BREAKFAST AND ART

I went to a friend Julia's house for a homemade breakfast before heading into Manhattan to check out the Whitney Biennial.  She made the most delicious eggs Benedict I have ever had, which we paired with some fantastic Nueske's bacon my boyfriend's mother sent us from Massachusetts and some homemade bread.  The New York Times recently published a recipe for no knead bread that has been spreading like wildfire around my food-oriented friends.  Luckily, Julia has been nice enough to share her recipe along with the Times'.

Eggs Benedict with Homemade Bread and Smoked Bacon

(recipe by Julia Ziegler-Haynes.  Bread recipe adapted from the New York Times)

serves two hearty portions

6 strips smoked bacon

2 cloves garlic

1 pound fresh spinach

4 eggs

4 tablespoons butter

2 egg yokes

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

fresh cracked pepper

sea salt

For bread:

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour (with extra for dusting)

1/4 teaspoon instant yeast

1-1/4 teaspoon salt

cornmeal or wheat bran for dusting

The night before (15-20 hours ahead of breakfast time) combine flour, yeast and salt for bread.  Add 1-5/8 cups water and stir until blended.  Dough will be shaggy and sticky.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at room temperature.  Once the surface is dotted with bubbles, lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it.  Sprinkle with a little more flour and fold over on itself once or twice.  Cover loosely and let rest for 15 minutes.  Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface and your fingers, gently and quickly shape the dough into a ball.  Coat a cotton towel generously with flour and cornmeal or wheat bran.  Put dough seam side down on the towel and dust with more flour, and bran or cornmeal.  Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours.  When it is ready, the dough will more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.  At least half an hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees.  Put a 6-8 quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, pyrex or ceramic) in the oven as it heats.  When the dough is ready, carefully remove the pot from the oven.  Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over into the pot, seam side up.  Shake the pan once or twice until dough is evenly distributed (it will straighten out as it bakes).  Cover with a lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15-30 minutes until loaf is nicely browned.  Cool on a rack until the rest of the food is ready to eat.

Cook the bacon in a 12 inch skillet, while boiling pot of water to poach the eggs.  Wrap the cooked bacon in foil and paper towels to reheat just before serving.  Pour off most (but not all) of the fat.  Saute two large garlic cloves in the remaining fat over medium-low heat.  When it is is slightly translucent or starting to brown add the spinach and season with salt to taste.  Remove from heat when just wilted.  Poach 4 eggs and keep in a bowl of cool water when cooked to desired level.

For Hollandaise sauce, melt butter in a saucepan and set aside.  Whisk egg yokes with one tablespoons water and lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  In a saucepan over low heat, stir the egg mixture until thick and sticky.  Remove from heat.  Add the melted butter slowly while stirring.  Set aside to rest.  Slice 4 pieces of the fresh bread and toast, reheat the eggs in a pot of hot water for 30 seconds each.  Top the toasts with spinach, one egg each and a generous amount of sauce.  Crack fresh pepper over and serve with the reheated bacon.

This isn't a light breakfast, but it is good fuel for a day of looking at art.  We ate then journeyed into the city to check out the 2010 Whitney Biennial.  Past shows have been a serious disappointment but this one was actually pretty engaging.  Highlights included textural paintings by Lesley Vance (above), drawings by local scenester Aurel Schmidt, photographic light images by Josh Brand and, in a refreshing change from most Biennials, an older artist whose pieces were my favorites in the show: Roland Flexner.  His sumi ink drawings are utterly hypnotic.  We left the Whitney hopeful and a little inspired before a walk through Central Park to the Humble Arts Foundation's 31 Women in Photography show opening at Affirmation Arts.  Friend Amelia Bauer had a piece in the show and it was a great end to a fun weekend day.

CALIFORNIA BIRTHDAY

It was my own big 3-0 last week... but the real fun was getting to attend my close friend Elizabeth's birthday party in Oakland, California.  She put on a beautiful little cocktail party with great food and drink, and I got to help set up and then enjoy some fun east bay shops, food and treats the day after.

The ham was my boyfriend's idea.  It was popular.

Delicious chocolate dipped potato chips.

Elizabeth served special cocktails mixed up by a local bartending legend from Oliveto... one of the area's best restaurants.

A popcorn machine rental added some fun.

Here is a gorgeous Victorian in the hostess' hometown of Oakland.  I walked around the place several times in order to fully appreciate the interesting landscape design.


Speaking of landscape design, on a tour of the area we stopped in on housewares store Lola, and I bought a great book on the work of Northern California based landscape architect Andrea Cochran.  Cochran sites some of her strongest influences as Luis Barragan and Robert Irwin, two of my favorite architects/artists, and she has does some great work herself.  Her favorite project of mine is Stone Edge Vineyard in Sonoma.

Lola was a fantastic shop.  The entrance had a copper screen door... something I would like to see more of on all the world's windows and doors.

One of my favorite home stores: Tail of the Yak.

Even more charming deliciousness at Ici ice cream shop

THE best ice cream I have ever had, with the most interesting flavor combinations.  Candied tangerine and lime!  Yum!

And, of course, the crowning glory of the east bay food scene... Oliveto.  I had my departing meal here before boarding a red eye back to New York.  Lamb crudo, an insane hen ragu, and wild boar sausage.  It did not disappoint.  Happy Birthday Elizabeth!

OLD FASHIONED SPAGHETTI & MEATBALLS

Returning home after a long trip to the frozen tundra that is New York in February, I dove right into my comfort food recipes of choice from the Barefoot Contessa Family Style.  This is my favorite of her books, and I have had more success from this one book than any other at making delicious food for friends and loved ones.  Time to get cozy.

Spaghetti & Meatballs

(recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style)

serves 6... but I like to make extra for sandwiches during the week

For the meatballs:

1/2 pound ground veal

1/2 pound ground pork

1 pound ground beef

1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs

1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs

2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

a dash of cinnamon

1 extra large egg, beaten

vegetable oil

olive oil

Place the ground meats, bread crumbs, parsley, cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, egg and 3/4 cup of warm water in a bowl.  Combine carefully with your hands.  Form mixture into 2 inch diameter balls.

Pour equal amounts vegetable and olive oil into a large skillet, to a depth of 1/4".  Heat the oil.  Very carefully, in batches of 4 or 5, place the meatballs in the oil and brown on all sides.  This is a bit tricky, and you have to pay close attention to keep the balls from sticking to the pan bottom.  Remove from the oil and put on a tray with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.  Discard the oil but do not clean the pan.

For the spaghetti and sauce:

1 tablespoon good olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1-1/2 teaspoon  minced garlic

1/2 cup good red wine

1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley

1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1-1/2 pounds spaghetti

Heat the olive oil in the meatball pan.  Add the onions and saute over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.  Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits from the pan until most of the liquid evaporates.  Stir in tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.  Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover and simmer on lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.  Serve hot with the cooked spaghetti and grated Parmesan cheese.

SPT DAYS 23-25: MANGONUI, NEW ZEALAND

Miles flown so far: 17,602

After nearly missing an early morning flight from Sydney to Auckland, we rented a car and drove 4 hours up into the warm, sunny Northland of New Zealand's North Island to the little town of Mangonui.  We stayed with friends near sparkling Doubtless Bay, swimming, sunning, cooking and hanging out for a couple days.

The Northland is the part of New Zealand that has been inhabited by people the longest, which isn't saying much.  It is believed the Maori arrived from Eastern Polynesia about 1000 years ago, followed by the Europeans in the 18th century.  These islands were one of Earth's last untouched corners.  Above is a 19th century Victorian "villa" in Mangonui.

The beach.  The bizarre combination of tropical and subtropical plant types, the blazing sun, the cool ocean breeze... it felt like being in 3 or 4 vastly different places at once.

England?  Northern California?  Tuscany?  the Caribbean?

We had a dinner of fish and chips one evening in town at the local 'chipy.

Sunset with the town below.

We took a day trip to 90-Mile Beach.  Just a short 45 minute drive away was a completely different climate: windswept, chilly, rainy and gray.  We felt like we were in The Piano.  After walking on the beach for a while we headed back south into the sunshine.

SPT DAYS 16 & 17: THE EDGE OF THE WORLD

Miles flown so far: 14,228

We left Brisbane and flew to the west coast of Australia and the city of Perth.  The humid, cloudy tropical air of Queensland was replaced by the searing dryness and blazing sun of Western Australia.  After one night in the suburb of Fremantle, we drove down the coast about 3 hours to the city of Busselton.  This is as far from home as I have ever been.  In fact, it is as far from New York City (while still being on land) a person can be.  Of course, I swam out into the warm gentle waters of the Indian Ocean to be just that much further.

There was an old green market in Fremantle, and we used the opportunity to buy some produce and make a bit of guacamole-- a little taste of North America to enjoy in the hot sun by the pool in this far, far away place.  We had to substitute Thai peppers for Mexican ones, but it was still tasty.

I also discovered this delicious ginger beer that I am now obsessed with finding at home.  It is perfect with some tequila and a little bitters.  Is it winter somewhere?

MARCO POLO

When we were in London a few weeks ago, a friend introduced me to Marco Polo tea, and this weekend was gracious enough to bring me some for home from her continued travels in France.  We enjoyed a cup of the Mariage Freres brand variety of Marco Polo together.

The tea is wrapped in individually tied french muslin tea bags.  Preparing it feels like you are doing something special and ancient.

We used these Spode mugs to drink from, which were also a gift from a friend.  Spode Blue Italian is classic, practical and elegant.  Perfect for drinking tea named for an Italian explorer.

The tea is strong and black.  It is flavored with Chinese and Tibetan fruits, but manages to avoid tasting too sweet, despite its strong sweet scent, almost like cake.  It's like tasting Venice, Persia, Afghanistan and China together in a cup.... the Silk Road of teas.

THANK YOU

Last year Thanksgiving was a 3 day long preparation and cooking-fest involving two kitchens, sixteen guests, three cooks, and about 25 dishes spread out over 4 hours of eating.  This year, I took it easier and had an intimate pot luck with a small group of friends.  I was responsible for the turkey and stuffing, and guests brought their own contributions.  Hope everyone had a nice holiday!

The cooking instructions for a wild turkey were very different than what I was used to.  I spent some time with my very helpful butcher going over the details.  I also cheated and used their ready made sausage and corn bread stuffing and their ready made gravy, both of which were excellent and, along with a friend's green chili mashed sweet potatoes, added a little flavor of New Mexico to the feast.  Since so much of my recipe here is prefabricated, I am substituting optional stuffing and gravy recipes you can use to make your own editions.  These are my best guesses.  Save for next year, I suppose!

Roast Wild Turkey with Cornbread Jalapeno Stuffing

(recipe from the Meat Hook, stuffing recipe adapted from the Gourmet Cookbook)

serves 6-8

1 eight pound wild breed turkey, pre-brined in butter and bourbon and salt from the Meat Hook

6 large carrots, cut in half

1 large fennel bulb, quartered

2 yellow onions, peeled and quartered

1 handful bay leaves

1 bunch parsley

1 bunch thyme

1/2 container organic chicken stock

1/2 cup brown sugar

sea salt

white pepper

Remove turkey from brining bag or pot, remove giblets for stock and neck for pan roasting from carcass.  Place bird on cooking rack and stuff with as many vegetables and herbs as will fit.  Place remaining vegetables and herbs in bottom of pan almond with turkey neck.  Pour stock in pan, and rub bird with brown sugar and salt mixture, sprinkle with white pepper.  Bake with breasts covered in foil in oven at 275 degrees for 2-1/2 hours.

Take turkey (on rack) out of pan for a moment, remove neck, vegetables and herbs from pan, skim off some fat for gravy stock, arrange stuffing in bottom of pan.  Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees and uncover breasts.  Bake for another 45 minutes or until thigh registers 160 degrees on meat thermometer.

Remove pan from oven and let sit for 30 minutes before carving, remove stuffing from pan and keep warm while turkey sits, before serving.

For Stuffing:

7 cups coarsely crumbled buttermilk corn bread

1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings discarded

1 stick unsalted butter

2 medium onions, finely chopped

2 medium fennel bulbs, stalks discarded and bulbs coarsely chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, diced

2 teaspoons fennel seeds, freshly ground

2 teaspoons dried thyme, freshly ground

2 teaspoons dried tarragon, freshly ground

fresh ground pepper

sea salt

Dry out bread crumbs/cubes in a 325 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.  Cook sausage in a non-stick skillet over medium heat, stirring and breaking up with a fork, until cooked through, 6-8 minutes.  Transfer to bowl with bread crumbs.  Melt butter in pan, add vegetables, jalapeno, salt and pepper to taste.  Cook until vegetables are soft, add fennel seeds, thyme and tarragon and cook for another minute.  Mix cooked vegetables with bread and sausage, set aside to be baked in turkey pan when ready.

A little late afternoon snack is important to tide your guests over.

For Gravy:

(recipe from the Gourmet Cookbook)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

turkey giblets (except liver)

1 celery rib

1 carrot, coarsely chopped

1 onion, quartered

4 cups water

1-3/4 cups organic chicken stock

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Heat oil in 2 quart sauce pan over moderately high heat, brown giblets for about 5 minutes.  Add water, stock, vegetables, herbs, salt and pepper, bring to a simmer until reduced to about 4 cups, 40-45 minutes.  Pour stock through a sieve, let cool in fridge and skim off fat.  

Bring stock to a simmer again.  Skim some fat from the turkey pan (before removing vegetables and adding stuffing) and whisk together with flour and cook in heavy sauce pan over low heat, continually whisking to create a roux.  Add heated stock in a fast stream, whisking to prevent lumps, and then simmer, whisking occasionally until thickened.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Kale Salad with Pine Nuts and Currants

(recipe from Amelia Bauer)

serves 6-8

2 bunches green kale

1/2 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup currants

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Heat olive oil, salt, pepper in a large pan or wok on high heat.  When a drop of water sizzles in the pan, add kale, turning often to heat evenly.  Once all the kale has been folded in, add pine nuts and currants.  Continue folding kale until dark green and tender but not soggy, about 5 minutes.  Mix in cheese just before removing from heat and serve immediately.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Green Chili

(recipe from Amelia Bauer)

serves 6-8

4 large or 6 medium sweet potatoes

1 cup New Mexican hatch green chili, roasted and chopped

1/2 stick butter

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon molasses

sea salt

fresh ground pepper

Boil sweet potatoes until cooked, about 45 minutes.  Remove from water and peel.  Skins should shed easily after boiling.  Add remaining ingredients and mash together, leaving some chunks of sweet potato intact.  Serve!

Green Beans with Almonds and Lemon-Butter Glaze

(recipe from Amelia Bauer)

serves 6-8

1 pound green beans, tips cut off and left whole

1 cup sliced almonds

1/4 stick butter

1/2 fresh lemon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Bring water to a full boil in large pot, add green beans, and remove when beans turn bright green and are a bit tender but with some crunch left.  Remove from water, rinse under cold water, and set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt butter with salt and pepper over medium heat.  Add almonds and stir consistently until browned, about 3-4 minutes.  Once evenly browned, add juice of 1/2 lemon.  Remove from heat and toss with warm green beans in large bowl, serve immediately.

Potato and Leek Gratin

(recipe from Kate Thompson)

serves 6-8

3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced

1 quart milk

4 garlic cloves, 3 thinly sliced

1 bay leaf

3 springs thyme

2 large leeks, tops removed, thinly sliced

grated nutmeg

2 cups grated Gruyere

2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

sea salt

freshly ground white pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Rub a 9x13 baking dish with garlic, then with butter to coat.

Put the potatoes in a pot with milk, herbs, sliced garlic, leeks, and 2 teaspoons salt.  Slowly bring to a boil then simmer until potatoes are barely tender but not falling apart.  Discard bay leaf and thyme, drain and save the milk.

Place a single layer of potatoes, leeks and garlic in the baking dish.  Season with white pepper, a little nutmeg and cover lightly with cheese.  Repeat layers until all potatoes and cheese are used, ending with a layer of cheese.  Add milk to top layer of potatoes, about 1.5 cups,  dot top with bits of butter and bake until golden brown on top, about an hour.  Can be reheated a couple hours later if necessary.