Category Archives: General
Smitten with Bittman
The great irony is that even though I went to just about the most technical university possible (MIT) and my livelihood for over 20 years has been developing software applications, outside of my professional life, technology is something I could take or leave.
Howard and I are one of the last remaining households I know of without cable TV. Now, Howard doesn’t share my laissez faire attitude towards technology. He lives for it. He’s an “earlier adopter” and is always interested in the latest electronic gadget and how to find a place for it in his day-to-day life. He definitely keeps me tuned into the 21st century.
Enter TiVo. We don’t have cable, but do have a TV. Our programming comes to us “over the air” thanks to an antenna in the attic. Without cable, I sometimes lament the lack of the Food Network. My sisters are hooked. However, on TiVo, Howard found me something better. Every week, TiVo downloads my favorite 5 minutes of video every week. It’s the weekly installment of the New York Times columnist Mark Bittman demonstrating each week’s recipe for his column, The Minimalist. Watching him is just the best! He’s funny, I love his thoughts on food, and his recipes often inspire me to try something new. He always makes it look so easy.
This weekend, some friends of mine invited us to join them for an early Thanksgiving dinner with friends. It was a nice gathering of people that I work with, many of whom, not being from the U.S. , had never had a American Thanksgiving feast before. The hosts provided the traditional fare: turkey, mashed potatoes, butternut squash, and cranberry sauce. The guests brought other dishes to share.
My contribution was a recipe I learned by watching my “hero” Mark Bittman on his weekly video a year or so back. Walnut Caramel Tart is just right for Thanksgiving and the holiday season. It involves molten sugar, so Howard keeps me company for moral support. It’s not as scary as it sounds. In fact, it’s rather magical when it comes together.
Walnut Caramel Tart
Adapted from Mark Bittman, New York Times
- 1 9-inch pastry shell in a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom, fully baked (use your favorite recipe, I’ll give you mine another time)
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 1 Tbsp water
- 1 stick butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2-1/2 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped (I start with walnut halves & pieces from Trader Joes, and chop those)
- Salt to taste
Put the sugar in a heavy 8-inch deep skillet with the water. Turn heat to medium. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally until the sugar melts. Using a heat-proof flexible spatula, continue to cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the sides, until the sugar turns golden.
Turn heat to low, then carefully add the butter and cream. Cook, stirring constantly, until the butter melts and the mixture is uniform. Stir in walnuts and a large pinch of salt. Spread mixture onto crust. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Serve.
Nutty Noodles
Peanut Noodles is our 2009 Recipe of the Year. Ever since January, when Howard started working down the street from Russo’s, he brings home a bag of fresh Chinese egg noodles every few weeks. The recipe is simple, versatile, and good to eat, a good weeknight staple. The only constant when I make this are the carrots. The rest varies based on what’s in the vegetable bin. Some crunchy vegetables are a must, and the more colors the better. Some of the vegetables I have used are: celery, peppers (red, yellow, green, orange, anything goes), bean sprouts, cucumber, broccoli. Sometimes, I add shredded chicken or cooked shrimp, but not always.
Here’s the latest combination…
Peanut Noodles
(Serves 4)
Adapted from “Asian Noodles” by Nina Simonds
- 1 lb fresh Chinese egg noodles
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Vegetables:
- 3 carrots, peeled & cut into thin strips
- 4 salad turnips, cut into thin strips
- 2 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces
Garnish:
- 1 scallion, minced
- 1 generous handful cilantro, chopped
Peanut Sauce:
- Ginger, 1/2 inch piece, peeled
- 4-6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tsp hot chile paste (Sricha)
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 3 1/2 Tbsp Chinese black vinegar
- 3 Tbsp sesame oil
- 6 Tbsp water
To make the Peanut Sauce, in a blender, chop ginger and garlic. Scrape down the sides. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. You can make it ahead of time. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the broccoli until almost tender, and scoop out of the pot. Add the noodles, and cook for 5 minutes, until tender. Drain, then toss the hot noodles with 1 tsp sesame oil.
To serve, arrange in individual bowls. Place noodles in a large shallow bowl. Arrange the vegetables on top of the noodles. Sprinkle with garnishes. Pour peanut sauce over the noodles. You probably won’t use all of the peanut sauce.
If you’re not serving it all at once, keep the noodles and vegetables separately. You can microwave the noodles with the peanut sauce and then toss with cold vegetables to serve.
Other Variations:
- 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2 inch lengths, then cut into thin strips
- Bell peppers, diced or cut into strips, as you prefer
- 1-2 cups bean sprouts
- 2 stalks celery, sliced thin on the diagonal
- 8-10 radishes, sliced and cut into thin strips
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds as a garnish
- Shredded chicken or cooked shrimp (Place on top of vegetables before adding the garnish)
A Plateful of Happiness 