Nectar

I've been in a MAJOR cooking rut. I know very well that the insanity of the last few months has a great deal to do with this, but I've been struggling to find inspiration as well. Much like the world of design blogs, I feel the number of cooking blogs has become overwhelming - and like so many of you - when over-stimulated by everything on the Internet - I tend to simply checkout and retreat from digital media. Then the new issue of Bon Appétit arrived. There is a fantastic story written by Jenny Rosenstrach about family meal planning. I became familiar with Jenny's book Dinner: A Love Story when it was released because one of my closest friends photographed its beautiful pages. Jenny's blog was something I immediately bookmarked then - and like so many things I bookmark, got buried. The story in BA refreshed my memory and it's exactly what I needed to kick-start my oven. With horseback riding and soccer 5 days a week - I really need to get back into a routine. Do you have a quick favorite for those crazy evenings?

I'm also finding myself re-inspired by local dishes here in Asheville. I shot another story about our little mountain town for Food & Wine last month - you can peek at it here and above are some of the outtakes from that shoot.

Finally - the winner of Crackers & Dips. Thank you so much for sharing your stories - I absolutely loved reading them. And while it was incredibly difficult to choose among my few favorites - ultimately, Sam of Elephant and Walrus stole my heart with her tale of her first magical date with her mister. Drop me an email Sam and I'll get that book right out to you - wishing you many more years of "cracker-time".

A quick recipe for you this evening. We've been eating these quick sandwiches quite a bit lately thanks to my Mama. She grew up in Binghamton, NY and on the often snow-clad streets of this Upstate town, you might find a little dive bar called Sharkey's. The restaurant claims to have invented this dish - skewered meat, marinated for days - nestled between a fold of white bread. It's called the Spiedie. We had them very occasionally as kids - our first at Sharkey's when visiting my grandparents who at the time still lived Upstate. And more recently when my best friend and I took a quick road trip up to Buffalo for a concert - we stopped in on my mother's insistence. I had forgotten how delicious they are. But after my Mom attended her high school reunion last year - and spending nearly every meal at Sharkey's - they've found their way into regular rotation when we are together.

I've been meaning to post about the Spiedie now for a while. We'd been using a cocktail of different dressings to replicate the flavor of the marinade - and hit the mother load when we found the Spiedie Sauce at a local grocer. But I really wanted to see if I could replicate the marinade myself. And I think we did it. 

A few notes - the meat can be cooked after 24 hours in the marinade - but it really needs 48 hours if you can manage. Also - soft white bread. The bane of our existence I know - but the intensity of the marinade gets lost with wheat - make an exception and use white. You can use any meat - lamb, beef, chicken; like any good Jew, we prefer pork. Finally - and my mother thinks this is sacrilegious - we LOVE mayo on our bread.

 

THE SPIEDIE

3 lbs. pork tenderloin (cubed)

3/4 c. grapeseed oil

3/4 c. tarragon wine vinegar (white wine vinegar works as well)

1 T. white vinegar

juice of 1/2 a lemon

2 t. salt

2 t. pepper

1 t. garlic powder

3 t. dried chopped onion

1 T. dried mint

1 T. oregano

You'll also need:

skewers

white bread (we love the soft Italian sliced bread)

Place your cubed meat in a large bowl. Whisk together all of the remaining ingredients and pour over the meat. Using a spoon (or your clean hands) ensure that the marinade is thoroughly coating all of the meat. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.

 

When you’re ready to cook, work the meat onto the skewers - no more than 6 pieces per stick - until you've used all of the meat. There are several ways you can cook these; we've broiled them and grilled them - but I think the most authentic flavor comes from using a cast iron griddle. Regardless, cook until they brown just slightly - about 6-7 minutes per side.

When you are ready to enjoy, place a skewer onto a piece of bread, then gently twist and pull the skewer out leaving the meat behind on your bread - and there you go. The girls LOVE these. The first time we made them at home for the girls, Ari could not remember the name - she ate three and complained all night that she ate too many "smarties." Pretty damn cute.

 

Can you believe it? A recipe! I made this dish after being inspired by one of my favorite tacos at White Duck Taco Shop here in Asheville. It's been a favorite and even though the sauce has a little kick to it, the girls adore it - they just drink lots of milk with it! What I love so much about this meal is the layers upon layers of flavor - and that you can make the sauce days ahead and marinate the chicken one day ahead. Come dinner time on a busy night I just have to cook the rice and the chicken off and we are ready to eat.

CHICKEN WITH PEANUT SAUCE & GINGER RICE

3 lbs. of organic chicken tenderloins

Marinade:

4 T. grapeseed oil

4 T. sesame oil

1 T. chili oil

1 T. + 1 t. rice vinegar

3 T. soy sauce

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 lime (zest and juice)

1 clove of garlic (minced)

1 T. fresh ginger (minced)

1 t. coriander

In a large bowl, whisk all ingredients together until sugar dissolves. Add chicken to the marinade and ensure every piece is thoroughly coated (I use my hands). Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours and up to 24 - the longer the better.

Sauce:

1 1/2 c. crunchy peanut butter

1/4 c. honey

1/4 c. soy

1 T. chili oil

1 t. chili pepper flakes

1 c. coconut water

2 T. ginger (minced)

2 cloves of garlic (minced)

Combine all in a food processor and mix until thoroughly blended  - about 3-4 minutes. You can cover the sauce in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator up to two weeks.

When you are ready to serve, start the rice...

Rice:

2 c. chicken stock (homemade is best!)

1 c. jasmine rice

1 clove garlic (minced)

2 t. ginger (minced)

Add stock, garlic and ginger to medium size pot - mix in rice and bring the pot to a slow boil. Turn down to simmer, cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until all the stock has been absorbed by the rice.

While the rice is cooking, cook your chicken. You can grill it - or bake it if you like. But our favorite method is on our flat-top cast iron skillet. It browns the chicken nicely - almost caramelizing the outside a touch.

Serve the chicken over rice with the sauce and enjoy...

And because it's been a while... here is a playlist for your weekend:

AUTUMN IN THE SOUTH

Mystic Mind : Those Darlins

Shank Hill St. : Shovels & Rope

Rise to the Sun : Alabama Shakes

Love Interruption : Jack White

Down With The Shine : The Avett Brothers

Little Song Bird : Black Prairie

Let's Get Wrecked : honeyhoney

My Baby Cried All Night Long : The Ettes

Hell's Bells : Cary Ann Hearst

When The Night Comes : Dan Auerbach

A Thief At My Door : Karen Elson

To The Horses : Lanie Lane

Waste The Day : The Secret Sisters

O'Be Joyful : Shovels & Rope

Listen here.

This playlist was highly inspired by a recent trip to Nashville... The Black Belles are only missing from this list becauase Spotify does not include them in their library. Never heard them? Drink the potion here. And was lucky enough to catch Shovels & Rope here in Asheville right after we got back from Nashville - sort of obsessed with them.

And speaking of Nashville. Dan Auerbach totally walked into Barista Parlor while Jen and I were enjoy our morning brew and breakfast. Best day. Yes, I'm totally bragging.

If you are unfamiliar with the work of photographer Tim Robison, I will take acute pleasure in the introduction. Tim's photographs are beautiful, ethereal and conjure memories of strolls through museums consuming works of Dutch masters. He is a southern boy who has recently found himself in New York City - but his love of the South and it's riches permeates in his work. Luckily for us not only can he shoot, he can cook...

Tim says:

"As soon as the weather turns warm I’ll invite my friends over to the house, we sit outside, open a beer and we make these tacos.  You see, I love tacos. Any kind of taco. But especially these pork tacos. They are so easy to make and packed with flavor. The pork comes out fall-off-the-bone tender, the cabbage and bacon add the perfect tang and crunch, while the grilled jalapeno finishes out the taco with the perfect amount of heat. To me these crispy pickled pork tacos taste like summer. I’ll make a quick homemade salsa, some chips and a side of spicy skillet corn and we are set for the night. Try these tacos, I promise you’ll love them!"

 

CRISPY PICKLED PORK TACOS

- 5 to 8 lb pork shoulder or Boston butt.

- One head red cabbage

- One large red onion—or two small

- 2 white onions

- One bunch of cilantro

- 2 medium sized jalapenos

- Couple limes

- 1 lb good quality bacon

- 1 large can crisp sweet corn, or 1 ½ cups fresh corn off cob

- Corn tortillas (flour are ok, but corn is best)

- A good quality dark beer (something you would drink)

- Small bottle of your favorite hot sauce.

 

PORK RUB:

- ¼ cup salt

- ¼ cup pepper

- ¼ cup cumin

- ¼ cup garlic powder

- ¼ cup lemon pepper

- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

- ½ tsp cayenne pepper

Rinse and pat dry the pork shoulder.  Evenly coat shoulder with rub and massage in to meat.  Adding any leftover rub on fat-top side of meat.  Place meat in smoker fat side up (or on a medium-hot grill over indirect heat). Smoke for 4 hours, checking every 30 minutes for ample smoke. (Note: I smoke with hickory and cherry wood for nice flavor. Make sure to soak wood several hours before placing over coals.)

Remove shoulder and place in large dutch oven pan.  Chop white onions into large chunks and place around shoulder in pan. Add beer half way up onions (about one bottle). Cover with lid and place in 300 degree oven for 4 more hours checking every hour (oven time can vary depending on size of pork shoulder. If on the smaller size check meat after 3 hrs).

When pork bone removes clean, and meat pulls apart easily, shred into large chunks using forks. (Do not chop or cut meat!) There will be  amazing pan drippings left from the meat.  Remove the layer of grease and spoon the remaining drippings over pork to keep it moist.

 

PICKED CABBAGE SLAW: 

Slice red cabbage and red onions into ¼ inch slices and set aside. 

Warm 1/4 cup white sugar in 1 cup water until dissolved.  Let cool.

Add cooled simple syrup to 2/3 cup of white distilled vinegar.

Dash of salt and pepper.

1 tsp of your favorite hot sauce.

Pour marinade over cabbage and onions, cover and let marinade for several hours in refrigerator (overnight is best.)

 

SPICY SKILLET CORN

Render 1 lb bacon in large skillet until crispy (cast iron works best).

While bacon cooks, char or grill jalapeno until soft and skin blisters.  Remove ribs and seeds and chop finely. 

Remove bacon, let cool and chop into small pieces.

Remove about half of bacon drippings leaving about two tablespoons still in pan.

Heat pan to medium high heat. Add drained corn. Corn should crackle and pop in the drippings. Add about half of the jalapeno (or more to taste) and season with salt and pepper.  When corn begins to char remove from heat and place in bowl. Garnish with bacon and chopped cilantro.  (Note: You want to cook the corn quickly over high heat—less than 5 minutes—If cooked too long, the corn can become chewy and sticky)

To Serve:

Warm the corn tortillas until slightly crispy on the outside.  Place pork in tortilla and top with slaw, chopped bacon, chopped cilantro, crumbled queso fresco and a squeeze of lime. (If you like your tacos extra spicy add some of the remaining grilled jalapeno or some of the skillet corn.)

Enjoy the tacos with good friends and an ice-cold beer (preferably outside).

(photos and recipes by Tim Robison)

 

A quick note about my song selections. These are the songs that remind me of summers in North Carolina - each one relates to a memory I have of being in the mountains. I try to remind myself to slow down in the summers. Its a magical time and I think these songs help me do that. You can listen to these songs while preparing the meal, or while eating - or both!

SUMMER

We Don't Run : Willie Nelson

You Never Know : Wilco

Pearls On A String : Ryan Adams

Animal Tracks : Mountain Man

The Swimming Song : Loudon Wainwright III

Keep It Loose, Keep It Tight : Amos Lee

Window Blues : Band of Horses

The Chorus In The Underground : Great Lake Swimmers

In The House Of Tom Bombadil : Nickel Creek

Blue Skies : Noah And The Whale

Dirty Rain : Ryan Adams

Island In The Sun : Weezer

Romance To The Grave : Broken Social Scene

Sweet Disposition : The Temper Trap

Listen here.

 

I hope you've been having a wonderful summer. We've been on the road a bit - as soon as Den got home at the beginning of the summer, I spent a week in NYC for work, then we took the girls to Myrtle Beach for Ari's 5th birthday - more on that soon - and spent the holiday in Atlanta with my family. We've been trying to spend as much time together as possible - Den's autumn work schedule comes upon us much too quickly and I didn't want us looking back wondering where the summer had gone. I'm sure that those reflections will still tease us at the end of the summer - but as of right now, I feel like we are living a good sun-filled season. The girls - possessing the benefits of my husband's genetic disposition - are all golden skinned; I'm still pale but sun-kissed with freckles galore - we spend a lot of time in swimsuits right now. It's good.

So… Myrtle. Do keep in mind I’m new to the South. If you’ve never been to Myrtle Beach, I would love to say that I am about to wax poetic about the beauty of it all. Alas, that is not the case. It’s Panama City meets… I don’t even know what. There are lovely high-rise hotels cozied up next to places I could swear I’ve seen in horror movies. The beach is not the most pristine miles of sand I’ve walked upon and the food selection was not what I expected of a coastal town. But man did we have a good time (a few shots here). The girls conquered any remaining water fears they may have harbored in the crashing surf (pretty sure that Adie will be ready to learn to surf next summer) and we played skee ball for hours in an old boardwalk arcade, ate ice cream under the stars in the sand and yes, even partook in one of the famous, ridiculously oversized all you can eat seafood buffets and ate crab legs until we could barely walk. Will we do it again? Probably not. I was, and still am, looking for a more quintessential Southern beach experience – something quiet, something ours, something MUCH less commercial. In fact, I’m completely obsessed with this house and am planning on selling a kidney so we can rent it for a week next summer.

Work has been intense and I have such mixed feelings about this - as we all do about balancing work and parenthood and if we are so inclined - taking time for ourselves. It's a lesson I have yet to really learn. But some exciting things have been happening and I look forward to sharing them soon. And we have been cooking - mostly grilling. While I don't have a formal recipe and photos to share with you today, I will let you in on a little secret to the best burger in the entire universe. We've been filling the middle of our ground beef (80/20 - that's important!) with Brie. The cheese is so delicate it almost disappears into the burger yielding the richest of flavors. I glaze the burgers with equal parts olive oil, white balsamic vinegar and maple syrup (whisk all three together then using your hands, baste the entire burger with the glaze). The sugar content makes the outside of the burger crispy and the Brie makes the inside literally melt in your mouth. It's become addictive and we make them at least once a week now. Serve w/ a soft bun and a little whipped up balsamic mayo and happiness will surely follow. See that big smile above? That’s a post-Brie Burger smile.

I have another perfect summer meal coming up soon from a guest... in the meantime, here is our soundtrack to the season... more soon.

I SING I SWIM

Floating Vibes : Surfer Blood

June July : Apartment

Brand New Cadillac : The Clash

Clear Water : Field Music

Saltbreakers : Laura Veirs

I Sing I Swim : Seabear

Sunshine Superman : Donovan

Golden Star : My Brightest Diamond

On The Road Again : Canned Heat

Follow Me Down : Golden Animals

Hook and Ladder : Vetiver

The Wanderlust : Metric

Body of Work : The Mynabirds

Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win : Beastie Boys (featuring Santogold)

Rollercoaster : Black Mountain

Rise To The Sun : Alabama Shakes

The Crystal Ship : The Doors

You're Just A Drug : The Airlines

River By The Garden : Zeus

Summer Loans : The Isles

Cruel Summer : Karen Elson

Listen here.

 

 

I never know when it hits, but when it does - it's like a brick. Growing up my brother and I would spend two months every summer with my father who, at the time, lived in San Diego. After retiring from the Navy, he fulfilled his dream of opening a bakery - in fact, I learned most of my scratch baking from him. But before the bakery, my grandmother Helen, his mother, would watch us during those warm, salty summer days. My grandmother, who passed away when I was living in Italy, baked and cooked constantly. Otherwise she was watching Perry Mason or Wheel of Fortune, or reading a book while sipping on a Gin and Tonic.

She was a force. A tiny little Irish pixie full of moxie. My dad once told me that when she was 19 she was dying of scarlet fever and received her last rites. Before falling ill she had a head full of glorious black tresses. After recovering from the fever, her hair grew back red and curly. It was one of my favorite stories - I always imagined that the fever scorched not only her body, but her soul and she rose again as a fiery spirit you just didn't mess with. And I miss her terribly. When I miss her, I bake something that reminds me of the meals she created those summers. One of my favorites was her corned beef bake - or baked Rueben - I don't think she ever actually named it. She did however, make it at least a couple times for us over the summer. One of our favorite ways to eat it was the next day, sliced and eaten cold late in the evenings as my girlfriend (who is now my sister-in-law!) and I snuck beers out of the refrigerator and watched Headbanger's Ball. It was also something my Dad always wrapped in tinfoil and threw in the cooler on our days at the beach or hiking in the canyons.

GRANDMA'S RUEBEN BAKE

- 1 pizza crust (recipe below - or if you're in a hurry a store bought crust will do)

- 8-10 oz. corned beef (thinly sliced)

- 3 T. 1,000 Island Dressing

- 1/2 c. sauerkraut (drained)

- 4 oz. Swiss cheese (shredded or thinly sliced) 

The Crust:

This recipe is from Baking With Julia by Dorrie Greenspan - it's a wonderfully diverse recipe and what I love most is that you can make it and freeze it for later use just after the second rise.

1 1/2 t. active dry yeast

1 1/2 c. tepid water (about 80F)

2 T. olive oil

2 1 /4 c. flour

In a mixing bowl, combine the yeast and water together and let sit for about 5 minutes, allowing the yeast to activate. Add olive oil and flour and mix until thoroughly combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again. Cover and allow to rise (should double in bulk) in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hours. 

Deflate the sponge a bit with a spatula and add 2 to 2 1/4 additional cups of flour and 2 t. of salt. Mix with a dough hook until completely incorporated. Knead with the dough hook for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth.

Lightly oil a large bowl and turn the dough out into it. Turn the dough gently to oil the entire surface of the dough and cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hours. 

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Prepare a large baking sheet with a light spray of non-stick cooking spray. Transfer your dough to this baking sheet and roll or flatten the dough with your hands into a long oval shape.

Working down the middle of the dough, first spread out the 1,000 Island dressing. Ensure that you are leaving about 1 1/2 inches at each end of the dough. Layer your corned beef on top of the dressing, then add the sauerkraut and top with the Swiss cheese.

 

Take a paring knife and make diagonal cuts in the dough - to create strips - down each side of the dough. Careful not to start your cuts too close to the filling. Then working from one side to the next, fold the strips of dough on top of each other to enclose the filling inside the dough (you can pull them a bit as needed as the dough is fairly elastic). Brush very lightly with olive oil (so lightly, I use my fingers) and sprinkle the top with caraway seeds.

Bake for 20 minutes (or until top begins to turn light gold and you can see the cheese bubbling through the holes in the dough). Let cool for about 15 minutes before slicing.

 

MY YOUTH

White Rabbit : Slapshot

With The Quickness : Bad Brains

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida : Iron Butterfly

We Care A Lot : Faith No More

The Sweetest Drop : Peter Murphy

Fire Woman : The Cult

Looking Down A Barrel Of A Gun : Beastie Boys

Promises : Fugazi

Soul On Fire : Danzig

Pigs In Zen : Jane's Addiction

Passing Me By : The Pharcyde

I'm The Man : Anthrax

John The Fisherman : Primus

I Awake : Soundergarden

Listen here.

p.s. My Smoked Salmon, Asparagus and Goat Cheese Quiche was feautured on The Cooking Channel's Blog today - thank you so much for that CC! 

p.p.s. I'm giving away an advanced copy of my upcoming title, Instant Love: How To Make Magic and Memories With Polaroids over at Nectar & Light - enter to win!

 

Tomorrow is the first day of Spring... or to some, Ostara. The weather here has been incredibly obliging to Mother Nature's schedule and the girls have been running about the yard in shorts and begging for me to set up the sprinkler. We threw open the windows this weekend and filled the house with early blooms from the garden, it's been lovely.

 

And what is Spring without salmon and asparagus? Sunday we put together this quick and beautiful dinner to celebrate the season. You can make this without the goat cheese, but it's my favorite element. I paired the quiche with a simple watercress salad full of greens - enjoy!

SMOKED SALMON, ASPARAGUS & GOAT CHEESE QUICHE

Preheat oven to 325F.

1 pie/quiche crust (see my recipe and instructions here)

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. heavy cream

salt & pepper

1 bunch of asparagus

olive oil

8 oz. smoked salmon

8 oz. goat cheese

Make and roll out your crust and place into a pie or tarte pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then pull from the oven.

Wash, then cut about 2 inches off the ends of the asparagus and lay them on a lightly oiled baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse black pepper and sea salt. Roast for 10 minutes, then pull out and cool. Cut the asparagus into 3-4 inch pieces and set aside.

 

Mix heavy cream, eggs and salt and pepper together until thoroughly combined. 

In your partially baked crust, layer half the smoked salmon, a third of the asparagus (you'll save the final third for the salad) and half of the goat cheese. Repeat to create another layer, then pour the cream and egg mixture over this. Place the pie dish on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Let sit for 15-20 minutes until firm enough to cut. Enjoy!

 

(For the salad, I just threw together watercress, the remaining asparagus, green grapes cut into half pieces, chopped green onions and diced green apples - toss with a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar - salt and pepper to taste.)

And our soundtrack to Spring...

OSTARA

Waiting For The Sun : The Doors

Changing The Rain : The Horrors

Bright Futures : Gyspsyblood

Rise From The Shadows : Alberta Cross

At Home : Crystal Fighters

Navigate : Band of Skulls

The Task : Ume

Rainbow : Oh Land

One By One : The Ting Tings

Forever Young : Bob Dylan

Gifts and the Raft : The Cave Singers

Fog Emotion : Vetiver

Dream Evie : Dirty Three

Listen here.

Hello Friends. I returned from Morocco earlier this week and am still working out my emotions about the experience. I tried to articulate it here, but I may not have conveyed the intensity of what I'm feeling. And that's okay - it was a highly personal experience. I'm happy to be with my family once again and to be back in the kitchen. 

 

It took me a bit of time to really figure out the beauty of the Moroccan cuisine. We spent our first few days staying in a riad near the souks surrounded by tourist trap restaurants with menus full of pizzas, pastas and tagines. Tagines, if you are unfamiliar, are stews - most often made with lamb or chicken - in a broth with vegetables. I had some average tagines and some extraordinary ones. But, having been rather unfamiliar with the food of the region, thought that maybe this was the extent of my explorations. It was not until we moved to Peacock Pavilions, where our Instant Love retreat was being held, that the explosion of flavors came to my attention. The cooking staff put together beautiful meals - so much so that I can say without doubt it was the best food I ate on the trip. Dishes were dusted in saffron and coriander - infused with rosemary, garnished with preserved lemons from the property - they were magical.

 

Something that was always present, at every meal we ate, was Kesra. Sold by the cart full in the medina and in the loveliest of restaurants, Kesra is a cornmeal based Moroccan flat bread. We smeared jam on it the mornings, dipped it into soups in the afternoon and sopped up the juices from our tagines in the evenings. It was the soul of each gathering and what I most wanted to recreate upon returning home. My aunt lent me her copy of Ghille Basan's Modern Moroccan and this recipe is from that book. I added a heaping of rosemary to the dough - I couldn't help it. We were surrounded by olive trees and rosemary bushes on this trip and every time Kesra was served at Peacock Pavilions, they added sprigs of rosemary to the bowl, it seemed like a natural marriage. I also created a soup loosely based on one of the recipes in the book - one that marries some of my favorite flavors of the country.

 

KESRA

4 c. bread flour

3/4 c. cornmeal

1 t. salt

1 T. dry rosemary

1/2 t. dry yeast

1 t. sugar

2 1/2 c. warm water

2 T. melted butter

sesame seeds

 

Preheat the oven to 425F.

Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with 1 T. of cornmeal.

In a large bowl sift flour, remaining cornmeal, salt and rosemary together and set aside.

In a smaller bowl mix sugar and yeast and add 1/4 c. of warm water. Let this sit for about 5 minutes or until the yeast begins to cloud and bubble slightly.

Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and add the melted butter and yeast mixture; begin to mix with a wooden spoon - adding the remaining water to the dough as you work. 

Once combined, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and begin to knead adding extra flour as needed (I added up to an additional cup at this point). Once formed and thoroughly kneaded, divide the dough in half and create two round discs. Place them on your baking sheet and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

 

Let them rise in a warm place for about an hour, then poke holes into the dough with your finger every 1/4 inch or so over the surface of the bread. I used a fork and wish I hadn't!

Bake at 425F for 10 minutes and then turn the oven down to 350F for the remaining 15-20 minutes.

 

PUMPKIN AND CHICKPEA SOUP

1 T. olive oil

2 clvs. garlic (minced)

4 c. organic chicken broth (veggie is fine as well)

2 15-oz. cans of organic pureed pumpkin

1/2 c. half+half

1 t. cinnamon

2 t. coriander

2 t. salt

1 1/2 t. black pepper

1 can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)

In a stock pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and garlic - cook garlic until it just beings to turn gold. 

Add broth and then whisk in pumpkin and spices. Let cook on medium heat for 15 minutes.

Whisk half+half in and add chickpeas. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve dusted with coriander and plenty of Kesra.

p.s. I will share some Instagram snapshots, Polaroids and one more favorite recipe from Morocco next week - and a playlist that became my soundtrack during the voyage. Until then...

Singapore. If you've been there, you get it. I have yet had such an adventurous epicurean experience, and I'm unsure I will again. Just before I left for Singapore, a friend who had just spent time there provided some great tips on where to go, what to see, and most importantly, what to eat. I stayed at the beautiful Scarlet Hotel, Singapore's first boutique hotel, in Chinatown. I could not have dreamed of a better location. The hotel was situated just behind the Maxwell House, one of the most locally frequented hawker's centers in the city.

 

If you are unfamiliar with the term, as I was before my departure, a hawkers center is sort of like a large, outdoor food court. But different. The food is all local and in Singapore that means predominately Chinese, Indian and Thai and incredibly inexpensive. Most food stalls are specialized - preparing just a few main dishes around a central theme. 

 

My first foray into the hawker's center was an assault on my senses - really like everywhere in Chinatown you can not walk a few steps without smelling something delicious cooking. But the energy, the overwhelming choices and the heat all aided to my awe. The first day I tried pork belly and rice, pork dumplings, an oyster cake, a fried banana and freshly squeezed watermelon juice. Everything was delicious, but the oyster cake was ridiculous. I was drawn in by the scent and warmth of Maxwell Fuzhou Oyster Cakes booth and upon encountering the anticipating eye of the purveyor found myself ordering. The only thing I can really compare it to would be like a large fritter stuffed with steamed bamboo and of course... oysters. This was also my difficult lesson that you will likely not find napkins in the centers and to bring your own. 

 

The two mornings I had to get out of the hotel early for the wedding I was shooting, I kept it simple and easy and had breakfast at the hotel. I tend to shy away from buffets, but the breakfast buffet at The Scarlet was like nothing I'd experienced and allowed me access to local flavors in almost a tasting menu style. Favorites included soon kueh, bamboo shoot dumplings made of tapioca flour and served with a sweet sauce; kaya and toast - kaya is a sweet jam made of eggs and coconut milk; soy bean curd with honeycomb and prawns poked through with sugar cane, lightly breaded and fried.

 

My last day in Singapore was mostly free to me and I wandered Chinatown for hours upon hours. In full preparations for the upcoming Chinese New Year, the area was an explosion of red, gold and dragons. I had some quiet time escaping the wet heat while wondering the quiet corridors of the Buddah Tooth Relic Temple and cooled myself further with my first experience sipping directly from a newly cracked open coconut. I had heard the ice cream sandwiches of local vendors was something to experience and I found one - a brick of ice cream served in the folds of a piece of white and pink marbled bread. I ordered Durian just because it sounded interesting and in truth had to google it when I got back to the hotel. Known as the King of Fruits, it's almost pungent smell gives way to utterly divine flavor. I also enjoyed my first plate of bok choy and duck and came across the bao bun stall. I could have eaten a hundred of these bbq pork buns and was reluctantly thankful I found them on my last day as I was sure I would not have eaten anything else during my time there.

 

I wanted my last dinner to be something special - something I had sort of saved myself for. There were two words I heard over and over - from people who had visited the island, and from locals themselves: chicken rice. And it was worth the wait. It's not the most beautiful dish in the world, boiled chicken atop a bed of rice, but do not let that fool you. The chicken is boiled in salt, garlic and ginger and the rice is cooked in the broth and fat rendered from the chicken. It is one of the most intensely flavored dishes I've ever enjoyed and the one I thought might be easiest to recreate once I returned home.

 

After researching the recipe on the internet, there seems to be as many ways to make Hainanese Chicken Rice as stall and restaurants that sell it all over South East Asia. I went for simplicity here and skipped the chili sauce that usually accompanies this dish in favor of a ginger and garlic dipping sauce - it still has enough bite to lend true personality to the dish without overwhelming heat.

HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE

The Chicken:

1 organic 3-4lb chicken

6 qts. water

3 T. sea salt

2 cloves of garlic (roughly chopped)

1 T. shredded fresh ginger

Pat your chicken dry and cut any excess fat off - set this aside. Rub 1 T of sea salt all over the chicken.

In a large stock pot bring the water, garlic, 2T of salt and ginger to a boil. Gently lower the chicken into the pot breast down, ensuring it's completely submerged) and cover. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reads 160F.

Remove entire pot from the heat and keep covered leaving the chicken to finish cooking - approximately 15 minutes (temp should read 170F at this point) off the heat.

 

The Sauce:

When the chicken is near finished cooking is an ideal time to put together your dipping sauce...

4 cloves of garlic (finely minced)

1 t. ginger (finely minced)

1/2 t. lime zest

1 t. lime juice

1 t. honey

2 t. sesame oil

2 T. grapeseed oil

4 T. of broth from chicken

Combine all ingredients in a small food processor and blend until thoroughly combined.

 

The Rice:

It's best to start the rice once you've taken the chicken off the heat.

Rendered chicken fat

2 T. grapeseed oil

2 c. long grain white rice

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1 t. ginger (minced)

1 t. salt

3 c. chicken stock

In a medium stock pot, add the bit of reserved chicken fat and the grapseed oil. Cook until the pieces are slightly crispy, then remove them from the pot. Add the garlic, ginger and salt and stir until coated.

Add the rice and cook and stir for about one minute - ensuring the rice is completely coated. Ladle 3 cups of chicken broth from your larger pot into the rice, stir and cover cooking on low heat for about 15 minutes or until tender.

 

 

To finish:

Prepare a large bowl (big enough for your chicken) of ice and water and set aside. Very carefully remove chicken from stock pot (VERY careful here - the meat is tender enough to fall of the bone) and put the chicken in the ice bath for about 5 minutes. Remove to a cutting board the slice carefully. Plate the rice first, then top with chicken, serve with a side of ginger & garlic sauce and sliced cucumbers.

Most people serve the chicken broth as a soup on the side of this dish as well, just season a bit if needed and top with sliced scallions.

Enjoy!

Happy Friday! Having returned to this side of the world this week, I've finally realized what "jet-lag" means. I've done a great deal of traveling but this was by far the longest haul, and it was so worth it. I hope to share more about my trip to Singapore next week, but in the meantime I want to share my favorite salad with you. Marissa created this dish for the January issue of RUE and when I styled and shot it for the issue, I fell madly in love and have made it numerous times since. It's fresh clean and the perfect start for a little New Year detox.

ORANGE, AVOCADO + SHAVED FENNEL SALAD & LIME-SESAME VINAIGRETTE

1 bunch of watercress

2-3 oranges (segmented)

1 large avocado (peeled and diced)

1 bulb of fennel (halved and finely shaved)

2 T. sliced/crushed almonds (toasted)

2 T. scallions (chopped)

1/4 c. fresh cilantro

zest of one lime

red pepper flakes

 

1 small clove of garlic (minced)

2 T. rice wine vinegar

juice of one lime

1/2 to 1 t. toasted sesame oil

3 T grapeseed or avocado oil

1/2 T. honey (optional)

salt to taste

Toss together watercress, oranges, avocado, fennel, almonds and scallions.

Whisk together all ingredients for dressing, add to salad and toss to coat.

Garnish with cilantro, lime zest and red pepper flakes.

 

*I used satsuma and navel oranges, used grapeseed oil instead of avocado, the full amount of sesame oil and opted for the honey - it was perfect*

Back next week with some shots from Singapore and *fingers-crossed* an attempt at making one of the best things I ate there!