Banana Flowers- Malayali Style

So Tanya Delia- you asked for more information on Banana Flowers so now is the best time to finally post my photos on the subject from my introduction to Kerala Cookery - circa Muscat, 2006. There are many various types of bananas in Kerala which are eaten by themselves, in different dishes and with different types of dishes. Banana flowers are a vegetable that is used to make a specific dry curry that Jijesh's mom makes. The outermost layer is almost burgundy and there are many coloured layers to remove before you get to the edible heart which is off white. We finely diced this heart and had to work fast since it oxidized very quickly. There was also a very odd type of dry stringiness. The curry was quite good and contained the standard Indian spice. The flavour of the banana flower is not strong, slightly waxy-starchy and bland, while the texture is perhaps closes to canned hearts of palm. How about you come back to Toronto and we can make this curry together? Arun agrees this is a great idea!

TOMATO LUST

The last day of the Farmers Market I fell in love with a heirloom tomato. I didn’t even know her name and I took her home with me. She was heart shaped and slightly split in the middle. I think it might actually have been a twin tomato. And somehow she was in the 75 cent basket. Love, ok really it was lust, for 75 cents. I also found some tasty little Green Zebra heirloom tomatoes at the same great farm stand from Iowa. I hope these growers come back next year but I have a backup plan. My father who was of course jealous of my bargain gems had the brilliant idea to save the seeds. One of the many perks of buying heirloom tomatoes is being able to save the seeds. I did a little research and found this method of preservation and found this method that wards off some of the tomato diseases. So next summer I hope to enjoy relatives of these beauties. Here is an excerpt from the article by Trudi Davidoff

"Select to save seeds from a tomato that has a flavor that you love....if you're a home gardener and saving seeds from tomatoes that are growing in your garden choose tomatoes from the very healthiest looking plants. Take your chosen tomato and slice it in half across the middle (it's "equator"). With a spoon or your well-washed fingers scoop out the seeds and their gelatinous "goo" into a clean cup or container. Add a couple of tablespoons of water to the seeds. Cover the container with a piece of plastic-wrap and then poke the plastic-wrap with a paring knife or pen point to put a small hole in it...this is to allow for air-transpiration. (A little fresh air needs to get in and out of the cup to help foster fermentation.) Place the container of seeds in a warm location; a sunny windowsill or the top of the refrigerator are both excellent sites to place the container of seeds. Now Mother Nature will take over and begin to ferment the seed and water mixture. This takes about two or three days. Each night remove the plastic-wrap, stir the seed and water mixture, and then replace the plastic-wrap, if you use a new sheet of plastic-wrap then don't forget to put a small hole in it for air-transpiration. The top of the liquid will look "scummy" when the fermentation process has separated the "goo" from the seeds. It also helps destroy many of the possible tomato diseases that can be harbored by seeds. Take the container of fermented seeds to the sink and with a spoon carefully remove the scummy surface. Then pour the container's contents into a fine kitchen sieve and rinse the seeds with water several times...stir them while they're in the sieve to assure that all surfaces are thoroughly rinsed. Give a few sharp taps to the sieve to help remove as much loose water as possible from the seeds. Line an open plate with a piece of waxed paper or a large automatic-drip coffee filter. Place the rinsed seeds onto the wax paper or coffee filter and spread them about so they are in a single layer. Place the plate in a safe location where the seeds can dry for a few days. Stir the seeds a few times during the drying process to assure that all their surfaces are evenly dry. Spread them out again into a single layer after each time you've stirred them. Tomato seeds are thick and can take up to a week to dry thoroughly. If you're having a rainy week that drying time may lengthen buy a few days."

Les Oeufs Jeannette (Eggs Jeannette)

My Grandmother Delia made the best deviled eggs and I have been craving them. This recipe that Jacques Pépin's mother used to make for him sounded so delicious and homey I had to try them. I have a new favorite. I put more herbs in mine and sprinkled them with a little paprika.

Les Oeufs Jeannette

• 6 jumbo eggs (preferably organic)
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 to 3 tablespoons whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (preferably peanut oil) Dressing:

• 2 to 3 tablespoons leftover egg stuffing (from above)
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
• 1 tablespoon water
• Dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Hard-Cooked Eggs: Put the eggs in a small saucepan, and cover with boiling water. Bring to a very gently boil, and let boil for 9 to 10 minutes. Drain off the water, and shake the eggs in the saucepan to crack the shells. (This will help in their removal later on.) Fill the saucepan with cold water and ice, and let the eggs cool for 15 minutes.

Shell the eggs under cold running water, and split them lengthwise. Remove the yolks carefully, put them in a bowl, and add the garlic, parsley, milk, salt, and pepper. Crush with a fork to create a coarse paste. Spoon the mixture back into the hollows of the egg whites, reserving 2 to 3 tablespoons of the filling to use in the dressing.

Heat the vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet, and place the eggs, stuffed side down, in the skillet. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the eggs are beautifully browned on the stuffed side. Remove and arrange, stuffed side up, on a platter.

For the Dressing: Mix all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl with a whisk or a spoon until well combined.

Coat the warm eggs with the dressing, and serve lukewarm.

Early Morning Fishing

I crawled out of bed early on my last visit home to Door County. I wont give away Dad’s secret spot but the fish were jumping. We caught mostly Bluegills and Sunfish. Not the biggest fish and they are kind of a pain to clean but they sure are tasty. Dad was sweet enough to fry some fish right up. He puts on a light flour batter and uses his trusty cast iron. Severed piping hot with a little salt they didn’t last long.

Salade Niçoise

In my humble opinion, this is one of those perfect summer meals. I love when a salad becomes a dinner with little effort. I was talking to my dear Mumsie while I put this together I wish she was here to eat it with me. It feels like cheating to throw together hard boiled eggs, blanched green beans, fresh tomatoes, cucumber slices, capers, anchovies fillets and tuna. I'm not sure purest would let me call this Niçoise because of the absence of those fine little Niçoise olives. Oh well, I bet even in Nice they would enjoy this combination of fresh ingredients drizzled with a garlicky balsamic vinaigrette.

Farmers Market

My new favorite

Farmers Market performers.

These stunning variegated Safari Gladiolus were too beautiful to pass up. And at 1$ a stem they were a steal. I arranged a little still life of my market treasures. The purple Amaranth is looking a little sad but I really love it in salads and this might be the last week. My dill died in a wind storm so I have been buying it and putting it in everything. I found some slender green beans and the purple cabbage was calling my name.

blueberries with mango and garam masala

A nice quick breakfast. I really like sweets in the morning so I have been trying to eat fruit. A little bit of garam masala sprinkeled on top is wonderful. This masala has lots of cinnamon and clove. I know they say you need to replace your spices every two years but this blend has to be at least five years old and is still really tasty.

A post for Apryll on Hunter S. Thompson’s Birthday

How would Kentucky boy Hunter S. Thompson celebrate his birthday (if he was alive and all)? Well there would be bourbon involved, I’m sure. I know he was a fan of Wild Turkey but I bet he wouldn’t mind some of this delicious Old Forester Birthday Bourbon.

It’s the perfect night for bourbon neat and some reading. Barreled in 1993 when Apryll and I were in 5th grade. This caramel deliciousness was bottled up in 2006. It tastes like butterscotch and happiness. Two kinds of ice cream. Knowing a secret. Climbing a tree. Sorry… I had a little You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown moment.

Well Apryll, now instead of rolling your eyes at a party when someone doesn’t know what Gonzo Journalism is… you can tell them about your dorky friend that posted a tribute to you, Hunter S. Thompson, and some really good bourbon.

Apryll love hash brown sandwiches, hates picnics and is one of the most clever people I know. If you were here we would drink it on our bunk beds while reading Rum Diary aloud. She would say “Happy Birthday Panda Bear!”

Spicy Tomato Cauliflower Soup

Spicy Tomato Cauliflower Soup Originally uploaded by yellaumbrella

I adore pureed soups. This soup came out of the fact that I couldn’t stand looking at anymore cauliflower. Colleen and I bought a gigantic head of cauliflower at the farmers market. We ate it many times and it never seemed to disappear. I cooked the chopped up cauliflower in stock, added tomato paste and some Sriracha. Seasoned to taste and then pureed with my immersion blender. I blended till very smooth and seasoned again. I topped it off with a locally made Chevre from ShadowBrook Farm and some sage. It is ok cold but it is really delicious hot. My apartment is over air conditions so it nice to have a hot soup even in summer.

Beet Green Ravioli

beet green ravioli Originally uploaded by yellaumbrella

This dish really didn’t work the way I planned. I sautéed up the beet greens with onion. I added some feta and filled wonton wrappers with the filling. I boiled them a little past al dente and toped them with tomato and basil. Colleen said she liked both parts just not together. I wondered if it would have worked better if I pan fried them like pot stickers. The bitterness of the beet green was a bit much too. Maybe a less flavorful cheese like cream cheese would have been better. Something sweet to counter act the bitterness, like honey might be nice.

El Rabaño… aka we only have goat on weekends

On a lazy Tuesday night we decided try out the new Mexican joint down the street. It was formerly La Tia’s Hot Tamales. I wasn’t a big fan of La Tia’s but the location is so close and it’s nice to have a restaurant to walk to.

It’s small but clean and has these amusing/freaky murals on the outside. We started off with a Tamarind Jarritos. It was really refreshing I had never had the Tamarind before. We wanted to try the goat tacos but were informed they only have goat on the weekends.

The Pork Torta was really well done. The bread was nice and crusty which is normally my problem with Tortas. Most of the time the bread is soggy and tasteless. This bread had a little bite to it any went well with the tender filling. The pork was mild but well seasoned. I recommend ordering it with the Jalapeños for a extra kick. Lettuce, tomato and crema compliment it well.

The enchiladas come ala carte and have good flavor but were dry. We asked for some salsa and they were really great. The homemade salsa was so tasty I started dipping some of my sandwich in it. I wonder if they were ready to close up early when we came in. The outside seating looks nice even though it looks out on Leavenworth. If it had not been raining I would have liked to sit out there. It seemed like the mother was the cook and the daughter was the waitress. It was friendly, fast and clean. I will go back, plus I still need to try the goat. El Rebano 3572 Leavenworth Street Omaha

Roasted Rabbit with Flageolets at La Buvette

After the Omaha Farmers Market is anything better than sitting on the patio at La Buvette? Saturdays often remind me why I live in Omaha. Sometimes when I have to park five blocks away to walk to the Farmers Market I have to pinch myself. Madison might have the whole capital square but there is something to the humbleness of Omaha’s. The traffic is laughable. The vendors have little pretension. If only they could somehow ban dogs and gigantic strollers!

We had the Buvette Salad and the Roasted Rabbit with Flageolets. The Rabbit was tender and flavorful but the beans were a touch underdone. Colleen just wanted water, but somehow managed to polish off some of my Limonata (maybe the BABY needed some).

La Buvette

511 S 11th Street

Omaha

Farmers Market Bouquet

My lovely Sister bought me this gorgeous bouquet

chocolate coconut violet birthday cake

When it is your dear sister Colleener's birthday you have to celebrate. Even if it falls on the same day as Mother’s Day. Double whammy.

I served it with Häagen-Dazs Toasted Coconut Sesame Brittle Ice Cream.

Polish Farmer's Feast

Jijesh and I enjoyed one of the authentic Polish restaurants in Roncesvalles Village. This neighborhood is an exclectic mix of very old Polish immigrants and also artsy young yuppies. This is what they called the Farmer's Dinner: kielbasa, sourkraut, cabbage roll, mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy. The taste was good and similar to what I expected. The kielbasa preparation choices were fried or boiled. I choose the traditional boiled and was glad I did- the skin needs to pop when you cut it and the taste was rich and delicious. The mushroom gravy also really hit the spot. The cabbage roll was filled with mostly meat and the sauce was very bland. I am looking forward to taking some of our guests to this new find- Cafe Polonez.

Cafe Polonez Pierogies

Jijesh ordered pierogies from Cafe Polonez. Just as we have experienced so far in Canada, they are bright white and boiled very soft and served with sour cream. These were also served with diced sauteed onions but the pierogies were not fried at all. He chose the cheese version which turned out to be cheddar mixed with mashed potatoes. They were mildly tasty... but nothing compared to what our family makes or what Tanya shared with her snowy driveway;)

Bulgogi Bento Box

I took my girlfriend out for a celebratory lunch and I finally got to try the Korean dish I have read about- bulgogi. It is thin strips of sirloin are marinated with soy sauce, sugar, scallions and mushrooms and then grilled or fried. The beef was very tender, rich and flavourful. The sweetness and soy were very strong but well balanced with the beef flavours. There was a bit of excess oil used, which would lend me to think this was pan fried. Next time I hope to try a grilled version. I could only eat about 1/3 of the bulgogi portion with all my rice to balance out the strong flavours. Jijesh enjoyed the leftovers! Since we were at a Japanese resaturant (Sushi-Ya Japan on Airport Road, Toronto) I opted for the bento box- which also included shrimp and vegetable tempura, spinach salad, miso soup, rice and green salad. Not bad for $9.

Easter egg salad with capers

Easter egg salad with capers Originally uploaded by yellaumbrella

I can only eat one or two Easter eggs. Ohh there is a an upside to those left over gem colored eggs. Egg salad feels even more special with specks of dye peeking out. I think so anyway. I have found that peeling the eggs in ice water seems to help them come off better. I bought a piece of crap egg slicer but it died a few months ago. Ever since I have been using a wire pastry cutter to break up the eggs. I love to add celery, green onion, spicy stone ground mustard, mayonnaise (homemade or Hellmann’s), ground pepper and salt. Melba toast adds crunch while letting the eggs sing. I like to add some capers for a briny and bright punch.

Apple Fritters

We took a chilly March weekend trip to the touristic village of St. Jacobs, Ontario. This 1.5 hour drive from Toronto is a beloved trek into agrarian times past, especially with the active Old Order Mennonite population in the area. On Saturday morning the biggest tourist pull is the Farmer's market. We browsed the jams and the sheepskin mittens ("not cheapskin" is their motto). By far the most popular stall at the whole market from early morning was that for fresh apple fritters. Before our eyes a team of teenage girls peeled, sliced, battered, fried and drenched the apple fritters in cinnamon sugar. After waiting so long in the slow line which trailed out the door into the chilly March wind, most people ordered at least a dozen crispy, decadent fritters. We chose our 2 fritters with vanilla ice cream And a generous dousing of maple syrup!

The Great Pierogi Disaster of 2008

So you might wonder why there isn’t a picture of the finished Pierogi. I was waiting to take a picture at Easter dinner. Well as I was stepping out of my car I dropped the bowl. The glass shattered and the Pierogi fell into the street. I almost cried. Thankfully I brought some to work and ate a few myself before the great pierogi disaster of 2008. Next year I will take pictures at every step. Happy Easter!

Pierogi

This year I made pierogi all by my lonesome. I was a little homesick and some how doing this labor intensive family tradition soothed me. The walk back and forth to stove to table, stove to table. The boiling pot, the rolling and filling. It all felt familiar and bittersweet. We are the forth generation of our family out of Poland but yet making the same beautiful dumplings as the generations before.

mushroom pierogi

I’m making mushroom, cheese, sauerkraut, and plum pierogi. For the mushroom filling I’m using dried morels my father picked. The morels add a woodsy note when added to the button mushrooms. I tried to get as much moisture out of the mushrooms as possible. I mash the mushroom with some potatoes and a little ricotta.

Easter eggs

Turkish egg cups Originally uploaded by yellaumbrella

Dyeing Easter eggs really makes it feel like Easter. I love the truly unnatural colors. But, I would like to dye eggs with natural colors sometime. Maybe next year I will use onion skins and beets. These beautiful Turkish egg cups are a present from my sister. And of course the best part of Easter eggs is the promise of egg salad.

egg dye

Puttu-Steamed Rice Flour Cake with Coconut

One of my favourite breakfasts from Kerala, India is puttu- especially when it is made with roasted brown rice flour and served with tiny bananas. Here you can see Jijesh's first lesson in how to make puttu (yes, I am the teacher after learning from my guru- Amma, Jijesh's mom). Jijesh is alternating putting in 1 tablespoon of defrosted, frozen coconut and the moistened roasted brown rice flour mix into the puttu tube. Then the puttu tube is steamed on top of the bottom vestal. Jijesh made a delicious cherupayar (moong dal and coconut) curry to accompany the tasty puttu and bananas.

The Bud again...

 

Did I mention they have temporary tattoos in the bathroom?

Bud Olson Bar

  Free corned beef and cabbage on dark rye with spicy mustard. I really don’t think this picture can truly tell you how delicious it was. I washed it down with a Boulevard Stout. Only on Saint Patrick’s Day.

Avial & Pineapple Pachadi

Jijesh made Murali and I avial and pineapple pachadi in celebration of Holi. Avial is one of Kerala's special dishes: a savoury coconut, spice and chili based sauce coating a long list of vegetables including carrots, yams, beans, snake gourd, peas, and drumstickss (a long fiberous vegetable shaped like a drumstick). Pineapple pachadi is a sweet and sour dish where the fruit (mango is also common) is cooked in a savoury yogurt sauce. These dishes were delicious with white rice and papadum on the side.

sweet sour tofu

sweet sour tofu
Originally uploaded by yellaumbrella

I really wanted some Chinese food but my refrigerator was full and I really didn’t want to go out to dinner. I had bought a can of pineapple on a whim and it got me thinking about sweet and sour sauce. I had never had sweet and sour tofu even in my co-op days.

I roughly followed the recipe from Eating Well. I changed up the vegetables to whatever I had on hand, added more ginger and some Sriacha. Then cut the tofu a little different, I like it in triangles more than cubes for some visual reason. The recipe is simple and can easily be adjusted to taste. I served it with some steamed broccoli and barley.

miso soup

miso soup
Originally uploaded by yellaumbrella

I have been sick and been eating tons of soup. Miso has been tasting so good to me. My relationship with miso has been rather cold since a cup of miso soup jumped out of my hand, and landed on my sisters keyboard.

But I’m sick and it’s the only thing I’m not to lazy to make. I know that diakon is traditional in miso soup so I tossed some radishes in. I liked their crunch and color.

spicy salad greens

Honey Creek Farms spicy salad greens brighten up my snowy day. There is so much variation in each bag. Some greens are six inches long yet some are like delicate little petals. I know Honey Creek Farm comes to the Omaha farmers markets but you can also get the greens at Wohlner’s.*

When I eat the salad by myself I like to eat with my hands. Picking each different leaf up one by one.** I don’t really think the greens are all that spicy. There are just a few real nice, bright, mustard flavor greens mixed in.

These salad greens are nice with just a simple vinaigrette and whatever ingredients you have on had. Tonight I only had chickpea, a red pepper and frozen peas and it was a nice simple meal.

*5205 Leavenworth Street

**Everything taste better when you use your hands.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

Yum! Some lucky co-workers of mine will get to sample chocolatey goodness tomorrow at our bake sale for Second Harvest. This recipe was quite nice. I based mine off of one from allrecipes.com and the recos from the comments to make moister muffins. Of course I had to use whole wheat flour, oat bran, as well as a touch of my favourite cayanne and cinnamon. My chocophile husband withholds comments until tomorrow when he can sample his 6th muffin;) I am a fan of this new recipe and have added it to my collection. Cold milk is a must when sampling these dangerous chocolatey muffins.

Congratulations Mattel

Barbie
Originally uploaded by yellaumbrella

I was on my way to buy some frozen peas.* When I walked past these monstrosities. I was so taken with them. Barbie waffles? I had this deep urge to buy them.

Now, I’m frugal. I say frugal but I might actually be something that rhymes with my favorite marshmallow Easter treat. I almost always buy the store brand. I shop at ethnic grocery stores for better and cheaper vegetables. I, like certain family members wash out plastic bags and wipe off tinfoil to reuse.

But, I wanted these waffles. Barbie what power you have over me! My sister and I loved Barbie.** Maybe that is why I wanted them. It reminded me of the hours spent making up stories and dreaming . I wonder what they taste like? I didn’t get to really look at them. It was busy and people were giving me funny looks for taking a picture of the freezer case of Barbie waffles.

* Frozen peas are my comfort food. A bowl of warm peas with a little butter and seasoning. Mmmm

**We even had a Barbie record the only line of any song I can remember goes “Barbie and her friends. Barbie and her friends.” Over and over

fennel and blood orange salad

fennel and blood orange salad
Originally uploaded by yellaumbrella

This is such a refreshing salad. I love the crispness of fennel. And that soft fennel flavor of herb, citrus and anise. I peeled the outer layer and the stems off. I will save them for stock. Some one told me that Prometheus used a stalk of fennel to steal fire from the gods.

When I can’t get fennel I use jicama. I add pepper, radishes, apples or whatever I have on hand. A shallot orange vinaigrette works best. I change up the vinaigrette too, adding a bit of honey, garam masala or even a nice mustard where needed. I was out of shallots tonight so I added scallions for a mild onion flavor. They added a nice green element too. Thin slices of vegetables work best I think. And of course I like to supreme the oranges.

The fennel I bought seems a little milder. It still has a nice flavor just not as much anise tang as some. This salad goes well with fish or on top of some nice greens for a light meal. I also like it the next day when all the ingredients have had time to combine.

Mexican Oatmeal

This oatmeal was a breakfast highlight for me when Jijesh and I visited the Grand Flamenco Xcaret Resort in Mexico. It was a loose milk porridge strongly flavoured by an intense, perfumy Mexican cinnamon, canela.

supremes of blood oranges

blood orange
Originally uploaded by yellaumbrella

Being in Nebraska in winter makes you dream of things like blood oranges. They are like a magic trick. Your normal orange from the outside and then to cut it open and see its crimson flesh.

One of my favorite knife skills is to supreme citrus. Carving out the perfect little wedges of citrus. I even love the name. It really is the Diana Ross of kitchen tricks.

My boyfriend Harold McGee* says “Blood oranges owe the deep maroon color of there juice to anthocyanin pigments, which develop only when night temperatures are low, in the Mediterranean autumn and winter.”

So they are at their best now and I plan to eat many. Blood oranges have more antioxidants than other oranges so as my winter cravings go, this is a good one.

* Ok, so I don’t even know him but I do read bits from On Food and Cooking all the time. And maybe I do have a fantasy or two of making him a grilled cheese sandwich while he tells me about anthocyanin pigments.