Monday, December 29th, 2008
Green bean salad with soy-Banyuls vinaigrette
- 1/4 lb green beans, tops removed
- 1/4 small red onion
- 1 stalk celery
- 4 radishes
- 3 oz baked or smoked firm tofu, cut into 1-inch batons
- A large bowl of ice water
- 2 Tbs soy sauce
- 1 Tbs olive oil
- 2 Tbs Banyuls vinegar
- Dash toasted sesame oil
Bring a large pot of salted water (it should taste like the ocean) to a rolling boil. Add green beans and cook until bright green and tender, 2-3 minutes depending on size. Plunge into ice water to stop their cooking. Once cool, remove from water and place on a towel-lined try to drain. If the green beans are large and thick, you can split them down the middle to make them more dainty.
Using a mandoline or knife, slice the celery, onion and radishes as thin as possible lengthwise. Place the sliced vegetables in the ice water for 20-30 minutes, then drain on the tray with the green beans.
Once all the vegetables are dry, mix them gently in a bowl with the remaining ingredients. Serve chilled.
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Sunday, December 28th, 2008
That’s 6 degrees Celsius. So I made lentil soup. And I’ve decided that every time I cook something, I’m going to publish it to my little corner of the Web.
- 1 small yellow onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 6 cremini mushrooms, small dice (1/4 in)
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped (2mm)
- 1 tsp chopped thyme
- 1 Roma tomato, small dice (1/4 in)
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 1/2 cup beluga or Du Puy lentils, rinsed
- 4 quarts chicken stock or water
- Salt
- A squeeze of lemon
- 1 qt (a generous handful) baby spinach leaves
- 3 tsp. unsalted butter
In a 6 quart or larger pot, heat the butter until foamy. Add onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, garlic and thyme, season with salt, cover, and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent (around 10 minutes).
Add both kinds of lentils, the tomato, and the chicken stock or water. Season with salt and bring to a simmer. Cook over low heat until the beluga/De Puy lentils are cooked through, around 45 minutes. The red lentils will dissolve, thickening the soup.
Just before serving, give the soup a final seasoning, and add the spinach and a squeeze of lemon to taste. Give the soup a quick stir to wilt the spinach, then serve.
Yield: About 3 quarts.
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