Dish With the Experts
The Food Section
of the Washington Post
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
1:00 PM
A chat with the Food section staff is a chance for you to ask questions, offer suggestions and share information with other cooks and food lovers. It is a forum for discussion of food trends, ingredients, menus, gadgets and anything else food-related.
Each chat, we will focus on topics from the day's Food section. You can also read the transcripts of past chats. Do you have a question about a particular recipe or a food-related anecdote to share? The Food section staff goes Free Range on Food every Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET. Read about the staff of the Food section.
The transcript follows.
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Joe: Welcome to today's chat, cooks and eaters alike. How might we be of service?
Curious about foraging for freebies (and we don't mean dumpster diving, thank goodness)? Curious about other cheap ways to make dinner that don't involve a hike through the woods? Do these literary justifications for carnivory that Jane wrote about have you nodding your head in agreement, or shaking it in anger? Are you ready to consider a raw-food diet based on Andreas's trek to Siberia?
We welcome any and all questions and comments. For our favorite, most thought-provoking posts, we have giveaway books: a bumper crop of four of them today. There's "The Everything Meals on A Budget Cookbook" by Linda Larsen; Matthew Kenney's "Everyday Raw"; "The Foraging Gourmet" by Katie Letcher Lyle; and, naturally, a book with one of my favorite titles in awhile: Susan Bourette's "Meat: A Love Story."
We also welcome our guest chatter today, the globe-hopping Gastronomer himself, Andreas Viestad. Don't you love technology?
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McLean, Va.: The Morel Souffle sounds fantastic and not so scary! Question: I am trying to incorporate more vegetables (especially greens) into my meals without it always being "with a side of...". Would you be able to add in wilted spinach or another dark leafy green to the souffle? The combination of mushrooms and nutmeg made me think greens would work well in this dish. If so, is there any extra preparation tips before adding it to the mixture? Thanks!
Bonnie: Not scary. What's the worst that can happen? It falls, and you serve a special Fallen Mushroom Souffle. I think it'd be better to serve the greens on the side, either quickly blanched or sauteed with olive oil and maybe some pine nuts.
If you wanted to serve the mushrooms on the side and put the spinach into the sauce for the souffle instead, that could work, too. I think 2 to 3 cups of loosely packed fresh leaves would do.
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Spinach pesto: Yum! Thanks Free Rangers, this recipe came just in time as I was trying to figure out how to use up the last of my pasta tonight before I move. So please tell me, can I eat the pesto over pasta as opposed to using it for the meatballs? Is there anything special you'd do when adding it to the pasta? Thanks, from a certified novice who just got her first mini-food processor!
Bonnie: If you use a food processor as the recipe recommends, this pesto's closer to a dip than the kind you may be used to...the moisture in the defrosted spinach makes this pretty thick. Maybe you could fill manicotti or ravioli with it, though!
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Rockville, Md.: Hi, Food Folks! I love gingerbread, and I really love crystallized ginger, so the Honey Double Gingerbread looks right up my alley. I'm curious, though, about the dairy. The recipe calls for 3/4 cup of low-fat milk and 1/4 cup of heavy cream. Wouldn't you get approximately the same effect with a cup of whole milk? Thanks!
Bonnie: So glad you asked, Rockville. We tried the recipe "as is," to keep it consistent with its cost per serving. Baking-wise, the use of heavy cream might give you a quick bread that is more moist. But we've just run the nutritional analysis, and it appears that the 3/4 cup low-fat (1 percent) plus 1/4 cup heavy cream has 284 calories, 24 total fat grams and 91 mgs cholesterol. One cup of whole milk (3.3 percent) would be 146 calories, 8 total fat grams and 24 mgs cholesterol.
The cake's pretty moist with the honey; I think you'd be okay to make the substitution.
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Time-pressed cook: G'morning foodies. Just a general comment--a plea, actually. Aside from the quick and easy recipe in the beginning of the section, too many of your recipes take FOREVER to make and have laundry lists of ingredients. How about some balance -- quick, easy, healthy ideas for weekday dinners for those cooks too tired or impatient or busy to stand over a stove for hours. Thanks.
Joe: Sorry you're not feeling the quick-recipe love in the WaPo, time-pressed one, but ... um ... have you looked at today's section? No laundry lists or long processes anywhere, really. But we hear you; we're always on the lookout for those gems, and will step up our game, especially now that summertime approaches.
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Washington, D.C.: "Tip: If You Don't Have Pink Peppercorns. . . . :
. . . which are available at Williams-Sonoma and Penzeys Spices stores, you can crush 1 1/2 teaspoons of green peppercorns in 1 tablespoon of honey, or forgo the peppercorns and just finish the salad with a sprinkling of piment d'Espelette."
Do you foodies have any idea how ridiculous a note like this makes you look to people who might actually consider a 30-minute recipe from the newspaper?
Bonnie: Ouch. Did you miss breakfast this morning?
We could have rephrased -- and said of course that you could leave the darn things out. We've called for piment d'Espelette in 3 or 4 recipes in the past year (and in Jane Black's recent pantry story, so we thought it might be something you'd have on hand.
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Leafy greens on the wild side: I have picked and eaten poke weed. It has to be parboiled and drained first and then cooked like typical greens like kale. It is VERY high in iron and a splash of vinegar before eating is the best condiment.
Poke weed grows in this area fairly well and can be seen from roadsides and abandoned farm fields. It is picked when it is young and tender. After it is full grown and mature...too late to eat it. The purple berries I was told were poisonous.
Joe: If you eat a ton of it, does it make you ... a pig in a poke?
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Ashburn, Va.: I'm kind of new to this whole free range thing, and I have a couple of questions. The first is, besides going to the Organic Butcher in McLean, are there stores that sell truly free range meat (and preferably for a reasonable price)? I go to Whole Foods, but I only ever see "organic," which is not the same thing according to their employees. Also, how can I best store the meat? If we don't eat it right away, it seems to go bad, and since I live in Ashburn, I can't always get to Whole Foods or the Organic Butcher on the same day we want to eat the meat. Sorry if these are simple questions, but like I said, I'm new. Thanks!
Jane Black: Well, if you're asking for truly "free range" meat, that's different from organic. Organic is a standard that focuses on what the animals are fed and how they are treated. A "free range" product would only include where the animals are kept.
If you want organic, you probably need to shop at organic butcher or MOM's Organic Market. Or, of course, the farmers market, though not all meal sold there is organic either. Whole Foods has their own standards for meat but they are not, as far as I know organic.
As for storing meat, if you vacuum seal it, it can stay in the freezer for up to a year.
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20005: Hi Foodies! In a feeble attempt to save money (and to do something fun and different) my husband and I are cooking together for our anniversary. We're doing a whole branzino in salt (thanks to Johnny Monis' recipe in your recipe finder!) with a side of roasted new potatoes with hints of garlic and rosemary and a fun, new green (yet to be determined). For the appetizer, we're trying to recreate the apple and manchego salad from Jaleo, for a starter. I know I should be using good manchego cheese and tart granny smiths, but I'm not sure about the dressing or any other accoutrements that go here - thoughts?
Many thanks!
Joe: I love that branzino recipe. So easy and fabulous. Now, about that manchego/apple salad, Jose Andres did do a variation on it in his book "Tapas: A Taste of Spain." He used Murcia (that great goat cheese that's immersed in red wine) instead of manchego, but you'd be fine with manchego. I haven't tested this, but for four servings, Jose says to combine 1 peeled, cored and cubed Granny Smith with 6 ounces of cubed cheese, 1/2 tablespoon of chopped chives, and 8 chopped walnuts. For the dressing, he combines 1/4 cup olive oil (Spanish, natch) with 2 tablespoons cider vinegar -- but says you can of course use sherry vinegar instead. Salt to taste, and serve.
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Centreville, Va.: Was deep fat frying chicken last week using a recipe I saw on TV. The crust was very tasty and crisp but the inside was not fully cooked and a little bloody. I had the fryer at the temp suggested in the recipe and the crust was getting so dark I thought it was going to burn if I left in in much longer. How do you gauge the doneness?
Thanks!
Andreas Viestad: It is not always easy to gauge doneness from looking at the surface (not unlike the proverbial book and cover).
The only way is to "look inside", either using a meat thermometer, or to prick the chicken thigh with a fork where it is at its thickest. If the juice runs clear it is done.
With chicken it is better to cook a few minutes to much, so the next time I would use a somewhat lower temperature and fry it for a few minutes longer. If it looks too pale towards the end you can always finish it off at a higher temperature to get that lovely golden color.
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Tysons: Hi Crew,
Planning to have a roast chicken for dinner tonight. I have some sweet potatoes that I'd like to use for a side. I usually do a soup or mash them, looking for other suggestions.
Bonnie: That sounds like a nice midweek meal, Tysons.
You could roast some sweet potato fries in the oven the same time as your chicken -- maybe at the start, to catch a higher temp? For 4 servings, try 2 decent-size potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch strips. Toss them in a little canola oil and salt. Maybe sprinkle some chopped rosemary or chili powder on them. Spread on a baking sheet; bake at 400 or 450 for 25 to 30 minutes. Maybe pop in and stir them around once or twice to keep them from sticking.
Or cut into cubes and steam them. Cool, then make a hash with onions on the stovetop.
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Li, ME: So I have something like a dozen-plus limes in my fridge, thanks to my mom. Any ideas on a recipe to use a lot of limes? It's just my husband and myself in the house, so we don't have any youngsters on whom I could foist limeade.
Joe: When life gives you limes, make ... margaritas!
Or ceviche .
Or guacamole .
Change those "or"s to "and"s, and you have a fiesta.
Of course, you can just juice them all and freeze the juice in ice-cube trays and add them to drinks when the weather heats up.
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Eastern Carolina: We live in a relatively rural area, but when we head to the big city (Raleigh-Durham, for us), we try to stock up on groceries that we can't easily get where we live. This weekend, we plan to go to Trader Joe's, as I have heard raves from friends/families about their products and prices. Any suggestions on the best finds there?
Walter: Trader Joe's has lots of fans. Take a cooler for the wide selection of imported cheeses and Australian farm-raised lamb. Don't overlook the good-quality nuts and dried fruit. There is plenty of bargain beer and wine. The frozen Thai-style spring rolls and pot stickers are not to be missed. But I'm not sure they will still be frozen when they get to eastern Carolina.
Here's the link to a story I wrote in fall 2006:link.
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Ohio: RE: Poke weed.
Cut the young shoots before they unfurl at about 4 to 6 inches high. Boil, drain, and boil again. Served seasoned with vinegar, oil, garlic, or anything of your choosing. They are not strong tasting.
Skip them after the shoots get larger, they can cause serious gastric distress. The native Indians had medicinal uses for this plant, not sure how they used it or for what.
Joe: Another poke-r player. Thanks!
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Two things: First, the Amish market tends to have both free range and organic meats. It's the best - and most reasonable - butcher around. Treat yourself to some bacon, too!
Also, I've made the Jaleo manchego salad very often. I use just a splash of oil, since the cheese is oily enough, and play around with the nuts. Almonds are a nice option, or you can skip them entirely. Salt and pepper are essential here. My favorite trick is to dice the cheese and the apple the same size, so you can't tell what you've got on your fork. It makes each bite a bit different!
Jane Black: Good idea.
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Cambridge, Mass.: The earlier comment about pasta carbonara has gotten me thinking. I learned to make pasta carbonara from my exchange student's mom (she's Italian). Is it okay to simply crack the eggs into the hot (but drained) freshly cooked pasta and stir vigorously? This is what she did, and hence what I do, but I'm wondering if that will get the eggs hot enough to kill bacteria?
Jane Touzalin: Why not just buy pasteurized eggs when you know you'll be making carbonara? It's worth it for the peace of mind, if you worry about salmonella.
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D.C.: I like the idea of inexpensive healthful meals. Too often the quick meals are based on prepared foods (garlic in a jar?!) that do cost more and don't taste good. I have always found it therapeutic, even in my biggest rush, to chop vegetables - takes my mind off everything except what I am doing, so I don't cut myself, and there must also be something soothing about the repetitive motion. I think, too, that it's important to stay in touch with our food (does that sound too Zen?) and know that things don't come full-blown out of boxes or plastic bags.
Jane Black: I agree entirely.
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Capitol Hill: This is more of a drink question, but you are so knowledgeable about food I figured you know what drinks to pair with food. I'm throwing a BBQ and wondered if you have suggestions on a punch or drink (alcohol can be included) that can be made ahead of time using lemonade. I wouldn't normally use lemonade in a punch but I purchased a large amount at Costco and don't want it to go to waste. Thanks!
Jane Black: This cocktail requires a little legwork. You combine mint lemonade, hibiscus tea and rum. But it sounds delicious. Here's the recipe.
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apple-manchego salad: I have made it from the recipe in Tapas and it worked out fine. Think I used white wine vinegar instead of sherry vinegar, it will change the flavor but doesn't matter that much. I think I also cut back on the olive oil a touch.
The chives are a nice touch of color. In the recipe he cuts cubes instead of sticks. I cut it in sticks, like it's served in the restaurant.
Have a great meal!
Joe: Thanks!
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spinach pesto: The recipe makes 2 cups but the meatballs use only 1/3 cup.
What would you do with the rest? Salad dressing, pasta sauce?
Also, if using fresh spinach, how much would be the equivalent of a package of frozen?
Bonnie: Because it's thick, you could use it as a layer filling in lasagna, or use it to stuff ravioli or pasta shells (see earlier chatter q). Fresh spinach will turn this into more of a classic pesto; it'd be better to follow a more standard pesto recipe (maybe 3 to 4 cups fresh spinach, 4 cloves garlic, 1 cup pine nuts or walnuts, 1 to 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, a teaspoon of salt, 1/4 cup of olive oil).
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Burke, Va.: I know your food section is already jam packed ... but have you considered adding a restaurant recipe column? Several national newspapers have columns where readers ask for the recipes for foods they have enjoyed made by local restaurant chefs. I think a lot of us would enjoy seeing these types of recipes published. I'll start the ball rolling with a request for the Halibut recipe that used to be on the menu at Artie's.
Joe: We have thought about this, and I'll never say never, but truly it's often very difficult to get workable recipes from restaurants, and it's quite a bit of work getting them in any kind of shape that's worth publishing. (And talk about a laundry list of ingredients and long preparation times!) But I'll keep it in mind.
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22203: Any staff favorites on pots and pans? Mine are 8 years old and showing wear - perhaps a good way to spend my stimulus check!
Joe: I like my Swiss Diamond nonstick skillet, my All-Clad saute pan and saucepans, my Le Creuset grill pan, saucepans and, of course, Dutch ovens.
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Germantown : The article on meat-eating struck a chord with me. I'd like to use meat more as a condiment and spend more on meat that's not factory-farmed ... but I'm balancing this with hungry kids who consider the "nugget/tender" category some really good eats. (Don't tell them but I've been sneaking bison into some of our meals.)
What are some favorite dishes of yours that use meat in a supporting role? Any great cookbooks I should turn to? Do you think we'll start seeing fewer big protein/tiny side dish type meals?
Jane Black: I think the authors of the books would agree with your way of thinking. Though sadly, I think it will be a while before we see restaurants cutting back on proteins. A lot of chefs are afraid of taking that step, lest they be punished, in a poor economy, by customers.
For you, I think experimenting with Chinese food is one way to start reducing the intake of meat. Traditional recipes often use meat as more of an accent (because it was expensive) than as a centerpiece.
I don't have any recipes I go to off the top of my head. And I don't know any cookbooks that are meat minimalists (hey, there's an idea!) But you certainly could just cut back on the amount of meat in traditional dishes. Lasagna with a little meat; lots of vegetables. Chatters? Ideas?
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Bethesda Mom: In today's 30 minute recipe (for which, by the way, I have pink peppercorns which I bought during a visit to Penzeys on Rockville Pike and haven't known what to do with), I assume I could substitute chicken thighs for the breast? I happen to have a bunch of them in the freezer after a COSTCO run.
Thanks! and I, for one, appreciate substitution suggestions.
Bonnie: Sure, and hooray! You'll adjust the grilling time a bit, perhaps.
As long as you have 'em, try crushing the pink peppercorns in sauces for fish, or adding them to a poaching liquid for pears or to any stock that may end up being used for something fruity. I see there's a Pink Peppercorn Ice Cream recipe on Epicurious.com...
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Philadelphia, Pa.: I had an interesting food situation yesterday and wanted to ask you guys what you would have done. I was headed for a rooftop potluck at 7 pm but forgot about it til I was reminded at 3, and was stuck at work til 5. Oops!
Ended up putting together a bourbon-spiked punch, which was very well received, but had trouble thinking of other options, besides cake mix cookies or just picking something up from the store.
Jane Black: Sounds like a brilliant solution. I probably would have made the whipped feta dip I am addicted to of late. The recipe is from Ana Sortun's Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean. I originally tried it as a way to use of chilies I had bought. Now I'm going through them, no problem. It takes 5 minutes plus chilling. Though I actually like the dip sort of loose, too.
Here it is:
Whipped Feta With Sweet and Hot Peppers
Serves 8 to 12
1 pound sheep's or goats' milk feta cheese, broken into pieces
2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons dried Aleppo chilies, more to taste
1 teaspoon dried Urfa chilies
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, more to taste
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil.
Combine ingredients in a food processor and purée until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Taste for seasonings; for more heat, add Aleppo chilies; for more smokiness, add paprika. Scrape into a serving bowl and chill at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days. Sprinkle with more Aleppo and Urfa chili pepper and serve with celery sticks and crusty bread.
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Albuquerque, N.M.: You've taken a couple of hits today for offering too few quick recipes. Let me point out that all your readers don't feel that way. Please don't turn the W.P. food section into a Rachael Ray festival. For some of your fans spending time on cooking is a large part of the appeal of good food. I say keep up your good work!
Oh, for lots of limes consider lime curd.
Joe: Thanks, NM! The check is in the mail. ;-)
Lime curd is a great idea -- I love me some curd.
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Rockville, Md.: I have some boneless loin porkchops that I want to cook up for dinner tonight. I was thinking about grilling them because it's so nice out today, but my main concern is drying them out. Perhaps starting with the bone would have been a good idea, but these were on sale; what can I say? Do you have any tips to keep porkchops moist other than brining? Thanks!
Bonnie: I just made some last night, testing for next week's Dinner in Minutes (a quick curry). When Nathalie Dupree did a recent Chef on Call, she kept boneless chops moist by lightly browning in a combo of butter/olive oil in the skillet, then finished cooking them in the oven. Chef on Call, March 26, 2008
Bonnie: ahem, here
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re: lemonade beverages: Make pitchers of Pimm's Cup! One part Pimm's to 2 or 3 parts lemonade (I like to use 2 parts lemonade, 1 part club soda), throw in slices of cucumber, lemon, lime, apple, orange, and some mint. Delicious!
Also, for frying, don't forget that you have to adjust for the fact that dropping in the food will lower the temp of the oil. Sometimes, the TV cooks forget to account for that when talking about how long something takes.
Joe: Thanks!
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Trader Joe recommendations: I live a few blocks from TJs, so I consider myself a bit of an expert. Try the following:
Pizza Margherita (frozen)
Fresh pizza dough (only 99 cents!)
Spinach artichoke dip (frozen)
Trader Joe's brand Greek yogurt (cheaper than Fage)
Extra firm tofu (also 99 cents)
Fresh mozzarella, and cheese in general (prices are terrific, as is quality overall)
Bottled sauces (like Soyaki sauce, Thai Green Curry sauce, etc)
Canned organic diced tomatoes (makes great tomato sauce)
Lite Balsamic Vinaigrette (something like 20 calories per serving, and you'd never know it was lo-cal)
That's all I can think of right now!
Walter: Thanks for your shopping list. On the down side, I've had bad luck with the bottled fruit juices.
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Re: Fallen Souffle: Call it a puffy omelet.
Joe: It's all in the name, isn't it?
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Silver Spring Md.: There's a good cookbook called something like Almost Vegetarian that helps with the transition to eating less meat.
Many "peasant" cultures used meat as flavoring because they couldn't afford anything else. Good place to start.
Jane Black: Huh. Never heard of this book. Great idea. There is also a book called The Occasional Vegetarian that looked promising. Here's the description of Almost Vegetarian from Amazon.
"Almost vegetarian" is a good description of the way more and more people are not quite giving up meat but no longer eating it every day, and this book should have broad appeal. Shaw, author of Grilling from the Garden (LJ 8/93) and two other strictly vegetarian cookbooks, does not include red meat in her latest book, but there are fish and poultry entrees and other dishes this time around. Most are low-fat and high-fiber. The recipes are an eclectic collection, though not, perhaps, quite as interesting as those in Grilling, with lots of variations and boxes on tips and techniques. A few quibbles aside (e.g., how many cooks will be able to find baby artichokes with 4-inch stems for soup?), this is recommended for most collections.
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D.C., 20008: For the poster looking to reduce the emphasis on meat, try Patricia Wells' Vegetable Harvest.
Jane Black: More reader suggestions.
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Washington D.C.: I peeled and cubed a large butternut squash last week, and when I was done, my hands started peeling. I lost the entire top layer of skin from both palms. Have you ever heard of this before? Does it mean an allergy, or is there something about squash that does this to other people, too?
Thanks
Jane Touzalin: Turns out that's not completely rare. If you check online you'll find other people reporting the same reaction. My colleague Walter Nicholls checked with the produce-savvy people at Melissa's, and they say they're not familiar with it. But the folks at Good Housekeeping say the culprit is a sap in the squash that sometimes irritates the skin. Try rinsing your hands often when peeling, or wear latex gloves. In any case, it doesn't seem to cause permanent damage.
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Grass-fed beef: I'm looking for grass-fed beef, and I found one vendor at my farmer's market who said his beef is grass fed until the last 30 days -- is this common practice? Seems better than no grass fed, and they are free range, but I don't know what the various practices are. Are there different degrees of grass fed beef??
Jane Black: A lot of farms "finish" their animals on corn. That gives it the marbling that Americans have come to expect from their steaks. True grass-fed means that the cows have only eaten grass (as they should; they are ruminant designed to eat grass, not grain.)
It is better than not grass fed at all. And it will taste wonderful. But if you are looking for all grass-fed beef it is available. Hedgeapple Farm up in Buckeystown has a retail store with grass-fed beef. You can search a list of grass-fed producers by state at www.eatwild.com.
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BLUE about Blueberries: I don't want to waste a beautiful bunch, what is the best way to freeze them?
Bonnie: Wash and dry them thoroughly, then spread on a baking sheet and freeze. When they are frozen, transfer to freezer-safe plastic food storage bags. They can last for up to 2 years!
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Poke Weed again: The mature plant, when broken, has a sticky milky sap that causes rash worse than poison ivy in those who react.
I made pokeberry ink when I was a child. Used my mother's best linen tea towel to strain it and a feather for a quill. I'd heard that pokeberry ink was commonly used in Colonial times.
Jane Touzalin: Is your mother still speaking to you?
I bet that's a common phenomenon, kids ruining their parents' belongings in the interest of kitchen science. I know I did it a few times.
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Ice Cream Season!: I really hope you can answer this/throw it out to the crowd because I am at a loss -- where can I buy pint or quart sized paper ice cream containers (like the ones they sell ice cream in at the store)? I currently store my homemade ice cream in a plastic container, and it eventually cracks from the cold of the freezer. I would prefer to buy in the city, but could also go the the burbs or order online if that's the only option. Thank you!
Joe: The only sources I found online required you to buy ... 1,000 of them. Chatters, any ideas?
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Fairfax, Va.: Hi, I read the article today on foraging for food and loved it. I'd love to have some kind of expert come out with me to show me what is right to eat and what isn't. Do you know of any groups that go out in Northern Va instead of Md.?
This would help me in my quest to save some money. My son and I have already planted a container garden on my balcony full of veggies and herbs.
Joe: You need to hook up with this group.
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Ijamsville, Md.: Since this Saturday is the Preakness, any suggestions for snacks to go with the yummy "Black-Eyed Susan" cocktail?
Bonnie: mini crab cakes?
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I love: ...today's food issue! I'm looking forward to reading through it tonight with a nice glass of mint lemonade. (Safe) foraging and eating well on a budget kind of go hand-in-hand, don't they?
Anyway, I have 2 quick questions:
1. I picked up some garlic greens (not ramps) from a farmstand this weekend. I asked the grower what she liked to do with them, and she said she didn't really eat them too much. The only recommendation I got from fellow shoppers was to make pesto with it. I'm not really opposed to that, but any other ideas?
2. I also got some liver from free-range lambs- I'm trying to eat more responsibly raised meat, and the offal/braising cuts seem to fit better with my budget. I pan-fried it with some onions and thyme (how I usually cook other types of liver.) It was OK, but a little strong and the texture was really firm (even though it was still blush towards the center). Any other suggestions for how to turn it into a tasty meal?
Thanks for your weekly chat! Always keeps me inspired and curious in the kitchen...
Jane Black: I've seen spring garlic soup on a lot of menus recently. So you could try that. I have no recipe per se but I'd saute the green garlic with some olive oil, garlic and shallots. Cover it with chicken broth and cook. Then puree with a little heavy cream.
Chatters?
Joe: I braise green garlic whole in the oven, then glaze them (adding a little butter and sugar) on the stovetop -- or I roast them whole, with or without potatoes, chicken, etc.
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For the Germantown mom....: Just some ideas off the top of my head that use meat as support, not "a chunk front and center" (also includes the opportunity to eat plenty of vegetables that can be included in these dishes)....
For different kinds of finger foods, how about:
Potstickers (if the kids are old enough, they can help fold them up!)
Summer Rolls (again, a different kind of finger food)
Thai lettuce wraps
Tostadas/nachos or rolled up in soft tortillas with seasoned beans and rice
For utensil-requiring dishes:
Mini meatballs make a great accent for pastas and soup dishes (especially bean soups- plus the kids may be able to help roll them!)
Chili (or chili mac)
Meat as part of a cold salad (e.g. rice or orzo salad with lots of vegetables)
I wish her lots of luck!
Jane Black: Thanks. More good ideas.
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cooked shrimp ideas?: Bought a bag of cooked frozen shrimp because it was on crazy good sale. I figure they'll be good in salads. Any other ideas?
Jane Black: I make shrimp wraps. I mix equal parts sour cream and mayonnaise, chopped basil, salt and pepper and spread it on a toasted flour tortilla. Then I add shrimp, cubes of mango and crunchy lettuce (cabbage, romaine, whatever.) They're delicious.
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Limes, D.C.: Use those limes in the following - it is delicious and oh so healthy -
BEVERAGE: SWEET, SOUR & SPICY BLACKBERRY LIMEADE
5 cups filtered water
1/2 cup organic raw cane sugar
3/4 cup freshly-squeezed lime juice (12-16 limes)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
about 1/2 pound (10 oz) of frozen blackberries
In a large saucepan on high heat make a simple syrup by heating 1 cup of water, adding the raw sugar, and stirring well until completely dissolved. Add the rest of the water, the lime juice, and the cayenne pepper. Stir well. Add the blackberries, pour into a pitcher, and refrigerate until cool. Serve in slender, clear glasses.
Jane Black: This sounds great.
Joe: You had me at "cayenne pepper."
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Rained out: Hello,
I have a bunch of lamb sausage that I used for a rather wet barbeque last weekend. They're cooked, and I'm sick of the sides that I already made. Any good, cheap sides I can use to go with? I was thinking something with white beans, maybe. Thanks!
Bonnie: Maybe discard the casings, crumble the cooked sausage and use it to make lamb and rice-stuffed tomatoes or eggplant? Or cut them up and skewer with vegetables? They'd just reheat while the vegetables were cooking.
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more from TJs: I buy lots of Trader Joe's dried fruit and dried nuts, very good prices and high quality. They also have lower-than-average prices on foodbars like Nectar, Clif, Larabar, etc.
And their triple ginger cookies are INSANE. Buy bunches.
Joe: Cereal prices are good, too.
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Washington, D.C.: To the Trader Joe's shoppers - they have the best black lentils in a pouch right where the canned black beans are. They are delicious. Haven't see black lentils anywhere else.
Walter: You can find black lentils at Indian markets and, we learn, at Trader Joe's.
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D.C.: Is there a link to the print edition of the Food section on the main Food and Dining page and I'm just not seeing it? I swear there used to be one but I can't find it anymore.
Joe: Why do you want to go to the "print edition"? Everything in our section is on the main Food page on the Web, and it's organized better, with photos and the like, than the "print edition" site!
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souffle: Can you offer some tried and tested tips or tricks for a first timer making a souffle? I've heard they are very delicate. What have you learned in the past from making souffles that you now know to do, but is never written in the recipe?
Bonnie: --The less you incorporate or gently fold the sauce/or other component, the better. Streaks of egg white are okay.
--Make sure your souffle can cling/climb up the sides of the dish. My best results for rising have been to butter, then dust with fresh or dried plain bread crumbs.
-- If you don't have a deep-enough dish or want to encourage a steep rising souffle, make a stand-up collar using parchment paper and secure it with butcher's twine.
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Joe: We've formed a thick, smooth paste, so you know what that means -- we're done!
Thanks for the great questions and comments, as usual. Now for the book winners: The first chatter who brought up poke will get "The Foraging Gourmet"; the chatter who asked about grass-fed beef gets "Meat: A Love Story"; the Rockville chatter who asked about the milk/cream in the gingerbread recipe will get "The Everything Meals on a Budget Cookbook"; and the Silver Spring chatter who suggested "Almost Vegetarian" will get "Everyday Raw." Send your mailing info to food@washpost.com, and we'll get the books out to you.
Until next week, happy cooking, eating and reading.
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