Last weekend my brother came into the city to spend the day with me before he returned to Grinnell to finish out his senior year.  We wandered around Logan Square, drank coffee in the cold, took the train down to Chinatown to eat a delicious lunch and buy tea, and stopped at the grocery store on the way home.  Nick came over and the three of us made a truly satisfying black bean soup and some cornbread with my new cast-iron skillet.

The soup was so delicious that Nick and I made a second pass at it Sunday evening, with a few modifications.

Hearty Black Bean Soup

Generously serves four or five.

Ingredients:

2 Tbl butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 habanero pepper, finely chopped (remove the seeds, if you please)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cubes vegetable bouillon
1 and 1/2 C boiling water
2 15 oz cans black beans, undrained
1 15 oz can pinto beans, undrained
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 Tbl brown sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
the juice of one lime
1 and 1/2 Tbl cornstarch

In a large stock-pot melt the butter over medium-low heat and add the onion, celery, peppers, and garlic.  Cook until the onion begins to turn translucent. Mix the boullion and boiling water and add to the pot, simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add the beans, salt, cumin, brown sugar, and black pepper.   Stir well and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes.  In a small glass combine the cornstarch and 1 and 1/2 Tbl of water, stir well.  Add this mixture and the lime juice to the soup, stir well.  Allow to simmer and thicken for about 10 more minutes.  You may now serve the soup or turn the heat to low and allow the flavors to muddle until you are ready to eat.  This soup keeps well for a few days in the refridgerator.  The flavors will become deeper overnight.

For the skillet cornbread I used the recipe from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Baking, a book I have been quite pleased with.  The cornbread is delightful dipped in the soup or served warm with butter and honey.

Summer Spinach Pie