Cooking For Others: Cook-off Round Two, Stew

stew: even cozier than an unused fireplace

EVENT: Stew Cook-off

VENUE: Phoebe's apartment,
PARTY SIZE: 20 - 25
TYPE: Casual Buffet, Heated Competition
MENU: Keith’s Drunken Beef Bourguignon, Mama Fritz's Chili Noodle "Stoup," Sweet and Savory Moroccan Stew (P), Cous Cous
DESSERT: Apple Compote (C)

The smell of sweet, savory success.

January in New York is dismal, cold, and slushy. It gets light around the time we get on the subway to work and dark long before we get out. Recently, we spent a week with barely an above-freezing temperature. If the weather outdoors insists on pretending we're in Maine, then we'll follow suit indoors, making slow-cooked stews that warm the whole apartment.

The chill was the inspiration for the second round of Keith and Phoebe's culinary battle, stew being the only venerable one-pot concoction that could vie for a comfort-food title with the chili of Round One (though our third main-course competitor, Libbie, seemed to disagree...).

The dishes took on the flavor of countries from Morocco to France, right down to the province of dirty Jersey. The cooks tinkered away while guests arrived: Keith added more wine and cognac upon reheating; Phoebe, taste by taste, adjusted proportions of fruit and spice to assure a perfect balance of sweet and savory; and Cara, playing with textures, crumbled nuts and oatmeal atop a soupy dessert.

The varied flavors comprised only part of the bounty, though: whatever the hearty and global fare, when friends are invited to eat and compete, we find ourselves not only happy and well-fed, but indoors and cozy as well.

From our kitchen, warm and filled with friends, to yours,

Phoebe and Cara, THE QUARTER-LIFE COOKS

**Recipes**

Sweet and Savory Moroccan Stew
10 Servings
Budget $40

The summer after I graduated from college, my mother and I traveled around Morocco together. One of the trip's highlights had to have been the cooking class we took with a young chef. Under his guidance, we made a transcendent date and lamb tagine I've never forgotten. This (winning) stew is a cross between that dish (sweet) and another classic Moroccan stew, harira (savory).

Ingredients

4 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, halved
3 medium yellow onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
28 oz diced tomatoes, with their juices
8 oz canned chickpeas, drained
1 quart chicken stock
3 tbsp cilantro, roughly chopped
¾ cup golden raisins
½ cup dried apricots, halved
½ lemon, juiced
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp ground ginger
2 cinnamon sticks (or 1 tsp ground)
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. In a large pot, brown the chicken in batches over high heat. Set aside.

In the same pot, add the onions and sauté until translucent making sure to scrape up any remaining drippings from the chicken. Add the garlic, turmeric, ginger, cumin, nutmeg, and cinnamon sticks. Once the spices are fully incorporated and aromatic, return the chicken to the pot along with the tomatoes, chickpeas, and enough stock to submerge all contents of the stew (may be less than 1 quart). Cook uncovered for one hour.

TIP: You can make the stew up until this point and then refrigerate it overnight. Just reheat an hour or so before your guests arrive and continue with the remaining ingredients.

Cara and Jordana, sipping chicken-less chickpea stew

Place the raisins and apricots in a shallow bowl and cover with warm water. Let sit for 20 minutes until re-hydrated and plump. Add to the pot with 2 tbsp of the cilantro and the juice of half a lemon. Simmer for 10 more minutes.

Garnish with a sprig or two of cilantro and some remaining apricot halves and serve over cous cous.

NOTE: to make the veggie version, substitute 3-4 diced zucchinis or squash for the chicken and double the chickpeas.

above: two overeager brothers, one pot

Apple Compote
Serves 12

Though there's a case that the dessert that follows a supper of soft, savory stew ought to feature some crunch, I got stuck on the theme and wound up stewing apples—in sugar, lemon zest, and their own juice—just as Phoebe before me had stewed her chicken. To add some crunch and round out the portions though, I'd suggest serving the compote topped with vanilla ice cream and apple crisp-like topping.

For the compote:

6 apples
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
the zest of 1 lemon


Peel and core the apples, then cut each one into sixths.

Put all ingredients in a large saucepan or soup pot. Bring to a boil slowly, then reduce the heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are just tender. Remove the apples to a bowl and continue to cook the liquid until it has reduced and is quite syrupy. Pour over the apples. Serve warm or store covered in the fridge.

For the crisp topping:

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablepoons walnuts, finely chopped (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Combine the flour, oats, cinnamon, salt, and walnuts. With your fingers, grind in the butter until the pieces of dough range from the size of peas to the size of walnuts. Spread on a baking sheet and bake until fragrant and crisp, about 15 minutes.

To serve, ladle portions of apples and accompanying syrup into individual bowls. Top each with ice cream (vanilla) and a handful of crisp topping.

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Cooking for Others: White Wine, Fresh Fish

EVENT: Informal Fish Fry
VENUE: Phoebe’s Apartment, Flatiron
PARTY SIZE: 6
TYPE: Casual Weeknight Dinner
MENU: Lightly Fried Tilapia with Caper Brown Butter and Lemon-Shallot Orzo, Simple Salad
WINE: Finca Allende Blanco (2006), from Tinto Fino (at 85 First Ave.)

For some reason, ever since returning from my semester abroad in Rome, where as far as my daily diet was concerned, water actually did turn to wine, I have been unable to reignite my love affair with the crisp, fruity Chardonnays and Pinot Grigios I used to prefer.

A few weeks ago with my friend Whitney, a fellow white wine non-aficionado, I wandered into a fantastic little Spanish wine shop in the East Village. Having explained our palate biases, the sommelier suggested a bottle she promised would convert us back to wine-loving bipartisanism.

Unrelated to my usual choice of vino, I also don't tend to cook fish when I am hosting more than a few friends, for financial and olfactory reasons, as well as out of a fear of guests' aversions. But this week, in honor of Whitney’s new bottle of Rioja Blanco, I decided to take a page from the Brits: a menu featuring fried fish.

A great trick for getting away with choosing a less expensive fish like tilapia or skate is, in fact, to dredge, lightly fry, and top it with a simple sauce that honors the integrity of the flavors. To offset the cost of a pricer main ingredient, I also decided to pair my fish fry with two simple sides, neither of which were chips.

While more often than not I think I will still crave the rich, spicy flavors of a full-bodied red, the white Rioja won itself a repeat appearance. Likewise, the success of the meal guaranteed that a full-fledged fish fry may be just around the corner.

From my small, fish-friendly kitchen to yours,

Phoebe, THE QUARTER-LIFE COOK

**Recipe**

Lightly Fried Tilapia with Caper Brown Butter and Lemon-Shallot Orzo
Makes 6 Servings
Budget $30

Ingredients

For the fish:

2 lb tilapia, or 6 large fillets (you can also use skate wing, yellowtail, or snapper)
1 cup flour for dredging
4 tbsp capers
2 oz butter
salt

For the orzo:

1 lb orzo, cooked al dente
3 large shallots, thinly sliced
½ cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped (plus an additional 2 tbsp for garnish)
½ cup white wine
1 lemons, zest and juice
1 oz butter

In a medium saucepan, sauté the shallots until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the wine, lemon juice, and zest. Cook until reduced by half. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and parsley. Combine with orzo and season to taste.

On a large plate, season the flour with salt and dredge the tilapia fillets. In a large skillet, heat enough olive oil to coat the base of the pan over a high flame. Lightly fry the fish in batches until golden brown on the outside and just flaky in the inside, about 1-2 minutes per side. Let it drain on paper towels.

Clean out the pan and return to a low heat. Add the butter. When it begins to brown, add the capers and cook for 1 more minute.


To serve, place one fillet of tilapia over a bed of orzo and finish with 1-2 spoonfuls of caper brown butter.

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Big Girls, Global Kitchens: A Bombay Birthday Treat

EVENT: Joe’s Birthday Dinner
VENUE: Phoebe’s Apartment, Flatiron
PARTY SIZE: Two
TYPE: Formal, Special Occasion Dinner
MENU: Manchurian Cauliflower, Pork Tenderloin with Spinach, Spiced Carrot-Potato Puree, and Cilantro-Mint Chutney

Spices from the Indian market. Ground cardamom, $3.50 for 1/4 lb.

One of the main troubles of cooking in Manhattan actually comes from beyond our small kitchens. The relative ease of getting ready-made food from the outside world can diminish the appeal of cooking inside our apartments. Over the years, Thai takeout has become my ultimate comfort food. And while I’ve tried my hand at recreating my favorite green curry, there’s still no apt replacement for the delicious $10 version delivered to my doorstep in twenty minutes or less.

The same goes for many ethnic cravings, especially Indian, where the ingredients alone can take up the entire page of a cook book and, if purchased at the regular supermarket, the budget of three weeknight meals.

But for my friend Joe’s birthday, I decided to investigate cheaper means of stocking my pantry with these items, and the resulting meal, more of a take on Tabla (an upscale Gramercy Indian restaurant) than your local Tikka Masala joint, turned out to be elegant, easy, adventure-filled, and the perfect play on my friend’s favorite cuisine.

To get all the spices I needed, I went straight to the source: a little Bengali grocery store in the East Village, just blocks from the abundant take-out joints on Curry Row's E. 6th Street. The loot: 6 large bags of spices and flavors ranging from common to truly obscure, all for only $15. To make the meal special, I chose a more pricey cut of meat and used layers of fresh herbs for the marinade and chutney. (The market is called Spice Bazaar and is at 69 First Ave.)

The three course meal cost less than two entrees at Tamarind (another upscale Indian), and provided far more plentiful leftovers than usually afforded by my aluminum takeout containers.

From my small kitchen, where Bollywood tunes are a-blaring, to yours,

Phoebe, THE QUARTER-LIFE COOK

**Recipes**

Manchurian Cauliflower*
Makes 4 servings, appetizer-sized

There is no way to properly explain the addictive quality of this dish. Beware before making: Manchurian cauliflower will rapidly become your most highly requested—even signature—dish. That said, the few florets you are able to snatch up before your guests have polished off the plate are worth the time, blood, sweat, and tears it took to fry them over a hot stove. Oh, and the calories too.

Ingredients

Canola oil for deep frying, about 12 ounces
2 large eggs
½ cup cornstarch
1 medium cauliflower, trimmed and separated into florets
2 - 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
¾ cup ketchup
½ teaspoon cayenne
1 tsp salt
2 scallions, green and white parts, thinly sliced (garnish)

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, eggs, and salt, adding ¼ - ½ cup of warm water if the consistency is too thick to properly combine the dry and wet ingredients. Add the cauliflower and toss to coat.

In the meantime, warm the oil in a medium casserole pot or deep pan over a high flame. The oil will take about ten minutes to get to the proper heat level.

Using a fork, transfer the florets to the hot oil in batches, making sure not to crowd the pot. Cook for a minute or two, rotating the pieces so they brown on all sides.

TIP: It’s best to do a trial batch with just one or two pieces to make sure the oil is at your desired temperature. The florets should bob to the surface and sizzle right when they make contact with the hot oil, and they should only take a minute or so to begin to brown.

Remove the golden brown florets with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel. Once all batches are finished frying and properly drained, lightly sprinkle them with salt.

In a medium non-stick saucepan, lightly sauté the garlic until golden brown. Add the ketchup and cayenne. Simmer over medium-low heat for five minutes until the ketchup has reduced by a third.

Test a floret in the sauce to make sure it has the desired amount of spiciness. Add more cayenne or salt to taste.

Add the remaining florets to the pan and toss to coat.

Transfer to a serving plate, garnish with scallions, and serve family style with toothpicks.


*adapted from the book Indian Home Cooking by Suvir Saran and Stephanie Lyness, original recipe available at http://www.starchefs.com/

Pork Tenderloin with Spinach, Spiced Carrot-Potato Puree, and Cilantro-Mint Chutney
Makes 4 servings
Or, in this case, dinner for two, and leftovers for you

This recipe can seem daunting, due to the impresive number of ingredients it takes to create this elaborate, layered plate. However, if you have proper time to prepare, you’ll find that each element is surprisingly uncomplicated to execute—and execute well at that. Make the puree and the chutney early in the afternoon, and right before guests arrive, pop the pork in the oven and quickly sauté the spinach. You'll have plenty of time to regale your friends with tales from your fascinating adventure to the Indian grocer while you plate.

Ingredients

For the Pork:

1 ¾ lb pork tenderloin (two small loins)
2 tbsp cilantro
1 large clove garlic
1 small shallot, coarsely chopped
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp lemon
2 tsp honey
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin
2 tbsp olive oil

Combine all ingredients except the pork in a food processor. Transfer the mixture into a large, reclosable plastic bag with the two tenderloins. Using your fingers, massage the marinade into all crevices of the pork. When properly covered, lay the bag of pork flat in the refrigerator and let marinate overnight.

20 minutes before your guests arrive, preheat the oven to 500 degrees, transfer the loins to a sheet pan, and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Cover the pan with foil and let rest for 15 minutes.

For the Carrot-Potato Puree:

2 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 lb potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Spice mixture (recipe follows)
2 tbsp honey
1 quart chicken stock (or veggie)

In a medium casserole pot over medium-low heat, sauté the garlic, cinnamon sticks, and bay leaf until the garlic begins to brown. Add the "Vadouvan" spice mixture and continue to cook for another few minutes. Add the carrots and potatoes, cover with stock, adding any additional liquid (water, or more stock) necessary to submerge the vegetables. Bring to a simmer and cover with lid. Cook over medium heat until the carrots and potato are tender throughout.

Remove the vegetable with a slotted spoon, and in batches puree them a food processor with the honey, adding the cooking liquids as necessary to obtain the thickness of smooth mashed potatoes.

Keep warm on the stove until serving.

TIP: Reserve 4-5 chunks of carrots and remaining cooking liquid. Add a knob of fresh ginger, and puree in the food processor. This makes two servings of really nice Indian-scented carrot ginger soup which you can keep in the fridge as light lunches.

For the "Vadouvan" Spice Mixture:

The ingredients used for this mixture are similar to those in the classic Indian blend Vadouvan, recently brought into the limelight when featured in a winning recipe on Top Chef (I’m not that obsessed, I swear). If you have some time on your hands and plan on making more Indian inspired dishes in the coming weeks, spread the mixture into a thin layer on a non-stick sheet pan. Bake at 300-350 degrees for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the moisture has evaporated and the mixture takes on the texture of potpourri. Dried like this, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month.

1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp turmeric
1 shallot, sliced
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, diced

In a small saucepan, toast the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds until aromatic. Add the remaining spices and cook for one minute longer, until just heated through. Remove from heat. In the same pan, cook onion and shallot until caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another few minutes until lightly golden. Place reserved spices in a small food processor and blend until the mixture becomes a fine powder. Add onion mixture and pulse until all elements are combined. The resulting texture should resemble a thick paste.

For the chutney:

½ cup mint leaves
1 cup cilantro leaves
1 clove garlic
1 small shallot
1 lemon, juice and zest
1 tsp honey
1 tsp green chili (optional depending on if you want to add heat to the dish)
olive oil
salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. If the mixture requires more liquid, drizzle in olive oil until all ingredients are fully incorporated and the texture is silky.

For the spinach:

1/2 bag pre-washed spinach, or ½ box frozen
1 tsp olive oil

Heat olive oil in a small saucepan. Add the spinach and sauté, stirring, until wilted. Season with a sprinkle of salt.

To serve: Slice the pork and arrange it over a bed of spinach and carrot-potato puree. Finish with a drizzle of chutney.

The carrot-potato puree and a small fork-full of the spinach, topped with three slices of pork and a spoonful of chutney

The Birthday Boy: after two bottles of wine, still intimidated by dessert

A note on dessert: due to time constraints, I decided to pick up this piece of many-layered chocolate cake from Strip House, which Joe's always raving about. Incredibly delicious, and maybe the most money I've ever spent on a treat. Next time, I'm calling Cara

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Baking for Others: The Cookie or the Dough?

EVENT: Sunday night dinner
VENUE: Cara's apartment, Park Slope
PARTY SIZE: Just four of us
TYPE: Simple supper party
MENU: Skillet-roasted favas with tomato and feta; broccoli; carrot raisin cookie (dough) and chocolate chip cookies

carrot raisin cookie dough

The following is excerpted from an email exchange between two of my friends whom I’d invited to dinner the following night:

jordana: i'm excited for brooklyn dinner and carrot cookies!

sarah: let’s just eat the dough! just throwing that out there...

jordana: dough is so yummy! but i like cookies too - i say half and half!

If this sounds odd, here’s some history to contextualize: While Jordana (of Veggie Birthday fame) was my roommate, we grew obsessed with this chewy, cake-like carrot-raisin-walnut cookie from the Union Square Greenmarket. Much to our chagrin, we couldn’t find a recipe anywhere, so I got to experimenting and figured out a way to make these wholesome confections at home.

One night smack in the middle of the carrot-cookie obsession, Sarah was sitting on our couch with Jordana when I walked in, tired from a long day. As I took off my coat and sat down, they both sort of looked at me in a pleading way.

“Will you make us carrot cookies?” they finally said.

Always the sucker, I obliged—or at least I got as far as making the dough. Incredibly, by the time the oven had preheated, there was almost no batter left in the bowl. Jordana and Sarah had eaten nearly all of it!

Whether I’ll appease my guests by serving a portion of the dough raw has yet to be determined—I can assure you some will be baked, for sure, and I promise, they’re really good that way.

From my sweet, but not too sweet, kitchen to yours,

Cara, THE QUARTER-LIFE COOK

P.S. If you are really planning on eating all the dough raw, consider omitting the egg. Case in point: Phoebe did not attend the dinner as she is still recovering from a bout of non-cookie related food poisoning.

**Recipe**

Carrot Raisin Cookies
Makes 30 cookies

Although these are still sweets, as desserts go, they’re not so bad. They have far less sugar and fat than traditional cookies (the carrot supplies some of the moisture) and are made with both whole wheat flour and rolled oats, which counts for something. You could try using spices like cinnamon, dried ginger, or nutmeg to make them taste more like carrot cake.

Ingredients
1 ¼ cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup oil

1/4 cup light brown sugar

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
¾ cup finely grated carrots
1 egg (optional)
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Combine the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Mix together the oil with the sugar, honey or syrup, and carrots until the sugar is dissolved. Add the eggs and beat the mixture until well combined.

Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined. Add the raisins and nuts and mix until they’re distributed throughout.

Drop tablespoons of the dough on to a cookie sheet. Flatten each ball slightly. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cookies have darkened a bit (it’s hard to see—they really don’t look that different baked than raw...). Remove to a plate to cool.

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Working With What You Have: Stocking the Twenty-Something Larder

Phoebe's cabinet: nuts and pasta aplenty, in need of more tomatoes.

One of the biggest deterrents from getting started in the kitchen has got to be the initial stocking of the pantry. But keeping cabinets filled means there's always the possibility of a meal without having to resort to a) leaving the apartment, b) takeout, or c) a bowl of cereal with stale rice crackers on the side. Not that these alternatives should be shunned. I mean, fresh air does the body good, and sometimes a $10 Pad Thai or half a jar of peanut butter can be just as satisfying as a home-cooked meal. Additionally, though dinner or cocktails parties will still need supplementing, with a well-stocked pantry, the staples will already be there.

It's idiosyncratic and not foolproof in the least. More to the point, we are not practiced housewives, and there will always be occasions when we’ve polished off the last can of diced tomatoes and forgotten to replace the pasta, and, alas, that meal of spaghetti and tomato sauce becomes totally unattainable.

Cara’s pantry has been through various incarnations, at one point containing six varieties of dried beans and four exotic grains—none of which she ever used. Phoebe once found herself on a pasta kick, unable (or unwilling) to cook the same shape at consecutive meals, leaving her with five boxes of wheels, ribbons, and cork screws—a killer arts and crafts selection—but not enough servings of any one type to make a four-person pasta entrée.

At this point, we’ve whittled down the selection to the twenty-something basics numbered below. Everyone's pantry is going to reflect individual tastes, but to give you an idea of what we’re working with, here's the list of foodstuffs usually occupying our kitchens' shelves.

From our kitchen, small but impressively stocked, to yours,

Phoebe and Cara, THE QUARTER-LIFE COOKS

**What's On Hand**

General
On the shelves
1. Olive oil
2. Brown rice (or which ever variety you prefer)
3. Two kinds of pasta
4. Two kinds of canned beans; Cannelloni (P), Chickpea (C)
5. Canned tomatoes
6. Vinegar: Balsamic (P), Rice wine (C)
7. Soy sauce
8. Miscellaneous grain: Breadcrumbs (P), Barley (C)
9. Stock (P)

In the fridge
10. Eggs (seriously, our number-one go-to)
11. Ketchup
12. Mustard (Dijon and whole grain)
13. Hot Sauce
14. Cheese: ungrated Parmesan; a hunk of Swiss or cheddar
15. Mayonnaise (P)
16. Opened bottle of white wine
17. Worcestershire sauce
18. Lemon
19. "Pantry" fruit and vegetables: carrot, cabbage, Brussels sprouts; an apple or pear--anything that keeps well. We're also fond of a few frozen vegetables: spinach, peas, and corn.


Accents
20. A complete spice rack, including salt and pepper (more to come on this, P and C having varying opinions on the essentials)
21. Onions
22. Garlic
23. Nuts: pecans (P), walnuts and almonds (C)
24. Raisins
25. Sundried tomatoes (not jarred in oil)

Cara's spice rack/windowsill

NOTE: Phoebe also likes to keep turkey bacon and one variety of pre-made sausage in the freezer for quick additions to salads and scrambles. Cara usually has some tofu, flavored or plain, on hand.

Baking

on the shelves

1. White flour (or whole wheat pastry)
2. White sugar
3. Brown sugar
4. Confectioner’s sugar
5. Chocolate chips
6. Baking soda and baking powder
7. Vanilla extract
8. Honey (not to be overlooked for savory purposes)
9. Rolled oats (good for breakfast AND for baking)

in the fridge

10. Butter (for cooking too!)

Some stove-side essentials: garlic, salt, soy sauce, The Joy of Cooking.

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Cooking for One: In Praise of, Um, Celeriac

DISH: Celeriac, Leek, and Sundried Tomato Frittata

MAIN INGREDIENT: Celeriac

TYPE: Pantry fresh

a quarter of a celery root

I have a growing obsession with celery root, also known as celeriac.

It's a root vegetable, ugly and knotted, but you can get a big old knob of it for just a dollar or two at the farmers' market. The texture is firm and crunchy, not so crunchy as a carrot or turnip, more like a just-ripe pear. It tastes vaguely of celery, but it's sweeter and has none of the annoying fibers that make chewing raw celery kind of tedious. Second only to its taste, celeriac's greatest charm lies in how long it keeps. It's a pantry vegetable like a lemon is a pantry fruit: durable, yet always fresh tasting. I'll have one in my vegetable drawer for two weeks or more as I chip away at it for salads, sautes, and veggie roasts. Because—did I forget to mention?—it's versatile too, as good raw as cooked by itself or added to elaborate dishes. In this frittata recipe, celeriac is featured in its cooked rendition. I'll leave it to future posts to expose it in its all its vibrant raw goodness...

From my kitchen, albeit small, to yours,

Cara, THE QUARTER-LIFE COOK

here, some celeriac braising with its partner, celery

**Recipe**

Frittata

serves 1

Frittatas, especially dressed up ones like this, are amazingly appealing as one-dish meals, picnic lunches, and spur-of-the moment friends for dinner. I happened to have in my possession some leftover roasted celeriac, but it doesn't take much to roast in advance or when you're ready to eat. Of course, you can skip the frittata entirely and serve the roasted root as a homey side dish.

For the celeriac:

Ingredients

1 lb celeriac

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt

Preheat the oven to 375°F. With a small paring knife, strip the celery root of its skin. Cut it into French-fry like shapes, about 1/3" by 3". Toss with the olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Roast for about 40 minutes, until the celery root has become tender and the edges of each "French fry" are browned. Sprinkle with kosher or sea salt.

finished frittata

For the frittata:

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 leek, cleaned well and white and light green parts sliced thinly

1 cup roasted celeriac

6 sundried tomatoes (not in oil), cut into strips

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, or 1 tablespoon each Parmesan and Gruyere, grated

2 egg whites * (see TIP, below)

1 egg

Salt

Pepper

NOTE: This frittata for one was made in a 7" nonstick pan. Use whatever small size you have—all that will change is the thickness. The frittata finishes cooking under the broiler, so be sure the pan is also oven safe (no plastic handles or anything). For two, just double the recipe and up the size of the pan.

Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper and either the grated Gruyere or 1 T of the Parmesan. Set aside.

Warm the oil over medium heat and add the leek, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Saute until the garlic is fragrant and the leeks are soft and slightly browned, 5-10 minutes. Add the roasted celeriac and sundried tomato strips, and increase the heat to high. Stir until the vegetables are heated through, then, working quickly, turn off the heat and pour in the eggs, pulling them towards you and stirring them around with a heat-proof spatula. When the mixture has nearly set, sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and more pepper.

Place the pan in the oven under the broiler for about 2 minutes, until the top is golden and the cheese is melted. (When broiling, keep the oven door slightly ajar.)

Let rest in the pan 5 minutes. Serve in wedges, warm or at room temperature.

TIP: My ideal egg situation for dishes like this is 2 egg whites and 1 whole egg. I find the richness of the egg yolks distracting, but if you're not used to the relative austerity of egg whites, feel free to change the proportion to 2 eggs and 1 egg white or simply 2 eggs.

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Cooking For One: Turkey Soup Two Ways

DISH: Hungarian Wedding Soup, My Mother’s Garlic Soup
MAIN INGREDIENT: Roast Turkey, Turkey Sausage
TYPE: Repurposing Leftovers, Single Pot, Good for Several Weeks

Unlike Cara, I’m constantly trying to find ways to put a carnivorous spin on my everyday meals without having to go to the grocery store to pick up a package of chicken thighs every time I want to whip up dinner. What I find myself coming back to again and again at the beginning of a long week: soup. You’ll be hearing us sing the praises of this one-pot wonder quite often as a solution to single living: Easy. Cheap. Comforting. Pantry friendly.

The following recipes can be made with chicken instead of turkey and any type of sausage you have on hand.

From my small, meat-filled kitchen to yours,

Phoebe, THE QUARTER-LIFE COOK

**Recipes**

Hungarian Wedding Soup with Turkey Sausage, Lentils, and Chard
Makes 4 servings

This soup takes all the elements of a hearty, comforting Italian Wedding soup but only requires items from your freezer or pantry—in other words, eliminating the breadcrumbs, parmesan, egg—and, most importantly, the time it takes to make meatballs from scratch

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs green chard or escarole
1/2 lb turkey sausage without the casing (garlic and herb if available, or sweet Italian)
1 1/2 quart chicken stock
1 large sweet onion, diced
½ cup lentils
1 tbsp chopped thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 bayleaf
salt to taste

Using two teaspoons, form small balls of the sausage. In a medium soup or casserole pot, brown the sausage in batches over medium heat. Set aside.

Add the onions and scrape the drippings from the pan as you sauté. When translucent, add thyme. Sauté 2 more minutes. Add chard. If it doesn’t all fit in the pan at once, wait for it to wilt a bit and continue to add the greens. Sauté until wilted, tender, with liquids exuded, and it turns a dark green. Add the sausage “meatballs” back in along with the cumin, paprika, and bay leaf. Note: do not salt until the end. The sausages are often very well seasoned, making it easy to oversalt at the onset.

Add stock and 1 cup water. Put lid back on the pot and bring up to up to a boil. Remove top and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.


TIP: freeze two portions, serve the other two, and you will have a hearty treat on-hand for weeks

My Mother’s Garlic Soup
Makes 4 servings

While most mothers stuck with the more traditional variations of chicken noodle, my memories of sick days home from school include two very important remedies: garlic soup and The Price is Right. The latter may now conflict with my life as a big girl, but when I’m feeling under the weather—however achy, painy, vomity—I still find comfort in making this soup for myself.

My mother’s original version contained no meat, but after Thanksgiving this year, she whipped up a batch using leftover roast turkey. And without any ail besides an unhealthy case of stomach expansion, I felt all the comfort of my days being doted on in front of the television come back, even without Bob Barker.
Ingredients

1 whole head of garlic
1 egg yolk
1 ½ quarts chicken stock
1/2 cup brown rice
1 cup roast turkey, roughly torn or chopped
Juice of half a lemon
Pinch of cayenne (optional)
½ tbsp rosemary or thyme, finely chopped (optional)

In a small saucepan, bring 1½ cups of water to a boil. With the back of your knife, crush the head of garlic so the cloves separate from the base. Add to the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the garlic, and let rest on the cutting board until cool enough to touch. The skin will come off extremely easily.

In a medium casserole or soup pot, bring the chicken stock and the garlic cooking water to a boil. Add the brown rice, garlic cloves, herbs, and a pinch of cayenne. Simmer over medium heat with the lid on for 40 - 45 minutes, or until the rice is cooked. Take the soup off the heat.

In a shallow bowl, beat the egg yolk. Slowly whisk in a ladle of the broth to temper it. Make sure to add a very small amount at a time as to not cook the egg. Once fully incorporated, add to the soup with the lemon juice. The egg yolk should give the soup a subtle, silky quality, while the lemon adds brightness to the rich, sweet aroma of boiled garlic.

My life elixir

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