Dressings for Life

When I was nine, I had to write a report on the Shoshone Native American tribe. If you grew up in the Golden State during the last twenty years and attended public school, you know the majority of the fourth grade is spent learning about settlers, the Gold Rush and, well, the Native Americans.

I’d known about this report and its due date for months, but chose to research, write and execute the entire project the day before it was to be turned in. My parents never questioned my work habits because I always finished on time and got great grades to boot; thus, when they saw me furiously scribbling into the wee hours of the morning, they assumed it was an extremely difficult project and not that their eldest child had completely mismanaged her time. I was exhausted the next day, but proud I was able to hand in the entire assignment while acknowledging it was some of my sloppier work.

Suffice it to say I was surprised a few days later when my teacher held up my report as one of the prime examples. My report and two other classmates’ were the “above and beyond” projects and had each received an A+.

I felt like a complete fraud.

Not that I brought that to anyone’s attention, of course.



Procrastination personified.



This is how I feel when people love my homemade salad dressing. It is so incredibly easy even my nine-year-old slacker self could have whipped up a batch, and with flourish.

It took a while to understand the inner workings of a delicious salad; that is to say, I was twenty-two when I mastered the art of making dressing. I had come to a point where I wanted to push the envelope on my cooking skills and create dishes I love, salad with French vinaigrette being one of them. I could never figure out how chefs and home cooks took oil and vinegar and whipped up something thick, rich and luscious. The answer, my dears, came with my comprehension of a word that I’m hoping will change your life as well: emulsion.

Most people know that oil and vinegar do not naturally mix; it takes whisking the two together to get them to combine. Essentially, when one adds oil to vinegar (slowly) while whipping it with a whisk or fork, the particles of the two break down and cling to each other, making a completely different mixture all together. Enough with the chemistry lesson though; my brain hurts.

With the addition of Dijon, salt and pepper, you have a true French vinaigrette and a delicious, go-to salad dressing for any occasion. 




The usual suspects (French, naturally).

 Once you know the basics, you can pretty much create any dressing in the world. This is not an exaggeration. Unfortunately, from this point out, the store bought variety is going to taste subpar… Sorry about that.



Possible future guest stars.

 Our dear friends the Brewers moved to northern California a month ago, and I promised Micaela (wife of Kyle) a selection of some of my favorite dressings. I’ve not only included the basic French vinaigrette that started my personal revolution, but one involving champagne vinegar, maple and shallots, as well as a tried and true jar dressing sure to impress all who try it. Usually, the recipes make more than necessary, but it’ll store beautifully in the refrigerator for one to two weeks before it is no longer edible.

Or you can eat it in one sitting… which you know I’m prone to do.

Happy Eating,

Elizabeth

French Vinaigrette

¼ cup vinegar (balsamic, white or red wine and champagne vinegar all work beautifully)

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard (I LOVE Trader Joe’s version)

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

In a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper (feel free to add a small pinch of sugar if you wish). 

Once combined, slowly add the oil in a drizzle, while constantly whisking the mixture. The more you whisk and the slower you pour will determine how quickly or slowly your dressing will start to separate back into oil and vinegar. 

Toss with mixed greens and any favorite accompaniments (I love this with goat cheese and walnuts). Make sure to add your dressing slowly to your salad while tossing the leaves, to thoroughly coat them, but not to the point of saturation. Also, if you want to make less dressing, but don't know the ratios, remember that vinaigrette's can be achieved with one part vinegar to three parts oil. 

Variations: Add any of the following to the mixture before adding the olive oil to get a different, but still delicious, dressing:

½ clove minced or smashed garlic

½ cup crumbled blue cheese

Chopped fresh herbs

One thinly sliced shallot

Mix all ingredients in a jam jar and shake to combine. Makes one cup of dressing.



Pre-shake



Post-shake


Farmer’s Market Salad Dressing
Courtesy of Gwyneth Paltrow for goop.com

1 small shallot, peeled and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 ½ teaspoons real maple syrup

2 teaspoons champagne vinegar

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl, whisk together the shallot, mustard, maple syrup and vinegar. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and season the dressing with salt and pepper.

Toss with salad greens and any favorite accompaniments (I love toasted pecans, blue cheese and Asian pears with this salad).

Cyndi’s Special Mexican Dressing

½ Canola oil

½ teaspoon celery seed

½ small white onion, grated

3 Tablespoon sugar

¼ cup white cider vinegar

½ teaspoon yellow mustard

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Meet Brett.

Meet Brett.

Aside from being a great friend, he’s a gem in the kitchen and has thus earned the honor of being our first home cook feature.

When Lindsay and I decided we were setting out on our Knife and Fork Adventure, we knew we wanted to celebrate everything having to do with food; not just recipes and restaurants, but also the people who love eating and cooking as much as we do.

Brett’s currently attending law school at Pepperdine University and, luckily for us, moved down the street from Elizabeth and Kyle just a couple months ago. He lives with his life partner, Brittany, who happens to write this blog and co-owns this stationery company (both awesome, by the way).



Presenting Brettany... Cute, right?! 



Their new place is perfect for dinner and dog parties as it has a fabulously large backyard complete with fruit trees and a soon to be developed community vegetable and herb garden. Essentially, we get together, eat some delicious food, drink some delicious wine (or beer) and watch our dogs kind of, sort of play with each other (their dachshunds, Humphrey and Bogart, regulate any sort of merrymaking and Moe happily submits to their demands).
 

 (I pretty much use any excuse I can to post dog photos.)

A couple weeks ago, we had a tasty vegetarian dinner a la Brett featuring roast corn salad, salsamole and curried potato and squash tacos. The salad was his spin on a recipe courtesy of famed chef Bobby Flay, but the tacos and salsamole were all his (and all fantastic!).

He’s a smart, well-spoken guy, so we figured a Q & A session with him about his cooking and recipes could only be a good time. Here’s a brief summary of the things that inspire, excite and have helped Brett progress on his own food adventure. 

Why did you choose to cook the recipes featured?

I chose these recipes for a couple reasons. The squash/potato tacos are a super easy dish, but they're also really unique. I mean, how often do you see curry in Mexican food? And the corn, because, besides just grilling it and eating it straight off the cob, that Bobby Flay preparation is my favorite way to enjoy summer corn. And this was not planned, but I wound up with a vegetarian meal, which we seem to do a lot around our house without meaning to. Maybe next time I'll cook you guys a whole pile of bacon to make up for it.

When did you start becoming interested in cooking? Were there any people or things that inspired you to delve into it?

I think I was always interested in cooking. When I was young I found out the best way to eat what I liked was to cook what I wanted. I used to love making French toast in the morning before school. My mom, because she allowed me to help out in the kitchen. As a little kid I think I learned a lot just from watching her, but also from her allowing me to cook things myself. And I've always thought of her as a great cook.

What is you favorite cusine or type of food to cook?

I don't know if I have a favorite. I have this horrible compulsion, first of all with not reading recipes well, and second, with not wanting to cook the same thing twice. And I think along with that, I am always looking for something new, so I've never sat down to really explore one cuisine. I do love southeast Asian foods, even if what I'm doing is a facsimile and probably a gross misrepresentation of the actual dish, I still find it fun to try.    

Where do you get food inspiration from?

I take some inspiration from blogs, food magazines, but really, I take most of my inspiration from two places. First, and this is for the feel, the aesthetic, the philosophical underpinnings, along with the amazing food, is Anthony Bourdain's show No Reservations. And second, eating out. I love the challenge of recreating a dish I've had somewhere, coming up with my own interpretation of what they've done.

For who do you most like to cook?

I will tell you what I don't like, or who I don't like to cook for: me. I am first of all my own worst critic, and second, I just don't find as much pleasure in dining alone. I think that there's a deep satisfaction from sharing food at a table with someone, and so if I'm by myself I usually just eat some takeout or something. This past summer has been a difficult one in terms of food, as I spent a lot of the time alone on nights where I would usually be cooking for my girlfriend and myself. That being said, in terms of volume I cook most often for my girlfriend, but I love cooking for anyone who appreciates good honest food, good wine, and conversation, because that's what I want out of a meal. I want that communion. That's really why I cook. If you cook like shit, it makes it difficult to convince people to come back and share in that experience again.

What is the most interesting thing you have learned about cooking recently?

Hmm. I don't know. I guess it would be how much more I have to learn, which is good because it means I can never get bored cooking.

Are you self taught or did someone teach you to cook? Any classes?

Self taught. I'm sure it shows in the execution, but I like to think that my taste makes up for it. Besides, I'm never going to be plating haute cuisine, so do I really care if I can't properly julienne a carrot?

What are your favorite food magazines and blogs? Any cookbooks you swear by?

My go-to blog is smitten kitchen. Deb just has impeccable taste; everything she does appeals to me, and I've yet to have a recipe of hers turn out poorly. I get Bon Appetit, and have some Gourmets, and some cookbooks. I like Alice Waters, and Ina [Garten], but because I'm so bad at following recipes, I go long spells without opening the magazines or books.

What are the dishes or ingredients you look forward to most each season?

During the summer, I love stone fruit, berries, corn, and tomatoes. They all stand on their own, and when at their peak they're good enough to eat fresh, but I am a sucker for a nectarine and blackberry crumble, or barbecued corn with a little butter spread on it, and of course, heirloom tomatoes and mozzarella might be one of my favorite meals of all time. And in the fall, apples and pears. They get the same treatment as the nectarines. I combine the two and make a crumble with massive amounts of topping.


Salsamole


4 medium avocados
3 heirloom tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped (the taco recipe uses half a bunch, also)
Juice of 3-4 limes (or to taste)
3 Tablespoons ground cumin (or to taste)
1-2 serrano or jalapeno peppers (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper (try white for a subtle twist)


This is almost more of a salsa with the amount of tomato added. Chop your tomatoes, add to a bowl with the lime juice. Split your avocados and add the fruit to the bowl. 

Add your cilantro, garlic, peppers and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Mix, taste, add more salt if needed, and enjoy.

Curried Potato Tacos

1-2 white potatoes
1 squash
1 package mushrooms 
2 cloves garlic, pressed
3 Tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon sumac
1 and 1/2 Tablespoons ground cumin
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper


Chop and prepare your potatoes and squash so that they're a little smaller than the mushroom slices (you want the potatoes small enough so that they fully cook in the pan).

Add some olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the potatoes. Stir the potatoes and let them cook for a couple minutes by themselves; then, add the squash and spices. Let this cook again for a few minutes, then add in the garlic, mushrooms, and a little more than half of the cilantro (reserve the rest for the salsamole). Add a little more oil if the pan is too dry. 

Cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes; the dish is ready when the potatoes are tender and ready to be eaten). Salt and pepper to taste. Place mixture in a warm corn tortilla and add your favorite taco accompaniments (Brett served his with grilled onions and queso fresco- cotija cheese works well, too).


Note- Brett uses spicy curry powder, but mild will work fine too.

Grilled Corn Salad with Lime, Red Chili and Cotija
Courtesy of Bobby Flay and Food Network, 2008


8 ears fresh corn, silks removed, husk on, soaked in cold water 30 minutes
Canola oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup creme fraiche (sour cream is a fine substitute)
2 limes juiced and 1 zested
1 Tablespoon ancho chili powder
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup grated cotija cheese


Heat grill to high. Grill corn until charred on all sides, about 10 minutes. Take off the grill and removed the kernels with a sharp knife. While you are cutting the corn, put a cast iron skillet on the grill to heat.

Add the corn and the remaining ingredients to the hot pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until creamy and heated through. Serve and enjoy.

Pulled Pork Sandos

Alas! I am too late for Labor Day, but for good reason.  Elizabeth and I enjoyed yet another “epication.”  What is an epication, you might wonder?  It is what the infamous Scott Sutherland (my father) has dubbed an epicurean vacation—a food-centric journey through a new place with people who love food and enjoy learning about different regions' flavors.  And so it is that we found ourselves in Seattle, indulging in local lore and dishes of the Pacific Northwest. But more on that later…

Bringing me back to my original point:  I had intended to post this for Labor Day, but time slipped away as it tends to do.  In the last six or so months, I've found myself consistently craving pulled pork sandwiches, for no apparent reason.  Truly, I'd never eaten them in my youth, nor had I previously given them much thought.  My, was I missing out!  Aside from the delicious flavor and wonderful texture of this dish, my favorite thing about it is it can feed about ten mouths rather inexpensively—ultimately, the perfect thing to serve when entertaining large groups.  Which is exactly what my good friend Kelsey and I did.  She was probably the biggest motivator in getting me to begin the pulled pork sandwich train. We enjoyed these on a perfect summer afternoon before a baseball game... a truly patriotic day!  Kudos Kels!

As I dined on pulled pork sandwiches this past week, my Grammy pointed out that pulled pork is just as satisfying (if not more) in the winter months. Dually noted, Grammy!  I like that this recipe can be done indoors, and therefore, enjoyed year round; there's no need to reserve this meal exclusively for summer. I find it satisfying and comforting, and have decided it would be equally enjoyable on a cold February night.  In fact, if you season the pork with just salt and pepper and omit the rub, the pork can be used for tacos, enchiladas, and plenty of other recipes.

Interestingly enough, it seems it was fate I post about pulled pork sandwiches after the holiday weekend.  While we did enjoy many of Seattle's culinary offerings, we had actually come to town for a fabulous wedding.  A post-wedding picnic was hosted the day after the festivities and, as luck would have it, what do you think was served? You'd be right if you guessed pulled pork sandwiches. As previously mentioned, I also had pulled pork sandos at my Grammy's house 4 days later. Must be pulled pork season!

Happy eating,

Lindsay

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Cilantro-Lime Coleslaw

1 boneless pork shoulder roast, about 7 lbs.

3 tablespoons dry mustard

1 ½  tablespoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons salt

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

2 teaspoons paprika

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Hamburger buns

½ head green cabbage, thinly sliced

½ head red cabbage, thinly sliced

1 carrot, thinly sliced

½ cup green onions, thinly sliced

Cilantro-Lime Aioli (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 450°F. Combine dry mustard, brown sugar, salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne in a small bowl, breaking up any lumps.

Using a sharp knife, score the fat (but not the meat) of the pork in a diamond pattern.  Dry pork with paper towel and rub spice mixture all over the roast. 

Place pork, fat side up, in a large dutch oven with a ½ cup of water. Roast until some fat has rendered, about 45 minutes. Remove pan from oven and reduce temperature to 350°F. Put on lid, or if using a roasting pan tightly cover with foil. Cook until meat is very tender, about 4 hours. Remove from oven and let cool.

When cool enough to handle, remove fat from top of roast. Using two forks, shred meat into bite size pieces, removing any large pieces of fat. Toss with your favorite barbeque sauce*.

While pork is cooking, prepare the coleslaw. Generously salt the cabbage and drain in colander for 3 hours. Rinse thoroughly and dry. Mix red and green cabbage, carrot and green onion in a large bowl until well incorporated.  Starting with a half cup, add the cilantro-lime aioli to the cabbage mixture and toss until evenly coated.  Add more sauce to taste.

Toast the hamburger buns, if desired (this is a recommended step as it adds a crunchy texture to the other soft components of the sandwich).  Spoon a generous helping of the pulled pork mixture onto the bottom bun.  Top with coleslaw, and top half of bun.  Enjoy amongst friends!

*Unless you prefer homemade, I recommend using Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbeque Sauce... again.

Cilantro-Lime Aioli

Adapted from She Eats Bears*

1 egg yolk**

1 tablespoon Dijon

Juice of 2 limes

Zest of 1 lime

2 cloves garlic

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

¾ cup cilantro, chopped

In the bowl of a blender, combine the egg yolk, Dijon, lime juice and zest, 2 cloves garlic, salt and pepper. Slowly add the olive oil of until the right consistency is reached (about 3/4 cup, but taste as you go!). Start adding the oil drop by drop as the mixer is going, then add as a slow stream. Toss in chopped cilantro just before serving. Add more lime juice if desired.

* She Eats Bears is a blog Elizabeth introduced me to as we began our research for Knife and Fork Adventures.  Some people like mayonnaise, others don’t.  I’m on the team that does, and I think this recipe is great.  Marysol, who writes the blog, suggests pairing the Cilantro-Lime Aioli with pork skewers, sweet potato fries and gai lan.  Next time I prepare this, I will definitely try it with the aforementioned goodies. 
** If you do not want to use raw egg, you can substitute for a 1/4 cup of mayonnaise.  If you wish for the aioli to be thinner, just add a little more lime juice.

'Bouleh, 'bouleh!*

My husband accused me of making too much food the other day.  He did it in a way that compared my cooking to the spending habits of Marie Antoinette… Overzealous. 

Apparently when I prepare meals for the two of us, we wind up with enough to feed at least four, sometimes eight additional people.  He then went on to suggest that I start halving recipes in order to keep from wasting food.

Unfortunately, I have a huge problem with this.  See, I cook extra food for one reason and one reason alone: Leftovers.  Personally, I enjoy a sandwich for lunch as much as the next person (although I will mention I am incredibly picky when it comes to the preparation of said sandwiches), but if I had to choose, I’d go with leftover lunches every time.   Do you ever find yourself excited over the possibility of eating last night’s dinner a day or two (or three) later?  It happens to me more often than I'd like to admit.

I will concede he left me feeling guilty about it.  Maybe he doesn’t love leftovers as much as I do.  Perhaps he eats more of them than I ever will (but c’mon people, isn’t this one of the assumed “husband responsibilities?”).  Either way, we are clearly at a standstill in our beliefs.

There is one recipe I will never feel bad about making excessive amounts of and it’s tabbouleh. I have a sneaking suspicion there are one of two things happening in the minds of our readers right now.  One is, “I love tabbouleh!”  The other is, “What’s tabbouleh?”  For those of you who don’t know, I’m about to change your life.

Tabbouleh is a dish that comes to us from our Lebanese brothers and sisters across the Atlantic.  Essentially, it’s a salad made with bulgar wheat, cucumbers, parsley, mint, green onion, and the holy trinity of Mediterranean cooking: olive oil, lemon juice and salt.  Not only is it incredibly easy to make- you feel good, healthy and nourished while eating it, too. 

My husband still manages to complain about leftovers when I make tabbouleh, but it’s usually because I’ve eaten the entire bowl on my own.

Happy Eating,

Elizabeth

Tabbouleh

1 heaping cup bulgar wheat**

1 bunch of parsley

1 bunch of mint

1 bunch of green onions (scraggly ends removed)

1 cucumber, peeled and chopped

Lemon juice  ***

Extra virgin olive oil ***

Salt ***

Pour cup of bulgar wheat into a large bowl.  Pour hot water over the bulgar wheat (at least enough to cover the top of the wheat) and let sit for an hour.  Drain in colander and get as much excess water out of the grain as you can.

Using a food processor (I love this one particularly), blend the parsley, mint and green onions (stems and all) until well chopped (not to the point of green paste, but enough where the bits of herbs are very small).  If you do not have a food processor, a blender will do, however, there will be a considerable amount of scraping down the sides in comparison). 

Combine green mixture with bulgar wheat.  Add lemon juice, olive oil and salt***.  Finally, add cucumber and serve immediately.  Can be stored for up to a week in the fridge, but tastes best eaten fresh.

* I thought I should mention why I chose this particular title for this write-up.  When I was little, my mom made tabbouleh all the time.  Whenever she’d whip up a batch, she’d start singing, “’Bouleh, ‘Bouleh” to the tune of “Wooly Bully,” while moving her arms back and forth like she was doing a fast-paced hula dance. I urge you to do the same.

** Bulgar wheat can be found at most health food stores, and some regular supermarkets.  Look for it in the bulk or grain sections of your favorite grocery.

*** Were you freaking out back there when I didn’t put measurements down for the lemon, olive oil and salt?  That’s because it’s up to you, silly!  I know what you’re thinking… “How will I know what’s enough?!!!!”  Simple: you trust your palate and go slow.  Remember, it’s always easy to add more, but it’s impossible to take flavor out.  I would start by squeezing the juice of one juicy lemon, adding two tablespoons of olive oil, and a hearty pinch of salt (salt is a VERY necessary component of this dish).  Mix it, taste it, then go from there.  

Israeli Couscous

One of the reasons I love cooking is that bonds can be built when sharing food with someone else. Whenever I meet a fellow food lover, there is an instant connection I feel to that person. This was the case when I began to build a relationship with my sister-in-law seven years ago. Aside from the fact that she would eventually become a member of our family, food was the fundamental building block of our friendship.

Israeli couscous was the first recipe that E shared with me, and as soon as I tried it, I knew she was a cook that spoke my language. This was a dish I loved and could wholly relate to, and it was then that I knew we would cook well in tandem. We’ve modified it through the years, but it remains one of “our dishes.”

Week after week I find myself eating the same thing for lunch everyday. This is mostly because it is thrifty to do so, and that has been the name of my game since graduating from college. But I am beginning to wonder how much longer I can handle different variations of the trite turkey sandwich. Couscous is a grain with infinite versatility. This particular recipe has a Mediterranean flavor profile. However depending on the ingredients added, it can wear different ethnic hats any day of the week. Tuscan, Greek, Spanish—you name it! Switching out ingredients for ones you better prefer only makes it tastier. 

                                     

                                     

That being said, I often use this recipe as inspiration to come up with ideas depending on the ingredients I have on hand. Make a large batch of couscous in the beginning of the week and add ingredients from last night’s dinner to make a lunch entirely different than the day before. If you have leftover salmon or chicken, either would make a hearty addition to this couscous. Also, substituting a dried fruit for the sun dried tomatoes adds a sweetness that balances the tart and salty flavors.


I should mention that in regard to the vegetables and added ingredients, you don't have to be exact in measuring... For each person's preference, the more the merrier, as the case may be!  

Happy eating,

Lindsay

Note: Raised serving plate in top photo by Lisa Neimeth.

Israeli Couscous Salad

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 cup israeli couscous*

2 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup toasted pine nuts

½ cup artichoke hearts, chopped

½ cup diced cucumber

¼ cup sun dried tomatoes, diced

¼ cup feta cheese

½ cup cilantro, chopped**

1 cup Lemon Vinaigrette (recipes follows)

First, prepare the Lemon Vinaigrette and set aside. Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the couscous and toast until brown, about 3 minutes. Add the water and salt to the pot and bring to a boil. Then, turn the heat down and cover. Let simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the couscous is tender.

Drain in a mesh strainer so the smallest grains do not slip through. Put the couscous into a bowl and immediately pour over the vinaigrette. Make sure you do this when the couscous is still hot so that the grains soak up the vinaigrette. Stir so that the vinaigrette fully coats that couscous, and put in the fridge to cool, about one and a half hours. 


While the couscous is cooling down, prepare the vegetables. Once chilled, add the rest of the ingredients and toss gently. Serve couscous cold.

Lemon Vinaigrette

Juice and zest of 2 lemons

1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

Combine all ingredients in the blender, or whisk by hand, until incorporated and thick.

Notes: 
* Israeli couscous can be found at most grocery stores in the grains sections. We prefer the “Harvest Grains Blend” from Trader Joe’s. You end up devouring it with your eyes before it gets to your mouth. The different grain sizes and textures make the couscous more dynamic and interesting. However regular Israeli cousous, aka pearl couscous, is perfectly acceptable.

**I've come to realize that you are either a parsley person or a cilantro person. Being that I am from California, I lean to cilantro. But parsley, or another leafy hearb would be just as great.